CH 36

Maou Ni - Chapter 36

PICNIC 2

"What's wrong, Lefy? Are you that upset because I wasn't scared?"

"Grrr… You have some nerve."

Lefy said with a chagrined expression.

At first, I had trembled with fear at the Supreme Dragon Coaster, which surpassed mere human strength. But ultimately, I loved a good thrill. "Oh, this is actually quite fun?" Once I noticed that, my screams had turned into cheering.

"Hmph. If anything, that was not nearly scary enough for me."

"You're one to talk, you were so scared in the beginning."

Lefy said with an even more twisted expression as she saw me looking victorious.

"Hey, older brother, older sister, let's hurry up and eat already. I'm hungry."

"Oh, sorry. I want to eat too. Now, let's dig in."

"'Itadakimasu.'"

"Itadakimasuu."

"I- itadakimasusu. I can't get used saying that…"

At first, it was just me that said 'itadakimasu', but before I knew it it had become a common salutation around here before eating meals. Well, it wasn't a bad thing anyway. The newcomers would slowly get used to it.

"Ah! There's fried chicken! Lot's of fried chicken!"

Iluna exclaimed with joy as she opened the lunch basket and saw that there were mountains of her favorite fried chicken inside.

"Yeah, there is quite a lot. You can eat as much as you like."

Interestingly, the fried chicken was made from the meat of a magical beast known as 'rock bird'. This animal was covered in rock-like feathers and attacked its enemies with a braying that sounded a lot like a death metal vocalist; making it 'rock' in more ways than one.

Its taste was quite plain but was juicy when chewed, and quite delicious overall.

"Mmm. The meat of magical beasts tastes so good."

"Oh, so this is meat from a magical beast? What magical beast is it?"

"Rock bird."

"I see, the rock bird…rock bird!? Isn't that a war-damage class beast!? Aren't the ingredients super expensive!?"

Lyu said as she did a double take in disbelief.

"War-damage class?"

"It's, it's a category for magical beasts! It means that just one of them is an equivalent threat as going out to war!"

Apparently magical beasts were categorized depending on their threat level. Non-threatening, Threatening, Man-made disaster, War-damage, Natural disaster, Large natural disaster, and Cataclysm. A war-damage class meant that you had to anticipate casualties equivalent to a war when going up against one. Although, since it was war in this world, the numbers would be in the hundreds instead of tens of thousands.

"Ah, is that so. While they are quite hard and sturdy, they still go down after a single hit with a greatsword. And because their flesh was quite delicious, I just saw them as a convenient source of food."

"…While it's a bit late, I finally understand just how abnormal things are here. Though, I don't mind as this tastes good…"

Lyu said with a conflicted expression that could be read as both exasperation and admiration.

"Hehe, you haven't seen anything yet, Lyu. Just wait until you see what other ingredients are used here, you will surely be surprised."

Leila said as she indicated towards the other sandwiches and rice balls.

This meal was made by me and Leila together. She had helped me from the cutting of the game, so she knew what was being used.

Today was a picnic after all. Usually, I was lazy and just used DP to acquire the ingredients, but today I took the effort to procure some meat from magical beasts instead.

"…I think I would rather not ask in that case. Being delicious is justice. I am satisfied with that."

"That's a good way to live. Being delicious is justice. But, I think there is one missing component in calling this justice. Right, Yuki?"

"You really don't change, huh. I have prepared the dessert, okay. Just be patient."

Hearing those words and realizing that I had prepared it, all the girls except for Leila broke into loud cheering.

"Yay! Dessert!"

"The sweets that Master prepares are so good that they make my mouth water."

"Yes. I don't think there is anywhere else where you can eat something so good, regardless of where you are in the world. Be thankful for it, Lyu."

"Eh, why are you acting all uppity?"

"Why, because it is I that has eaten the snacks that you've served the most."

Ahh… That was true.

"Hey, hey. I am overjoyed that the Supreme Dragon has acknowledged me."

"Aye, you can be very grateful of it."

"…Umm, Master, there is something that's been on my mind for a while… Uh, does the reason that you call Lefy the Supreme Dragon have anything to do with…"

"Eh? Didn't I tell you? Lefy is a Supreme Dragon. And an ancient dragon."

"…No, I hadn't heard. …But that means, wait, you really are a 'Supreme Dragon!?'"

"Yeah. Hard to believe, is it?"

"No, no. But, but… Supreme Dragons are known as a legendary species… But you're really small, with a weakness for sweets and are quick to anger when you lose. The exact opposite of what I had imagined…"

Ahh, yeah… That's true. No one would think she was such a person, sitting there with her cheeks full of food like a squirrel.

"Oh, what is it, Lyu? If you have something to ask me, I will listen."

"Eh!? Oh, it was that!! It's just that, since you are a pretty young girl, you didn't really match my idea of a Supreme Dragon!!"

"Oh? Well, will you tell me what your idea of a Supreme Dragon's appearance was?"

"Eh, ah, umm, well, I…"

"Don't threaten her, you idiot."

I gave a single karate chop to Lefy's head as she got carried away with her teasing.

"But…uhh, but, Lyu was…"

"No 'buts' about it. If you have any complaints, you should reconsider your daily actions before talking of others."

I stared back as Lefy gave me a vengeful glare.

"Oh, you saved me, Master… But, Leila, you seem quite calm about it, had you noticed it? That Lefy was a Supreme dragon?"

"Well, I did. It is quite well-known that the Supreme Dragon, - I mean, Lefy had made the deeper parts of the haunted forest her territory. And the first time I met her, she was subduing dragonkin. If anything, I am shocked that you hadn't realized it all of this time."

"Uh, well, but, at first, things were constantly moving and I didn't even know what situation I was in. When I met Master, I was completely distracted by Mofir and wasn't looking at anything else…"

Incidentally, Fir and Shii were now both resting with their eyes closed under the shadow of a tree. Shii was completely immersed in a dream world, but Fir seemed to be awake, given that there was second where he reacted. Most likely he was staying still out of diffidence. He's a cute little guy.

"It doesn't really matter. Everyone, let's hurry up and eat so we can play! I want to play badminton again!"

"Oh, that's a good idea. Iluna, let's play badminton together."

"Yes! I want to play with older brother!"

Iluna said with a big smile. Cute.

"…By the way, Master. Your younger sister…"

"She's just a normal girl."

"…Well, that's still very impressive for her, regardless. A girl who is doted on by both you and Lefy, a Demon Lord and Supreme Dragon… Maybe she is the most important person of all…"

I agree completely with that opinion.

Among the Big Four of my dungeon, Iluna stood at the top. Next was Lefy and then Fir, with me at the bottom. Shii and the two newcomers were a pet and maids so they are excluded.

I was likely to eventually play the role of someone who says "Heh, I am the weakest of the Top Four. I wouldn't get too cocky just because you beat me…"

…no, no that won't do. People say those kinds of lines right before they die. I don't want to die, so that notion is dismissed.

So, this other one then. I will say, "Heh, I am the weakest of the Top Four. You must be weak if you cannot even beat me." I will stop the enemies that attack and defeat them. I will be the dungeon's shield.

"Heh. It is I, the shield of the dungeon and most fearsome Demon Lord, Yuki."

"? What's the matter, older brother?"

"Nothing."

And just like that, we played and frolicked for the entire day, until Iluna was so tired that she fell asleep.