Chapter 518 - The One Who Rules Over Demons
I was supposed to give a special shortcake with carefully selected ingredients to Demon King Mikan, who was working as a receptionist. That was all the quest should have been, but the situation had changed. Considering the many hints I'd received, simply handing it over wouldn't be enough; some kind of special arrangement was needed.
Parfait already had an idea—or rather, a thought on what to do given the circumstances—but she wasn't sure if it was correct. She also felt a slight resistance to the fact that her father, Hayato, had found an immediate answer to a similar quest.
I think this is probably the right way to do it, but if I'm wrong, it'll be so embarrassing...
Their situations and positions were different, so no one would think anything of it if she didn't get the same result, but Parfait felt differently. She had always loved her father and mother, but after hearing Radia and the others' stories, she realized just how many people were grateful to them, making her feel even prouder of her parents than before. Though, she did have some reservations about them being called saviors.
For her, the daughter of Hayato and Esha, to fail at something like this was a little mortifying. It was just a game, so failing wouldn't change anyone's opinion of her, but Parfait herself didn't want to get it wrong.
"My friend, what are you thinking so hard about?"
"Well, you know, the fact that Dad didn't fail a similar quest is kind of... I don't want to get this wrong either!"
Parfait answered Natsu's question, crossing her arms as her mind raced. Mikan herself was just smiling happily, seemingly with no intention of giving any more hints.
"Why don't you just ask Elder Sister Mikan?"
"I can't do that. Being told the answer is the same as defeat."
Ginny's suggestion was a strategy that exploited Mikan's character settings. She was referring to the setting where Mikan had to answer truthfully to anyone who knew her real name, but Parfait's desire not to rely on that was stronger.
Still, she figured that no matter how much more she thought about it, she wouldn't come up with a better answer than the one she already had. Parfait gave up.
Right, Mikan-san doesn't want to eat alone. I think she made Kurotako-chan because she was lonely. If that's the case, then we need enough shortcake for everyone.
Parfait came to her conclusion.
"Mikan-san, could you wait just a little longer? I'm a bit short on preparations."
"Oh, of course! I don't know what you're preparing, but I'll wait for you."
With that, Parfait told everyone to wait a moment and left the guild.
She hurried back to their base and started making enough shortcakes for everyone in the kitchen. It was difficult to get the same kind of strawberries, so she used regular ones. She had some concerns about that part, but she figured a quest that emphasized the situation wouldn't be so strict. She also prepared some tea to go with the cake and quickly returned to the guild.
"Sorry to keep you waiting!"
"Welcome back! So, what's the plan?"
Inside the Summoner's Guild tent, Parfait placed enough shortcakes and tea on the table for everyone, including Mikan.
"Let's all eat cake together!"
It was the answer she'd derived by cross-referencing Mikan's real-world situation with the contents of the stone monument Rick had gathered for her. Eating alone is lonely, so eating together was the answer. Chris, Rick, and Wilnel seemed to have thought the same, as they nodded in agreement.
"I have a feeling that's the right answer too."
"Me too."
"I'm fairly certain it's correct, but let's see what happens."
Watching this unfold, Ginny clapped her hands as if she'd realized something.
"In AFO, we can eat with Elder Sister Mikan anytime! I even have accessories that grant complete poison immunity, so it's perfectly safe!"
Mikan, sitting at the head of the table—the seat of honor, so to speak—beamed at Ginny's words.
"Oh, really? Even in virtual reality, I'm very picky about taste, you know?"
"For you, Elder Sister Mikan, I'll fetch any high-end ingredient you desire!"
"Thank you. Well then, let's start with the cake Parfait-chan and the others prepared. We'll find out the quest answer after that."
As Mikan said that, everyone gathered around the table and began to eat.
"Wow, the ingredients in this shortcake are amazing. It must have been hard to gather them, wasn't it?"
"Well, the quest said it needed to be a highest-quality shortcake with specially selected ingredients, so I chose carefully."
"Thank you for that. I love the shortcake Hayato-san made for me the most, but I like this one just as much. The fact that you prepared it just for me seems to make it even more delicious."
Mikan carried the shortcake to her mouth, smiling as she spoke. Parfait and the others ate as well, chatting amongst themselves.
After they finished eating and drank their tea, Mikan stood up from her chair.
"Congratulations! You've perfectly cleared the quest 'The Demon King's Request'!"
At Mikan's words, Parfait threw her hands in the air in a victory pose.
"That was a close one. If you had just handed me the cake, it wouldn't have cleared because the taste would've just been 'so-so'."
"Is that what would've happened?"
"By the way, when we eat together, the shortcake doesn't need to be this fancy as long as the ingredients are decent. I was surprised your cake used all rare ingredients."
She felt she might have overdone it, but Parfait was satisfied that she had been able to provide the best hospitality possible.
As she basked in her joy, Mikan placed a hand on her throat, as if to clear it.
"Congratulations. As thanks for your hospitality, I invite you to Pandemonium Castle."
The gentle atmosphere around Mikan completely vanished. Parfait and the others were startled by her sudden transformation. In the next instant, their vision abruptly changed.
They were in a vast, solemn space. At the far end of the room was a throne, where Mikan sat with her legs crossed.
"Welcome to my castle. You are my friends, with whom I have shared a meal, and thus my equals. And you have earned the right to fight me, the Demon King. Now, come at me."
Mikan said, a provocative smile on her face. She looked completely different from the gentle Mikan of moments ago, leaving Parfait and the others stunned.
"In Pandemonium Castle, the one who rules over demons, 'Demon King Mikan,' has descended. Those with the qualifications have begun combat. I repeat—"
A world announcement followed, shocking Parfait and her friends even more.
"Elder Sister Mikan, prepare yourself!"
Even in a moment like this, Ginny, never wavering from her conviction—or rather, her desires—charged toward Mikan.
If what they'd heard was true, Mikan should be extremely weak without Kurotako. She had almost no combat power and her equipment was ordinary, meaning anyone could defeat her.
Mikan had changed into a simple black dress and now had horns on her head, but her equipment didn't look any stronger.
The world announcement must have just been for show—the moment Parfait thought that...
Black, circular vortexes formed on both sides of Mikan's throne, and from them, two humanoid figures leaped out.
One was a woman in a butler's uniform. The other was a person in a shady-looking robe that hid their eyes, carrying a coffin on their back.
Seeing them, Ginny froze.
"Mother?! And Father, too?!"
The woman in the butler's uniform was Ginny's mother, Lindsey. And the man was her father, Adrian. For some reason, Ginny's entire family was assembled.
Ignoring the stunned Ginny, Mikan smiled.
"They are the two retainers I trust most in this world. I cannot call Kurotako, but these two are different. You will not lay a blade on me unless you defeat them."
"Ah-wah-wah-wah..."
Ginny stumbled backward at this turn of events. If anything, she was the one who was extremely weak right now.
"Ginny, my dear daughter. But I must prioritize Lady Mikan's orders! Now, prepare yourself!"
"Wait, Mother?! That's the kind of thing you say that means you can't complain if I become a delinquent later!"
"But Ginny, you've been spending too much money lately, so this is also meant as a lesson for you. And starting next month, your allowance will be significantly reduced."
"F-Father, you too! My support for my favorite character...! Ugh, I won't lose! At the very least, I'll defeat Elder Sister Mikan and create a demon butler who looks like Ashley-sama!"
Mikan watched Ginny's family conference with a gentle smile.
Parfait and the others thought it might actually be better for Ginny if they lost, but for the sake of climbing the event rankings, they readied themselves for battle.