—And right at that moment, the smell of the curry I’d set on the fire came drifting through the room.
”…A moment, thou? This aroma — could it be…?”
“Oh? You know this smell?”
“Do I KNOW it, he asks…”
The Demon Lord’s expression softened, and she drew one long, deeply nostalgic breath.
“A scent from long, long ago—”
“For the record, tonight is katsu curry.”
At those words, Cornelia’s eyes flew wide open.
“KA… KATSU CURRY, SAYEST THOU?!”
Oh?
I don’t know what’s happening, but she has bitten HARD.
And then — grrrrrrowl — the sound of Cornelia’s stomach rang out through the room.
“Well then. Shall we eat?”
“Verily, curry is DELICIOUS! Curry is SO delicious!”
Cornelia, beaming, kept slapping me on the shoulder — bang, bang.
What is with this creature… she’s outrageously friendly. Great vibes, frankly.
“To think thou wert a resident of Japan who can MAKE curry! Why not say so at once?! We were a hair’s breadth from open war, thou fool!”
Her form of address has upgraded from “thou there” to something practically affectionate, too…
Also — YOU’RE the one who came here selling the fight, madam.
“Hmm… so, to summarize: long ago, another worlds-crosser fed you curry. Is that the gist?”
“Mm! And ever since — my favorite food in all creation is KATSU CURRY!”
Well, curry is supreme justice in any world. That’s just physics.
In a world at this level of civilization… getting fed THAT would leave a permanent mark on anyone.
“So how much do you love katsu curry, exactly?”
Cornelia pondered a long moment — then nodded, hugely.
“Mm! For the sake of katsu curry… I would go to war with the WORLD!”
“Oi oi, that’s a terrifying amount of love…”
Either way, the passion radiating off her for katsu curry is far beyond ordinary.
Then I noticed: Cornelia was quietly herding her carrots to the edge of the plate.
“Not a fan of carrots?”
“Nay. I am not a fan of vegetables. Any of them.”
”…You absolute child.”
“Well — LOOK at me. Am I not, to all appearances, a child?”
Please don’t tilt your head all cutely and ask “am I not a child?” I don’t know what to do with that.
“In any case — thou and I are hereby sworn allies!”
And the Demon Lord, smiling brilliantly, extended her hand for a handshake.
…She has curry on her cheek. This creature is idiotically adorable.
Seriously though — why does literally everyone around me respond to food-based domestication?
I heaved my deepest sigh yet, in lieu of an answer.
That evening—
“I shall return for curry ere long! And thou shalt attend to me properly then as well, understood?!”
“Yeah, yeah. Fine by me.”
Souvenir katsu curry bento in hand, Cornelia was all smiles.
“Thou WILT make curry! Absolutely, po-si-TIVE-ly, thou wilt!”
“Yes, understood. By the way — where exactly do you live?”
“YONDER!”
The mountain range visible to the west — squinting hard, I could just make out something like an enormous manor on one of its faces.
“That’s a pretty huge house you’ve got.”
“Mm! I AM a Demon Lord! A shabby dwelling simply would not befit the title!”
Fair. That tracks.
And so, with a parting “Farewell, then!” — Cornelia was gone.