By the time we returned to the castle, the sky of the Demon Realm had already sunk into its usual shade of crimson twilight.

  The massive gates creaked open, their echoes following us inside as if announcing our triumph. Judging by how tightly everyone was holding their sacks, one would think we had returned from war—not with dirt-covered vegetables.

  Demons passed by, slowing their steps to stare at the unfamiliar crops. Some sniffed the air suspiciously. Others eyed the potatoes as if Mira had brought back a cursed relic instead of food.

  Inside the grand hall, we gathered around the long stone table.

  The potatoes were dumped onto it with a dull thud.

  Silence followed.

  “So,” Glutto said, rubbing her massive hands together, eyes gleaming. “Is this… edible?”

  Mira stared at her.

  I stared at her.

  Everyone stared at her.

  “They’re potatoes,” I said slowly, choosing each word with care.

  “Yes,” Glutto nodded seriously. “But are they safe?”

  Before I could stop him, Glutto grabbed one and bit into it.

  Crunch.

  “You’re eating it raw,” Mira said ftly.

  Glutto froze mid-chew.

  The room went quiet as all eyes locked onto her.

  “…It tastes,” she paused, chewing harder, “like regret.”

  She swallowed.

  Her face twisted. “It’s bitter.”

  “Because it’s raw!” Mira snapped.

  Glutto looked deeply offended. “Then why would the soil produce betrayal?”

  I pressed my fingers to my temples.

  [Announcement: Demon Vassal Glutto has discovered the concept of ‘raw food’ and does not approve.]

  As if encouraged, the other demons began copying her.

  Another demon grabbed a potato and gnawed on it.

  Crunch. “…Why is it hard?”

  Crunch. “Is it cursed?”

  Crunch. “Why does my jaw hurt?”

  Mira smmed both palms onto the table. “STOP EATING IT RAW!”

  They froze instantly, like children caught stealing sweets.

  “You have to cook it,” she continued. “At least boil it. Fry it if you can.”

  The demons exchanged confused looks.

  “Boil?” one asked.

  “What’s fry?” another tilted his head.

  Glutto puffed her chest proudly. “We burn meat until it submits.”

  “That’s not cooking,” Mira muttered. “That’s intimidation.”

  I cleared my throat and stepped forward confidently. “Fear not. I shall handle this.”

  I strode toward the stove, my cape flowing behind me. The demons straightened at once, watching their lord with reverence.

  “I am the ruler of fme,” I decred, pcing a potato onto the stove. “Cooking is merely fire with ambition.”

  I raised my hand, holding my lighter.

  “DON’T LET THE FIRE BURN!”

  [DON’T LET THE FIRE BURN! Skill Activated!]

  A small fme flickered from the lighter, then the stove erupted into bzing crimson fire.

  The potato was instantly reduced to bck ash.

  Smoke flooded the room.

  ...

  [Announcement: Potato has been promoted to charcoal.]

  “You burned it!” Mira shouted.

  I coughed, waving the smoke away. “Minor miscalcution.”

  “You incinerated it,” she corrected.

  Glutto stared mournfully at the ashes. “The potato didn’t deserve this.”

  Mira exhaled slowly. “Do you have a frying pan? Or a pot?”

  I gestured grandly.

  Grando sprinted in, holding a battered frying pan as if it were a sacred relic.

  Mira nodded. “Good. Now oil.”

  Every demon blinked.

  “…Oil?” I repeated.

  “Yes. Cooking oil.”

  Confused murmurs spread through the hall.

  “Is it blood-based?”

  “Do humans squeeze it from animals?”

  “Is it fmmable?”

  Mira pinched the bridge of her nose. “Please tell me you have something oily.”

  At that moment, Shiny appeared out of nowhere, popping up beside the table with her usual unsettling cheerfulness.

  “I do!” she said brightly.

  She snapped her fingers, then a massive pile of random items materialized on the floor, junk collected from Zone 3.

  Broken furniture. Metal scraps. Human clothing. A toaster. A traffic cone. A vending machine panel.

  I stared at the pile. “Why do you have all this?”

  Shiny tilted her head. “Loot.”

  Mira knelt down and rummaged through it. “Please let there be oil… please…”

  She froze.

  “This...” She pulled out a rge, rectangur object.

  The demons leaned closer.

  “It looks like a demon prison,” Glutto said.

  Mira’s eyes lit up. “This is an air fryer.”

  I crossed my arms. “It cks fire.”

  “It cooks without fire and oil,” Mira replied.

  The room went completely silent.

  “Impossible...” I said slowly.

  Mira plugged it in and the device beeped.

  [Announcement: Unknown artifact has awakened.]

  The demons recoiled.

  “It speaks,” one whispered.

  Mira pced sliced potatoes inside and closed it. “Watch.”

  The air fryer hummed softly.

  Warm air circuted.

  Minutes passed.

  The smell of cooked potatoes filled the hall.

  Glutto’s eyes widened. “…It smells… friendly.”

  I leaned closer, squinting. “No fmes. No oil. No screaming.”

  The timer beeped.

  Mira opened it.

  Golden, crispy potatoes sat inside. She picked one up and handed it to Glutto.

  She hesitated, then bit into it.

  Crunch.

  Her eyes lit up.

  “…This,” he said slowly, “is better than violence.”

  [Glutto Affection +2]

  The room erupted.

  Demons rushed forward, grabbing potatoes and shoving them into their mouths.

  “WHY IS IT SO GOOD?”

  “THE POTATO HAS EVOLVED!”

  “I APOLOGIZE FOR EATING YOU RAW EARLIER!”

  [Announcement: Demon Realm morale has increased due to fried potatoes.]

  I stared at the air fryer as if it were a divine artifact.

  “Humans are terrifying,” I murmured.

  Mira smiled faintly. “I told you.”

  I leaned back, watching demons celebrate fried potatoes like it was a festival. “This changes everything.”

  [Announcement: Potato diplomacy successful.]