"Ahh… I'm so full. That was so satisfying!"

After the meal, Yurine sat on the tatami mat in a W-sit, her hands propping her up from behind. She patted her flat stomach, a contented smile on her face.

"Seeing you like that, maybe we should have dessert a little later," Ryohei said with a knowing smile.

"Dessert?" Yurine's head snapped to the side, her expression filled with pleasant surprise. "Is it the crème caramel?"

"Mhm."

After estimating the remaining space in her stomach, Yurine happily accepted his proposal. "Okay, let's eat it later then."

"Hehe! Humans have their limits, but I… am Jashin-chan!" the demon suddenly declared, standing up dramatically from the table. She puffed out her slightly rounded belly. "I will have my dessert now!" It was meant to be a cool line, but she just came off looking a little silly.

Ryohei looked at her and stated a fact. "I only made six. If you eat one now, you only get one more later."

"Fine," Jashin-chan replied casually, slithering into the kitchen. A moment later, she returned carrying a beautiful, glowing dessert.

The crème caramel was served in a round glass ramekin. A rich, creamy custard glowed with a soft, gentle light, and it was topped with a layer of glistening, dark amber caramel sauce that dripped tantalizingly down the sides. It looked incredibly appetizing.

Yurine could smell the sweet scent of vanilla and the slightly bitter aroma of burnt sugar, and her eyes were glued to it. She absolutely loved Omurice and Crème Caramel; the two dishes were basically "Yurine traps."

"Hehe!" Noticing her gaze, Jashin-chan became even more smug. She placed the dessert on the table and scooped up a spoonful. The custard jiggled, showing off its perfectly springy texture, the dark caramel sauce slowly running down its side.

"Tsk—! So jiggly! It looks so delicious!"

"You can drop the 'looks'," Ryohei said.

"If I drop it, can I have your crème caramel?" Jashin-chan shot back.

"In your dreams!" Ryohei rolled his eyes. What a greedy snake.

"Tch!" Jashin-chan clicked her tongue and put the spoonful of crème caramel in her mouth. In the next instant, her whole body seemed to jiggle like the dessert itself, and her face melted into an expression of pure bliss.

"...So delicious! This is a sweet rendezvous of taste and texture!" she declared, suddenly speaking like a professional food critic. "When the caramel enters your mouth, the first encounter is with its wonderfully complex flavor, bittersweet notes that dance on the tongue like lively musical notes. Immediately after, the delicate, smooth texture of the custard explodes, melting away. The richness of the vanilla and the depth of the caramel are perfectly intertwined, performing a spectacular dance on the palate!"

Her detailed, dramatic commentary was making Yurine's mouth water. But she maintained her self-control and snorted, "I'll be eating mine later. You can just watch me then."

Jashin-chan didn't reply, too busy enjoying the dessert.

This soul-soothing, sweet flavor…!

It was as if she had returned to the Demon World, but as an adult. This grown-up Jashin-chan was tall and voluptuous, the center of everyone's attention. And tonight, she had been invited to a grand ball. Dazzling lights and a soaring melody created a romantic backdrop. A chance meeting of eyes ignited a spark in her heart, the beginning of a beautiful encounter…

"Mmm… for you, I would," the tall, voluptuous Jashin-chan said with an innocent look at the handsome demon before her.

"..."

Back in the real world.

"Ehehe~, ehehehe~," Jashin-chan was cupping her cheek with one hand, a dopey, lovesick smile on her face.

"You're suddenly being really gross," Yurine said, unable to look directly at her. She was also curious. What kind of vision was that? By now, she was used to the fact that eating Ryohei's food led to some… "strange" experiences. Just like how she had been transported back to that perfect, golden picnic from her childhood.

Yurine looked at Ryohei, who just gave her an "I don't know either" shrug.

"Well, whatever." She wasn't too bothered. She'd get to experience it for herself later. Yurine stood up, patting her knees. "I'm going to go contact a real estate agent. Should we look for a 4LDK?" (A 4-bedroom apartment with a living room, dining room, and kitchen).

"Yeah," Ryohei nodded. That would work for now. If he managed to recruit Medusa and other demons later, they could squeeze in with Jashin-chan and Minos. Or even with him; he wouldn't mind.

"OK," Yurine made an OK sign with her hand. Then, as if remembering something, she took off the bracelet she was wearing and handed it to Ryohei. "Here, this is for you."

"..." Ryohei blinked, accepting it in surprise.

"Humans who look into Medusa's eyes are turned to stone," Yurine explained. "This is an anti-petrification bracelet. With this, you won't have to worry." Minos was being brought to the apartment by Medusa the day after tomorrow.

"Oh, thanks. But what about you?" Ryohei asked, a strange feeling in his heart as he slipped the stone bracelet onto his left wrist. It was still warm from her skin and carried her faint, pleasant scent.

Seeing him wear it gave Yurine a strange feeling as well, but she didn't let it show. She tapped her cheek and tilted her head. "I don't know why, but I seem to be immune to Medusa's petrification ability." It had happened before; she'd looked into Medusa's eyes without the bracelet and had been fine.

Ryohei: "..."

You really have no clear understanding of your own abilities, do you?! he thought, not knowing what to say. And does this thing even work? He looked at the bracelet on his wrist with suspicion. Maybe Yurine is the special one, not the bracelet.

"Don't worry," Yurine said, as if sensing his thoughts. "Medusa's petrification is temporary. Even if it doesn't work, it's not a big deal. The effect wears off after a little while."

"...Alright, then," Ryohei said. It seemed he had no other choice for now.

Yurine nodded and then went into her bedroom to start looking for real estate agents online. Ryohei glanced at Jashin-chan, who had recovered and was now nonchalantly clearing the dessert dishes. He took his phone out of his pocket.

Guess I'll just kill some time on my phone. It was still too early to prep for the stall, and the remaining work could wait.