## Chapter 1116
"I am simply organized, that’s the truth!"
Dorian jerked his head back and forth, adamantly denying that he suffered from any sort of strange compulsive fixation.
"Sure, sure. I hear you."
Raon dismissed Dorian’s protests with a wave of his hand and stepped toward Gluttony.
"So, the bottom line is you are capable of passing your power over to Dorian?"
"Correct. It is within my means."
Gluttony gave a slow, measured nod, confirming the feasibility of the plan.
"The Sovereignty of Gluttony will lose some of its potency, but it can be accomplished."
She lifted her tiny palm, signaling that while the strength might be diluted, it would still be sufficient for their needs.
"Provided this mortal integrates my Sovereignty effectively, even if I were to clash with an Archangel using every ounce of my strength, the essence of Gluttony residing within you shouldn't vanish entirely, right? Most likely?"
Gluttony echoed the exact sentiment Sloth had expressed previously. However, as this was an unprecedented maneuver for her as well, a hint of uncertainty lingered in her voice.
"That is adequate."
Raon had already steeled himself for the possibility of draining the Demon Kings' Sovereignty completely, so this outcome was more than acceptable.
"...You are a truly strange individual."
Gluttony tilted her head to the side, her gaze lingering on Raon with curiosity.
"What makes me so strange?"
Raon's eyes thinned as he pressed for an explanation.
"The nature of the Gluttony I bestowed upon you has transformed."
Gluttony’s crimson eyes shimmered, as if she were peering directly into the depths of his spirit.
"It bears no resemblance to the power I once held."
"Is that a negative development?"
"I cannot say."
She moved her head side to side, unable to provide a definitive answer at the moment. She pressed her lips together, clearly finished with that particular topic.
"I... I am actually going to inherit the Sovereignty of Gluttony...?"
Dorian’s mouth hung open, his chin quivering as the reality of hosting a Demon King’s power began to sink in.
"Ughhhhh..."
He let out a low, pathetic groan for assistance before collapsing onto the floor in a heap.
"Gluttony."
Ignoring Dorian’s dramatic display, Raon focused his attention back on the small Demon King.
"Describe to me exactly what kind of cuisine you are craving."
Since Gluttony had demanded something innovative and superior to any bead ice cream she had tasted thus far, Raon needed specific parameters to work with.
"Hmm..."
Gluttony shut her eyes, resting her chin thoughtfully on her finger.
"I am uncertain."
She opened her eyes again, murmuring that she couldn't quite put a finger on her own desires.
"This is going to be a grueling task."
Raon exhaled sharply, resting his hands on his hips. This felt significantly more taxing than his dealings with Sloth.
"Nevertheless, I still desire bead ice cream."
Gluttony abruptly raised her hand to make a point.
"I figured as much."
Raon clicked his tongue, thinking back on the various types of bead ice cream they had sampled.
"Furthermore, I believe it would be delightful to experience a variety of flavors all at once."
Gluttony looked up, indicating she had more to add to her request.
"Multiple flavors..."
"And I want those flavors to ignite simultaneously, not one after the other."
Despite her claims of uncertainty, she had provided a substantial list of requirements.
"Incorporate bead ice cream, and ensure a burst of diverse flavors at the exact same moment..."
Raon knit his brows, mulling over Gluttony's instructions.
'This truly won't be a simple feat.'
A heavy breath escaped him; he didn't even know where to begin his experiments.
-Do not fret! Your Sovereign is here!
Wrath lifted his hand with an air of absolute certainty.
-When it comes to the art of tasting, I am without peer!
He slammed a fist into his palm, telling Raon to place his full confidence in him.
'Clean the spit off your chin before you try to sound impressive.'
Raon reached out and shut Wrath’s mouth, as the demon was salivating like a ravenous beast.
-I-it isn't because I'm hungry! I merely wish to assist you! Yes, as a comrade! Your loyal companion!
Wrath shook his head vigorously, attempting to swallow back his constant drool.
'Well, I suppose you might be of some use.'
Given that Wrath had joined him for countless meals, he did possess a functional palate.
'Even if his actual critiques are nonsensical.'
Raon decided it was best to ignore the demon's detailed opinions and simply use him as a gauge for whether a dish was edible or not.
"Dorian."
Raon gestured for his companion to follow.
"We are starting this instant."
"M-me? I have to help too?"
Dorian’s eyes went wide with shock, clearly hoping to be left out of the kitchen.
"Since you are the intended vessel for the Sovereignty of Gluttony, your participation is mandatory."
Raon seized Dorian by the scruff of his neck and pulled him toward the exit of their living quarters.
"Uhhhhh..."
Dorian’s jaw continued to shake, caught between his desire to stay hidden and his fear of the impending power transfer.
"Wait here, I shall return shortly with a result."
Raon gave a brief wave to Gluttony before stepping out into the hall.
"A brand new sensation..."
A subtle smile touched Gluttony’s lips, suggesting she placed some level of faith in Raon’s promise. The nascent emotion swirling within her Sovereignty began to glow with a sharper intensity.
"I find myself anticipating this."
---
"Whew..."
Burren dropped his blade to his side, his lungs burning as he regained his breath. He wiped the perspiration from his brow and let a small smile form.
'This is the only type of practice that feels worthwhile.'
Between Rimmer’s influence during his youth and Raon’s example in his later years, he had become conditioned to believe that training wasn't legitimate unless his body was pushed to its limits.
'The rest of the crew likely feels the same.'
Looking around, the other warriors were equally drenched in sweat, swinging their steel with focused intensity.
'Even in Raon's absence, no one is slacking off.'
In the old days, the swordsmen might have eased up their drills the moment Raon left the grounds. But now, with Raon vying for the position of head of the house, they pushed themselves even harder to ensure they never became a source of embarrassment for him.
It was the unspoken vow of the Light Wind Palace—they could tolerate personal insults, but they would never allow their leader’s reputation to be tarnished.
'I can't afford to be the one standing still.'
Just as Burren tossed his soaked towel aside to resume his duties as Vice Palace Master, a loud, rhythmic snoring sliced through the sound of training grunts.
"Mmm..."
Burren turned his head, his brow furrowed in annoyance. He spotted Runaan fast asleep, propped up against the trunk of a tree.
'Is she at it again?'
Runaan had always been prone to lethargy, but she used to maintain a strict discipline during official training hours. Lately, however, she seemed to spend more time in the land of dreams than on the practice field. It was glaringly obvious, especially given how hard everyone else was working.
"Sigh..."
Burren exhaled, trying to vent the frustration building in his chest.
'I will have a word with her later.'
Since Runaan held the rank of Division Leader, he felt it was more appropriate to reprimand her in private rather than causing a scene in front of the subordinates.
'Now, back to the grind...'
Just as Burren tried to refocus his mind, Runaan shifted against the tree, her snoring becoming even more boisterous.
"D-did she stay up all night or something?"
"That’s some heavy-duty snoring."
"Is she feeling alright?"
The other swordsmen began to pause, tilting their heads as they watched their sleeping leader.
"Sigh..."
Burren finally snapped. He lowered his weapon and marched over to Runaan.
'This is unacceptable.'
He had planned to wait, but her blatant disregard for the training schedule was too much to ignore.
"Runaan!"
Burren reached out and firmly gripped her shoulder.
"Wake up! We are in the middle of training!"
He gave her a vigorous shake, shouting that she needed to set a better example for the men.
"Mmm..."
Runaan’s eyes fluttered open, blinking slowly as she looked up at Burren.
"I was practicing..."
She blinked with a dazed expression, claiming she had been working diligently the whole time.
"What a load of rubbish! Raon might turn a blind eye to this, but I certainly won't!"
Burren shook his head in disbelief, telling her to quit the excuses and pick up her blade.
"But it's the truth..."
Runaan let out a massive yawn as she climbed to her feet.
"Observe..."
She unsheathed the sword at her hip and leveled it toward the horizon where the sun was dipping low. As the tip of her blade aligned with the fading light, a brilliant azure radiance erupted. Waves of intense frost began to pour out in every direction. Much like Raon's ability to fuse fire and cold, massive, beautiful shards of ice swept across the twilight sky in a grand display of power.
"W-what on earth is this...?"
Burren’s jaw dropped. He could feel the sheer weight of her technique—it was leagues beyond his own current level. This wasn't the kind of progress one made by merely napping.
"This is madness..."
"Is that truly Lady Runaan's power?"
"When did she become so formidable?"
"She's been sleeping through every session, how is this possible...?"
The surrounding warriors stood frozen, their mouths agape in total disbelief.
"You see...?"
Runaan clicked her sword back into its scabbard and leaned back against the tree.
"I told you I was training with everything I had..."
She closed her eyes once more, signaling that she didn't want any more interruptions.
"Uhh. Right. Okay..."
Burren swallowed hard, taking a hesitant step back.
'Isn't this completely unfair?'
He felt a mixture of awe and stinging jealousy. Runaan had done nothing but sleep, yet she had eclipsed the strength he had gained through grueling dawn training sessions with Karoon. While he knew effort didn't always result in linear gains, he felt genuinely slighted by fate.
"It's fine..."
Runaan lazily waved a hand, as if she could sense his inner turmoil.
"You will experience it soon enough as well."
She whispered those cryptic words, implying that a similar growth was coming his way if he was patient, before drifting back into a deep slumber.
"No way..."
Burren narrowed his eyes, watching her peaceful face.
"Is Raon behind this somehow?"
---
-You actually did it!
Wrath was busy scrubbing his tongue with the palm of his hand.
-Who in their right mind decides to dump ice cream into a bowl of spicy stew!
He gnashed his teeth, wondering what kind of madness would lead someone to combine mint chocolate ice cream with a savory red broth.
'I just enjoy stew, that’s all...'
Raon shook his head, defending the experiment as a simple trial.
"It certainly hits the mark for novelty, but the flavor is quite atrocious."
Dorian wrinkled his nose in clear disgust.
"Developing entirely new flavors is nearly impossible without merging them with different food groups."
Gluttony had already exhausted the entire catalog of existing bead ice cream. Thanks to Dorian’s endless inventory, she had even sampled varieties infused with exotic spices and rare fruits. To satisfy her demand for something "novel," they were forced into radical experimentation.
"I apologize. I got carried away..."
Dorian scratched the back of his neck, feeling guilty that his vast collection had already been tapped out.
"No, you’ve done a great job. It’s because of your supplies that Gluttony even listened to me."
Raon offered a reassuring pat on Dorian’s shoulder.
"The difficulty lies in the base. Since it must be ice cream, it’s hard to make it work with warm culinary styles."
Dorian let out a sigh, noting the severe lack of traditionally cold dishes to draw inspiration from.
-And we must ensure the taste is actually pleasant.
Wrath clicked his tongue. Now that Gluttony had developed a sophisticated palate, pleasing her would be an uphill battle.
'Perhaps we should focus on fruit fusions?'
Raon set to work creating a vibrant batch of bead ice cream, blending the essences of apples, strawberries, and bananas.
"The flavor profile is actually quite good, isn't it?"
Dorian gave a thumbs-up, finding the combination delicious.
"Let’s find out."
Raon brought the fruit-infused creation to Gluttony.
"It is tasty. However, it is a flavor I have encountered many times before..."
Gluttony shook her head. She didn't deny the quality, but it failed the "novelty" test.
-I agree. This isn't a significant enough change to shift the laws of causality.
Wrath lowered his hand, signaling that they were still far from the goal.
"This is incredibly frustrating."
Raon trudged back to his room and collapsed onto the mattress.
'I've been churning out ice cream for an entire day, and I'm still stuck.'
He and Dorian had spent over twenty-four hours in deep research, yet a truly revolutionary flavor remained elusive.
'I'm actually starting to dread seeing her.'
After facing Gluttony’s constant criticism, even the thought of her face was becoming a source of stress.
-Heheheheh...
Meanwhile, Wrath was patting his bulging stomach with a grin of pure contentment, clearly happy just to have been a part of the tasting process.
'That useless glutton...'
The demon had promised to handle everything, but in the end, he was only suggesting combinations he personally wanted to eat. He was a thoroughly irritating Demon King.
"Should we restock those ingredients for the next round?"
When it came to inventory management, Dorian was a machine. He was already busy jotting down a list of new supplies they would need. Despite his denial of being obsessive, he looked the part perfectly to Raon.
"Let’s just pause for a bit."
Just as Raon was about to close his eyes and drift off, a soft knock sounded at the door.
"Enter."
Recognizing the presence, he gave his permission immediately.
"It appears things aren't progressing smoothly."
Evelyn offered a sympathetic smile as she pushed the door open and walked in.
"Is the search for a new ice cream flavor really that grueling?"
"H-how are you aware of...?"
Raon let out a startled breath. Evelyn hadn't been there when he spoke with Gluttony; how could she possibly know the details of their struggle?
-I am telling you, she has placed a bugging enchantment on your skin!
Wrath shrieked, convinced that the only way to escape Evelyn’s watch was through self-mutilation.
"You looked like you were struggling, so I prepared some sandwiches for you."
Evelyn placed a plate of ham, cheese, and egg sandwiches on the table, urging him to eat before they cooled.
"Wait? This is..."
"Correct. I took lessons from your mother."
She smiled warmly, explaining that she had followed Sylvia’s specific instructions.
"My mother's recipe?"
Though he had been wary of Evelyn just a moment ago, the knowledge that she had gone to the trouble of learning his mother's sandwich recipe filled him with genuine appreciation.
-She is a wonderful lunatic after all!
Wrath cheered, his terror of the woman instantly vanished at the sight of food. He truly was a simple-minded entity.
"I'll enjoy this."
Raon took a sandwich and bit into it.
"It’s incredible."
He had expected some variation even with the same ingredients, but it was a perfect replica of the snacks Sylvia used to bring him during his training days.
-It is! It’s the flavor of Mother!
Wrath nodded in frantic agreement.
"Your mother was an excellent teacher. She emphasized not over-toasting the bread that holds everything together."
Evelyn shifted slightly, looking a bit shy.
"When you layer the scrambled eggs, ham, and cheese inside bread that has been toasted just right, it produces that exact sensation."
She spoke as if it were a minor detail, but Raon could sense the immense effort she had put into getting it right.
"Thank you. Because of this, I feel a bit... wait?"
Raon suddenly bolted upright in the middle of his thanks.
"That's the answer!"
---
"It is finished."
Raon stood before Gluttony, holding a plate covered by a silver dome.
"A dish that will satisfy your requirements."
This time, his smile was brimming with certainty. He was confident in his victory.
"Is that so?"
Gluttony stared at the plate with a neutral expression.
"It isn't just another 'tasty' dish, is it?"
She narrowed her eyes, clearly skeptical after so many failures.
"You will be satisfied this time. It is a sensation you have never experienced, it contains a multitude of flavors, and they exist in perfect unison."
Raon’s lips curled into a smirk as he lifted the silver lid. A plume of white vapor cleared to reveal the creation. It was something entirely new—pale yellow bead ice cream molded into an oval shape and pressed firmly between two thin, delicate slices of bread.
"The Ice Cream Sandwich. The innovation you’ve been seeking."
Raon rubbed his chin as he presented the dish to Gluttony.
"Hmm..."
Gluttony tilted her head, inspecting the ice cream nestled between the bread like a traditional sandwich.
"It is certainly a unique presentation."
She whispered that she had never seen food in such a form before as she picked up the sandwich with both hands.
"W-will this really work?"
Dorian chewed on his lip, his face pale with anxiety.
"It will be perfect."
Raon tightened his fist, watching intently as Gluttony took her first bite.
"That flavor profile even won over the most demanding glutton of a Demon King. And furthermore..."
He grinned as he noticed the slight shimmer of liquid beginning to seep between the bread.
"There is a hidden surprise inside as well."
The moment Raon finished his thought, Gluttony’s eyes snapped wide.
"Oh!"
A cry of pure, unadulterated excitement escaped her lips—a reaction far more intense than her first encounter with bead ice cream.
-
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