While the fact that we were children might’ve made us seem innocent, we weren’t demons, and we were lost in the underground passage—a normal person would’ve been cautious and alert considering all that, but she seemed completely unworried. She was totally calm and full of openings as she greeted us.
Considering that this woman in the apron was baking snacks in the kitchen, I assumed that she must’ve been some sort of chef in charge of this place. As the rest of us were in the middle of trying to process our situation, she expertly lined up plates and cutlery for us in a flash. Her movements were so fluid and smooth that I was convinced that she worked here.
I suspected that we were in the tower where the queen was confined—since security must’ve been tight, it was clear that it would bring us trouble if we caused a fuss.
“Why don’t you take a seat?” the woman offered. “I’ll bring out some freshly baked snacks right away.”
The tone of her voice was comforting to my ears—simply listening to her was enough to put me at ease. Encouraged by this chef, we sat down. Only then did Tutte snap back to her senses and suggest that she provide assistance.
“U-Um, please allow me to help you out,” my maid offered hastily.
“Oh? I might take you up on that offer,” the woman replied with a gentle smile. “Could you please bring those plates over for me?” She elegantly pointed to the plates. Every motion she did made her look cool. We watched on, completely swept away by how this woman conducted herself...and soon enough, some tasty treats were lined up in front of our eyes.
The woman took a seat across from us, and after she rested for a moment, she took a sip of the tea that Tutte had poured. She was so graceful with her movements that I could hardly believe that she was a simple chef. She seemed better suited for a life of luxury—if I were to make a comparison, she reminded me of Queen Ilysha.
“That reminds me, may I ask who you are?” the woman asked. “Since you came all the way down here, you must’ve had some sort of goal in mind.”
It’d been a good while since we’d set foot in the kitchen, and she posed her question as though she just remembered. She seemed awfully laid-back, and it made me put my guard down too. Her mellow attitude exuded comfort.
“We came here to meet the queen,” I said, speaking the truth. “We heard that she was trapped in here.”
“Ah, is that so?” the woman replied. “I’m sure it was no easy journey for you to come all the way here.”
“I think Emilia and the others are having a harder time. They’re being chased around by weapons.”
“Oh? Emilia, you say? Did she bring you down here?”
“Er, yes. She practically dragged us with her.”
“Oh dear, that must’ve been tough.”
“It really was.”
A relaxed conversation ensued, and a calm air settled between us. Hmm... I feel like I’m forgetting something... There’s something that’s bothering me... But well, whatever. I enjoyed the delicious snacks and relaxed for a while, when suddenly, I heard a loud sound from the direction of the wall that I’d opened. Something flew right in.
“Grr... Why in the world is this wide open?!” Emilia demanded. “Who in the world destroyed this?!”
“How should I know?” Sita replied. “Don’t ask me.”
“Princess, we better be in the right room this time!” Rachel added.
Two dark elves and a demon entered the room. They were out of breath, no doubt after they’d run around, and they looked highly exhausted, in stark contrast to our calm spot of tea.
“Emilia?” I asked. “And Sita, Rachel. What happened?” I sipped my tea, completely affected by the laid-back air of the woman.
“You know what!” Emilia snapped. “How could you leave us behind, you heartless woman?!”
Before she managed to look at her surroundings, the demon princess shot daggers at me, furious with her situation.
“You’re the one who activated the weapons,” I pointed out. “You reap what you sow.”
“How dare you... Why the hell are you fools calmly enjoying a cup of tea?!” Once she’d finally registered what we were doing, she was angrier than ever before. I wasn’t really sure how I’d gotten into this situation either, and I turned pensive for a moment.
“My, oh my, Little Emilia,” the woman said. “Don’t be so mad. You’ll ruin your pretty face.”
The woman from Planet Warm ’n’ Fluffy—I mean, the one in charge of this place—gently scolded the princess. Wait, why’s the princess getting scolded by a chef? And “Little Emilia”? How can she be so casual to a princess? I thought for a few moments and turned stiff when I reached a certain realization. C-C-C-Could she... Could she be...
“But we’re absolutely livid, we’ll have you know,” Emilia replied. “Why are you here, mother?”
When I turned to the lady, Emilia suddenly froze—but not nearly as much as me, of course, as I was feeling every pore of my body begin to sweat with panic and fear. I-It can’t be... This woman—this lady with a calm and fluffy air—is the q-q-queeeeen?!