That night, guests gathered at the impromptu beach barbecue. Naturally, the Demon Lord had sent the Nine children as messengers so the Paladin would feel too guilty to refuse. The Demon Lord’s brain seemed hardwired to produce no thoughts other than petty trickery that helped him get his way. Currently, Weeb was flanked by Ren on one side and Kondo—grinning like a fool—on the other.
“It’s done. Here you go.” Ren put a freshly grilled scallop on the paladin’s plate.
“Thank you...” Weeb said, eyes flaring at the flavor bursting in his mouth, as more abalone and raw blood clams lined his plate. Each and every item on his plate were delectable to the point Weeb was starting to feel dizzy. Unlike a certain someone who had created an entire sea to fulfill his own selfish desires, Weeb always ate what the commoners ate, so it was only natural for his palate to be shocked by these otherworldly delicacies.
Gazing out at the sea of trials—as it was starting to be known—Weeb muttered, “These were all caught by Daruma—I mean, Hummer...?” He thought of Hummer, who’d always been kicked around and put down everywhere he went. To think that he was now the talk of the village was a testament to life’s miracles. “Where is Hummer? Isn’t he the man of the hour?”
“Master extended an invite, but Hummer thinks the recognition is undeserved. I believe he is attending a small celebration with his friend’s family in the Longhouses,” Ren explained.
“Yes, that sounds like him...” Weeb curled his lips, thinking of Hummer’s face that so often shifted with genuine expressions.
Seeing this, Ren piled sea bass fillets—some grilled with yuzu pepper and others fried—onto Weeb’s plate. While the Casino hadn’t come with any food, it had come stocked with plenty of seasonings and alcohol for Ren to cook with. As a holder of the Cooking skill, she was capable of expertly cooking any food in the Arena.
The Demon Lord had no doubt appointed Ren as Weeb’s attendant for the night to see if she could find the way to the paladin’s heart through his stomach. It helped that Ren agreed with him that Weeb should be recruited. In fact, Ren felt that the paladin was much more stable and reliable than many of her fellow advisors.
Kondo had been talking nonstop to Weeb exclusively about games and anime, which was entirely unproductive. “They don’t understand that these are the best foods ever.” He gestured to the canned oden, curry udon, and ramen.
Even Weeb in his infinite grace struggled to deal with Kondo, who treated the paladin as an otaku like himself. “These are...” Weeb hesitated. Kondo’s cans of food, which Weeb had been intentionally keeping out of his eyesight, each depicted an anime girl, thoroughly confusing Weeb, who couldn’t comprehend the purpose of roasting those portraits on a grill.
Ren cast an icy look at Kondo’s unauthorized addition to the barbecue. “Kondo, those are not necessary to tonight’s celebrations. Remove them.”
“You don’t get it, Ren... Weeb would like these more,” Kondo grumbled.
“Keep your ridiculous daydreams to your room,” Ren commanded.
“I’m dead serious here!” Kondo countered.
Seeing the excitement over at the hero’s seat, the Demon Lord smugly knocked back his beer. Azur had been appointed his server for the night, executing the event with elegant precision.
“Azur. How is the hero taking this event?” the Demon Lord asked.
“If I may, judging by his reaction, he seems satisfied with what he was served tonight,” Azur answered.
“But you think we’re missing something,” the Demon Lord assessed. “What is it?”
“If I may, a proper feast with an important guest of honor should also include a meat entrée.”
The Demon Lord grunted. He knew that it was unorthodox to have a seafood-only party. Alas, he had no way of obtaining any meat. Back in the game, the Pantry Area contained any ingredient imaginable from around the globe—there were no other Areas that suggested a source of meat, like Farm or Cattle Ranch. Conditions required to set up a Pantry Area were currently unknown, leaving the Demon Lord without any means of obtaining proper beef, pork, poultry, or even game meat.
“Meat... Any ideas on how to get some, Azur?” the Demon Lord asked again.
“If I may, I have heard of a farm in central Holylight owned by a master rancher who is...set in his ways.”
“Did Dona have meat delivered from him?”
“If I may,” Azur said again. “Dona once demanded that the rancher deliver regular supplies of meat to the manor, but the farmer categorically refused.”
“Interesting. He certainly has a backbone...” The Demon Lord grinned.
Azur merely inclined his head, imagining what tactics the Demon Lord would employ to finesse an agreement from the rancher.
While the barbecue continued on the beach, Hummer was enjoying a modest celebration at Sam’s house. Sam and his family had originally been offered a room in the Casino, but they had all been struck with fear when they first saw the glittering golden temple and asked to be housed in the Longhouses. Compared to the slums of Euritheis, even this meager house was like paradise.
“Drink up, Hummer! Tonight is the night to party it up!” Sam cheered.
“O-Okay... But we’re going back to sea tomorrow, aren’t we?” Hummer asked.
“We worry about tomorrow, tomorrow! Girls, look at these gold medallions!” Sam gestured to the pair of gold medallions on the table, earning an excited cheer from his daughters who hadn’t forgotten how the Demon Lord had tossed golden coins around like he was scattering rice at a wedding.
“Lord King gave them to you?! I can’t believe it...!”
“Daddy, they’re so shiny!”