Chapter 82

After Hades and the goddess Demeter Sefone left, as promised, I reforged Grashara's sword and restored it from its broken state.

The Demon Lords repeatedly expressed their gratitude for this and returned to the Demon Capital.

According to the promise with Hades, they are going to launch the final battle against the human race.

"Although I believe this will likely be an unprecedented great war, I intend to take the utmost care not to cause any trouble for the Holy One. I will come to report when we win the war."

"Instead of saying that, please come and visit from time to time."

A war isn't something that will end in a day or two, after all.

When I said that, the Demon Lord just smiled wryly, said nothing, and bowed deeply before leaving, taking his two quarreling wives with him.

...Having two wives must be quite a challenge, huh? I should be careful too.

By the way, as a side note, Paffa, Lampai, Gara Rufa, and the other new faces protested or were confused by the Demon Lord's visit and the divine summoning.

"Why is the king of the demons just casually visiting!?! Why is the god of the demons just casually summoned!?! "

"I thought I had accepted that this place is beyond the norm, but please don't exceed the limits of what can be casually accepted!!"

"It's no good anymore! My head feels like it's going to explode and scatter spores everywhere!!"

Was it really that shocking?

Hades and the Demon Lord seemed quite nice and approachable when I talked to them?

...Yes, I'm sorry.

For their mental stability, I'll try to include some steps when I do something unconventional next time.

* * *

In any case, the rice harvest season arrived.

"Isn't it a bit early?"

Even with the hyper fish fertilizer that Plati and the others made to speed up growth, it hasn't been a month since the transplanting, right?

"I wonder? It seems that the god Hades blessed this land, so that might have something to do with it...?"

Is that how it works?

Well, there's nothing we can do about it now that it's already grown.

Let's quickly harvest, thresh, and mill it. Finally, I can offer white rice in this different world!

The fruits of the earth...

"Master, what are you so excited about with these white grains?"

"Isn't it usual that we can't understand what Master is thinking? After all the fuss and commotion, I thought it would be some amazing crop, but what is this? It's not tasty at all, and tomatoes and potatoes are much better, right?"

Don't eat raw rice.

Well, there's no choice. I'll show Plati and Vier the true value of rice.

I already prepared a rice cooker when we built the house, so I'll use it to cook the rice.

Start with a gentle simmer, then a vigorous boil, and if the baby cries, soothe it.

It's done.

I served the two of them the rice, which shone like pearls.

"Hot, hot...!"

"Munch, munch, munch, munch...!"

Both of them ate the white rice with great enthusiasm, finishing every grain, and then said:

"It's bland."

"The texture was good, but there was no flavor at all. Maybe it would be better with miso or salt?"

It wasn't as well-received as I hoped, but that's to be expected.

Putting aside their evaluation, I prepared to offer the rice to someone else I wanted to offer it to.

I moistened my hands with water and sprinkled salt, then shaped the rice into a ball.

It's a rice ball.

This is what I vowed when I started the development of this land:

"I will make rice on this land and offer a rice ball to the god Hephaestus."

Hephaestus is the god who gave me the 'Supreme Bearer' ability, which I have relied on the most.

That's why I want to show my gratitude in some form.

And I'm sure that god absolutely loves rice balls!

So, I made a rice ball with the first harvest of rice, wrapped it in nori, and offered it to a makeshift shrine.

"Hephaestus, thanks to your gift, I have been able to survive in this world."

I was able to expand this development area to this size thanks to the ability you gave me.

I'm a bit late, but I want to offer my gratitude.

Please enjoy the rice ball to your heart's content.

"...Hmm"

It feels like I've reached a milestone.

My record of developing this different world. Chapter one ends! Now on to chapter two!

That level of accomplishment.

"...Does the Holy One worship the god Hephaestus?"

"Ah!"

The teacher had somehow approached right behind me.

...Please don't do that, teacher.

You are undoubtedly a king of the undead and a horror, so anyone would say "Ah!" if you suddenly appeared behind them without them noticing!

"The Holy One, I have recently discovered a new hobby."

"Hobby?"

"Divine summoning. After summoning the god Hades, I feel like I can do all sorts of things. If you wish, I can summon the god Hephaestus...!"

"No, no, no, no, no!!"

He's probably busy, so there's no need to summon him with effort!

Besides, don't make summoning gods your hobby! Isn't summoning a god something that a normal mage spends their whole life trying to achieve!?

When I tried to stop him with all my might, the teacher reluctantly agreed and returned to the dungeon.

It seems he doesn't have the nerve to summon a god without a good reason, and he's looking for an excuse.

It's good to know that the Undead King still has some sense when it comes to dealing with gods.

* * *

By the way, Plati and Vier, who had tasted the white rice...

"Something feels lacking."

"Since then, I've been thinking, 'If only I had rice!' with everything I eat! What can we do!?"

It seems they can't live without white rice anymore.

* * *

I also tried something I wanted to try personally.

I took freshly cooked, steaming hot rice and the egg of the chicken-type monster, Yosshamo, which I had just collected.

I cracked the egg, mixed the yolk and white thoroughly, and poured it over the rice.

I added soy sauce and mixed it further...

"Egg on rice!!"

It's delicious!!

"Ahh!! Master is eating something delicious all alone!?"

"That's not fair! Let me eat too!! Mixing eggs, rice, and soy sauce...! Combining delicious things with other delicious things...! It's bound to be incredibly delicious!!"

Oh no, Plati and Vier found me.