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TL Note: For the greatest mind of the Demon Lord's Army, those insults felt like kindergarten ones.
ED Note: Those kindergarten insults are probably more effective due to how absurd they are.
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"Let's just calm down a little bit."
She offered Nephira a cup of tea. On the rim of the cup of tea was an orange fruit slice.
"This is something I have recently invented. If you put a little Ramonne fruit in your black tea, the acidity will bring out a taste different from the ones we usually have."
(HUH–!? This is NOT the time to be so enthusiastic about drinking tea!!)
Nephira was about to slam her fist into the desk again, but she noticed that Serphiano's hand was shaking as she held the teacup. Perhaps Serphiano was also trying to calm herself down. Taking a deep breath, Nephira tried calming her mind as much as she could. Then she turned her serious eyes to Serphiano, who was sipping a cup of tea.
"Suzuki's demon training was ordered by Lord Demon Lord! Duma went against that order! It is no overstatement to label this as treason!"
"What are you trying to say?"
"Contact the Demon World! With the authorization of Lord Demon Lord, let us search for Suzuki, employing all of our troops! Even though he's at sea, he can still be spotted by Wyverns, Dragons, and other assault squadrons, aerial squadrons of the Demon Lord's army, searching from the skies above!"
"You know, don't you? The Demon Lord's Army assault air-force squadrons are to be deployed only in case of emergency."
"Right now, it is that case of emergency! Suzuki, who came to the Imperial Capital under the orders of the Demon Lord, has been abducted!"
Serphiano then became silent. She was awkwardly twiddling her index fingers. "Dame Serphiano?"
"…Actually, Lord Demon Lord doesn't know about this."
"That's why! I'm now going to inform Lord Demon Lord that Suzuki has been abducted—"
"That's not what I meant. 'Lord Demon Lord does not know that Suzuki has come to the imperial capital for demon training' is what I meant."
"…Huh?"
After a moment of silence, Nephira raised her voice.
"A-Absurd!! Wasn't Suzuki's demon training a decree from Lord Demon Lord!? Dame Serphiano!! You told me as much, didn't you!?"
Serphiano quietly put down the tea she was drinking on the desk.
"I can't hide it any longer, can I? It wasn't Lord Demon Lord who summoned Suzuki to the Imperial Capital for demon training. It was this me."
"No way!! What the hell!? T-Tell me your reasons!! Depending on the circumstances, I…"
"…I wanted to meet him."
"Eh–"
Serphiano, with a miserable look on her face, shouted with all her might.
"I wanted to meet with Suzuki, to—o!! I wanted to talk with him more and mo—re!!"
"T-That is your reason?!"
"YEE-SSU!"
Nephira trembled as she looked at Serphiano, who held her index finger by Nephira's face.
(Then, aren't you the cause of all this!!)
However, even if it were true, she couldn't say such a thing to the head advisor of the Demon Lord's army. Unaware of Nephira's frustration, Serphiano began to speak with a distant look in her eyes.
"At first, I was satisfied with just looking at the image of Suzuki in my crystal ball. However, Nephira is always with the real Suzuki. And yet, I am stuck with a fake Suzuki in a crystal ball. I also wanted to meet and talk with Suzuki in person. When you bragged about how you got kissed by Suzuki in our crystal ball call, I actually almost went mad with jealousy. While feigning composure on the outside, I was cursing you 'Idiot Nephi—ra! Full of crap!' in my heart."
"Are you, a child!!?"
After a slight chuckle, "Fu–," Serphiano stood up. Still holding a cup of tea, she slowly walked around the training center director's office, talking to herself.
"In the human village of 'Leaven,' which is northwest of the capital, the cultivation of grains is thriving. The villagers call a sticky food, made by kneading a special grain grown in Leaven, 'mochi.' When that mochi is baked, it puffs up. Well, it's not so tasty for us demons, as you know."
(Wh-What in hell, is she talking about?)
Serphiano was a genius. She may be talking in some kind of metaphor. However, Nephira had no idea what she was trying to convey. Serphiano continued.
"As I mentioned earlier, I envied you for your intimacy with Suzuki. My cheeks, burning bright red with jealousy, puffed up like baked mochi. 'I will invite Suzuki to the imperial capital and snatch him from you.' ——— In other words, this is..."
"Th-This is…?"
Serphiano turned her wise and sharp eyes on Nephira.
"This is the 'Baked Mochi Plan' (Resentful Jealousy Plan)!"
(What the hell has she been talking about all this time, this person!? She rambled on and on about nonsense for so long! I'm starting to think that maybe she is so intelligent that she went full circle and became a plain idiot!)
Unable to contain her frustration, Nephira lunged at Serphiano.
"Dame Serphiano! I would like to mention one thing! Suzuki is the Commander Adjutant of the Thunder-Lance Charge! In other words, it belongs to me! It does not belong to you!"
Then Serphiano changed her beat and made a hateful look on her face.
"HAH—? That's just Nephira's own selfish belief, isn't it—? Doesn't all beings that are part of the Demon Lord's army belong to Lord Demon Lord—?"
"T-That's a technicality!"
"You are the one who is talking sophistry. As I said, Suzuki belongs to everyone. Please don't monopolize it."
"Damn–!"
"Fuun. Are you frustrated? Frankly, I feel like you should be ashamed of yourself."
Serphiano then stuck out her long tongue.
"YA—Y. This is payback for the previous Crystal Ball Communication where you kept bragging. I—diot! Piece of crap! Sucker!"
"Th-This f…!"
(What the hell, with this tramp! I'm so furious! I want to retort! But the other party is the greatest mind in the Demon Lord's Army! I can never match her with my mouth! What should I do!?)
Nephira saw her fists trembling with anger.
(Th-That's it! This is it!)