Deep within the Demon Realm, situated beside the main branch of the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company, stood the castle of the Underworld King, Kuromueina. In its kitchen, the maid Ein and the silver wolf Eval were hard at work.
"So... you're asking me to teach you how to make chocolate? Is that it?"
"Yes. Please, Big Sis Ein!"
"Why the sudden interest this year?"
"Ah, well, you see... that idiot Acht has been getting jealous of Kaito. Since he’s my mate, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to do something nice for him for a change. But I’m rough around the edges and a total disaster in the kitchen, so I thought I’d ask for your help."
Eval wanted to give chocolate to her husband, the blue ogre Acht, but she had zero culinary experience. Seeing no other option, she had turned to Ein.
Ein rested her chin in her hand for a moment before nodding.
"Very well. However, as long as I am instructing you, I will not accept a half-hearted result. Do you understand?"
"Y-Yes! I’m in your hands!"
"Good. Don't be so tense. If we keep it simple, you’ll be able to make it in no time."
Seeing Eval nod with resolve, a faint, gentle smile touched Ein's lips as she began the lesson.
According to Ein’s personal philosophy, a maid must be the pinnacle of perfection in every conceivable field. True to her word, she proved to be a master instructor. She guided Eval through the process with surgical precision, turning her clumsy movements into a successful finished product.
And while Ein claimed she wouldn't permit anything "poorly made," she was ultimately soft on her family. Eval’s chocolate wasn't professional by any stretch of the imagination, but the effort she poured into it was unmistakable. Ein nodded with satisfaction.
"There. A passing grade. You did well."
"T-Thank you so much!"
"Now, we move on to packaging... but let’s take a short break first."
The moment she spoke, a cup of freshly brewed black tea appeared before Eval. The two women sat down to enjoy a brief respite. As they sipped their tea, a sudden realization struck Eval, and she looked at Ein curiously.
"Come to think of it, Big Sis, you haven't been making anything for yourself. Aren't you giving anything to Kaito?"
"Hm? Mine is already finished. It’s right here."
"……Huh? Wait, hold on. Big Sis... what on earth is this?"
"It is chocolate."
"No, I can see that, but... the sheer amount..."
Eval was left speechless as she stared at the chocolate Ein had prepared for Kaito. Or rather, she stared at the staggering mountain of gift-wrapped boxes that threatened to swallow the entire kitchen. Even in a space as vast as the Underworld King's kitchen, the volume was overwhelming.
"I produced a hundred different varieties of chocolate, with a hundred boxes of each, tailored specifically to Kaito-sama's tastes. Exactly ten thousand boxes in total."
"Ten thousand? B-Big Sis... isn't that a bit much?"
"There is no issue. I have prepared a dedicated Magic Box for him, so he can enjoy them whenever he likes."
"I... I see..."
Eval nodded, her expression growing pale as Ein spoke as if this were the most natural thing in the world. But the true shock came next.
"B-But how do you even know Kaito's preferences that well?"
"I shall explain."
"What... what is this 'chart'?"
"It is an analysis of Kaito-sama's preferences based on every meal he has consumed to date and his physical condition afterward. While Kaito-sama is not a picky eater, he tends to prefer simple seasonings. His favorite food is Hamburg steak, and his least favorite is green peppers. Regarding sweets, he prefers the light, refreshing sweetness of fruit over anything cloying. To that end, twenty of the varieties I prepared utilize dried fruits and fruit juices."
"……Oh."
Eval stared at the massive graph Ein was pointing to, feeling increasingly intimidated. She didn't know how Ein had gathered the data, but nearly every single ingredient Kaito had put in his mouth since arriving in this world was cataloged and analyzed in excruciating detail.
"Furthermore, my investigation confirmed that he misses the confections of his original world. He has been longing for them."
"Did Kaito actually say that?"
"No. But reading Kaito-sama’s heart is a simple matter for a maid of my caliber."
"Right... of course it is..."
"Exactly. To return to my point, I have successfully reproduced every otherworld snack for which a name could be identified. Fifty of the varieties are chocolate confections from Kaito-sama's world. I even recreated the packaging perfectly."
"Um... can I ask a question?"
"Proceed."
Eval’s brain was on the verge of short-circuiting as Ein continued to apply her All-purpose Maid Theory to a truly terrifying degree.
"How exactly did you research the recipes and the appearance of snacks from another world?"
"I squeezed the truth out of Shaltier... I mean, I requested her assistance with the utmost sincerity, and she was more than happy to provide the information."
"You definitely threatened her! You went that far?"
"Of course. Once I decided to give Kaito-sama chocolate, it became my duty as a maid to ensure I could produce every single type of chocolate within his knowledge. It is only basic etiquette, wouldn't you agree?"
"Y-Yes! Absolutely!"
"Excellent. As for the remaining fifty varieties, they are chocolates from this world. I threa—requested the cooperation of every pastry chef across the globe to master every existing recipe."
"You said 'threatened'! You definitely just said 'threatened'!"
"It was merely a slip of the tongue. Now, moving on to Kaito-sama’s specific habits while consuming chocolate, including his physical movements..."
"Wait, I don't really need to know that—"
"……Did you have a comment?"
"N-No! Please, tell me everything!"
As she watched Ein approach Valentine's Day with a resolve that could only be described as death-defying, Eval felt a chill of pure terror. They were on completely different levels. Eval had poured her love for Acht into her chocolate, but the "love" Ein possessed was of a weight that was literally off the charts.
Eval whispered a prayer in a voice too low for Ein to hear, already plotting her escape from this frightening room.
"Good luck, Kaito. Big Sis's love is... incredibly heavy..."
Watching Ein pull out yet another detailed chart to discuss Kaito's vital signs while eating, Eval could only listen with an expression of total, hollow resignation.