The Distributed Pudding
1140 Words
Fairies were a fascinating type of magical creature. They resembled tiny, palm-sized elves with insect-like wings, yet they were undeniably genuine magical beings rather than demi-humans like the beastkin.
Their teamwork was astoundingly strong, to the point where one might wonder if they shared some sort of telepathic link. They followed orders precisely, never lied, worked diligently without selfish motives, and, if necessary, could be utterly selfless. They had remarkable patience and enthusiasm for tending to crops and animals.
Indeed, they were invaluable laborers.
However, an innate dislike of humans was embedded in the very bloodline of fairies. Even human children, who bore no ill intentions, often found themselves the targets of fairy pranks.
And, unsurprisingly, the nobles were to blame once again.
If humans had committed ten acts that made other races despise them, at least eleven or even twelve of those acts were connected to the nobles. And, honestly, they deserved the blame. While there were certainly decent nobles—perhaps even a majority—there were still far too many foolish ones. This particular group of nobles alone was enough to taint the world's perception of humanity.
Yet, the fairies seemed to have a rather favorable opinion of Ira.
"Ira-sama!"
"The latrines have been…"
"Prepared for construction!"
"The filth from the streets…"
"Has been collected!"
"It stinks!"
"How long do we have to leave it?"
Hearing their overlapping questions, Ira, who had been flipping through a book in his room, lifted his gaze and replied, "I saw it earlier. Now, mix in wood ash, straw, and dried leaves, then stir it daily until it dries and no longer smells. At that point, it will be ready."
The efficiency of the demons in the Demon Lord's domain was truly remarkable. It had only been a single night since his instructions, yet the waste from the streets had already been gathered in a heap beyond the farmlands—a small, putrid mountain.
Perhaps this was the true value of the so-called "slaves" in the Demon Lord’s realm. They needed no whips to force them, no overseers to ensure they worked, and no one dared to shirk their duties. The tasks were simply completed.
Those so-called "slaves" likely lived far more freely and comfortably than many citizens of the Empire.
"Understood!"
"Thank you, Ira-sama!"
"Much appreciated!"
"We will…"
"Resume our work now!"
Hearing the fairies' rapid-fire responses, their sentences blending into one another, Ira chuckled. Pushing a tray forward, he said, "Hold on a moment. Have some snacks before you go."
On the tray sat five small, milky-white, square-shaped treats—just enough for the five fairies present.
"What is this?"
"Never seen it before!"
"It smells so good!"
"But we…"
"Still need to work…"
Though their mouths were watering, the fairies hesitated, ready to return to their duties.
Ira picked up a tiny spoon, stabbing it into the jiggly, bouncy dessert. "This is pudding—the first-ever sweet pudding in the world," he explained. "Try it. Consider it part of your duty—to taste-test it for the castle. That wouldn't be slacking off, now would it?"
He had discovered agar last night while scouring the kitchen for a midnight snack.
Yes, he had gone to the kitchen after all. It seemed Silina had placed his room near it for a reason.
The agar he found was a seaweed extract typically used for winemaking in this world. And agar was a key ingredient in the modern puddings of his previous life.
Technically, this world already had something called "pudding"—but it was more akin to black pudding or blood sausage, made from blood, meat, fat, oats, and bread. A savory dish. Strange as it sounded, it wasn’t bad.
"So that's how it is…"
"Then we'll…"
"Give it a taste…"
With great enthusiasm, the fairies flew onto the table, picking up their tiny spoons—which looked like miniature shovels in their hands—and dug into the sweet, milky pudding.
"Wow!"
"So sweet!"
"Delicious!"
"So bouncy!"
"…"
Listening to their excited chatter, no longer perfectly synchronized like before, Ira smiled and shook his head before returning to his book.
The book was a history of the Crimson Dragons, detailing how their ancestors resisted corruption from demons while maintaining their own identity, only to be ostracized by their fellow dragons, ultimately leading them to fully embrace the darkness.
He couldn't guarantee its accuracy, but it certainly contained threads of truth.
"……"
The fairies, having finished their pudding, fell silent.
Bathed in the sunlight streaming through the window, they watched as Ira quietly read.
For some reason, they found this human… beautiful.
Handsome in appearance, gentle in speech, kind-hearted, and considerate in his actions.
(Meanwhile, the demons who had perished on the battlefield: "Are you sure you understand the meaning of 'gentle'?!")
"Finished already?" Ira asked, closing his book. "Then could I trouble you to deliver these puddings to the castle leaders? Silina, the Demon Lord, and… well, just everyone from yesterday’s meeting."
Beside him were several small boxes containing more pudding. The five fairies effortlessly lifted them all at once.
"As for the extras, distribute them to the maids, servants, and fairies in the Demon Lord's castle. Just tell them it's a reward from the Demon Lord."
"Got it!"
"Understood!"
"Thanks, Ira-sama!"
"We're off!"
"See you later!"
Though the fairies were tiny, their strength rivaled that of a full-grown imperial man. Carrying dozens of puddings each was a trivial task.
It was only natural for colleagues to share their culinary discoveries.
As for the servants, they didn’t need to know who Ira truly was. He had no reason to win their favor.
But the Demon Lord? The servants needed to respect her. If they believed the pudding was a personal gift from their ruler, they would speak well of her in their idle chatter. And for a sovereign, that kind of loyalty was essential.
"Shhff…"
A soft breeze drifted in through the window, flipping the thick parchment pages of Ira’s book.
Half of the page was turned by the wind, the other half by Ira. But he was the only one reading.
Was that unfair to the wind?
Clear skies like these were rare in winter. Not that the people of this world cared much, given their resilience to both heat and cold.
Still, as Ira read, a nagging thought lingered in his mind.
…Had he forgotten something?
…
Wait.
Didn’t fairies… never lie?
Ira’s expression froze as he slowly realized what that meant.
If they were to deliver the puddings, they would surely say:
"Ira-sama made these puddings. He told us to give them to you, and to tell you that the Demon Lord is rewarding you with them!"
They would definitely mention Ira.
Because…
"…Fairies can’t lie, can they?"
Murmuring to himself, Ira sank into deep contemplation.
- Writer
