"Chi-chan, break time."
"Okay."
Chiho sits on the opposite side of me. I open my backpack and pull out the bento box. The bento box is wrapped with a navy blue furoshiki* that contains the hiragana* 'no' around it. I unwrap the furoshiki to unveil a Shoukadou bentou* with a Japanese vintage floral decoration. It didn't really amaze me much, since Suzuno did carry an atmosphere that of a noble.
Thinking about Kamazuki, I wonder why she still makes me lunch?
"Maou-san?"
I look at Chiho. She has a gawking expression while staring at the bentou box that I have just laid out in front of her.
"W-W-What i-i-is th-th-that?"
"Hrm? This? My lunch. Why?"
"By Suzuno?"
"Yea."
I see her glaring to the side. Is she talking to herself again? I quickly think of a way to calm her down. Then I remember the talk we, that is, Kamazuki, Chiho, and I, had.
"Well, Chi-chan, didn't we agree that you and Kamazuki can take turns cooking lunch for me? Because of our financial troubles?"
She flinches.
"Yes, we did."
I smile. "Then that's that. Itadakimasu*."
Kisaki, our manager, comes to the counter.
"Maou-san, Chiho, your shifts are over now. Thanks for the hard work."
Chiho and I go to our respective locker room and change. I meet Chiho outside MgRonald. Across the street, we see Emi. Don't tell me-
"Yusa-san!" Chiho calls.
She turns and smiles and waves at Chiho. I look the other way with a displeased face. I can't believe Chiho would call Emi. Emi walking the direction that I go back to our apartment means that she is probably keeping an eye on us once again. I sigh. It's just another day of Emi keeping an eye on us. It can get so tiring, but I couldn't do anything. Chiho and Emi were pretty close, even if we are from different world.
Different world, huh? And add the fact that Kamazuki is also our neighbor, so of course I suppose she would want to always stop by.
We cross the street to meet Emi, who meets me with a disgusted face. It makes me laugh inside. Always, we make faces at each other. But weird happy endings always arise, to our dislike.
"Just got off work?" Chiho asks.
"Yes. You too?"
"Yes. Maou-san is walking me home now."
Wait, what? When did I say I was going to walk her home? Oh well, her mother seems to like having the idea that she needs to be walked home since she is a minor and in high school. Her father is also that officer too, so I suppose I have to be extra careful.
Emi glares at me, then smiles.
"IS that so?"
What the? You should just keep the glare. It'll make me feel better, in some ways.
"Yes."
"Mind if I join too then?"
Thanks Emi, I mouth to her. She gives another nasty glare and we walk along.
"So, Chiho, how are you doing?"
"Nothing much. How about you?"
"Things are still the same. Nothing has been happening, right?"
"Nope. Everything is good."
"Ah, that's right. Sentucky is right across from you. How is the competition going along?"
Chiho and I become grim. Emi is aghast by our expression.
"What's going on?"
Chiho stutters, "W-Well, you see, i-it's not going that g-great."
"Damn that skirt chaser. If I don't hurry with our sales, I . . . "
"You what?" Emi inquires.
"Ah, so if you don't make more sales than Sentucky, you'll get shipped over to Greenland. What kind of land is Greenland? I have heard it is an icy country, but it's not like I've ever been there."
Kamazuki brings a bowl of udon* and places it down in front of me. I thank her for the bowl and she returns back to the stove. I glance back and forth from Emi to Chiho. They were seriously discussing about how to increase our sales so that I wouldn't ever get ship to Greenland.
"Yusa-san, we should use magic."
"What? That is an unfair tactic. Besides, this is a different world. Our magic is limited to where we need to resupply it."
"That is true. Maou-san doesn't want to create an unnecessary panic just to regain some magic to beat that perverted angel across from us."
"That's right. If he was to ever create havoc for the humans here, I would personally decapitate him, along with his followers."
Ashiya turns to glare at Emi. I can sense his hatred for Emi because she is the Hero and she is here to kill me. I do appreciate his feelings of servitude towards me, but like Emi said, we are just some powerless beings. Well, most of us. I sigh and make an effort to join in the conversation, hoping that I don't interrupt.
"What if I do something similar to what I did before? Like, you know, help around the community and decorate MgRonald with bamboos? But instead of bamboos, we'll find some other decorations."
Chiho is brimmed with joy. I can see stars shining in her eyes. Yup, she's totally into the idea. Emi, on the other hand, gives a nonchalant response.
"Huh? That's it?"
"Well, yea."
"You suck Maou."
"Then, what do I do about it?"
Emi thinks for a bit, then sighs.
"I thought so. You have no ideas either. Well, it's getting late. Chiho, I'll walk you home." I turn to Emi. "You can get home yourself, right?"
She bares her teeth at me. I see her anger seeping through her teeth.
"Of course I can."
*Furoshiki is a Japanese wrapping cloth that you may usually see wrapped around a cup or used as something like a transport bag for bentou boxes and many other items.
Hiragana is one of the three kana syllables of Japan.
A Shoukadou bentou box is just a type of bentou that is more traditional and is black-lacquered.
Itadakimasu is a prayer that Japanese people say before eating a meal. It's loosely "Thank you for the food".
Udon is a type of noodle that is thick and made of wheat flour. Many ingredients like fried shrimp or egg or vegetables can be added. It can be eaten hot or cold.*
