Chapter 301: Life is Life Because of Regrets
The moment the word 'weird' left Lucifer's lips, the atmosphere at the table shifted. Every expression froze, particularly those of Clow Reed and the woman. They were both intensely curious about the mechanics of how a demon could even smoke.
To be fair, sitting around idly discussing the smoking habits of a Hell Queen was an absurdly niche topic. One might think they had a death wish, actively seeking a trip to the underworld.
Lucifer mulled it over for a moment before speaking. "If I had to describe it... I always get the feeling she has a sponge in her mouth when she smokes. It gives her a rather... unique skill."
"What kind of skill?" the woman pressed, leaning forward slightly.
"With a single drag, she can exhale a cloud of smoke so vast it could fill a room."
The woman stared, utterly baffled. Yuuka Kazami also shot Lucifer a look that was equal parts skeptical and bewildered. No matter how you framed it, the description sounded like pure nonsense. It was the kind of statement that, once heard, made you feel like you hadn't heard anything at all.
Sensing their confusion, Lucifer waved a dismissive hand. "Let me use water as an analogy. It's like she could take a single sip of water and then spit out an entire kettle's worth. That's the general idea."
The woman's mouth twitched. Good heavens, was the demon inhaling from a car's exhaust pipe? The logic was ridiculous, the leap in physics astronomical. But then again, perhaps that was simply the nature of a demon. To perform such a feat without any ill effects... impressive, in its own way.
"However," Lucifer continued with another wave of her hand, "a human trying to compare themselves to her? Forget it. A demon's willpower is leagues beyond a mortal's. It all comes down to whether she wants to do something or not. But if that one were to actually quit smoking... I can't even begin to imagine what she'd be like."
The woman nodded in agreement. Indeed, she couldn't picture it either. It felt as though the demon would be missing some fundamental part of her being, some essential buff that defined her.
Just as Clow Reed was about to add his own thoughts, a new scent began to drift from the kitchen. It wasn't overpowering, but it was a distinct and fragrant aroma that lingered delicately in the air.
The scent gave the woman pause. It was exactly as the manipulative mage beside her had described; a truly captivating fragrance. What kind of dish could this be? Just from the smell alone, she could tell it wasn't a searing, piping-hot meal, but something with a gentler, more comforting presence.
Clow Reed, the culinary expert, took a deliberate sniff. A flicker of surprise crossed his features. "As expected of Shopkeeper Ren. To think even something like Boiled Chicken could be made to smell so divine..."
"This is Boiled Chicken?" The woman shot him a look of pure disgust. "Can Boiled Chicken possibly be this fragrant? Do you take me for someone who's never eaten it before?!"
A faint smile touched Clow Reed's lips. "How about we make a bet on it? What do you say?"
"You're on death's door," she scoffed. "What's to stop you from welshing on the bet if I win?"
Clow Reed set down his pen, his voice softening. "Do you truly believe I would play a game I was destined to lose?"
"Tsk... Still as calculating as ever," she muttered, her resistance wavering. "What do you want to bet?"
He considered it for a moment. "If I win, you help me clean up the mess. If you win..."
"Then what?"
"There's little point in asking for things from a dying man."
"I'm already dead anyway," she retorted. "If I win, you'll handle half of that mess yourself!"
Clow Reed let out a soft sigh. "Alright... I understand. But rest assured, I will not lose. Also, if I do win, please help me deliver my gift to Shopkeeper Ren."
"Why don't you give it to him yourself?"
"Because men rarely refuse a gift from a beautiful woman," he explained smoothly. "But a man giving a gift to another man... it always feels a bit strange, wouldn't you agree, Miss Lucifer?"
Lucifer's eye twitched. "You're asking a woman to give my man a gift, a gift that you, a man, were originally going to give him. I feel like you're trying to pull a fast one on me."
Clow Reed paused, then his smile widened. "How could that be? But let me ask you, which would you prefer: a man presenting a gift to Shopkeeper Ren, or a woman doing so?"
"That depends entirely on the gift. If it's for his birthday, none of that matters. Wait... what exactly are you giving him?"
"Ah... just some very interesting little trinkets, I suppose."
"I suddenly feel it would be better if he didn't receive such things," Lucifer said flatly.
The woman nodded vigorously in agreement. Clow Reed merely smiled and resumed writing with his pen. Lucifer glanced at the woman, then back at the mage. "You were right. He really is a black-bellied schemer."
For some reason, Yuuka Kazami's thoughts drifted to Ren, who always seemed to be subtly manipulating her. She felt that the man currently cooking in the kitchen was the true master of schemes... and possessed a mischievous streak a mile wide. After all, who else but a true trickster would take such delight in tormenting a delicate, seventeen-year-old girl?
Minute by minute, time trickled by. The aroma from the kitchen grew stronger, more potent, until it was so tempting that even the serene Yuuka Kazami felt a stir of hunger. It was so alluring that Clow Reed finally set down his pen for good.
As for the woman, her anticipation was plain to see. Her eyes were fixed on the kitchen entrance, a hungry glint within them. Just as Clow Reed had pegged her, she was a complete foodie. It was impossible, utterly unrealistic, for a seasoned gourmand to remain composed in the face of such a rich and complex fragrance.
A wistful note entered Clow Reed's voice. "I wonder which two dishes Shopkeeper Ren will choose? Smelling this suddenly makes me want to try so many of my own creations."
The woman swallowed hard, her voice laced with irritation. "But you can't eat them, and you don't have the time to make them."
Clow Reed sighed, a deep sadness in the simple sound. "And so, this is what we call regret. Deep down, I still hope to complete so many unfinished things."
"Then just live," Lucifer said casually, as if stating the obvious. "What's the big deal? It's just a human life. Simple. Easy. Your own power is more than enough to cover the price of such a transaction."
Clow Reed smiled faintly and shook his head. "To be human, Miss Lucifer, is to accept that one day, you will die. Unlike powerful beings such as yourself who can disregard the iron laws of time, we cannot. In the finite span we are given, our desires will inevitably outpace our days, leaving behind a trail of regrets..."
He paused, his gaze distant. "But that is precisely what makes us human. This desire, this yearning, will exist within us until the very moment we die. So, I still hope that I can leave this world as a human mage, with my regrets intact. All I can do is try my best to complete what I can with my own hands before my time is up."
Lucifer tilted her head, studying him. "No wonder you and Ren get along so well. You're both equally black-bellied and both perfectly suited to be psychologists. I shudder to think what sort of outrageous things might happen if people like you were to team up."
"Probably not," Clow Reed mused. "After all, two negatives make a positive."
"Is that really how that phrase is used?"
"Who knows?"
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