Chapter 183 : Popcorn

After ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍returning to that ten-square-meter stone hut, Lucy collapsed onto the hard wooden plank bed.

Hungry.

So ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍hungry.

Hungry ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍enough to want to eat people.

After ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍experiencing that visually overwhelming “feast” tonight, her stomach was now so empty it felt like it could fit an entire cow.

“I ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍really want fried rice…”

Lucy stared at the pitch-black ceiling, her mind filled with the golden, fragrant bowl of Golden Fried Rice Golden Fried Rice that Lilia had made last night—each grain coated in egg.

That aroma of carbohydrates mixed with oil—it was practically salvation for the soul.

Lucy turned over, burying her face into the pillow, trying to fight hunger with sleep.

But the more she tried to sleep, the more awake she became. The more awake she became, the hungrier she felt.

Ten minutes later.

Lucy suddenly sat up from the bed, her eyes gleaming with a wolf-like green light.

No!

If this kept up, she wouldn’t even need the succubi to drain her—she would become the first human in the Palace of Eternal Night to starve to death!

“Last night, Lady Lilia was in that small kitchen…”

Lucy licked her cracked lips as the route she had taken last night sneaked into her mind.

Even though that place was forbidden territory, even though getting caught might mean being skinned alive—

Between starving to death and being beaten to death, Lucy chose without hesitation to die full.

And… what if Lady Lilia was there tonight too?

What if that beautiful and powerful lady just happened to be hungry again and made another divine midnight snack?

At that thought, Lucy felt strength return to her.

She quietly pushed open the door and slipped out, hugging the wall like a mouse stealing oil.

It was already late at night. Most areas in the Palace of Eternal Night were dark, with only the crackling torches along the corridors providing light.

Relying on her memory from last night, Lucy skillfully avoided two patrols of skeleton soldiers and slipped into that remote little kitchen.

“Creak—”

The old wooden door let out a faint groan.

Holding her breath, Lucy peeked inside.

Pitch black.

No warm stove fire. No tempting aroma. And no silver-haired, red-eyed figure.

“She’s not here…”

Lucy sighed in disappointment, her shoulders instantly slumping.

Well, that made sense. She was the Demon Queen’s maid—how could she sneak here every night to cook privately?

She was probably in the Demon Queen’s bedchamber right now, eating real delicacies.

Lucy fumbled her way into the kitchen and found the magic lamp switch on the wall.

“Click.”

A dim yellow light illuminated the small space.

Even if Lady Lilia wasn’t here…

There should at least be ingredients, right?

Even if there was no fried rice, a few eggs or carrots would still be enough to boil and eat!

Rubbing her hands together, Lucy walked toward the large storage cabinet with anticipation.

She remembered Lilia had taken eggs and rice from here yesterday.

Taking a deep breath, Lucy grabbed the handle and pulled it open.

“There has to be food, there has to be food…”

The cabinet opened.

A blast of cold air rushed out.

Lucy widened her eyes as she looked inside. Her expression shifted from anticipation… to shock… and finally froze in despair.

The cabinet was empty.

The basket of eggs from yesterday was gone.

Only in the corner lay a lone, massive, blackish object that was still faintly twitching.

It was a severed octopus tentacle.

As thick as an adult’s thigh, its suckers still opening and closing with soft “pop, pop” sounds.

As if saying:

“Eat me, eat me.”

Lucy: “……”

With a blank expression, Lucy slammed the cabinet shut.

Life was impossible like this.

In her heart, two streams of wide noodle tears silently flowed.

Just as Lucy was about to turn and leave—ready to go back and gnaw on that tooth-breaking black bread—her peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of a small, inconspicuous jar beside the stove.

The jar looked ordinary, made of dull gray clay.

But…

If she remembered correctly, when Lilia made fried rice yesterday, she had sprinkled something from this jar into the rice at the end?

Was it… salt? Or some seasoning?

As if possessed, Lucy walked over and lifted the lid.

A familiar fragrance—carrying the scent of sunlight—instantly rushed into her nose.

That was…

That was…

Lucy’s hand trembled.

She stared in disbelief at the golden, dried little grains inside the jar.

Corn kernels!

Though they were dried, though they looked like they had been stored for a long time—

Lucy felt like she had been saved.

As long as there was fire, as long as there was a pot—if she popped these kernels…

That would be popcorn!

Even if it couldn’t fill her stomach, at least it would satisfy her cravings. At least it would remind her stomach that, besides eyeballs and tentacles, there were still good things in this world!

Lucy was so excited she nearly knelt to the jar of corn.

Her hands trembling, she grabbed a slightly greasy frying pan from the side and placed it on the stove.

Ignite!

Pour oil! (Even though it was some strange green vegetable oil—Lucy didn’t care anymore.)

Then, grabbing a handful of kernels, she tossed them into the pan.

“Crackle—”

Oil splattered.

Holding the lid tightly, Lucy stared at the pan.

One minute passed.

Two minutes passed.

Aside from a bit of black smoke rising, the kernels didn’t move at all.

“Is the fire not strong enough?”

“Is this stupid stove targeting me?”

Lucy stared at the unmoving golden kernels, sweat forming on her forehead.

Three minutes had passed.

Based on her experience watching wandering performers make popcorn back in her village, the pan should already be popping like firecrackers by now. But these supposed kernels just lay there like dead pigs, soaking in the hot oil—let alone popping, they didn’t even wrinkle.

Could it be that corn in the Demon Realm was tougher?

Or maybe the oil temperature wasn’t high enough?

Lucy gritted her teeth, her gaze landing on the heat control knob beneath the stove.

Several strange demonic runes were carved onto it. On the far right was a red skull symbol that didn’t look very auspicious.

“Forget it! The timid starve, the bold feast!”

Lucy steeled herself, grabbed the knob, and twisted it all the way to the skull mark.

“Boom—!”

The previously gentle blue flame instantly turned into a violent dark red blaze, shooting up half a meter high and licking the bottom of the pan. The entire frying pan turned red-hot, emitting a teeth-gritting metallic expansion sound.

Lucy shrank back in fright, almost throwing away the lid.

Finally, something changed in the pan.

The previously silent kernels began to tremble violently, emitting a low buzzing sound like a high-frequency mechanical core about to overload.

Something was wrong.

This didn’t feel like popcorn—it felt like the pan was about to explode.

“I’m done for… Forget eating—if I blow up the kitchen, Lady Lilia will definitely chop me up and feed me to that carnivorous plant…”

Panicking, Lucy tried to turn off the fire. But the knob seemed welded in place, refusing to move.

The vibration in the pan grew stronger. Several golden kernels even floated up, cracks appearing on their surfaces as blinding red light leaked out.

Lucy was in despair. She could already imagine herself becoming an abstract painting splattered on the wall.

Just as she was about to run for her life—

The suffocating sulfur smell suddenly disappeared.

In its place came an overwhelmingly rich, domineering sweetness—so intense it felt like it could pull a person’s soul out through their skull.

“Pop.”

A crisp sound.

Like a flower blooming at dawn.

One of the floating kernels suddenly burst open, expanding dozens of times into a cloud-like, snow-white… popcorn, edged with caramel hues.

Then, as if triggering a chain reaction—

“Pop pop pop pop pop—!”

Dense explosions echoed through the small kitchen. Golden light flashed, white clouds billowed. What had been a mere handful of kernels covering the pan’s bottom suddenly expanded wildly as if under a growth spell, instantly blowing the lid off.

“Clang!”

The lid flew off and crashed into the sink.

Countless fist-sized popcorn pieces erupted like a fountain, scattering all over the stove.