Chapter 25: I barely woke up and I’m already in danger of dying

【Lucifer PoV】

I stared at the girl standing right in front of me.

Lilith.

She looked at me with big bright eyes full of innocence. Her hair was fiery red, flowing down her back like a flame. I was trying very hard to look calm and cool, but my brain was screaming in panic.

“D-Daddy! You’re awake!”

She suddenly jumped forward, wrapping her arms around me.

Ah, a hug! What am I supposed to do now?

I’ve never had a hug from a girl before, let alone from a daughter. My body froze and my heart almost stopped beating.

“Y-yeah… Lilith… umm, I’m awake…”

She stepped back and looked up at me, smiling widely.

“Oh daddy, you seem nervous. Did I scare you? I’m so sorry!”

“No… it’s okay… I’m fine…”

I wasn’t fine at all, actually.

“You must be so hungry! You’ve been asleep for a thousand years, after all. Wait here, I’ll prepare you a meal!”

Meal?

“Oh, wait, Lilith… you don’t need—”

Before I could finish my sentence, she disappeared in a flash, running towards the kitchen. Literally disappeared—she used some weird teleportation magic that left black smoke behind. I coughed and waved away the smoke.

Is that even safe indoors? Who taught her to teleport like that?

I sighed deeply. This daughter thing was getting harder by the second.

After a few moments, loud explosions echoed from the kitchen.

Wait… explosions?

I ran towards the kitchen, ready to see some kind of hero attack. But instead, I saw Lilith standing there, completely calm, mixing a strange purple substance in a bowl. The kitchen walls were charred black, and various utensils were scattered everywhere, some melted on the floor.

“Lilith!? Are you alright!?”

“Oh, daddy! Sorry about the noise, I’m just preparing your meal. My cooking magic tends to explode a bit sometimes… don’t worry about it.”

What do you mean “a bit”? The entire kitchen looked like a battlefield! I carefully stepped back, slightly terrified. Lilith gave me an innocent smile, totally unaware of the destruction she caused.

“Is this… normal?”

She tilted her head curiously.

“Normal? Ah yes! You see, daddy, I’m also a scientist. I’ve been experimenting with new kinds of magic to combine with food. Science is all about explosions, isn’t it?”

“No, Lilith, I’m pretty sure it isn’t…”

She laughed, clearly not understanding what I meant.

“Daddy, you’re so funny! Now please sit down, I’ll serve your meal!”

I reluctantly sat down at the kitchen table. Lilith approached carefully, placing a plate with the strange purple food in front of me. It was bubbling suspiciously and gave off a horrible smell.

What is this cursed thing?

“This… is food?”

Lilith nodded happily, eyes sparkling.

“Yes! It’s called Purple Mana Stew! It replenishes mana and heals wounds! I invented it myself!”

Invented… yourself?

“Lilith, have you ever… eaten this yourself?”

She blinked, clearly confused.

“Of course not, daddy! I made it especially for you.”

I stared at the plate of death before me, my body breaking into a cold sweat. My instincts as a Demon King screamed in horror. This purple disaster looked deadly!

And yet, Lilith’s face was so innocent, so genuinely happy. How could I break her heart? How could I tell her this food looked more dangerous than any hero I’d ever fought?

I couldn’t.

With a shaking hand, I grabbed the spoon, slowly dipping it into the bubbling stew.

Alright, Lucifer. You’re a Demon King. You’ve survived countless battles. A bit of deadly food won’t kill you.

Right?

I took a deep breath and put the spoonful into my mouth.

…

I almost screamed out loud.

It tasted worse than poison. My tongue instantly went numb, my throat burned like fire, and I felt my mana twisting chaotically inside my body.

“Daddy! Do you like it?”

I forced a weak smile, desperately holding back tears.

“Y-yeah… delicious… Lilith… very… delicious.”

Lilith clapped her hands in excitement.

“I’m so glad! I’ll go get some more, there’s plenty left!”

“No, Lilith! Wait—”

Before I could stop her, she disappeared again, leaving another explosion behind.

Ah, I’m definitely going to die today.

When she returned, she eagerly placed another full bowl in front of me.

“Please eat more, daddy! It makes me so happy when you eat my cooking.”

I swallowed nervously.

If she smiles at me like this, how am I supposed to refuse?

I slowly ate another spoonful, my stomach twisting painfully. I could feel my vision blurring, but Lilith kept looking at me with innocent, hopeful eyes.

She’s not evil… she’s just dangerous…

“So, Lilith… did you learn magic from someone?”

She shook her head happily.

“Nope! I learned everything myself, from books. Magic is science, and science is magic! Sometimes my experiments explode, but that’s part of the fun, isn’t it?”

I laughed weakly.

“Yes… explosions… fun…”

Lilith leaned closer, eyes filled with pure admiration.

“I’m so happy you’re awake, daddy. We can cook together every day now!”

Every day!?

I felt my soul leaving my body.

How many days can I survive this torture?

Lilith happily skipped away to clean up the kitchen, leaving me alone at the table with my bowl of suffering.

I sighed deeply, thinking about my future.

My daughter was innocent, cheerful, and incredibly dangerous. Her cooking was definitely more lethal than any hero I’d ever faced. But she looked so happy when I ate her deadly food.

What kind of daddy would I be if I rejected her?

I swallowed another spoonful, feeling my mana slowly slipping away again.

I barely woke up and I’m already in danger of dying…

This new life is way too hard for me…

But seeing her innocent smile, maybe it was worth it.

Maybe.

I coughed violently.

…Or maybe not.