Demon Queen Wants to Paint

Rosa felt absolutely horrible. Her head was hurting from the lack of sleep, and her nerves were a complete wreck due to impending visit from Mother.

The whole morning, Rosa spent running herself ragged as she tried to prepare a meal to present to her family. She cooked a pork loin in the oven, hoping to end up with tender meat and some crispy skin on top. Unfortunately, something went wrong with the temperature setting, and she ended up with tough meat and chewy skin.

She also tried to cook up some vegetables in the oven – potato wedges, carrot slices and cauliflower. Those also turned out all wrong. Potatoes turned out a bit burned because she had placed them too high on the oven rack. Meanwhile carrots and cauliflower turned out too hard since those were placed too low.

"This is just horrid… I am out of practice," Rosa muttered, and began cutting up some fruit and putting it on the plates. That would have to be her saving grace for the time being.

"This is bound to be a disaster anyway," Rosa sighed and tried to come up with a way to nicely tell her mother that she had been fired from Studio Goblin on her first day. Perhaps, it would have been better if she had missed her internship date. At least then she wouldn't have to relive the embarrassment of what happened with Penny. 

In the end, she would receive a lengthy lecture from Mother about what kind of failure she was and no doubt would be disowned for the second time. Rosa certainly wasn't looking forward to it, but she also didn't fear it as much as she thought she should. After being away from Earth for so long, her mother's opinion had become irrelevant. It could not compare to what she had experienced in Doppelta.

Dinnertime with Alphegor had always been pleasant and fun for her. He'd always eagerly ask for her opinion on the food they ate, paying special attention to the desserts she enjoyed the most. The desserts a princess could receive in the Underworld were truly sublime, and she would have eaten them in spades had the King been a bit more lenient towards her.

But Alphegor cared for her health thus making sure that she would eat a well-rounded diet. It was this attention to detail that made her respect him even more. He also always asked how her day had gone and what she had studied, carefully listening and assessing her answers. Unlike Mother who never wanted to hear a word that she said and only insisted on her own opinion.

The doorbell rang, startling Rosa out of her thoughts and making her accidentally cut her finger. She hastily washed the blood off, and went to open the door. Behind it stood Mother and Rosa's little sister Violet. The two looked like older and younger versions of each other respectively. Dark brown hair, tied into a neat bun for mother and into a ponytail for Violet. Short, petite physique and dark chocolate eyes which observed everything with unreserved scrutiny.

"Hello. Mother, Violet," Rosa greeted them with a forced smile. Violet looked wholly uninterested in what was going on, instead typing something on her phone.

"Hello, Rosa! It is so good to see you," Mother said cheerfully, but it sounded so fake and over the top, that Rosa nearly cringed. 

"It is good to see you too. Come in," Rosa kept her fake smile to the best of her abilities and stepped aside to let them in. The two women stomped inside, not bothering to take off their street shoes, bringing dirt onto the clean apartment floor.

If I had done that in your home, you would have thrown me out instantly.

But Rosa didn't voice her thoughts aloud. There would be enough conflict later.

"What a quaint little apartment you have. Quite interesting decor," Mother said, trying to sound flattering but Rosa could see the tremor at the corner of her mouth. She didn't like it.

"Why don't you sit down at the table and I'll bring some food. We can talk while we eat," Rosa offered, and hurried to the kitchen without waiting for their reply. She had barely seen her family for a few minutes, but she already wanted them gone.

"This place sucks," Rosa heard Violet's voice coming from the living room.

"Not so loud, Violet. She might hear you. I am sure Rosa will get a better apartment after she receives her first paycheck."

I can hear you both perfectly fine.

Barely over the threshold when both of them already began nitpicking and judging her every step. Rosa looked down at the failed feast she had prepared. It looked sad and unappetizing, only solidifying the unpleasant feeling growing in Rosa's chest.

Perhaps, I should just outright say that I lost the job. No doubt they would leave right away then.

Rosa picked up the plates and one by one carried them to the living room table, where Mother and Violet waited. Mother smiled at her pleasantly, but the smile disappeared as soon as she saw the failed vegetables in Rosa's hands.

"What is that?" she asked, pointing at the plate.

"Potatoes, carrots and cauliflower," Rosa replied dryly and set the plate on the table, retreating back to the kitchen before Mother could say anything more. She returned with the visibly tough piece of meat, and Mother pointed at that too.

"What is that?" the furrow in her eyebrows deepened as did Rosa's irritation.

"Pork," she replied and hurried to retrieve the fruit. When she returned, she saw Violet poking the piece of meat with a fork and sneering at it as if it were some dead animal she found at the side of the road. Rosa gritted her teeth and put the fruits down on the table with a bit more force than necessary.

"Rosa! There's no need to hit the table just because you've failed to cook up a proper meal. It is most disappointing that you couldn't host us properly, but I didn't expect you to fix your ways right away," Mother said, and pushed the plate of vegetables away from herself.

"Should have just ordered a pizza. In fact, can't we just order some now?" Violet chimed, and Mother's hard gaze softened.

"Of course, dear. What an excellent idea! Why don't you find something? Rosa will pay since she is treating us," Mother smiled pleasantly at Rosa who balled her hands into fists.

It's okay, they will leave soon enough. Just endure it.

"Of course, Mother," she replied, plastering on a fake smile.

"Excellent. While we wait, let me tell you everything you've missed," Mother said, and then went on a lengthy rant bragging about Violet's studies, Father's achievements in work (he was too busy to visit, apparently), various gossip regarding relatives Rosa barely knew and every topic that didn't involve Rosa.

She listened to her Mother's rant, counting down seconds until the doorbell finally rang and the delivery guy arrived. Rosa instantly ran to the door to answer it, relieved that Mother's ranting would be over. Unfortunately, she didn't account for the amount of pizza Violet would order. Six large pizzas each with exuberant amounts of toppings which cost over a hundred dollars. 

Why the hell do we need so many pizzas? We could barely finish one of these.

Grumbling, Rosa paid the delivery guy and brought the giant stack into the living room.

"I see you ordered a wide variety for us to choose from. Most thoughtful of you, Violet," Mother praised.

"Yeah, I figured I could take the leftovers to Kyle's party afterwards."

Why you little! You just used me to buy pizzas for your buddies.

Nonetheless, Rosa swallowed her complaints and instead offered the pizzas to them with a smile.

Just a bit longer.

"So Rosa… Tell us about your new workplace," Mother said, and Violet finally seemed to perk up from her phone.

"Yeah, I heard it's like the biggest animation studio in the country."

"It is pretty big," Rosa replied awkwardly, hoping they would leave it at that, but obviously they both stared at her, expecting more. 

"So, tell us more," Violet urged impatiently. "How much do you earn?"

Is this all you care about? Money?

"Well, I…"

"Violet, she is still an intern. They don't make much. Tell us about your growth potential. How long until you can take on serious management jobs?" Mother leaned closer, and Rosa could almost feel the heaviness of her expectations weighing her down.

"Management jobs?" Rosa asked.

"Yes! That's why you joined, isn't it? Initially you do the small jobs of an artist, but after some time surely you would be able to climb up the ranks and become a manager," Mother said.

"Why would a management position be better than an artist's position?" Rosa asked, her voice low as she was trying not to show the anger growing within her.

"Isn't it obvious? Artists never get paid well. It is really nice that this Studio G-Go – oh whatever it's name was – takes on such sad souls like you and gives them a chance to learn a proper job."

"Proper job? You still think that being an artist is not a proper job?" Rosa growled, her knuckles turning white from how hard she was clenching her fists.

"Rosa, we've been through this many times already. Being an artist is nothing more than a childish fantasy. Real people do not earn money that way," Mother waved her hand dismissively, as if the thought itself was offensive.

"But these people clearly make money by creating art," Rosa argued.

"They don't really make art though. They make animated movies," Violet interjected, her eyes focusing back on the phone's screen again.

"And how do you make animated movies without drawing it first?" 

"Computer graphics, duh," Violet stuck out her tongue, and Rosa felt like she was reaching her boiling point.

"There's no need to get angry, Rosa. I am sure you are just frustrated that you cannot get the good positions right away. But if you follow the examples of your betters, then surely you will be able to reach a management position in no time at all."

"I do not want the management position," Rosa objected, and Mother looked at her incredulously.

"W-What do you mean? Of course, you do."

"No! I do not. And in fact…" Rosa paused to think whether she really wanted to make a scene. But looking at Mother's cynical expression, Rosa decided that there was no need to hide anything. "I don't even work there anymore."

"What?" Mother shot up to her feet, slamming her hands down on the table.

"I went there and got fired on my first day. Happy?" Rosa got up too while Violet observed the situation with unhidden glee.

"Fired on the first day?" Mother gaped in shock, her mouth opening and closing like that of a fish out of water.

"Yes. I went to their office and watched an artist prepare concept art. She asked for my opinion and I gave it. Turned out it was wrong, so I am now left without an internship."

"Then go back and ask for forgiveness! You finally landed a normal job, and messed it up on the first day. If only you could listen to what the betters tell you!" Mother put her hands on her hips, glaring at Rosa. This is how Rosa was used to seeing her. 

"I will not beg or grovel before anybody," Rosa announced, remembering Alphegor's words. The King had always taught her to remain strong and proud – that was how a demon princess should behave. But she never thought his lessons would linger within her so strongly.

"The audacity! I knew this whole thing was too good to be true. You never listened to a word I said, instead insisting on some childish fantasies. I hoped that maybe my words would have finally sunk in when I heard you got a job in a large company. But now I see that there was no way of fixing something that was born broken."

"And what have you accomplished?" Rosa snarled, looking at her mother with a defiant glare.

"What?" Mother asked, taken aback by the question.

"What have you done in your life that's so amazing? Before you met Father you worked as a waitress, and after marrying him you quit your job entirely, leeching off his money," Rosa sneered. Something seemed to snap within her mother. She stomped around the table and then slapped Rosa with all her might. It didn't hurt as much as she expected. In fact, she barely registered the pain – it was nothing compared to what Asdeus had done.

"Feel better now?" Rosa smirked. Mother's face turned red from anger when she realized that her slap didn't bring the desired results. 

"Violet! We are leaving!" she announced and stomped out of the apartment.

"I knew it'd be like this," Violet mocked, and, after grabbing all of the pizzas, followed after Mother, slamming the door behind her. 

Rosa watched them leave and after she was sure they were gone, fell into her bed, drained from the confrontation. She had expected this ending, of course, but that didn't make it any less awful. Much to her surprise, she didn't feel sad about it. A little angry and certainly disappointed, but Mother's words didn't hurt her the way they had before.

"At least they won't bother me anymore," Rosa muttered and looked over at the dinner table where vegetables and meat, she worked so hard to make, lay untouched. 

Seems like I'll be eating meat and vegetables for quite a while.

She got up from the bed, ready to clean away the table and the remnants of the unpleasant encounter, when she heard some kind of shouting coming from the hallway. At first she paid no mind to it – her neighbors weren't exactly quiet and it wasn't rare to hear a whole family argument unfold. But the voices grew louder and more… familiar.

There was a woman's voice, which definitely was her mother's. Rosa pondered whether a poor neighbor had bumped into her, and now was getting a vocal beating of a lifetime. Curious, she went closer to the door and pressed her ear against it, trying to make out what she was shouting about.

"This is an outrage! I shall call the police this instant," Mother bellowed on top of her lungs.

"Calm down, crazy human. I was merely curious about the device," responded a cheeky, familiar voice speaking in the demon language. Rosa opened the door in a hurry and rushed into the hallway to make sure whether her mind had started playing tricks on her. Rosa froze on the spot as she saw Alphegor standing in the hallway.