Infinity in the Void – Freedom in the Abyss

Lying in bed, unable to sleep after what she went through, Charlotte thought about Silla.

Of all the people she knew, which are not many, Silla is an enigma. Going from joyful to serious and back in matters of moments.

"Silla Arco... who are you?", Charlotte wondered.

She thought for an hour, eventually her eyes closed and entered the dreamless void in her mind.

=0=0=

Silla, once again, picked Charlotte up after breakfast deeper into the facility. To where Charlotte can only wonder.

"Little one, today we'll be learning about idioms and cooking! So we are heading to the kitchen, where all the magic happens!", Silla cheered.

Idioms and cooking...

Charlotte just lets Silla carry her all the way there, not that she has any means to resist. Who could fight against the actual Devil himself? God? Maybe.

At the crossway, Silla took a turn to the left, opposite the creepy hallway. This one looks more normal, but there are some sigils and Runes carved into the emotionless dull gray wall.

They stopped by a door that was conveniently labeled 'Kitchen'. The door swung open for Silla, as a person greeted her. No, not a person at all. Hoofed legs, red bestial fur, clawed hands, bat wings. It was a demon but with a chef hat.

"Hello! Is everything ready?", Silla asked with a smile.

The demon nodded, showing her the way in. Silla happily entered the room, she also put Charlotte down after the demon closed the door.

Charlotte took her time to look around. The place was very clean as if it had never been used before. The pans are hung above the sink, all types of pans too, some Charlotte could never guess the use of. There is a giant fridge taking up one whole side of the wall, radiating a menacing aura Charlotte cannot describe. Opposite the fridge is the stovetop with eight slots for cooking, below it is an oven with too many buttons; next to the stovetop is an electric grill, and next to it is a charcoal grill with ventilation put from it to the stove. In the middle of the room is a flat table with a cutting board half the size of it placed firmly in the middle of the table. Charlotte could guess the utensils were on the table since they resembled a cuboid.

This place is... cool

She looked behind at the demon, who crossed his arms staring patiently at Charlotte as if waiting for her to give her judgment.

"So, what do you think?", Silla beamed a genuine smile. Charlotte could see that she wanted praise.

"It's... nice? And efficient."

"Why is there a question mark, little one?", Silla furrowed her brows.

"You must be imagining things.", Charlotte looked away, stealing a glance at the chef demon. It was nodding, not to Silla's words but Charlotte's praise(?) of the kitchen.

"Anyway! We are here for a lesson!", she walked over to the oven. In it, she pulled out a cake without the icing and laid it on the table.

Using her tail, Silla pulled over a chair from behind the table to sit on. She beamed a smile at Charlotte.

"Come! Sit on my lap!", she tapped her thighs, wanting Charlotte to do as she requested.

"No.", the girl answered flatly.

"Aww.", Silla pulled out another chair, "Then sit next to me!"

She could stand, but the strains she felt were getting the better of her. Without Survive, the uncomfortable feeling can never go away. She relented and sat on the chair to Silla's joy.

"Great! Now, to the lesson!", Silla's focus was split between the cake and Charlotte, "This right here is a cake, well, the starting of one anyway. Gordon! Knife!"

At the command, the demon named Gordon moved from the door to the back of the table. It took out a knife and handed it to Silla.

"Icing too."

Gordon nodded, and he went over to the fridge. Charlotte's azure gaze landed on the sheer amount of ingredients in the fridge. Almost everything was in there. And Charlotte did not miss the demonic sigil at the back glowing red in a background of blue. Gordon took out a container with a white liquid in it.

The demon placed the container on the table before taking out a stand. It spins the stand, showing it was made for decorating cake. 

Wow...

"Well then! Cake time!", with the sharp knife, Silla swung it through the ivory cake five times, making six layers. 

Silla opened the container, scooping out a bit of cream with her knife before slathering it onto the stand. Then she put the first layer on, doing a test spin to see that it holds the layer firmly.

"The first step is the filling. Gordon! Ground nuts!"

The demon nodded, it went below just right beside the sink to get out a jar of brown powder and placed it on the table.

Silla took another chunk of cream, folding it after sprinkling in the nut powder with a toss. She then placed it on the cake and spread it on.

She repeated it four more times, placing the layer on top of the filling, again and again. Meanwhile, Charlotte watches with her full attention as a cake forms before her very eyes.

"Now, for our first idiom. The icing on the cake!"

Charlotte tilted her head, icing on the cake.

"It means something along the lines of an addition that is essential or makes the thing more attractive! Now, what do you think about this cake?"

From looking at Silla, Charlotte moved to the cake. It is just a glorified bread with cream fillings. From what Charlotte has to say...

"It's... unfinished.", Charlotte answered simply.

"Good! Let me do my magic!"

Instead of actual magic, Silla scooped up a heavy load of cream. She laid it on the side of the cake, spinning the stand so the cream would be spread on the cake evenly.

"See? With the icing, the cake looks better, right?", Charlotte nodded before Silla continued, "This is what it means when saying icing on the cake, to make something complete or feel complete, hah, this brings me back so much!"

Despite wanting to ask about Silla's words, Charlotte refrained from doing so. She is still wary about the woman, especially after what she saw yesterday.

Silla handed the knife to Gordon, who washed it under the sink. The demon then handed back the tool to Silla.

"Gordon! Plates!", Silla commanded.

The demon nodded, taking out three plates from the cupboard, it also took three spoons from the drawers behind the table. With professional movements, it spread the plates out evenly with the spoons just at the side of the plates.

"We'll have cake today, hope your stomach still has room to store!", Silla twirls the knife in her hand happily.

That can't be safe...

"That can't be safe.", Charlotte muttered.

Silla stared at Charlotte for a moment, before proudly answering, "You don't have to worry! I'm the Pandemonium Princess after all!"

"Pande...monium Princess?", Charlotte wondered.

"Yup! That's the epithet people have given me! Pandemonium Princess, the royalty of Hell!"

"Epithet... means cool name?", Charlotte asked, her azure eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"Yep! Mine is Pandemonium Princess, Athen has one too. Oh, and Van Gogh! The ones that have epithets currently here."

"What is Athen's epithet, and this... Van Gogh?"

"Athen's epithet is Undead Ash since she can rise from the dead infinitely and her hair color is ashen gray, not very creative, I know", Silla shrugged, "And Van Gogh, she's a special one"

Silla cut the cake to get three slices out, she placed the slices onto the plates. She gave one to Charlotte, then Gordon, and finally herself.

"Van Gogh~ the Devil of the genius painter Vincent Van Gogh, his Gem Holder broke down and almost took her life. I don't know the gist of it too much, but Van Gogh took over her body, willingly according to her words. Van Gogh, a miserable mess of a person just like the real deal... but always smiles in spite of what happens. Her epithet is something more... depressing, Smiling Calignosity."

"What does Calignosity mean?", Charlotte tilted her head.

"It means Darkness. Her epithet Smiling Calignosity symbolizes who Van Gogh is, a painter who swims in the darkness of despair, yet possesses the ability to transform his agony into beauty. She still does it now, painting beautiful pictures of the world.", Silla took a bite of her cake, "Delish! Needs less sugar though and it'll be perfect."

Following Silla, Charlotte also took a bite. Her eyes brighten up for a brief moment as the sugary treat explodes in her mouth. The texture is rich, a bit on the heavy side, but still enjoyable in small bites.

Gordon ate very formally, carefully slicing pieces before eating. It ate in silence, not even the sound of chewing could be heard. Charlotte knows it was chewed by the movement of its mouth.

After eating a few more bites, Silla began to speak again, "Ehem, Van Gogh works as our therapist. She is a very good one at that, despite the gloomy nature, she is a good conversation partner."

"Can I meet her?", Silla tilted her head.

"Of course! She doesn't have an appointment tomorrow so it'll be a good opportunity for you to meet another Gem Holder~"

Charlotte nodded, excited about meeting another person. She quietly ate her slice with half attention, and the other half thinking about Van Gogh.

The Smiling Calignosity... Van Gogh...