Demonic Po*nstar System

Chapter 551: Unexpected Warmth

Alexandra steadied the bowl while Alice finished the last few careful rotations, then nodded approvingly once the batter reached a smooth, pourable consistency. ”That’s good,” she said gently. ”You can stop there. Any more and we’ll just bully it for no reason.”

Alice immediately paused, afraid one more turn might ruin everything, then slowly lifted the whisk out. Batter dripped back into the bowl in a lazy ribbon, and she stared at it with open awe, looking as if she’d just completed a difficult spell combination. ”I did that,” she murmured, half-disbelieving.

”You did,” Alexandra confirmed, smiling as she reached for the waffle maker. Her hands hesitated for just a fraction of a second as she lifted it, the figure of ten thousand dollars flashing unhelpfully in her mind. She treated it with the care one might reserve for a priceless relic, setting it down gingerly on the counter and checking its hinges, vents, and plates as if expecting it to object.

Alice, meanwhile, showed absolutely none of that reverence. She leaned in close, blankets slipping again as she poked at the side with curiosity. ”You just open it, right?”

”Yes, I think so...” Alexandra replied quickly, then caught herself and relaxed when the device did not explode, hum ominously, or summon an ancient spirit. It opened smoothly. Seeing that Alice treated it like something you’d buy off a clearance shelf slowly eased the knot in her chest. If the owner wasn’t worried, she probably shouldn’t be either.

She guided Alice’s hands again, this time helping her scoop just the right amount out of the bowl with a ladle. ”Pour it here, but pay attention so it’s not too much. The batter spreads when it heats.” She watched carefully as the pale mixture flowed into the mold, filling the grooves neatly instead of spilling everywhere. ’So far, so good,’ she thought, a quiet relief settling in as nothing catastrophic occurred.

Once the lid was closed, Alexandra hesitated and glanced at the device again. ”Um... does it do anything special while cooking?” she asked carefully. ”Does it cook faster than a normal one? Or... stop by itself once it’s ready?”

Alice bounced on her heels, excitement barely contained. ”I don’t know! It doesn’t say anything like that!” She leaned down, peering at it from the side. ”I think it just... cooks. Wait, let me read the reviews.”

’What a lousy description for such a pricy item... They didn’t even bother putting basic functions down...’ Alexandra cried inwardly, utterly outraged.

”Hmm, no, I don’t think it does anything special. A person called Divine Light says it’s just as fast as a normal one, but he likes it better because he can hide it easily from his wife, unlike a conventional waffle maker that needs electricity.”

”...” Alexandra didn’t know what to say to that. ”Alright then. We wait.”

Alice did not understand the concept of waiting.

”Is it ready?” she asked five seconds later, already crouching to peer at the seam.

”Not yet,” Alexandra replied patiently.

Another five seconds passed.

”Now?”

Alexandra smiled. ”Still no.”

Alice rocked back and forth, hands clenched in her blanket. ”How about now?”

Alexandra chuckled softly. ”Waffles are not ambush predators. They take time.”

”Okay...”

...

The moment the waffle maker gave a click, Alice practically vibrated out of her skin.

”Ready?!”

”Yep,” Alexandra said tenderly.

Alice flipped it open with reverent care, lifting the lid as if unveiling a treasure chest. Steam rose gently into the air, carrying a warm, sweet scent that immediately filled the kitchenette. Nestled inside was a perfectly formed waffle, golden and crisp, edges clean, surface patterned beautifully.

”It’s so pretty...” Alice whispered.

She leaned in, sniffed it carefully, then lifted it out and turned it slowly in her hands, inspecting every angle like an artifact of immense importance. The smell alone had her eyes sparkling, and Alexandra suddenly found herself unreasonably nervous, clasping her hands together behind her back.

”Well?” she asked quietly. ”How is it?”

”Looks just like I remember! Though...”

Alice’s brows knit together as she stared down at the waffle, anxiety slowly creeping in as she turned it once more in her hands. ”It had... something on top,” she said, voice small now. ”But I can’t remember what.” Her grip tightened just a little, as if afraid the memory might slip away entirely if she didn’t hold on hard enough.

Alexandra tilted her head, thinking out loud as she watched the girl pace in a small circle by the counter. ”Well,” she said gently, tapping her chin, ”considering how much of a sweet tooth you have, and the fact that your brother bought it specifically to indulge you...” She hummed, then reached for her phone. ”My guess would be honey. That’s very common for street waffles.” She typed quickly, pulling up images, turning the screen toward Alice as she scrolled.

Alice leaned in, eyes darting across the pictures, then suddenly widened. ”That one!” she chirped, pointing urgently.

Her excitement dimmed just a touch as she hesitated again. ”But... there was something white in there too...”

Alexandra nodded, already searching again. ”Butter,” she said softly. ”Butter and honey together.” She scrolled a bit more, then stopped and turned the phone again.

The moment Alice saw it, recognition hit her like lightning. Her breath caught. ”That’s it,” she said with absolute certainty. ”That’s exactly it!”

That was as far as Alexandra’s self-control made it.

Overwhelmed by the sheer purity of all the reactions and conversations she had with this utterly adorable soul, the blonde maid reached out without thinking and gently ruffled Alice’s hair, fingers sinking into soft strands, half-black and half-white mussed together.

The S-tier calamity of a girl didn’t pull away. She didn’t even flinch. She just froze for a second, then relaxed into it, eyes still locked on the image like it was sacred.

”Alright,” Alexandra said, laughing softly through the emotion swelling in her chest. ”Let’s finish it properly.”

She brought out the honey and butter, setting them down on the counter. Alice moved with exaggerated care, listening to the very detailed instructions she was receiving, placing the butter delicately at the center of the waffle, and watching as the heat slowly softened it. Then she drizzled honey over the top. Thin golden lines caught the light as they sank into the grooves.

Alexandra watched the finished work. ”Do you want to share it with Kaiden?”

Alice puffed up instantly at the man’s mention, cheeks ballooning as she pouted with impressive force. ”He is a dummy!” she declared.

Alexandra yelped internally, as realization crashed down on her all at once. Right. Babysitting duty. She’d gotten so caught up in Alice’s excitement, in this quiet, precious moment, that she’d completely forgotten why she was here in the first place.

Kaiden was currently busy enjoying a private time with his five lovers.

Before she could even begin to spiral, Alice turned to her with sudden brightness. ”So I’ll share it with you instead!” she announced. ”I’ll surprise him with a fresh one in the morning!”

Alexandra blinked, then smiled, something warm and genuine settling deep in her chest. ”I think he’ll love that,” she said honestly.

Alice broke the waffle cleanly in half and handed one piece to her, then hopped back to the couch and curled up immediately, blankets swallowing her once more as if she’d always belonged there. Alexandra followed, sitting beside her and took a bite.

’Hm.’ She paused, chewing thoughtfully, bringing out her best food critic self. ’Crispy outside, soft inside. Sweet, but not extremely overwhelming. I wonder if it’s even sweet enough for Alice.’

”...It’s a pretty good waffle,” she murmured to herself. ”Honestly, I think this could be sold for money, though probably not in a high-end restaurant.”

She turned to look at Alice, wondering how much she would like it, and froze on the spot.

Alice was staring down at her half, shoulders trembling. Tears welled in her eyes, clinging stubbornly to her lashes as her lips quivered.

”Just like I remember...” Alice whispered.

Alexandra’s own vision blurred instantly at the sight she knew she would never forget. This girl was just too precious. She set her waffle aside and shifted closer, wrapping her arms around Alice without hesitation, pulling her into a gentle hug. Alice leaned into her completely.

”I’m really happy that we got it right,” Alexandra said softly, voice thick with emotion.

And for a long, quiet moment, surrounded by blankets, warmth, and the scent of honeyed waffles, neither of them said anything more.

...

Author: So uh... turns out, I really like writing slice of life. I hope you didn’t hate this scene. It did not feature Kaiden or even the female leads, so I am a bit worried, especially because I know not all readers love Alice, and I am not sure if Alexandra had enough screen time to make readers interested in her tale. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks for the support.