Isekai Nonbiri Nouka

I am a demoness born in a remote village.

However, I have almost no magic power.

Without magic power, I cannot use spells, which means I am considered of lower value in terms of combat ability.

On top of that, I cannot marry.

There is a high chance that any children I bear would also lack magic power.

In a remote village, battles against demon beasts and monsters are a constant reality.

I had accepted this as an unavoidable truth…

But I never expected to be cast out of the village.

Grrrrr

They must have heard them!

The ones who drive out the protagonist always meet a miserable fate!

Well, claiming that I am the protagonist might be a bit of a stretch…

But everyone is the protagonist of their own story!

…Wait!

Could it be that they sent me away so I could find a place where I truly belong…?

No?

It’s just because I’m a picky eater and devour food for three people?

…

Idiots, idiots! Even if they beg me to come back, I won’t!

-0-

I drifted from place to place.

I wanted to settle down somewhere, but I couldn’t hold a job for long.

The reason?

Probably because I have a short temper.

Since I have no magic power, I had no choice but to train my physical strength.

Yes, no choice but to train.

Thanks to that, I managed to get generous “donations” from people who underestimated me just because I was a woman, allowing me to continue my travels.

Donations.

I didn’t extort them.

I swear.

It’s just that, after a fistfight, when I jokingly ask if they wanted to marry me, they’ll pull out their wallets of their own accord.

That’s not my fault.

But living off donations alone was tough.

I had to find another way.

That’s when I heard about a big gambling event.

Swan Race.

Now that sounded interesting.

So, I set my sights on Village Five, all for the Swan Race.

And there, I truly understood what it meant to have a fated encounter.

Ah, no, winning the race wasn’t fate—it was pure skill.

That swan might have been an underdog, but he was bursting with determination.

I believed in him, and he won.

The payout was insane!

The food was amazing!

Wait, I was talking about fate!

I had my fated encounter…

With the cake I ate at a place called Kuro and Yuki!

Yes, cake!

It was incredible!

What was this?!

Sweet!

Incredible!

Sweet!

I wanted more!

Eh?

They just so happened to be looking for a cake cooker?

I’ll do it, I’ll do it, please let me do it!

I have no cooking experience!

The most I can do is grill food!

But I have a huge stomach!

I eat as much as three adults!

Now that I say it, that’s not really a selling point, is it?

Yet, somehow, I was allowed to train as a ‘patissier’ candidate.

Thank you very much!

And the training was harsh… brutal…

But I made it through!

I can’t call myself a full-fledged patissier yet, but I’ve secured a job at a brand-new shop!

And it comes with lodging!

That’s a lifesaver, since I’ve only ever stayed in inns for long-term stays.

I did earn a bit of income by helping out as a server and kitchen assistant at Kuro and Yuki between training sessions, though.

Village Five has way too many places that serve delicious food.

-0-

I checked out of my inn and headed to the shop that had hired me, along with the other patissier and sales clerks.

One of the patissier—our leader, an elf—had scouted the place in advance, so he guided us there.

The shop was located at the foot of Village Five.

…

Hmm, it’s a bit far from the main area of Village Five.

Doesn’t seem like an ideal location for business.

Will it really be okay?

I’d be in trouble if the shop went under.

I was a little worried, but when I saw the shop, my doubts vanished.

What is this?

A glass door?

The stairs… move?

I wasn’t surprised by the magical ovens, refrigerators, and freezers since I’d seen them at Kuro and Yuki… but the sheer number and size of them were shocking.

Especially this massive freezer.

If someone got locked inside, they’d freeze to death.

Oh, there’s a way to open it from the inside?

I’ll never forget that!

And with all this high-end equipment…

Just how much money did they pour into this place?

I could see the seriousness behind this business.

This shop isn’t going under anytime soon.

Looks like I landed myself a great job.

-0-

Oh, I almost forgot.

First, I need to greet the manager who hired me—wait, acting manager?

Like Youko-sama of Village Five and Kinesta-sama of Kuro and Yuki?

Is that some kind of trend in urban areas? Why do high ranking people called acting or deputies?

I won’t resist though.

I’ll go with the flow.

Yes, I don’t dwell on trivial things.

By the way, this acting manager…

She looks young.

Ah, she’s actually younger than me?

As for her race, well, she’s clearly a beastkin.

Hmm.

Will this be okay?

The patissiers and sales clerks who came here—including me—don’t judge others based on age or race.

Those who did were filtered out during the hiring process.

But we do judge… skill.

And not just in cake-making.

Anything is fair game.

Brawling, magic—whatever.

If someone doesn’t have some kind of talent, they end up getting looked down on.

Being an acting manager, she might have money…

But having money tends to make people a target for envy.

As I was worrying about potential conflicts, five angels appeared, claiming to be her assistants.

They listened to her instructions and carried them out flawlessly.

…….

We don’t judge based on race, but we do assess threat levels.

Angels? Very dangerous.

And yet, this acting manager commands them.

I see.

I should not go against her.

What was I even thinking?

This isn’t about hierarchy.

It’s about camaraderie.

Yes, camaraderie.

We’re all in this together, running this shop as a team!

Looks like the other patissiers and clerks feel the same way.

Good.

I’ll do my best!

-0-

I was assigned a room to stay in…

Ano, excuse me, but this room has magic lighting and a magic air control box?

Are you sure there’s no mistake?

…Oh, this is definitely my room?

H-Heh…

The bed is brand new.

The sheets are clean.

The table and chairs… solid.

There’s even a shelf… and a safe?

It’s the kind where I set my own code, and if I forget it, I’ll have to break it open… so I should be careful?

Y-Yes, I’ll be careful.

Let’s see… meals are served in the employee dining hall on the second floor.

You’re thinking of hiring a cook?

No, no, no, no, no!

We can handle it!

We can cook more than just cakes!

Y-Yes, please observe for now.

We’ll do our best.

And next… the bath?

Wait.

This place has a bath?

We’re expected to bathe before work…?

No, no, I wouldn’t call this small.

It can fit five adults at once.

Ah, I see why there are two separate baths in different locations—one for males, one for females.

Understood.

This is the females’ bath, so males are strictly prohibited.

The other is the males’ bath, where females are strictly prohibited.

Laundry… happens in the garden?

That’s fine.

I can do laundry.

And the well works the same as the one in Village Five?

Got it. I’ll use it carefully.

Thank you for the tour and the explanations, Acting manager.

Ehto, I need to learn how to use the magic doors, the moving stairs, and the moving boxes.

I’ll do my best.

Questions?

Ah, not really a question, just an observation…

There sure are a lot of toilets, inside and out.

Not complaining—it’s great that we won’t have to wait in line.

But cleaning them all is going to be a pain.

Yes, we’ll need to set up a cleaning duty schedule.

The staff will discuss it and report back.

…

Acting manager, you don’t need to clean!

Please!

We’ll take care of it!

-0-

Fufuu.

Somehow, I’ve gotten used to life at the shop.

I think I have.

It’s not that I was running away from work.

I’ve simply gotten used to it.

Ah, the pudding I made tastes so good.

I’m aiming to be a cake patissier, but if I only focus on that, my perspective will become too narrow.

That’s why I make all sorts of things besides cakes.

…

Could the texture be a little smoother?

It could, right?

Alright, let’s give it another try!

「Take a bath before stepping into the kitchen!」

「And it’s nighttime! Go to bed!」

You’re still up, though!

「I took a break at noon, so it’s fine」

「And don’t eat pudding before bed!」

Huh?

How did you know?

「Anyone would figure it out if you’re holding an empty pudding container」

「And you’ve got pudding on your mouth」

…

As I wiped my mouth, a store acting manager assistant came over with a scary look.

Yes, I’m going to bed.

See you tomorrow.

-0-

At this shop, we undergo all sorts of training.

「Starting today, it’s security drill!」

Until yesterday, we were doing disaster prevention drills, learning how to extinguish fires and evacuate in case of a fire inside the building.

Honestly, I’d rather be making cakes, but when the store acting manager assistants scolded me—saying, “What kind of patissier can’t even protect their own workplace?”—I had no choice but to take it seriously.

I’ll give my all to this security drill as well.

Fufufu.

Judging by the content, this must be about dealing with robbers, right?

I’ll take them down with everything I’ve got.

Huh?

Run away?

Why?

If someone threatens the shop, I’ll take care of them myself!

O-okay, fine.

I’ll at least assess the situation before deciding.

So, the scenario is that ten adventurers are attacking the shop as robbers…

…

The adventurers are fully armed.

Yeah, I should definitely run.

I can at least make that judgment.

Ah, I see.

So the training is about deciding what to take with us when we escape.

We practice grabbing valuable items from the workplace before fleeing…?

No?

Life is more important?

We should run without taking anything?

Ehh…

But if that’s the order, I have no choice.

I’ll comply.

Still, just standing by while the shop gets ransacked…

It’ll be fine?

For now, just observe?

O-okay, understood.

-0-

As the group of adventurers stormed into the shop, the store acting manager assistants stood in their way.

Store acting manager assistants?

You’re not holding a weapon, are you?

Not even wearing armor?

No, an apron doesn’t count as armor!

And what are all these angels doing?

I need to protect the store acting manager assistants!

Panicking, I watched as one of the adventurers swung a sword down at them.

……

The adventurer’s sword snapped clean off at the base.

So did the other weapons.

Swords and knives, all broken at the hilt.

Was this the store acting manager assistants’ doing?

No?

R-right, of course.

They haven’t even moved a step.

Is this some kind of security magic protecting the shop?

As the security magic continued to activate, the adventurers’ weapons were systematically rendered useless.

Left with no other choice, they charged at the store acting manager assistants barehanded…

And were completely overwhelmed.

「This is nothing. A goat would put up more of a fight. Maybe you should have brought someone stronger—huh? They’re actually well-known? M-my apologies.」

……

The store acting manager assistants are incredible!

Once the security drill ended and the adventurers had left, we were introduced to the one behind the security magic—Snipe Spider-san.

Heh.

So it used webs to break the weapons.

…

That’s amazing.

But ranks don’t matter here.

It’s not about who’s above or below.

We’re comrades.

No, we’re family.

Yes, family!

A family that loves this shop, this workplace!

Let’s keep working hard together!

……

Oh, you have a lot of siblings?

I see. Well, pleased to meet you all.

Let’s get along.

And to maintain that good relationship, please wash your feet before entering the kitchen.

That’s not a request.

It’s a rule.

Thank you in advance.

-0-

I am a demoness born in a remote village.

Now, I am one of the patissiers working at the Patisserie Fairy Fairy in Village Five.

Many of the things I once believed to be common sense have changed, but it’s all for the sake of cake.

There is no problem with that.

I will continue to do my best.

-0-

● Reasons she couldn’t keep a job

When I was driven out of my village, I was still young.

Yes.

I suppose I should be grateful they didn’t sell me off.

After all, I am female.

…

I’m misunderstanding something about not being sold?

There are things that are so bad it would be better to keep them unsaid?

Anyway, I’m always fired after beating someone up.

Grrrr