The maid squad is too strong, what use is there for me, the Demon King?

She's a little foodie.

Gray thought to himself, while speeding up his movements.

Even with increased heat, it still takes some time to cook the rice.

It was only then that Gray realized something was missing.

I was so focused on the rice bag that I forgot to bring any side dishes.

The rice was purchased at Gray's behest. Gray requested that the food be purchased in large quantities, inexpensive, and easy to preserve, along with the corresponding kitchenware and tableware. The waiters complied with this request without any problems.

This was my mistake; I didn't think to ask my waiters to buy some cheap side dishes.

But it shouldn't be a big problem, right? Even just eating rice is much more fragrant than eating black bread.

Everyone in the house was focused on the earthenware steamer used for cooking rice, and they were all very curious about the cooking process (can simply turning on the fire and cooking the rice really be considered cooking?).

Needless to say, little Cai'er, with her eyes wide open as she waited for the rice to cook, was also staring intently at the pottery steamer.

As the second princess of the Kingdom of Westphalia, Aliceville had certainly eaten rice before, but only eaten it. As a member of the royal family, she had almost never been to the kitchen and didn't know how rice was cooked, so she was somewhat curious.

The cooking time is rather long compared to a rice cooker.

The earthenware steamer is an ancient-style rice steaming tool made of clay with holes in the bottom, using steam to heat food. When in use, the steamer is typically placed on a stove or earthenware pot, with hot water below to generate steam. The steam rises through the holes in the bottom of the steamer, cooking the food above. This method of separating the rice from the water prevents the rice grains from directly contacting the water, resulting in separate, distinct grains of rice.

A significant disadvantage of using a ceramic steamer compared to an electric rice cooker is that it requires manual control of the heat and steam, making the operation more complicated and the cooking time longer.

The earthenware steamer itself is a small appliance, but Gray specially purchased the maximum capacity version for cooking large pots of rice.

Gray's teachings to Iota did allow his otherworldly fiancée, Newton, to recreate many modern products, but even if Iota is a combination of Newton and Einstein, she is still just one person, and what she can do is limited.

As for the scientific knowledge from her previous life, only Aiota truly understood it, and when she taught the other waiters, they all remained silent.

Relying solely on Aiota's research is still too slow for modernizing the other world.

If he could solve his own problems, then Gray thought he could take some time to teach more math, physics, and chemistry, giving the other world a little technological shock.

Cooking in a clay pot was too troublesome and slow, so Gray started to miss the rice cooker.

But in this alien world where there hasn't even been a First Industrial Revolution, it's probably unlikely that rice cookers will ever appear.

Once he figured it was almost done steaming, Gray opened the lid of the earthenware steamer, and a blast of hot steam hit his face.

The moment the lid of the earthenware steamer is lifted, a fresh aroma of rice wafts out.

The aroma is delicate and pure, like a gentle breeze carrying the scent of the fields, embracing the most authentic flavor of rice, lightly entering the nasal cavity, making one unable to resist taking a deep breath, as if immersed in a golden rice field.

The freshly baked rice grains are crystal clear, shimmering in the light, making them far more appealing than black bread.

The plump, white rice was still quite a sight for the Westphalians.

The townspeople present gasped in surprise.

"This is rice?"

"White... (sound of swallowing)"

The most excited reaction came from the little foodies.

Little Cai'er almost jumped up: "Is it ready? Can we eat it now?"

Gray chuckled and patted the little one's head: "That's enough, I'll give you a big bowl!"

do as promised.

Gray performed an architectural and civil engineering marvel with the tiny bowl, piling the rice more than twice its height. (2.5 times, for sure)

"Wow!" Little Cai'er took the bowl and was about to start eating.

Her fair little hands recoiled as soon as they touched the rice grains, the heat making her pull them back. Little Cai'er, her eyes brimming with tears, cried out, "It's so hot!!"

Gray laughed and said, "Of course, it's freshly cooked. It can be eaten after it cools down a bit."

As she spoke, she handed a small spoonful to the little foodie.

The tableware provided was a bowl and spoon instead of chopsticks, because Gray considered that Westphalians did not use chopsticks, and spoons were more convenient since there was no need to pick up food with them.

"Then..." Gray glanced at the townspeople who were swallowing hard, "None of you have had breakfast, have you? How about a bowl for everyone to try?"

The old village chief's eyes were filled with excitement: "I am extremely grateful!"

Gray took on the role of cook for a moment, starting by serving Aliceville a bowl of food.

The Second Princess is the one in charge, so Gray noticed Alice Violet's doting on the little girl by giving her the first drink.

Then, bowl after bowl was served to each town resident attending the meeting.

There was still a lot of rice left in the earthenware pot, but Gray was sure he would hear "Okawari (Give me another bowl)".

Rice was served to everyone. The first bowl was cooled down enough to eat, and little Cai'er couldn't wait to scoop up a big spoonful of rice and put it in her mouth.

Each grain is distinct, not sticky, yet not overly dry. A light bite reveals a soft and elastic texture with a subtle sweetness. This sweetness is not artificially added, but rather the natural sweetness of the rice perfectly preserved. As the steam rises, it slowly releases, dancing on the tongue and leaving a lingering, delightful aftertaste.

The rice-water separation design of the earthenware steamer preserves the original flavor of the rice to the greatest extent. Without excessive soaking in water, the aroma of the rice is purer, and each grain is full of rich rice fragrance. As you chew, the fragrance of rice spreads in your mouth and lingers for a long time. Even after you finish eating, the aftertaste remains, as if you can still feel the simplicity and mellowness of the earth.

Add in elements like clothes-ripping scenes and quirky Japanese commentary, and you have a food-themed anime.

Gray chuckled to himself.

Seeing little Cai'er eating so heartily, the townspeople couldn't resist and bravely ate the rice, even though it was scalding hot.

The first bite reveals the softness of the rice, followed by a subtle sweetness. As you chew, the aroma of the rice gradually unfolds, creating a rich and complex flavor that becomes increasingly fragrant with each bite.

Needless to say, the townspeople buried themselves in their food, showing no interest in discussion whatsoever—that was the greatest reward for the food.

Looking at this heartwarming scene, Alice Wilt couldn't help but smile.

A spoonful of rice warms the heart.

Is this the satisfaction that rice brings?

No, Alice Villa isn't some country bumpkin who's never eaten rice before.

Seeing the common people eating so heartily made Alice Violet feel that the rice she was chewing was incredibly sweet.

“Food is the most important thing for people.” Gray’s soft sigh reached Aliceville’s ears, and she nodded in agreement.

This is the scene she longs for.

I long for this scene to expand throughout the entire Kingdom of Westphalia.