Re:Demon - Reborn as a Demon Book 1

9

Everyone that saw Adalade carrying out the store sign always stopped and laughed. They weren't being rude or mean, it was just amusing to see a girl her size struggling with it, the way it was almost as big as she was and how she waddled with it. She often laughed with them, understanding that it was amusing and knowing they weren't meaning anything rude by it. Besides, most of those same people would complement her on the doodles she added to it and would stop into the store to buy something, whether because they were feeling a bit bad at laughing at a child doing their best, or because the smells coming from inside were so enticing, she didn't know, though she really did think it was the latter, because it really did smell delicious.

When she'd been born into this world, she'd been confused, which she figured was the appropriate response to suddenly going from being on a school trip to being a baby. She didn't understand much, not why it had happened to her, what was going on or where she was for that matter, but quickly realized that it didn't really matter, what did was that she was here now, so she might as well make the best of it.

It wasn't like she didn't miss her old family, she did, frequently. She often gave a small prayer offering her thanks to her old parents and apologizing for leaving them, even though she hadn't had much of a say in it. But beyond that, she didn't miss being chastised for wanting to eat, for wanting snacks and such when she was hungry. There was a lot that she didn't miss. Which was why she also gave thanks that she'd been reborn where she had.

She placed the sign in front of the store, a bit to one side of the door and opposite the large window with its crossed wooden slats, behind which loaves of bread could be seen.

Taking a moment to clean the smudges she'd made off the sign, carefully fixed the letters, which she'd made sure to learn and then added today's details. She never planned ahead on this, always letting whatever popped into her mind be what she added. Sometimes it was the new kinds of breads that they'd tried, or ones they'd made extras of. Other days, it was just some flowers or cute little animals, though she tried not to do that, since it often confused people and they'd stop in asking for a cut of meat.

Today she took a deep breath, letting the smell of fresh baked bread fill her nose. There were normal breads, as well as rolls, and muffins, something new they were trying out, which were proving to be extremely popular, so that was what she went with, letting the chalk in her hand glide around to make a muffin, then she added a few swirls and ribbons to the edges of the board and stepped back, smiling at her work.

Initially, her parents had been angry at her for wasting the chalk, adding all these decorative nonsenses. But when they started seeing an increase in traffic, they'd changed their mind, especially when they kept getting compliments on their sign. Now, they let her do what she wanted to it.

Satisfied with her handiwork, she headed back inside, propping the door open to let the breeze in and the smell out, which always served as one of their best advertisers. Even as she headed to the back to wash up, she heard her mother greeting one of the first customers of the day.

Her father looked up from the dough he was working and called out, "What was it today?"

"Muffins."

"Darn, your mother wins, again."

Adalade laughed, "You should know not to bet against her by now."

"True, but it's no fun if we just agree, so I have to pick something else. Though we might have to erase it before long, if previous sales are anything to go by."

She nodded, knowing that the muffins, while popular, were still a niche item. Sugar was becoming more common, but still was still a bit rare, but it was finding time to make them that was the biggest challenge. There was a certain amount of bread that they were obligated to make, so finding time to make something else was a bit of a luxury.