The morning after her flower shop catastrophe, Lyria stood in front of a humming white box in Riku's kitchen.
Her eyes narrowed with deep suspicion.
> "This creature… it growls."
Riku, sipping tea, sighed.
> "It's not a creature. It's a microwave."
"It hums like a sleeping thunder beast."
"It's just warming the leftover curry."
Lyria turned to Puff.
> "Puff, does it look friendly to you?"
"It looks… hungry."
Riku choked on his tea.
> "DO NOT feed it anything! Don't put metal, don't put magic crystals, don't—"
But Lyria wasn't listening. She was too busy circling the microwave like a royal knight sizing up an enemy.
> "You there! Box of Fire! Reveal your secrets!"
The microwave beeped.
Lyria jumped behind Riku.
> "IT SPOKE!"
"It beeped."
"IT SPOKE IN CODE!"
---
A Few Hours Later…
Riku left for work with one instruction:
> "Please… PLEASE don't touch the microwave."
He shouldn't have said it.
Because the moment the door closed, Lyria placed her hands on her hips.
> "Puff. Today, we tame the beast."
"Your Majesty, I don't think—"
"Initiate Operation: Culinary Domination!"
Puff covered his face with both hands.
> "We're going to burn the building down…"
---
Ten Minutes Later
Lyria placed a bowl inside the microwave.
Then—
Just to "help it cook better"—
she added a tiny magical crystal under the bowl.
The microwave whirred.
The crystal glowed.
Puff panicked.
> "Lyria! Lyria, the tiny sun rock is heating up!"
"Wonderful! That means it's working!"
Then—
BOOOOMPFFFFF—!!
The microwave door flew open with a bright flash of rainbow light.
Sparkles rained from the ceiling like fireworks.
A high-pitched ding echoed through the apartment as if announcing divine judgment.
The curry inside had transformed into a glowing, levitating orb of spicy chaos.
> "Puff…" Lyria whispered.
"Yes, Your Majesty?"
"I think we may have created… a sentient curry."
The orb wobbled in the air and floated toward them ominously.
> "It's ALIVE!!"
"AGAIN?!" Puff shrieked.
---
Two Minutes of Screaming Later
Riku returned early because he forgot his wallet.
He opened the door to see:
Lyria hiding under the table,
Puff wielding a spoon like a weapon,
the curry orb circling the ceiling fan,
and the microwave smoking like a volcano.
Riku blinked.
> "…I was gone for ten minutes."
"I was attacked!" Lyria cried.
"Your Majesty started it!" Puff accused.
"It spoke to me!"
"It boiled, Lyria. It BOILED."
The curry orb finally lost its magic, splattered on the floor, and died with a sizzling hiss.
Riku stared at the mess.
> "Explain."
"The microwave angered me," Lyria said.
"By existing," Puff clarified.
Riku covered his face with both hands.
> "Lyria… I'm begging you. Don't use magic in the kitchen."
"The kitchen declared war first!"
---
Later
The microwave, now cleaned but traumatized, sat silently on the counter.
Lyria sulked on the sofa.
> "Human magic is unstable and dangerous," she mumbled.
"That was your magic," Riku said.
"Exactly. It was a noble effort corrupted by that evil box."
Riku sighed and handed her a warm cup of tea.
> "No more microwaving magic crystals, okay?"
"Not even tiny ones?"
"Not even if Puff says it's a good idea."
"Hey!"
Lyria took a sip and finally relaxed.
Maybe the human world wasn't trying to kill her.
Maybe she just needed… a little more practice.
Or fewer explosions.
Probably both.
---