Melted Butter II

Butter...!

Butter!!

Uhh... Yes?

Are you listening to me?

Y-Yes, Butter is listening!

Then tell me what I just said.

Um... something about flyers... Urgh...

I'm sorry... The sweet potatoes I had today suddenly popped into my head, so I couldn't focus.

Sigh... Alright.

I'll keep it short and simple. I wish you to distribute 300 of these flyers at Werebeast Village.

Erm... Why Butter?

Well... because I'm a sprite, I don't know the way around Werebeast Village like you do， right?

Butter's other friends also asked Butter to run errands this morning... so Butter is really busy. Can't Butter do it another time?

Butter, you're the only werebeast I can trust.

Other werebeasts are too cranky—I mean, uncooperative—and don't help out.

Urgh... but... 300 is too many...

Butter, if you sell these all out, I'll give you something delicious!

S-Something delicious? What? Sweet potatoes? Baked goods? Meat? A 180-dish fusion meal course for werebeasts?

...That was pretty specific in the end there...

Hmm... let me see...

What are you looking for on the ground?

Aha! This should be good! I'll give you an acorn for every flyer you hand out!

An... acorn...? Is that edible...?

Butter! That's not nice! Think of who cook with acorns would feel if they heard you say that!

Hum? Do I have any friends who eats acorn?

How should I know? Probably? Somewhere? The world is vast, the universe is expanding, and the dimensions are infinite, you know.

Right, I'm busy so I'll be off now... Thanks for those flyers! I'll come back tomorrow to see if you've distributed all the flyers!

......

Acorns... Urgh...

300 flyers...

Umm... it's okay...! Butter loves helping friends! Let's just do it!

Ashur will be happy if Butter hands out all the flyers!

Butter likes to see friends smile! Butter likes to smile, too! Butter likes going for walks together! Butter also likes eating, hehe!

Ahahaha!

H-Huh?

Hey, are you a dork or something?

What did you say?

Ashur said she was busy and didn't open the bakery today, so I followed her here... That was hilarious, ahaha!

Were you stalking her just to see if she was keeping the buns from you, Your Majesty?

Sh-Shut up!!

I may obsess over buns, but at least I'm not a total bonehead like you!

You're right. One of those is criminal behavior...

Urgh...

Anyway!! How can you be so foolish?! Didn't you notice that Ashur dumped her work on you by claiming to be your friend?

That's not true! Butter IS her friend. Friends can do this much for each other!

Sigh... How exasperating. You're just being a pushover! You gotta learn to say no. Are you turning into a goody two-shoes or something?

Butter... didn't catch a bug. Butter really is nice to others!

There's a difference between being nice and being a sucker, you dork!

Ugh... Stop calling Butter a dork! Butter is just a good girl, that's all!

Ehehe, you're cute! Butter is a dooork! Butter is a dooork!

*Sniff...* Waaaaaaaaaaaah!

Huh? You're crying? Why? Isn't it normal for friends to tease each other like this?

You're... not Butter's friend!

What...?!

You were never Butter's friend in the first place! Waaaah!

B-Butter! Hey!

Oops... Did I go too far?

Jeez, I always get carried away too easily when I get too caught up in things.

Oh well, it's Butter. I'm sure she'll be back to normal if I act friendly again later.

*Sniff...*

*Sniff, sniff...*

Butter is a dork...?

Butter is really a dork...?

Butter isn't just kind...? Butter is a foolish sucker...? Butter doesn't like that...

Butter will... Butter will...!

Butter will study...! Butter won't be a sucker once Butter is no longer a dork!

Butter will become a smart fool—werebeast, I mean, who's nice to everyone!

Umm...

When protons fuse into a single alpha particle, they emit energy along with a positron and a neutrino...

During this fusion process... urgh... my head hurts...

What are protons and positrons? They sound similar, but they're different?

Butter thought she would get smarter if she read the thickest book... but this is filled with gibberish that she doesn't understand!

Getting smart is too hard! Butter wanna give up!

Ugh... No! Butter shouldn't! Butter promised herself! Butter won't give up!

Just keep reading! Just read and memorize everything!

They say that learning is a staircase, not a straight path... If Butter keeps reading, one day she will understand!

Hey, Butter. What are you doing here?

Oh! K-Kommy? What brings you here?

Kommy has a part-time job around here.

A part-time job? In the elven city?

They pay Kommy to take some kind of medicine. Kommy then spends the money on snacks and games.

Y-You do? Is the medicine safe?

Kommy asked first. You gonna answer or what?

Oh, right. Butter is studying here! Butter grabbed the thickest textbook she could find from a trash can near the university!

Uhh... "Proton Physics and Nuclear Fusion Theory"?

What's this book about?

Butter... doesn't know! It says that when protons collide, they give off some kind of energy! Maybe this energy makes you smarter!

Kommy doesn't know what that means... And why are you studying?

To become smarter and stop being a dork anymore...

Hmm...

Did someone treat you like a fool again, Butter?

Huh? H-How did you know that?

When you're not around, there is a gathering where others talk about how foolish you are.

.........!

Wh-Whaaat?!

Technically, this secret meeting only exists in Kommy's head, so please keep it to yourself.

Then you're just talking about yourself!

Anyway, I knew this day would come.

There's a secret group called the "Agora Club." Some old guy in a bathrobe once said that wisdom, must find their own enlightenment at some point.

Intellectual beings...? Cognitive enlightenment...?

Then he got into a long argument with some scruffy old guy in a barrel, who said we should just toss our worries away and live carefree...

But Kommy knew it all along! That one of them has gotta be right!

What are you talking about...? Kommy, you're scaring Butter...!

Maybe both are wrong. Maybe both are right... Either way, Kommy will help you find your true self, Butter!

Are you sure the medicine you took is right?

Here's the first step, Butter.

Throw that natural sciences textbook in the trash! Your destiny lies in liberal arts!

J-Just throw it away?

In science, you must prove your theories... But in liberal arts? You just state something and argue it's true

But what ARE natural sciences and liberal arts?!

That's a very... philosophical question. Good one.

Natural sciences, liberal arts... maybe we're too obsessed with labels and categories and yet, lose sight of what really matters.

That doesn't answer Butter's question at all!

Because... that's what liberal arts is!

*Nods silently*

.........

Is this... the figure in smart?

You mean Kommy? Kommy is smart, yes.

Butter's mind went blank after listening to you... Butter didn't know how to respond.

Ah, yes. That's how you typically win an argument in liberal arts.

Maybe... you're right. Butter doesn't think she's ever won an arguement before.

If Butter learns from you... maybe she'll improve...

That's right, Butter. So throw away that textbook stained with the tears of a physics major who unwittingly signed up for four years of mental anguish and sleepless nights!

Join Kommy on the journey to uncover the truth of this world!

O-Okay!

Umm...

Kommy? Isn't this a bakery? Why did you bring Butter here?

It's not a bakery! It's a magic school!

A-Ashur?!

Oh, Butter! Have you handed out all the flyers already? Here for your acorns?

Kommy brought you a new student.

Whaaat?

You're the new student, Butter?

Kommy! You said you'd teach Butter!

Tsk, tsk... Butter! There's an order to everything.

You gotta finish the basic course before taking the advanced one.

What did you just say?! Did you call my class a "basic" course...?!

Don't you want to take on the new student, Ashur?

Huh? Uhhh... Ahaha! Of course I'll take her! Don't worry, Butter! I'll get you up to speed on the basics!

Is Butter going to be okay...?

Now, give Kommy the bag of cookies we agreed on.

H-Here you go.

Cookies? Kommy! Did you just get paid by sign Butter up?

Kommy is just helping with the catalyst acceleration process to make Ashur's utopia a reality!

Err... Huh?

Butter doesn't know what you're talking about...

That's why you should learn! That's your goal here!

T-True... the whole point was to learn and get smarter...!

Kommy will be on her way, then! She finished the basic course a long time ago. It's pointless to learn the same thing again, you know.

Kay... got it! Butter will study hard! Then Butter will take your advanced course, Kommy!

Great. That's what Kommy likes to hear.

Ashur, next time Kommy will bring you three students at once, so Kommy will look forward to more of these then!

Three...? That's wonderful... Hehe...

Ashur!

Y-Yes?

What should Butter learn first? Cognitive enlightenment? Agora?

Where did you even hear those words? We're going to start with "Mana Physics and Magical Fusion Theory."

Huh? Uhh... that sounds very familiar...

Here, I'll give you the textbook for free. The school is overstocked.

The used bookstore won't even buy it because it's stained with my tears.

A tear-stained... natural sciences textbook...?

Now, Butter, our newest student at Ashur's Magic School! Open to the first page and read the contents!

O-Okay...

Is Butter really ganna be okay...? Urgh...

So... uhh... page 481...

When grains of mana fuse into one particle... urrrgh... they release energy along with an Eldir molecule and a Muklis particle...

When this energy is emitted... the magic user's mental power is projected... to draw forth the desired power... urrrrrrgh...

Yes, yes...! Exactly. It took me 70 years to figure this out.

Then if Butter learns this, can she... also use magic...?

Nope. This is just a theory class, so there's no practical use.

What... did you say?

Magic is a talent you're born with. If you have it, these theories don't matter at all.

Then why are we learning the theories...?

Because... if I come up with a field of theory, I can be the number one expert in that field.

Then... why do you teach that to your students...?

Because a school doesn't run without students.

You mean... Butter has been learning something completely useless...?

Useless?! You never know when the knowledge might come in handy. That's why you try to learn as much as you can!

Maybe it'll be useful in a year... or ten! You never know!

But... Butter stayed up all night studying a book of over 500 pages...

That's just volume 1. There are 12 volumes that are just as long. Plus, we have appendices and references!

Urrrrrrrrrrrrrgh...!

Kommy learned all this? Really?

K-Kommy? Oh... y-yeah! Of course she did! Kommy is, uh... member of the school's first graduating class!

Urgh... Fine... Butter will keep at it, then.

Well, let's call it for today, shall we? You must be pretty tired. Go home and rest.

Okay...

Ah.

Hold on.

Huh?

Since you might not come back tomorrow, I'd like the tuition paid upfront.

Whaaat?

From now on, please pay me the month's rent—tuition, I mean—up front.

B-But...! You should've told Butter that before she took the lesson!

I used to... but then many students would get scared off by the tuition and run away.

This a scam! How could you do this?!

Butter, my lessons are of infinite value. But if no one wants to learn from me because of the tuition, that knowledge becomes worthless.

Infinite value? Worthless?

Ugh... if it's is not worth money... can't Butter just apperciate you with her infinite gratitude instead...?

Your cheap logic won't fool me...! In a capitalist society, ideals and harsh realities are inevitably bound to clash! Ahaha!

But Butter doesn't have any money!

Sigh... It can't be helped, then.

Yeah, it can't be helped! So why don't you let Butter off the hook just this once—

... on distributing flyers every day.

Sorry?

You hand out flyers from 6 am to 6 pm, and I'll teach you from 6 pm to 6 am.

It's a great deal, really! Classes will practically be free!

Wh-What?

12 hours... about 500 flyers a day... That should do it!

Such ingenuity! What a brilliant idea! I really am a genius, ahaha!

SHUT UP!!!

Whoa! What was that all of a sudden?!

Yikes...! B-Butter's sorry...

It's like Butter hit some kind of emotional limit... like a switch just flipped.

It's Butter's first time feeling something like this.

Butter! If you want to be a real intellectual!

You won't get smarter if you throw a fit whenever things get tough.

Yes... Butter's sorry, Ashur.

Alright, then go hand out the flyers. Since you snapped at me today, make it extra—700 total!

Kaaay. *Sob, sob...*

Take a flyer... please.

Ashur's Magic School, filled with the smell of delicious buns... Open for sign up...

Ahahahaha! What're you doing, Butter?

S-Sprite Queen?

Are you still handing out those flyers?

I-It's none of your business! How did you know Butter was here?

This is Sprite Village, my turf! What's wrong with the Sprite Queen walking around in HER own village?!

Ugh... Butter is trying to work here, so please just move along.

Uh... in the spirit of apologizing for last time... I'll lend you a hand.

Huh? Really?

Yup. You're handing out flyers, right? I'll take one, then.

Uh... Can't you take, like, a hundred?

Oho... Been handing out flyers for Ashur's Bakery so long you've turned into Ashur herself? Don't think you can dump your work on me!

N-No, I'm not...

See? This is how you say no!

You should be grateful I'm even taking one of these flyers!

Sprites can use magic from the moment they're born, so there's no point in having a magic school...

You thought I'd help you hand out those flyers? They can't even be recycled because they've been printed on both sides!

Urgh...

Oh well, keep up the good work! I'm off to Ashur's for some buns.

*Sob* Sprites use magic from the moment they're born...?

What's the point of opening a magic school, then...?

Is Ashur really even smart at all...?

I'm tired... *Sob...*

Dork...

Huh?

Dork...

Who's calling Butter a dork this time?! Butter is not a dork!

Ashur is a dork...

Huh...?

Wh-Who is it?

Butter is... dork...

Is it coming from here?

Butter is not a dork...

What's going on? Are you the one speaking?

Butter is not a dork... Ashur is a dork...

Eeek!

So creepy! You're really talking to Butter?! What are you?!

You are not a dork... if you hold me...

Butter won't be a dork... if Butter holds you?

But... this place looks like a pawnshop... and I don't even have money... Oh, it's closed today. Guess I can't go in anyway.

Dork...

Butter is not a dork!

You are a dork... if you don't hold me...

Butter can't believe that she is being called a dork... by some random object!

Fine! Butter will hold you, okay?!

There, Butter is holding you! Is Butter smart now?! See? Nothing has changed!

Butter is smart...

I have a truly marvelous demonstration of Butter's intelligence...

Whoaaa... WHOAAAAA!!!

The power of knowledge... surges throughout my neurons!!!

Did you really do that to Butter?

I mean, she did take my class.

You're horrible sometimes, Ashur. Really horrible.

Alright, maybe I went too far... I'll just take one day's tuition, deal?

Seriously? You still don't get why I'm so obsessed with money?!

What do you mean?

You come to my shop every day and mooch off of me for buns! No wonder I'm always short on money!

That's because your buns are the best in Sprite Kingdom!

You're graced by the Queen daily for your baked goods! You should show gratitude and thank me deeply for my patronage!

You only come here because it's the closest to the palace!

Eek! What the...?! Who swung the door open like that?!

Hey, you. Come here.

Huh?

Butter? Have you already finished handing out the flyers? But that defies the laws of time, mathematically...

Wait... something is wrong.

Something about Butter... her aura... has changed...!

What are you talking about, Your Majesty?

This aura... I know it...

Butter, did you actually hand out the flyers? You didn't dump them somewhere, did you?

Sigh...

Butter said... Come here.

Err... Huh? What?

Wait! Butter, where did you get that thing?! That's...!

You should not speak to your teacher like that! You better say you're sorry!

EEEEEEEEK! What are you doing, Ashur...?!

Geez...

You really suck at noticing what's going on, huh?

Guess this explains why you opened that useless magic school.

Wh-What?!

You're a scumbag sprite who invites trouble. You could've just lived a stress-free life running your bakery.

Grrr...! I can't take this anymore!

Whatcha gonna do, then?

Arrrgh...! What the...?!

Ashur! Your body... something red...

Uhh... Huhh...?

*Lick* It's... strawberry jam.

That was a warning shot fired at the jam shelf. Butter won't be aiming there for the next shot... got it? Hehe...

R-Run! Butter is not in her right mind!

W-Wait for me, Your Majesty!

Urgh... Kommy feels bloated.

Maybe it was too much to participate in the clinical trial for the new drug two days in a row?

Still, Kommy earned money. Kommy can just buy some medicine.

Kommy! Kommy! Big trouble!

Huh?

Ashur? Your Majesty?

Butter... Butter has exploded!

Did you microwave the butter? You're a baker. You should've known better.

What are you talking about?! And butter won't explode when you microwave it, okay?!

Never mind, then. I majored in liberal arts, so it's okay to say whatever I want.

I'm not talking about that kind of butter!

Butter has gone bonkers! She's turned into some kind of thug!

Hmm...

I knew this would happen.

What?

There's a group called the "Hundred Schools of Thought." Some old guy in robe said all intelligent beings are born evil.

Butter... must've had some kind of sudden enlightenment!

What are you babbling about? You took some weird elven medicine again, didn't you?

Ahh, here you all are.

Eeek!

Once Butter eliminates all you weaklings in one go... she'll become the strongest in Elias.

And Butter will terminate Trickcal's service to prevent any new characters from being created.

Terminate Trickcal's service...? What're you talking about?

You can't do that, Butter! Just how often will you mess up the launch?

Uh... the launch...?

Urgh... Butter's head...

What the...? My head suddenly hurts too...

Phew... Nice try. Butter doesn't know what you pulled, or how... But I should've expected it from that smarty-pants who betrayed me.

Kommy didn't sell Butter off.

What? Butter clearly saw you selling her off like a slave for a bag of cookies!

That was just payment for Kommy's labor! Kommy rightfully earned it for handing you over!

You just admitted you sold Butter off!

Butter... Do you consider yourself an object?

What?

Kommy never put a price on you, and she never sold you to Ashur.

Kommy has never sold you, she simply introduced you to Ashur and received a brokerage fee!

Isn't that the same thing?

It's different. If Kommy really wanted to sell Butter, a bag of cookies wouldn't have been nearly enough.

Because Butter is a werebeast worth at least two bags of cookies...

.........

.........

Fine. You can go.

Okay.

What?! That's it?!

You're just gonna let her go after that nonsensical excuse?

Kommy! Get me out of here too! I didn't even do anything!

It's none of Kommy's business. Kommy's heading to the arcade with the cash she made from her part-time job.

Aaarrgh!

Butter! I swear I didn't do anyting! I just made few comments!

Arrgh! Shut up! Does Butter have to beat some sense into you?!

Ouch! That hurts! Why does everyone always hit only me?! Ashur's right next to me, why don't you hit her too?!

...Please don't whine like that on the ground, Your Majesty. It looks pathetic.

Stand up straight, Erpin.

Yes, Butter—I mean, ma'am... *Sob*

Now everyone hush! We're gonna have a moment of reflection together. Hehe.

EEEEEEEK!!

Butter... I was wrong... Please forgive me...

I can't breathe... urgh...

SILENCE!!!!

How dare you call Butter a dork and slave her around!

I may have called you a dork but I never slaved you around, so please let me go!

Really, Your Majesty?! You're just gonna try to save yourself?!

Come on, Ashur! You know you went too far!

Just teasing her and treating her like a dork once or twice in passing... That should be enough!

There you go, talking nonsense again!

Ouch! Stop hitting me!

In a way, this is all your fault!

If you hadn't made fun of Butter and called her a dork in the first place, Butter wouldn't have been stuck in the bakery!

I... I just wanted to help you... Urgh...

How is calling Butter a dork helping her?!

You're always getting taken advantage of by Ashur... so I wanted to tell you how to say no...

But then I found myself making fun of you, too... *Sniff...*

Because it's actually quite fun...

You never learn, do you?!

Aaarrgh! I said it hurts!

So what are you going to do now? Send us to the Weekend Farm?

That's all.

That's it?

I'm going to bury you deep in the forest, where no one will ever find you. Hehe.

Only your head will stick out like this and you'll be unable to do anything but breathe.

You... can't be serious...!

Sounds good to me.

Live without having any responsibilities? Bucket list, check.

Are you for real right now?! You'll never have cake or any other baked goods if we're stuck like this!

Oops... I hadn't thought of that...

Alright then, Butter will leave the two of you to reflect on your actions forever. Goodbye. Hehe...

Butter! NO!

Don't goooo! I'm sorry for everything!!

Target acquired.

Urf...!

Wh-What was that?! What's going on?!

What're you doing?

Mayo! You have come to rescue me——your supreme Majesty!

Nope. I was searching for the pawnshop burglar.

You mean Butter stole something from your shop?

Stole the best collectible in my shop.

Oh... so that's where Butter got that.

Anyway, I'm glad it all ended well. Hurry up and get us out, Mayo!

Collection value... zero...

Talking head already in collection.

Aw, save us right now!!

Urgh... so noisy. Fine.

Phew... that was real close.

What about Butter? She'll threaten us again when she wakes up...

You had a fight?

No, well... not quite a fight, but... Ah! That's right!

She stole something from Mayo's shop, so let's use that as an excuse to sentence her to life in prison at Sprite Kingdom court!

Problem solved! See how smart am I?

.........

.........

Can't we just talk it out?

We tried that, but it only got us buried in the ground!

Have no idea what you guys are talking about.

Got my stolen item back. I'd better head home before the Queen starts talking nonsense.

O-Okay...

I mean, we did Butter wrong, Your Majesty... Why don't we apologize to her honestly and clear up any misunderstandings...

What if Butter doesn't listen and starts digging again?

Well... I don't know... but it's better than unjustly sentencing her to life in prison!

Sigh...

Fine.

Then let's bury her first.

Excuse me?

Let's bury her and see what she's really thinking, shall we?

If she's willing to listen to us, we'll pull her out and apologize. But if she isn't, we'll just leave her there.

.........

Uh...

I don't feel good about it, but... it also sounds like a decent plan. My conscience is bothering me a bit though...

Sigh... Life is never a bed of doughnuts...

Now stop arguing and help me bury her.

Okaaay...

Urgh...

Where is Butter...?

Hey, are you with us now?

Huh...?

Sprite Queen?

I'm gonna keep this short, Butter.

You forgive us or not?

Sorry? What do you mean...?

Your Majesty! What kind of apology is that? Are you a thug or something?

Apology? Why are you apologizing? Why is Butter buried? What's this hole?

Are you trying to bury Butter alive?! Butter will pay the tuition, so please forgive her! Waaaaah!!!

Would you look at that... You passed out for a moment and now you're faking amnesia or something?

Amnesia?

Butter. What is the last thing you remember?

The last thing Butter remembers...?

Um... Butter was handing out flyers in Sprite Village... and then the Queen teased her as she passed by.

Do you remember stealing something from Mayo's pawnshop?

Uh... Butter passed by a pawnshop that was closed, that's all she remembers...

But then Butter is not sure what happened next.

Hmm.

That thing from the pawnshop... I felt some magical energy coming off of it, but...

I told you it's a weapon that the Master used!

But the Master didn't turn evil like Butter did.

Is that what makes the Master special? Hmm...?

Butter turned evil?

Huh? Oh, no. Don't worry about it.

You don't remember what happened between us, anyway, right?

Why? What did Butter do?

Oh, don't worry about it. You don't need to know.

Um... then can you let Butter out? It's hard for Butter to breathe like this.

Sure, I'll get you out now—

Wait.

What is it, Your Majesty?

I need to make sure.

Sorry?

I'll have to test and see if Butter has come back to her senses.

But how?

I haven't gotten over how she hit me earlier, so... Take this!

Owww! It hurts!

You little dork! How dare you give me, the monarch of Sprite Kingdom, a noogie?!

When did Butter do that?!

Silence!

Ahaha! Here's another! This one's for Ashur! This one's for Kommy!

Waaaaaah!!

You're being a total meanie right now. Please don't rope me into this.

Ugh... I swear... she really has some sort of personality issue.

You're the one who was the meanie in the first place!

A-At least I was going to properly apologize!

Butter doesn't know what's going on! Please just let Butter out!

I'll let you out after I test you a bit more, so zip it! Just calm yourself and reflect on your actions!

Eeeek!!! Waaaah!!

Stop bullying her!

Seriously, you've gone way too far! I can't just stand by and watch this anymore!

*Sniff...* Waaaah! Why are you bullying Butter...?!

Butter didn't do anything wrong...!

She totally looks like she's come to her senses!

I mean... I, uh... just wanted to make sure...

Erm... Butter?

Y-Yes?

Can't we just start over? A clean slate?

Wh-What do you mean? You're going to have Butter to hand out m-more flyers, aren't you?!

No, no, not that...!

Um... How does... research... sound to you?

Aaaargh!! You want Butter to be a real student now?!

No! I mean, I want to study YOU! You just need to come by my bakery—I mean, my school! That's it!

You just need to sit with me, we'll talk, have some snacks, drink... that's it.

Wait! I want to do that!

I don't need you, Your Majesty!

R-Really...? Butter can just have some snacks...?

Mhmm.

O-Okay, then! Hehe!

Ahem. Thank you for coming again.

Butter can just lay here and talk like before?

Yep! Just lay down and relax.

Just grab anything you want to eat if you're hungry.

Hehe! Okay!

How is it going these days?

Butter doesn't know. Pretty much the same as usual.

Does the Queen still call you a dork whenever she sees you?

Yeah.

Geez... Guess you can't fix a sprite, huh...? Sigh... Anyway!

What crosses your mind when you see the Queen behave like that?

Well... Butter just thinks she's at fault for being a dork and moves on.

You don't feel angry?

Um... Butter does get a little upset, but she feels cheers up again right away!

Don't you feel a sudden rush of uncontrollable or unpredictable rage or anything...?

Um... Butter is not sure.

I suppose what I said isn't really normal either...

But still, Butter's mental state seems to be much stronger than I imagined.

Then could that object really be the cause?

Her personality completely changed just from holding the Master's gun...?

Have you, by any chance, held that thing again?

You mean the collectible in Mayo's pawnshop? Why would Butter do that? That's stealing!

Right...

I don't think I have anything more to delve into... Have I hit a wall with Butter's psychological research?

I can't risk getting her to hold that thing again either... Who knows what would happen... Ugh... I don't know.

This is more mentally exhausting than the time I spent writing my magic research paper.

Is the research consultation over?

Well, yeah... let's call it a day now.

Can I take some cookies?

Oh, sure. They're on the shelf, be my guest.

Hehe! I love free cookies!

I wish my other friends were as kind as you, Ashur!

I can't get past how strange it is...

Her actions were undeniably extreme...

If I remember correctly, Butter exhibited signs of anger that day... Before handing out flyers and before she held that gun.

Oh, right!

Hmm?

Butter has been having weird dreams lately!

What kind of dreams?

It's a dream where someone who looks just like Butter destroys the bakery—no, the school!

Uhh... What?! Tell me more!

The dream itself is nothing special! She really just destroys the school, that's all.

Wha...?

At the very end of the dream, just before Butter wakes up, the Butter who looks like Butter...

...She says just one thing.

What...?

Stop prying, or I'll turn this into a reality. My patience is wearing thin...

Eeeek!

Butter doesn't know what that means, though! All good? I'll get going, then! Goodbye, Ashur!

Eeeeeek...! No more counseling for her...!

Butter's astonishing secret revealed!

Was it simply a one-time occurrence?

Or is it a catastrophe waiting to happen once more?

If we can put this aspect of Butter to good use...

It could be a huge advantage to us, couldn't it?

Butter: Sprite Kingdom's ultimate weapon!

Whenever crisis strikes, just splash water on Butter's nose 99 times!

With enraged Butter unleashed, who knows?! You may even claw your way into the accursed ranks of the Top 3000!

Er... Well... I was just going through the records and thought it might be fun.

Listen, I was only joking here!

If I were Erpin or Ashur, I wouldn't have gone that far!

I'm not heartless! I've got a soft side considering I'm a—

.........

I-I'm... Youngchun, okay?!

Grr...

Wait... Oh!

I think I just realized something!

I've never seen Butter get mad like she did in this record, y'know?

So, I'm thinking that... Butter's world might just be one endless zero-sum game.

Like, Erpin annoys Butter, then Ashur feeds her baked goods, helping her feel better.

That's how the total number of yellow cards always stays at zero!

Don't you think the number of folks who treat her like a sucker is about the same as those who look out for her?

Just think about it! You've never seen Butter lose it with a gun in her hand, have you, Master?

Realizing a truth about this complex world so quickly... well, I mean, I am a smart—

Urgh...

Urgh... Stop teasing me, alright?!