Chapter 50: The Actress and the Late-Night Udon
Sylas's departure left Ren in a rare moment of silence. The heavy atmosphere of revolution and resentment that the mage had brought with him seemed to dissipate slowly, replaced once again by the gentle hum of the air conditioning and the soft jazz playing in the background.
Ren always felt that Sylas might do some very outrageous things in the future—toppling monarchies and shattering social orders were generally considered "outrageous"—but that wasn't his concern. His domain was the kitchen, not the geopolitical landscape of Runeterra.
What he cared about was the form in which Sylas would arrive next time. Would he be a fugitive? A revolutionary leader? Or perhaps a corpse?
"Well, as long as he pays his bill, he's welcome," Ren muttered to himself.
After thinking for a while, Ren sighed and returned to his seat behind the counter. He picked up his cup of lavender tea, which was still warm, and took a sip. The tea's floral aroma slowly penetrated his body through his mouth, calming his slightly restless heart.
Ren picked up The Seven Deadly Sins again, flipping through the pages while occasionally checking his phone for news or messages.
Time ticked by slowly. The tea in the teacup in front of him gradually cooled down, losing its steam. The Restaurant was quiet, a sanctuary of peace in the void between worlds, with only the sound of Ren occasionally turning a page disrupting the silence.
Upstairs, Lucifer and Cerberus had already truly fallen asleep. The Queen of Hell and her Watchdog were likely dreaming of spicy tofu and movies, blissfully unaware of the mage who had just visited.
The entire Restaurant was left with only Ren awake.
The clock on the wall ticked past midnight. Ren rubbed his neck, feeling a bit stiff. He pondered for a moment and finally decided to make a late-night snack for himself. Perhaps a simple ochazuke or some leftovers.
But just as he stood up and tied his apron tighter, the bell above the entrance chimed.
Ding-dong~
The door opened.
It wasn't the magical glowing door of a guest from Another World. It didn't shine with mana or dimensional energy. It was simply the front door, opening to the streets of the human world.
An ordinary customer had arrived.
A girl walked in. She was striking, with short, stylishly cut pink hair that framed a face of delicate beauty. She wore a casual, oversized hoodie and jeans, but even in such simple clothes, she carried an aura of natural charm. One side of her hair was tucked behind her ear, revealing a single, simple earring.
Ren was startled, then adjusted his expression to his professional smile. "Welcome. What would you like to eat?"
The girl looked around, seemingly surprised by the interior. She blinked, her long eyelashes fluttering.
"Oh? So this is a Restaurant?" She tilted her head, a playful smile forming on her lips. "Hmm... I saw the light on and wandered in. What a beautiful place. It feels... hidden."
Ren nodded gently. "Thank you for the compliment. We try to keep it cozy. Would you like something to eat, or just a place to rest?"
The girl walked over to the counter, sliding onto a stool. She dropped her bag on the floor with a heavy thud that suggested she had been carrying it for a long time. She stretched her arms overhead, revealing a sliver of her waist, before slumping slightly with a sigh.
She thought for a moment, tapping her chin with a slender finger. Then, she looked at Ren with slightly tired, amber eyes and softly said, "Something to eat would be good. I'm almost starving~. At this hour... Owner, give me a bowl of Udon noodles. And Kimchi! But... keep it light, okay?"
Ren was startled. "Kimchi with Udon? That's a bit of a fusion. Do you want anything else? Maybe some tempura or rice?"
The girl shook her head vigorously. "Don't you have it?"
Ren shook his head and smiled, leaning against the counter. "No~. Here, anything you want to eat is available. I can make Udon and Kimchi. I'm just quite curious. These things are very low in calories, especially if you skip the tempura."
He looked her up and down, his gaze analytical but polite. "Are you an actress, Miss?"
The girl was surprised. Her eyes widened slightly, and she leaned in, resting her chin on her hand. "Eh? Why do you say that? Do I look famous?"
"No, not because of fame," Ren replied calmly, turning to wash his hands. "Because even if a girl is hungry at this hour, she wouldn't usually order with such strict calorie control unless she had a reason. Udon is digestible, and kimchi aids metabolism. If I'm not mistaken, your order just now should be a meal plan based on your current body fat percentage and a need to avoid bloating for tomorrow~."
He paused, glancing back at her. "Plus, you have faint traces of stage makeup on your collar, and you're carrying yourself with a posture that suggests you're used to cameras, even when you're exhausted."
The girl blinked, then burst into a soft, melodic laugh. She clapped her hands together.
"You're right! Amazing, Owner-san! You're like a detective." She winked. "But I should be considered to be on my way to becoming an actress. I'm still waiting for my big break."
Ren nodded without saying anything further, respecting her privacy. He turned and walked back to the kitchen to prepare the dish the girl had ordered.
Inside the kitchen, Ren moved with practiced efficiency.
He grabbed a ball of fresh Udon dough he had prepared earlier. Udon needed to be fresh to have that perfect, chewy texture—the "mochi-mochi" consistency that separated store-bought noodles from artisanal ones. He rolled it out and cut it into thick, uniform strips.
While the water boiled, he prepared the broth. A simple but profound dashi made from high-quality kelp and bonito flakes. It needed to be clear, golden, and rich in umami without being heavy.
For the kimchi, he decided against the traditional spicy cabbage. That would be too overpowering for a late-night meal. Instead, he reached for the jar of fermented bamboo shoots—Menma—that he had spiced with his own blend of chili and sesame oil.
Outside, the girl found the silence of the shop comforting. She took out her phone from her backpack to check her messages. The screen lit up her face.
5 Missed Calls: Itsuki.
3 Missed Calls: Nino.
She sighed, a mixture of affection and exhaustion on her face. She dialed back.
"Ah... You all go to sleep first," she whispered into the phone, her voice dropping to a gentle, big-sisterly tone. "I just finished the audition. It ran late. I might be home in a while."
Pause.
"No, no need to save me food. Nino's cooking is heavy at night. I'm eating Udon outside. Yes, a safe place. Don't worry."
Pause.
"That's all. Go to sleep. Bye bye."
After finishing the call, the girl let out a sigh of relief and placed the phone face down.
Just then, Ren emerged from the kitchen. He placed a steaming black ceramic bowl in front of her, along with a small side plate of bamboo shoots.
The steam curled up, carrying the scent of the ocean and wheat.
Ren smiled and said, "It seems your family cares about you~. That sounded like a concerned sister."
"You have good ears," the girl teased, picking up her chopsticks.
"But there's something I'm quite curious about, do you mind if I ask?" Ren wiped the counter.
"Eh? What is it?"
"It's just, why did you walk into this alley? This isn't exactly a main street for shopping or nightlife. It's a bit out of the way for an aspiring actress."
The girl was startled by the question. She looked at the door, then back at Ren. A confused expression crossed her face.
"I don't know," she admitted honestly. "I was just walking... thinking about the script... and my feet just brought me here. I was in a daze. But if it weren't for that, I probably wouldn't have found such a beautiful Restaurant~. Maybe it was fate?"
Ren smiled enigmaticallly. "Perhaps. Thank you for the compliment. If you need to add seasoning, shichimi powder is by the table, and if you need more soup, just call me. Now, please enjoy~."
After saying that, Ren turned and returned to his seat. Udon noodles are a dish best eaten quickly while hot. He didn't want to hover over her, nor did he plan to go upstairs to read a book and then come back down. He simply sat nearby, giving her space but remaining available.
The girl looked at the steaming Udon noodles in front of her. The broth was crystal clear. The noodles were thick and white, glistening like ivory.
She suddenly paused, leaning closer. She waved her hand to disperse the steam and saw a round, white object floating on top of the Udon, right in the center. It looked fluffy.
The girl asked curiously, "Owner~? What is this round thing? I didn't order an egg."
Ren looked up from his book and smiled. "Don't worry. It's not an egg, and it's not a heavy fried item. Eating this won't make you fat. On the contrary, it aids digestion. You can think of it as a secret 'Mixed Tempura'."
"Wow~ Is it that amazing?" She looked skeptical.
"Of course. You have to believe in my skill. It's made mostly of grated mountain yam and whipped egg white, steamed and then lightly seared. It adds texture without the oil."
"Mmm... It looks pretty good. Then, I'll dig in!"
The young girl picked up the wooden spoon and carefully dipped it into the golden broth. She blew on it gently, her lips forming a small 'o'.
She took a sip.
She paused.
She blinked, then took another disbelieving sip. Her eyes lit up.
"What kind of soup is this?" she exclaimed in surprise, turning to Ren. "Why is it so fresh? It tastes like... like the deep ocean, but cleaner!"
Ren said with a confident smile, "Don't worry. It's just a simple seafood broth made from Rishiri kelp and dried sardines. The trick is the temperature control."
"But can it really be this fresh without MSG?"
"That's why I said you should trust my words. That Mixed Tempura really does help with digestion too. Try it."
Ren's words made the young girl smile. She trusted his confidence. She picked up her chopsticks and lifted several strands of the thick noodles.
Slurp.
She sucked the noodles into her mouth. With one bite, the unique fragrance of the wheat filled her senses. The texture was incredible—smooth and slippery on the outside, but with a firm, elastic core that provided a satisfying chewiness. It danced on her tongue.
"It smells so good! The owner is amazing!" she praised, not bothering to cover her mouth this time.
"Thank you for the compliment. Oh, by the way. There's a surprise at the end~."
"Eh? A surprise?" She chewed a piece of the fluffy yam ball. It melted in her mouth like a cloud. "I'm really looking forward to it then~."
The young girl continued to eat as she spoke. As mentioned in Japanese culture, slurping noodles is the best compliment to the chef. The sound aerates the noodles and cools them down, enhancing the flavor.
Slurp! Slurp!
The louder the sound, the more one approves of the bowl of noodles they ordered. And this girl was slurping with enthusiasm.
She reached for the side dish.
"Hmm~ Such refreshing kimchi! This isn't just cabbage! Is this radish or…" She crunched down. "It has a woody texture?"
"It's bamboo shoots~," Ren explained. "Marinated in spicy chili oil and fermented soy."
"I see! Such a refreshing taste. It cuts right through the starch of the noodles. I never expected to eat such refreshing kimchi~. Owner, the surprise you mentioned… is it this?"
The young girl tilted the bowl back, drinking the last drop of the delicious dashi broth.
She lowered the bowl and looked at the empty bottom.
She was just about to ask where the surprise was, when she saw it.
Painted on the ceramic at the very bottom of the bowl was a simple, hand-drawn style smiley face emoji. Next to the smiling face, in small, neat English letters, were the words:
"Keep Going"
The girl stared at it.
Keep Going.
For an aspiring actress who had just spent hours failing auditions, dealing with rejection, and worrying about her future and her sisters... those two simple words hit harder than she expected.
She felt a lump in her throat. A warmth that had nothing to do with the soup spread through her chest.
Ren watched her reaction and said with a gentle smile, "I bought this bowl when I was out shopping for clothes. It looked pretty good, and the message seemed positive. You're the first person to use it. I guess it counts as a small surprise~."
The young girl looked at the bottom of the bowl for a few more seconds, blinking away a sudden moisture in her eyes. She looked up at Ren, her smile brighter and more genuine than before.
"Yes! It really is a surprise. Just like this Restaurant…" She rested her chin on her hand, looking at him with a teasing glint in her eyes. "Owner, with behavior like this, paying attention to details and giving secret messages... you must be someone who's very good at coaxing girls~."
Ren thought for a moment, tapping his pen against his book. He decided to play along.
"As for that question... to boast a little, you're right. It really is like that~. I have quite a bit of experience dealing with difficult women."
"Hahaha!" Ichika laughed, finding his honesty refreshing. "Owner, you're really witty. But with this cooking skill, plus your looks—which are quite handsome, by the way—and being good at coaxing girls, you must be very popular. Do you have a girlfriend?"
"I won't refute the popularity statement~. As for a girlfriend... my life is complicated."
"Owner, you're really interesting. But it's so late, aren't you closing the Restaurant yet? It's past 1 AM."
"This is a night Restaurant," Ren explained, gesturing to the clock. "In other words, now is equivalent to lunchtime at other Restaurants. My day is just beginning."
"Eh? That's really impressive then~. A nocturnal life."
Ren stood up and collected her empty bowl. "It's so late. Aren't you going home yet, Miss? The city at night isn't very safe for a young lady alone."
The young girl nodded, hoisting her backpack onto her shoulder. "That's true. I should get back before my sisters wake up and panic."
She walked to the door, then stopped and turned around, a playful smirk on her face.
"I thought you, Owner, would take the opportunity to ask for my contact information. After all, you look like the type of person who would sweet-talk girls into giving their Line ID~."
Ren leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. "Is that so? My instinct tells me you'll come again. I don't chase customers; I let the food bring them back."
He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly in amusement. "Also, Miss... I'm not some innocent little boy from a light novel who gets flustered after a little flirting from a pretty Onee-san. I'm a carnivore~. If I wanted your number, I would have asked for it."
The girl's eyes widened slightly, and a blush dusted her cheeks. She hadn't expected him to hit back that smoothly.
"Oh my. How dangerous," she murmured, checking him out one last time. "But Owner, your eyes are very clean. There's no hint of wanting to do anything bad. So, you can't scare me~."
She opened the door, the night air blowing in.
"I'll come again next time. I'll bring my younger sisters. They are loud, but they love food."
She paused. "What's your name, Owner?"
"Ren~."
"Eh. Got it." She smiled, a dazzling, movie-star smile. "My name is Nakano Ichika. Bye bye, Ren-kun. See you next time~."
"Hmm. Keep going, Ichika."
"Okay!"
She stepped out into the night, her steps lighter than when she arrived. The warm Udon in her stomach and the message in the bowl gave her the strength to face another day of auditions.
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