Chapter 67: People Rushing
Half an hour later, Cerberus lay slumped over the table, completely defeated. The usually hyperactive hound-girl looked like a deflated balloon.
Ren walked over, carrying a hot water bottle wrapped in a soft towel.
"Here," he said gently, placing it against her stomach. "This should help with the cramps."
Cerberus groaned, hugging the warmth. "Master, Master, Master.... I'll never eat chocolate again.... My stomach feels like it's fighting a war...."
Ren sighed, patting her head. "I told you to pace yourself. Even demons have limits."
Lucifer, who was still enjoying her crepes with elegant bites, scoffed. "Weakness. A true ruler conquers all food groups."
"Lucifer, stop teasing her," Ren chided lightly. "She's suffering enough."
Cerberus whimpered. Just now, she had felt like she had seen the Pearly Gates—not because she was ascending, but because her stomach was trying to eject her soul. The theobromine had hit her harder than any holy water.
"Ugh...."
Just as Ren was about to return to the kitchen to prep for the evening service, he heard a familiar chewing sound.
Gnaw. Gnaw.
He turned around. Cerberus, despite looking green in the face, had picked up the remnants of her Tomahawk steak. She was taking small, determined bites.
Lucifer stared at her subordinate in disbelief. "You look like you're about to die, and you're still eating?"
Cerberus whispered, her voice trembling but resolute, "How can I have strength to recover if I don't eat enough.... And food replenishes my mana.... It's medicinal steak...."
Ren smiled and shook his head. "Well, at least your appetite is intact. That's a good sign."
He cleared away the empty plates, leaving only the chocolate crepes for Lucifer and the steak bone for the stubborn dog.
The clock struck the opening hour. Ren walked to the front and flipped the sign to 'Open'.
Almost immediately, the door chimed.
"Yo! Ren! We're here!"
Kobayashi Rindou burst in, followed by Momo Akanegakubo, Erina Nakiri, and Hisako Arato. The Elite Ten entourage had arrived.
Ren nodded in greeting. "Welcome back. You're early."
Erina walked over, her posture perfect as always. She bowed slightly. "Thank you very much, Shopkeeper Ren, for today's lesson. I learned a lot. It was... eye-opening."
Ren smiled as he wiped a glass. "Learning the theory isn't important. Understanding the soul of the dish is what's truly useful. Have you ever seen an internationally renowned chef strictly follow a recipe word for word? They follow their instincts."
Erina nodded thoughtfully. Before she could speak further, Rindou's voice cut through the air.
"Oh my god! Cerberus! What happened to you?! You look like a ghost!"
Rindou and Momo rushed over to the table where Cerberus was slumped. The dog girl looked pitiful, hugging her hot water bottle.
"Cerberus had an upset stomach just now~," Ren explained from behind the counter. "A minor overdose of chocolate."
Rindou breathed a sigh of relief. "So it was just an upset stomach. I thought you got into a fight with a bear or something... Are you okay now, Cerberus? Maybe don't eat that steak anymore~."
She reached out to take the bone away.
"Ugh!" Cerberus growled weakly, clutching the bone to her chest. "My medicine!"
Rindou laughed. "Okay, okay, keep your medicine. You really are a glutton."
Ren clapped his hands. "Alright~. Everyone find a seat. What would you like to eat tonight?"
Erina thought for a moment, referencing her notes. "Shopkeeper Ren, I'd like to order a Borscht and a Saffron Chicken. I want to taste your version to understand what I missed during today's class."
Ren nodded. "A scholarly choice. No problem. As for drinks, I'll get you a White Rose Grape Sparkling Water~. It pairs well with the acidity of the soup."
"Okay!"
After Rindou (who ordered everything meat-related) and the others had placed their orders, Ren returned to the kitchen. The restaurant filled with the comforting sounds of cooking and chatter.
Meanwhile, at the top of the Totsuki administrative tower.
"Grandpa! It's dark! The sun is gone! Shouldn't we be leaving now!"
Alice Nakiri was pacing around the Director's office, practically vibrating with impatience.
Senzaemon Nakiri put down the last document in his hand and signed it with a flourish. He looked up at his granddaughter. "You little girl, you waited until I finished my work to speak. You must be impatient, huh~."
Alice's small face flushed red. "No way~. I just wanted to try Shopkeeper Ren's cooking! And of course, the most important thing is that I want to learn from him. I have so many questions about protein denaturation!"
Senzaemon looked at Alice, who seemed to have finally understood that specializing solely in Molecular Gastronomy had limitations without a strong foundation. He nodded with satisfaction. Ren was more like a savior to the Nakiri family than just a chef. His appearance had brought a new wind of change.
"Alright! Let's go!" Senzaemon stood up, his haori swirling.
"Yay! Grandpa, let's go! I've already notified the driver, he's waiting downstairs~."
"Hahaha! You mischievous little girl, you planned this perfectly. Oh well, let's go!"
After Alice and Senzaemon left, the last light in Totsuki's office turned off. The academy slept, but the city was just waking up.
In a residential neighborhood, a different scene was unfolding.
Hori Kyoko, the popular girl from Katagiri High, stood in front of her house, holding a bag of groceries. Beside her was her younger brother, Souta.
"Souta~ Mom's not home tonight, she's working late again. What do you want to eat?" Hori asked, unlocking the door.
Souta thought for a moment, tapping his chin. "I want to eat hamburger steak! With cheese!"
"Hmm~ Anything else?"
"I don't know! Onee-chan, you decide!"
"Alright. To be honest, I feel like having some soup today. Maybe a stew."
The siblings walked inside. Hori flipped the light switch.
Click. Click.
Nothing happened. The house remained dark.
"Eh?" Hori frowned. She tried another switch. Nothing.
She checked the breaker box. It looked fine.
"Why did the power go out...?" she sighed, frustration creeping in. "Just when I needed to cook."
Souta tilted his head. "Onee-chan~ Then what are we eating tonight? Raw hamburger?"
Hori thought for a moment. "It seems we can only order takeout.... Wait.... It seems we don't need takeout..."
She remembered her conversation with Nanami earlier that day. The mysterious, delicious restaurant.
"Eh? Are we going to eat instant noodles?" Souta asked, disappointed.
"Of course not. How can we boil water without electricity? The stove is electric too," Hori explained. "It's a Restaurant my friend told me about. She said it's rumored to be very delicious and affordable."
"Oh!" Souta's eyes lit up.
Hori pulled out her phone and called Nanami Minami. It connected shortly after.
"Oh! It's Hori! What's wrong?" Nanami's cheerful voice came through.
"Hey, Minami. You know that restaurant you mentioned? Can you send me the address? My power is out."
"Eh? Power outage? Oh! Right! I saw a construction crew repairing the cable down the street, maybe they cut it by accident~. That sucks. Okay, I'll email the map to you right now! You have to try the Omurice!"
A few minutes later, Hori looked at the address on her phone screen.
"Hmm. It's not too far. Just a ten-minute walk. Let's go~. Souta! Big sister will take you to eat something delicious!"
"Oh! Yay! Onee-chan! Is that Restaurant really delicious?"
"My friend said it's the kind of deliciousness you'll never forget. And she said the owner is handsome, so the service must be good!"
"Eh? I'm really looking forward to it~"
"Right. Let's go quickly before it gets too late."
"Okay!"
Under the slightly darkening night sky, the pair of siblings locked their dark house and headed towards the bustling city lights. They walked hand in hand, heading towards a small alleyway that promised warmth and good food.
The night was quiet and peaceful, yet full of life. Pedestrians were joyful, tired, expectant, and rushing... all of them searching for their own little sanctuary in the metropolis.
And for some, that sanctuary was about to be found behind a wooden door with a simple sign.
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