Chapter 125: The Girl in a Red Ninja Suit
The night continued to deepen, wrapping the Dimensional Restaurant in a blanket of silence.
Because of Esdeath's previous battle, the air inside the shop was still crisp and cool, a lingering phantom of her ice Teigu. For most, this would be refreshing, but not everyone was feeling that relaxed.
Lucifer sat at the counter, straightening her disheveled clothes with jerky, annoyed movements. She grabbed a glass of water and downed it in one gulp, her cheeks still flushed from her earlier outburst of possessiveness.
Ren leaned back in his chair, watching her with amusement. "Lucifer," he teased gently. "I didn't expect you to be quite so... intense when you get jealous. Pouncing on me like a wild cat?"
Lucifer snorted, slamming the glass down. "Hmph! That woman had no sense of boundaries! I was merely asserting my territory."
She shifted closer, pressing her side against his arm. Her jealousy had dissipated now that the rival was gone, replaced by a smug satisfaction. Her mood had become exceptionally good—after all, she was the one still here, in his arms.
She leaned her head on his shoulder, unlocking her phone. Or more accurately, she was eagerly monitoring the fallout of Esdeath's introduction to the group chat.
Ding. Ding. Ding.
As Lucifer expected, the group chat exploded. Midnight was prime time for the night owls.
[Imperial General (Esdeath)]: "I am the Imperial General, Esdeath. The strong survive. The weak die. Nice to meet you."
The chat room descended into chaos.
[World's Gourmet (Rindou)]: "General?! A female General? That's so cool! What army are you from?"
[Molecular Prodigy (Alice)]: "Is it cosplay? It must be cosplay. But she looks fierce! Those eyes are scary~"
[Divination Witch (Yumiko)]: "Oh my... another dangerous one. Ren-kun really has a type, doesn't he?"
Lucifer scrolled through the messages, shaking her head at the chaos.
"They are so noisy," she muttered, though a small smile played on her lips. She cleverly skipped the interrogation by posting a photo she had secretly taken of Esdeath eating the crepe—looking surprisingly innocent.
[Hell CEO (Lucifer)]: "She likes sweets. Treat her normally. She's just a battle maniac."
While Lucifer managed the digital battlefield, Ren continued reading his light novel, blissfully unaware that he was the main protagonist of every drama unfolding around him.
"Do you think more customers will come?" Lucifer asked, glancing at the clock. "It's already past 1 AM. Even the ghosts should be asleep."
Ren closed his book, marking the page. "The interesting thing about a Dimensional Restaurant is that you can never predict the flow of time. A customer might walk in the next second, fleeing a war or just looking for a midnight snack. However... statistically, it feels like the rush is over."
Lucifer snorted. "It's better if they don't come~ It saves us from dealing with strange women trying to kidnap you. Ren, honestly, tell me... were there any customers like Esdeath in the past few days while I was napping?"
Ren thought for a moment. "No. Esdeath is unique. She is shaped by a world where 'survival of the fittest' isn't a metaphor, but a daily reality. Her aggression comes from her environment."
Lucifer nodded, satisfied. "Good. One ice maniac is enough."
She leaned back, looking around the empty shop. The darkness outside the window was absolute, save for the faint, warm glow of the streetlamp next door. Inside, the wooden furniture gleamed softly under the amber lights.
"Quiet..." she whispered.
Ren smiled. "Yes. Quiet."
This was what a night restaurant pursued—that hint of anticipation for unknown guests in the silence, but also the comfort of the stillness itself. It was a canvas waiting for stories, but beautiful even when blank.
"Lucifer," Ren asked suddenly. "What do you usually do when you're bored in Hell? Do you have hobbies besides... ruling?"
Lucifer paused. She tapped her chin.
"What do I do? I rarely have free time. Being the CEO of Hell involves endless paperwork. Soul quotas, torture logistics, infrastructure maintenance... The rare free time I do have is spent either drinking high-quality wine, reading ancient tomes, or just wandering the circles of Hell to ensure everyone is miserable."
Ren blinked. "That sounds... exhausting. But you also said you're so busy. If you've been out here for so long, is Hell okay? Won't it collapse without you?"
Lucifer's eye twitched. A shadow crossed her face.
"Do you remember me telling you about an overtime addict who's always exhausted?" she asked darkly.
"Oh..." Ren recalled the descriptions. "You mean Pandemonica, right? Isn't she your receptionist? The one you said had permanent bags under her eyes?"
"Yes. She is the Customer Service Representative of Hell."
"And...?"
Lucifer cleared her throat, looking slightly guilty but mostly smug.
"As for Pandemonica... she's technically the receptionist, yes. But currently, I have routed all calls and administrative decisions to her desk. She just rejects everything!"
(Somewhere in the depths of Hell, a tired demon girl with curly horns sneezed violently, spilling coffee on a stack of rejection forms: "I will break someone's fingers for this...")
After Lucifer finished speaking, she puffed out her chest with an expression that clearly said, 'Look how smart I am at delegating! Praise me!'
Ren looked at the triumphant Queen. He sighed, shaking his head, but he couldn't help the affectionate smile. He silently pulled her into a hug.
Lucifer stiffened, then melted. Her face turned pink. "You... what are you suddenly trying to do? I already said I'm not jealous anymore! You don't need to appease me!"
Ren stroked Lucifer's silver hair. "Lucifer... even if you're a bit of a slacker tyrant, I won't give up on you."
"Ren.... wait.... that doesn't sound right!" Lucifer pulled back, glaring at him. "You stinky man! You actually called me stupid and lazy in the same sentence!"
Ren sighed, his eyes filled with exaggerated pity. "No, no. Just... efficiently delegating."
"That look! That look in your eyes is completely like someone caring for a mentally challenged patient!" Lucifer poked his chest hard. "I am the Queen of Hell! I am ancient and wise!"
"Yes, yes. Ancient and wise."
"Don't patronize me!"
Lucifer huffed, but she didn't move away. She had no way to deal with Ren. Not only because of their current romantic entanglement but also because of the magical contract that bound them. And honestly... she liked the attention.
"Oh, right, Ren," Lucifer said, her tone turning serious. "I've been wondering. What if those guests from Another World come here and cause destruction in this world? Like Esdeath. If she decided to freeze Tokyo, it would be problematic."
Ren shook his head. "You're overthinking that. The rules of the Restaurant are absolute. Guests who enter through the Dimensional Door exist within the shop's domain. If they step out of the front door into my world, the system usually restricts them or sends them back. Unless I grant specific permission, they can't just wander off and conquer Japan."
"Really? That's convenient."
"And if they try to cause trouble inside..." Ren's eyes flashed with a brief, sharp light. "They'd probably be dealt with before they even drew their weapon."
"By you?"
"Or by the shop itself. But if you want to make a move, that's fine too."
Lucifer waved her hand dismissively. "I'll pass. If I release my full power here, those guys back in Hell would sense it. They might think I'm fighting a war and come running to 'help'—which usually means destroying everything. I don't want to ruin my current peaceful life."
"If you don't want to go back, just stay here," Ren offered simply. "I have plenty of pancake mix."
"It's not that I'm worried about going back," Lucifer muttered. "I'm worried about them coming up here. Especially those few with particularly... distinct personalities. Modeus would probably try to break your legs to keep you, and Zdrada would smoke up the whole place."
Ren nodded. He imagined a shop full of chaotic demon girls. 'Yeah, that would be a headache.'
Just then, the atmosphere shifted again.
Hummmm.
The familiar vibration of the dimensional door resonated through the shop.
The frosted glass lit up with a warm, orange glow this time.
Lucifer instinctively stiffened, sensing a new presence. "Another one? Tonight is busy."
Ren stood up, wiping his hands. "The frequency is unusually high today. Maybe the alignment of the worlds is thin tonight."
As he was thinking, the door slid open.
But no one walked in.
Instead, a figure rolled in.
It was a blur of red and white. A girl tumbled through the doorway in a forward roll, landing in a crouch, her movements silent and practiced. She held a folding fan in one hand, poised like a weapon.
She was dressed in a highly revealing, provocative outfit that looked like a modified ninja kunoichi suit. It was primarily red and white, with long flowing fabric tails that trailed behind her.
She scanned the room instantly, her eyes sharp.
"Enemy sighted—!" she began, raising her fan.
Then she froze.
She saw Ren, standing calmly with a towel. She saw Lucifer, sitting at the counter with a look of pure speechlessness.
There were no ninjas. No monsters. No rival clans. Just a coffee shop.
The girl blinked. She slowly straightened up from her combat crouch, looking incredibly awkward.
She realized her dramatic entrance was completely unnecessary.
She cleared her throat, snapping her fan shut. She was a stunning beauty—tall, curvaceous, with long brown hair tied back in a high ponytail. But her outfit... it left very little to the imagination.
Lucifer narrowed her eyes. Her gaze swept over the girl's figure—specifically, the ample curves that threatened to spill out of the ninja gi.
'Another one?' Lucifer thought, a vein popping in her forehead. 'And this one is practically naked! What is with the women tonight?!'
She had a feeling something troublesome was going to happen, but she had no evidence yet. She just attributed her irritation to the after-effects left by Esdeath.
"Um..." the ninja girl started, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Excuse me. I seem to have... taken a wrong turn during my escape."
[Akarin's Note: Mai Shiranui (Fatal Fury / King of Fighters) is a famous kunoichi known for her mastery of Pyrokinesis and her... distinctive outfit.]
Ren smiled, stepping forward to diffuse the awkwardness. "Welcome. You haven't taken a wrong turn. You've just found a place to rest."
Just as the girl was about to speak, the door behind her lit up again.
Ding-dong.
Ren was stunned.
'Two guests? Back to back?'
The door opened for the second time in a minute.
This time, a man walked in. He was tall, muscular, and had a distinct green tint to his hair. He wore a green haramaki around his waist and carried three swords on his hip.
But his arrival wasn't the shocking part. The shocking part was his expression. He looked completely and utterly lost.
"Eh?!"
The man scratched the back of his head aggressively, looking around the restaurant with a scowl.
"Where is this?! Isn't this the kitchen?! I just went down the stairs!"
Ren stared. He had truly never seen two guests arrive one after another like this, from completely different universes. And for one of them to be the man with the worst sense of direction in the multiverse...
"Uhh..." Ren blinked. "Did you... take a wrong turn at a dimension?"
The man, Roronoa Zoro, grunted. "Dimension? I was just looking for booze."
[Akarin's Note: Roronoa Zoro (One Piece) is the swordsman of the Straw Hat Pirates. He is famous for his Three-Sword Style and his legendary inability to navigate anywhere correctly.]
[Akarin Note:
Your Support Keeps This Story Alive!
If you're enjoying this novel, your support means the world to me. Simple actions like leaving a review, power stone, comment, or sharing the story let me know you're out there. It's the greatest motivation for me to keep updating until the very end and ensures this project continues.
For those who wish to support me more directly, you can join my Patreon at [patreon.com/AkarinTL]. As a thank-you, you'll receive access to 50 advanced chapters.
As a special offer, I've opened a few limited-time tiers at a discounted price! You will get all the benefits of "The Founding Pillars" (normally $20), but at a much cheaper rate.
These slots are extremely limited:
"The Plot Uncoverer": $4.99 (Save 75% / $15.01) - Only 3 slots
"The Dedicated Fan": $9.99 (Save 50% / $10.01) - Only 7 slots
"The Lore Diver": $14.99 (Save 25% / $5.01) - Only 15 slots
I hope I am still worthy of your support. My life truly depends on this... haha, I know I'm so shameless.]