Chapter 151: It's Time to Shock the People of Japan Once Again!
Afternoon, just past three o'clock.
At the restaurant in Higashiyukigaya Sanchome...
Ding-a-ling—!
The crisp sound of the doorbell chimed. Ryohei Tanaka, who was engrossed in a light novel at the counter, instinctively looked up. He thought it was the antique dealer, but it was someone else.
The visitor was a beautiful woman in a black business suit that showed off her impressive figure. She wore a pair of purple sunglasses, and the collar of her blouse was generously unbuttoned, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of her cleavage.
"Pardon the intrusion," the woman said. "I'm Maiko Saotome, from the Urban Life Planning Company."
The woman, who had a mature and bewitching aura that combined the charms of both a young girl and a young woman, glanced around the restaurant curiously. She then turned, and with a slender, pale hand, she removed her sunglasses and bowed towards the counter. A teardrop-shaped necklace sparkled alluringly against her ample chest, drawing one's gaze.
"Hello, can I help you?" Ryohei asked, looking at the woman from the Urban Life Planning Company with a puzzled expression, unsure of her intentions. It couldn't be that the area was being demolished and he had to move, could it?
"It's like this..." Maiko Saotome smiled, her red lips curving into a slight arc. She took out a promotional brochure from her briefcase, along with a gold-embossed business card, and handed them to Ryohei.
"Our company is currently organizing a food festival, and we would be honored if you would participate," she said, her tone a perfect blend of respect and enthusiasm. "The event will be held from July 23rd to July 27th, for a total of five days. The location is the new commercial street in Seijo Sanchome, Setagaya Ward."
'A food festival?'
Minos, who was playing on her phone in the customer seating area, perked up her ears and looked over with curiosity. She then got up and came over to the counter.
Maiko Saotome glanced at her briefly before her gaze returned to Ryohei. She then laid out the benefits: "If the Culinary Sage is willing to participate in this event, we will gift you the three-year usage rights to a two-story, fully furnished and renovated shop in a prime location on the commercial street." She paused for a half-second before adding with a smile, "Of course, this shop is for your personal use only and cannot be sublet to others."
So, they were trying to recruit him. They probably wanted to use his fame to promote the event and boost its popularity. Ryohei understood. He looked down at the brochure, with Minos standing beside him, her hands behind her back, peering at it curiously.
The first page showed the black silhouette of a chef with his arms crossed, with the words, "We have invited a mysterious chef." If Ryohei agreed, that would be him. If he declined, it would be someone else.
Ryohei looked up with interest and asked Maiko Saotome, "This new commercial street...?"
"It was developed by our company and was just completed at the beginning of the month," Maiko Saotome replied gracefully. She then looked at Ryohei expectantly, waiting for his answer.
"Hmm..." Ryohei thought for a moment. "I'm quite interested in the food festival, and it's not too far... but I'd rather go as a visitor. I'm sorry." He politely declined.
Maiko Saotome's smile froze for a moment. From the way he had spoken, she had thought he was going to agree. It was an unexpected twist. She was a little disappointed, but she had been prepared for rejection. It only took her two seconds to compose herself.
The "Queen of Negotiations" from the Urban Life Planning Company probed, "Is it... because of the heat?" As she spoke, she carefully observed Ryohei's expression and said in a negotiating tone, "We can give you the usage rights to the shop in advance. You can serve customers in the shop, and it has air conditioning."
"That's not it," Ryohei said with a wave of his hand, a frank look on his face. "I'm just too lazy to work. I don't want to work too hard." He wasn't afraid of the heat. With two human-shaped air conditioners around, he would never get hot. Even standing in the sun at noon, as long as he had Yusa or Kouji with him, it was no problem.
Maiko Saotome looked at him, stunned. If he didn't want to work, then her hands were tied. If it were any other issue, they could negotiate. As long as it wasn't too unreasonable, she could meet his demands. But he simply didn't want to work.
"...What if you only have to work for one day?" The Queen of Negotiations didn't give up. She frowned in thought, then looked up and asked.
Her company had a backup plan, but the other "sages" were nothing compared to the "Culinary Sage." Ryohei was the man who had single-handedly sparked a travel boom to Tokyo, causing plane tickets, high-speed rail tickets, and more to be sold out for days on end. The other "sages" couldn't do that.
It was no exaggeration to say that if Ryohei participated in the food festival as a vendor, they could declare the event a resounding success in advance. The reputation of the commercial street would also soar. Not to mention the completely different impact his subsequent presence would have.
"One day?" Ryohei looked at Maiko Saotome in surprise and mused, "If it's only for one day..." He thought that a little excitement now and then wouldn't be so bad. The shop's usage rights were a secondary concern; he was quite comfortable where he was and had no intention of moving.
Seeing the flicker of interest in his eyes, Maiko Saotome was overjoyed. She placed a hand on her chest and pressed her advantage. "If you have any requests, please don't hesitate to ask. I will do my best to fulfill them!" she said with conviction.
"...I don't have any at the moment, but I'll contact you if I do." After some thought, Ryohei accepted the invitation.
Maiko Saotome was ecstatic. A radiant smile spread across her face as she made a "call me" gesture with her hand. "Then I will be awaiting your call!"
After a few more pleasantries, Maiko Saotome left. Minos watched her go, then turned her gaze back to Ryohei, her interest piqued. "There should be a lot of delicious food at the food festival, right? By the way, what are we going to sell?"
"If all goes as expected, there will be a lot of delicious food... I haven't decided what to sell yet. Do you have any recommendations, Minos?" Ryohei asked with a smile, flipping through the brochure as he looked at her.
"Street steak, kabayaki eel, yakitori...?" Minos tilted her head, trying to come up with suggestions.
"Too ordinary," Ryohei said thoughtfully. He wanted to do something special.
It was time to shock the people of Japan once again!
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