Chapter 219: Grrrroooowwwwl—!
The sun dipped below the horizon, dyeing the sky a warm orange-red. The edges of the clouds were plated in gold, like ignited silk, slowly unfurling over the city skyline. The sunset's glow reflected in thousands of tiny specks off the city's glass walls. Pedestrians hurried along the streets, their shadows stretched long, as if the entire city was enveloped in a gentle, hurried twilight.
A crowd had already gathered in front of the restaurant in Higashi Yukigaya 3-chome.
If not for the online-reservation-only policy, the entrance would have been hopelessly mobbed, with a line stretching to the next street. Touka Kirishima knew this all too well.
"Is it six o'clock yet?" an impatient voice asked. It was Ayato Kirishima. He stood with his arms crossed, repeatedly glancing at the restaurant's glass door. The sign hanging on it currently read 'Closed', not 'Open'.
"Almost. Five minutes left," Touka Kirishima replied, her mood cheerful as she glanced at her phone.
She felt incredibly lucky today. The Culinary Sage's restaurant had finally reopened, and she had successfully snatched a reservation for a small private booth. She had immediately invited her family for a meal.
With Anteiku and Aogiri Tree now allied, her relationship with her brother, Ayato, had eased considerably. To top it all off, her uncle, Renji Yomo, had offered to pay. It was joy upon joy.
The thought of enjoying "normal food" with her family, just like humans, enveloped Touka in a thick blanket of happiness. She was deeply moved.
"Five more minutes!" Ayato sighed, dragging out the words. In moments like this, every second truly felt like a year.
"Grrrroooowwwwl—!"
Suddenly, a thunderous noise erupted nearby.
Ayato turned his head, startled. Whose stomach is that loud?
He saw it was a tall, beautiful woman wearing a pure white medical mask. She was slightly taller than him, standing a few steps away. Backlit by the sunset, her figure was outlined in a hazy golden light.
Even though the mask covered most of her face, her visible eyes and brows suggested she was quite attractive. Her figure was even more stunning. She wore a well-tailored evening dress that clung tightly to her curves. The deep V-neck outlined her ample bust, her waist was impossibly slender, and the skirt, short enough to stop at her upper thighs, revealed a pair of straight, well-proportioned legs. Her skin seemed to glow like porcelain in the twilight. On her feet were 10-centimeter-high stiletto heels, so black and shiny they made her ankles look delicate and exquisite.
"..." Ayato recognized her as one of his own kind, and a very, very hungry one at that.
...
Nutcracker hadn't eaten in nearly half a month. Her last meal was on July 21st, two weeks ago. After tasting the Culinary Sage's cooking, she could no longer look at her old food. She genuinely couldn't bring herself to eat it.
She had been surviving on only water. If she weren't a Ghoul, she would probably be dead by now. But even as a Ghoul, it was torture. Her stomach was killing her. The intense hunger tormented her body and mind, and it was beginning to affect her sanity.
If Ryohei hadn't reopened, she was prepared to force herself to eat the "unpalatable food."
Fortunately, he hadn't disappointed her.
"Grrrroooowwwwl—!"
Her stomach roared like thunder again. Nutcracker remained expressionless, though she felt several strange looks land on her.
"What a crazy sound! How many days has it been?"
"She's hardcore!"
"I just skipped lunch, but she sounds like she's skipped a day or two..."
"..."
Nutcracker's face remained blank. She didn't care. She just stared at the restaurant's glass door.
The moment the door opened with a ding-a-ling, she snapped to attention and strode forward. "Hello, I have a 6 PM reservation for counter seat number two."
As she spoke, she showed her reservation on her phone to Pekola, who was flipping the sign to 'Open'.
"Welcome, please come in!" Pekola glanced at the screen, confirmed it, and held the door open with a bright smile, gesturing her inside.
Nutcracker immediately put her phone away and, with a click-clack of her stilettos, walked into the restaurant. The moment the others saw Pekola, they also swarmed forward, though they formed an orderly queue to enter.
Inside the restaurant—
"Grrrroooowwwwl—!"
Nutcracker reached the counter. She pulled out the chair, but before she could even sit down, her stomach let out another massive roar.
The sound instantly captured the attention of everyone inside, including Ryohei Tanaka.
Ryohei looked up in surprise. He immediately recognized Nutcracker. Her hairstyle was quite unique. Moreover, among all the humans and Ghouls who came to his shop, she was the only one who would wear a black blindfold during previous visits. That, combined with her always... refreshing (revealing) sense of dress, had left a deep impression on him.
'From the sound of it, she hasn't eaten in a long time...'
Has my glowing cuisine made her unwilling to eat... her old food... anymore?
A sense of pride and gratification welled up in him. He turned to Yusa, who was filling in for Jashin-chan (who was at the ranch), and said, "Yusa, please get her something to eat immediately. And add two braised pork buns, on my tab."
A stomach growl that loud was pitiable. And since she seemed to have "turned over a new leaf," Ryohei felt an urge to reward her.
"Of course," Yusa replied with her gentle smile. Without even checking what Nutcracker had ordered, she grabbed a plate to serve her the two buns first.
Meanwhile, Nutcracker, who had just taken off her mask and sat down, looked up at Ryohei, completely stunned and flattered. It didn't matter what the buns cost; it was the gesture.
"For me? That's so nice! Culinary Sage, you're such a good person!"
I really want to kidnap him and take him home! Nutcracker, who was adept at human trafficking, thought to herself. But she wouldn't dare with this man; she could only fantasize.
"Of course I'm a good person," Ryohei replied, as if it were obvious, before turning his attention back to the pot.
Just then, a passing regular customer called out enthusiastically, "Boss Ryohei, you're finally back! I've missed your cooking so much!"
"..." Ryohei looked up. The face was familiar, but he couldn't recall the name. Must be a regular. He smiled at the man in greeting before refocusing on his cooking.
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