Chapter 14: Erina's Degeneration
Ren smiled at the blatant arrogance of the Nakiri heiress and shook his head slightly, as if dealing with a willful child.
Saitama also said nothing more. He knew better than to get involved in the "rich people drama." He lowered his head to focus on eating his Di San Xian, his bald head reflecting the warm light of the restaurant.
Senzaemon Nakiri thought for a moment, considering mediating, but he decided against it. This was a lesson Erina needed to learn firsthand. Just as he was about to speak to distract her, he heard Nakiri Erina's sharp voice cut through the air again.
"You don't even have a menu here? What kind of establishment is this?"
Ren nodded calmly, wiping a glass. "That's right. I don't."
Erina gritted her teeth, her patience wearing thin. "Then how do you expect customers to order?! Do we just guess?"
Ren tilted his head, his silver hair shifting. "Is it strange? Here, I can make whatever you want to eat. The menu is your imagination."
Nakiri Erina snorted, crossing her arms. "Arrogant," she muttered. Then she softly said, looking him dead in the eye, "You claim you can make anything, right?"
"Mm. That's right."
After a slight pause for thought, a malicious glint appeared in Erina's eyes. She decided to test him with ingredients that a small, hole-in-the-wall shop would never have.
She said with a playful, predatory smile, "Then I'll have Bluefin Tuna Sashimi (Otoro) and a Seven-minute-cooked Wagyu Beef Steak (A5 Grade). Make sure the searing is perfect."
Senzaemon Nakiri merely smiled and shook his head when he heard these two items.
Oh, Erina, he thought. Your culinary thinking is completely wrong for this place. You think high-end ingredients are the barrier? You are about to learn a lesson.
Ren nodded without batting an eye. "Hmm, then do you need drinks and desserts?"
Erina had originally expected to see Ren look shocked and flustered. She expected him to stammer, apologize, and admit that he didn't have such high-end, perishable ingredients on hand in this back-alley shop. Then she would mock him for overestimating himself and leave in triumph.
But now...
His face was calm. Bored, even.
It seemed he had both of these things here!
Erina felt a flash of irritation. She said in a deep voice, emphasizing every word, "Did you hear me clearly? What I want is—"
"Just Bluefin Tuna and Wagyu Beef~" Ren interrupted casually. "They're not considered precious here. I have plenty in the back."
He turned to Senzaemon. "It seems the young lady has already ordered. Old man, what do you want to eat?"
Erina was left with her mouth slightly open. Not considered precious?!
Senzaemon Nakiri thought for a moment, rubbing his chin. "It's rare for you to be in a good mood, so there must be Eggplant Stuffed with Meat (Hasami Age), right! That will be the side dish. For the main dishes, let's have Salt-Grilled Pork and Sukiyaki! And give me a pot of Peach Blossom Wine! I'm in a good mood today~ Hahaha!"
Ren smiled and said, "Okay. I already knew you'd say that, so I've been preparing the filling in advance."
He turned to the quiet girl sitting next to Erina. "So this is... Miss Arato, right? What would you like to eat?"
Hisako was startled. She looked at Erina, then back at Ren. She thought for a moment and said timidly, "Um... just Bonito Chazuke (Ochazuke)... and also Pan-fried Oysters if you have them..."
Ren was surprised, then smiled approvingly. "A very nutritious way to eat. High in protein and minerals. I can tell you usually pay close attention to your health."
He glanced at the bald hero. "Saitama? Do you want stuffed eggplant too?"
Saitama looked up, his mouth full of potatoes. "Eh? Ren, you're willing to make stuffed eggplant now? Please give me a portion! Last time you said it was too much work!"
"OK~ One order for the hero."
Ren was about to turn and leave when Erina spoke up again, her voice tight. She felt left out of the "special menu."
"That... what was it... stuffed eggplant? Give Hisako and me a portion too! I want to see what makes Grandfather so excited about common vegetables."
"Okay~"
After Ren finished speaking, he turned and walked into the kitchen.
Erina looked at Ren's back, her face full of displeasure. "He didn't even write it down."
Senzaemon Nakiri smiled and said, "Erina, you seem to have a very bad impression of this Ren?"
Erina said in a deep voice, tossing her hair. "Of course! How could such an amazing chef appear in a place like this? A Restaurant without even a menu actually claims to have Bluefin Tuna and Wagyu Beef on standby? Grandpa, don't you think he's boasting?! He probably buys cheap cuts from the supermarket!"
Senzaemon Nakiri laughed softly. "Of course not. Because this kid's Restaurant... can be said to have all kinds of ingredients. And he just doesn't like crowds or fame. If this kid were to go out and compete with those chefs in Paris or Tokyo, the culinary world would experience a huge earthquake! He is a sleeping dragon."
Nakiri Erina's pupils contracted.
A dragon? Grandfather never praised anyone like that. Not even Eishi Tsukasa.
What kind of evaluation was that!
Saitama also looked at Erina blankly, chewing on a pepper. Then he said to Senzaemon Nakiri, "Old man, this is your first time bringing your granddaughter, right? She really is very different from your personality. You're cool. She's... intense."
Senzaemon Nakiri smiled and said, "That's why I brought this girl here to learn properly! To break that shell."
Nakiri Erina didn't say a word the entire time, fuming silently.
Sizzle.
A sound of something frying rang out from the open kitchen.
Then, it hit them.
The entire Restaurant was instantly enveloped in a burst of aroma. It was savory, rich, and deeply comforting. It smelled of caramelized meat, fried batter, and fresh eggplant.
Erina's eyes widened, looking disbelieving.
She hadn't even tasted, or even seen, this dish yet. But her God Tongue was reacting. Her mouth began to water involuntarily. Her tongue was already subconsciously telling her what kind of impactful deliciousness this dish would bring her.
This scent... the oil temperature is perfect. The meat... pork and beef blend? No, something else...
Senzaemon Nakiri looked at Erina's shocked expression and secretly smiled.
Erina's culinary philosophy was twisted by her upbringing. She believed only expensive meant good. He wanted to use the dishes of this Restaurant—Ren's dishes—to completely crush Erina's pride and rebuild her erroneous culinary concepts.
"Mm. So fragrant. Ren's dishes are always so anticipated."
Saitama commented while eating his Di San Xian. He was also a regular customer who knew the score. For him, the dishes here were the most delicious he had ever eaten, and the cheapest (often free), so he would come to eat whenever he had free time from saving the world.
Ren walked out carrying a tray.
"Here's the Stuffed Eggplant (Hasami Age), old man, and your Peach Blossom Wine. You two ladies didn't order drinks, so try this Freshly Squeezed Melon Juice~ It's on the house."
After placing the plates down, Ren shouted upstairs, his voice carrying easily.
"Come down and eat! Dinner's ready!"
Senzaemon Nakiri was startled.
What was that?
Kobayashi Rindou was here too? She was staying over again? She was too idle!
"Coming!"
A female voice shouted back. But...
Senzaemon Nakiri was dumbfounded on the spot.
That voice was definitely not Kobayashi Rindou. It was elegant, slightly imperious...
However, this was Ren's private life, and Senzaemon knew better than to inquire. He had his own harem of secrets to keep.
He turned his attention to the food. He skillfully cut open the golden-brown stuffed eggplant in front of him.
Crunch.
The sound of the crispy batter breaking was audible. The steam escaped, and the meat-fragrant filling instantly conquered everyone present.
"Oh! This time it's beef!" Senzaemon exclaimed. "He's really in a good mood!"
Erina swallowed hard, looking at this commoner dish she had never seen before on her dining table. Fried food? Greasy?
Just as she was about to critique the plating, she saw Senzaemon Nakiri put half of the stuffed eggplant into his mouth.
Crunch. Chew.
The Demon King froze. His eyes rolled back slightly.
RIP!
His upper kimono instantly burst apart, shreds of fabric fluttering in the air like cherry blossoms.
"Kyaa!" Hisako yelped, covering her eyes.
Erina was dumbfounded.
This was just a side dish to go with wine! And a commoner dish! How could his clothes burst less than a second after putting it in his mouth? It was too absurd! Even her dishes usually took a few bites to strip him!
Senzaemon Nakiri simply remained shirtless, revealing his muscular physique. He sat there, not bothering to put his clothes back on, completely lost in the aftertaste.
Saitama smiled and said, "The old man's clothes bursting always looks so impressive~ It's like a special effect."
"Hahaha! This old man is not too old yet! Ren's cooking reinvigorates the spirit!"
Erina swallowed, staring at the stuffed eggplant in front of her plate. It looked innocent. Golden. Hot.
After staring for a long time, Hisako was the first to break the stalemate. She picked up a dining knife and cut a piece.
She blew on it gently and put it in her mouth.
Then her eyes suddenly widened, a look of disbelief on her face.
Erina was about to ask "How is it?" when she saw Hisako react.
Hisako immediately began to tremble. Her face flushed a deep, arousal-like red. Her legs pressed together under the table.
"Haa..."
After a long while, she finally opened her mouth to exhale a hot breath. Then, disregarding her usual etiquette, she eagerly ate the remaining half.
"Delicious! Erina-sama, you must try this!"
Erina looked at Senzaemon Nakiri and Hisako's expressions of pure, unadulterated enjoyment. She swallowed.
Her hand trembled slightly as she picked up her knife to make a cut.
Slice.
Steam, at a bearable temperature, puffed out along the incision and onto Erina's hand. It carried the scent of ginger, scallions, and premium beef.
A few drops of juice ran down, the filling perfectly intact, the cut surface as smooth and beautiful as sliced jade, with distinct layers of eggplant and meat.
The meat filling was clearly textured, promising a perfect mouthfeel—not mushy, but bouncy.
Erina licked her lips; she was actually interested in a common appetizer! Her God Tongue was demanding it.
Erina picked up the eggplant fritter with her fork. She hesitated for one second. Then she slowly put it into her mouth.
Crunch.
The batter shattered. The eggplant melted. The meat exploded with flavor.
"Nnn..."
The next moment, Erina immediately slumped onto the table. Her strength left her body.
Her face flushed atomic red. Her legs restlessly rubbed against each other under the table. Her toes curled in her shoes.
Her hand, holding the fork, gripped tightly, her small, jade-like hand now looking full of desperate strength.
What is this?!
Erina seemed to see a vision. She saw herds of high-quality cattle drinking meat juice from a river of umami, surrounded by giant, soft eggplants.
The entire world was misty with a rich, fragrant heat. It was a sauna of flavor.
Erina felt herself flying on clouds, with eggplant fritters floating in the sky like UFOs.
She lay on a giant eggplant fritter, slowly being carried by the fragrant breeze, drifting in this delicious world. It was pure bliss. It was degeneration.
"It seems to be to everyone's taste," Ren's voice cut through her hallucination.
He returned with a large tray.
"Then, Old Man, here is your Sukiyaki, Salt-Grilled Pork Chop, and Rice. For the Sukiyaki, you can control the flame yourself with this portable stove."
After speaking, Ren didn't wait for Erina and Hisako to recover from their foodgasm before returning to the kitchen to bring out their main dishes as well.
He placed the Bluefin Tuna Sashimi and Wagyu Steak in front of Erina. The tuna was a deep, rich ruby, glistening with fat. The Wagyu was seared to perfection.
"Then, everyone's dishes are complete..."
Just as Ren finished speaking, footsteps sounded on the stairs.
Lucifer stretched, walking down in a casual outfit that somehow still looked regal. She rubbed her eyes.
She said to Ren, ignoring the frozen guests, "So, is there anything to eat? I'm starving."
"You can have some eggplant fritters first. They're fresh."
Ren pointed to a plate he had set aside. "I'll go prepare something for you. Pancakes again?"
"Mmm~ Yes please!"
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