Chapter 39: Arrogance and Tsundere
After speaking, the man—Joichiro—picked up his bag and left the Restaurant, the memory of the ramen still warm in his chest.
However, as soon as he walked a few steps down the dark alley, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
"Director," he said, his voice serious but tinged with amusement. "Are you a regular at that nameless little Restaurant in the 4th District?"
Senzaemon Nakiri on the other end of the phone laughed heartily. "Of course I'm a regular! His cuisine is truly one of a kind in the world. Why? You went too? Did you gain anything from the young master?"
Joichiro smiled, looking back at the unassuming shop front. "Of course! I gained a lot. I felt like a student again. I'll be going into seclusion for training this time to rethink my approach to broth. But Director... if you go often, why don't you take Mana with you? Or at least tell her?"
He paused, then dropped the bomb.
"Didn't you only send Erina there because you knew the owner could cure the God Tongue's curse?"
Silence on the other end. Then—
Bam!
Senzaemon Nakiri immediately stood up from his desk, knocking over a stack of papers. He shouted into the receiver, his composure gone.
"Joichiro! What did you say?! That kid Ren has a way to cure the God Tongue?! He told you that?!"
Joichiro was stunned. He blinked. "Old man... you didn't know, did you? I thought this was part of your grand plan."
Senzaemon Nakiri no longer cared about the awkwardness or his dignity. He quickly said, his voice trembling with hope, "You… Joichiro! Is what you said true?! Did that kid tell you himself?! Or did you deduce it yourself from his cooking?!"
Joichiro leaned against a lamppost. "Of course he told me himself. We discussed it after the meal. He said it's a 'small problem' and there are 'many ways to deal with it'. He seemed quite confident. He even mentioned bypassing the tongue to feed the soul."
Senzaemon Nakiri felt his heart about to burst out of his chest. The curse that had plagued his family, that had destroyed his daughter Mana's life and was currently consuming Erina... Ren called it a small problem?
He shouted into the phone, "Tell me quickly… No… Just come here! Come to the estate! I'll prepare a feast! Tell me in detail!"
Joichiro scratched his head. "Old man, I'm going to find Gin (Dojima Gin) at the resort. I promised to visit."
Senzaemon Nakiri said angrily, "If you want to extort me for premium ingredients, just say so! Bring Gin Dojima with you! And be quick! I'll open the 50-year-old sake!"
After speaking, he hung up the phone before Joichiro could refuse.
Senzaemon sank back into his chair. He looked at a framed group photo on his desk, his eyes slowly watering.
Then he cursed with a smile, shaking his head. "That brat Ren... why didn't he say he could solve it sooner?! He just served me pork chops and played dumb! Next time, I'll definitely make him pay... I'll make him join the Board!"
Outside, Joichiro glanced at his hung-up phone and sighed.
"Mana," he whispered to the night sky. "You must seize this opportunity if the old man drags you there. But if she recovers... Azami will have no connection with Mana anymore. His entire philosophy will be proven void. Alas, fate is truly baffling."
Inside the Restaurant.
The morning service was over.
Ren put down his book and checked the time. "Hmm, it's time. We should close up shop for a few hours before lunch prep. Lucifer, does Cerberus want anything to eat before you two rest?"
Hearing Ren's words, Cerberus and Lucifer were both stunned.
Asking them what to eat?
How long had it been since they last ate proper human food before arriving here? In Hell, food was fuel, not pleasure. You ask them what to eat?! They'd be possessed if they could answer!
Ren closed the front door and locked it. Turning around, he saw both of them staring intently at him with blank expressions.
Ren was puzzled. "What's wrong? Is there a problem? Do you not like breakfast?"
Lucifer sighed, rubbing her temples. "Ren. I really don't know if you're doing this on purpose or if you genuinely don't know… You're asking us to order! We don't even know what dishes there are in the human world! We only know souls and suffering!"
Ren thought for a moment. "Eh? Are there no dishes in Hell? No Hell-Burgers?"
Lucifer crossed her arms. "Firstly, demons don't need to eat to survive. Secondly, when we do eat in Hell, it's just various grilled steaks made of mystery meat and wine that tastes like ash… As for Cerberus…"
Cerberus's ears drooped. She looked at Ren with big, teary eyes. "Master, Master, Master… In Hell, I can only eat those black, burnt things and bones! Sometimes raw sinners! It's gross!"
Ren was stunned. He patted Cerberus's head sympathetically. "You've really had it tough. I wonder how your employees can accept that without unionizing. Since that's the case, I'll prepare something myself. Something comforting."
Ren said and walked back into the kitchen on his own.
Lucifer looked at Cerberus, who was inexplicably giggling while holding her cheek where Ren had patted her.
Lucifer felt a bit strange. Sure enough, a dog's mind is not something a rational being can understand. Bah… only a demon can understand the hunger.
Neither of them spoke again. The shop was quiet.
Lucifer stared at the book Ren had left on the counter.
It was the book he had been reading earlier.
She looked around guiltily. Ren was busy chopping something. She slowly reached out and picked up the book. She wanted to see what kind of literature interested a man who could cook miracles.
She read the title.
"The Seven Deadly Sins: A Psychological Analysis."
Lucifer was stunned.
"Seven Deadly Sins? Is there a book about this?!"
Lucifer was too familiar with this term; she was the embodiment of Pride among the Seven Deadly Sins! It was her domain!
A woman's associative ability is indeed terrifying. Lucifer immediately thought of a scenario: Ren was reading this book to understand me! He wants to understand what kind of 'Pride' I am so he can communicate better with me! He is studying my nature!
But then she flipped through it. It was full of human misconceptions. Arrogance, cruelty, hubris.
But this book definitely doesn't match my image! she panicked. If Ren learns the wrong things and thinks I'm truly a cruel, unapproachable tyrant because of this book, wouldn't that be terrible?! He might stop patting my head!
Thinking of this, Lucifer suddenly felt a little panicked.
She immediately stood up and, under Cerberus's puzzled gaze, walked towards the kitchen.
At this moment, Ren was busy preparing Shrimp Dumplings (Har Gow). He felt a small head peeking out from the kitchen doorway.
Turning his head, he saw Lucifer staring at him with intensity.
Ren said with a blank expression, "Lucifer? Are you hungry already?"
Lucifer shook her head, still looking at him.
Ren wiped his hands and walked over. Seeing Lucifer's serious expression, he was also a bit confused. "What happened? Did Cerberus break something?"
After Lucifer and Ren stared at each other for a long time, Lucifer was the first to speak.
She asked, a little nervously and in a low voice, "Why are you reading that 'Seven Deadly Sins' book?"
Ren was stunned. "Eh?"
He thought for a moment. "Because I found it quite interesting, so I read it. It's a classic. What other reason could there be?"
Then he realized.
"Oh. I think I know what you're worried about. Don't worry, because there's a counterexample right in front of me. I'm just reading it like a fiction novel."
"A counterexample?"
"That would be you! Isn't Lucifer the Demon King representing Pride? But you... let alone pride, I haven't seen any haughtiness. You eat jerky and play with your phone."
Lucifer's face flushed, then darkened as she stomped her foot. "You! How am I not proud?! I am the Queen of Hell! I am supreme!"
Ren tilted his head, smiling. "Because if you were truly proud in the biblical sense, you wouldn't be acting like you usually do—pouting over pudding—and you wouldn't have run over here just to ask about a book. You care too much about what I think."
Lucifer's face flushed red as she shouted, "I'm not here for that! You're overthinking it! I'm here… I'm here… Right! I'm here to learn how to cook!"
She pointed at the shrimp dumplings.
"The proud Demon King Lucifer will never allow a mere mortal to have a domain stronger than her own! I must master this 'cooking' to prove my superiority!"
Ren was stunned. "You want to learn to cook?"
Then he said helplessly, "Um… I seem to be your Master… Technically, my domain is your domain."
Lucifer's face flushed redder. She shouted, "Then I'm still the Queen of Hell! I don't accept charity! Hurry up and teach me! I order you!"
Ren sighed, a smile tugging at his lips. "Now I know what kind of attribute you have."
"Hmm? Have you discovered this Queen's terrifying haughtiness?"
"Haughty, indeed. But it's the haughtiness of a Tsundere. Lucifer is quite cute when she's being tsundere."
"So annoying! I'm hungry! Hurry up and cook! I want to learn! This Queen is proud, not 'tsundere'! I don't even know what that means!"
"Got it, Tsundere Queen. Wash your hands first."
"You… Hmph! Watch me perfect this!"
[Akarin's Note: Tsundere is a Japanese term for a character development process that depicts a person who is initially cold (and sometimes even hostile) before gradually showing a warmer, friendlier side over time. Lucifer fits this perfectly.]
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