Chapter 66: Cerberus, who ate chocolate, is in danger!
At the entrance of Totsuki Academy, the setting sun cast long shadows across the pristine pavement. Kobayashi Rindou and Momo Akanegakubo were waiting by the curb, leaning against a stone pillar. Rindou was scrolling through her phone, humming a tune, while Momo hugged her giant plush cat, Bucchi, looking bored.
They were waiting for their designated driver—Erina Nakiri.
Kobayashi Rindou chuckled, glancing at the time. "Erina is surprisingly dedicated, isn't she? It's been thirty minutes since dismissal. Usually, she's the first one out the door to escape paperwork."
Momo Akanegakubo buried her face in Bucchi's soft fur and muttered with disdain, "Rindou-senpai, not everyone is as free as you! Some people actually care about their grades."
"Aren't you free too? You're here with me," Rindou teased, poking Momo's cheek.
Momo stopped talking, puffing out her cheeks. Although she was a terrifyingly talented pastry chef, she was somewhat willful due to Rindou's influence. She often skipped official duties, but she never skipped a food date.
"Eh? Why did you two come so early?"
A black limousine pulled up silently. The window rolled down, revealing Erina's surprised face. She saw the two seniors waiting at the entrance like lost puppies (or perhaps hungry wolves).
Rindou and Momo exchanged glances but said nothing. They just consciously opened the car door and got in, making themselves comfortable on the leather seats.
"Go to Ren's Shop, driver!" Rindou commanded cheerfully.
Erina sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose. She felt like she was becoming a taxi driver for the Elite Ten. "Rindou-senpai... this is my car."
"Details, details! Erina-cchi, what were you doing before? Why did you come so late? We almost starved!"
As the car moved smoothly into traffic, Erina straightened her uniform and said seriously, "Taking notes. Shopkeeper Ren's lecture today was very useful. Almost everything was a new perspective on culinary theory to me, so I stayed behind to organize my notes and verify some chemical reactions. I have Hisako to thank for helping me cross-reference."
Hisako, sitting in the front passenger seat, turned around and scratched her head bashfully. "Miss Erina, it's nothing. I'm not as amazing as you and the others, so I didn't understand a lot of the high-level concepts. I could only take dictation...."
Momo looked at Hisako with her large, doll-like eyes. "I remember... Hisako's cooking is still very good... It should be because she specializes in medicinal cuisine, which is a niche field, that's why her progress in general cooking seems a bit slow. You could try other fields to broaden your horizons."
Hisako asked doubtfully, "But, Akanegakubo-senpai, don't you also specialize heavily in desserts?"
Momo rolled her eyes, hugging Bucchi tighter. "Momo-chan just makes the best desserts, and she loves eating desserts. But that doesn't mean my other dishes are worse than those of ordinary students. I can debone a fish better than most third-years. Specialization shouldn't be a cage."
Hisako nodded thoughtfully, absorbing the advice.
Erina thought for a moment and said, "Hisako, why don't you come to Shopkeeper Ren's place during your practical training week? You could learn a lot."
Hisako quickly waved her hands in panic. "Miss Erina! No way! Absolutely not! Not only is my strength far inferior to the senpais and even you, Miss Erina, but Shopkeeper Ren's place is practically an Elite Ten clubhouse now! I can't intrude! I would just be in the way!"
Erina sighed, feeling a bit regretful. She still really hoped Hisako could go and study with her at Ren's place. After all, although Hisako was a secretary, in Erina's heart, Hisako was also her best friend. She wanted her friend to stand by her side, not behind her.
Meanwhile, back at the Dimensional Restaurant.
The evening service hadn't started yet, so Ren was preparing a family dinner. Since he had promised to make Chocolate Crepes for Lucifer as an apology/peace offering, Ren decided to stick with a Western theme for the whole meal to keep the flavor profile consistent.
The kitchen was filled with the savory aroma of roasting meat and melting cheese.
"What is this thing?"
Lucifer pointed at the strange-looking dish placed in front of her. It looked like a golden, crispy parcel.
Ren followed the direction of Lucifer's finger and said with a smile, "This is Baked Wontons~. Or rather, a fusion style. It's a deep-fried wonton skin filled with seasoned pork and shrimp, then baked with a layer of mozzarella and cheddar."
"Baked wontons? What is this stringy stuff.... Eh?! Is this... cheese?!"
Lucifer pulled a piece apart. The cheese stretched long and thin, glistening with oil. Her crimson eyes widened. It was like magic, but edible.
Ren looked at Lucifer, who seemed to have discovered a new continent, and chuckled. "Yes. It's cheese. It tastes pretty good. The saltiness cuts the richness of the fried skin."
Lucifer nodded, clearly very interested. She took a bite. The crunch was satisfying, followed by the savory explosion of meat and the creamy, salty cheese. She hummed in delight.
On the other side of the table, Cerberus had abandoned utensils entirely. She was directly gnawing on a large Tomahawk Steak, holding the bone with both hands like a primal cavewoman.
Even in human form, Cerberus still had a natural, undeniable fondness for meat on the bone.
Ren walked over and placed a colorful, rectangular block on Cerberus's plate, right next to the decimated steak.
Cerberus was stunned. She paused mid-chew, holding the steak bone like a weapon, and asked doubtfully, "Master! Master! Master! What is this thing? It's colorful! It looks... suspicious! Is it a trap?"
Ren said with a smile, "This is a Vegetable Terrine~. Layers of roasted peppers, spinach, carrots, and eggplant held together with a light gelatin."
"Oh oh oh~ Wait.... Vegetables?" Cerberus recoiled as if he had put a live grenade on her plate.
Ren said with a hint of a helpless smile, crossing his arms. "Although dogs like to eat meat, it's also important to maintain a balanced diet. You need vitamins, Cerberus. Or your fur will lose its shine."
Cerberus looked at the vegetables in front of her as if facing a formidable enemy boss. Her ears drooped. She looked at Ren with big, pleading puppy eyes. Master, please don't make me eat the green stuff.
Ren didn't budge. He just pointed at the terrine.
In the end, her loyalty to her Master won over her carnivorous instincts. She sighed deeply, put down her steak bone, and picked up a fork. She pinched her nose with one hand and shoveled a piece of the vegetable terrine into her mouth.
Chew... chew...
At first, Cerberus was very uncomfortable. She couldn't believe she was actually eating vegetarian food! It felt wrong! But after she chewed once, she froze. Then chewed twice more.
The natural sweetness of the roasted peppers... the savory depth of the eggplant...
"Wow! Master! Is this really vegetables?!" She exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. "It's so delicious! It's sweet! It's not like grass at all!"
Ren smiled and patted her head. "See? Then eat more. You need a balance of meat and vegetables to grow strong."
Unlike Cerberus, Lucifer ate every dish with elegance, but she was still clearly more interested in the cheese-covered appetizers.
"Eh? Where are you going?"
Halfway through eating, Ren suddenly stood up and wiped his hands on his apron.
Lucifer was stunned and asked doubtfully.
Ren winked. "To get tonight's main character~. The Grand Finale."
"Main character?"
Lucifer suddenly became interested. A dish that Ren called the "main character" must be delicious. The baked wontons with cheese earlier had already been a revelation.
Now Ren was going to bring out an even more impactful delicacy? Lucifer had to admit, she was tempted. She was truly a little tempted.
But then, her nose twitched.
She smelled a familiar scent. To be precise, she smelled the familiar scent of an ingredient that had been her nemesis earlier that day. The rich, bitter-sweet scent of chocolate.
Ren walked out of the kitchen carrying a large platter stacked high with folded crepes, drizzled generously with dark chocolate ganache and dusted with powdered sugar.
When he placed the plate on the table, he saw Lucifer staring at them with a complicated expression—a mix of desire and lingering resentment.
Ren said with a smile, "Hmm. Lucifer, come and try it. This is the 'Redemption Crepe'."
Lucifer snorted, flipping her hair. "Redemption? I don't need redemption. But... I suppose I should critique your attempt."
She picked up one of the crepes. The texture was soft, yielding perfectly to her touch. She took a bite.
Her pupils constricted.
The crepe was light and airy, with a hint of vanilla. The chocolate sauce was rich, deep, and complex, not just sugary sweet. It was a symphony of flavor.
"Hmph. Acceptable," she muttered, taking a second, larger bite.
Cerberus looked at the Chocolate Crepe in front of her and whispered, "Master's chocolate crepes are still the best.... way better than the black sludge..."
"Cough cough!" Lucifer choked on her crepe, glaring at the dog.
Cerberus immediately stopped talking, eagerly picking up a crepe.
Ren watched Cerberus nervously. This was the moment of truth. Chocolate contains theobromine, which can cause poisoning in dogs, leading to seizures or worse.
She's a demon, Ren reminded himself. A high-ranking demon. Surely her physiology is different.
"Wow! This is so delicious! Master, Master, Master! Can I have more?" Cerberus shouted, devouring the crepe in two bites.
Ren breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Cerberus was fine. No foaming at the mouth, no shaking. It seemed chocolate had no lethal effect on a Hellhound.
Ren nodded and said, "Yes. If you don't feel unwell, you can eat it. But pace yourself."
Cerberus didn't listen to the "pace yourself" part. She held a chocolate crepe in one hand and a tomahawk steak bone in the other, eating with great relish, a smile never leaving her face. It was a feast fit for a guardian beast.
But after finishing the third crepe...
Cerberus's smile froze mid-chew.
Ren and Lucifer, who had finished eating earlier and were sipping tea, naturally noticed the abnormality.
Ren asked doubtfully, "What's wrong? Cerberus, did you choke?"
Cerberus frowned. A cold sweat appeared on her forehead. Her dog ears flattened against her head, and her tail tucked underneath her.
She put down the steak bone with a trembling hand. Her stomach let out a low, ominous gurgle that sounded like a beast growling in a cave.
"Ma... Master!" she said tremblingly, clutching her belly. Her face turned a slight shade of green. "My... my stomach hurts so much! It's churning! I... I need to go to the bathroom! Now!"
Ren's mouth twitched.
She wouldn't die... but she'd get an upset stomach, huh...
"Go! Hurry!" Ren pointed to the restroom.
Cerberus bolted like a white streak of lightning.
Bam! The bathroom door slammed shut.
Ren sighed, face-palming. "I guess... even demons have limits. Note to self: Hellhounds are lactose intolerant or mild-chocolate intolerant."
Lucifer took another bite of her crepe, looking unbothered by her subordinate's suffering. "Weakness. More for me."
Ren looked at the closed bathroom door and then at the pile of crepes. "Well, at least we know the limit is three."
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