The ingredients Yuto had requested from Totsuki weren't just tuna.
There was sea bream, shad, and all kinds of other fish, plus crabs, shellfish, and oysters. It was enough seafood to stock a proper restaurant for a full day.
Unfortunately, his little restaurant probably couldn't be called proper in any normal sense.
Yuto had the distinct feeling that all of it together might not even be enough for Yuyuko or Goku alone.
For those two, he would need to impose a few limits.
Tonight's seafood wasn't ant for a single glutton, it was supposed to be a rare surprise nu item, and he wanted every guest to have a chance to try it.
So he wrote up a sign and placed it out front: Tonight's Special — Seafood.
The sign would stay there until every last bit was gone.
Ainz and Rimuru had both left already.
They had bought far too many things at the convention, and if they didn't put it all away, it would probably make things awkward for anyone walking into the restaurant.
Besides, they had both vanished for an entire day—no matter what, they had to go explain themselves to their subordinates.
Once they were gone, the only custor left was Utaha, who was still sitting there on her phone.
More than an hour had passed, yet she hadn't moved at all.
Yuto couldn't help thinking that young people these days were far too obsessed with their phones, he had never been like that!
As opening ti drew closer, Yuto changed into a fresh apron and washed up properly.
In the kitchen, Erina and Hisako also tied on aprons—restaurant aprons, the sa kind he used, which he had already washed and put away.
Even though the aprons were identical, the sight of the two girls wearing them still made his eyes brighten.
They looked good. Really good.
With an apron on, Erina lost a little of her usual lofty sharpness and instead felt more approachable sohow, maybe it was simply because the apron itself was so ordinary.
"I should've brought my chef's uniform," Erina muttered regretfully.
As the daughter of the Nakiri family and a mber of the Elite Ten, she naturally had her own custom chef attire.
She frowned slightly, then glanced toward Yuto.
At that exact mont, Yuto was busy admiring how the two girls looked in aprons.
The second Erina noticed his gaze, her cheeks turned pink.
"What are you staring at?!" Her tone was prickly, and her face was bright red with a mixture of embarrassnt and irritation.
"I just didn't expect it to suit you so well," Yuto said, sounding honestly impressed.
That only made her blush deepen.
She was just about to fire back when the restaurant door opened.
The mont broke.
Yuto stepped out from the kitchen, glanced at the clock, and saw there was still a little ti left before opening.
He looked toward the door, his face lighting with surprise and delight.
"Asuna!"
He really hadn't expected her to co today, considering what she had said on the phone earlier.
"Kamisaka-kun, I'm here!" The girl waved cheerfully to him, smiling like a flower in bloom.
There was a relaxed, happy warmth about her that seed to spill naturally from her whole body.
After greeting him, she lifted the two bags in her hands to show him.
Yuto imdiately guessed what was inside. His first thought was that Ainz and Rimuru had left too early.
"Weren't you busy lately?" he asked with a smile.
Carrying the bags, Asuna walked over to the side of the counter.
She still didn't seem comfortable sitting at the very front, so she took her usual seat.
After greeting Utaha, she turned back to Yuto.
"Hmph. Father gave the day off." She wrinkled her nose a little, lips curving upward, looking oddly proud of herself.
Having co to the restaurant several tis now, she was no longer as stiff and awkward as she had been in the beginning; around Yuto, she seed completely at ease.
"Really? Then that's wonderful."
He didn't ask why, he just smiled and went along with it.
A flicker of pleasure passed through Asuna's eyes, and then she reached into one of the bags and pulled out two helt-shaped devices.
She handed one to Yuto and one to Utaha.
Both of them stared at the things in surprise.
"So this is the VR equipnt?" Yuto said, turning the helt over in his hands.
The material felt unusual, and it was surprisingly light.
"Yeah. It hasn't officially gone on sale yet, but the ga is already playable. You just put it on and press the button." Asuna explained it simply, but both Yuto and Utaha were clearly impressed.
"Thanks. This must've been a hassle for you," Yuto said, setting the helt down and looking at her with real gratitude.
"It's fine. My family's company is producing them anyway. Taking a few out isn't difficult for ."
This ti Yuto wasn't even surprised by that anymore.
So things beca obvious even if nobody bothered to say them.
"After you said you needed more, I brought three extra. Is that enough?"
Yuto thought about it, then nodded.
Ainz, Rimuru, Fafnir.
At the mont, those were the only three who wanted to use them, so three extra sets were enough.
"Whew. That's good. If you need more, just let know," Asuna let out a breath of relief.
Utaha, however, looked curious. "Is it really okay to bring out sothing that hasn't even been released yet? Won't your father object, Yuuki-san?"
"It's fine. Father is very supportive of making friends," Asuna said with a smile, even though the words weren't exactly honest.
Normally, her father would never have allowed it.
Originally, she had planned to sneak out two sets by herself. But today, he had permitted it.
As for the reason why, Asuna had a pretty good idea.
"Still, I'm glad you ca tonight," Yuto said. "Otherwise, you would've missed tonight's big al." He started telling her about the special dinner.
Bluefin tuna. Sea bream. Shad... One by one, the nas ca out of his mouth.
Asuna's eyes widened more and more.
She had never imagined she would get to eat bluefin tuna here of all places!
Then she glanced toward the kitchen—and was even more stunned.
She had just seen her idol: Erina Nakiri.
Asuna had always dread of studying cooking properly, and Totsuki had long been a place of admiration for her.
Among all the famous nas associated with the academy, the one she admired most was Erina.
They were the sa age, both girls, yet Erina stood at a height in the culinary world that Asuna could barely even imagine reaching.
She truly admired her.
"Kamisaka-kun, why is Miss Nakiri here?!" she asked, her voice bright with shock and delight.
Yuto glanced back toward the kitchen.
Erina happened to catch his eye at that exact mont and let out a small, haughty huff.
"Starting today," he smiled, turning back to Asuna, "she more or less counts as one of my staff too."
That left Asuna completely stunned.
What on earth had happened in this restaurant while she'd been away?
Staff?
A mber of the Elite Ten?
The future heir of the Nakiri family?
And she was working here under Yuto? That turn of events was enough to make Asuna's head spin.
Then she suddenly rembered the ti Kaguya had co to the restaurant before.
All at once, she had a strange feeling that the lie she'd told her father earlier might actually co true after all...
She looked into Yuto's eyes. They were still as calm and bright as ever.
But sohow, she felt as though she couldn't quite see through him anymore.
After chatting with Asuna for a few more monts, Yuto returned to the kitchen.
There was only one minute left until seven.
He looked toward Erina.
She had clearly gathered herself, her face set in concentration. Hisako stood beside her just as focused, ready to support her.
"Relax," Yuto said quietly.
Erina let out a slow breath.
As a mber of the Elite Ten, she had already seen more than enough high-pressure situations.
And yet, even now, a trace of tension still lingered in her chest.
It wasn't only because the custors in this restaurant were unusual, it was also because she would be cooking alongside Yuto.
"Want to make this interesting?" She spoke first, a small curve rising at her lips.
There was a sharp challenge in her eyes, proud and fearless.
Yuto looked mildly surprised. "What did you have in mind?"
He had already refused her formal Shokugeki before, so now he was curious what she had co up with instead.
"Let's see whose dish the custors like more." There was real force behind her words.
Yuto considered it for a few seconds, then nodded. That kind of contest suited his taste just fine.
The mont he agreed, the tension in Erina's face loosened.
After being refused before, she had honestly been worried he would turn her down again.
Then the ti ca.
Yuto had Tohru turn the sign to Open.
Custors would be arriving any second now!
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