After Reiko left, the small restaurant fell into a temporary quiet.
Yuto had originally planned to try making so new dishes, but a notification from his phone reminded him that he had received a ssage.
Since coming to this world, he had acquired a phone, though he didn't use it very frequently.
He lightly swiped open the screen.
A ssage imdiately popped up: it was from Utaha.
As one of Yuto's few friends in this world, Utaha had priority access to his phone number and social dia, though the two had never actually contacted each other by phone before.
Utaha: Are you free tomorrow afternoon?
Yuto: Yes, why? (questioning.jpg)
Utaha: My new editor wants to et . I'm a bit worried about going alone, so I'd like you to co with . (shy.jpg)
Yuto: Yikes—please don't act shy, it scares . (trembling.jpg)
Utaha: (knife.jpg)(knife.jpg)(knife.jpg)
Yuto: What ti?
Utaha: Two o'clock.
Yuto: Where should I et you?
Utaha: Shinjuku Station, okay? I'll wait for you there. (questioning.jpg)
Yuto: Okay
Utaha: Thank you, Kamisaka-kun (heart.jpg)
Yuto: (smile.jpg) x3
Utaha: .....
Yuto had plenty of free ti every day.
Originally, he had planned to visit a pet store tomorrow, today's ideas for the backyard had made him really want to keep a pet.
But since Utaha had made a special request, he decided to postpone the pet store visit by a day.
After all, he could go look at animals anyti.
Tomorrow, however, was a very important day for Utaha.
He understood her situation quite well. The girl, who had experienced multiple failed submissions, finally had her own editor.
After the initial surge of joy, a wave of fear would naturally arise because her repeated failures had naturally eroded her self-confidence.
He knew Utaha fairly well by now; her outward strength and maturity were rely a layer of self-protective disguise.
Deep down, the girl was still quite fragile.
Her hope for him to accompany her was actually a very subtle cry for help.
To refuse her would be cruel.
"Boss! I'm here!"
A sowhat childish voice rang out, and a round, blue Sli ca bouncing into the shop.
Splat— Rimuru jumped right onto a seat.
"Rimuru, would you like sweet potatoes again today?" Yuto asked with a smile.
It had to be said, Rimuru's Sli form was quite endearing.
Hearing his words, Rimuru shook his body, since he had no head, he had to shake his whole form instead.
"No! I want grilled at! Lots and lots of grilled at!" he exclaid excitedly.
He really had a tough ti!
Last night, he tasted the delicious Candied Sweet Potato here and thought his sense of taste had returned.
But as soon as he went back to his own world, everything reverted to how it was before.
Nothing had any flavor!
"Sure, no problem!" Yuto imdiately agreed without hesitation. "While waiting for the grilled at, would you like to try so of my new snacks?"
He couldn't forget to promote his braised dishes.
He had made thirty to forty catties, but more than half of it was still left uneaten.
This was completely different from what he had expected, all because his regular custors had such small appetites!
"Huh?! Yes!" Rimuru fully embodied the excellent spirit of the Sli species: not picky at all!
"Great, I'll bring you a plate to try first!" Yuto gave a thumbs-up.
Custors like Rimuru were exactly what he wanted—they could eat anything!
He returned to the kitchen, quickly prepared a plate of braised dishes, and brought it out.
Since Slis couldn't sll anything either, Rimuru straightforwardly wrapped all the braised dishes into his body.
"Wow!!!! Delicious!!!!"
After a day of tasteless experiences, the incredibly flavorful braised dishes left a deep impression on Rimuru's psyche.
It was the sa as soone who had been starving all day finding absolutely everything delicious.
"Would you like another plate?" Yuto asked with a satisfied smile.
"Please, definitely another plate! No, make it three more plates, and bring a bottle of beer too!" Rimuru's unique physiology allowed him to consu an enormous volu of food, he even had a dragon inside his body right now.
Three more plates of braised dishes were really nothing!
"No problem!" Yuto imdiately arranged it for him.
Rimuru began to savor the food carefully, though his way of savoring carefully was to insert the food into his body and slowly digest it.
Yuto couldn't help but marvel, the Sli's body structure was truly amazing!
...
Although barbecue relies entirely on fire to grill food, the flavors can vary greatly from place to place.
Even within the sa country, so regions focus on sprinkling dry seasoning, while others emphasize wet dipping sauces.
Neither side concedes to the other.
This is another level of battle for regional pride—to admit defeat would an admitting that the flavors of one's hotown are inferior to others.
Not many are willing to back down on this matter.
"Rimuru, do you want it spicy?" Yuto leaned out from the back door and asked.
Grilled at is different from other dishes.
If grilled inside the restaurant, a huge exhaust fan would be needed to prevent the smoky sll from spreading elsewhere, otherwise the shop wouldn't be able to accommodate any other scents.
Unfortunately, the small restaurant didn't have one, so Yuto had to grill in the alley outside the back door.
The late night was quiet, with only a small stove glowing red.
"Please add lots!" Rimuru imdiately jumped up and shouted excitedly.
After becoming a Sli, his taste preferences had changed sowhat; he preferred stronger flavors because they were more satisfying.
"Alright!" Yuto responded, sitting back down by the stove.
The charcoal burned brightly, and the iron grill was scorching hot. Several generous cuts of beef were continuously dripping fat.
As the fat made contact with the iron, it sizzled loudly, and white smoke rose montarily before dissipating into the quiet night.
The beef gradually transford from red and white to golden brown. Its flavor was also undergoing a dramatic change bit by bit.
The high heat forced the fat out of the at, and the fat sizzled on the hot surface before lting back into it.
This was the most enticing food in the late night, and also the most guilt-inducing.
But the joy of eating late at night lies precisely in that sense of guilt when the first bite enters your mouth.
Yuto picked up a small knife. He made a few cuts in the beef, sprinkled on so spices, and finally pinched so chili powder.
Under the glow of the stove fire, the bright red chili powder danced in the air like an incredibly beautiful and unique snowfall.
Just a few seconds after sprinkling on the spices, Yuto lifted the iron grill and placed the at on a plate.
Done.
He closed the stove's air vent, covered it with an iron lid, and walked back into the shop.
The three plates of braised dishes Rimuru had ordered were almost finished, and the beer was empty too.
The grilled beef had arrived just in ti.
"Wow!!! So fragrant!!!" Rimuru cheered, acting like a mischievous child finally seeing their favorite toy.
Yuto smiled as he placed the grilled at before him.
"Alright, Kamisaka's special grilled at!"
"Boss! Boss! Two more bottles of beer!"
Grilled beef without beer is disrespectful to the beef!
"Alright!" Yuto walked directly to the fridge and took out two bottles.
This ti, he didn't even need to open them, Rimuru simply wrapped his body around the caps, gave a slight upward tug, and the caps naturally fell off.
And so began Rimuru's feast.
Yuto quietly sat down. Among all the custors who had visited the shop, only Rimuru had such a lively and unrestrained personality.
"Ahhh—so refreshing!!!" Amidst the glistening at and shimring beer, Rimuru's body slumped into a puddle, like oil softened by the sun.
It looked utterly ridiculous.
'Perhaps this is how Slis express relaxation?' Yuto was a bit curious.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"Absolutely great! I feel like my life has been reborn again!" Rimuru instantly returned to his round, bouncy form, as if the earlier slumped state had been nothing but an illusion.
Yuto shook his head gently with a smile.
Rimuru's expressions were always so exaggerated and unrestrained.
'Is this what a Sli is really like?'
Ti passed slowly as Rimuru continuously recounted his experiences in another world.
He was extrely cheerful and lively, holding nothing back in his storytelling, from his encounter with Veldora to today, when he directed the Goblins in building defensive asures.
Through his words, Yuto could sense his fulfillnt and joy, and he was happy to listen.
This experience of hearing a custor's otherworldly stories was even more enjoyable than ordinary entertainnt.
"By the way, Boss, there's sothing I'd like to ask for your help with," Rimuru said, seemingly rembering sothing.
"What is it?" Yuto looked puzzled.
What could he possibly help with?
Cooking?
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