Ryōsuke entered Ichiraku Ramen and began to order.
"Boss, I'll have a bowl of ramen with extra chashu and tofu skin."
"Coming right up!"
Teuchi was thrilled. Lord Ryōsuke had come to eat at his shop again, which was a huge validation of his skills. He turned and headed into the kitchen. After giving instructions to his daughter, he went back to attend to the other customers.
Ever since the storefront had been expanded, business had improved significantly. They even had to hire a few workers just to keep up with the rush.
Meanwhile, a small head peeked out from the kitchen doorway, staring intently at Ryōsuke.
*He's as handsome as ever, and so incredibly masculine. If only I could have a partner like him,* she thought. *But that's just wishful thinking. I'm just a girl who makes ramen. How could such an important figure ever take an interest in me?*
Sitting at his seat, Ryōsuke noticed the young woman who kept observing him. She had long black hair and delicate facial features. If he remembered correctly, this was Teuchi's daughter, Ayame. He hadn't expected her to have grown up so much. She was starting to develop a truly feminine charm.
He offered her a warm smile in response.
Seeing Ryōsuke look her way, Ayame's heart began to pound in her chest.
*He saw me. And he smiled at me.*
She couldn't help but feel a surge of joy and quickly retreated into the kitchen to prepare Ryōsuke's ramen. She was determined to make the most lavish bowl of ramen possible for Lord Ryōsuke.
A minute later, it was ready.
With her heart still fluttering, she carried the bowl out of the kitchen, approached Ryōsuke's seat, and gently set it down.
"Lord Ryōsuke, here is your ramen."
Ryōsuke looked up at Ayame. "Thanks. After you finish work, do you want to go for a walk with me?"
Ayame had undoubtedly grown up, exuding the sweet aura of a girl next door. Since his current women were all pregnant, it was the perfect time to get close to someone new.
Hearing Ryōsuke's words, Ayame froze in surprise. It took her a moment to process what he had said. Lord Ryōsuke was actually inviting her out. A wave of pleasant surprise washed over her.
"I'd love to."
"Alright, I'll see you then."
Ryōsuke gave Ayame a final glance before digging into his ramen.
Thrilled that this great man had genuinely asked her out, Ayame excitedly hurried back to the kitchen. Now, she just had to wait for her shift to end tonight so she could go out with Lord Ryōsuke.
She waited anxiously until evening when the crowd finally thinned out. Ayame stepped out of the kitchen and approached her father.
"Father, I'd like to take the rest of the night off."
Teuchi looked at his daughter, realizing just how much she had grown. He had naturally overheard Ryōsuke inviting her out. This was something he had to let his daughter handle herself.
"Alright. We've hired extra workers for the shop, so we can manage."
Hearing this, Ayame happily made her way out of the shop.
*Lord Ryōsuke must still be waiting for me outside,* she thought. *Even though I've been working for so long.*
Teuchi watched his daughter walk out with a bright smile. He felt a complex mix of emotions. His daughter had been working from dawn to dusk alongside him since she was a little girl. Now that their lives had improved, perhaps it was time to give her more time off. Constantly exhausting herself with work would only make a young girl age faster.
Outside, Ayame found Ryōsuke sitting on a nearby bench. She was delighted. Lord Ryōsuke hadn't stood her up; he was genuinely waiting for her. She hurried over to him eagerly.
"Lord Ryōsuke, I'm here."
"Where are we going?" she asked. "Don't you need to rest for a bit?"
Ryōsuke looked at Ayame, who had just finished her shift. Although work had left her hair a bit messy, it couldn't hide her delicate features. If anything, the slightly disheveled look only added to her charm.
"No need," Ayame replied immediately. Being with Lord Ryōsuke filled her with boundless energy.
Seeing her enthusiasm, Ryōsuke stood up. "Alright, come with me. This street is getting a bit too noisy anyway."
With that, he began walking toward the outskirts of the village. Ayame quickly followed after him. She had never imagined she would get to stroll through the streets with such an important figure.
The two of them kept walking until the crowds gradually thinned out. Ryōsuke glanced back at Ayame and spoke, feeling slightly exasperated.
"Walk beside me. You don't have to keep trailing behind me."
Ayame immediately shook her head. "I don't think that's a good idea. I've been working all day, and I smell like ramen."
"I don't mind at all. In fact, the smell of ramen is quite nice."
Ryōsuke simply reached out, took Ayame's hand, and continued walking forward at a leisurely pace.
Ayame was stunned. She was actually holding hands with Lord Ryōsuke.
*Thank goodness I washed my hands before coming out,* she thought, *otherwise I would have gotten Lord Ryōsuke's hands dirty.*
With no other choice, she stepped up to walk beside him. The warmth radiating from his palm made the moment feel incredibly real. She was truly holding hands with the hero of the village.
*Why does this feel so much like we're lovers?*
It was something she wouldn't have even dared to dream of in the past. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest.
Once they reached the outskirts of the village, Ryōsuke led Ayame to a quiet spot and they sat down. Ryōsuke looked at Ayame and spoke.
"Ayame, are you willing to be my woman?"
From his observations, this girl seemed to have a very high level of affection for him. Given his current status and position, there was no need to take the slow path of courtship; he could just skip straight to the end.
Ayame was taken aback. Lord Ryōsuke was actually asking her to be his woman. Of course she liked Lord Ryōsuke. He was handsome and incredibly powerful. Moreover, he was so gentle with her and didn't care in the slightest that she was just a woman who made ramen.
"Yes."
Ryōsuke was very satisfied with Ayame's answer. "From now on, you are my woman. You must be tired today. Let me take you to get some rest."
Ayame's heart raced. She naturally understood what he meant by 'getting some rest,' and she replied with a hint of shyness.
"Okay, Lord Ryōsuke."
Afterward, Ryōsuke directly utilized the power of his wealth to purchase a house that was up for sale, which came nicely furnished. After buying some basic daily necessities, he brought Ayame inside to settle in.
Looking at Ayame in his arms, he spoke. "From now on, this is our home."
"Okay."
Ayame felt a surge of happiness. Lord Ryōsuke had actually bought a house outright, which meant he wasn't just playing around. He was truly taking their relationship seriously. She nodded happily.
"Yes, this is our home."
The night passed without further words.
The next day, when Ayame woke up, her body felt weak and tingly. Lord Ryōsuke had been far too vigorous. Fortunately, he had been careful and tender with her. Otherwise, she felt like she would have broken.
Now, her heart was filled with a deep sense of peace. She was in her own home. Given her current physical state, it was obvious she couldn't go back to help her old man with work. However, with the extra workers at the shop, her father should be able to manage just fine.
A month later, thanks to Ryōsuke's diligent efforts, Ayame's belly successfully began to swell with pregnancy.
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