Chapter 565: Minami Kotori, Sonoda Umi
Everyone was entirely used to seeing Riven push out the dining cart while wearing an apron.
Nakiri Mana looked over the dishes arranged on the table, offering a slow, approving nod. "Riven, you have made remarkable progress. Your knife work with the vegetables is exceptionally precise now."
Riven let out a long sigh, her shoulders slumping slightly. "I can only manage the vegetables... Ren says breaking down meat is too complex for me right now. I used to just hack things apart on the battlefield and throw them in a pot. Who knew culinary arts had so many complex rules?"
Ren offered a faint, amused smile from the counter. "Be content with your progress. Lucifer has been here much longer and still cannot julienne a carrot to save her life."
"Hahaha!" the group chorused in unison.
Lucifer's cheeks puffed out, her crimson eyes flashing with indignation. "So what?! As long as I can master desserts, that is all that matters! I call it specialized dessert research! It is called dedication. Aren't you happy to have such a dedicated woman by your side?"
Justice leaned back in her chair, a teasing grin spreading across her face. "Lucifer, while technically true, why does it sound so incredibly desperate when you say it out loud?"
"Justice! Shut it! Do you have to undermine me every single day?!"
Justice chuckled, waving a hand dismissively. "Come on, with how close we are..."
Lucifer opened her mouth to snap back, but Justice laughed over her. "And here I was planning to let you win three times a day!"
"Justice!"
"Lucifer," Ren's calm, steady voice cut through the noise, "that chopstick is going to snap in your grip."
Hearing Ren's warning, Lucifer froze, instantly releasing her death grip on the wood. Her posture settled back into a rigid, flustered pout. The rest of the table shared a collective, silent sigh. The fearsome title of the Queen of Hell was truly dead and buried. She was devolving into a textbook tsundere.
As the group continued eating, the soft chime of the shop door interrupted the banter.
Before anyone could wonder who was arriving before opening hours, a familiar head of dark hair peeked inside.
"It's Karura!" Cerberus cheered, her three bodies practically vibrating with excitement.
Karura beamed at the sight of the demon hound and Kasugano Sora, but she knew her priorities. She waved briefly before locking eyes with the kitchen area. "Ren! I'm here!"
"Just you?" Ren asked, wiping his hands on a pristine towel.
Karura shook her head, her grin widening. "Of course not!"
With that, she pushed the heavy oak door fully open, holding it wide. Elena Robinson stepped in first, offering a polite, graceful bow to the room. Right behind her, a girl with soft, flaxen hair crossed the threshold. Her mere presence carried an air of refined, gentle upbringing. Her features were exquisitely delicate and cute, causing several pairs of eyes around the table to immediately light up.
Stepping forward, the girl bowed with impeccable manners. "Hello, everyone. I am Minami Kotori, Karura-senpai's junior."
Lucifer's eyes sparkled with genuine appreciation. "Oh! What an incredibly cute girl!"
Karura puffed out her chest proudly. "Right, right?! Kotori is the cutest! And get this, she is also a fashion designer! Amazing, isn't it?"
Courage gasped, her eyes widening. "Oh! That is genuinely impressive!"
Decora adjusted her glasses, leaning forward. "I wouldn't have guessed! A fashion designer at such a young age!"
Justice whistled low. "Ho! Now that is a talented kid."
Faced with the sudden wave of generous praise, Minami Kotori flushed a deep shade of pink, waving her hands frantically in front of her chest. "No, what kind of fashion designer am I? My senpais are just teasing me. I just enjoy sewing and sketching clothes..."
Elena smiled warmly, placing a reassuring hand on Kotori's shoulder. "Kotori, there is no need to be so humble in front of Little Karura and me. We can gloss over other things, but your talent absolutely needs to be shown off!"
Karura nodded vigorously. "Exactly! Even if Kotori isn't officially working as a full-time designer yet, the clothes she has made have already won several major awards. Tons of companies are trying to recruit her! Even internationally renowned designers have recognized and selected her pieces for showcases! She is planning to major in fashion design, too!"
Nakiri Mana leaned forward, her interest fully captured. "So you mean to tell me, Kotori, that without any formal, systematic coursework, you have managed to win awards and catch the eye of famous designers entirely through your own independent creations?"
Minami Kotori nodded, her fingers fidgeting nervously with the hem of her skirt.
Rantabi slammed her palms onto the table, her voice booming with excitement. "Wow! Kotori, you are a prodigy! A born designer!"
Mana and the other WGO executives nodded in deep agreement.
Ren, leaning against the counter, observed the flustered girl. "To achieve that level of recognition at your age," he said, his voice smooth and steady, "requires more than just exceptional talent. It shows genuine, unwavering passion. You must have poured an incredible amount of effort and late-night research into your craft."
Minami Kotori froze, her amber eyes widening as she looked at Ren. Everyone always praised her natural talent. It made her happy, of course, but very few people ever looked past the surface to acknowledge the grueling hours, the pricked fingers, and the sheer hard work she invested.
Nakiri Mana nodded in agreement with Ren. "Indeed. Talent alone is never enough. Talent is a consumable resource. Relying solely on a gift without the drive to refine it through relentless effort is ultimately useless."
Kotori opened her mouth to thank them, but the chime of the door sounded again. A girl with long, deep blue hair stepped inside, her posture straight and highly disciplined.
Karura beamed. "And here is the last one! Umi, she is also our junior!"
Sonoda Umi offered a deep, perfectly angled bow. "Good afternoon, everyone. I am Sonoda Umi, junior to Karura-senpai and Elena-senpai. It is a pleasure to meet you."
Elena sighed softly, a hint of regret in her voice. "Originally, Honoka was supposed to come with us too, but she has to look after her younger sister at home today. It is a real shame; Honoka absolutely adores good food."
Karura shrugged, though she looked a bit disappointed as well. "We were planning to come a bit closer to opening time, but everyone was bored out of their minds, so we just headed over early! By the way, Umi, why did you get stuck outside just now?"
"I was tying my shoelaces by the door," Umi replied calmly.
"Oh! Well, let me introduce you guys to everyone!" Karura offered eagerly.
"We can introduce ourselves!" the entire table chorused in unison, shutting her down instantly.
As the patrons went around the room introducing themselves, Minami Kotori and Sonoda Umi listened intently, nodding silently to commit every name and face to memory. They had heard Karura talk about this place, and these people, for ages. Especially Ren. Karura brought him up at every conceivable opportunity. Today, they were finally meeting the man of the hour in the flesh.
Before the two girls could formally address him, Ren turned and disappeared into the kitchen. They kept quiet, assuming he was just fetching a towel or prepping for the evening service.
A few moments later, he emerged carrying a beautifully arranged, vibrant garden salad in one hand, and a tray holding several elegantly crafted drinks in the other.
Setting them down on the pristine counter, Ren offered a faint, welcoming smile. "You have arrived a bit early, and we aren't officially open yet. But since you are Karura's juniors, I can hardly leave you standing around with empty stomachs. Have something light to start."
Both Minami Kotori and Sonoda Umi felt a sudden, obvious warmth bloom in their chests. 'What an incredibly thoughtful man!'
Karura grinned, pulling out a stool. "You have to try it! Ren's cooking is on another level. Even if he just boiled a cheap packet of instant noodles, it would taste like a masterpiece! And..." She paused, her eyes locking onto the vibrant, frosted glasses on the tray. "Wow! Ren! Did you mix these yourself?!"
Ren nodded, wiping down the counter space in front of them. "Yes. Soda doesn't pair well with the delicate profile of a fresh salad. Besides, I remember that you and Elena aren't particularly fond of heavily carbonated drinks. Judging by Kotori and Umi's demeanors, I assumed they likely wouldn't prefer them either. So, I prepared some freshly pressed, chilled fruit juice blends. Please, enjoy."
"Mm-hmm!"
Sonoda Umi and Minami Kotori were genuinely stunned, their eyes darting from the beautiful, condensation-beaded glasses to the calm, handsome chef. 'How could he be so incredibly observant?'
Minami Kotori rarely drank carbonated beverages, finding them too harsh, and Sonoda Umi actively disliked them due to her strict traditional upbringing and fitness regimen. In an instant, this single, quiet detail elevated their impression of Ren to soaring heights.
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