After Kaguya and Hayasaka made their abrupt exit, the restaurant entered a quiet lull that lasted for over an hour.
During this time, no new customers walked through the door.
Reiko also finished her meal and slipped out, citing some errands she needed to run.
With the sudden expansion making the room feel vast, the remaining group naturally gravitated toward the center of the counter.
Instead of splitting into separate conversations, everyone joined together in a single comfortable circle, with Yuto leaning against the counter to chat with them.
Time slipped away until it was a little past nine o'clock.
Normally, Utaha would have packed up her laptop and headed back to her apartment by now.
But she was still sitting at the counter, her eyes still fixed on Shouko.
Yuto glanced up at the clock, then at the novelist, looking a bit confused.
"kasumigaoka-san, aren't you heading home tonight?"
Utaha leaned back slightly, crossing her arms as she looked up at him.
"If I leave, who is going to watch Shouko-chan?" her voice carried a heavy hint of helpless exasperation.
Her words made Yuto and the monster trio blink in surprise.
"Kasumigaoka-san... do you really not trust us that much?" Yuto asked, genuinely taken aback.
"S-so... so in your eyes, am i that kind of irresponsible person?" Saitama stammered, his expression looking hurt, as if an arrow had just pierced his chest!
"Exactly! I, Ainz Ooal Gown, can guarantee with my very name that Shouko is absolutely safe right here! No one in this world or the next could possibly harm her!" Ainz declared, slamming his bony hand solemnly against the wooden counter.
His massive dark robes rustled with the force of his conviction.
"I'm just a slime! Please don't think of me so despicably!" Rimuru squeaked, bouncing up and down indignantly.
Seeing the sheer, dramatic outrage from the four men, Utaha slapped her forehead in helpless exasperation.
"Oh, please! How did all of you jump straight to that conclusion?!" she groaned. "My worry is a completely different kind of worry!"
Her sharp reproach left Yuto and the others momentarily silent.
"Look at the four of you: two grown men who live alone, one giant skeleton and one squishy slime. I mean absolutely no offense to Ainz-san or Rimuru-san," Utaha explained, her tone a mix of deep amusement and exhausted patience.
"Its not that I don't trust you to protect her. What I mean is that taking care of a little girl's actual needs is definitely more convenient for a girl like me! Honestly... what on earth were all of you thinking?!"
Because she had shared so many meals with Yuto, Ainz (as Suzuki), and Saitama, she felt entirely comfortable scolding them like wayward brothers.
Hearing her completely logical explanation, the four of them fell into a heavy embarrassed silence.
They all mentally reflected on their immediate, defensive overreactions.
"Ahem. As expected of Kasumigaoka-san. Your thoughts are indeed far more delicate and practical than ours," Yuto coughed awkwardly into his fist.
"Mhm. Mhm. As expected of Kasumigaoka-san," Ainz nodded seriously.
"So that's how it is..." Saitama rubbed his bald head, looking relieved.
"I'm just a slime. Don't look at me," Rimuru wobbled, trying to sink lower onto his stool.
Faced with their weak awkward apologies, Utaha just waved her hand dismissively, letting out a tired sigh.
"Thank you, Utaha-nee," Shouko smiled obediently.
Although the little girl didn't quite grasp the nuances of the rapid-fire conversation, she fully understood that Utaha was staying late just to make sure she was okay.
Utaha was instantly struck by the pure, adorable smile.
The sharp annoyance melted from her face, replaced by a soft, doting expression.
'Shouko-chan is just too cute,' she thought, clasping her hands over her heart to contain her inner squeal.
She desperately wanted to scoop the little girl up into a tight hug and rub her cheeks against her, but her last shred of mature reason held her back.
"And thank you, Yuto-nii, Saitama-ojisan, Ainz-ojisan, and Rimuru-ojisan," Shouko added, making sure to thank the men as well.
Yuto smiled warmly and patted her pink hair.
Her polite obedience was endearing, and he found himself growing incredibly fond of her.
Saitama offered a simple, honest grin.
With the overhead lights shining on him, his smooth, bald head made him look exactly like a happy round egg.
Ainz's body instantly flashed with green light.
[Emotion Suppression] really was working overtime tonight to keep him from melting at being called 'ojisan' by a cute kid!
Rimuru's skin flushed with two distinct patches of pink, his body softening into a happy puddle on the counter.
Shouko giggled softly.
Despite the horrors of the morning, today had truly turned into the happiest day of her life.
Utaha decided she would wait at the restaurant until Yaeko Nishimiya arrived to pick Shouko up.
Since that wouldn't be until after eleven o'clock, Yuto decided he would personally walk Utaha to the train station afterward to ensure her safety.
He would just have to trust Ainz and the others to watch the restaurant while he was gone.
"Oh, right. Saitama," Yuto said, suddenly realizing something as he looked at the shiny head.
Saitama blinked, looking at him in confusion.
"Saitama... I actually think your bald head suits you unexpectedly well. It gives you a very distinct, powerful look," Yuto noted earnestly.
His words brought a look of profound surprise to Saitama's face.
"Really?" he asked, reaching up to touch his smooth scalp.
The shop lights caught the curve of his head, reflecting a bright, polished gleam.
'It really is an excellent bald head,' Yuto admired inwardly.
"Now that you mention it, it really does. I think Saitama-san actually looks more handsome without the hair," Utaha chimed in, resting her chin on her hand.
"Mhm. I must agree," Ainz rumbled supportively.
Saitama continued rubbing his head, the simple honest smile on his face growing impossibly bright.
Even though he always claimed he didn't care about his hair loss, looking in the mirror that morning and seeing the final strands gone had left a genuine, heavy crater of loss in his heart.
Understanding that parting was inevitable was one thing, actually facing the reality that his youth was completely gone was another.
But now, surrounded by the warm, bizarre encouragement of his friends, that heavy crater filled with a surge of genuine warmth.
Bald is bald!
He didn't give a shit anymore!
"Thank you, everyone," Saitama beamed.
Just as the atmosphere in the restaurant reached a peak of warm cheerful harmony, the heavy wooden door was violently pulled open.
A towering figure stepped into the doorway.
He had short, fiery red hair, fierce crimson eyes, and a massive, thick beard.
He wore a heavy, fur-lined red mantle over his broad shoulders.
Standing well over two meters tall, his body was packed with thick, bulging muscles.
He was majestic, towering, and exuded an overwhelming aura of absolute physical power.
Just standing in the doorway, he radiated the domineering, ambitious gravity of a born leader!
"Interesting! This little tavern is far more interesting than the Holy Grail War!" the giant grinned, his voice booming as he burst into hearty, thunderous laughter.
He sounded like a wild, unrestrained conqueror stepping onto a new battlefield!
...
Iskandar.
That was the red-haired giant's name.
After pulling the door open and entering, he sat down with great ease and straightforwardly announced his name with remarkable openness.
His every action and word carried a natural, innate grandeur.
It wasn't the deliberately feigned boldness of a politician or a thug, it was a wild, untamed unrestraint that radiated from his very bones.
It made anyone looking at him feel as if they were standing in the presence of an incredibly legendary champion.
His gaze locked onto Yuto.
Yuto felt a massive wave of emotion and surprise wash over him.
Iskandar.
He knew that name.
It was the legendary Conqueror King who shone brightly across human history, the man crowned with the title of Alexander the Great.
His overwhelming demeanor involuntarily reminded Yuto of Whitebeard—both men possessed a kingly aura that inspired instant, undeniable reverence.
"Manager! Bring me wine! Today is a day worth celebrating, and we must commemorate it with a drink!" Iskandar demanded boldly, slapping his massive hand against the counter.
He didn't even bother looking at a menu for food.
Yuto nodded with an easy smile.
The aura around Iskandar naturally drew people in and evoked goodwill.
He seemed exactly like a true hero, entirely devoid of cunning or deceit.
Interacting with someone so straightforward was always relaxing.
Estimating the giant's sheer size and tolerance, Yuto didn't bother with glasses.
He reached under the counter, pulled out an entire heavy crate of cold beer and set it directly in front of the King.
"Excellent! Manager, would you be willing to share this wine with me?! Let us celebrate this day together!" Iskandar roared, extending a direct, booming invitation.
His words were so domineering and final, it felt like a royal decree leaving no room for refusal.
"I apologize, but I need to stay sober to prepare the food, so I will have to pass on drinking with you," Yuto refused politely, keeping a warm smile on his face.
The King's expression didn't show a single trace of pity or wounded pride.
Instead, he just laughed heartily again.
"What a shame!" he boomed.
The words said he was disappointed, but his entire demeanor remained utterly forthright and cheerful.
You couldn't detect any hint of actual regret from him.
Yuto sighed inwardly in awe.
Even in such a brief, simple exchange, the man's magnanimous, overwhelming charisma had already flooded the room.
He was truly worthy of the title 'King of Conqueror'!
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