After repeating the process several times, testing who could open the door and who could follow, Yuto reached a preliminary conclusion.
First: It was entirely feasible for people other than Yuto to travel to other connected worlds.
However, there were two limiting conditions.
The traveler must have Yuto's explicit, verbal consent to use the door as a transit hub.
The traveler must have the explicit consent and physical presence of the 'host' whose world they were entering.
Without both 'keys', the restaurant's door simply led back out to the rainy streets of Tokyo.
The breakthrough immediately spawned a dozen new questions in Yuto's mind.
If Rimuru travels to Nazarick, is there a time limit before the magic pulls him back?
Is there a limit to the number of people who can cross at once?
Could he also bring a normal person like Utaha or Saitama?
These questions required further testing, but tonight was already a monumental success.
Yuto's mind spin with chaotic ideas.
He pictured hosting a massive cross-dimensional banquet in the Jura Forest, or throwing a party on the 9th floor of Nazarick.
It was a fun fantasy!
But for Yuto, quietly tending to his little restaurant remained his ultimate priority.
Everything centered around the kitchen. Serving his customers hot, comforting food was his foundation. Traveling to other worlds might be an exciting occasional vacation, but at his core, he was just a chef.
Seeing the genuine joy on his customers' faces after tasting his dishes—whether they were dragons, slimes, or high-school girls—was the life he truly loved.
If his life were a recipe, interdimensional travel was just an exotic garnish.
The food was the main course.
Satisfied with the results, Yuto returned to the kitchen, tied his apron back on, and prepared for the next wave of customers.
Rimuru and Ainz, however, were absolutely buzzing with excitement!
The two leaders immediately agreed to a diplomatic exchange program: they would spend an hour touring Nazarick, and then an hour exploring the Jura Forest.
They eagerly invited Yuto to join them, but he politely declined.
Someone had to watch the stoves!
Plus, it was a good opportunity to observe if there were any negative side-effects to staying in a foreign dimension for an extended period.
After Yuto gave them explicit permission to transit, the skeleton and the slime practically skipped out the door together.
With the loud boisterous monsters gone, the atmosphere in the restaurant instantly grew quiet and peaceful.
Yuto leaned against the counter and glanced over at Tohru, who was still aggressively scrubbing a distant table.
Yuto smiled helplessly. "Tohru, thats enough. The wood is going to catch fire. Sit down and rest for a bit."
"Huh? But..." Tohru hesitated, looking down at the damp rag in her hand.
Her fierce expression clearly showed she wanted to keep purifying the furniture.
Yuto couldn't help but laugh at her dedication.
She had adapted to her role far too quickly. How did she instantly transform from an arrogant dragon princess into a terrifyingly dedicated hospitality worker?
'Is this your true nature, Tohru?' he wondered inwardly.
"You've already wiped that spot fifty times. Haven't you heard the poor table crying for mercy? It won't get any shinier," Yuto teased gently.
Tohru pouted, her cheeks puffing out in mild annoyance at his joke.
"Come sit at the counter. Let's chat for a bit," Yuto offered, noticing her slight pout.
"Chat? Okay!"
The grumpy dragon vanished instantly, replaced by a beaming, happy girl.
Yuto felt a small wave of affection.
Even though Tohru was technically a thousand years old, her actual personality leaned heavily toward that of an eager, easily distracted child.
Yet, when it came to her duties or her pride, she displayed a terrifyingly mature edge.
It was a fascinating contradiction.
Tohru tossed the rag into the sink and hopped onto a stool directly in front of him.
The warm overhead lights caught her blonde hair, making the fiery orange tips glimmer.
Yuto had never seen her true draconic form, but he remembered the sheer, suffocating scale of the massive reptilian eye that had blocked his door last night.
She must be truly magnificent and terrifying in her real body!
Yet, sitting here in her human form, she was just undeniably cute.
Tohru rested her chin on her hands, smiling up at him. Her thick green tail wagged happily behind her, knocking against the stool legs.
"Do you have many friends back in your world, Tohru?" Yuto asked gently, wiping down his cutting board.
"I do!"
"Are your friends also dragons?"
"Yes! Exactly! Hey, Boss, can I bring my friends here to eat?!" Tohru asked, her golden eyes sparkling with sudden excitement.
Yuto paused, leaning against the counter. "As long as your friends aren't the type to cause trouble or burn the building down, they are welcome here."
He was actually a bit worried.
Back when the restaurant was tiny and unknown, the few customers who stumbled in formed a tight-knit, peaceful little group.
But now, as his regulars brought in their own friends—like Yukari expanding her yokai entourage—the social dynamics were getting complicated.
He opened the restaurant to feed people, but he worried about conflicts erupting between wildly different, incredibly powerful factions.
There was no guarantee that a chaotic dragon would get along with an arrogant yokai or an undead overlord.
That was why he added the caveat to Tohru's invitation.
"Hmm! Don't worry, Boss! Kanna are very easygoing dragon! Well, Fafnir is a bit of a reclusive grump who hates everything, but he is actually okay once you get past the death threats!" Tohru listed off her friends, counting them on her fingers like precious treasures.
Yuto just smiled, listening quietly to her ramble about her world.
About half an hour into their relaxed conversation, the heavy wooden door slowly pushed open.
A tiny girl stepped timidly into the restaurant.
Judging by her height, she was probably around Shouko's age, maybe six or seven years old.
She had short messy hair, a very cute delicate face, and a highly curious look in her large eyes.
"Well, I didn't expect our next late-night guest to be so young," Yuto noted with a soft, welcoming smile.
Tohru turned around, her tail stilling as she looked at the tiny human.
"U-um... hello, big brother. Hello, big sister," the little girl stammered, looking nervously up at Yuto.
"My name is Tohsaka Sakura... Is... is this a restaurant?"
Sakura's eyes were dull and exhausted, but staring at the warm brightly lit kitchen, a faint desperate spark of hope flickered within them.
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