Kaguya and Hayasaka sat down. Though a faint blush still lingered on the Young Lady's cheeks, she was much more composed than just moments ago.
The two of them sat down beside Utaha.
Utaha glanced at Kaguya. She found the situation odd but said nothing. Yuto had given her a heads-up before Kaguya and Hayasaka entered.
After all, the two had been standing outside the door for a while.
The door's frosted glass revealed their silhouettes and general builds. Though their faces were obscured, Yuto had recognized Kaguya and Hayasaka by their figures.
So he had warned Kasumigaoka.
Among everyone present, Kasumigaoka was the only one who had met them before.
Well, Saitama had met them too, but Yuto figured that, given Saitama's personality, he was even less likely to tease them.
Besides, Saitama had been growing increasingly zoned out lately...
"What would you like to eat?" Yuto asked Kaguya with a smile from behind the counter.
Kaguya, who had maintained a cool and composed demeanor outside, finally began to relax.
Perhaps the restaurant's atmosphere was affecting her.
Whenever her gaze met Yuto's, her expression would shift ever so slightly.
It was like an ice cube dropped into room-temperature water.
Her subtle change in expression was like the moment an ice cube first touches water—a barely perceptible, fleeting oddity.
"C... Candied apples... and... and... octopus sausages..." Kaguya managed to speak, although her voice trembling with nervousness.
As she uttered the words "octopus sausages," a faint blush crept back onto her cheeks.
Beside her, Hayasaka sighed at her Young Lady's behavior with a hint of exasperation in her eyes—like a mentor disappointed in a promising but faltering student!
"Of course," Yuto replied without a hint of mockery.
He simply offered his usual gentle smile before turning his gaze to Hayasaka. "What would you like, Hayasaka-san?"
"Just a hamburger," the maid stated, her calm demeanor a stark contrast to her Young Lady's.
After noting their orders, Yuto disappeared into the back kitchen.
Once he was gone, Kaguya's expression returned to its usual composure.
It seemed Yuto's presence had a significant effect on her mood.
Hayasaka, standing nearby, had been secretly observing her Young Lady the whole time.
Watching the Young Lady's expressions shift, she felt a mix of novelty and speculation.
'This version of Kaguya-sama is so much better than before,' Hayasaka thought, a sense of relief and joy welling up inside her.
...
Meanwhile, in the back kitchen, Yuto was peeling an apple.
He had his own explanation for Kaguya's baffling nervousness and blushing.
Earlier that day at the Shinomiya Estate, he had seen a different side of Kaguya.
It was like when someone's long-hidden embarrassing secret is discovered. Even if the person who found it out doesn't care, you can't help but recall the mortifying experience whenever you run into them.
This was a normal human reaction.
So, from Yuto's perspective, Kaguya's behavior was understandable.
Shhh—shhh—shhh—
The sound of cutting an apple wasn't like the usual sound of chopping vegetables.
That's because when you cut an apple, the blade briefly scrapes against the flesh.
This friction creates a soft shhh sound.
As Yuto cooked in the back kitchen, the restaurant's door opened again. He glanced up through the kitchen curtain toward the front hall.
"Kamisaka! Is Rimuru not here yet?" Ainz asked as soon as he entered, his first question about Rimuru.
"Not yet. He should be here soon," Yuto replied before returning his focus to the dish in front of him.
Ainz was a regular, so they didn't need to be that polite to each other.
Yuto recalled what Asuna had said before she left.
'Hmm... a groundbreaking VR game. If I tell Ainz about it, he'll probably be thrilled.'
After all, before being transported to this world, Ainz had been a die-hard gamer who lived and breathed games.
Rimuru would likely be just as excited. The skeleton and the slime shared remarkably similar interests.
'Oh, and there's the matter of the anime convention.'
Yuto realized he needed to find a good time to discuss it with both of them.
As these thoughts crossed his mind, Yuto's hands never stopped moving. It looked like the first dish, Candied Apples, would be ready soon...
When Ainz spotted Saitama, the red dots in his eye sockets brightened.
He strode over, his grand robes swishing with a rustle-rustle sound.
"Yo, Ainz." Saitama offered a casual smile.
"Saitama, why are you wearing that today?" Ainz questioned Saitama's hero suit.
Saitama tilted his bald head, catching the skeptical tone in Ainz's voice.
"This is my custom-made hero suit. Doesn't it look good?" Saitama asked, his usual composure wavering.
Ainz shook his head. "It's way too tacky."
Saitama's shoulders slumped at Ainz's words and his face went blank with bewilderment.
"Really?"
"Yeah. That hero suit of yours is just plain ugly."
Ainz tended to act on impulse when he was in the restaurant.
Just like last time, when his spontaneous actions nearly caused the Poverty Alliance to collapse!
This time, too, Ainz had impulsively blurted out his true feelings!
Saitama was devastated. "Damn it! I spent ages picking out this outfit..."
He slumped onto the table, dejected as Ainz patted his back.
"Don't worry, leave it to me. I'll get you a magnificent suit—guaranteed to be perfect!"
As a bona fide nouveau riche, Ainz had no problem arranging a dazzling new outfit for Saitama.
Yuto emerged from the kitchen carrying the Candied Apples.
He'd overheard Ainz and Saitama's conversation and felt a pang of exasperation.
'Why is Ainz so incapable of being tactful? Is this what happens when someone gets rich?'
Clink—
Yuto placed the Candied Apples in front of Kaguya.
Having regained her composure, Kaguya's expression brightened with delight at the sight of the dish.
"Candied Apples. Please enjoy."
After speaking to Kaguya, Yuto turned and headed back to the kitchen.
As he went, he glanced over at Ainz and Saitama.
Saitama was looking dejected, while Ainz resembled a salesman, pitching his "magnificent suit" to him.
The dispirited Saitama didn't seem to be paying much attention.
Yuto shook his head and averted his gaze.
Next, he needed to make the Pan-Fried Octopus Sausages.
That was a simple task.
He planned to prepare them alongside the hamburgers to save some time.
In the front hall, Kaguya gazed at the plate of Candied Apples, her eyes shimmering with fond memories.
This was the very dish she had eaten on her first visit to the diner.
The situation back then had been awkward. She had been so captivated by Reiko's expression while eating the dish that she'd ordered it for herself.
The Octopus Sausages had been the same.
She'd watched Reiko eat them with such fascination that she'd ended up...
She lifted her head and scanned the restaurant.
She couldn't find Reiko anywhere.
But that was a minor detail. Memories of the restaurant replayed in her mind like a movie. Then, she picked up a piece of apple, dipped it in the cool water, and placed it in her mouth.
The first time she'd eaten this dish, it had brought back a flood of painful memories, and tears had streamed down her face.
But eating it again today, she felt far calmer than before.
The bitterness and sorrow that had once overwhelmed her now seemed faint and distant.
In their place was a sense of joy and delight.
This inner peace was reflected on her face, which brightened with a subtle, happy glow.
Though faint, the change didn't escape the watchful eyes of her personal maid.
Seeing Kaguya like this, Hayasaka felt a wave of relief wash over her.
Sizzle...
The sound of frying, accompanied by a fragrant aroma, drifted from the kitchen into the front hall.
Although Ainz no longer had a nose, his skeletal form seemed to possess a special sensory ability that allowed him to perceive smells from the outside world.
He just couldn't eat anymore.
"What a pity," he lamented. "I'll never be able to enjoy Kamisaka's cooking again."
Ainz felt a pang of sadness as he smelled the delicious aroma.
To gain something, you must always lose something else.
Though Ainz had become absurdly powerful, he was no longer human.
Eating, drinking, and even... sex... were all things he could no longer experience.
He even had to keep his emotions stable, any intense excitement would trigger his [Forced Calm] skill.
It was a classic case of pros and cons.
Saitama wanted to comfort him but didn't know what to say.
"It's okay, Ainz," Saitama finally spoke up. "So what if you're not human anymore. You'll get used to it."
His words of comfort felt off!
If Ainz didn't know Saitama's personality, he would have sworn the man was insulting him!