Chapter 112: Cerberus Doesn't Understand But Is Greatly Shocked
The afternoon sun beat down on the sprawling campus of Tōtsuki Tea Ceremony and Culinary Academy, casting long, sharp shadows across the manicured lawns and imposing European-style buildings.
The air here usually smelled of high ambition and expensive spices, but today, in this specific corner of the academy, it was quiet. Too quiet.
Cerberus sat on a wrought-iron bench near the administrative building, swinging her legs back and forth. She had been told to wait here. Kobayashi Rindou and the others had vanished into the tall building to handle some "boring administrative paperwork" regarding their recent absence, leaving the triple-headed demon girl alone.
"Boring," Cerberus muttered, tilting her head back to look at the passing clouds. "I want to eat Master's cooking. I want snacks. Why is this school so big? And why does everyone look so stressed?"
She watched a group of students rush past, carrying crates of vegetables with expressions that suggested they were marching to war rather than a kitchen. To Cerberus, who measured life in terms of 'edible' or 'not edible,' the tension of the culinary elite was incomprehensible.
"Haaah..."
Just as she was about to doze off from the sheer monotony, the rhythmic hustle of the academy was shattered by a chaotic, discordant noise coming from the nearby hedgerow.
Squawk!
Cluck-cluck-cluck!
Honk!
Thump-thump-thump!
Cerberus blinked, her three distinct personalities instantly aligning in confusion. Her ears twitched.
"Eh?"
She sat up straight as the bushes exploded outward.
It wasn't an enemy attack. It was a stampede. A veritable tide of farm animals burst onto the paved pathway—ducks flapping frantically, chickens running with heads bobbing, and even a small piglet drifting through the turn like a race car.
Cerberus was stunned. She stared at the parade of ingredients running freely.
"What kind of place is this?" she whispered, eyes wide. "Is this a buffet? Self-service?"
"Ah!!! Don't run away! Come back here! Hurry back to Mama!"
Chasing the menagerie was a girl who looked like pure energy personified. She wore the standard Tōtsuki uniform, but her most distinctive feature was her short orange hair styled in two energetic buns on top of her head. She was sprinting with a desperate speed that suggested her life—or perhaps her expulsion—depended on catching these creatures.
The girl, Yoshino Yuki, spotted Cerberus sitting on the bench. Her eyes lit up with desperation.
"Hey! You over there! The girl with the ponytails!" Yuki shouted, pointing a trembling finger at a massive, grotesque-looking bird waddling furiously towards Cerberus. "Help me catch that Dong Tao chicken! Don't let it escape!"
Cerberus was startled for a microsecond. A chicken? Requesting backup?
She looked at the target. The bird was huge, significantly larger than a normal chicken, with thick, red, scaly legs that looked like dragon claws. It clucked aggressively, flapping its wings as if challenging the demon to a duel.
"Hmph," Cerberus scoffed, standing up. "You dare approach the Gatekeeper of Hell with such attitude?"
She didn't panic. She didn't flinch. She simply stepped forward.
As the Dong Tao chicken lunged, Cerberus reached out with a speed that blurred the air. Her hand clamped around the thick neck of the bird with precise, inescapable force.
Squawk—!
The chicken's battle cry was cut short. It flailed for a moment, its talons scratching uselessly at the air.
Then, Cerberus leaned in. Her crimson eyes narrowed, and a palpable aura of "Apex Predator" leaked out, enveloping the bird. She bared her sharp canines in a grin that was all teeth.
'Listen here, nugget. If you move, I will skip the roasting process and eat you raw right here on the pavement.'
The message, though unspoken, was received loud and clear by the animal kingdom. The Dong Tao chicken instantly went limp, playing dead in a desperate bid for survival. Are you kidding? A mere poultry bird resisting a High Prosecutor of Hell? That was a one-way ticket to the deep fryer.
Yoshino Yuki skidded to a halt in front of Cerberus, panting heavily. She placed her hands on her knees, gasping for air.
"Huff… huff… You… Yuuki… Eh?!"
She looked up, eyes wide, realizing the "girl" she called out to was actually the strange, three-ponytail girl she had heard rumors about—the one who hung out with the Elite Ten.
"Thank you for helping! Keep an eye on it! Don't let it peck you, that's a fighter!"
After barking the instruction, Yuki didn't wait for a reply. She sprinted off again, diving into a bush to tackle a runaway piglet.
"Come back here, 'Pork Bun'! You haven't been seasoned yet!"
Cerberus looked bewildered. She stood there, holding a giant chicken by the neck like a stuffed toy.
"Humans are weird," she concluded, poking the chicken's thick leg. "But at least the food is lively."
Just as Cerberus was wondering why this hen felt heavier and more muscular than the roasted chickens she usually devoured, another girl came running from the opposite direction.
This one had dark blue hair braided into two plaits and radiated an aura of immense anxiety. She was holding a long rope, and tied to the end of it was a comical parade of captured animals—ducks, geese, and even a small goat.
"Huff… huff… Yuki-chan… wait up…"
The blue-haired girl stopped near Cerberus, wiping sweat from her forehead.
Cerberus stared at her, then at the zoo on the leash. She expressed that she didn't understand, but she was greatly shocked.
"Is this..." Cerberus pointed at the goat. "Is this really a cooking school? Rindou said this was a sacred ground for chefs. Why does it look like a wild animal park I saw on Master's TV?"
The blue-haired girl offered a shy, apologetic smile, bowing slightly.
"It's fine, it's fine! I'm sorry for the trouble!" she stammered. "But… well, the school allows students to grow their own vegetables and raise animals for ingredients, so… sometimes escape attempts happen. Thank you so much for catching that one just now, we've been chasing them for twenty minutes!"
Cerberus nodded slowly, processing this. Fresh ingredients. Self-walking dinner. It made sense, in a barbaric sort of way.
"Oh~ What is this thing?" Cerberus lifted the bird higher. "Its legs are swollen. Is it sick? Should I put it out of its misery?"
"No! Please don't!" the girl squeaked, waving her hands frantically. "This is a Dong Tao chicken! It's a Vietnamese breed, famous for its thick legs and delicious meat. It's very difficult to raise. You're… Miss Cerberus, aren't you?"
Before Cerberus could answer, a gentle, mature voice floated over from the pathway.
"It seems you've made a new friend, Megumi."
Cerberus turned her head. Walking towards them was a tall girl with long, dark purple hair that cascaded down her back. She carried herself with a cool, "big sister" elegance that contrasted sharply with the chaos of the animal chase.
Cerberus blinked. "I am Cerberus. Who are you? How do you know my name? Are you a stalker?"
The tall girl chuckled softly, covering her mouth with her hand.
"My name is Sakaki Ryouko. That day when Ren-sensei came to give a guest lecture, I was one of the lucky students in his class. I sat in the second row. As for how I know your name… well, Ren-sensei called out to you quite a few times to stop you from eating the ingredients."
Cerberus's ears—all of them, metaphorically—twitched violently. Hearing anything related to Ren filled her with an immediate surge of energy. Her tail began to wag involuntarily.
"Mm! Mm! Mm!" She nodded vigorously. "So you're Master… Ren's student! Why didn't you say so earlier! Anyone taught by Master is a friend of mine!"
Sakaki Ryouko smiled and nodded at the blue-haired girl.
"Megumi, remember when I told you about the class? That day you happened to be in Chapelle-sensei's class, so you unfortunately missed it. This is the cute girl who is always by Ren-sensei's side."
[Akarin's Note: Tadokoro Megumi and Sakaki Ryouko are residents of the Polar Star Dormitory. Ryouko specializes in fermentation (Koji), while Megumi specializes in hospitality and local vegetables.]
Tadokoro Megumi's eyes widened in realization. She bowed hurriedly, almost dropping the rope.
"Oh! Oh! Hello! I'm sorry for not recognizing you! I'm Tadokoro Megumi, Ryouko-chan's roommate. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Cerberus!"
Cerberus puffed out her chest, feeling important. "Nice to meet you, Megumi! Just call me Cerberus!"
Sakaki Ryouko glanced around, her eyes scanning the area with a hint of anticipation. "If Miss Cerberus is here… does that mean Ren-sensei is also visiting Totsuki today?"
Hearing this, Tadokoro Megumi's golden eyes lit up with hope. The legendary "Magician of Ingredients" who had defeated an alumnus? Every student wanted a glimpse of him.
Cerberus shook her head, her ponytails swaying.
"No, no, no! Master is busy prepping the shop. Today, I came to play with Rindou and the others. They said they had to hand over some report or something and asked me to wait here so I wouldn't break anything inside the administration building."
"Rindou?" Megumi blinked. "Could it be… Senior Kobayashi Rindou, the Second Seat of the Elite Ten Council?!"
"Eh?" Cerberus looked confused. "Is Rindou that amazing? She just steals my snacks. I only know that Erina seems to be the Tenth Seat... I don't know what that means, but it must be pretty impressive if they get numbered seats."
"The Elite Ten are the rulers of this academy," Megumi started to explain, her voice trembling with reverence. "They stand at the apex—"
As she spoke, the atmosphere on the walkway shifted. The ambient noise of the campus seemed to hush. A pressure, heavy and undeniable, descended upon them.
Several beautiful figures appeared around the corner, walking with the confidence of queens surveying their kingdom.
A red-haired girl with cat-like eyes and sharp canines grinned, stepping forward to drape an arm casually around Cerberus's shoulder.
"The Elite Ten represent the ten strongest students in the academy, little doggy~ And yes, I am amazing!"
"Oh! Rindou, you're here~" Cerberus cheered, ignoring the overwhelming aura completely.
Kobayashi Rindou grinned. Behind her stood Nakiri Erina, looking regal with her arms crossed; Nakiri Alice, looking curious; and Akanegakubo Momo, clutching a giant stuffed cat toy.
Tadokoro Megumi froze, her soul practically leaving her body. Sakaki Ryouko stiffened, bowing respectfully.
"S-S-Seniors!" Megumi squeaked.
It was a gathering of titans. Three of the Elite Ten (Second, Fourth, and Tenth Seats) plus Alice, the heiress of molecular gastronomy. For first-year students like Megumi and Ryouko, this was like meeting gods.
Akanegakubo Momo, the Fourth Seat and master of sweets, glanced at the two first-years with half-lidded, sleepy eyes. She hugged her plushie, Bucchi, tighter.
"I remember you..." Momo murmured in a soft, loli-like voice that belied her terrifying skill. "You're Sakaki Ryouko... Your Koji-based cooking was praised by Shopkeeper Ren during the lecture. He said your fermentation control was excellent. Lucky you."
Sakaki Ryouko flushed with pride and nervousness. "Senior Akanegakubo, you flatter me! It's because Ren-sensei taught so well. I still have much to learn."
Just as Kobayashi Rindou was about to make a joke, she froze. Her cat-like eyes dilated as she pointed at the group of animals standing behind Megumi.
"Am I seeing things?" Rindou asked, her voice dropping an octave. "That's a purebred Dong Tao chicken. And that… is a chaoshan Lion-head Goose? Oh my goodness! Where did you get these things from?!"
Erina and Alice also stepped forward, their eyes locking onto the livestock. The playful atmosphere vanished, replaced by the intense scrutiny of professionals.
Erina narrowed her eyes at the chicken Cerberus was still holding. "The feather luster, the thickness of the legs, the clarity of the eyes… this isn't mass-market poultry. This is top-tier artisanal breeding."
Tadokoro Megumi nervously shifted, holding the rope tighter. "Um... Senior Kobayashi, Senior Nakiri... these are raised by one of our roommates, Yoshino Yuki..."
Alice leaned in, poking the goose with her finger. "Wow~ Then your roommate must be really amazing. The environmental parameters required for Dong Tao chickens are notoriously finicky. Temperature, humidity, feed… if they aren't perfect, the legs don't develop properly. To raise them to this level in a dorm garden? I didn't expect there to be such a talent in the High School section outside of us."
Erina nodded, her hand on her chin. "Hmm, indeed. The muscle density suggests a free-range environment with a very specific diet. Professional breeding farms struggle to hit this level of quality. What kind of feed does your roommate usually give them?"
Tadokoro Megumi thought for a moment, sweating under Erina's intense gaze. "I don't know the details... it seems like Yuki makes the feed mix herself... But they also usually eat leftover vegetables grown by Senior Isshiki Satoshi in the dorm garden..."
"Senior Isshiki Satoshi?" Rindou whistled. "The Seventh Seat? Is he in your dorm building?"
Sakaki Ryouko nodded. "Yes, Senior Isshiki is a resident of our dorm. He is usually very kind to everyone, and he helps out in the fields... though he is very humorous with his choice of clothing."
[Akarin's Note: Isshiki Satoshi is known for wearing only a naked apron (or a fundoshi) inside the dorm, hence the "humorous" comment.]
Kobayashi Rindou laughed, slapping her thigh. "That sounds like him! Which dorm building are you in? It sounds like a fun place!"
"Polar Star Dormitory..." Ryouko answered.
"Polar Star, huh?" Rindou grinned. "The legendary independent territory."
She turned to Erina. "Erina~ It seems you need to go inspect that dorm building properly. It's truly full of hidden monsters. First the fermentation girl, now a master breeder?"
Erina nodded very seriously, her eyes gleaming with a mix of administrative duty and culinary curiosity.
"Hmm. This kind of breeding method is excellent. I'll go take a look later this week. After all, if we can scale this up or standardize their methods, it could greatly improve the quality of ingredients supplied to Totsuki's internal market. It is my duty as the Tenth Seat to secure the best resources."
"Plus," Alice added with a smirk, "it sounds fun. A dorm where chickens run wild? I want to go too!"
Cerberus tugged on Rindou's sleeve, looking bored now that the chicken talk had gone over her head.
"Rindou, Rindou, Rindou! Are we going back now? I'm hungry! The chicken made me hungry!"
Rindou laughed, ruffling the demon girl's silver hair. "Yes, yes! We're done here. Time to go see Ren."
She turned to the first-years and waved. "See you two junior sisters later! Keep working hard! Tell Isshiki I said hi!"
"Yes! Goodbye, Seniors!"
Megumi and Ryouko bowed deeply—90 degrees—as the group of elite students and one demon walked away towards the waiting limousine.
[The Journey Home]
The interior of the Nakiri family limousine was a world away from the chaotic, dusty animal chase. The seats were upholstered in cream-colored leather that smelled of money, and the air conditioning was set to a perfect, crisp temperature.
As the long black vehicle glided smoothly out of the Totsuki main gates, the sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the Tokyo skyline in hues of bruised purple and burning orange.
Cerberus sat between Rindou and Alice, her nose pressed against the tinted window. She watched the scenery blur past—the green forests of the academy giving way to the concrete jungle of the city.
"Ne, Erina," Rindou broke the silence, kicking her legs out comfortably. "Are you really going to raid the Polar Star Dorm?"
Erina, who was reviewing a document on her tablet, looked up. "It is not a raid, Senior Rindou. It is an inspection. If they have resources like that, they should be utilized properly. Ren-sensei always says that ingredients dictate the upper limit of a dish. If we have such high-quality poultry right under our noses, ignoring it would be negligent."
"Heh," Rindou smirked, her eyes glinting. "You just want an excuse to taste their cooking, don't you?"
Erina blushed slightly, turning her head away. "I... I merely wish to verify the quality!"
Alice poked Erina's cheek. "Erina is just trying to find ingredients that can surprise Shopkeeper Ren. Admit it~ You want to bring him a 'Super Chicken' to praise you!"
"Alice!" Erina swatted her cousin's hand away, her face turning a deeper shade of pink. "That is absurd! I simply… respect his standards!"
Cerberus turned away from the window, looking at the bickering humans.
"Super Chicken?" Cerberus asked, drooling slightly. "Does it taste better than normal chicken?"
"Much better," Rindou promised. "The skin is crunchy like pork rinds, and the meat is juicy enough to drown in. Ren could probably make an amazing Samgyetang or Karaage with it."
"Karaage!" Cerberus cheered, her tails (if she had them visible) would be wagging at Mach speed. "Master's Karaage! I want! Faster! Driver, drive faster!"
The driver, a stoic man in a black suit, didn't even flinch, maintaining a steady, lawful speed as they navigated the evening traffic.
Traffic lights flashed rhythmically—Red. Green. Yellow. The city lights began to flicker on, transforming Tokyo into a sea of neon.
Cerberus watched the transformation. She saw tired salarymen walking home, couples holding hands, and the steam rising from ramen stalls on the sidewalks.
"The human world is so busy," Cerberus murmured. "Everyone is rushing somewhere."
"That's because everyone is hungry," Momo said softly from the corner, hugging her stuffed bear. "They are rushing to eat. Just like us."
"That's profound, Momo-senpai," Alice giggled.
The car eventually turned off the main avenue, navigating the narrower streets that led to the quiet district where the Dimensional Restaurant resided. The transition was palpable—from the noise and lights of the main city to the serene, nostalgic atmosphere of Ren's street.
As the limo pulled up to the curb, the familiar warm yellow light of the restaurant spilled out onto the pavement.
"We're here!" Cerberus shouted, opening the door before the car even came to a complete stop.
"Hey! Wait for us!" Rindou laughed, scrambling after her.
As the girls stepped out, leaving the luxury of the car for the comfort of the shop, Erina paused for a moment. She smoothed her skirt, took a deep breath, and prepared herself.
Not as the Tenth Seat of Totsuki. But as a diner ready to be amazed.
"I really didn't expect today to turn out like this..." Erina whispered to herself, a small smile gracing her lips.
"Hmm?" Alice looked back. "Coming, Erina?"
"Yes. Let's go eat."
[Akarin Note:
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