Chapter 614: The Chain Reaction of Secrets
Ichihara Yuko was visibly on edge. Even Cerberus, usually oblivious to such subtleties, could sense the thick tension radiating from the Dimensional Witch. Modeus parted her lips to ask what was wrong, but Lucifer beat her to it. A wicked, knowing smile curved the CEO of Hell's lips.
"What kind of scandalous secret could our foolish Yuko possibly be hiding?" Lucifer mused, her voice dripping with velvet amusement. "At most, she drafted a pathetic little love letter that she never mustered the courage to send."
Yuko's composure slipped. A faint twitch tugged at the corner of her mouth before she forced a soft, airy chuckle, waving her slender pipe dismissively.
"I hardly need to write such things, do I?" Yuko deflected, her tone smooth but defensive. "Besides, what secrets could I possibly harbor? I rarely step foot outside my shop, and when I do, I am always in your delightful company."
The others nodded slowly, murmuring in agreement. It was a flawless alibi. Only Lucifer struggled to maintain her composure. As a fellow insider, she was fully aware of the exact skeleton hiding in Yuko's closet.
"Pfft..." A muffled snort escaped Lucifer.
Yuko stiffened, her crimson eyes narrowing with suspicion. "What exactly is so amusing?"
Lucifer waved a hand, her shoulders shaking with suppressed mirth. "Oh, nothing. I just suddenly remembered something incredibly entertaining."
"Is it really because of that?" Yuko pressed, her voice dropping a fraction of an octave.
"Yes, yes, of course..." Lucifer gasped, finally losing the battle against her laughter. "Pfft... Rindou!"
Kobayashi Rindou, who had been happily munching on a snack while enjoying the unfolding drama, nearly choked. Her golden, cat-like eyes went wide. Why was she suddenly in the crosshairs? She was just a wealthy, carefree girl with a perfectly normal family!
Swallowing hard, Rindou wildly waved her hands in denial. "I don't have any dark secrets! The absolute worst thing I've done recently was eating Momo-chan's late-night dessert stash a few days ago! That barely even counts as a secret, right?!"
Akanegakubo Momo froze. The stuffed toy in her arms was suddenly crushed in a death grip as her eyes filled with absolute fury.
"My midnight sweets!" Momo shrieked, her usual quiet demeanor shattering. "I spent my entire weekend perfecting those pastries! I was going to eat them after class on Monday, but they completely vanished! And you... you actually convinced Momo-chan that Momo-chan ate them while sleepwalking! Rindou-senpai! I am going to destroy you!"
"Calm down, calm down! Time out!" Rindou yelled, backing away from the furious pastry chef. "Hey, hey, hey! Momo-chan, aren't you the one who used Alice's research report as scrap paper to wrap your baked sweet potatoes?!"
Now it was Nakiri Alice's turn to freeze. Her ruby eyes widened in sheer horror.
"What?!" Alice gasped, clutching her pale cheeks. "My molecular gastronomy report! I spent days looking for that! Akanegakubo-senpai!"
Momo shrank back, her anger instantly evaporating into stammering guilt. "I... I... that... that was just a tiny mistake..."
Alice threw her hands up in dramatic exasperation. "I thought it was already absurd enough that I accidentally tossed a shoujo romance manga I found in Erina's room into the oven alongside my test cake! But my report?!"
Nakiri Erina jolted as if struck by lightning. Her amethyst eyes shrank to pinpricks, and her face flushed a violent shade of crimson.
"Alice!" Erina shrieked, her tsundere composure completely disintegrating. "I knew it! I knew that's why my manga smelled like burnt vanilla cream! I even wondered why, when I complained about my book smelling like frosting without mentioning the title, you immediately claimed it was the sweet scent of youthful love! So it was you?! Wait... no... How did you even find that book?!"
Alice nervously twiddled her fingers, looking anywhere but at her furious cousin. "I... I happened to see Hisako buying it for you..."
"Eh?! Ehhh?!" Erina stammered, her voice cracking into a high-pitched squeak. "I-I have no idea what you are talking about! I didn't ask her to buy anything of the sort!"
Cerberus and the rest of the onlookers stood in stunned silence. The sheer velocity of this collateral damage was stunning. Lucifer had merely called out one name, and it had triggered a catastrophic chain reaction of exposed secrets. Just how much deceit and scheming were these girls living with on a daily basis?!
Desperate to change the subject, Rindou pointed an accusing finger at the laughing demon. "Lucifer! What were you actually trying to say just now?!"
Lucifer wiped a tear of mirth from her eye. "Oh, right. I just wanted to announce that Kirari will be arriving shortly."
"Then you should have just started with that!" Rindou wailed, ducking behind a chair. "Momo-chan, put the rolling pin down! Stop, stop, stop!"
Watching the chaotic scene unfold, Nakiri Mana felt a faint twitch at the corner of her mouth. She knew her daughter was resilient, and Erina's memories of her mother's suffocating presence were somewhat vague, but she truly hadn't expected the dark shadow of trauma to dissipate quite this quickly.
Still, a deep sense of relief washed over Mana. Erina hadn't fallen ill, she hadn't broken down in tears, and she hadn't fainted. She was just a normal, flustered teenage girl yelling at her cousin.
Far away from the chaotic dining room, the cool evening breeze swept through a bustling commercial district. Neon lights painted the pavement in vibrant, electric hues, casting long shadows behind a group of four distinct figures.
"Oh my... President, is this really the district where Mr. Ren's restaurant is located?" Yomotsuki Runa asked, her oversized rabbit hoodie bouncing as she looked around. "It's an incredibly lively street!"
Runa's eyes darted across the glowing storefronts and crowded sidewalks, her expression one of genuine surprise. "This is actually amazing. It's a highly renowned shopping district, especially popular at night. The foot traffic here is insane!"
Momobami Kirari walked at the front of the group, her platinum braids swaying gently. A serene, enigmatic smile graced her pale lips as she elegantly waved a hand.
"No, no, no. How could Ren possibly open a restaurant in a place like this?" Kirari murmured, her voice smooth and unhurried. "If he did, wouldn't he be absolutely swamped with common customers?"
Runa blinked, tilting her head in confusion. "What do you mean? President, you must have misspoken. What kind of restaurant owner doesn't want more customers?"
Beside them, Jabami Yumeko nodded in agreement, though her dark eyes were already beginning to gleam with a feverish intensity.
Kirari's cheeks dusted with a faint, uncharacteristic flush of excitement. "That is precisely what makes Ren so extraordinary. His establishment has no menu, no glowing signboard, and it cannot even be found on a digital map."
"Eh?!" Runa gasped. "How can he possibly get any business like that?!"
"Ren told me..." Kirari paused, her icy blue eyes reflecting the distant neon lights. "Rather than serving a massive horde of faceless patrons, he prefers to entertain a select few interesting ones. If a customer manages to find his hidden door under such impossible conditions, it is a form of fate. Hmm... Yumeko... This is the absolute guidance of destiny."
At the word destiny, Jabami Yumeko's breath hitched. A heavy, intoxicating flush spread across her cheeks, and her eyes dilated with pure, unadulterated euphoria.
"Yes!" Yumeko gasped, her voice trembling with a saccharine, obsessive delight. "Among countless restaurants and an infinite sea of diners, only a chosen few can ever set foot inside... This is... this is true destiny! This is a high-stakes gamble orchestrated by fate itself! Shopkeeper Ren... he is like the ultimate guide of destiny... No... he is the master of destiny!"
Kirari's smile widened, pleased by the raven-haired girl's intoxicating enthusiasm. "As expected of you, Yumeko. Your perspective is always so wonderfully thrilling. Tell me, where do you think Ren's shop is hidden?"
Yumeko didn't hesitate. She spun around, her black skirt flaring, and pointed a slender finger toward a pitch-black alleyway branching off from the main road.
"This street!"
Runa stared in utter disbelief at the dark, narrow path Yumeko had singled out. There wasn't a single streetlamp illuminating the cobblestones. It looked as desolate and forgotten as a stray dog abandoned in a gutter.
Kirari chuckled softly, stepping toward the shadows. "Let us go. It is time for a feast."
"Is it really down here?!" Runa squeaked, hesitant to step into the gloom.
Walking quietly behind Kirari, Sayaka adjusted her glasses and spoke in a hushed, reverent tone. "Lord Ren's establishment is indeed located down this path."
Yumeko gazed down the dark alley, her smile turning dangerously sweet. "Oh my... So the adjacent street is a beacon of luxurious prosperity, while this path is a desolate void. They exist back to back! Guided by the invisible hand of fate, one either wanders into this abyss or loses themselves in the blinding prosperity on the other side. Shopkeeper Ren is truly a magnificent man!"
"Exactly!" Kirari agreed, her heels clicking against the stone.
As they ventured deeper into the shadows, Runa continued to glance around nervously. Was there actually a restaurant hidden in this creepy alley? It felt far too outrageous to be true. Yet, looking at the absolute certainty on the faces of the President and Sayaka, she knew they weren't playing a prank on her.
Then, the warm, inviting glow of a traditional lantern pierced the darkness.
"Really... There really is a restaurant!" Runa exclaimed, her eyes widening.
Kirari smiled, her gaze softening as she looked at the wooden door. "Oh, it appears they must be..."
"Kirari-nee?!"
Before Kirari could finish her elegant observation, a soft, startled voice echoed through the quiet alley.
Kirari turned her head. Standing near the entrance, frozen like a deer in headlights, was Kasugano Sora. The frail, silver-haired girl was clutching her school bag tightly against her chest, her pale eyes wide with shock.
Yumeko's eyes instantly sparkled with delight. "Oh la la! What an incredibly cute girl!"
Sora swallowed hard, taking a timid step back.
Kirari's authoritative aura softened into a warm, familial smile. "Sora. Have you just finished school?"
"Yes..." Sora murmured, her voice barely a whisper.
"Why are you only returning now? It is quite late."
"That... Uh... I..." Sora stammered, her kuudere facade cracking as she nervously gripped the strap of her bag. "This... Well... I went to buy some manga..."
Kirari let out a soft, airy laugh. "Relax, I am not Yumiko. I heard you performed exceptionally well on your midterm exams this time, which is highly commendable. What are you standing out here for? Come along, let us go home."
Sora blinked, a wave of relief washing over her delicate features. "Oh! Oh, right!"
"However," Kirari added, her tone dropping into a conspiratorial whisper, "do not tell Yumiko that I let you off the hook."
Sora nodded vigorously. "Got it!"
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