As the Gensokyo group departed, the restaurant suddenly felt much emptier.
Yuto collected the money Yakumo Yukari had left behind and called out, "Tohru, clean up here."
If you got employees, you've got to make them work.
No sooner had he finished speaking than the dragon girl rushed to the counter and cleared the tables with remarkable speed.
Watching the diligent girl work, Yuto felt a sense of satisfaction.
Employees who loved to work like this were rare.
He felt proud of his discerning eye.
He had somehow managed to spot Tohru, such an exceptional employee!
"Boss, I've taken all the dishes to the kitchen!" Tohru smiled brightly as she carried the plates to the back.
The counter, now gleaming like new, left Yuto feeling a bit moved. It was cleaner than he could have ever managed himself!
It was practically reflecting light.
'As expected of a dragon! They really know how to work!'
Just as Tohru finished cleaning, Ainz, Saitama, and Rimuru shifted their positions and settled at Counter 05 once more.
Yuto glanced at the trio with a curious look.
"Just as I thought, sitting here again is nice," Ainz remarked, his voice carrying a hint of contentment.
Rimuru and Saitama nodded in agreement beside him.
Yuto chuckled softly and shook his head at the trio.
'These three were truly amusing.'
"By the way, Kamisaka, when can you give me... you know?" Ainz sat down and immediately turned to Yuto, his voice laced with anticipation.
Especially those last two words, you know, carried a peculiar, expectant tone.
"Yeah, Boss," Rimuru chimed in, also looking at him with eagerness.
The slime's voice sounded like a child begging for candy.
Saitama, standing beside his two friends, had just asked Ainz and Rimuru what they had asked Yuto to buy.
While Saitama wasn't interested in light novels or manga, he was curious about games, so he also stared blankly at Yuto.
The synchronized gazes of the trio looked rather comical!
Yuto waved his hand dismissively. "I'll get it for you after I finish cooking."
His words seemed to appease Ainz and Rimuru.
The skeleton and the slime nodded calmly, as if they hadn't been anxiously waiting just moments before.
Yuto turned and entered the kitchen.
The dragon girl, Tohru, was washing dishes by the sink, her hands moving with fast speed and efficiency.
A freshly cleaned dish appeared nearly every second.
Yuto glanced over and clicked his tongue.
'Damn, its remarkably clean.'
Watching her joyful demeanor, Yuto chuckled softly and sighed. "Tohru, about you being late today..."
As he opened the freezer to select the meat for grilling later, he brought up her tardiness.
Upon hearing her Boss's words, the dragon girl's dishwashing slowed instantly, and the smile on her face stiffened.
She awkwardly turned her head to face him.
"Ah, Boss, I can explain!" Tohru said, forcing a strained smile.
Yuto had already chosen the meat. He placed it on the cutting board and said, "Tohru, help me portion this."
He drew a line across the surface of the massive cut of meat with his knife.
It was too large to handle in one piece, so he needed to divide it first.
The dragon girl followed his instructions. With a gentle snap, she split the rock-hard frozen meat into two halves.
"Thanks, Tohru. Now, how are you planning to explain your lateness?" Yuto turned to her with a smile.
"It's because Fafnir and Quetzalcoatl's homes are so far away! I had to fly several thousand kilometers back and forth! Waaah, Boss, please forgive me!" Tohru gazed at him with teary eyes, looking adorable.
Yuto sighed helplessly. "Originally, I was going to deduct one free meal from your salary."
Upon hearing this, the dragon girl's tail instantly straightened.
She lunged to hug Yuto and beg for mercy, but he quickly stopped her.
The memory of being nearly strangled by her last time still lingered in his mind.
For safety's sake, it was best to be cautious.
"Tohru, I'm talking about what should be! What should be!" Yuto said irritably, patting the dragon girl's head.
He had to admit, petting a dragon's head felt similar to petting a normal person's head.
He was curious about how Tohru's horns would feel to pinch, but he figured it was best not to try that casually.
"Eh?! Does that mean Boss has forgiven me?" The dragon girl looked a little dazed but also delighted.
She straightened up, her expression a blend of innocent charm and bewilderment.
"Considering how well you behaved tonight, Tohru, I've decided to forgive you this time," Yuto said with a faint smile.
Tohru had indeed performed admirably that evening, defending Yuto during the incident, helping Shoko, and working with enthusiasm.
After considering it, he decided to let her off the hook this time.
"Woo-hoo! Boss is the best!"
Yuto, having received the "nice guy" card, raised an eyebrow slightly. "But! Tohru, if you're late again tomorrow, I'll deduct two free dishes from your salary."
He knew when to use a carrot and stick approach.
As the Boss, maintaining authority was essential.
"Yes!" Tohru nodded with enthusiasm.
"By the way, Tohru, you can breathe fire, right?"
"Yes!"
Yuto flipped the meat in his hand, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips.
"Then come help me grill."
"Okay!" Tohru wagged her tail and followed Yuto into the backyard.
...
"Fafnir, didn't you want to try the thick omelet earlier?" Kanna turned her head, her expression blank as she asked Fafnir.
Beside her, Quetzalcoatl covered her mouth with a hand, smiling softly.
A flicker of an unreadable emotion flashed in Fafnir's cold eyes as he turned his head away.
"I would never deign to taste such paltry human fare," he declared, his voice icy and resolute.
Kanna blinked. "Alright then." S
he then resumed chatting with Shoko beside her.
"Make the fire hotter."
Whoosh—
"Excellent."
In the backyard, Yuto and Tohru were grilling meat.
As Yuto spoke, Tohru continuously controlled the flames she breathed from her mouth.
It was a convenient grilling method. Yuto had initially just wanted to try it out, but he never expected this method to be so effective.
As a dragon, Tohru possessed perfect control over the size and temperature of the flames she exhaled.
By altering the shape of the fire, she could even concentrate bursts of heat precisely where needed.
This method was far faster than using a conventional grill.
The only downside was that it was a bit tiring for the dragon.
"Alright, Tohru, thank you for your hard work," Yuto said with a smile, flipping the meat and sprinkling seasoning over it.
The dragon girl coughed beside him, her voice a little hoarse as she replied, "It's no problem!"
Breathing fire continuously for five or six minutes had left even a dragon feeling a bit strained!
Hearing Tohru's voice, Yuto couldn't help but show a hint of concern. "Tohru, are you sure you're okay?"
"Daijoubu! I'll just have some water and I'll be fine!"
Watching the dragon girl confidently give him a thumbs-up, Yuto sighed inwardly with resignation.
'Well, I should probably avoid grilling meat like this in the future.'
"Let's go." Yuto chuckled softly as he stepped from the backyard into the small restaurant.
The dragon girl followed behind him, her tail wagging.
She looked like a proud student who had just accomplished something impressive.
Pushing open the kitchen door, Yuto quickly stepped aside to let Tohru enter.
This was the final dish of the day.
After cooking non-stop since opening, Yuto finally had a brief moment of downtime.
"Boss, I'll take it over." Tohru reached for the grilled meat, but Yuto refused.
Since there were no more orders to prepare, he decided to deliver this last dish himself.
It would also give him a chance to properly meet Tohru's friends.
Ever since Kanna Kamui and the other dragons had arrived, he'd been too busy cooking to even greet them properly.
"I'll handle it," Yuto said with a smile, picking up the platter and walking out from behind the counter toward Quetzalcoatl.
Tohru trailed closely behind him.
"I'm sorry for the wait," Yuto said to Quetzalcoatl, his tone warm and slightly apologetic.
Quetzalcoatl gazed at Yuto with a warm smile, her expression devoid of reproach, instead brimming with curiosity and affection.
Her lineage traced back to the ancient guardian deities of humanity.
Her attitude toward humans had always leaned toward friendliness, especially toward those who appeared young and endearing.
With such individuals, Quetzalcoatl made no attempt to conceal her fondness.
"I never expected the Boss to deliver this himself," she murmured with a gentle, beaming smile.
Her eyes were perpetually narrowed, her lips curved in a constant, welcoming grin.
"I simply happened to be free. Besides, since you're a friend of Tohru's, it's only proper for me, as her employer, to come and greet you," Yuto replied calmly.
His lowered hand was clasped by Shoko, who sat beside him as he gently patted Shoko's head in response.
"Eek! Boss, you don't have to do that!" Tohru exclaimed beside him, a hint of delight coloring her words.
The dragon girl felt a warm glow in her heart at Yuto's concern for her!
"It seems Tohru has truly found an excellent employer~" Quetzalcoatl remarked, her narrowed eyes widening slightly.
Her heterochromatic eyes, with their strangely shaped pupils, lent her an inexplicable air of mystery and majesty
Yuto's reflection shimmered in her eyes, filling the dragon with satisfaction and affection.
"Hmph! Of course! Boss is nothing like those ordinary humans! He's kind, gentle, and makes the most delicious food! Every human besides him is just a filthy, crawling insect!" Tohru puffed out her chest, her tail wagging vigorously like a delighted puppy's.
At the counter, Saitama and the others found themselves unintentionally caught in the crossfire.
Shoko tilted her head, her large, innocent eyes filled with question marks as she gazed at Tohru.
"Ah! I'm so sorry, Shoko! I forgot to include you!" Tohru immediately apologized, guilt washing over her face.
Listening to the dragon girl's rambling beside him, Yuto couldn't help but feel a bit exasperated.
Sometimes, Tohru really seemed like a child!
.