"I think it's normal for Saitama to refuse," Yuto said, unfazed by Ainz's distress.
The previous night, Ainz had mentioned that if he could spend extended periods in other worlds, he would want to live with Saitama.
When Rimuru revealed that the Death Knight was still alive, Ainz pitched his plan to the hero.
And then... he was rejected.
Now, while chatting with Yuto, the topic came up again almost by accident.
"Ah, I can understand Saitama's reasons, but I'm still a little hurt," Ainz said, his voice tinged with melancholy.
Saitama had rejected him out of concern that his appearance might cause trouble.
"You really want to go to Saitama's world that badly?" Yuto asked, looking at him with a hint of confusion.
"It's not just about Saitama's world," Ainz replied. "I just miss modern society a bit. Even though my original world was terrible, being in this other world makes me felt nostalgic for it. After all, that place is so boring!"
Ainz's voice started with deep emotion but ended in a near-shout.
Yuto could tell that Ainz loathed the monotony of his new world.
Suddenly, a thought struck him.
'Perhaps if Ainz were a normal person, he wouldn't find it so boring... That skeletal body... it's convenient in some ways, but so inconvenient in others...'
"And you, Rimuru?" Yuto turned to the slime beside him.
Hearing the question, the slime sank into a brief moment of existential contemplation.
"Me... well, I do miss human society a little..." Rimuru finally said, his voice tinged with melancholy.
Yuto frowned slightly at the deliberately somber tone.
'Is he... turning into another Ainz?'
Screech—
The restaurant door slid open, and Yuto shifted his gaze from Ainz to the entrance.
He stood up, a warm smile gracing his face as he looked at the newcomer.
She was a dazzling girl, effortlessly becoming the center of attention just by standing there. Unlike Iskandar or Whitebeard, who commanded gazes through sheer presence and overwhelming aura, this girl was like a brilliant star, naturally drawing everyone's eyes with her radiant glow.
Her light blue hair was tied into long twin tails, and her gray-blue dress fell just to her upper thighs.
Her shoulders were bare, while black detached sleeves extended from her forearms to just above her elbows.
The moment Yuto saw her, a thought struck him.
'This girl... she must be an idol!'
"Hello, welcome. What can I get for you?" Yuto asked, his tone as casual as ever.
The girl's sapphire-like eyes shimmered faintly.
She tapped her lips with a finger, seemingly pondering what to eat. After a moment's thought, her eyes lit up like stars.
"Can I have some cake?"
Yuto drew a sharp breath. 'Cake... that's not exactly my specialty...'
"Would a milk cake be alright?" he suggested after a moment's consideration.
"Mhm!"
The girl wasn't picky.
With a cheerful reply, she walked over to the counter and took a seat.
"Alright, please wait a moment," Yuto said before heading into the back kitchen.
The girl remained at her seat, humming an unfamiliar tune. Even Ainz and Rimuru, who rarely listened to music, could appreciate the melody's pleasantness.
No, it wasn't just the tune that was pleasant—it was the girl's voice itself.
Even though she was just humming casually, it sounded as polished as a professionally recorded album.
Ainz glanced at Rimuru.
'Looks like she's an idol,' Ainz thought.
'No way, she looks like she's still in middle school,' Rimuru replied. 'My gut tells me she's an amazing singer!'
The two were communicating telepathically, though strictly speaking, neither of them had eyes.
"Oh! Young lady, that's a lovely tune you're humming!" Iskandar remarked, setting down his cup and raising an eyebrow with interest.
"Thank you, mister," the girl replied politely.
Her legs swung back and forth under the counter, like the joyful fluttering of a butterfly's wings.
Even Yuto in the back kitchen could hear her humming.
The melody was graceful and cheerful, utterly captivating to the ears. It lifted his spirits without him even realizing it.
It was magical.
The girl continued to hum softly, her song never ceasing.
The other patrons in the restaurant instinctively lowered their voices. Everyone was listening intently to the girl's gentle humming.
In the back kitchen, Yuto couldn't help but smile.
Even his cake-making speed picked up a little. He was an Eastern cuisine chef, he didn't know how to make many Western pastries like this.
He had only learned a few representative dishes, and when it came to cakes, he knew just a handful of recipes.
'Maybe it's time to changed,' Yuto thought to himself. 'I should probably go learn something new.'
Even as these thoughts crossed his mind, his hands didn't slow down.
Mixing the batter, adding milk, a dash of vinegar, sugar, whipping the cream, beating the eggs...
Finally, he covered the mixture with plastic wrap and placed it in the steamer for thirty minutes.
After tidying up, he walked out of the kitchen.
As if his appearance was the cue, the girl stopped humming.
Everyone's gaze shifted to Yuto, some with a hint of complaint for interrupting the impromptu concert.
Yuto gave a helpless, light laugh and looked at the girl with curiosity.
"Do you study music professionally?"
"Yes!"
Yuto looked at her with admiration.
He had once considered trying his hand at music, but he quickly discovered he was better suited to cooking.
"Could you sing a song? If it's too much trouble, never mind."
The girl's humming echoed in Yuto's mind, compelling him to make the request.
But as soon as the words left his mouth, he felt he had been a bit presumptuous.
Unexpectedly, the girl didn't mind at all. Instead, she smiled happily.
"Of course!"
Her eyes were joyful and bright; Yuto even felt like they were glowing!
...
Meeting you in this fleeting world, We talked about our dreams.
The fish restaurant by the roadside, Promises dissolving in sparkling wine.
When did our faces flush red, In a theater meant for just the two of us?
The girl's voice was melodious and cheerful, like a stream flowing through a meadow of blooming flowers.
The warm sunlight from above made the river shimmer with a golden glow.
Occasional splashes sent droplets into the air, reflecting a translucent, crystalline light.
A gentle breeze drifted by, carrying the scent of flowers mixed with the earthy fragrance of the soil.
It was a beautiful scene, conjured just by listening to the girl's singing.
Ainz and Rimuru set down their light novels.
Quetzalcoatl listened quietly with a gentle smile, and even Fafnir, who always wore a cold expression, found his face softening into calmness.
Yuto leaned against the wall, his thoughts settling into a serene state.
His mind felt clear, as if he were standing alone in an empty meadow.
The girl gradually lowered her voice, her brilliant eyes shining with a bright light, just like starlight.
Only after the singing stopped for a moment did everyone snap back to reality.
Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap—
Deeply moved, Yuto applauded the girl as the others quickly joined in.
The girl smiled and nodded gracefully to everyone in thanks.
"Amazing! You must be a real idol!" Rimuru exclaimed.
He had doubted Ainz's guess earlier, but after hearing her singing, his doubts vanished!
Ainz glanced down at Rimuru, looking both smug and slightly disdainful.
"That's the most beautiful singing I've ever heard," Yuto said with genuine emotion.
He occasionally watched stars sing on TV, but none of them could compare to the girl before him.
Faced with everyone's astonished and admiring gazes, the girl simply smiled.
Her twin pigtails swayed with her bright expression.
"Hey, hey, hey! What's your name?!"
"I'm Hatsune Miku. Just call me Hatsune."
"Hatsune Miku... What a fitting name."
Perhaps it was Hatsune's singing, but both Ainz and Rimuru's attitudes toward her grew noticeably warmer.
Ainz was relatively composed, but Rimuru's enthusiasm was palpable.
It made Yuto feel like Rimuru was acting like an otaku chasing after idol girls!
He'd seen scenes on TV of idol performances, where the fans in the audience would go wild the moment the idols appeared.
While Rimuru hadn't reached that level of frenzy yet, Yuto felt a strong sense of déjà vu.
If this kept up, Rimuru might just become one of those fans.
Still, Yuto didn't find it strange.
After all, his impression of Rimuru had already solidified into that of a cheerful otaku.
At this point, he felt he could get used to any further changes in Rimuru's image.
Facing Rimuru's questions, Hatsune answered politely.
Her demeanor seemed seasoned.
Yuto guessed she was used to this kind of situation.
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