The Gourmet Demon

"Here, this is our shop owner's business card."

Touka handed the business card to Hisako.

Hisako received it with both hands, paid the bill, and left.

Returning to the table, she handed the business card to Senzaemon.

Senzaemon didn't add the contact immediately.

Instead, he looked at the anxiously waiting crowd outside and said.

"Let's go back first and let other customers taste this deliciousness. We'll contact him when we have time."

So the three got up and left first.

As the first table to leave.

As soon as they came out.

Customers immediately asked: "Hey, that grandfather, how was the taste?"

Senzaemon didn't have his usual serious demeanor from Totsuki.

Instead, he warmly gave a thumbs up with immense praise.

"Saikō no ryōri!" (The most delicious cuisine!)

After saying that, he left.

Immediately, his table was cleared.

Then Tohru came to the entrance again, letting another table from the crowd enter.

Just like that.

People inside finished eating table by table, paid their bills and left.

People outside entered table by table and began ordering.

Among those entering.

There were expectant ones, nervous ones, those just checking it out - all kinds.

But those coming out were almost all the same.

Excited, cheering, with blissful expressions!

Almost everyone praised the cuisine extremely!

Words like "saikō!" "invincible!" "super!" - all such adjectives were used!

Making the people queuing outside more anxious than each other.

Wishing they could go in and eat immediately!

On the street outside the alley.

The three Nakiri family members returned to their car and breathed a long sigh.

Especially Erina and Senzaemon.

As soon as the two leaned back on their seats.

They simultaneously began squinting their eyes, reminiscing about the deliciousness just now.

With the lingering taste on their lips and teeth.

The deliciousness seemed to still be on their tongues.

The texture seemed to still fill their mouths.

Making them unconsciously purse their lips.

But once their mouths were empty.

Once people sobered up.

What they felt was emptiness, regret.

Erina rubbed her stuffed little belly with her hand, her face flushed.

"Why would there be such a top-level chef among ordinary people, with no prior news about him?"

Senzaemon squinted his eyes and sighed.

"There are many top-level chefs among ordinary people, but someone this top-level - he's the only one."

"I know many top-level chefs, including those who haven't studied at Totsuki."

"But in my memory, none have the culinary skills of this shop owner."

"Moreover, he only used this much time for these dishes, showing this is just his average level, or rather daily level."

Erina nodded in agreement.

As someone who had been intensively trained with the God Tongue since childhood.

The cuisine she had tasted was truly countless.

But those who could reach Shop Owner Hayashi's level... no, you couldn't compare by level.

Erina tried to describe it.

She took out her phone and began organizing her evaluation of this extraordinary deliciousness.

"It's like a deliciousness that strikes directly at the soul."

"It triggers people's instinct for food. Once it enters your mouth, your lips and teeth automatically begin chewing."

"You cannot refuse, nor do you want to refuse. You just keep swallowing."

"At the same time, your soul feels pleasure, and your body reacts."

"This is an incredible sensation."

"As if both body and mind have been baptized."

Erina murmured while recording on her phone.

Listening to this description, Arato Hisako's face turned red.

Although these descriptions were factual, taken alone they were too ambiguous!

After hearing this, Senzaemon smiled.

"Written quite realistically. Erina, do you want to eat again tomorrow?"

"I want to!" Erina suddenly looked up and answered.

But then realized she was being a bit too eager.

So she blushed slightly and explained.

"I want to taste more of that shop owner's techniques. His works are too incredible. Why would there be such magical culinary skills!"

Ordinary good chefs at most make your mouth and tongue happy.

A very few top-level chefs make you feel pleased and satisfied.

But today's chef struck directly at the soul with exhilaration!

After eating, your whole person was radiant!

After listening, Senzaemon nodded and turned to Hisako.

"Then let's stop here for today. Let's go back and come again tomorrow."

"Yes." Hisako nodded and started the car to leave.

The black car slowly departed.

But the crowd still gathered toward the alley.

More and more people queued at the midnight diner entrance.

Outside Anteiku coffee shop.

Irimi Kaya and Koma Enji stood at the entrance, looking into the alley.

"This is a huge explosion in popularity." Irimi Kaya marveled.

Koma Enji smiled: "Touka and the Fueguchis probably don't even have time for a sip of water."

Irimi Kaya glanced at him.

"Why don't you say the shop owner's spatula is smoking from all the cooking?"

While the two were marveling.

Yomo returned from outside.

Seeing this commotion at the alley entrance, he fell silent.

Irimi Kaya and Koma Enji explained the situation to Yomo.

After listening, Yomo became even more silent.

He looked at the two and said something that made everyone silent.

"With the shop owner so busy, won't our food be even more troublesome for him?"

Now that was a problem.

The three fell silent.

"It... it shouldn't stay explosively popular for a long period, right?" Even the SS-rank ghoul Koma Enji was nervous enough to stutter.

Irimi Kaya was also breaking out in cold sweat: "Maybe during this period, we should only trouble the shop owner to make sushi, or anything at all, as long as it's swallowable."

To be able to eat a proper meal.

As long as it was swallowable.

They could accept anything.

They had survived that kind of life before.

Now as long as they could swallow it, as long as they didn't have to eat what they used to.

Yomo crossed his arms and thought.

Finally he sighed: "We'll know when Touka comes back. Let's go back first."

"Right, right."

"Mm."

On the neighboring street.

Reze found time to come out and look at the alley.

After discovering so many people, a wave of uncomfortable feelings immediately welled up in her heart.

"My dinner..."

Yes, compared to intelligence gathering.

She was now more regretful about missing her dinner.

And building a good relationship with Shop Owner Hayashi.

But with so many people.

Even just wanting to see him would require queuing for a very long time.

So this period was definitely impossible.

At this time, at the midnight diner.

Since the diner's waitstaff were either ghouls or dragons.

So facing the busy crowd, they had no pressure at all.

Instead, they handled everything with ease and coordination.

Taking orders, cleaning, serving food.

Three main categories, each person responsible for one.

When free, they'd help another.

The coordination between experts.

It was simply too synchronized.

Handling so many customers, yet not a single one became unhappy.

Of course.

This was also due to Hayashi's fast food preparation.

And the food being so delicious that people eating were too busy to talk.

In the kitchen.

Hayashi cooked easily and relaxedly.

"Good thing I have the Eternity Devil's ability. This ability is too useful for cooking."

He never would have thought.

The Eternity Devil's ability would be so useful in this aspect.

"If it were before, with so many customers, I'd probably be busy to the point of flying around. Even with the String-String Fruit to control things, I'd be spinning in circles."

"But now with the Eternity Devil's ability, even if the kitchen is at full capacity, for me it's."

"Simple and easy."

Hayashi operated two pots by himself.

The remaining pots were all controlled by the String-String Fruit, tied to various positions on the pots, making movements and operations similar to a person.

He just needed to continuously add prepared side dishes and ingredients to the pots.

During this period.

Tohru, Kirishima Touka, Fueguchi Ryouko, and Hinami all came to the kitchen to check.

They were all shocked by Hayashi's operations.

They all watched for a while before hurriedly leaving.

In their eyes.

Hayashi was like a conductor at a concert.

Under the dance of his fingers, all cooking utensils danced gracefully like dancers.

Clearly intense and bustling.

Yet it looked full of elegance and coordination.

So skilled!

Just like that.

The midnight diner was bustling with activity.

Customers entered in batches, then came out in batches, then another batch went in.

During this time, people sent messages to Hayashi's phone.

He had no time to look.

Because customers kept coming continuously.

After Makima learned about this, she didn't come looking for Hayashi today either, but sent a message.

The midnight diner was busy from afternoon to evening.

At this time, there were still many customers queuing outside.

Then busy from evening to midnight.

By this time, it was reduced by half.

Busy until after 12 o'clock.

Only then did the customers outside decrease significantly.

Finally, the end was in sight.

"Whew~~~" Hayashi breathed a sigh of relief and finally had his hands free.

He went to the bar counter to take out his phone and look.

Utaha: "Must be incredibly busy, Hayashi-kun. After our mutual help, remember to treat me to exclusive delicacies. Bye bye, you don't need to reply when you see this, hurry and rest."

Mai: "I've been with Utaha these past few days. That feeling you mentioned, I can control it a bit more recently. When your shop calms down, we'll come find you again."

They each sent a photo.

In the photos were their group shots.

One on the subway.

One by the river.

Of course, what Hayashi paid more attention to was.

"They're all so free, and I still have to work hard for two more days..."

Compared to his workload today.

Mai and Utaha were too free, almost like they were on vacation.

Shiyu's most tiring moment was just getting a sore hand from signing autographs, nothing else.

"Sigh, let me check other messages."

Makima: "I heard you were very busy today. Wishing you prosperity. If you need me, call me. If you're tired, come to my house. I can offer a lap pillow~"

Hayashi: !

Honestly, Makima's legs would indeed make for a good lap pillow.

Hayashi was indeed tempted.

But running over there in the middle of the night was still out of the question.

He'd indulge when things calmed down.

The messages below weren't important.

Hayashi looked through them, put down his phone, and continued cooking.

Until 1 AM.

Hayashi looked at the time and instructed Tohru.

"Tohru, go out and cut off the flow of people. Starting from the last person, no more queuing. We're closing."

Tohru nodded: "Alright."

After going out.

Tohru looked at the people, went back and used magic to create a double-sided wooden sign, then placed it behind the last person and returned.

Since it was double-sided.

The queuing customers also turned to look.

It read: Closing soon, no more queuing.

Meaning new arrivals shouldn't queue and should go home.

Seeing this wooden sign.

People queuing behind immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Having finally queued until now.

If Tohru had cut people off from the middle.

That would probably result in many people complaining with bad reviews.

This kind of shop practice was stupid.

So the correct method was like Hayashi's.

Count the people.

Calculate the time.

Cut off the position and no more queuing.

Don't be greedy for that last bit of money and cause many people to be in bad moods.

Getting complained about like that would be deserved.

Just like that.

Until 2 AM.

"Very delicious! Thank you for the hospitality! I'll come again! Goodbye!"

When the last customer very politely thanked everyone and left.

In the restaurant.

Everyone gathered together.

High-fiving each other!

"Perfect day!"

Hayashi put his hands on his hips, looking at everyone's slightly tired faces, and waved his hand grandly.

"I'll make dinner, a luxurious feast, eat whatever you want, plus alcohol. After eating, go get a good night's sleep!"

When Kirishima Touka and everyone heard this.

They immediately perked up and cheered "Yeah!"

"You guys clean up first and rest a bit. I'll go make dinner."

Hayashi turned and entered the kitchen.

Tohru and everyone hurriedly finished cleaning up the last of the kitchen waste.

In the kitchen.

Hayashi first checked the system.

[Today's customer flow: 4,369 people]

[Today's average spending per person: 11,294 yen]

[Today's good review rate: 100%]

Hayashi calculated.

Today's income was nearly 5 million yen, equivalent to over 200,000 yuan.

The restaurant was busy from morning to night.

This income was quite reasonable.

The main thing was that the dishes weren't expensive to the point of costing hundreds of thousands or even millions of yen per serving.

But this wasn't little either.

"But none of that matters. The most important thing is the 100% good review rate!"

The mission requirement was for the good review rate to reach rave reviews.

That is, over 90%.

With his four thousand plus people, he achieved one hundred percent directly!

This showed that no one was dissatisfied with his cuisine.

Even with the restaurant's service and all aspects, everyone was extremely satisfied!

"That's enough."

Hayashi's efforts weren't wasted.

But that made sense too.

Food that could captivate ghouls, devils, and dragons - how could it not win over ordinary humans?

Easy to handle.

"Hmm hmm hmm~~~"

Hayashi hummed a tune and began making the feast.

Beef, seafood, barbecue - he brought out everything.

After finishing cooking.

He served it up.

Kirishima Touka was stunned seeing the "Manchu Han Imperial Feast."

"Ha...Hayashi-kun, isn't this a bit too...too extravagant?"

Fueguchi Ryouko and Fueguchi Hinami both nodded in agreement.

"Extravagant? Where's the extravagance?" Hayashi shook his head, unconcerned: "Work deserves reward. This is what everyone earned. Hurry and eat."

Hayashi directly picked up his chopsticks - he was really hungry.

After Tohru and Kanna saw Hayashi take his first bite.

"Thank you for the meal." They also started eating directly.

Seeing this, the Anteiku group also thanked him and hurriedly began eating.

With one bite of beef.

The Anteiku girls all blissfully squinted their eyes, feeling everything was worth it!

What was this little bit of busyness?

As long as they had this bite to eat!

Not bleeding was already profit!

No, even bleeding was profit!

Only crying tears would make them regret explosively!

While eating, Hayashi suddenly remembered.

"Oh right, where's Rize?"

Tohru raised her hand holding a chicken leg: "Miss Rize went back to move in the afternoon. She said she wouldn't stay at the shop tonight."

"Mm, okay."

Hayashi nodded and continued eating.

In no time.

Everyone had cleared most of the delicious food on the table.

But Hayashi had made way too much.

Several dishes couldn't be finished.

Kanna and Hinami were lying sideways on the sofa, holding their little bellies and couldn't get up.

Hayashi thought for a moment and looked at Touka.

"If you don't mind the leftover dishes, take them back to share with the people at Anteiku."

Touka: !

Touka's eyes widened.

She immediately shook her head and waved her hands: "Don't mind, don't mind! Why would we mind such a feast?"

She immediately went to find containers to pack it up.

Such delicious food.

Never mind a few bites taken.

Even leftovers would still be explosively delicious!

So delicious that even if thrown in the trash.

Wild ghouls would dig through garbage cans to eat it!

Soon.

Kirishima Touka and the others packed up the leftover dishes and waved at the entrance.

"Then we'll head back. See you tomorrow, shop owner."

"See you tomorrow." Hayashi waved.

When the time came.

Hayashi closed the door and immediately breathed a sigh of relief from exhaustion.

Seeing this, Tohru patted his back: "How about I give Hayashi-san a massage?"

"Yes, please!"

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