The Gourmet Demon

After closing the door.

Kanna was already too sleepy and went upstairs to sleep.

Hayashi was pushed into the bedroom by Kanna.

Then his shirt flew off, and he flopped onto the big bed with a "thud~" sound.

Tohru asked: "Hayashi-san, where should I mainly massage?"

"Shoulders and back." Hayashi's face was buried in the blanket, his voice muffled.

"Okay~"

Tohru sat on Hayashi's back and reached out to massage his shoulders first.

Her two hands were positioned on his trapezius muscles, lifting slightly, then pressing down and kneading to provide relief.

"Hiss~~~"

Hayashi immediately made a "snake" sound.

"Does it hurt?" Tohru immediately stopped: "Should I be gentler?"

Actually, Tohru could feel the correct amount of pressure through magic and touch.

She had also seriously studied bone-setting and massage!

Ever since Hayashi mentioned it that day, she had studied earnestly!

"No need, it's just right." Hayashi was actually very pleased: "A little pain is better to feel the effect. Please continue."

"Alright." Tohru continued massaging.

She sat on Hayashi's back.

Massaging the trapezius muscles.

"Hiss~~~"

Massaging the latissimus dorsi.

"Hiss~~~"

Massaging the waist.

This one didn't make him hiss - it really didn't hurt.

Hayashi lay on the bed, feeling incredibly relaxed.

"Tohru, you've improved so much. Where did you learn all this?"

Tohru answered: "Just bone-setting and massage."

"From books?"

"That's right."

"Really amazing."

"Hehe~, not really~"

After letting Tohru massage for a while.

Hayashi felt his whole body was relaxed and full of vitality.

Just when he was about to say it was enough.

Suddenly he felt a heavy, overwhelming pressure on his back.

"Hiss~~~"

Hayashi hissed.

Just as he was about to say something.

Tohru's dreamy voice whispered in his ear.

"Now it's massage time~"

Hayashi was about to say something.

But couldn't focus on it anymore.

Because at this moment his scalp was literally tingling.

This sensation was the best!!

On the other side.

In Anteiku coffee shop.

After Kirishima Touka, Fueguchi Ryouko, and Hinami returned to Anteiku carrying large and small packed meal boxes.

The three were like successful hunting lionesses bringing back their prey!

Under the intense gazes of Koma Enji, Irimi Kaya, and Yomo.

Kirishima Touka placed a large bag of meal boxes on the table!

"Gulp~!"

Everyone swallowed audibly.

Literally making sounds.

"To...Touka." Koma Enji stared intensely at the boxes: "These can't all be... the shop owner's cuisine, right?"

Irimi Kaya licked her lips: "This must have cost a lot of money, right? We should pay for it."

Regarding the money issue.

Kirishima Touka shook her head.

Koma Enji and the other were puzzled.

What did that mean? Was it free? Or did Touka treat them?

At this time.

Fueguchi Hinami put her hands on her hips and answered proudly.

"This is our employee dinner! Shop owner big brother made a huge pile of delicious food. We couldn't finish it, so we packed up all the leftovers and brought them back!"

"Gulp~!"

Sure enough.

Not a single person present minded.

After hearing this, everyone swallowed audibly.

"A...a feast!" Koma Enji immediately stared at these meal boxes.

Irimi Kaya had already walked over, ready to open them.

Under everyone's gaze.

Kirishima Touka opened the meal boxes one by one.

Half a braised fish, crispy pork belly, stir-fried beef tenderloin, fish soup, blanched vegetables...

The meal boxes opened one by one.

Everyone licked their lips again and again.

Seeing this, Fueguchi Hinami said again.

"We're all full. You guys eat. Shop owner big brother said we get meals included - we usually eat at the restaurant."

Upon hearing this.

Koma Enji and Irimi Kaya almost had tears of envy flowing from the corners of their mouths.

Irimi Kaya looked at Touka.

"Touka-chan, are you tired? How about I go tomorrow instead?"

Koma Enji also nodded: "Right, Touka. Anteiku is fine with you guys. We should go help the shop owner too."

Faced with their scheming attempts.

Touka smiled somewhat smugly, then directly refused.

"No way."

Koma Enji regretted deeply: "Then let's eat first."

"Let's eat first."

Everyone hurriedly began eating.

Koma Enji, Irimi Kaya, and Yomo.

All treated the packed food in the meal boxes like precious delicacies!

Each one ate with great relish!

They couldn't even spare time to talk.

After eating almost everything.

Only then did Irimi Kaya ask: "By the way, Touka, did Manager Hayashi say how many days you'd be helping temporarily?"

Koma Enji also nodded, voicing his inner concern.

That is, if the shop owner was too busy, they shouldn't trouble him too much either.

Maybe they'd need someone to queue every day.

But regarding this question.

Kirishima Touka herself wasn't too clear either.

She shook her head: "Hayashi-kun said he only needs us to help for three days."

Irimi Kaya was puzzled: "What about after three days?"

Touka shook her head: "I don't know either."

Everyone was very puzzled.

But they could only understand it as Hayashi having his own thoughts and plans.

They could only wait and see.

If worst came to worst.

They'd just have to send someone to queue every day.

No matter what, as long as they could eat, it was fine.

Noon.

Hayashi woke up.

He stretched lazily in bed, twisting around for a while before picking up his phone to check.

On his phone, Utaha had sent several screenshots.

The screenshot content was from forums, social media, and platforms.

Basically all reviews of the midnight diner from her fans.

Scanning through them.

They couldn't just be called good reviews anymore.

They were all super positive reviews!

Words like "saikō!" "the best!" "super!" and such descriptors.

The posts contained a large number of uploaded photos.

All from different angles.

The yard, Pochita, sunflowers, the midnight diner overall, direction identification, restaurant decor...

Of course, appearing most frequently.

Were the ice sculptures in the center of the restaurant.

They had been photographed from every angle, countless times.

All positive reviews.

So yesterday's good review rate reached 100%.

Utaha: "Really amazing, Hayashi-kun. I couldn't find a single bad review. The fans' evaluation of you and the restaurant is very high. It's truly astonishing. I heard even Totsuki was stirred up."

You and the restaurant.

Hmm~~~, he was very satisfied hearing that phrase.

Of course there were no bad reviews to be found.

As for Totsuki, their boss had already come that day.

Hayashi: "With my culinary skills and charm, getting unanimous good reviews is natural, hahaha. It's just a bit too tiring..."

Shiyu: "Then rest well, Hayashi-kun. It looks like you're busy from morning to night. You'll probably be busy for a long time."

Hayashi: "Nooo..."

Honestly, making money was making money.

But the current lifestyle wasn't what Hayashi wanted.

This had already gone against his original dreams and intentions.

That's why he worked so hard for that [Customer Group Adjustment Function].

With that, he could manually adjust things.

Return to his previous life.

While still earning quite a bit of money.

After chatting.

He closed his phone.

Got up, dressed, and washed up.

He hadn't showered last night, so Hayashi took a shower this morning, then with his hair still wet, rubbing it with a towel while walking toward the second-floor balcony.

He looked outside - good grief, there were still people out there.

Hayashi immediately retreated.

He couldn't sunbathe on the balcony.

So he went to the back yard to sunbathe.

Going downstairs.

"Woof~!"

Pochita suddenly ran over and barked at Hayashi.

Pochita meant: The sunflowers moved by themselves.

"Moved!?" Hayashi was startled: "Where to?"

"Woof~!" (The back yard.)

"To the back yard!?"

Hayashi widened his eyes, feeling somewhat incredulous.

He hurriedly walked toward the back yard.

Opening the door.

A breeze blew, and the three sunflowers swayed in the wind, as if greeting him.

Seeing Hayashi come out.

He could visibly see the sunflowers' green leaves sway.

Just like a person extending their hand to wave hello.

"How did you get here?" Hayashi exclaimed.

He scanned the grass.

He found a very obvious crack in the soil.

The three sunflowers also extended their green leaves together, pointing at the traces on the ground.

"You moved yourselves over!?"

Hayashi found it too interesting: "Did the root system move itself, or did you use magic power to move the soil?"

This question was a bit complex.

The sunflowers couldn't express it just by swaying.

Hayashi moved a bit closer.

The sunflowers used magic power to transmit their emotions and thoughts to Hayashi.

When he got within about 2 meters.

He felt it.

"Both methods? You queued up to come over?"

Hayashi looked at the trail.

It was indeed one line.

That is, they formed a single file, with the first one breaking through the soil, and the rest following.

Really interesting.

"Hahaha~"

Hayashi laughed and brought over a chair, drying his hair while chatting.

"You were doing fine, why did you come over to the back yard?"

Hearing the question.

The three monster sunflowers answered one by one.

The original flavor one said: Too many people, don't like.

Mm, this one's aloof.

The salty one said: Too noisy.

Mm, this one's similar.

The caramel one said: They all moved, so I moved too.

Mm, this one's a follower.

All quite interesting.

Hayashi nodded, saying: "As long as you're happy, it doesn't matter either way. If you don't like the front yard, coming to the back yard is fine too, as long as you can grow big."

All three sunflowers expressed gratitude.

Hayashi watered them and patted them.

Looking at the buds on the sunflowers.

Hayashi suddenly realized: "You're starting to produce seeds!?"

The three sunflowers nodded.

"How many more days?"

The sunflowers raised their green leaves once.

"One day? So fast."

That meant by this time tomorrow, he'd have his own grown sunflower seeds to eat!

And in 3 different flavors!

"Good, good, good."

Hayashi encouraged them.

"Keep it up!"

The sunflowers swayed, showing happiness.

Next.

Hayashi began making breakfast.

Tohru cleaned the second floor, washing and hanging out clothes and bedding.

Kanna came downstairs, took the watering can, filled it with water, infused it with magic power, and watered the sunflowers.

When it was time for breakfast.

That is, when eating golden fried rice.

Tohru looked outside the door and asked: "Are we going shopping today?"

Hayashi glanced outside and immediately shook his head.

"Let's forget it. Going out would get us chased and surrounded. Let's wait until after a couple days when there are fewer people."

Tohru and Kanna nodded.

Shopping, for the midnight diner, was actually more like going out daily to buy things, browse around, and restock.

It wasn't serious procurement.

Optional, depending on mood.

Anyway, it wasn't urgent now.

After eating and washing the dishes.

Afternoon.

Hayashi, Tohru, and Kanna all rested and entertained themselves in the shop, watching TV together.

Hayashi read books for a while, then watched TV with them.

Kanna's Detective Conan would take a long time to finish.

Not to mention there were also Crayon Shin-chan, SpongeBob, Naruto, One Piece and other anime.

This continued until 5 PM.

The three from Anteiku - Touka and the others - arrived.

Hayashi looked at them and asked: "Have you eaten?"

All three shook their heads.

"Then have a meal before working."

The three: "!!!"

For ghouls, one meal could last one to two weeks.

Of course, that was the worst-case scenario.

Now having one meal a day was already extremely satisfying.

But now they could eat twice!

Twice!

Hayashi entered the kitchen.

He made 5 dishes and a soup.

This time he didn't make extra.

Several people ate all 5 dishes and soup completely clean.

Even drank the soup dry!

Hayashi looked at the time.

"There's still more than half an hour. Rest a bit, digest, then we'll open."

For the remaining hour.

Everyone rested and prepared to work.

Hayashi went to check the entrance.

He discovered that in first place were still Nakiri Senzaemon and Nakiri Erina.

Seeing Hayashi come out to look.

Senzaemon even raised his hand slightly as a greeting.

Nakiri Erina was quite aloof.

She didn't really want to greet him.

But when Hayashi looked over.

She didn't know why herself, but recalling her inner feelings when eating the cuisine yesterday, her face turned slightly red, and she nodded, also greeting him.

If this were at Totsuki.

She would completely ignore people when looking at them.

If others nodded, she'd just walk away.

Even acquaintances were treated this way, let alone someone she'd only met for one day.

But this time, the delicious food the other party made was different.

It was really too... intoxicating.

It hadn't even reached the emotions yet.

But had already entered the body.

Nearly an hour later.

Hayashi returned to the kitchen.

Tohru came to the entrance and, under everyone's gaze, opened the door.

"Now open for business, please queue properly."

Hearing the door open.

Nakiri Senzaemon and Erina actually both showed impatient movements.

They hurriedly entered as the first customers.

Touka still served them.

"What would you like to eat today?"

Senzaemon and Erina had already memorized the menu.

This time.

Both answered decisively.

"Smoked barbecue + smoked curry rice bowl, and sake."

"Grilled saury and sea bream soup, and a drink."

Senzaemon wanted barbecue.

Erina wanted two fish dishes.

After Kirishima Touka noted it down, she sent it to the bar counter.

Fueguchi Hinami took the slip and delivered it to Hayashi in the kitchen.

Hayashi glanced at it and began cooking.

Looking at this menu, he knew at a glance that they wanted to eat some high-difficulty + time-consuming cuisine.

This was normal - who didn't want to eat good food?

This kind of cuisine wasn't bad either.

There was only one issue: expensive, very expensive.

But being expensive wasn't the cuisine's fault.

When people ordered expensive dishes, Hayashi was happy about it.

Smoked barbecue was very time-consuming, as was the sea bream soup.

But time brought ultimate deliciousness and texture.

Hayashi set up the grill and began smoking.

At the same time, he started making soup and preparing fish.

These two were time-consuming; the others were fine.

But for Hayashi, with the power of the Eternity Devil, it was simply easy.

"Speed up for me!"

Acceleration + precise control.

Still, after more than ten minutes, all four dishes were done.

"Tohru, serve the dishes."

"Coming~"

Tohru carried four dishes + bottles in one go to serve them.

When the food was set down.

Senzaemon and Erina could only be shocked.

How long had it been, and it was done again?!

You must be a god! (Kami!)

The timing seemed ridiculous.

But the finished product wasn't lacking at all - it even exceeded expectations!

Senzaemon picked up his fork and knife with somewhat trembling hands, cut off a corner of the smoked barbecue, then pressed down on it with his fork.

After seeing the collagen juices from slow cooking seep out from the layered muscle textures.

Nakiri Senzaemon was completely stunned.

"How... how is this possible?!"

On the other side.

Nakiri Erina was equally shocked.

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