The siblings fell into silence for a moment.
Ayato pulled his hood back up, straightened his coat, and turned to leave.
Neither of them tried to stop the other.
But the message he delivered left Touka deeply unsettled.
More than just anxious—she was terrified.
Just a few days ago, she had finally tasted real, delicious food.
She had just experienced the joy of sharing a meal with a friend.
She was just beginning to live a normal life.
And now it was all on the verge of collapse.
Because Aogiri Tree had arrived in the 20th Ward—with multiple cadres no less.
Anteiku was strong, but it wasn't ready to go head-to-head with an organization full of S and SS-rated ghouls.
That wasn't Anteiku's purpose.
Anteiku was founded by a tired old man who just wanted a small, peaceful corner of the world.
They wouldn't escalate this.
At most, they'd try to protect Manager Hayashi and the diner.
But if Hayashi's abilities were exposed…
Even Anteiku might not be able to protect him.
Touka's mind was in chaos.
Ayato had long since left, and she was still walking in a daze, slowly, slowly down the road.
There were too many threads to pull.
And no good solution.
For now, the only option…
Was to tell her boss.
"I need to inform Manager Yoshimura immediately."
With that, Touka turned and ran toward Anteiku.
No matter what—
Yoshimura was the café's leader and their final line of defense.
Elsewhere—
Back at home, Yoriko Kosaka had no idea what her friend Touka had just experienced.
She was already done typing up her food review post—and hit send.
The post was over-the-top.
Yoriko raved that it was the best food she'd ever eaten in her life.
The interior design? Top-notch.
Everything was perfect.
Of course…
Most people just assumed she was shilling for a sponsor.
Only the small foodie group she shared it in gave it more than a glance.
"@YorikoKosaka — seriously? Is it really that good? Did they pay you?"
Yoriko was furious.
"No! I swear, it's all true! My best friend recommended it, and it was insanely good! Absolutely divine!"
Her anger only made the others tease her harder.
"Lmao, sounds like an ad. Come clean, Yoriko—did the handsome chef bribe you?"
"I'M NOT PAID!!!!"
Yoriko raged in the group chat.
Still, her noise did catch the attention of a few people who lived nearby, who said they might stop by soon.
It all depended on whether it was close and convenient.
Then—
A head chef from a luxury restaurant in the group finally spoke.
"@YorikoKosaka — Is the address accurate? I have the day off tomorrow. I might give it a try."
Yoriko saw the name and lit up with joy.
"@Toka — Toka-chan, it's all real! The address is accurate! It's called Midnight Diner—only opens after 6PM. It's deep inside the alley, but really easy to find!"
"P.S. The manager is super young and crazy hot!"
…She shouldn't have added that last bit.
Chef Toka just replied with a simple "OK."
But the rest of the group exploded with laughter.
"So that's it! You're under the chef's handsome spell!"
Yoriko screamed in the group chat—comically outraged.
Late that night—
Takanashi Toka, head chef at a high-end restaurant in Tokyo's capital region, had just finished her shift and was wiping her hands clean.
Takanashi Toka glanced at her phone and opened the pinned address to confirm the location.
Then, she locked her screen and headed home.
On the way, she packed up some unsold food to take home for her little sister.
As a head chef with exceptional culinary skills, even though Toka didn't graduate from Totsuki Academy, her talent was on par with those who had.
Back in the day, even restaurants in Italy had extended olive branches to recruit her.
But in the end, she chose to stay in Tokyo—for the sake of her sister.
After confirming the address…
Toka decided she'd make time to visit the place.
After all, as a chef, it was important to try different dishes and learn from her peers.
Meanwhile, back at the Midnight Diner—
Tohru was happily washing dishes while humming a tune. She seemed to genuinely enjoy these chores.
Hayashi wasn't just sitting around either—he was cleaning the bar and tidying up.
Though every now and then, he'd slack off a bit mid-cleaning.
That's when—
[Ding!]
Random Quest Triggered: "Raving Reviews!"
Quest Description: The Midnight Diner is receiving an exceptional number of positive reviews. This is the power of word of mouth! Use this momentum to attract three more important new customers!
Quest Requirement: 0/3 Important New Customers
Quest Reward: Shop Attractiveness Lv1, Universal Food Lottery Ticket x1
"...Huh?"
Hayashi stared at the screen, realizing that the system didn't just want regular customers.
It wanted important ones.
As in… characters from different worlds?
And they had to be new. Returning regulars didn't count.
Which meant—someone out there had spread the word well enough to pull in new major characters.
Well, that made things easier.
"Let's check what this 'Shop Attractiveness' reward does."
[Shop Attractiveness Lv1: A permanent buff that increases the chances of important individuals discovering the Midnight Diner. Whether they stay or not… depends on the manager's ability.]
"Mhm. Succubus buff."
Hayashi muttered, summing it up in one sentence.
Basically, the system wanted important visitors. Normal guests were just background.
Which made sense—his ability didn't just make food taste good.
It also subtly affected those who ate it—fostering recognition, goodwill, and dependence.
…Wait, that sounds suspiciously like harvesting karmic energy.
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