I am back! I saw the ending of Shokugeki no Soma... and was disappointed with how they left it all off at the cliffhanger... And then I saw the sequel of the story we all know and love and absolutely loved it and hated it! Love because it is the start of a new series, with more info of Soma's mother coming up, as well as how she and Joichiro met! Hate because-! Soma! Our favorite diner boy! Why the hell did you leave?! You started off slowly surpassing your father, then you went and disappeared on everyone just like he did! The one other upside to this sequel is the mark we saw Soma had left upon his time at Totsuki, as well as a couple of new members to the Polar Star dorm! I am very much so curious of their skills and cooking styles~ But other than that, Soma! Why would you leave?! And you have not at all replied back to any of Erina's mails, either?! What the godly hell boyo?! Well, at least you smoothed things over between her and her mom.
And another thing I don't like much of the sequel. Was it or was it not revealed?! Does anyone else besides Soma friends, Erina's grandfather, her father, and, possibly, her mother know about his connection to his father?! I was kind of expecting it to be revealed, especially since his 'brother' had said a little too much about how Joichiro was connected to them both, if I remember correctly that is, and was disappointed that the question had left unanswered! UGH!
But alas... We are not here for that; we are here for this. The new chapter of Shokugeki no Nikola! It is not the Autumn Selection Arc, yet, but! It is a little something that she has done during her summer vacation of the arc. If Shokugeki no Soma had shown the episode and manga chapters of Soma's summer vacation before the Autumn Selection arc, then this should be good for all of you! Now with that being said, enjoy the new chapter, readers~!
Disclaimer: I do not own Restaurant to Another World or Shokugeki no Soma. I own my OC.
*OPENING*
Meeting you here
(A train arrived at a station)
In this wide world
(Doors opened and many people got off)
Is nothing short of a miracle
(Nikola was one of them as she walked out of the station. She stopped and stood in place.)
A fanfare resounds
(The scene changed to Polar Star Academy, where all the residents were hanging out by their own greenhouse)
Something's about to start
(Scene changed to Totsuki Academy, where Erina and Hisako were passing by some cherry blossom trees, with Alice and Ryo leaning against some nearby)
So let us seize it
(Nikola looked up at the sky with a hand over her head, blocking out the sun)
A delicious life: One in a Billion!
(Camera zooms out and looks up to the sky, where the title appears)
We can still encounter
(Nikola walks around Totsuki grounds with a sad look on her face)
Others who can change our fate!
(She looks up and saw her cousin and their friends of Polar Star up ahead, some waving at her)
Things might seem normal to me
(They all gathered in Zenji's room, partying like there was no tomorrow)
Might be a huge surprise to you!
(Scene changed to them cooking their own meals in the kitchen)
So let's have fun with the difference!
(A devilish aura emanated from Soma, sending chills to everyone else)
Fusion! Mixture!
(Scene changed from Soma feeding some pork roast to Yuki, Ryoko, Shun and Isshiki to him forcing some peanut butter-covered tentacles with the other dorm mates lying pale and unconscious.)
So wonderful!
(Nikola hit Soma hard in the head and scolded him for possibly killing off some of their dorm mates.)
At the moment many timelines
Converge as one...
If we miss it, we'll never get another chance! (One in a Billion)
(Scene continuously changed from several other Totsuki students to several others, each demonstrating their skills in the kitchen)
I'll meet a side of you
I'd never known before
(Nikola as a child was seen in Nekoya, having a cook-off with her father with their Saturday customers watching.)
The door to a new world will open!
(Both presented their own paellas to the customers)
A fanfare resounds
(The steam covered the screen and changed the scene to Nikola napping by a cherry blossom tree as a shadow blocked the sunlight on her)
Something's about to start!
(She was awoken by the shadow and rubbed her eyes)
So let us seize it
(Standing before her were her friends)
A delicious life: One in a Billion!
(Fully awake, she joined them on their venture, as song ended with the group and several other students on a large plate, looking at the camera)
It was a hot summer day in Maebashi. People were walking around doing their usual activities, be it shopping, getting to work, or handing out with friends. In one certain restaurant, it was just a normal busy day.
"Order up! Spaghetti with meat sauce for Table 7, swiss steak for Table 4, and ribs for counter!" Nikola called from the kitchen.
The waiters or waitresses all delivered the called meals to their designated tables.
"I have to say, it's surprising to see Nikola here," one customer stated.
"I'll say. I forgot that Totsuki is still a school; even that place has summer break," another customer said.
Another customer turned to one other person with them. "I bet you're the most happy that she's back. You get an extra break," she said.
"Hahah. I suppose I can't argue there," Daichi agreed, taking a sip of his drink as he watched his daughter work in the kitchen. "The second I open the place up, she insisted she'd do all the work and I take a break."
"From tasting the food she made, I'm not complaining. I can definitely tell she's improved a lot," one of the customers said. "How about a toast? To Nikola!"
"To Nikola!" many of the regulars in the restaurant cheered in agreement.
In the kitchen, Nikola heard the customers talking about her and couldn't help but feel happy and right at home, even though she shouldn't be cooking right at the moment. But then again, if she wants to make the best version of that one dish she was assigned to over the break, she has to start somewhere, and she was not going to do that by wasting ingredients. Plus, lately she found that dishes made from her friends can help her get ideas for the dish she wants to make. Nikola figured once she cooks up on a variety of other meals, she can get some ideas on the best dish she could make of that category. At least, that was what she thought...
She checked on a small pot of curry she was making along with the customers' orders. She lifted the lid, took a small spoonful, and sipped it. Her face scrunched up a bit as she added a bit of sugar to the curry, gave it a quick mix, and covered the lid once more.
'Okay, so bitter melons are a no go,' she thought, going back to check on her stew. 'I have the whole break to come up with the best dish for that competition. I have to make good use of the time I have.'
Time later, the restaurant closed, and the last of the customers and workers left the building. While Daichi was cleaning up the tables in the dining room, Nikola was working on her certain dish in the kitchen. Unfortunately, she was having quite a hard time of getting just the right version of the dish she planned to make. She made it many times during the Saturdays, yes, but she felt those versions will not be enough for what is to come when she gets back to school.
Daichi looked into the kitchen and saw his daughter working hard on her dish. "You sure you don't need a break?" he asked.
"I take my break now, I may never get the right taste, spice and feel," she answered.
"True, but I know how you get when you try to perfect a dish. You work on it for days, without sleep, and I do remember the many times you added things that should not be added in a dish because you were so focused on making that one specific meal."
Nikola stopped when her father said that, recalling to her first Shokugeki, how she spent three days straight to make the best chowder she could, only to get sleep-deprived and ended up making chowders on multiple occasions, even though she tried to make other dishes. Heck, she was also close to dumping some things that were not to be in a chowder in it because she was tasked to make a different meal. She was lucky her friends were there or she would've been poisoned by a failed dish, and it would not be Soma's fault.
Turning off the stove, she wiped her hands on a towel and said, "I'll take a short nap. I'm definitely going to need that."
Daichi smiled at her plan. "I'll make dinner. And I do remember Flying Puppies brought some cake to welcome you back for the summer. Feel like having a slice for dessert?"
"After taste-testing the curry so many times, I'd rather have that now."
With that, the owner of Nekoya went back in the kitchen and got the box of said pastry out for his daughter to enjoy.
The next day, in another world, high up on a moon was a lone, black dragon. Said dragon had her eyes closed, waiting in anticipation for something, the one thing that changed her life ever since she crossed over it. Being alone for so long, bringing nothing but death once upon a time, after she entered through that magical door, her whole life and her definition of life changed. And now? She was as anxious as usual for the door to appear, and her favorite dish undoubtedly ready for her to eat.
Sensing magical presence appearing, the dragon opened her yellow eyes and saw a familiar door appearing before her. She stood, changed into her human/elf form, and approached the door. Before she reached for the doorknob, she reminded herself of the policies on the other side, as she was nude. Taking a strand of her hair, she poured some magic into it, causing a burst of black mist to emerge around her. Seconds later, the mist dispersed, and she wore a black maid outfit quite similar to Aletta's. Opening her eyes once more, she reached for the knob and turned it, opening the door.
Once she entered, she did not see the master nor Aletta in the dining room. She did, however, caught multiple scents coming from the kitchen. Similar scents, yet different. Assuming her boss and employee were both there, having an early breakfast, she walked in to join them and enjoy her usual and favorite meal. When she walked in, though, she did not expect to see two things. One was plates of various curry on the table, explaining the similar yet different scent she smelled. The other was a new face in the kitchen, working on what smelled like another batch of curry.
One look at this person and the dragon in disguise was reminded of her companion, Red Queen's request about keeping the restaurant safe when she was not around and had her guard up, until she noticed something about this new face.
'Her scent and presence... They're quite similar to...' she thought.
A 'ding' was heard and the elevator doors opened, revealing Daichi there with a box of ingredients. The guy looked up and saw the girl-turned dragon there. "Oh, Kuro! Good morning," he greeted.
"Good morning," she greeted back telepathically.
Daichi looked over to Nikola, still working on her dish. He couldn't help but let out a chuckle at the sight. "I know she's getting plenty of sleep, but not like this," he said, putting the box down.
Kuro was confused as to what the master meant and walked over to Nikola. To her astonishment, the young chef was cooking... in her sleep?! Not only that, but the way she handled her her tools made it look as though she was not asleep if one looked at her from behind. Occasionally stirring the broth is one thing, but she was even chopping some additional ingredients in her sleep. It truly makes her wonder how far humans have evolved since she stayed on the moon.
"Okay. Time to wake her up before she accidentally cuts herself," Daichi said. Tapping Nikola on the shoulder, he then said, "Nikola. Time to wake up now."
The heiress woke with a slight jolt and found herself in the kitchen, working on her dish. She took a good guess as to why she was there and said with a chuckle, "Hehe... I must be that worried if I'm sleep-cooking. I was even dreaming of making curry."
"And you've made quite a lot," Daichi added.
Confused with what he meant, Nikola looked over to the table where her father was looking and saw the plethora of curry dishes right on top of it. "Oh... How long was I asleep?" she wondered out loud.
All her father did in response to that question was simply laugh. "Bad enough you get sleep deprived working on making the best version of a dish you plan to make, but now you're cooking it in your sleep? You've become quite a die-hard chef, haven't you?"
"And who should I be blaming for that?" Nikola asked with a small pout.
Daichi knew what she meant, especially after his brother-in-law told her the truth about his high school days, and only ruffled her hair in response, to her displeasure.
Watching them interact like so was quite foreign to Kuro. She may have only been there for a few Saturdays, but she had never seen the master so open or playful like he was now. Just who is this girl with him?
Recalling the third person in the room, Daichi turned to Kuro. "Oh yeah. Let me introduce the two of you," he said. "Nikola, this is Kuro, a friend of your godmother's and a new employee here. Kuro, this is Nikola, my daughter."
"Nice to meet you, Kuro-san. My father told me much about you," Nikola greeted, holding her hand out for a handshake.
Kuro was no stranger to Nikola herself. She hadn't worked long enough to hear about her from the regulars, but she did remember what Red told her when she visited her on the moon.
*FLASHBACK*
It was right after she was hired as a new employee at Nekoya. Kuro returned to her home and was visited by Red.
"While I am away, protect that place from those with ill will as you work," Red told her. "The master and the demon, Aletta I believe her name was, are extremely weak beings and must be protected from danger. If someone makes trouble, you should at least be able to keep them contained until I arrive."
Kuro was unsure with the request. "But..."
Before she could voice out her concern, Red continued, "Besides, when I act, it tends to cause a bit of an uproar."
The black dragon of death thought about what she said. "You have a point. I can restrain my magic power and almost completely erase my presence. I am suited to protecting the restaurant."
"Then I leave it and her in your hands."
Kuro looked at her acquaintance at that last part. "'Her'? Who?"
"Why my daughter of course." Kuro's eyes widened slightly in shock at the response, in which Red noticed. "Well, she's not my daughter by blood. However, she is the master's daughter. Due to circumstances, she can only visit the restaurant whenever she can. And when she visits, I do hope you protect her with your life from anything that comes her way."
The fact that Red made such a request was a surprise for Kuro. She understood Nekoya and the workers there, but to hear her companion care so much for one human like so, the dragon was quite curious as to who exactly this person was that made her ask such a request.
*END OF FLASHBACK*
Pleased to meet the girl of Red is so fond of, Kuro accepted the handshake. "It is nice to meet your acquaintance as well," she telepathically greeted.
Hearing her speak without her mouth moving caught Nikola by surprise. "Whoa! You really can speak telepathically! That's amazing! Beef stew- that is, Red Queen-san used to do that to me back when I was a child to play jokes on me. Experiencing this again is quite nostalgic," she said.
"Is that so?" Kuro asked, quite shocked and curious of this small revelation. After all, she never once thought of Red as doing anything playful to a child. At least, nothing that would be considered as 'playful' in human terms.
A door opened in the kitchen, revealing Aletta in her uniform, done with her morning shower. Once the demon saw Kuro, she greeted her. "Oh! Good morning, Kuro-san!"
"Good morning," she greeted back.
Aletta looked at the curry-covered table, and couldn't help but be taken aback by the sight. "I know I saw this earlier when I walked in, but this is still a surprise," she said. "You actually made all these in your sleep?"
Nikola nervously chuckled and rubbed the back of her head. "Heheh... Looks that way," she answered.
"Well, it'd be a shame to waste it all," Daichi said. "Looks like we'll be having curry for breakfast. Seems like there are some chicken curry here as well, Kuro, so you don't have to worry about not being able to have any for today."
The mention of Nikola's version of a dish the dragon liked got Aletta excited. "You really have to try Nikola-chan's dish! They're sooo good~! The quality just shoots through the roof with her in charge."
"Hey now. I know she's my daughter, and I admit she is a great chef, but don't forget who is the master here," Daichi reminded her, causing Aletta to cover her mouth for her mistake.
"No, keep going. Hearing that boosts my confidence in my skill as a chef, especially with this thing coming up when my summer break ends," Nikola said, already feeling a confident boost.
"Don't let that get over your head." Daichi gave his daughter a playful flick to the forehead for that. "Now then, how about we have breakfast and get ready for work?"
The girls all nodded in agreement and took a plate of curry to eat.
"Mmmm~! So good~!" Aletta squealed in bliss. "It's been so long since I had Nikola-chan's cooking!"
"She has come quite a long way," Daichi agreed.
Kuro was simply shocked at the taste in her mouth. The chicken curry she was eating tasted better than the master's cooking. The combination of the spices used tasted amazing, the chicken was tender and full of flavor, and the vegetables used was cooked to perfection and perfectly fitted the sauce and spices used. Just that one bite alone, and Kuro can clearly see why Red and Aletta spoke highly of the girl.
Just as she looked over to the girl in question, Kuro noticed that Nikola seemed to be in deep thought for some reason. In fact, rather than finishing her dish, she took a spoonful of other curry dishes and ate those, to her confusion and Aletta's.
"Hmm... Not good enough..." she said at last, raising more confusion.
"Huh? What do you mean? These all taste really good!" Aletta said.
"I'm not saying they're bad, but they're not good enough..." Nikola answered. "Man, this makes me regret wasting that favor..."
"A favor?" Kuro repeated questionably.
"You're really that worried about the upcoming competition, are you?" Daichi asked his daughter.
"Of course I am. And just making a good curry is not enough either," Nikola reasoned. "Of course, you should know that, dad. After all, you went to Totsuki once."
Daichi let out a nervous chuckle at that. "I suppose you're right about that. Especially since you're going to be cooking to some big shots. You have to make something that'll blow their clothes off."
"I really hope you mean that figuratively, especially if the headmaster is going to be one of those people. I heard from Alice-chan about 'that', you know."
"Oh? Then you know how important it is to get 'that' done."
"True as that may be, I only hope it doesn't spread about. I'd rather not become a victim to 'that'." As Nikola said that, she wrapped her arms around herself, trembling quite nervously.
Seeing this got the pair of otherworlders both curious and slightly frightened, namely the demon of the two for the latter, about what 'that' is. "Um... What is 'that' you two are talking about?" Aletta dared ask.
"Let's just say you're lucky you're not even born in this world. The possibility of you meeting my headmaster or anyone in his family is slim. Unless if Alice-chan has 'that' as well..." Nikola turned away and muttered that last sentence, not wanting to even consider the possibility. She quickly recovered herself and thought over the many curry she tried. "Still... All of the ones here are ones I made before, and none of them are going to cut it much for that competition."
"What competition do you speak of?" Kuro asked.
"It's called the Totsuki Autumn Election, a first-year-only event at my school, and is used to determine the current class standing of a generation, done in a tournament-style. It is also through this event that one would know who of that generation would be the next member of the Elite Ten."
"Elite Ten?"
"To put simply, they're the top ten student chefs at school, guaranteed to graduated with a bright culinary future," Nikola explained. "A friend- Well, more of an acquaintance of mine of my generation, is the current Tenth Seat, thus making her the youngest to be a member. The rest are second or third-years."
"I don't know much about this stuff, but if she is the youngest to be a member of such an important group, she must be amazing," Aletta said.
"She is. So much so that this one time-" Nikola trailed off, as she thought back to the effect of Erina's cooking against that sumo wrestler of a student. "... On second thought, don't make me go into details with that. Just remembering the reaction makes me shiver. J-Just know that she is an incredibly skilled chef."
"S-Sure..."
"Well, as much as I don't want to interrupt this discussion, we should really hurry up and finish all this curry. Otherwise, the restaurant will open and all this curry will get in the way of the cooking," Daichi said.
Looking at the time on the clock in the dining room, Nikola saw her father spoke true. "Ah, you're right. But even though..." She looked back to the curry-filled table. "How are we going to finish all of this?"
"I can finish it all," Kuro said, making everyone look to her wide-eyed.
"You can?"
"She did eat dozens plates of chicken curry on her first day here..." Aletta thought back.
"'Dozens plates'? She ate three pots worth," Daichi corrected.
Hearing that amount shocked Nikola. "Three pots?!" she gasped. "Curry Rice-jiisan can't even eat one pot worth and he loves curry! Where did you put all that?"
"In my stomach," Kuro answered.
"No, I know where you put it. I just mean... You know what, never mind. You really think you can finish all these curry by opening? If you can finish it at least thirty minutes before, that'd be great. We have to get rid of the smell, too, after all."
"Of course." With that, Kuro placed down her now-clean plate on the counter and grabbed the next one off the table. Also on the counter were three other plates, slightly dirty from sauce... curry sauce to be exact.
"... At what point in our conversation did you finish those?"
A couple hours later, it was time for customers of the other world to come into Nekoya and enjoy their favorite meal. And with Nikola back, word has spread all across the other world and with that...
"Naporitan, omelette rice, and pork and seafood okonomiyaki are ready!" Nikola called from the kitchen.
"R-Right!" Aletta responded, and she and Daichi rushed back into the kitchen with the orders.
Yes, word of Nikola's return had the regulars come in like crazy that the place was packed. And with a packed restaurant was a hard and busy day. That is especially true with customers like them.
"She's really improved herself," Tatsugorou stated. "These chicken wrapped in vegetables are so tender, and they're bursting with flavors. And eating them with the rice makes it even more appetizing."
"I agree. I thought the minced meat cutlets she made last time she was here was amazing, but she's really stepping things up here with today's new creation," Sarah said, enjoying the kotlety Nikola made. "They're especially good with these mashed cobbler's tubes and the vegetables. Aletta! You better learn from her how to make these mashed cobbler's tubers!"
"R-Right!" Aletta answered.
"I'm guessing you like the steamed po- I mean cobblers' tubers she made last time?" Daichi asked, serving a pair of okonomiyaki, one pork and the other seafood, to Soemon, a samurai, and Doshun, an onmyouji, ceasing the pair's intense glares at each other.
"Yeah. I never thought cobbler's tubers would taste so good in my life, but clearly I was wrong in many ways. As expected of the restaurant from another world," Sarah said.
"Only this restaurant," Altorius said, enjoying his cheesy pork cutlets. "Mmm. That's good."
"Though I have to say, it sure is packed in here today. Even more so than the last time she came," Sarah stated.
"Well, this is the heiress of Nekoya we are talking about here. Of course it would be packed," Heinrich told her.
"This coming from the guy who's tasted her cooking just as long as I have? Don't get so full of yourself."
Heinrich chuckled at those words. "I'll have you know that I'm actually ahead of you by one Day of Satur! The first time I ate here was three years ago!"
At first, Sarah was shocked to hear that the shrimp-lover had tasted Nikola's cooking years ago, and thus was indeed one step ahead of her, until...
"But three years ago, Nikola didn't do any cooking. She had a test to study for the day you first arrived here, so she couldn't work on the Day of Satur," Daichi said, causing the guy to flinch.
"Already ahead of me, you say," Sarah glared, as Heinrich let out a nervous laugh. "Still, I'm quite surprised you know Nikola so long ago, Chocolate Parfait."
Chocolate Parfait, or Adelheid in their world, was a young albino princess and the granddaughter of late Wilheim. She had also once visited Nekoya once many years ago as a child and was in love with the chocolate parfait. The young princess and Nikola were also playmates back when they were young.
"I was also shocked to see her," Adelheid said. "All these years, I thought playing with her back when we were children was just a dream, especially when I didn't see her the past couple of times I was here."
Since she was eating by the counter for today, Nikola overheard what the young princess said from the kitchen. "Well, I have been away at school those last times you were here," she said, as she made more katsudon for Lionel, well aware of his big appetite for the dish. "Still, I was surprised to see you again. And not to mention a little sad. I mean, you came in, you saw me, and while I remembered you, you didn't at all remember me."
Adelheid let out a nervous laugh when she said that. "Well, we were little kids the last time we saw each other, and a lot of things happened over the past years. I'm quite surprised you still remember me, though."
"Well, ever since you two met, Nikola had been asking your grandfather about you, hoping to play with you again," Daichi told her.
"Is that so?"
"Well... You are my first friend from your world. And it's not everyday you get to hang out with a princess," Nikola said.
"'Hang out'...?" Adelheid repeated, not that familiar with the phrase.
"When friends get together and do something fun," Daichi explained.
"Oh, I see."
"Still though, it's one thing to find out there's a heiress of this restaurant about the same age as some of us here, but her culinary skills rival with the master. As the current head of one of the leading firms in the capital of our world, I am more than just impressed," a new face, by the name of Sirius Alfade or Naporitan, stated in awe, as he ate another forkful of his naporitan.
"Well, she had been practicing her skills since she was a young child," Victoria said. "Every Day of Satur, she and her father often do a cooking contest between them. Though she lost each and every time, she continued to hone her skills and quickly improved them."
"Indeed. I believe there is a saying in this world about defeat..." Tatsugorou spoke. "I believe it was... 'the art of victory is learned in defeat'. Or something like that."
"Truer words were never spoken," Lionel agreed, finishing off his katsudon. "More katsudon! Three bowls!"
"Right away," Kuro mentally replied, heading to the kitchen to send word to Nikola.
The door at the front then opened up, and an elf walked in.
"Welcome!" Aletta greeted. "Ah! Hello, Fardania-san!"
"Hello," the elf greeted back. Upon seeing some new faces working, she then said, "I see there are more people in here than usual."
"Well, you see... Nikola-chan has returned to the restaurant for a few Day of Saturs. All the regulars had been dying to try her dish."
Fardania took a seat by the counter. "Who is Nikola?" she asked the demon waitress.
"Huh? You don't know? With how the others often talked about her, I thought you heard one or two things about Nikola-chan..." Aletta said. "Nikola-chan is the master's daughter, you see, and the heiress to this restaurant."
"'Heiress'? Oh! I think I remember now. She goes to this place called a 'culinary school' in this world, doesn't she?"
"Yes, that's her! Her cooking is already good enough, but ever since going to that school, her food got even more delicious~! I've had her cooking a few times before, but I guarantee you'll love whatever she cooks up!"
"You seem to have forgotten that, as an elf, I can't eat anything that contains animal. And by the sounds of those requests earlier, whatever the heiress will be making will most likely contain meat. I much rather have the master's tofu steak," Fardania said.
"Don't be like that," came Daichi's voice, as he approached the elf and demon waitress. "Though it's true that tofu steak is currently the only consumable dish we have for elves, you'll find that my daughter will make another dish suitable for your kind. Just give her a chance and you'll see."
"Is that so...? Then I'll have whatever dish she can make, and a tofu steak," Fardania requested.
"Coming right up." The master of the restaurant returned to the kitchen to send and make her order.
About an hour later, Nikola then walked out the kitchen with Fardania's meals. "Here you are. One vegetable paella with fried bananas on the side, and one tofu steak with a side of rice," she presented. "The paella will taste even better with lemon juice squeezed over it."
Set on one tray was a bowl of cooked vegetables, consisting of rice, onion, tomatoes, red bell peppers, olives and artichokes. On the side were a couple slices of lemon and a small plate of what seemed like chips.
Fardania brought the bowl close to her nose to get a good whiff of the scent. Upon smelling no animal mixed in the meal, she took a spoon and scooped up some of the paella. One bite, and the elf couldn't believe the taste! Besides the slight spiciness she tasted, she could also hint out the taste of nature brought by the assortments of vegetables used in the dish. The crunch some of them had was also a good texture to experience upon each bite. As if it wasn't good enough, Fardania also tried the fried bananas that were brought as her side dish. The contrasted crunchy and soft texture of the outside and inside, along with the sweetness the side dish had made the paella all the more enjoyable, as it died down the strong spiciness the main dish had alone.
'But wait!' she thought. 'This girl said the dish would taste better with lemon juice.'
Looking over to the couple of slices of the said citrus, the elf squeezed all the juice they had all over the paella and took another spoonful in her mouth. As the heiress had promised, the sour juice from the fruit made the vegetable paella even more delicious. The sourness made the spiciness more likable on the tongue, and counteracts the heavy taste of this completely animal-less meal. Such a dish was perfect for an elf like herself!
"I must say, when I heard you're the master's daughter, I had doubts on your culinary skills," she said to Nikola. "But... Now I see why you are the heiress to this restaurant."
Nikola smiled at the elf's kind words. Ever since she heard about elves and their dislike for consuming anything animal, she did her best to make vegetable-only dishes during her free time. To hear such a compliment from Fardania brought joy to her heart.
"Mark my words, though, from an elven chef to a human chef, I will not let my kind lost to your cooking," Fardania then said.
Those words brought up an alarm of sort in the heiress's head. "You're a chef?"
"Yes. And I must say, you and this restaurant have completely made quite an impact onto our lives. As I traveled around, I heard rumors here and there of people trying to recreate dishes from this world. While some ingredients have yet to be found in our world, know that I will give up until I make a dish that surpasses that of your father's tofu steak and this paella you made."
Taking that as a challenge, Nikola smirked and said, "I look forward to that day. Now then, do enjoy your meal." With that, she returned to the kitchen, while Daichi went back to the dining room.
Just then, a knock was heard at the front door, causing everyone to freeze. Never, had they ever, heard a knock from the door that connected their worlds. Even if it was someone from their world, they wouldn't knock. At least, none of them did. After all, it seemed quite suspicious at first glance to just knock on it.
"Excuse me!" they heard. Some were already prepared to take out their weapons or use their eating utensils as such, should trouble arise in their most treasured place. Even Kuro was prepared to do whatever she must to protect the restaurant, all while keeping her powers to a very low minimum level.
Daichi, as the owner and the one person not of their world, approached the door and opened it just enough to see who was outside without letting the outsider see the inside of the restaurant. He was slightly shocked at who he was meeting. "Aren't you...?"
Back in the kitchen, Nikola was just finishing up with another pork cutlet rice bowl dish. As she covered the lid, she couldn't help but finally notice the silence in the dining room.
'Why did it get quiet all of a sudden?' she wondered. The heiress had expected to hear an argument between dishes at this point, but instead she heard nothing but the sound of some food cooking in the kitchen.
It was then, her father walked into the kitchen. "Nikola. Let's switch," he said.
"Huh? Why?" she asked.
"You have been working hard for these past days. Thought you'd like a little break. Also, could you get the front door? I'll take care of the cooking from here."
Though confused, Nikola obliged to her father's command and walked right out the kitchen. As she entered the dining room, she couldn't help but notice how quiet and tense everyone seemed. This was making the teen quite uneasy, as she made her way to the door. Once she grabbed the handle and opened it...
"Heya, Nikola~" Yuki greeted, for she, Ryoko, Megumi, and Nao were standing by the door.
Nikola felt time stopped the moment she laid eyes on her happy, Polar Star, female friends, as she simply smiled at the sight. Slowly, she closed the door with a creak and a soundable 'click'... only for it to be slammed open.
"Why are you just casually closing the door on us?!" Yuki shouted in demand, freaking Nikola out as the heiress let out a slight scream in shock.
Before half of the unknowns would see what they should not, Nikola quickly rushed past the entrance and slammed the door closed behind her. "H-Hey guys! It's been a while! What are you doing here? Are you guys feeling great? Great! It's really nice to see you all again. Now if you may please run along now! I have that dish to finish up after all!" she quickly said, as Nikola pushed the group of four up the stairs away from her family restaurant and her family secret.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hang up a second! Not after we came all this way to see you!" Yuki shouted, ceasing her attempt to get rid of them.
"And tell me why would you?! In fact, how did you even know where I live?!" One glance at Megumi and Nao, and Nikola quickly added, "No, wait! Never mind that question. What I should be saying is, 'don't tell me the two of you...!'"
Knowing what the heiress of the western restaurant was referring to, both Megumi and Nao put their hands up. "It wasn't us, I swear!" the former said.
"I did my best to stop them, onee-sama. Really, I did," the latter swore, as she crossed her heart.
"Then how did...?" Nikola trailed off, as she felt a pair of arms wrapped around her, as a person's body leaned against her back.
"I did, of course, Nikola~" came Alice's voice.
"Alice-chan?!" Nikola gasped in shock to see her albino friend also here. How she missed her the first time, she did not want to know. "Wait, you told Yuki and Ryoko where I live?! Why?!"
"What do you mean 'why'?" Yuki asked back. "It's not fair that Megumi, Sadatsuka-san and Alice-cchi got to visit your family restaurant. Even more so when Sadatsuka-san and Alice-cchi aren't officially Polar Star members."
"That's your reason!? Also, what do you mean by Alice-chan not being an official Polar Star member?!"
"Well, I've been considering taking the test to dorm in with you, but I wasn't sure if I would be comfortable living in such a small building far from school," Alice answered with her usual cartoonish face.
"That's what she meant!? Also, don't you already live with the headmaster and Nakiri-san?!" Nikola asked.
"Besides that, we should also have a girls' night between us," Ryoko added. "And we also wanted to know what it's like to work in a famous restaurant run by a former Elite Ten member, especially since we will be working in restaurants in the near future. Call it a chance for an early experience."
"As good a reason as that last one is, I feel like you just made that up on the spot!" Nikola shouted, crying anime tears.
"Now, now, calm down a bit. Although, you should change into something else," Yuki said.
Having a bad feeling about the suggestion, Nikola asked, "Why would I do that?"
"Because we're going to have some fun. Just between us high school girls. Sure we have that curry to work on, but we need some time to relax or we'll never think of anything," Alice answered.
"Now with that said, let's have your father's permission to take you with us!" Yuki said, approaching the door.
Seeing the pigtailed girl's hand on the handle brought up more panic to Nikola's every being. "Aah! W-w-w-wait!"
It was too late... for the deed has been done. "Excuse me, Yamagata-san! Can we borrow-?" Yuki trailed off, as she laid eyes on the diners within, who, like her, were also frozen once they laid eyes on her.
Finding it odd for Yuki to stop speaking like she did, Ryoko went to the door. "What's wrong, Yuki-chan?" Like the diners and her friend, she stood frozen once she saw the inside of the restaurant.
Snapping out of her stupor, Nikola turned to Megumi and Nao, both who were at the top of the stairs acting as lookout. "Megumi-chan! Sadatsuka-san!" she called.
"All clear, onee-sama," Nao assured, sending her a thumbs up.
Once she got the okay, Nikola broke herself free from Alice's grasp, grabbed Yuki and Ryoko, and rushed inside, with the other three following and closing the door behind them.
Once they were inside, the diners grabbed a pair of chairs and set them in the center of the diner, where both Yuki and Ryoko sat.
"W-W-Wait a second! What is this?!" the pigtailed girl asked. "Why are there customers at Nekoya on a Saturday? I thought the restaurant closes on that day! And also, what are they?! A lionman, a lizardman and... are those two elves?!"
"Y-Yuki-chan. Calm down," Ryoko told her friend.
"How can I be calm at a time like this?! Aren't you freaked out about this as I am?!"
"Well, yes I am, but Yamagata-chan won't be able to explain anything to either of us if you keep asking questions like that."
"Well, I guess so. But even so..." Both girls looked back to the many diners looking down at them. While some looked at them with worried expressions, others had their arms crossed. The pair also felt some chills from some of the diners' glares. "Somehow I don't feel at all that safe!"
"Isn't this bad?" Adelheid asked.
"Usually the only way outsiders would know about this restaurant's secret is if they are trustworthy and can be trusted with it," Tatsugorou said.
"If that is true, then what should we do?" Sirius asked.
"Y-You can let us go?" Yuki suggested weakly. One look at the glares from some, especially the more monstrous diners, and she knew the idea was shot down.
"Oh yeah! We have a pair of mages amongst us. Don't you guys know a memory erasure spell or something?" Sarah asked.
"While you're right in assuming that such a spell exist, there is a problem with that spell," Victoria said. "You see, casting a spell that affects one's mind requires immense concentration. Though it may sound easy, if one is not careful enough, the spell could backfire or damage the victim mentally."
"Damage us mentally?!" Yuki shrieked in fear.
"How about making a potion that'll make them forget?" Sirius suggested.
"A good of an idea as that is, unfortunately the ingredients needed to make such potion does not exist in this world and they are extremely rare. Even if the ingredients do exist under a different name here, it will take a while to make it, and thus would be a greater risk for us all," Altorius pointed out.
"How about we kill them?" Kuro suggested, causing poor Yuki and Ryoko to flinch. It didn't help that majority diners were actually considering doing it.
"That seems to be the only way to keep this quiet..." Tatsugorou said.
"Then as a full-fledged demon, I shall spare everyone of the blood and handle it myself," Lionel said, frightening them even more, as they held each other with a slight shriek.
"Hang on! Is that really necessary?" Adelheid asked.
"She's right! Maybe we can reason with them," Sirius suggested.
"True as you may be, these two don't look like they're willing to hear us out at this point," Heinrich told them.
"You're talking about killing us here! How can we ever be calm from just that?!" Yuki demanded. She was then silenced, as Lionel unsheathed the sword he had on him, and clung onto Ryoko, who returned the fearful embrace.
Saving them from such a fate, Nikola came and smacked each and every diner hard with a paper fan, hard. "You will do no such thing here!" she shouted, as everyone held their head in pain from the hard smack. "That may be okay in your world, but in this world, there will be no killing, even as a last resort!"
"N-Nikola-chan, calm down!" Megumi said.
"Why... us as well...?" Aletta asked in a low voice, for she and those who were against Yuki and Ryoko's deaths were also victims of the hard smack.
"Besides, even if I didn't tell them about the secret, they're still my friends!" Nikola continued. "You don't really think I'll be at all okay with you killing them off, do you?!"
At that question, the diners all either lowered their head or looked down in shame of ever considering death towards the pair of outsiders.
"There's only one way to resolve this..." Nikola sat down on a chair, facing Yuki and Ryoko. "You two found out about it; it's only right that you two should know more... about Nekoya's greatest secret."
And so, Nikola went and told the two everything about Nekoya's door. How it had existed from her great-grandparents' time, how it was also a portal that connects to a fantasy world, and how such a world actually and truly exists. Megumi, Nao and Alice also listened in on the details of the other world, since they didn't hear much of it the last time they were there. Well, Megumi and Nao didn't; Alice just like to hear stories of the other world more than once. Honestly, who wouldn't?
"And that's that," the heiress ended.
Both Yuki and Ryoko were extremely speechless with what they heard. In all honesty, they wouldn't have believed it, if not for the fact that they were seeing fairy tale characters in the same room as them.
"Now do you understand? Why this is important to me?" Nikola asked them.
"Well, you're right about one thing," Ryoko spoke. "If word got out about this, government authorities would definitely take action and try to get to the other world through the door. Anything else that happens next would be unthinkable..."
"So you get it, then. Good. Now I only ask you both of one thing." Nikola got up and, to everyone shock, got to her knees and bowed before them. "Please. Keep this a secret. If word gets out about this, I don't care about my future as a chef. But... I don't want to lose Nekoya! I don't want to lose my family from the other world! I... The only reason I became a chef, the only reason I learned all I was able to as a chef was not just because of my experience in the kitchen or my lessons with my father; it's also thanks to my family I learned all I could about the many methods of cooking! So please! Tell no one about this! Please!"
Not wanting her to plead alone, especially since they weren't able to do anything to stop Yuki and Ryoko from coming here, Megumi and Nao bowed as well. "Please!"
They weren't the only ones. Like Nikola to them, the diners also thought of her as family, especially those who were with her since she was born. As such, they weren't going to make her go about this on her own as well, as they also bowed to the pair. "Please."
To say Yuki and Ryoko were shocked would be an understatement in many ways. Though the fact that everyone was begging for them to be silent about Nekoya's secret wasn't the number one reason for their surprise, that wasn't going to stop them from what they were going to do next, as the two girls got up and knelt down to Nikola's level, both placing a hand on her shoulder.
"It's okay, Yama- No, Nikola-chan," Ryoko spoke, causing the girl to raise her head, revealing some tears forming in her eyes. "We understand how important this is to you. We promise we won't tell any one about this. Not even our family."
"We're friends, after all!" Yuki said. "What kind of friend would we be if we did something to make you sad? And even if we aren't friends, we are aiming to be great chefs. Only the lowest of chefs would do something so cowardly and lowly as that to force a great restaurant to shut down, and we're not that sort of chefs."
Hearing that brought hope in the girl's eyes. "T-Then... you really won't tell anyone?"
"The boys back at Polar Star would probably be angry, but this is your secret to share," Ryoko said.
Hope was filled with relief, as Nikola wiped the tears away from her eyes. "I'm so glad..."
Everyone else was just as glad, both for the heiress and the restaurant, as they all raised their heads.
The smile on Yuki's face, however, turned into a frown. "Although..." Next anyone knew, she suddenly went and pinched Nikola's cheeks, as well as pulling them. "Why do you have such little faith in us, Nikola-cchi?! You trust Megumi, Sadatsuka-san, and even Alice-cchi with it, but why not us?!"
"Ow ow ow! Dat huts!" Nikola cried out. "But to ansher your queshtions, Shadatshuka-shan ish quite loyal to be and Megumi-schan doesh not at all sheem like de type of person who would tell anyone a secret ash big ash this."
"And Alice-cchi?"
"She and Ryo-kun knew long before you guys, but not ash long ash Shoma. Plus, I wash worried at first, but she proved herself reliaple to keep thish secret hidden."
That made Yuki stretched her cheeks out further. "Kurokiba and Yukihira knew, too?!"
"Shoma is my cousin, and Ryo-kun wash wit her dat time! Stob bulling my cheeks!" Next Yuki knew, Nikola slapped both her cheeks hard, forcing her to let go and hold her cheeks in pain.
"Ouch! What was that for, Nikola-cchi?!"
"What do you mean 'what was that for'?! That's my line for pinching me!"
Ryoko, ever the peace-keeper of sort, got in between them. "Now, now, let's all calm down here. What's important is you can trust us with your secret as you have with others who know."
Rubbing her cheeks to sooth them from the pinch, Nikola couldn't help but smile lightly. "Yeah. I guess I can."
"Um... Nikola-chan," Aletta spoke up. "Are you sure it's okay to let them know?"
"Truthfully, I am still a bit wary with more people from my world knowing..." the heiress answered, causing Ryoko and Yuki, especially Yuki, to look at her in slight disbeliefs. "But, they're my friends. They were going to know the truth at some point. Besides, if Alice and Soma were able to keep the secret for this long, so can they."
"Should I be insulted?" Alice asked, though not that concerned if the innocent smile on her face said anything.
"So in other words they're good, right?" Lionel asked. Nikola nodded in response, bringing relief to all the diners. "Good. That's good. Now then... I want another bowl of katsudon!"
"All this tension made me hungry, too. More minced meat cutlets for me," Sarah said.
"More shripe dishes!" Heinrich followed.
"Our okonomiyaki may have gotten cold by now. Give us second," Soemon requested.
"You guys are too quick to recover when it comes to this restaurant's food!" Nikola comically shouted. Despite that, she returned to the kitchen and assisted her father with the meals.
"Ah! Let us help out!" Yuki said.
"It's not every day you cook for fantasy characters," Ryoko said, also wanting to help out.
Nikola smiled at their offers. "Okay then. Grab an apron, and I'll give you guys your roles for today."
As her friends went to get an apron, Kuro approached the heiress. "Are you sure it's okay?"
"Yeah. I trust them. Besides, something tells me my godmother will give them a stern warning when she gets here later."
The dragon in disguise couldn't help but agree with the human at that, especially since Red told her herself that she considers the restaurant as part of her territory, her treasure. Besides, the red dragon also tasked her in protecting the restaurant when she couldn't. If Nikola's friends does anything that would endanger this place so precious to them all, she will uphold her promise to Red.
"Now then, enough about all that complicated stuff," Nikola told her. "We still have work to do. Megumi, Sadatsuka-san, Alice-chan, Ryoko. Can you girls help Aletta-san and Kuro wait tables? Yuki-chan, help me and my dad in the kitchen."
"Right!" most of her friends answered.
"Hang on! Why do I have to wait tables?" Alice asked.
"Because all the equipment in this restaurant aren't all those high-tech stuff you usually use in your cooking," Nikola answered.
"I can still cook without them, though!"
"I know that, but don't forget people of the other world are not that familiar with the many tastes we have here. Even if you can cook without advanced equipments, I'd rather you do not do anything too drastic that the diners here aren't yet familiar with."
"Oh come on~! I promise I won't do anything drastic! Besides, you don't need more waitresses; you need more cooks for their stomachs, don't you?"
Nikola knew she was right, especially after what happened the last time she had visited home. Lunch and dinner rush was quite hectic, especially as the regulars ordered more than usual, all to taste her style of cooking.
"You have a point there... Sure thing," she said, to Alice's joy. "But nothing too drastic."
"You say that, but don't you make different variations to your customers' usuals?" Alice pointed out.
"I keep those changes to a minimum, mind you, and slowly work my way up with their tastes!"
"Hey, you two. I don't mind you guys talking about your cooking skills, but we have hungry customers to cook for," Daichi called.
"Right!" With that, Alice and Nikola went back to the kitchen and got cooking.
For the remainder of the lunch hour, the girls and Daichi did their best to cook and serve the customers their usuals in peace. Of course, the definition of 'peace' in Nekoya is different from the normal definition, as not even half an hour later, the usual arguments had sprung about in the restaurant.
"I can't believe this! You don't even know the flavor of sauce seeping into the breading and cutlet!" Sarah accused Heinrich.
"I could say the same, child," he retorted. "You know not what you speak! The flawless combination of shripe and tartar sauce does not waver even though it grows cold!"
As they began the weekly favorite food argument, Nikola and Daichi simply sighed at the ongoing routine occurring in their restaurant.
"And so it begins again," the adult said.
"And this time, it's the newer regulars who started it," the teen added.
"My, I see some things haven't changed at all here," Alice stated.
"This is normal?" Yuki asked.
"Yeah. All the regulars from the other world love one certain dish in Nekoya, so much so that they are convinced their favorite dish is the number one dish in this restaurant. Though by the sound of the argument today, they're arguing about the best sandwich version of their favorite."
"Sounds more than just the dish being their favorite though..." As Yuki muttered that, the argument in the dining room was getting heated up.
"That is why! The most delicious is the ground beef cutlet sandwich!" Sarah shouted. "One bite sends the meat's juice spurting! The sauce has been on so long the breading turned black! A perfect combination with the soft vegetables!"
"If I may... a plump shripe cutlet... the sweetness of the shripe spreads across the palate with each bite, and merges with the sour of the tartar sauce, entrancing the tongue! Combining that with those red juicy vegetables and green leafy ones and the white of the shripe stand out against that red and green as beautiful a sight as it is a flavor! But of course, there is no comparison to the dull brown of your ground beef cutlets!"
"Those guys are so overly passionate about their favorite dish out there, it's scary," Yuki said. "But wait, that guy out there said 'shripe'... He's been ordering shrimp and calling them that. Do they have different names for the food we have here?"
"For some of them, yes. The name is different, but they mostly sound similar to what we call them here," Nikola answered.
"Really? Then what other ingredients were called differently there?"
"If I recall... Garlic is gareo, onion is oranie, tomato is marmett... Oh! Potato is called cobbler's tubers over there, too. There are others, but I don't remember them from the top of my head. I usually keep a notepad on me, and it is filled with different names for the ingredients we use."
Yuki looked on wide-eyed in shock in learning that there were different names for the food in their world. Meanwhile, the sandwich argument in the dining room continued to grow, as Aletta, Megumi and Ryoko tried to calm things down in there.
"I bring a pork loin cutlet sandwich home with me once a month!" Altorius said. "No vegetables! Just the pork loin, sauce, and mustard! Juice spurting out of the meat's fatty trim, mingling with the sauce, wrapped in bread... The bite of the mustard bringing it all out! It's a masterpiece!"
"Hmph! I've eaten teriyaki with bread before!" Tatsugorou denied. "Teriyaki with plenty of sweet hot marinade... Thinly-sliced fresh kulle and raw oranie... Somehow works perfectly wrapped in bread spread with butter and mustard! I heard it's quite popular in this world!"
"I insist on the naporitan dog in coupe bread. When this shop puts their napolitan on bread, they intensify the flavors, so the tartness of the ketchup keeps up with the bread," Sirius said.
"My, my, you understand!" Doshun said in agreement and approval.
"Speaking of tasty noodle dishes in coupe bread, we must speak for yakisoba, with that thick, fragrant sauce," Soemon added.
"I'd go with a fruit sandwich! Sweet fruit and whipped cream!" Adelheid added in to the conversation. "The sweetness of soft cream and that ripe fruit are very different. So when you combine them, they are very exquisite."
"With fruit sandwiches, I find you're better off with custard," Victoria disagreed. "It's more rich that way, and the stronger sweetness works well with the flavor of the fruit and bread. And it won't make the bread soggy."
"My vote goes to pork cutlet sandwiches!" Lionel exclaimed. "But! My pork cutlet rice bowls would be the best takeout, if they were offered! Seconds!"
"Right away," Kuro spoke, heading to the kitchen to inform the chefs of the order.
"Another omelette rice," Gaganpo requested.
"Coming up," Nao took his order.
"E-Everyone! Please calm down!" Aletta cried out.
"Please! Let's not fight!" Megumi followed.
"They're right. Let's not get too heated up over this," Ryoko told them as calmly as she could.
Next everyone knew, a whistle was blown. Surprised, they covered their ears and slightly jump at the loud, high-pitched sound. The group turned, and saw an unamused Nikola standing against the closed piano, whistle in hand and tapping her foot.
"I understand this has become a routine for all of you, but must I remind a good majority that this is a restaurant? Glad as I am that you haven't resorted to violence, that does not mean it is okay to have such a heated argument all the time. Don't forget some people here don't really take lightly to this constant quarrel," she scolded, referring to Aletta, Mugmi and Ryoko with that last part.
One mention of that and the diners all looked towards the three waitresses who tried to calm the debate down between them all. One glance, and they saw Aletta, Megumi and Ryoko had worried and/or uneasy looks on their faces, undoubtedly due to their arguments, despite Aletta working long enough to know that it occurs frequently in this restaurant. They each felt pretty bad for causing such worries for the pair of kind girls, an expression that was more than enough for Nikola.
"If you guys really want to know who's right about what, all you had to do is make an order. And since I'm in such a good mood today, my friends and I went ahead and made sandwiches for you all," she said, as Yuki and Alice came out with trays of sandwiches that were being argued over.
One look at the many pile and the diners were all in shock and joy.
"You had all of these prepared while we were arguing?" Sarah asked.
"Yeah. Let's just say my time at school taught me that some things are better off settled through food," she answered.
"Come on! We made more than enough for everyone!" Yuki told them.
"It's on the house for today! Get them while they're still hot!" Alice followed.
And that they did, as the diners took a bite of the sandwich they and their friendly debaters argued over.
"Are you sure it's okay for them to have those sandwiches for free?" Aletta asked Nikola.
"Of course. It's nothing to worry about. Besides... a certain someone owes me a huge favor for what she did today~" Nikola looked at Alice's direction when she said that. The albino girl was just cartoonishly and innocently playing stupid with what the heiress meant and simply just passed out the sandwiches to the customers.
After lunch rush was over, the group were having their own lunch meal, made by Yuki and Ryoko, plus a plate of chicken curry for Kuro. The pair of humans insisted on making something for the trouble they caused earlier and made a collaboration dish based on their cooking styles. While Megumi, Nikola, Alice and Daichi simply found their dish to be quite delicious, especially as the former two had the pair's cooking on a number of occasions themselves, Kuro and Aletta were blown away by the flavor. They knew the taste of wild animals when they taste one, and they had tasted rice before, but never had they had anything like what the two Polar Star girls made. As they are, Yuki and Ryoko asked about the customers, quite curious about who they were in the other world. Imagine their surprise when they heard of how famous the diners were in that world.
Once lunch break was done, it was time for the dinner rush to get started. Like before, Yuki and Ryoko were shocked to see the other regulars as they walked in, as the first set of customers to enter were an ogre couple, followed by a nun and a priestess, an admiral from the other world, and a vampire couple. Well, the two didn't know the pair were vampires at first, for as each diners introduced themselves to the pair of new faces, Yuki and Ryoko focused more on the names when Romero and Julietta introduced themselves. Like Megumi and Nao, once they heard their names, they instantly declared their support for each other's love. Unlike the pair however...
"Those two are vampires?!" Yuki gasped at Nikola, who explained to them what a Dark Retainer was in the other world.
"Yes, that's right," the heiress answered. "But don't worry. Unlike the vampires we heard of and read in stories, they don't feed on blood that often; red wine is a good substitute for that."
"I see... But I'm surprised you're not frightened by them, Megumi," Ryoko said to the bluenette.
"Well, I kind of was at first. But with a lion demon, a lizardman, and an ogre couple peacefully eating here without causing much trouble for everyone else, same should be said to them as well," she reasoned.
"It's as she said," Kuro telepathically said, much to their shock at the sound of her voice suddenly going through their heads. "With a wonderful place such as this, only a fool would think to cause trouble here."
Hearing that brought smiles on their faces.
"So she said," Nikola agreed. "Besides... If anyone does dare to cause real trouble here, my godmother will most likely decimate them to oblivion."
"That does sound like something Red would do," Kuro concurred.
Those statements worried Yuki and Ryoko so. "Um... What do you mean by that?" the former asked.
"Nikola's godmother is a dragon," Alice told the two.
The pair stared at her wide-eyed at this reveal, unmoving. Seeing how unresponsive they were confused Kuro, who tilted her head. "Is something a matter?" she asked. Yuki and Ryoko remained unresponsive.
Nikola let out a nervous chuckle at their reaction. "Well, it's not everyday you hear your friend's godmother is a dragon. In this world, dragons are a huge deal."
"Is that so?" Kuro asked.
"Another pair of steaks!" Nao called from the dining hall.
"And another plate of curry!" Aletta followed.
"Right!" Nikola called. "Okay, you two. Snap out of it. Get back to work." She told Yuki and Ryoko, giving the pair a good slap to the cheek to wake them up.
"Ouch! You don't need to slap that hard!" Yuki shouted. Despite this, they got to work on the dishes.
A few hours later, the last of the diners had left, and Nikola's friends from Totsuki rested in the dining hall.
"Man, that was tough," Yuki sighed in relief.
"You think so?" Alice asked, not as tired as the pigtailed girl was.
"Well of course you wouldn't think that; you ended up joining the diners during the second half of the dinner rush!"
"But it's not as bad as our training camp, was it?" Ryoko asked.
Recalling their time at the said camp brought a small chill down her friend's spine. "Yes, that is true..."
"You guys can rest up from here. My dad and I can take care of the last order," Nikola told them, as she walked into the dining room.
This confused Yuki and Ryoko. "'Last order'? But all the diners left," the latter told her.
"Oh, that's right!" Alice spoke up. "She's coming in soon, isn't she?"
"'She'?" Yuki asked.
"I hope she doesn't come in like last time. That was so embarrassing to see..." Megumi said, her face red and steaming from the memory.
That statement brought shock looks on her friends' faces. "What do you mean?"
As if answering the question, the last diner of the day entered the restaurant with a 'slam' and tackled Nikola down with a hug. "Nikola~! I missed you so much~!" And like last time... she was clothless.
"Beef Stew-san! Again?!" the poor heiress gasped, while her friends all looked at the woman in shock. Daichi was in the kitchen, already getting started with some prep work for the red dragon's usual dish.
Ignoring the stares and her goddaughter's question, Red Queen rubbed her face against Nikola's and asked some of her own question. "How have you been since last time? Have you been well? How are your studies? Did you make any more friends? I heard about this camping trip you had some time back; how was it?"
"I'm fine and I've made plenty more friends! But Beef Stew-san! Your clothes again!" Nikola answered frantically.
Instantly recalling the human etiquette of wearing clothes in the restaurant, Red Queen realized her mistake and said, "Ah yes. Of course. How shameful of me. Excuse me for a minute." With that, she calmly made her way out the still-open doors.
As she walked out, Yuki and Ryoko stared at the disguised dragon in shock.
"W-W-Who...?" the latter tried to ask.
"That is onee-sama's godmother. Red Queen the dragon," Nao answered.
"She's the dragon?!" Yuki gasped. "But she looks human with horns!"
"That's because she used magic to change her appearance. While she doesn't really need it in the other world, she does here. Her real form is too big to fit in here," Nikola explained, picking herself off from the floor.
"Are you okay, Nikola-chan?" Megumi asked.
"Yeah. Don't worry about me. Believe it or not, I've experienced worse pains than that."
"Let's try this again," came Red's voice, as everyone turned to the now-dressed woman, carrying an empty pot. "I have come, Master. Nikola."
"Beef Stew-san. It's been a while," Nikola greeted back.
Like before, the dragon instantly changed her attitude, dropping the pot and embracing the heiress in another hug. "Nikola~!"
As her godmother rubbed her face against hers, the teen couldn't help but think, 'I see this is a new routine between us now.' She recalled what her father said about Red wanting to catch up on all the times she missed on being her second mother, and decided to return the hug.
"I miss you too, Beef Stew-san," she said. Unfortunately, this proved to be a mistake on her part, as Red Queen started to hug her tighter. And though her magic changed her appearance, it did not change her monstrous strength, as Nikola felt her back slowly threatening to break and air quickly leaving her.
"Oh, Nikola~ You've no idea how happy I am to see you here, my daughter," Red smothered.
"I-I can tell, I can tell...!" the heiress breathed out. "Beef Stew-san...! Air!"
Just now realizing the strength she was using as she hugged the poor girl, Red released the teen, to her relief. "Oh my. My apologies, Nikola."
"It's okay. I'm okay," she assured. "Now then, I assume the usual?"
"Have I ever ordered anything but?" Red asked back, indirectly answering the question.
Nikola smiled and started making her way back to the kitchen. "Take a seat anywhere you wish," she told her.
Red sat at one table, legs crossed as she waited for her usual to be ready.
"Hey there, Beef Stew-san," Alice greeted, sitting across from the final diner.
"Ah, Alice. It's been a while," she greeted. "How have you been?"
"I've been well, thank you."
As they conversed, Yuki, Ryoko, and even Kuro stared at her wide-eyed. While the humans were staring because they were in the presence of a real dragon, Kuro stared because she had never seen her acquaintance acted the way she had towards Nikola. Not even her favorite beef stew had ever brought out that persona from her. For her to act this way towards a human of all things came as quite a surprise for the black dragon in disguise.
"I can see you're surprised," Red telepathically said to Kuro, as she listened to Alice's story of Nikola's time at Totsuki, via the dragon's request that is.
"I've never seen you act that way towards anything, before," she mentally reasoned.
Red smirked at her words. "I suppose I can't blame you for that. I've been here ever since the previous master's time, before that child was born. She has left quite an impact on me ever since her birth. I'm sure if you stay long enough, you will understand the feeling when her child is born."
Kuro couldn't really say she agrees. It wasn't just because she was the dragon of death; it was also because she didn't know or understand the kind of care Red seemed to have for the human girl. While she did care much for life, she didn't know what it was like to favor one life out of many others. Was it like how she feel towards chicken curry? No; Red's action towards Nikola was different from that of her beef stew. As much as Kuro tried to make sense of the action, she had no idea what such a feeling was like.
Back to Yuki and Ryoko, the pair were still tense from the sight of Red. After all, this is a dragon in their presence. Yes, they had seen demons and monsters and had no issue whatsoever with them, but dragons... They heard and read many stories about that particular species, as well as watched plenty of shows with a dragon character. They didn't know what to think of Red!
Noticing their tense stance, Megumi placed her hands on their shoulders. "It's okay. Beef Stew-san is a kind person," she assured.
"Are you sure, Megumi?" Yuki asked.
"You two there," Red spoke, referring to Yuki and Ryoko. The two teens flinched at her call, practically turned to stone. "Come closer." Like robots, the pair obliged to the request. "I know you discovered the secret by accident, but mark my words. If you tell anyone in your world a word of it, I will put an end to your lives."
Hearing that threat, and the pair paled up, sweating profusely as they knew so well the dragon would do what she promised. After all... She. Is. A. Dragon.
A smirk formed on her lips, and Red placed her hands on their heads. "I'm just kidding. I would never do that to my goddaughter's friends. It'd make her sad, and that's the last thing I want to see from her." The teens calmed down at those words. "Nikola trusts you both with this secret. As her godmother, I do hope you don't betray that trust. Like me, this is Nikola's greatest treasure. If you two are truly her friends, on behalf of my goddaughter, I hope you don't take this treasure away from her and take this secret to your grave."
Upon hearing those words, Yuki and Ryoko knew now how much the red dragon in disguise care about their friend. Much like the majority of the diners, she, too, saw Nikola as family. Well, she is her godmother after all.
"Of course," Ryoko assured, with Yuki nodding.
Red Queen's smile grew at their promise.
Soon enough, Nikola came back out with her favorite beef stew. Like last time, Red had Nikola stay on her lap while she enjoyed her dish, nearly burning her or the restaurant once too many times as she ate from sheer bliss. If Yuki and Ryoko didn't believe Red was a dragon before than happened, they did then, and feared for their lives if they foolishly revealed Nekoya's secret to anyone else. After enjoying the plate of beef stew, Red Queen gave the payment for it and the large pot of her favorite meal, and took her leave. Not after giving Nikola another motherly kiss farewell, of course.
Once the employees had dinner and bid farewell to Aletta and Kuro, Nikola's friends all took their own leave. Alice already made arrangements to stay at a hotel beforehand, so they didn't have to worry about where to sleep for the night.
As Nikola washed up the dishes, her father asked, "So Nikola. After all those cooking, do you have some idea about what to do for that event when you return?"
The heiress froze at his question, slowly remembering why she returned home in the first place. "... Damn it! I forgot all about it! And damn it, I forgot to even ask Curry Rice-jiisan to stay a bit to help taste test!"
"You do remember the other world's palate is different from ours, right?" Daichi asked, sweat dropping a bit from her daughter's action.