Takatsuki Sen only had to wait seven or eight minutes before a seat at the counter freed up.

Pekola quickly cleared the dishes from the previous customer, wiped the counter spotlessly clean with a cloth, and then came over to the register to invite Takatsuki Sen to her seat.

Hearing this, Takatsuki Sen gave Yurine a slight bow.

"Thank you for sharing all of that with me, Ms. Yurine."

"You're welcome."

Yurine waved her hand dismissively. She stood up, picked up her phone, opened LINE, and held it out to Takatsuki Sen. "Ms. Takatsuki Sen, let's add each other on LINE."

"When your new book comes out, let me know. I'll definitely support it."

"Oh, really? Then thank you in advance for your support," Takatsuki Sen said with a grin. She pulled her own phone from the pocket of her overalls, and the two exchanged LINE contacts.

Immediately after, she turned to walk away.

The smile remained on her face, but her eyes were slightly downcast.

'Tch!'

'I didn't get any useful intel at all. She just fed me a bunch of fake, made-up stories...'

'What a cunning girl!'

'And besides…'

'She doesn't seem nearly as terrifying as the old geezer claimed...'

Of course, Takatsuki Sen knew very well that the only reason she didn't feel Yurine's terrifying nature was because she simply wasn't displaying it. She was still extremely wary of this "little girl that you must absolutely never provoke," as the old geezer (Yoshimura) had repeatedly stressed.

"Here is the menu. Please take a look and see what you'd like."

Pekola led Takatsuki Sen to the counter seat, took a menu from the display rack, and placed it on the counter. She then pulled an order pad and pen from her apron pocket, ready to take the order.

"Do you have any recommendations?" Takatsuki Sen asked casually, pulling out the chic, modern chair and sitting down elegantly. She flipped open the menu with her slender fingers.

"Umm... the Deshun Sashimi Platter, Twice-cooked Pork, West Lake Beef Soup, and the Miracle Comet Fried Rice... those are all very popular." The little angel tilted her head, thought for a moment, and replied.

After the old geezer left last night, Takatsuki Sen had tried to do some research online and was completely stunned by the Miracle Comet Fried Rice. Like most of the internet, her first reaction was disbelief, assuming it was just special effects. But the more she dug, the more she was forced to believe it, as incredible as it was.

If Ryohei Tanaka hadn't already been closed last night, she would have rushed over right then and there.

Naturally, the Miracle Comet Fried Rice was her number-one priority today.

"Then I'll have one of each of those, please," Takatsuki Sen said, turning to Pekola and accepting her recommendations. She had also seen the Deshun Sashimi Platter, Twice-cooked Pork, and West Lake Beef Soup online, all of which had received rave reviews.

"Okay! Please wait just a moment!"

Pekola quickly jotted down the order, then turned and walked to the counter to print the ticket.

After ordering, Takatsuki Sen gave the menu another careful read-through before placing it back on the display rack. She braced her hands on the counter, pushed herself lightly to her feet, and looked eagerly toward Ryohei Tanaka, who was cooking to her left.

Takatsuki Sen's official height was 151 cm. Today, she was wearing a pair of white canvas shoes, which, even with the soles, didn't bring her to 155 cm. From a sitting position, she couldn't see Ryohei cooking; she could only see him from the chest up. She had to stand.

Before this, she had only seen Ryohei cook via short videos and live-stream recordings. Watching him in person was a completely different experience from watching him through a screen.

The air was filled with the intermingling aromas of various foods, weaving together like an invisible hand gently caressing her olfactory nerves, making her mouth water.

Watching up close, Takatsuki Sen found it even more aesthetically pleasing.

Ryohei Tanaka was simultaneously managing three woks, cooking different dishes, yet he showed no sign of panic. Every single movement was like flowing water, executed in one smooth, continuous motion, displaying the masterful air of a grand chef.

The ingredients in the woks seemed to be granted new life in his hands.

The blue flames licked the bottom of the woks; with his right hand, he demonstrated his wok-tossing technique, sending the ingredients flying, tracing beautiful arcs in the air before landing perfectly back in the wok.

The sights combined with the sounds of the ingredients tumbling and searing in the high heat—a visual, olfactory, and auditory symphony—composed a magnificent sensory feast.

For a moment, Takatsuki Sen was completely mesmerized.

...

"Here is your order ticket."

Pekola returned with light steps, handing Takatsuki Sen her receipt.

"Oh, thank you."

Takatsuki Sen glanced down at it, her gaze quickly returning to Ryohei. Pekola, meanwhile, walked to the other side and handed the order ticket through the pass to Jashin-chan.

Jashin-chan took it and glanced it over. She placed the slip for the Twice-cooked Pork on the prep counter for Ryohei to cook next. As for the Deshun Sashimi Platter, West Lake Beef Soup, and Miracle Comet Fried Rice, those were all ready.

Jashin-chan quickly prepared the dishes, muttering the names under her breath, and served them one by one to Takatsuki Sen.

"The food is coming out really fast!" Takatsuki Sen remarked, surprised, as the first dish was placed on the counter. She quickly moved all three dishes to her table space, and then Jashin-chan said, "You'll have to wait a bit for the Twice-cooked Pork. You can start with these."

"Okay," Takatsuki Sen nodded.

Just then, the corner of her eye caught a faint, soft flash of light from her left.

Takatsuki Sen immediately snapped her head in that direction—

She saw the Kung Pao Chicken, sent flying by a deft flick of Ryohei's wrist and the strength of his arm, shimmering in mid-air. The glow wasn't blinding, but it seemed to possess a magical quality that made it impossible for Takatsuki Sen to look away.

'It's glowing!'

'?'

'Did something special just happen?'

'It's just like the videos... impossible to understand... It's illogical... unscientific...'

Takatsuki Sen blinked her beautiful eyes, muttering to herself, before her gaze finally landed on the "Glowing Cuisine" right in front of her.

'Anyway, time to eat!'

With such amazing food before her, it was time to taste it. She had been looking forward to this for a long time!

With that thought, Takatsuki Sen leaned her petite body forward, bent down slightly, shifted her hips back, and bent her knees, placing her hands on the edge of the chair. Her fingertips grazed the wooden armrests as she pulled the chair in. She settled onto the seat, pressed her palms together, and said cheerfully:

"Itadakimasu!"

With that, she picked up her spoon and, unable to wait another second, scooped up a spoonful of Miracle Comet Fried Rice and brought it to her mouth.

The warmth and aroma of the fried rice instantly spread through her senses. As her teeth gently chewed, the softness of the spinach and the crisp tenderness of the bok choy intertwined. The savory flavor of the egg coated every single grain of rice. The fragrance of the diced shiitake mushrooms, the sweetness of the corn, and the crispness of the carrots blossomed one after another on her tongue. The salty umami of the dried shrimp provided the perfect accent, enriching the entire flavor profile...

"Delicious!"

Without a doubt, it was incredibly delicious. A kind of deliciousness that shook her to her core.

Takatsuki Sen's verdant green eyes flew wide open.

Then, she was overcome by a feeling of utter refreshment. It was as if she had suddenly arrived in a vibrant green, scenic forest, with the elegant, winding melody of classical music echoing in her ears...

She felt completely relaxed and carefree, and the entire world suddenly seemed beautiful.

...

"Just now..."

Returning to her senses, Takatsuki Sen's face was a mask of undisguised astonishment. She looked down at the Miracle Comet Fried Rice in the plate, which was still emitting a verdant green glow, and the feeling of wonder spread through her heart once more.

Even though she had been prepared for it, this wondrous experience was still a profound shock...

'Whatever! I'm just going to eat! This is amazing!'

Unable to resist, she scooped up another spoonful and began to savor it, a smile of pure satisfaction spreading across her face.

One bite after another, she ate several spoonfuls in a row.

Takatsuki Sen felt... happiness.

How strange. To feel happiness just from eating something. It was unbelievable.

Takatsuki Sen couldn't understand it, but she was, without a doubt, feeling it. It was as if her life was suddenly gaining a new color!

Takatsuki Sen closed her eyes, tilted her chin up slightly, and the expression on her face looked like it was melting from pure bliss. She opened her eyes again and couldn't help but say:

"If happiness has a color, it must be green!"

This utterly bizarre declaration made everyone nearby, including Ryohei Tanaka, turn to look at her. He paused his work and stared, slightly stunned.

'Green... no, that's more of a dark green.'

Dark green hair. Even in the anime world, that was quite rare. What also drew his attention was the white eye patch she wore over her right eye. Since coming to this world, the only other person Ryohei had seen wearing an eye patch like that was Yurine.

'Speaking of which... was Sen's Kakugan on the left eye or the right eye?'

Ryohei suddenly thought of a certain character from Tokyo Ghoul...

~~~

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