"Would you like this to go?" Ryohei asked, looking at the two office ladies.

"No, thank you," Hanane Shiori replied, putting away her phone. It was just one small cake; what was the point of getting it to go? She'd finish it in a few bites!

"Alright then… please enjoy!" Ryohei said, handing them each a "Molten Chocolate Treasure Chest" in a small paper cup with a spoon.

Shiori and her friend, Katori Chion, took their desserts and stepped to the side. They looked down at the new item in their hands. It was a deep, dark brown, almost black, dusted with a fine layer of pure white powdered sugar. The aroma was intoxicating—the rich, slightly bitter scent of high-quality dark chocolate. Following the advice Ryohei had given them before, Shiori took her spoon and broke through the delicate crust.

A river of impossibly dark, molten chocolate, glowing with a soft, warm light, flowed from the center. The contrast between the dark lava, the dark cake, and the white sugar was stunning.

"Gulp—!"

Shiori swallowed hard, then eagerly scooped up a spoonful, capturing both the cake and the molten center, and brought it to her lips.

"Mmm… so delicious!"

The small cake was astonishingly good. The moment it entered her mouth was an instant revelation. An intense, deep chocolate flavor—not too sweet, but rich and complex—flooded her senses. It was decadent, luxurious, and utterly incredible. The rich warmth of the molten center melted on her tongue, and as she chewed, the light, airy texture of the cake provided the perfect contrast.

Shiori felt completely powerless against the onslaught of flavor. Wave after wave of pure, unadulterated chocolate bliss washed over her, and she couldn't resist.

"..."

She found herself in a grand, gothic ballroom, the air filled with the sound of a haunting waltz. She was wearing a beautiful, flowing white gown. Before her stood a terrifying but compelling figure—not a man, but a towering beast made of dark, swirling shadows, with eyes that glowed like molten chocolate.

He held out a hand, inviting her to dance.

It was a scene straight out of Beauty and the Beast.

"N-No… fight him?" Shiori was terrified. Her own thigh wasn't even as thick as his arm. How was she supposed to fight this thing?!

But the beast wasn't there to fight. He pulled her into a dance, and as they swirled across the polished floor, she felt herself being completely overwhelmed by his dark, sweet, all-consuming power. It was dangerous, but she couldn't resist. She was completely at his mercy.

Back in the real world, Shiori's body gave a slight shiver, a goosebump-like thrill running up her spine before she completely relaxed, her body feeling weak and pliant.

"...It leaves you completely defenseless," she murmured, opening her eyes, a hazy, dazed look in them. "Absolutely delicious—!"

She finished the rest of the cake, tossed the empty cup and spoon into the bin, and licked her red lips. She turned to Ryohei, her eyes filled with a new kind of hunger. "Chef Ryohei, that's not nearly enough!"

"You can always buy another one," Ryohei replied with a placid smile, already busy with the next customer.

"I'll be back when I'm rich enough to eat as much as I want," Shiori huffed, shooting him a playful glare. She then took her friend Chion, who was in a similar state of bliss, and they departed.

Time passed quietly. The sun began to set, dyeing the blue sky with strokes of red. The clouds became a rich tapestry of interwoven red and orange, bathing the entire sky in a warm, romantic glow.

The Anteiku Four—Yoshimura, Koma Enji, Irimi Kaya, and Yomo Renji—all arrived at Ryohei's stall at the same time, a pure coincidence.

"Haha~, what a coincidence, everyone!" Koma said, taking off his sunglasses and smiling. It wasn't entirely surprising; they had all said they were coming last night. Only Touka was missing, as she had to mind the shop, but the Manager had promised to bring some back for her.

"It is a coincidence… but it seems we're a bit late," Irimi said, her expression pained as she looked at the massive queue. A rough estimate put the line at twenty to thirty meters long.

So many people! And they're all human… But it was a testament to just how popular this Glowing Cuisine was. This is going to be hard to get, she thought, and immediately started walking toward the end of the line. No matter what, they had to queue up first. In the few seconds they had been talking, a young couple had already gotten in line behind them.

The others quickly followed her.

"It's not that we're late," Koma grumbled as they walked. "It's that the chef opened up early today. I read online that he usually doesn't show up until around six, so I even came a little early. I just hope there's still some left by the time we get to the front…" With so many people ahead of them, he had a bad feeling.

"Relax. We're not that late. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, we should be able to buy some," the Manager said, ever the calm one.

I hope so, Koma thought, already scheming to send some of his underlings to wait in line for him starting in the morning tomorrow.

Irimi, who also had subordinates, had a similar thought.

"It seems the stall has a new item today," Yomo, ever observant, suddenly remarked.

"Eh, really?" Koma looked at Yoshimura in surprise. He had just arrived and hadn't had a chance to look closely. Yoshimura gave a slight nod.

Koma's mouth immediately began to water. "What is it? I wonder what it tastes like…" He was dying with anticipation.