"The whole family moved into Ryn's house today; our old house is still being rebuilt. Kallen and big sister Yae Sakura are planning to get part-time jobs to pay back the money. I think I'll open a barbecue stand!"
"Sigh... it's a shame all the diaries were burned..."
—Rin
——————————
"Hey, little boss, two skewers of grilled squid."
"Okay, please wait a moment!"
With a customer's arrival, Hiyokumaru's mobile barbecue stand began its work. The petite Hiyokumaru stood on a small stool, heating up the oil, adding ingredients, and frying the skewers, occasionally spitting out small bursts of fire.
Hiyokumaru loved using her own fire breath for grilling, but every time she did, the food would turn into charcoal. Thus, the self-aware Hiyokumaru only charged half price for each skewer. However, this only made things worse for the already debt-ridden Sakura-Kallen family. In the end, after Kallen and Yae Sakura gave Hiyokumaru a stern lecture when the accounts didn't add up, Hiyokumaru learned to grill like a normal person.
After a busy day, Chef Hiyokumaru finally finished her work. Then, she made plans with Ryn to go to Himeko's house for dinner. As for eating at home, going home was absolutely out of the question.
Previously, Ryn and Kiana, refusing to believe the warnings, went to try one of Kallen's meals. The two of them had barely taken a few bites before Ryn started foaming at the mouth with a rainbow of colors and passed out. Kiana, trembling, gave Kallen a thumbs-up.
"Your bloodline is superior to mine... I'm going down..."
With that, she collapsed next to Ryn, also foaming at the mouth with rainbow colors. The two were then rushed to the emergency room and spent a whole day being resuscitated.
Only an idiot like Yae Sakura firmly believed that this was a love exclusive to her, happily eating it every day. Hiyokumaru suspected that when she had enhanced Yae Sakura back then, all the enhancements must have gone to her stomach.
——————————
Hiyokumaru hated only one person most of all, and that was the damned Dr. MEI. The first time, she kidnapped her, forcing her big sister to join the Fire Moth... The second time, she kidnapped her again, indirectly causing her big sister's death...
And after waking up again, she was beaten up and sealed away by Beichen Mei, who looked exactly like MEI...
And now, she had to beg for food from Raiden Mei, a descendant of Beichen Mei who looked identical to her.
"Sigh, is this fate? A fox's life is so tragic..." Hiyokumaru wailed as she furiously stuffed her face.
"Huh? So... is my cooking good or not?" Watching Hiyokumaru crying her eyes out while eating, Mei fell into deep thought.
"Don't mind her, she's not right in the head..." Ryn said, putting some food on Mei's plate, signaling for her to just eat.
"Yeah, yeah! Mei's cooking is so delicious, she must be crying because it's that good!" Kiana said while stuffing her mouth. Talking didn't hinder her eating in the slightest.
"Good my foot! Eat what's in your own bowl, why are you taking mine!!"
Kika gripped the large chicken leg in Kiana's hand tightly, trying to snatch it back, but Kiana opened her mouth wide and swallowed all the meat, leaving only a bone for Kika.
In the end, with a green glint in their eyes, Kika and Kiana looked towards Bronya.
Bronya protected her plate with both hands and shouted resolutely, "Bronya is still growing, no!"
"Look at all of you, so full of energy. Come on, whoever has a drink with me gets my share! *Hic*~" Himeko wrapped one arm around Kika and the other around Kiana, letting out a drunken hiccup that overwhelmed them with the smell of alcohol.
"Himeko! Drink less!" "You're already drunk and you're still drinking!"
.........
After eating and drinking their fill, Ryn prepared to take Hiyokumaru home. Although he wanted to stay with everyone a little longer, he was afraid Kallen would cause some new trouble at home.
Strolling home under the moonlight, Hiyokumaru was exceptionally quiet today. She wasn't making a fuss or shouting, just lying quietly in Ryn's arms.
Hiyokumaru savored Ryn's embrace, her heart filled with a peace she hadn't felt in a long time. She suddenly smiled, looking up at Ryn with a grin, and said:
"Ryn, if... and I mean if, if one day, I suddenly disappeared... would you be sad?"
Ryn looked down at Hiyokumaru, his eyes full of pity.
"Watch fewer idol dramas. Your brain is already not normal, don't let it get any worse. Also, I'm not into lolis, so don't get any funny ideas about me!"
"Huh? What's wrong with you!" Hiyokumaru was stunned by Ryn's response for a moment, then, out of shame and anger, she bit down on his hand.
"Ryn! I'm asking you a very serious question right now!"
......
It was late at night, and Theresa was still in her office handling paperwork. Although Theresa really wanted to do nothing and just hide in her office reading manga, how could that be possible!
Himeko was recuperating for a month, Welt Yang had resigned and left, the new teacher Yiselian's lessons were like gibberish, and once she started her experiments she stopped teaching altogether, and then there was the series of troubles caused by Kallen and Kiana...
Theresa's head was about to explode from dealing with it all.
"Hey, Theresa, what are you doing?"
"Ah—"
Hiyokumaru jumped out from the adjacent wall, giving Theresa a fright.
"What are you doing, Hiyokumaru! You scared me..."
Theresa huffed and patted her chest, quickly hiding the glowing Hyper-Dimensional Staff that had appeared in her hand.
"Huh, what was that just now? Is Theresa also a fan of Magical Girl of Light, Teriri?"
Hiyokumaru curiously circled behind Theresa, trying to find the Hyper-Dimensional Staff she had just seen in Theresa's hand.
"Sit down properly! You saw wrong! There's no Hyper-Dimensional Staff that seals dark powers!"
Theresa's face flushed red with embarrassment as she grabbed Hiyokumaru and placed her on the sofa.
"What do you want? And Hiyokumaru, don't appear and disappear like a ghost like that in the future, you'll scare people to death!"
"Okay~"
Hiyokumaru agreed with a smile, then took out a steaming hot bento box from behind her back.
"Theresa is still working so late, you must not have eaten yet! This is a late-night snack I specially prepared for you!"
"Wow, thank you, Hiyokumaru." Theresa happily took the bento box from Hiyokumaru. Having been busy for so long, Theresa really hadn't eaten properly.
"Uh..."
Opening the bento box, Theresa froze. The contrast was stark... The white was rice, but what was the black stuff...
Seeing the stunned Theresa, Hiyokumaru scratched her head in embarrassment.
"Actually, the dinner Mei made had gotten cold, so I personally heated it up a little..."
"It's fine, it's the thought that counts." Theresa picked up a piece of charcoal-grilled meat and began to eat it with the rice. With her Kaslana bloodline to back her up, a little charring wasn't a big deal.
"It tastes pretty good~ Hiyokumaru is amazing."
"Okay~ Then eat up, Theresa! I'll bring you more in the future!"
"Mhm, thank you, Hiyokumaru."