Indeed, the ability to 'conjure food' certainly seemed perfect for opening a family restaurant at first glance.
But it was only 'at first glance.'
"If you can't stay in the shop all the time, then this ability is practically useless, isn't it? Or are you planning to only open the shop on holidays, Asakura?"
Chihaya Anon said.
"You're right."
Asakura also nodded in agreement: "Do you want this chicken leg?"
"…No, thanks."
Although the chicken leg did look very appetizing, exuding an inviting aura of 'come eat me, come eat me,' the thought of gnawing on a chicken leg in front of a boy was simply unacceptable for Chihaya, who was particularly conscious of her image.
"That's truly a shame."
So Asakura could only sigh, then conjured another chicken leg and started eating with both hands.
"Are you deliberately trying to make me hungry?!"
Chihaya Anon's eye twitched.
"Yes!"
Asakura answered very loudly.
"Grumble…"
The girl let out an unwilling whimper, biting her teeth.
"Grumble…"
The girl's stomach also let out a mournful groan.
After all, it was long past school dismissal time, and theoretically, it was now approaching dinner time, so it was natural to feel hungry.
Asakura chuckled as he licked his fingers, then conjured a plate of spaghetti with tomato meatballs in front of the girl: "The only forks here are for eating fruit… Do you have any dietary restrictions?"
"I've studied abroad in London, you know."
For some reason, the girl's eyes became deep and hollow: "I can even overcome the food there… Anon, I'm not afraid of anything anymore…"
Asakura was filled with awe.
Fortunately, due to Asakura's strong insistence, the house-elves' cooking skills had improved considerably, and the flavors had become more in line with Asian tastes. Otherwise, if they had maintained their original state, their cooking might have made the pink-haired girl recall the flavors of London quite vividly.
The girl picked up a few strands of spaghetti with her fork and tasted them, her eyes instantly brightening.
"Delicious!"
"Right?"
Asakura proudly puffed out his chest, though it was unclear what he was so proud of.
"It feels like it's good enough to sell in a shop."
Chihaya Anon was unsparing with her praise.
"Praise more, praise more."
Asakura continued to tilt his head back, his nose seemingly growing longer.
"But wouldn't the flavor be greatly diminished if it got cold?"
"Hmm…"
"And the texture after reheating once it's cold should also be very bad."
"Grumble…"
"Indeed, if you can't be permanently stationed at the shop, even having the ability to conjure food won't be useful."
"…"
Asakura, silent.
Did he really have to give up on the catering industry and switch to another one?
No, considering that the task would eventually refresh, and the initial investment and future risks of opening a shop, why not just leave that shop alone and treat it as a simple secret base?
However, risks and opportunities coexist. Although he still had some money, he wouldn't always encounter an expert like the Inside Information Girl in the future, so he couldn't guarantee he would always make money.
With that in mind, having a shop that can consistently generate income as a hidden backup energy source might not be a bad choice.
But that would bring us back to the starting point: aside from the catering industry, which can be considered almost zero-cost and high-profit due to the Spirit Kitchen, investments in other industries cannot guarantee against deficits. If it can't provide income and I have to keep subsidizing the shop's operations, then it's putting the cart before the horse.
"If I can't be a permanent fixture in the shop, and I want to operate normally, then I'd have to hire people. Thinking about it carefully, once I hire outside employees, ensuring my abilities aren't exposed would itself be quite troublesome..."
Asakura, who had finished his chicken leg, lightly snapped his fingers, and a flame appeared out of thin air, incinerating the grease on his hands along with the leftover chicken bones: "If only there was a catering shop where I could prepare all the food at the beginning, and then not have to worry about it for the rest of the day."
"Eh..."
Chihaya Anon let out a surprised sound.
"What's wrong?"
Asakura looked at the girl, whose mouth was covered in tomato sauce, making her look a little funny.
Perhaps his gaze was a bit too obvious, causing the girl to realize something. She quickly pulled out a napkin to wipe her mouth before saying, "What you just said..."
"Which one?"
"The one where you just prepare everything at the beginning and then don't have to do anything for the rest of the day."
Maybe it was because she had just eaten, or perhaps the oil wasn't completely wiped off, but the girl's cherry lips were shiny as if she had applied lip balm, looking even more delicate than usual. She said, "There really is a shop like that!"
A light bulb went off in Asakura's head: "You mean..."
"That's right, that one."
The girl nodded.
Then both of them spoke at the same time, but with different answers.
Asakura: "A black-hearted shop that scams people with pre-made dishes that just need to be heated up!"
Anon: "A dessert shop specializing in cakes!"
Asakura: "..."
Anon: "Stare~"
Asakura: "That's right! A dessert shop!"
"It's too late to change your mind now!"
The girl shook her head: "Why would you immediately think of those shady shops that appear in legal programs?!"
Asakura sighed with regret: "I didn't expect my mind to be so corrupted by the profit-driven merchant mentality. Is this what they call capitalism...?"
"I just think Asakura-kun's way of thinking is too strange."
The girl watched indifferently as Asakura shook his head and sighed dramatically: "Probably only Asagumo-senpai can understand your thought process."
Regardless of how Asakura's brain was corrupted by the 'technology and ruthlessness' of his previous life, Anon's suggestion alone certainly opened up a whole new line of thought for Asakura.
Indeed, traditional cake and dessert shops prepare all their cakes for the entire day early in the morning and place them in a refrigerated display case. When customers come to buy, they simply choose. Even if customers plan to dine in, at most they just need a cup of coffee or tea.
As for custom birthday cakes and similar services, they require booking a day in advance, so there's no hassle of needing to make them on the spot.
In other words.
"There's already a display fridge in the shop. As long as I find a cute beast-eared maid to help sell cakes, I can open for business right away...?"
Asakura mused.
"Why would beast-eared maids suddenly appear here?!"
The pink-haired, fanged, glasses-wearing girl said indignantly.
"Huh, I thought Anon would like this callback..."
"I'm not doing a manzai act with you!"