"Why me? I refuse." Hiyori said without hesitation. She couldn't help but think the person in front of her was perhaps seriously delusional.
"This is a vital task that chefs all over the world would envy! It will be the most valuable experience of your life," Tsurugi declared solemnly.
After speaking, he walked straight out. The elderly butler had already packed up the utensils and opened the long car door outside.
Only then did Hiyori realize the young man hadn't paid at all.
"He just naturally walked out on the bill…" Hiyori was momentarily speechless.
Meanwhile, Tendo tasted a piece of the steak the butler had made. His expression became utterly shocked. It was divinely good.
"That old man is extraordinary. Just put this meal on my tab, too."
"Speaking of which, you already owe quite a lot," Hiyori said, looking at Tendo speechlessly. She then started clearing the table and went back into the kitchen.
Raven walked over to Tendo.
"It seems a lot of new people have appeared while I was away. That guy just now was a new Kamen Rider, wasn't he?" Raven asked.
"You only just got back and you know this already? Nothing escapes you, does it?" Tendo replied.
"Naturally. I am all-knowing." Raven said half-jokingly, yet speaking the truth.
"On another note, Kagami's situation isn't optimistic, yet you still have time to leisurely study cooking," Raven continued. At this moment, Kagami was about to face one of the most important turning points in his life: becoming Kamen Rider Gatack.
"What kind of trouble is that guy causing now?" Tendo was still savoring the butler's cooking. He had no idea that Kagami was currently hospitalized due to testing the Gatack Zecter.
"You'll find out soon enough." The moment Raven finished speaking, Tendo received a call.
It was from Misaki Yuzuki.
"What? Kagami is seriously injured and hospitalized?" Tendo's expression instantly became grave and worried, though he quickly masked it.
"A Worm took on his appearance. He tried to save a boy, which led him to do something reckless," Misaki said on the other end. "I need your help."
"I refuse," Tendo said, hanging up the phone without hesitation.
"Tendo?"
"Wait, hello? Hello!!" Misaki's eyes widened in disbelief.
"What kind of person is this?" She was utterly furious at Tendo's cold attitude. How can he be so heartless? Kagami always treated him like a friend, defending him constantly to ZECT headquarters!
Raven saw Tendo's composure and chose not to comment. Tendo was the type who never showed his emotions about anything, except when it concerned his sister. The only other person who elicited any flicker of emotion from him was Kagami, and even that was slight.
"I can't believe Kagami really got hurt. But how did you know?" Tendo asked Raven curiously after getting up. Since he met him, Raven's conduct had been bizarre and seemingly without purpose, yet he knew and could do everything. He couldn't help but suspect Raven's origins.
"Didn't I tell you? I am omniscient and omnipotent." Raven replied lightly.
"Omniscient and omnipotent, interesting." Tendo looked deeply at Raven. He figured Raven must indeed know many things to dare say that, perhaps even including his own secrets. However, based on the current situation, he didn't seem to be an enemy. Tendo wasn't overly concerned for the time being. After all, he was the man who grasped the future.
He then left with a flourish.
He rushed urgently to the hospital. After disguising himself, he blended in with the hospital staff as one of the doctors. He worried that the Worm would rush to assassinate Kagami and completely take his place. Since the real Kagami was hot-headed, the mimicking Worm wouldn't be much better.
His prediction proved correct. In the intensive care unit, Kagami lay covered in injuries on the hospital bed. A doctor wearing a mask appeared, his hidden face identical to Kagami's. It was the mimicked Worm.
Just as the Worm was about to strike, Tendo emerged from the other side and stopped him.
"Who are you?" the mimicked Kagami shouted in surprise and rage.
"Grandmother once said, one who knows the truth is not fooled by a fake." Tendo removed his mask and disguise. "I guessed that the Worm who turned into Kagami would also be impatient and rush to eliminate the real body."
Seeing this, the mimicked Kagami dropped the act and revealed his true Worm form. Tendo was prepared; the Kabuto Zecter quickly flew into his hand, and he transformed immediately.
"Damn it!" The Worm, seeing its chance to strike had failed, smashed through the hospital room wall and fell from the high floor.
Tendo followed close behind.
The two quickly entered the Clock Up state and engaged in a fierce battle. Tendo's combat power was almost unbeatable unless a Worm executive appeared. The mimicked Kagami quickly found himself at a disadvantage. Seeing the situation was dire, he summoned a group of Larva Worms to buy himself time to escape, then vanished.
Tendo reluctantly gave up the pursuit.
…
The next day.
At the restaurant again. Early in the morning, Tsurugi's butler arrived intentionally. He bumped into Tendo and requested permission to hold the Young Master's birthday party at the restaurant.
Tendo could not refuse the butler's request and agreed, even having his sister Hiyori change into a maid outfit.
"Even if they rent out the place, they can't just remodel it arbitrarily, can they? And why do I have to wear this?" Hiyori stood leaning against the kitchen table, arms crossed and looking displeased.
"I couldn't refuse his request," Tendo said truthfully.
"You couldn't, so it had to be me…" Hiyori couldn't help but grumble inwardly. She hated trouble, especially having to wear this humiliating maid uniform.
It reminded her of Beroba, whom she had seen wearing a similar outfit at Raven's café.
Raven walked in from outside.
"What's going on here today?" He looked surprised at the restaurant's interior.
His gaze then immediately fell upon Hiyori in the maid outfit.