Chapter 92: The Witch, The Saint, and The Detective's Daughter
Fireworks are beautiful, blooming like ephemeral flowers in the night canvas. There is a poignant saying, "Fireworks are easily cold," which refers not just to the fading embers falling from the sky, but also to short-lived love that burns bright and vanishes into the dark history of time.
But in fact, not all love is as fleeting as a firework or the epiphyllum flower. For beings with long lifespans and powerful abilities—like a Demon Queen and a mysterious dimensional traveler—affection can be as enduring as the stars themselves, burning quietly long after the explosion has faded.
No matter how slow the Ferris wheel turns, it is still just a circle. It is a temporary suspension of reality. Eventually, gravity wins. When moving from the top—where one feels level with the gods—back to the bottom, the magical isolation disappears.
When feet that should have been walking on clouds touch the solid concrete again, everything returns to the usual hustle and bustle of the mortal realm.
Tourists streamed towards the exits like a river of noise, children clutching balloons, couples holding hands. The air was filled with the chatter of a thousand lives intersecting for a moment before dispersing into the Tokyo night.
However, for one particular pair, the magic lingered.
Lucifer was exceptionally well-behaved with Ren as they stepped out of the gondola. She held onto his arm tightly with both hands, pressing it against her side. It wasn't out of fear anymore, but out of a newfound, silent possessiveness. Her fair face was still flushed a delicate pink, but her expression was soft, a faint, genuine smile playing on her lips that softened the usual sharp, arrogant angles of her features.
"It seems you've figured it out, Lucifer~," a teasing, familiar voice called out.
When Lucifer and Ren emerged from the ride exit, they saw Cerberus and Fuji Yumiko waiting for them on a bench near a popcorn stand. Cerberus was covered in carnival prizes—a stuffed bear, a plastic sword—and Yumiko looked like a proud older sister watching a successful date.
Lucifer looked at Fuji Yumiko. The jealousy she had felt earlier—that burning, irrational fire when hearing about the matching cups—seemed petty now. It had evaporated in the face of the fireworks.
She smiled genuinely, her crimson eyes gentle. "Thank you, Yumiko.... for waiting. And for... everything."
Yumiko winked, standing up and smoothing her skirt. "You're welcome. Because if you kept being a stubborn tsundere forever, Lucifer, it would be difficult to handle~. Ren needs someone honest, not just difficult."
Lucifer's face flushed a deeper shade of red, and she looked away, mumbling something unintelligible about "royal prerogative."
After a long while, she finally let go of Ren's arm (reluctantly, her fingers lingering on his sleeve) and addressed Fuji Yumiko directly. "Yumiko, don't you need to go to work? Or a meeting? It's getting late."
Yumiko checked her wristwatch and smiled. "You don't have to worry about that. I still have over two hours until my meeting with the university alumni association. But you two should probably head back to the shop soon. It's only an hour until opening time~. A Chef shouldn't be late to his own kitchen."
Ren sighed, running a hand through his silver hair. He looked at the darkening sky. "Tonight, I have a feeling we'll meet some interesting customers. The air feels... charged. I hope they have good personalities, otherwise, it'll be really difficult to handle~. I'm not in the mood for fights after such a peaceful day."
Yumiko covered her mouth and chuckled softly, poking his chest. "Alright, you. You just say that to sound humble. If such customers really came—legendary heroes or chaotic demons—you'd only be happy, wouldn't you? You thrive on the interesting. You hate boredom more than anything."
Ren smirked. "As expected of Yumiko, you really understand me~. Boredom is the true enemy of a long life."
"Of course. I'm a witch, remember? I see things. Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. I'll take you back in my car, and then I'll go straight to the meeting."
Ren didn't refuse. A ride in Yumiko's comfortable car was far better than the crowded train.
Lucifer watched Yumiko and Ren's easy conversation—the way they bounced words off each other without hesitation. She clearly felt that Yumiko understood Ren very well—perhaps better than anyone in this world.
If it had been ten minutes earlier, before the Ferris wheel confession, Lucifer might have been jealous again, ready to rain hellfire. But now, she only felt a mild envy, a desire to reach that level of understanding herself. I will catch up, she vowed silently.
Fuji Yumiko loved driving with the people she cared about. Her car was a sleek, dark sedan that smelled of lavender and leather. When Ren and the two demons arrived back at the familiar alley entrance, it had only taken half an hour. It was unclear if Yumiko was just incredibly lucky with traffic lights or if she used some minor divination to avoid jams, but the ride was smooth as silk.
"Well then, Ren, I'm off. See you tomorrow night for dinner. Oh, and you might need to teach that kid Yuta a lesson about patience; he listens to you better than he listens to me."
Ren leaned on Yumiko's car roof with one hand, bending down to look at Yumiko through the open window. The streetlamp cast a warm glow on their faces.
He smiled warmly. "Yuta just can't figure things out yet, that's all. He's young and wants to prove himself. Don't worry, be careful on the road, and stay safe~."
"Okay. I'll text you when I get there. I did a quick tarot reading before I left, and it said everything would go smoothly. The Chariot card was upright."
Yumiko waved and drove off, the red taillights fading into the Tokyo night. Ren watched them disappear around the corner.
"Should I buy a car too...?" he mused aloud, tapping his chin.
Lucifer, standing beside him on the sidewalk, asked curiously, "If you wanted to buy one, it should be simple, right? You have literal gold coins in your drawer from that wizard. Do you need to agonize over a metal carriage?"
Ren shook his head. "It's not about the money. It's just... I rarely choose to go to very distant places. My world is this shop. So a car would often just be parked in the alley, gathering dust and rust. It seems wasteful."
When the three returned to the small shop, Ren unlocked the wooden door.
Click.
As the familiar warm, yellow light once again filled the entire house, chasing away the shadows, they felt an inexplicable sensation. It wasn't just relief from the cold outside. It was a feeling called belonging.
Ren took off his jacket and hung it up. "Alright. Back to business. What do you want for dinner? We need to eat before the customers start rolling in."
"Braised pork! Red Braised Pork (Hong Shao Rou)!" Cerberus shouted, jumping up and down so hard the floorboards vibrated. "The wiggly, fatty kind!"
Ren looked at Cerberus's excited expression, shook his head with a smile, and said softly, "Anything else? Cerberus, you seem very happy today? Did the amusement park disappoint you?"
Cerberus shook her head violently, her white hair flying. "No, no, no! The amusement park was so fun! Especially all those swinging things! The Pirate Ship! The Pendulum! So exciting! It felt like flying! My stomach went whoosh!"
Cerberus was probably referring to the high-g-force rides that made normal people nauseous. Thinking of this, Ren suddenly imagined a scene: a dog sticking its head out of a car window, tongue lolling out in pure bliss, but magnified by a hundred times on a giant swing.
"Pfft...." He covered his mouth to stifle a laugh.
"Master, Master, Master! What's wrong? Why are you laughing? Is there something on my face?"
"Nothing, just thought of something happy~. A flying dog."
"Oh, oh, oh! Master, let me help! I want to be useful! I can chop!"
Ren looked at Cerberus's expectant face. "No chopping for you yet. You're too energetic. Alright, Cerberus, you'll be in charge of washing the vegetables. Bok choy and spinach. Make sure there's no dirt."
"Okay! I will wash them clean! I will drown the dirt!"
Ren went into the kitchen and started prepping the pork belly. He cut the meat into perfect, uniform cubes, blanching them to remove impurities. The smell of ginger and cooking wine began to fill the air.
Not long after Ren and Cerberus entered the kitchen, the door opened again.
Lucifer walked in.
She had changed out of her street clothes. Now, she was wearing a simple black dress that hugged her curves... and an apron.
It was a frilly, white apron that contrasted sharply with her usual "Queen of Darkness" aesthetic. Her long silver hair was tied up in a high ponytail, exposing her elegant neck, and the thorny halo—the symbol of her authority as a High Demon—was gone.
She looked very... domestic. Like a newlywed wife in a cooking manga.
Ren looked at her figure, perfectly accentuated by the apron strings tied around her small waist. He paused in chopping green onions.
"Lucifer? Why are you here? Are you lost? The dining table is out there."
Lucifer folded her arms, looking away with a haughty expression, though her ears were pink. "Didn't you say earlier that I was 'unexpectedly domestic'? Well, I am proving a point. A domestic woman won't just stop at one failed chocolate crepe. I need to prove my competence in savory dishes too. I cannot let a dog outcook me."
Ren paused, staring at her. Then he shifted to the side to make space at the counter.
"Then you'll have to learn well. I won't lower my expectations or go easy on you just because you're the Little Queen~. The kitchen is a battlefield, and the pork belly waits for no one."
"Hmph. Heartless man. I expect nothing less."
Despite saying that, Lucifer still smiled as she moved closer to him, picking up a ladle.
Compared to the usual quietness of the Restaurant prep time, tonight was different. The occasional sounds of Ren's guidance ("Lower the heat, Lucifer"), Cerberus's humming while splashing water, and Lucifer's tsundere retorts ("I didn't burn the sugar, I caramelized it deeply!") made the kitchen feel alive.
The aroma of the pork braising in soy sauce, rock sugar, and spices grew thicker, wrapping the room in a savory embrace. It was the smell of home.
Meanwhile, on the bustling streets of Tokyo's shopping district.
"Ran, hasn't Uncle Mouri come back yet?"
Suzuki Sonoko was walking down the street, swinging a shopping bag. Beside her walked a very beautiful girl with long, straight black hair and a distinctive horn-like hairstyle. She wore a sensible trench coat and looked slightly worried.
Mouri Ran.
Hearing Sonoko's question, Ran sighed, shifting the grocery bag in her arms. "No. Dad just sent a message saying he might be back very late tonight. Mahjong with his friends again. He'll probably be dead drunk~. I'll have to drag him up the stairs and make him hangover soup."
Sonoko rolled her eyes exasperatedly. "Uncle Mouri really is hopeless... always making you worry. Oh, that's right! Ran, since no one's home and you don't have to cook dinner for him, I'll take you somewhere super awesome~!"
"Eh? Where is it~? A new cafe? Or that sushi place?"
"The Restaurant~."
Ran blinked. "You just call it 'The Restaurant'? I thought it was some special place with a fancy French name~."
"It is special! It's Mr. Ren's Restaurant that I always talk about in the group chat! The one with the handsome chef and the magical food! The one where I met the Witch!"
Sonoko hooked her arm around Ran's neck, grinning mischievously. "Of course, Ren's Restaurant is a magical place. You have to see it to believe it. The atmosphere is... different."
"Eh? That sounds interesting," Ran admitted, her curiosity piqued. Sonoko rarely praised places this highly unless they were truly unique (or had hot guys). "I remember you said it's a Restaurant where you can order whatever you want, right? Even things not on a menu?"
"Exactly! Ren-nii can make anything! Chinese, French, Japanese... even things that shouldn't exist!"
"If that's the case, I really should go check it out. It's a shame Shinichi isn't here... he loves lemon pie. If it's that good, I'd invite him too~."
Sonoko groaned loudly, throwing her head back. "Why mention that mystery-geek blockhead?! His head is full of Sherlock Holmes and murder cases! He probably wouldn't appreciate the atmosphere anyway! He'd just try to deduce the ingredients or investigate the chef!"
She pulled Ran's arm urgently. "Let's go, let's go! If we go early, we might even avoid that scheming Momobami Kirari! She threatened my wallet earlier in the group chat!"
"Who is Kirari?" Ran asked, confused by the new name.
"She's a... 'friend'. A terrifying friend with blue lipstick and a gambling addiction. I'll introduce you two if she shows up. Then Kirari will definitely love your personality! You're too pure and kind—she'll probably try to adopt you or corrupt you!"
"Eh? Corrupt?" Ran looked alarmed.
"Don't worry about it! I'll protect you! Alright~ Let's go quickly! I'm starving, and I can smell the food from here!"
The two girls quickened their pace, heading away from the main street and towards a quiet, unassuming alleyway that held secrets beyond their imagination.
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