Chapter 124: Treating This World as a Gift
A feast for one, a satisfaction for the soul.
This is the best reward for those who persevere in the darkness, moving forward relentlessly. Deep in the night, Ren's Restaurant becomes a stage set for everyone, a moment of quiet prepared for every busy person burdened by the weight of their worlds.
Whether it is meat or vegetables, fungi or meatballs, when these ingredients are bathed in chili oil, everything seems so harmonious. In the end, you won't care which specific piece was tastier, because when combined with white rice, you just need to find it delicious. That is your only task as a diner.
Gulp...
The sound was small, but satisfying.
When the last sip of the smoked plum juice was finished, only a pile of melting ice cubes remained in the glass. The chili oil left in the large bowl was a testament to the battle fought and won—worries discarded after a moment of relaxation.
"Mmm~ What delicious food..."
Esdeath leaned back, her blue hair cascading over the back of the chair. Her cheeks were flushed a healthy pink, not from the cold, but from the spice and the satisfaction.
Ren walked over with a warm towel and a glass of water.
"Did it achieve the energy-replenishing effect you mentioned?" Ren asked with a smile.
"Yes!" Esdeath's eyes shone with vitality. "Nothing beats this~ I feel like I could crush a rebellion right now."
Ren chuckled, taking the empty bowl. "Of course it did. But even a General needs to stop and savor life slowly sometimes, just like this evening. You can't run at full speed forever."
"I will not stop my conquest..." Esdeath declared, though her voice lacked its usual biting edge. "To stop is to die."
"Then try to slow down occasionally," Ren advised gently. "Just to admire the view."
The girl looked at Ren cleaning up the dishes. His movements were efficient, domestic, and strangely mesmerizing. A hint of a smile played on her lips—a smile that was less 'predator' and more... 'woman'.
This smile made Lucifer, who was watching from the counter, raise an eyebrow.
'Wait,' Lucifer thought, her instincts screaming. 'Something seems wrong. The air pressure just changed. What is this girl trying to do? Why is she looking at him like he's the main course?'
Ren finished wiping the table and turned back to her.
"Well then, Miss General, if you're satisfied..."
He was stunned.
At this moment, the girl stood up. She didn't reach for her sword. Instead, she reached out and hooked her arm around his neck, pulling him down slightly.
And what was with that abnormal blush on her face?
Although suddenly transforming from a queenly, terrifying older sister into a blushing young girl was objectively very cute, Ren felt like something was off. The danger sense that he had ignored during her ice attacks was now blaring at full volume.
"Miss...?" Ren started, his hands hovering awkwardly. "You..."
"Esdeath," she whispered, her breath warm against his ear. "My name is Imperial General Esdeath."
Ren looked at Esdeath and asked in confusion, "Um... Miss Esdeath, what are you trying to do? Is this a grappling technique?"
Esdeath smiled. It was a dazzling, possessive smile.
"You defeated me," she stated simply. "I lost. In my world, the weak submit to the strong. But since you spared me... I am going to give you a reward~"
Ren blinked. "Reward? Usually, the winner receives the reward from the loser's treasury. What kind of reward requires this kind of... proximity?"
"Of course it's..."
Esdeath leaned in closer, her lips inches from his.
"...Me."
The next second, Lucifer's fur stood on end.
She looked at the scene before her with wide, shaking eyes. The Queen of Hell felt completely out of sorts. A primal roar of territorial defense echoed in her mind.
'She's going to kiss him! In front of me?!'
"What are you doing!!"
Lucifer rushed over, moving faster than she had ever moved in battle. She grabbed Ren's arm and pulled him away from the General, holding him tightly against her chest as if protecting a rare treasure from a thief.
"Stay back!" Lucifer hissed, baring her teeth (metaphorically).
Esdeath stood straight, unbothered by the interruption. She touched her lips, savoring the proximity she had just experienced.
"The prize is Imperial General Esdeath herself~" she announced proudly. "I have decided. You are strong. You are worthy. I will make you mine."
Lucifer yelled, puffing out her cheeks until she looked like an angry chipmunk. "You... you... you really are shameless! He just fed you!"
Esdeath gave Lucifer a playful, mocking smile. She tilted her head.
"You said you could accept it, right?" Esdeath quoted Lucifer's own words back to her. "You said having more women wasn't an insult. So, this is very reasonable. I am just following the local customs."
Lucifer stared at Esdeath, her mouth slightly agape.
She now wanted to travel back in time five minutes and thoroughly strangle her past self.
'Why did I say so much! Why?!' Lucifer screamed internally. '"I accepted it"? "Nothing bad happened"? Wouldn't it have been better to let her continue her 'survival of the fittest' philosophy?! I basically invited the wolf into the sheep pen!'
But since the words were out, she couldn't take them back. Her pride as the Queen wouldn't allow her to contradict herself so quickly.
"Hmph!" Lucifer stomped her foot. "That doesn't mean you can just jump him!"
Esdeath chuckled at the scene. She walked closer, her eyes locked on Ren.
"So... Ren..." she said, her voice dropping to a husky whisper. "I am the spoils of war! Let's fall in love! This Queen over here doesn't seem to have any valid objections based on her own logic~"
"Hmph!" Lucifer buried her face in Ren's shoulder to hide her frustration.
Ren's mouth twitched. He looked at Esdeath—beautiful, dangerous, and utterly insane—and sighed.
"Just because I defeated you?" Ren asked. "That seems like a shallow reason for love."
Esdeath shook her head. Her expression softened, becoming surprisingly genuine.
"That's part of the reason," she admitted. "I have always looked for someone strong. Someone who wouldn't break. But... it's not the whole reason. The way you treated me... the food... the way you called me a girl..."
She smiled. "As for the full reason, you don't need to know that yet~ Just know that I am serious."
With things said to this extent, what else could Ren say?
As a normal man, if a beauty like Esdeath—regardless of her sociopathic tendencies—was pursuing him this aggressively, refusing outright might not only be rude, but possibly life-threatening. And honestly... she was stunning.
"I suppose we can... start as friends?" Ren offered diplomatically.
"Lovers," Esdeath corrected instantly.
"Friends who text," Ren negotiated.
And so, this chaotic scene unfolded ten minutes later...
[Tech Support from Hell]
"No! Not that button! I'm teaching you how to use a phone! First, let go of Ren! Ren! Resist a little!"
"Practice typing! Let go of Ren's arm! He needs blood flow!"
The scene in the restaurant was comical. Ren sat in the middle, acting as a human totem pole.
Esdeath was hugging his right arm, smiling blissfully at the black mirror of the smartphone Ren had just given her (a spare unit he kept for guests).
Lucifer was on his left, trying to teach Esdeath how to use a messaging app while simultaneously trying to pry the General off Ren.
Ren's mouth twitched as he looked at the chaos. He felt a headache coming on.
'My life... is getting complicated.'
Half an hour later.
Esdeath had finally grasped the basics of modern technology. She was a genius tactician, so learning a new tool was easy once she focused.
Lucifer, exhausted, hugged Ren's left arm and glared at the General.
"Esdeath!" Lucifer barked. "Familiarize yourself with the phone properly! You'll need to use this to contact him when you go back! Don't break it!"
Hearing this, Esdeath became serious. Her blue eyes narrowed in concentration.
"Contact..." she muttered. "Yes. I must master this. I cannot lose connection with Ren."
She didn't want to be unable to find Ren after returning to her world. The thought of being separated without a lifeline was unacceptable. So, she started diligently fiddling with the phone settings, adding emojis to her name.
Lucifer took the opportunity to firmly embrace Ren, staking her claim.
Ren stroked Lucifer's silver hair, enjoying her warmth. "A jealous Lucifer is also very cute~"
Lucifer grumbled softly into his shirt. "You're such a scoundrel! You didn't even resist! It's too much! You enjoyed it, didn't you?"
Ren smiled unapologetically. "For a man, refusing the affection of a beautiful woman would probably be abnormal, wouldn't it? Besides, I knew you would protect me."
"You really are a big pig's trotter..." Lucifer muttered, using a slang insult she learned online. "I suddenly feel like I'll have to watch you the entire time when you open your Restaurant in the future! Otherwise, I won't know what you, this womanizer, has done! Who knows what other dangerous women you'll pick up!"
"Alright, alright," Ren soothed her. "It's good to have someone to chat with. And having you watch over me makes me feel safe."
While Lucifer was freely venting her jealousy, Esdeath on the other side was also diligently learning. The more she used it, the more she felt this little box called a 'phone' was amazing. A Teigu that allowed instant communication across dimensions? Incredible.
Finally, the time came.
Esdeath checked the time on the screen. Her expression sobered.
"I cannot stay too long," she announced, standing up. "I still have to lead my troops. We are in the middle of a campaign against the Northern tribes. I must be ready for battle at all times."
She had to go back. But now, she had a reason why she absolutely could not lose.
She must not be looked down upon by Ren. She had to keep winning, to keep conquering, to prove how truly powerful she was—to prove she was worthy of the man who defeated her.
Thinking of this, Esdeath suddenly had a bold idea. An idea she had never entertained before.
Esdeath was not someone who just thought without acting. Once she made a decision, it was absolute law.
[The Departure]
At the Restaurant entrance, the cool night air mixed with the dimensional hum.
Ren looked at Esdeath. She had donned her cap again, her saber strapped to her hip. The aura of the General had returned, but her eyes were softer.
"In war, swords have no eyes," Ren advised gently. "Be careful. Don't get hurt just because you're distracted. If you want to come over, just use the invite function on the phone or knock on the door if it appears~"
As Ren spoke, he reached out and adjusted Esdeath's hat, which was slightly crooked.
Esdeath looked at Ren. She felt the warmth of his fingers near her face. A hint of a genuine, non-sadistic smile graced her lips.
'So this is care...'
She finally understood why so many young girls in the capital wanted to fall in love; it really was a very nice experience. It felt warmer than blood.
Lucifer also walked up. She took Esdeath's phone, quickly tapped a few buttons.
"There," Lucifer said, handing it back. "I added you to the 'Dimensional Group Chat'. Don't spam. And don't send pictures of dead bodies."
She then hugged Ren's arm again, sulking. This love rival was purely her own creation! She had to take responsibility (by guarding Ren).
Esdeath looked at the contact list. Ren. Lucifer.
"I think..." Esdeath said slowly, looking at Ren. "I might be a bit late next time. I want to prepare a gift for you~"
Ren was stunned. "A gift? You don't have to. Paying the bill is enough."
"No," Esdeath shook her head. "A proper courtship gift. I can't tell you yet... well then, Ren, I'm leaving!"
"Okay! Safe travels."
A few minutes later.
Esdeath stepped forward. She grabbed Ren's collar, pulled him down, and planted a quick, searing kiss on his cheek.
Then, licking her lips with a flushed face, she turned and walked into the soft blue light of the dimensional door.
"You—!!"
Lucifer completely exploded.
She pounced on Ren, venting all her dissatisfaction by biting his neck (playfully, mostly).
[Another World - The Frozen North]
The dimensional door faded, leaving Esdeath standing alone on a snowy cliff overlooking a vast, frozen valley. The wind howled, biting and cruel, but she didn't feel the cold. The warmth of the spicy beef and Ren's touch still lingered.
She touched her lips.
"Ren..."
She smiled. It was a terrifying smile, filled with ambition and love.
"Keep conquering..." she whispered to the moon. "Najenda... Night Raid... we're going to meet again soon. Continue to help me... Help me shape this world."
She drew her rapier, pointing it at the moon.
"I will conquer it all. And then... I will give this entire world as a gift to my beloved!"
(Somewhere in the Restaurant, Ren sneezed violently: "I don't want that... And you're thinking way too much...")
A cool breeze swept across the cliff. The Imperial General Esdeath was no longer just a weapon of the Empire. She was a woman in love. And that made her infinitely more dangerous.
She leaped off the cliff, a shadow advancing towards the battlefield, ready to turn the world into a wedding present.
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