"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle..."
Crimson slices of meat gradually turned dark brown on the grill, their flat surfaces slightly shrinking, as a rich, irresistibly tempting aroma of meat wafted through the air... "Om nom nom!"
(Narration: Damn it! Can't you wait until I finish speaking before you eat?!)
(Tohsaka Rin: Waaah... gulp, who's going to wait for you? This grilled meat smells so good, it's a rare meal on set.)
"Om nom nom... Mmm~! How is it, isn't the grilled meat here good!"
"Mmm mmm mmm, the ingredients are high quality, the texture is first-rate, it's marinated just right, the spices are rich and perfectly preserve the original flavor of the meat. As long as it's not burnt, no matter how you grill it, the taste is first-class, you can even eat it raw!"
"You're an expert. I just know it tastes good."
"Oh, no, no, I just happen to work in a professional gourmet restaurant. This meat is also good raw, if you don't believe me, try it with some seasoning."
"Raw?...Mmm! It really is good! Waiter! Bring this grandma ten more plates of beef, ten plates of bacon, ten plates of chicken wings, ten plates of prawns, and ten plates of octopus! If I can't finish them, I'll pay you ten times the price!"
"Young lady, I salute you as a true hero!"
"Ah ha ha ha, you're too kind, what does that mean?"
"It means you're quite generous, straightforward, and you say what's on your mind."
"Oh, I see."
Tohsaka Rin was enjoying her grilled meat with relish, but then she suddenly seemed to remember something. This restaurant seemed to have been mentioned in the original work/canon, it was... Remembering something, Tohsaka Rin began to look around the spacious dining hall and quickly found her target on the walls surrounding the hall.
This restaurant had a special honor roll for customers with good appetites, displaying photos and names of customers who had eaten the most in one sitting on the hall walls, called the "Big Eater Record." It was originally a very common promotional method, but starting from the fifth record, something was off.
The fifth record was the beautiful Aozaki Aoko, who was sitting in front of Tohsaka Rin, and the sixth was her older sister, Aozaki Touko. That's right, the seemingly refined and quiet Aozaki Touko was also a big eater.
Then the seventh was Aozaki Aoko again! It was clear that Aoko had broken her sister's record and eaten her way back. Then the eighth was Aozaki Touko again!
After that, it was Aozaki Aoko, Aozaki Touko, Aozaki Aoko, Aozaki Touko, Aozaki Aoko, Aozaki Touko... until the very last one currently: Aozaki Touko.
I'm telling you, you two sisters are enough! You didn't come here just to break your sister's record again, did you?! I was wondering why the front desk manager's expression when we paid at the counter was like facing... that wasn't just like facing a formidable enemy, it was an expression of utter despair.
After swallowing the meat in her mouth, Tohsaka Rin said to Aoko, who was still wolfing down food in front of her: "Aoko, you didn't specifically come here just for your and your sister's records, did you."
"Hmm, not entirely, but pretty close. At least by coming here, I can find out roughly when she was here, and whether she's actually been back or not," Aoko stammered, chewing on grilled meat.
But after Aoko swallowed the grilled meat in her mouth, her expression surprisingly showed a hint of melancholy. She didn't say anything to Tohsaka Rin, but simply cast her gaze towards another wall in the restaurant, where another list was hung: The Big Eater Duo Ranking!
At the top of the list were two strikingly similar young sisters. The older sister looked about seventeen or eighteen, while the younger sister appeared to be about two years younger than her. The two sisters, huddled together, ate without any grace, their smiles as bright as flowers.
Aoko gazed at the photograph, gradually lost in thought, even her hand movements ceased as she stared blankly at the picture.
Tohsaka Rin silently watched Aoko's dazed expression, understanding perfectly well that Aoko also had a "deep affection" for her sister. However, she didn't know the inside story; she merely unilaterally believed that Touko had abandoned sisterly affection for the Magic Crest of the Fifth Magic, and thus felt compelled to place herself and her sister on opposing sides.
Aozaki Touko left the Aozaki Family, and the Aozaki Family would naturally not retain any items related to Touko, including photos with Aoko. The only memories Aoko could find related to Touko now were probably just this "Great Capital BBQ."
Aoko only snapped out of her daze for a moment before returning to her usual carefree and casual self. She stuffed another large chopstick-full of grilled meat into her mouth, chewed it, then suddenly froze, immediately spitting the now charcoal-like grilled meat into the trash can.
"Why didn't you remind me, cough cough..."
"Seeing you look at the photo so affectionately, I couldn't bear to disturb you."
"But I wasn't looking at it when I was eating!"
"It's just that your feigned indifference was too heartbreaking."
"Stop it! You just found it amusing, didn't you!"
"Ah, that's pretty much it."
"Bastard! You even shamelessly admitted it! At least try to argue!"
To deal with a straightforward, restless young girl like Aoko, Tohsaka Rin's dark-bellied nature was unleashed to its fullest. She easily ignited Aoko, then just as easily calmed her down. This feeling of teasing a beautiful girl was simply too good.
The dejected Aoko suddenly seemed to have a revelation and remembered something very important!
"Oh, right, I don't think I know your name yet."
Tohsaka Rin, with a chicken wing in her mouth, rolled her eyes at Aoko. People eating, chatting, and joking at the same table didn't even know each other's names – you're truly something else.
"My name is Tohsaka Rin. My home is in Fuyuki. Don't ask about the specifics of my situation; it's not as good as you think. Aside from not wanting to go back and reclaim the Magic Crest, my situation is similar to your sister, Aozaki Touko."
"Oh, is that so? Alright then. But I think you're a good person. By the way, are you interested in doing some post-dinner exercise with me?"
"What kind of exercise?"
"Hehe, look over there."
Aoko pointed to a shop window, and Rin looked over, seeing two young men in black coats and sunglasses, like they'd walked out of The Matrix, patrolling past the window like soldiers. When Rin saw the blood-red Rose Group armbands on their right sleeves, she instinctively ducked her head, afraid of being seen.
"According to recent news, a black gang called the 'Rose Group' has appeared in Misaki City. Their influence is growing at an unimaginable speed. I heard it's because their Big Sister is incredibly strong! I'm planning to go meet them after dinner. Ah, it's been so long since I've had a fight, my hands are itching. Magic really isn't for me; a good old fistfight is true love!"
"...Um, if you're going to meet their boss, you probably don't need to look."
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