Kaguya-sama Wants My Surrender!

　　"Sorry, I prefer a legal lolita."

　Amamiya's voice was loud.

　　The other guests in the restaurant looked at him with strange eyes.

　　Noticing other people's gazes, Sajuna's face quickly turned red. She lowered her head to look at her toes, and the more she thought about it, the angrier she got.

　　I'm just a little shorter, how can I be called a loli?!

　　"Ah~" The kimono woman showed an interested smile on her face, "I didn't realize that the type that this guy likes is actually an elementary school student."

　　"…I'm a high school student!"

　　Sajuna couldn't help but raise her head and refute, gnashing her teeth and hugging Amamiya's arm with a red face, "I am one year older than him, I'm his senpai!"

　　"What a pity." The woman in kimono sighed softly, her tone regretful, "I was planning to take you home to do something that makes you happy, but it seems that it won't work now."

　　After the woman finished speaking, she took out a stack of banknotes from her bag and said lazily, "I am very satisfied with today's food. The remaining money will be considered a tip for you."

　　"It is a chef's duty to satisfy the guests."

　　Amamiya bowed and took the banknotes with both hands.

　　If others are willing to give him a tip, he naturally won't refuse.

　　He didn't expect that the woman in kimono was a rich woman.

　　After deducting the expenses in the store, the remaining tips would be tens of thousands of yen.

　　Amamiya couldn't help but think of the recruitment notice he had just seen at the door. The hourly wage for an ordinary waiter was only 700 yen. After all, it was a sparsely populated and desolate town, so it was normal for the hourly wage to be low.

　　Now, he cooks a dark dish and gets tens of thousands of yen in tips...

　　Amamiya suddenly understood why everyone loves rich women.

　　Because it smells so good!

　　"This money is so strange..."

　　Sajuna looked over curiously and muttered softly.

　　The banknotes were quite old, as if they were old versions from the last century. They were no longer in circulation in the market. She had only seen them when she was a child, so she had a vague impression of them.

　　Amamiya looked at the banknotes in his hand for a few seconds, his expression calm. He turned around, walked to the counter, and handed the banknotes to the manager.

　　The store manager counted them, put half of them into the cash box, and handed the other half to Amamiya, saying in a gentle voice:

　　"Mr. Toriko, your cooking skills are very good. From now on, you will be the special chef of the food pavilion."

　　"Thank you, Manager."

　　Amamiya thanked him politely, then turned and walked to the woman in kimono who was about to leave.

　　"Hmm~" The kimono-clad woman spoke lazily. Her kimono was still wet, and a bead of sweat hung on the tip of her hair. "Is there anything else, young man?"

　　"Today's dark ingredients are a bit ordinary, and my cooking skills are only 70% to 80% effective." Amamiya said with a smile, "Miss, if you have fresh ingredients, you can come again, and I will make more delicious dark dishes for you."

　　The kimono woman's eyes lit up and she said expectantly:

　　"It can actually taste even better?"

　　"Of course." Amamiya gave a thumbs up and boasted, "I am a gourmet just out of interest."

　　When you leave your hometown and live in a foreign place, what is the most important thing?

　　Connections.

　　Yes, Connections!

　　It's still the fucking connections!

　　As for how to build personal connections, of course, it's about catering to their preferences.

　　"Then it's a deal." The woman in kimono showed an expectant smile on her face, stretched out her tongue and gently licked her lips, "I'm looking forward to it."

　　"…"

　　To be honest, Amamiya likes species that he can communicate with the most.

　　No matter whether it is an evil spirit or a monster, as long as they can communicate, it means that the other party has intelligence.

　　Wherever wisdom exists, desire must exist.

　　Once you have the desire, things become much easier.

　　For example, the woman in kimono in front of him has a face on the back of her head, which is definitely not a human. It could be a ghost story, a vengeful spirit, a monster, or something else.

　　Is it important?

　　It doesn't matter at all.

　　This woman has a very strong appetite. As long as you grasp her appetite, you don't need to be afraid at all. You can even chat and laugh with her and have a happy communication with her. She even tells him her name.

"Ms. Sakurako, I'd like to ask for a favor." 

Amamiya spoke with a calm smile, his tone unwavering as he revealed his true intentions. 

---

The kimono-clad woman raised a curious brow. "Oh? What kind of favor?" 

---

"My companion and I got separated in town," Amamiya explained evenly. "If it's not too much trouble, I'd appreciate it if you could help me locate them." 

---

At his request, the woman's playful demeanor shifted. The amused smile vanished, replaced by a faint frown. Her voice turned cold and measured. 

"You should already know—I can't interfere like that." 

---

Amamiya nodded as if expecting her answer. He understood all too well. The logic of ghost stories dictated their boundaries. Asking the woman in the kimono to break those rules was out of the question. Her actions were dictated by her role, and a dish, no matter how delicious, couldn't hypnotize her into defying those rules. 

---

"I understand," he replied calmly. "In that case, I only ask that you point me in the right direction. Just tell me where they are, and I'll go find them myself." 

---

The woman's lips curved slightly, and she gave a small nod. "That much I can do." 

---

While direct intervention was off the table, sharing information didn't break any rules. 

---

Taking advantage of her compliance, Amamiya added, "If you have any other acquaintances, Ms. Sakurako, feel free to bring them along next time. They can enjoy the dishes as well." 

---

The woman crossed her arms over her chest, her tone growing frosty. "I have no friends." 

---

Amamiya's smile widened, his voice light. "That's even better." 

---

"…What?" 

Both the kimono woman and Sajuna stared at him in confusion, their faces mirroring disbelief. 

'Even better?' 

How could being alone with no friends possibly be a good thing?

Before either could ask, Amamiya tapped the badge on his collar—the one that marked him as the restaurant's special chef. "If you're alone, that just means you have all the more reason to spread the word about my cooking," he said smoothly. "For every new customer you bring in, I'll make sure you get a share of the commission. Naturally, the store manager will get a cut as well. Manager, what do you think of this arrangement?"

The store manager, flipping takoyaki behind the counter, glanced up briefly. "Sounds fair," he said nonchalantly before returning to his work. 

Sajuna stood frozen, her thoughts a whirlwind.

'Where's the horror game you promised me?' she wondered, staring at Amamiya in disbelief. 'Why does this feel like I've been dragged into some kind of business simulation game instead?'

Above Amamiya's head, she could almost imagine ghostly words materializing: 'Despicable outsider!'

"It's settled then," the woman in the kimono said with a smirk, waving as she turned to leave. "Pleasure doing business with you."

As her figure disappeared through the doorway, Amamiya let out a small sigh of relief. He turned to Sajuna, who was still rooted to her spot. 

"Stop standing around," he instructed casually. "Go clean the tables."

Sajuna's face twisted in protest, but she swallowed her complaints. Pouting, she puffed out her cheeks and began clearing the table.

When her eyes landed on the chair where Ms. Sakurako had been sitting, she froze, startled.

'So much water!'

The seat was soaked, glistening with moisture that had no business being there. Sajuna's cheeks flushed as she pursed her lips. 

Pulling out a towel, she began wiping the chair, trying to ignore her racing thoughts. But the same nagging question refused to leave her mind. 

---

'Just how delicious must that dish have been to make someone sweat this much?' 

---

Her curiosity spiraled out of control. Sajuna bit her lip, her imagination running wild. 

---

'What if I tried it?' 

---

The thought made her face burn. Without realizing it, she pressed her legs together and shook her head furiously. 

---

'No! Absolutely not! I can't eat it!' 

---

Meanwhile, Amamiya walked over to the fish tank, his mind already focused on the next ingredient.