Chapter 210: Yusa on the Offensive!
"The moment the amber-crisp shell shatters, the aroma of the fat explodes! The fatty layer has already melted into a translucent, honey-colored glaze, and the meat fibers have locked in all the rich juices, which burst on the tongue with a scalding-hot sweetness..." Pekola said, her face a picture of bliss.
"Oh my, how elegant, Lady Pekola! You sound just like a food critic!" Poporon grinned at her former boss, chiming in.
"Ehehe~, after working at the restaurant for so long, some of it was bound to rub off!"
"..." Pino, listening nearby, glanced at them before returning to her food.
"But this is a little greasy after a few bites," Jiru said. She had eaten a large piece of the roast pig, her mouth glistening with oil, and while she'd enjoyed it, she was starting to feel full.
"Drink some fruit tea and have some vegetables." Ryohei Tanaka handed her a skewer of Wolf Fang Potatoes.
These were actual Wolf Fang Potatoes. They were a local specialty from the Demon Realm that Minos had brought back. Apparently, they grew in special bushes, had a rough, gray-brown skin like a wolf's mane, and were naturally shaped like a snarling wolf's head. They even had fangs and would attack approaching creatures, though their attack power was low. In the Demon Realm, they were a very common, delicious, and abundant ingredient.
Ryohei had already tried them. They were fluffy, with a crispy outside and a soft inside, and had a natural nutty aroma. Paired with his special BBQ sauce, they were amazing.
"Mhm." Jiru gave Ryohei a sweet smile, took a sip of her fruit tea, and then started on the roasted Wolf Fang Potatoes.
Ryohei, meanwhile, went over to Jashin-chan and took her place as grill master. He loved seeing people eat his cooking and show looks of happy satisfaction.
Only—
"It's so hot! Yusa, come over here! I need you!"
Ryohei lasted only a few seconds in front of the grill before he couldn't take it anymore and shouted to Yusa.
Jashin-chan, who had just walked under the other canopy, looked back at Ryohei, confused. 'Is it hot?'
That area was still technically within Yusa and Kōji's "cold aura," just weaker than being right next to them. She figured Ryohei's constitution was just weak, with poor heat resistance.
'Tsk—! A mere human, after all!'
Jashin-chan smirked, wondering if she should check the Demon Realm shopping network for anything that could improve a human's physical condition. She could give... no, she'd sell it to him! He wasn't short on cash. Double... no, triple the price!
The scum-snake did have a conscience, just not a big one.
"Yes—!"
At the same time, Yusa—wearing an ice-blue bikini today with a pink and green floral pattern—replied with her usual gentle smile. She picked up a "See You Tomorrow" cocktail and strode over on her long, pale legs.
"..." Lucoa, holding a half-eaten roasted pig's trotter, cast a meaningful glance at Yusa's back. A poacher is always the most sensitive to another poacher's moves.
Yurine, of course, also heard Ryohei, but she didn't think much of it. She knew he was sensitive to the heat. It was the hottest part of the day, and he was standing right by the grill, far from the two "air conditioners." It was normal to feel hot. As for why he called Yusa and not Kōji, it was obviously out of consideration for the child. She wasn't about to overthink something like that.
"..."
"Ahhh! That's so much better."
Over by the grill, Ryohei shivered as a wave of coolness washed over him, letting out a sigh of relief.
"You really seem to hate the heat, Ryohei-kun." Yusa held a hand under her full bust, her other hand elegantly holding her cocktail glass as she brought it to her lips. She looked at him with a hint of a smile.
"Yeah, I really do... I definitely prefer winter over summer." Ryohei skillfully brushed his secret sauce over a dozen skewers of meat.
"Speaking of which," Yusa said in her gentle voice, "our clan represents winter in the Demon Realm. The winter section of the calendar is even illustrated with images of us in our childhood forms."
"Eh? Is that right?" Ryohei looked over in surprise, then blinked and chuckled. "Makes sense!"
'...What part of that 'makes sense'?' Yusa was speechless. She gave him a look, which was somehow full of charm.
This group of angels, demons, jiangshi, and former gods... other than the not-yet-developed Kōji, all of them were stunning. And Yusa, in particular, was the complete package of looks and figure.
Ryohei was momentarily dazzled by her charm, his heart skipping a beat. Not daring to look too long, he quickly handed her a large meat skewer to change the subject. "One of the hidden perks of staying by my side is getting to eat my BBQ first."
"And the second perk?" Yusa took the skewer with her pale hand, asking casually.
"I haven't thought of one. Give me a minute."
"I'm guessing there isn't one," she smiled.
"I didn't realize you were so greedy!" Ryohei retorted, keeping one skewer for himself and putting the rest on a small table behind him for the others.
Yusa just laughed, then proceeded to eat her skewer and sip her cocktail, clearly enjoying herself. Before long, Lucoa drifted over with her own cocktail, and Yurine followed soon after, watching Ryohei cook and occasionally tasting the new items.
Today's BBQ ingredients were all local specialties from the Demon Realm brought back by Lucoa, Minos, and Jiru, so they were all new to Yurine. Of course, there were some things she wasn't interested in, like the Roasted Demon Eye Orbs. They were eyeballs, each one slightly smaller than a ping-pong ball. It was "dark cuisine," and just looking at them made her lose her appetite.
Ryohei was also a bit grossed out, but he was a professional chef. He'd even seen roasted sheep's eyes on a trip in China, so he just treated them like that.
But he had no intention of eating them. He'd leave that to Minos. She was the one who brought them, claiming they were delicious when grilled and great with alcohol. That girl had some... intense... tastes sometimes.
"..."
Suddenly, Ryohei heard Jashin-chan and Minos shouting as they played rock-paper-scissors. He glanced over and saw they were playing "loser takes a drink."
'So tame!' he thought. 'They're demons, but they're so reserved! They don't have a wild side at all. Some college students are wilder than this!'
Ryohei was just idly thinking... that strip-rock-paper-scissors would be much more fun and exciting.
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