Chapter 220: If You Get Beaten Up for Saying That, I'm Not Stopping Her!
Perhaps because the restaurant had been closed for a while, many of tonight's customers were especially enthusiastic to see Ryohei Tanaka. There were also quite a few Ghouls like Nutcracker who had been starving for a long time. So many, in fact, that by the time the third seating was approaching, Yusa had to inform Ryohei that they were running low on ingredients.
Ryohei was surprised. He personally checked the remaining stock, looked at the upcoming orders, and after a moment's thought, had someone go out to make an emergency purchase. After all, some people had worked hard to get a reservation, and he didn't want to send them away disappointed.
Just like that, time flew by, and it was past 9 PM.
Shhh-slide!
The door to Booth #2 opened, and a petite girl with long, dark-green hair stepped out. She first glanced toward the kitchen, but not finding the person she was looking for, she turned toward the cash register. Her eyes lit up, and she walked over with light steps.
"Sumimasen!" Eto Takatsuki clapped her hands together with a smack and bowed her head to Ryohei. "Ryohei-kun, could you come with me for a moment? There's something I'd like to discuss... Please!"
"Hmm? Okay." Ryohei gave her a surprised look. He had no idea what she wanted, but he happened to be free, so he might as well hear her out.
Ryohei followed Eto Takatsuki to Booth #2.
There were three other people in the booth. One was Kishou Arima, dressed in a black suit like a typical office worker. Opposite him sat a sharp-looking, middle-aged man who didn't seem easy to get along with. Ryohei recognized him from the news—Itsuki Marude, one of the original Special Class Investigators, former commander of the 1st Ward, and current acting Director of the CCG.
The last person was a man in a white lab coat with a mushroom-cut hairstyle. His long bangs covered his eyes, making him look like a researcher from some laboratory.
The moment Ryohei entered, all three men stood up as a sign of respect.
"This is the CCG's chief researcher, Dr. Kouitsu Chigyou, also a researcher from the German Ghoul research institute, 'GFG'!" Eto Takatsuki said, closing the door.
When she started to introduce the other two, Ryohei held up a hand. "I know the other two. Just tell me what you need."
"It's like this, Boss Ryohei," Itsuki Marude, who seemed to be the one in charge (or one of them), took over. He spoke very politely. "We want to research normal food that Ghouls can eat. We were wondering if you could provide us with some of your leftover food?"
"Of course," he added, "we will pay you accordingly!"
Ryohei looked at Marude in surprise, then at Eto Takatsuki and Kishou Arima. He figured they must have reached some kind of agreement; otherwise, why would the CCG suddenly be researching this?
In the original story, it took countless battles and the deaths of many humans and Ghouls before peace was finally achieved, thanks to the invention of artificial food, medical advances, a common enemy, and various other factors. Was that process already starting here?
Ryohei was naturally supportive and didn't mind lending a hand, but...
"Researching my cooking is meaningless. I am special, and my food cannot be replicated." Ryohei didn't want them wasting their time. He highly doubted the CCG could learn anything from it.
His gaze shifted to Dr. Chigyou. "If you want to create normal food that Ghouls can eat, you'll need to rely on your own professional knowledge... That is the correct path!"
If he remembered correctly, the person who eventually developed the artificial food was Dr. Chigyou.
"..." Marude frowned at Ryohei. How can you be so certain? You haven't even let us try, yet you're dismissing it outright?
He was annoyed by Ryohei's unilateral refusal. His lips twitched, and he instinctively wanted to say something sharp, but then he remembered the events of that night. Marude shut his mouth. Can't mess with him, can't mess with him! He knew when to back down.
"..." Arima also frowned. He had heard from Eto Takatsuki that Ryohei would pack and sell his leftovers to the last batch of customers. He had assumed their request would be easily granted. After all, what did it matter who he sold it to? He hadn't expected a "rejection."
'This is a problem!' Arima thought, trying to figure out how to change Ryohei's mind. Eto Takatsuki was thinking the same thing.
The atmosphere in the room grew heavy. Ryohei sighed and shrugged. "I know you won't believe me or be satisfied with that. So fine. I can provide you with some of the leftover food, as you asked."
"You can? That's wonderful! Thank you so much!" Marude's eyes lit up, his brow unfurrowed, and he looked at Ryohei with pleasant surprise.
Ryohei nodded, then added a condition. "But only when I'm open here. You have to come pick it up at closing time. If you're late, I won't wait. And I won't overcharge you; just pay the standard price."
"No problem at all!" Marude nodded quickly, as if afraid Ryohei would change his mind.
Eto Takatsuki, however, keenly picked up on one of Ryohei's phrases. She tilted her head and looked at him. "Only when you're open here?"
"Ryohei-kun, are you going to be operating somewhere else?"
"..." Arima's gaze sharpened. This was not good news.
"Yeah." Ryohei looked down at Eto Takatsuki, who only came up to his chest. He puffed up slightly, in the proud tone of someone showing off an expensive new purchase.
"Tokyo is too hot. I bought a ranch in Hokkaido. I'm going to open a little farm-to-table restaurant there in a couple of days. You're all welcome to visit."
"Hokkaido!? That far!?" Eto Takatsuki was stunned. She was speechless for a moment, unsure whether to call Ryohei a business-savvy workaholic or a hedonist. "Then what about this shop? Are you closing it?"
"It'll be closed temporarily for a while..." Ryohei said cheerfully, crossing his arms. "I'll be back when Yurine's school starts and the weather cools down."
Eto Takatsuki immediately turned to Itsuki Marude. "Make Ms. Hanazono's school start early!"
'...If you get beaten up for saying that, I'm not stopping her!'
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