"Here is your grilled meat. Give it a try. My father's grilling skill is definitely second to none in this area."
Ayame placed several plates down, speaking with a proud tone.
It was clear that Mr. Koyama was the only one grilling, and he seemed to be the owner. This izakaya was likely a family business. Two of the three staff members were family—a daughter and a wife—plus one hired helper, and Mr. Koyama's excellent cooking skills were enough to handle the customer flow of this small-to-medium-sized izakaya.
A very vibrant family, Alistair thought.
The girl named Ayame was quite outgoing. Normal girls here wouldn't joke around with people they just met; Ayame had teased Alistair twice already. But this was good. For their family business, this personality was more suitable and likable, which could attract more regular customers.
"Mhm, then Kasumi and I won't hold back."
Alistair smiled, pulling his thoughts back. With that, he picked up a chicken skewer and took a bite. It was crispy, spicy, and savory, yet not dry. The taste was excellent. It was no wonder she claimed her father's skill had virtually no rival in this area; there was a reason they specialized in robata-yaki.
"By the way, I have some wasabi here. Do you want to try some? This stuff is amazing, and paired with grilled food, it's super delicious. It enhances the spiciness, you know! Come on, try a little!"
Seeing that Alistair liked the taste of the grilled food, Ayame was delighted. A mischievous thought then popped into her mind. She pulled out a toothpaste-tube-like object from an outside pocket, containing a pale green paste. If you didn't look closely, it was indistinguishable from toothpaste.
"That joke isn't funny. Most people know what wasabi is, right? Even if they haven't eaten it, they know it makes your nose sting."
Alistair gave Ayame a look that said, Are you taking me for an idiot?
"Wasabi? I've heard it makes your nose sting, but I've never bought it when I cook. Is it like pepper? Let me try a little."
Kasumi Haruno pushed her small dish forward, wanting to sample some.
"Uh, are you sure, Kasumi? This... never mind. Just take a tiny bit. The flavor is very intense."
Alistair wanted to warn her off, but on second thought, he let her try it. The first taste of wasabi is often overwhelming. People either grow to hate it or love it passionately, though a small minority remain indifferent. Most people fall into one of the "extremes," as the taste of wasabi is truly unforgettable.
Alistair recalled one time before transmigrating when he went out for sashimi with his parents. He thought wasabi was similar to barbecue sauce, so he squeezed half the tube into his bowl. Since his parents were chatting and not paying attention, Alistair wrapped two slices of salmon around a huge lump of the paste and popped it into his mouth, consuming half the bowl's worth of wasabi. He immediately regretted it.
The intense, rushing sensation went straight to his head, making Alistair feel like he was about to pass out. The adults around him saw his reaction and thought something was wrong, but then they saw the wasabi in his bowl and burst into uncontrollable laughter. He had been "brave beyond his skill" to eat that much wasabi on his first try.
Regardless, it was a black mark on Alistair's history, but the sensation was quite stimulating. He actually liked it, provided he didn't shovel a huge mouthful in at once.
While he was reminiscing, Kasumi Haruno had already dipped some wasabi and put it into her mouth.
Alistair watched Kasumi Haruno's facial expression gradually change, a smirk creeping onto his lips. This feeling of watching someone else "suffer" was quite enjoyable.
"Hmph hmph hmph~ Want some more, Miss Haruno?"
Ayame, her laugh suppressed into snickers, shook the remaining wasabi in her hand and asked Kasumi Haruno.
"M-m-no, no, thank you! The taste is really strange. I don't like it very much."
Kasumi Haruno quickly waved her right hand to refuse, while using her left hand to pinch her nose, trying to alleviate the intense sensation.
"Alright then. Hey, are you really not going to try it?"
Ayame nodded and turned to Alistair, attempting to coax him into trying some.
"I've had it before, and I actually quite like it, so go ahead and give me some."
Alistair immediately stated he had eaten it and enjoyed it. Ayame looked disappointed. Many young people knew about wasabi but hadn't tasted it, so Ayame enjoyed pulling this prank on her peers; it was fun. However, she only did this with friends; she wouldn't treat mere acquaintances so casually. Only people she was familiar with were treated so casually.
As for Alistair, she felt inexplicably drawn to him, so she had been more casual. Since Alistair didn't seem to mind, she continued to treat him like a close friend.
"What a shame~ Ah, more customers are coming. I need to help out. Please excuse me."
Ayame lamented, squeezed some wasabi into Alistair's small dish, and then, seeing new customers enter, quickly apologized and left.
"No problem, go help out."
Alistair nodded, not minding at all. Talking to them wasn't Ayame's job, so Alistair had nothing to complain about.
Alistair and Kasumi Haruno hadn't ordered too many grilled skewers, only about a dozen. The skewers here weren't large, but they weren't small either; they were average. Alistair had eaten very large skewers before, and at first, he thought they were expensive until he saw the generous portions. However, those were rare.
After the skewers, they moved on to the main course. Alistair and Kasumi Haruno didn't intend to have the skewers as their main meal; they still wanted rice. So, they ordered ochazuke (rice soaked in tea), which helps to cut the grease. Alistair found ochazuke very comforting. Before transmigrating, he liked to make it with home-grown tea leaves, which gave it a faint fragrance.
After finishing the ochazuke, both felt very full. The food here was truly good. If the opportunity arose, they could certainly visit again.
The two paid the bill and stepped out the door. Just a short distance away stood three people: the abstract man they had seen in the private room, Takeshi Kameoka, and the couple.
Takeshi Kameoka had been watching the door and immediately walked towards Alistair the moment he emerged.
"Whatever you want to say, don't say it now. Find a private place. I don't want to attract a crowd."
Before Takeshi Kameoka could speak, Alistair put on a stern face and spoke with displeasure. No one whose date was interrupted would be in a good mood. If this matter hadn't felt important, Alistair would have just blown him off.
"Understood, sir. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Takeshi Kameoka, and I am the President (Shachō) of Anling Co., Ltd."
The abstract man, Takeshi Kameoka, said with his head bowed.
"President?"
Alistair raised an eyebrow. The corporate titles in Japan were different from his previous country. The term Shachō was the highest position in a company, equivalent to a CEO or Chairman in the West. Regardless, he was the head of a company. Why was he so respectful toward Alistair?
"Yes! I am indeed the President."
Takeshi Kameoka was extremely deferential. If Alistair didn't speak, he would remain silent. The couple stayed quietly behind Takeshi Kameoka.
"Let's go. You must be familiar with the area. Lead us somewhere private."
Alistair looked at the pedestrians already staring in their direction and said to Takeshi Kameoka.
"Yes, sir! Please follow me."
Takeshi Kameoka immediately straightened up, walked ahead, and led the group forward.
"Please help yourselves."
A server placed the brewed tea down one by one, then slowly retreated, curiously glancing at the student-aged young man sitting on one side.
After the server left, a silence descended.
Alistair was looking at his phone. His grandfather had replied while they were walking, and Alistair was reading the message now. The couple didn't dare to leave early, perhaps held back by some obligation. Takeshi Kameoka was inexplicably respectful towards Alistair, remaining silent unless Alistair spoke. Kasumi Haruno took her cue from Alistair; although curious, she didn't speak. This resulted in a complete silence in the private room.
As Alistair read his grandfather's reply, his eyebrows twitched.
While the title "President (Shachō)" usually referred to the head of a company, the situation here was different. There was also a "Chairman (Kaichō)" above the President, usually an honorary position for the previous President, but in some companies, the Chairman was the true head. This company fell into the latter category. Based on the grandfather's reply, Alistair was the indisputable next "Chairman," and judging by the level of control described, Alistair could run the company into the ground if he wanted to. It seemed his family wealth was surprisingly substantial.
Furthermore, Alistair wasn't sure what methods his grandfather used, but even without being present, he could manage the company remotely, relying on subordinates for day-to-day operations, and still come back to exercise full control without fear of being sidelined by his staff.
Of course, Alistair didn't understand the intricacies of corporate politics or power dynamics, only guessing based on things he had read before. But in conclusion, his grandfather appeared to be unexpectedly viciously powerful.