Chapter 620: Kyouko Yuuki's Hidden Agenda
As they walked side by side through the evening streets, the older woman found her curiosity genuinely piqued. A restaurant with no signboard, no printed menu, and dishes that were supposedly divine yet shockingly inexpensive defied all conventional business logic.
Kyouko knew her daughter possessed a highly refined palate and a natural talent for cooking. For Asuna to declare the food 'very delicious' meant it had to be nothing short of extraordinary. The quality of the ingredients alone seemed to break the boundaries of common sense.
"What?" Kyouko asked, her sharp eyes narrowing in disbelief. "Asuna, did you just say his shop carries every conceivable ingredient?"
Asuna nodded earnestly. "Yes, Shopkeeper Ren told me himself. I also heard from Hinami and the other regular customers that they once ordered a simple sashimi platter for a casual meal. It was only after they started eating that they realized they were being served premium bluefin tuna."
Kyouko's expression shifted into one of deep surprise. "Bluefin tuna sashimi is an absolute luxury. Can a small, nameless eatery even afford to source something like that?"
"The dish was actually priced very low," Asuna explained, her voice softening with admiration. "Shopkeeper Ren said that to him, those kinds of things aren't considered rare ingredients at all. He is just a truly amazing person. Mom, if you don't believe me, you can order a plate yourself and try it tonight."
The matriarch offered a slow, measured nod. The most efficient way to uncover the truth was never to sit back and hypothesize, but to inspect the product firsthand.
In Kyouko's mind, she no longer viewed this Ren as a mere restaurant owner. If he were just a talented chef, it would be a trivial matter. But to casually procure bluefin tuna and serve it at the price of street food pointed to only one logical conclusion.
This man was running the establishment purely for his own amusement. He had to be a wealthy heir, flush with capital, playing at the working-class life to experience the world.
Had Ren been present to hear her internal deduction, he would have undoubtedly offered a helpless sigh and muttered, 'I definitely have money, but I am not playing at experiencing life. This is genuinely my main job. It is just that my customers tend to pay me in solid gold coins and magical gems...'
"Asuna, is it around here?" Kyouko asked, glancing at the vibrant, neon-lit avenue they were approaching. "This is the most bustling commercial district in the area. That is quite impressive. A storefront in such a prime location should be overflowing with foot traffic, so how can you say it is always empty?"
Asuna blinked, then offered a small, sheepish smile. "Oh, it is not on this main street. It is down that one."
Kyouko followed her daughter's pointing finger and froze. "That street... Are you being serious right now? There is not a single working streetlamp down there. Are there even any residential buildings left on that block?"
"I wanted to take a shortcut to school that morning," Asuna said, her smile brightening as she recalled the memory. "The adjacent road was blocked off for construction, so I ducked down this alleyway instead. That is exactly how I found his restaurant."
"I see..." Kyouko murmured, her heels clicking against the pavement as they turned into the dim, quiet alley. "In a desolate place like this... No wonder you claimed that only those guided by fate ever walk through his doors. This goes beyond mere coincidence. And you were right, this address does not even register on the digital map."
"Right! Let's go, Mom."
Kyouko's interest was rapidly evolving into something far more calculating. She had always ruled her daughter's life with an iron fist, dictating her academic path and social circles with ruthless precision. However, if Asuna was quietly associating with a young, immensely wealthy, and promising entrepreneur, Kyouko had absolutely no reason to object.
Historically, Asuna had always struggled to hold a conversation with her mother. The shift in their dynamic had begun a few weeks prior, during a stiff, formal family dinner.
Kyouko had casually sliced her steak and asked, 'Asuna, why have you stopped eating breakfast at home?'That simple question had caused Asuna's heart to leap into her throat. Terrified of her mother's judgment, she had kept her eyes glued to her plate and whispered,'Because sometimes I have early morning duties at school, so I need to leave the house sooner.''And that justifies going out to poison your body with unhealthy street food?' Kyouko had replied, her tone dripping with aristocratic disdain.
To Kyouko's absolute shock, Asuna had not withered under the criticism. Instead, a rare spark of defiance had flared in the girl's eyes. 'They are not unhealthy at all! Shopkeeper Ren's dishes are incredibly delicious, and they are perfectly nutritious!'Kyouko had been completely stunned. It was the very first time her obedient daughter had ever spoken back to her with such backbone. Yet, strangely, Kyouko had not felt angry. Instead, a peculiar sense of intrigue had washed over her.'You said... Shopkeeper Ren?' Kyouko had pressed.
Realizing her slip of the tongue, Asuna had flinched. Incapable of lying, especially to the woman she feared most, Asuna had chosen to confess the entire truth. She went on to explain the serendipitous morning she first stumbled upon the hidden eatery, detailing the warm atmosphere and the extraordinary food that had captured her heart.
Listening to the explanation, Kyouko had simply nodded. If her daughter was eating something wholesome like a high-quality dumpling sandwich, she saw no reason to forbid it.
Seeing her mother nod, Asuna had exhaled a heavy breath of relief, thinking she had survived the interrogation. But Kyouko was a corporate predator, and she never let a potential lead slip away so easily.
'You seem to hold his culinary skills in the highest regard,'Kyouko had continued, setting down her wine glass.'Is this chef an old, seasoned master in his seventies?'Asuna had shaken her head, a faint blush dusting her cheeks.'No... Shopkeeper Ren is a very young and handsome person. He is also incredibly gentle and kind.''Young? How young?''I am not entirely sure... but he looks like he is around college age.'Kyouko had absorbed this information, her mind already spinning a web of possibilities.'Does his establishment attract a large clientele?''He runs it as a late-night restaurant,' Asuna had explained.'When I go in the mornings, it is usually right before he closes, so it is quiet. But the customers I have seen all seem to be very impressive people.'That was the exact phrase Kyouko had been waiting for. She had placed her knife and fork down, giving her daughter her full, undivided attention.'Impressive? Define impressive.''I saw a very elegant woman in a tailored suit dining there once. Even from across the room, I could feel she was someone with immense authority. Later, when I got to school, a classmate mentioned that corporate CEOs and even people from the Totsuki Culinary Academy are regular patrons...'At the mention of Totsuki, Kyouko's eyes had gleamed with predatory delight. In this modern era, elite chefs commanded astronomical incomes and wielded immense social power. Totsuki represented the absolute zenith of that world. If culinary titans and corporate executives were gathering in a hidden alleyway, this restaurant was a goldmine of social capital.'Let us finish eating,'Kyouko had commanded softly that night.'Find out more about the clientele at his restaurant. If he is truly as excellent as you claim, I will not object to you dining there.'She had then added, almost to herself,'And if the quality of his patrons is truly that high, it could serve as a highly discreet, premium location for my future business negotiations.'
Ever since that dinner, Asuna had felt a massive weight lift from her shoulders. She had eagerly asked Ren about his interesting customers every morning, thrilled to have engaging stories to bring back home.
With every new detail Asuna shared, Kyouko's astonishment had only grown. First-Class Executive Officers, industry tycoons whose conglomerates dwarfed the Yuuki family's own enterprises—they were all eating out of this young man's hands. Ren was clearly a figure of immense hidden influence, yet he maintained the gentle demeanor of a saint.
As they finally approached the warm, inviting glow spilling from the restaurant's wooden door, Asuna smiled brightly, completely unaware of the gears turning in her mother's head. Kyouko was not just here to taste the food. She was walking through those doors with a multitude of highly ambitious plans.
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