Chapter 292: The Manipulated Guest and a Teacher's Worry
Ren remained oblivious to the quiet drama unfolding outside his kitchen. His entire focus was consumed by his work, his hands moving with a surgeon's precision. Ingredients like fresh flowers were as delicate as they were beautiful, demanding the utmost care and careful handling.
For some recipes, the petals had to remain perfectly intact; the slightest tear or bruise would alter the delicate balance of flavors. For others, they needed to be mashed into a fragrant paste, where even a sliver of stem or a fragment of a leaf would introduce a bitter note and ruin the intended texture.
As he worked, a deep silence settled over the restaurant. The enigmatic woman sat in her chair, her posture the very picture of elegance and dignity. Her beautiful, jewel-like eyes were fixed on the flower tea set before her, her expression a mask of calm. Yet, the occasional, almost imperceptible tap of her fingertips against the polished wood of the table betrayed the anticipation simmering just beneath the surface.
Lucifer, ever observant, found the woman's stillness almost unnerving. In a way, a fiery personality like Esdeath's was far more interesting to engage with. But she knew better than to make a move here, so she contented herself with a quiet chat with the Cerberus sisters. Nearby, Kasugano Sora shot the mysterious guest a single, meaningful glance before lowering her head, her attention seemingly captured by the screen of her phone.
The restaurant fell into a comfortable quiet, each patron lost in their own world. But the universe is a system of balance; where one place finds tranquility, another is inevitably stirred by unrest.
At that very moment, in the apartment building Kasugano Sora had once called home, a woman with weariness etched onto her features unlocked her door. She stepped inside, her gaze sweeping over the messy room, but she didn't react. The clutter was a familiar sight. She simply walked in, the slump in her shoulders speaking of a long day.
'Hmm? Why is it so quiet next door today?'she wondered, a small frown creasing her brow.'I haven't seen any takeout boxes by her door either...'
A flicker of concern sparked within her. The woman immediately turned and walked back out into the hallway. She knocked on the adjacent door, waited, and then knocked again. The silence that answered her stoked the embers of unease into a small flame. She knew Kasugano Sora's health was fragile; the thought that the girl might have collapsed from a sudden fever or some other ailment sent a chill through her.
However, years of experience as a teacher had honed her senses. She pushed down the initial panic and forced herself to think calmly. First, she needed to confirm if Sora was even home. Although the girl rarely left her apartment, it wasn't impossible that she had gone out.
Just as she was contemplating her next move, Kasugano Sora, who had been scrolling through Yumiko Fuji's latest chocolate-related posts, saw her phone screen light up with an incoming call. She paused when she saw the caller ID, a puzzled expression crossing her face before she answered.
The moment the call connected, she was startled by the anxious voice on the other end. "Um… Kirisu-sensei…" she said sheepishly, her own voice barely a whisper. "I'm not at home right now…"
On the other end of the line, Kirisu Mafuyu let out a long, audible sigh of relief. "You scared me," she admitted, her voice losing its frantic edge. "I was worried you'd fallen ill at home. But… why are you still out so late?"
"Hmm? You moved in with a relative? Oh, you really gave me a scare…"
"You're sure you haven't encountered any danger? You haven't been tricked by anyone, have you?"
"That's good to hear. Alright, you should get some rest soon…"
"Eh? Your health has improved? That's wonderful! It's a bit of a shame that you've transferred schools, but… well, I wish you all the best."
After ending the call, Kirisu Mafuyu stood in her quiet apartment, gazing out the window at the dark, sleeping city. "It's surprisingly unsettling without that girl around…" she murmured softly into the silence.
Back in the restaurant, Kasugano Sora breathed a sigh of relief as she lowered her phone. "Now that I think about it," she mused quietly, "if I've moved out, Kirisu-sensei will be the only one left on that floor. It must be a bit lonely…"
"Hmm?" Lucifer asked, her curiosity piqued. "What Kirisu-sensei? A teacher from Koyo Academy? She called you the moment you enrolled? Shion's people really are reliable."
Kasugano Sora shook her head. "No… she was my teacher at Katagiri. She's the neighbor I told you about, the one who moved in next door to me. She's very kind and always encouraged me to study… even though she practically lives on instant food and takeout herself…"
Lucifer nodded, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "Ah, so that's the strange neighbor you mentioned. From your description, she sounds like a very responsible teacher, aside from being a bit of a disaster in her personal life."
"She is," Sora confirmed with a nod. "But she might be a little too responsible. The students are all a bit afraid of her. She often calls them to try and persuade them not to just blindly choose liberal arts or sciences, but to pick the subjects they're actually good at… And no matter how late it is, she always grades all her homework and organizes her lesson plans before going to bed, but she still manages to wake up incredibly early the next day…"
"Very dedicated," Lucifer remarked thoughtfully. "Perhaps a little too much so. No wonder your old Student Council was wary of her. Is she very serious at school, too?"
Sora's eyes widened in surprise. "Sister Lucifer, how did you know?!"
"Because people like that are always so unsmiling," Lucifer said with a faint chuckle. "Alright. If you get the chance, you should go visit her. Of course, now that your health is better, it would be best to visit her with excellent grades in hand."
"Mm!"
Sora felt a deep sense of gratitude for the teacher who had always watched over her from next door. Kirisu-sensei would nag her not to neglect her studies and to rest on time, and would ironically remind her to eat less takeout while eating it herself. It was a clumsy sort of care, like that of an older sister, and Sora was truly thankful for it.
While Sora was lost in her memories, Ren finally emerged from the kitchen, carrying a tray with the same unhurried grace as before. The mysterious woman felt a surge of irritation; this man was going to drive her mad. He was taking far too much pleasure in bullying an honest person!
'An honest person?'Ren thought, a flicker of dry amusement in his eyes.'You?'
"Sunflower Blueberry Cake," he announced, placing the delicate dessert on the table. "Now, you may drink the tea."
Hearing his words, the woman felt an inexplicable wave of defiance. You say I can't drink, so I don't drink. You say I can drink, so I drink? What do you take me for? No! I refuse to drink!
As if reading her mind, Ren added softly, "Just one more thing. If you don't drink it now, this flower cake won't taste the same when you eat it."
The woman's teeth gritted. Her hands, hidden beneath the table, clenched into tight fists. She glared at the smiling man before her, the realization dawning on her with infuriating clarity. She was being completely and utterly manipulated! Damn it!
Then, with as much dignity as she could muster, she carefully picked up the gold-threaded teapot and began to warm the cup. Ren had already warmed it once, but this second warming served a different purpose. It wasn't merely to heat the porcelain; this time, it was to enchant it.
A clear, light red liquid flowed from the spout. As it cascaded into the cup, the residual warmth of the porcelain instantly released a rich, intoxicating floral fragrance. For a fleeting moment, the woman was tempted to drink the rinsing liquid itself, but she silently poured it onto the tea tray. She felt her heart bleed a little; such exquisite floral tea, used only to warm a cup…
But that feeling vanished the instant she picked up the other teapot. As she poured a small amount of its contents, an aroma so deep and captivating washed over her that it made her body and soul tremble.
Slowly, carefully, she poured a single cup. The tea was a pale, shimmering crimson, and its fragrance permeated the entire shop. Good wine needs no bush, and as it turned out, neither did good tea.
The unique, refreshing aroma and the comforting warmth it promised made everyone in the restaurant exhale in unison. A single word echoed in their minds: relaxing.
The woman stared at the cup before her, its contents clean and transparent, like a liquefied ruby. The fragrant, light red tea reflected her own ruby-like eyes, creating a moment of indescribable, surreal beauty.
For a heartbeat, she was lost. She couldn't tell if her eyes were being reflected in the tea, or if the tea itself was an emotion, flowing directly from her soul.
Elegant, fragrant, with a touch of crimson. The woman's quiet night had been utterly disrupted by this single cup of tea, its arrival disturbing her rhythm and tugging at her heartstrings. The anticipation of the night is always the most tormenting, and always the most intoxicating.
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