"Welcome."
Yuto, who had been speaking with Ainz and Rimuru, raised his head and looked toward the entrance.
When he saw who had arrived, he could not help feeling that the timing was strangely coincidental.
If she had come just a little later, he would have ended up talking about her.
Hair the color of a clear, freshly washed blue sky fell softly down the girl's back, while her bright, crystalline pupils shone like glowing blue gemstones.
Today, Hatsune was wearing a blue-and-white leather outfit. It looked formal and beautiful, almost like a stage costume.
"Boss."
Hatsune greeted Yuto with a bright, cheerful smile.
Even so, there was a faint trace of fatigue on her face.
That was because the girl had been rehearsing all day.
Naturally, she would be tired.
Hatsune's arrival immediately drew the attention of both Ainz and Rimuru.
Both of them were Hatsune fans.
Rimuru instantly jumped up, his round slime body wobbling like a drop of water trembling on a leaf, rippling with soft, bouncy motion.
Ainz, on the other hand, deliberately pretended to be proper and composed.
He had already analyzed this matter before.
Hatsune had probably seen plenty of passionate and excited fans like Rimuru.
In that case, he needed to play the role of a serious and mature figure.
Perhaps that would draw Hatsune's attention instead.
"Hatsune-chan! Hatsune-chan! Hatsune-chan!"
Rimuru cheered her name again and again.
Ainz simply nodded toward Hatsune with a deliberately calm air.
The center of their attention smiled at them.
As a high-quality idol with an enormous fanbase, Hatsune naturally knew how to treat her fans.
That smile made Rimuru's entire body tremble.
"Ah... I've been healed..."
He even muttered something Yuto could not quite understand.
Ainz also gave a light cough.
Seeing this, Yuto could only smile helplessly.
He looked at Hatsune with a slightly apologetic gaze.
After all, this was his restaurant, so he still needed to take responsibility for anything that might affect his customers.
"What would you like to eat today, Hatsune?" Yuto asked with a smile.
Unexpectedly, the girl shook her head.
"I only came over tonight to remind you about tomorrow's concert, Boss. As for eating... I really don't have time today. Sorry, Boss."
Hatsune smiled apologetically.
"It's fine. You don't need to apologize."
Yuto gently waved his hand.
Naturally, he could understand.
The concert was tomorrow, so the final day before it would definitely be extremely tense.
Besides, his restaurant was not the kind of place where customers had to order something just because they came in.
"Mm! Thank you, Boss!"
Hatsune revealed a cheerful and adorable smile.
Just as petting a cat could bring people a soothing feeling, the smile of the girl in front of him had a similar effect.
Even Yuto felt an inexplicable calm and satisfaction settle in his heart beneath that clean, pure smile.
Perhaps some of the people obsessed with girl idols were drawn in for exactly this reason.
As for Rimuru, he had already entered his second state of "soul leaving the body."
'Ah... So cute... I've been healed...'
Rimuru looked as though he had fallen into some kind of hallucination.
His body had already softened into a thin sheet of slime, yet he was still muttering all kinds of nonsense.
Ainz's coughing became even more intense.
If he had a windpipe and lungs, Yuto might have suspected that he had bronchitis.
"So what did you want to tell me, Hatsune?"
Yuto looked at her with a soft smile.
A slightly embarrassed smile appeared on Hatsune's face, and her eyes seemed to shine faintly along with it.
"I forgot to tell you the concert time before. I was so focused on inviting you that I forgot the important part. If my sister hadn't reminded me today, I probably still wouldn't have remembered."
Hearing the girl's words, Yuto suddenly understood.
To be honest, he had not noticed that problem either.
"The time is set for two-thirty tomorrow afternoon. Because it's a charity concert and there are also many performers taking part, it will last a bit longer, about four hours."
"If it were a normal concert, it would usually be held in the evening, but this time it's too long, so we had no choice but to schedule it in the afternoon."
"Can you come at that time tomorrow, Boss? If you have something else to do, it's fine too. This is all my fault for not telling you the time in advance, so you don't have to feel bad about it."
Hatsune spoke with a mixture of helplessness and guilt.
By the time she finished, her head had lowered slightly, making her look rather dispirited.
"Boss! You can go tomorrow, right?! You can, right?! You definitely can, right?!"
Before Yuto could react, Rimuru, who had just been slumped down weakly, bounced up excitedly and shouted at him.
Ainz was comparatively calmer, though his fingers were tapping the counter nonstop.
If he kept that up for a little longer, his finger bones might actually carve a pit into the counter.
"Calm down. Calm down. I didn't say I couldn't go! There's no need to get that worked up."
Yuto sounded a little helpless.
The moment he said that, Rimuru instantly cheered.
He looked like a child who had just been given candy, which made the whole scene rather comical.
Yuto was free almost every day anyway, so his schedule was usually quite open.
Although Hatsune had only now told him the specific time, it did not really affect him.
"That's wonderful!"
Hearing Yuto's answer, Hatsune let out a long breath of relief.
It seemed the girl really had been nervous earlier.
"Don't worry. I'll go tomorrow."
Yuto smiled.
"Haa~~ Thank you, Boss."
"Why are you thanking me? You invited me to watch your concert. If anything, I'm the one who should be thanking you."
Yuto could not help laughing as he shook his head.
"Ah~"
Hatsune seemed to realize the mistake in her wording and scratched her head with some embarrassment.
She looked like a kitten rubbing its head with its paw.
Extremely adorable!
"Oh, right! When you arrive tomorrow, remember to call me!"
Hatsune suddenly remembered that matter and reminded Yuto again.
Yuto smiled and nodded.
"That's all I wanted to say, so I should go now."
Hatsune smiled and prepared to leave.
The reason she had come here today was simply to pass along the message.
"Eh?! So soon? Hatsune-chan, won't you sit down and stay a little longer?"
Rimuru wanted to keep her there, but Hatsune shook her head apologetically.
"Everyone is still rehearsing. If my sister hadn't specifically asked me to come over and remind you, I probably wouldn't have been able to come to the restaurant tonight."
Hatsune's face also carried some helplessness and disappointment.
Clearly, the girl wanted to stay in the restaurant a little longer too.
After all...
No one could refuse delicious food.
But today, she truly did not have time.
"Then... all right."
Seeing that, Rimuru could only answer helplessly.
Although he really wanted Hatsune to stay in the restaurant a little longer, he also knew she was busy.
As a proper fan, naturally, he could not cause trouble for his idol.
"Then I'll see you tomorrow."
Yuto smiled and nodded to Hatsune.
"Mm!"
The girl answered with a bright smile, then left.
Rimuru sighed.
Yuto glanced at Rimuru and felt deeply helpless.
"Rimuru, can't you be a little calmer, like Ainz?"
His words made Rimuru's body arch upward slightly.
Rimuru's gaze shifted to Ainz beside him.
After noticing that, Ainz deliberately put on an even calmer appearance.
Rimuru looked Ainz over, then let out a sneer.
"What? Ainz is just pretending to be calm too."
Rimuru saw through Ainz's disguise and exposed him without hesitation.
That made Ainz feel a little annoyed.
"Rimuru, don't make things up so casually. I'm not pretending! I'm different from you."
Although he felt unsettled inside, he still had to keep up appearances.
"Oh? Hmph, hmph, hmph~~~ Ainz, I've been there before, so I understand. You don't have to deliberately pretend to be calm. Acting all serious and aloof like that won't attract Hatsune's attention. If anything, it might make her feel like you're hard to approach and keep her away from you instead~~~"
In his previous life, Rimuru had already been a working adult and a veteran of the two-dimensional world.
He understood the meaning behind Ainz's current disguise very well.
Because he had done the same thing before~~~
For this kind of tactic to actually work, there was one very important condition.
Your appearance had to be good.
Otherwise...
People would look at you like you were an idiot.
And here was the problem.
Ainz's appearance?
If he were placed in a horror movie, he would be the final boss who did not even need makeup.
If he also acted deliberately cold and aloof on top of that, he would only look even more dangerous.
When Ainz heard Rimuru say this, his heart suddenly jolted.
He could not help beginning to doubt his previous analysis.
"Really?"
Ainz subconsciously asked.
"Of course. Think about it. Did Hatsune-chan look at you just now?"
Rimuru's words pierced straight into Ainz's heart, and his mood instantly sank.
He had been so focused on acting cold and aloof earlier that he had not said a single word.
Now that he thought about it carefully...
Hatsune's gaze really had been deliberately avoiding him.
'Ah, this...'
For a moment, Ainz did not know what to say.
"Then... then... then what should I do...?"
Rimuru chuckled.
"Just listen to me. When it comes to chasing idols, you have to be enthusiastic. There's nothing embarrassing about being passionate in front of your idol."
Ainz listened to Rimuru's words and fell into thought.
It seemed he would have to change his strategy.
Listening to the two of them discuss this so seriously, Yuto could only shake his head helplessly.
"Speaking of which, did you two remember what I told you just now?"
Yuto reminded them.
"Don't worry. I'll bring spatial storage equipment tomorrow. I don't know how many weapons Shinomiya has prepared, but the storage space will definitely be enough."
Ainz spoke with great confidence.
The matter Yuto had just told the two of them about was related to what Kaguya-sama had mentioned that afternoon.
"But when it comes to Sakura's magical education, I'm not quite sure where to begin. After all, I've never really studied magic in a proper, orthodox way..."
Rimuru picked up where Ainz left off.
Yuto wanted the two of them to teach Sakura magic, and neither Rimuru nor Ainz had any objections to that. In fact, they were quite willing to teach Sakura.
After all, Sakura was a child both of them liked very much.
It was just that Rimuru lacked confidence.
Although Rimuru knew many kinds of magic, most of them had been acquired by devouring other monsters.
On top of that, the Great Sage inside his body basically handled everything related to casting and controlling magic.
Asking Rimuru to teach Sakura how to study magic was honestly a bit of a problem.
"Mm... I don't know whether Sakura can learn my magic either. Fundamentally speaking, all the magic I know came from a game. If Sakura really can learn it, though, I don't mind teaching her everything I know."
Ainz also spoke in a rather deep tone.
Yuto nodded, a thoughtful look appearing on his face.
"It's fine. We can try first. If it doesn't work, I can ask someone else."
Yuto made his decision.
Sakura's behavior in the restaurant last night had genuinely moved him.
Since he had made a promise to the little girl, he did not want to disappoint her.
If neither Ainz nor Rimuru could teach Sakura magic, then he would ask the other customers in the restaurant.
There would always be a way of becoming stronger that suited Sakura.
While the three of them were talking, a certain Hero King sitting on the other side had also begun thinking quietly.
He was a king who was very good at catching useful information.
If something was beneficial to Uruk and his people, he would naturally consider it carefully.
Finally, he spoke.
"Kamisaka."
His words drew Yuto's attention.
When Yuto turned his gaze toward him, Gilgamesh's lips curved upward.
"This king has heard your conversation."
Yuto was slightly startled by his words.
"As for that girl's desire to become stronger, this king has a way."
Gilgamesh's mouth carried a confident smile.
He looked as if everything was already within his calculations and under his control.
Yuto raised his brows slightly.
He did not think someone with Gilgamesh's personality would lie to him.
Ainz and Rimuru, however, could not help feeling a little doubtful.
Still, out of respect for the Hero King, they said nothing, though the change in their eyes was unavoidable.
"Do not look at this king with such suspicious eyes. This king never does anything without certainty. Since this king says there is a way, then there is a way. Take back those foolish gazes of yours!"
Gilgamesh carried an extremely powerful personal conviction and presence.
This was the spirit possessed by a king!
It was an aura he naturally carried without needing to force it.
For ordinary people, it would be intensely oppressive.
Before reincarnating, Ainz and Rimuru had merely been ordinary people.
Even though they had experienced many things since then, their mentalities still retained some of the old habits of ordinary people.
After Gilgamesh spoke like that, both of them felt their hearts tighten and unconsciously changed the way they looked at him.
"Then, what is your method?"
Yuto looked at Gilgamesh as he asked.
"There happens to be a Servant by this king's side who excels in magecraft. I imagine he will be able to properly educate Sakura."
"Furthermore, based on what this king understands, Sakura and this king should belong to the same world. The only difference is that several thousand years separate us in time."
"From that perspective, compared with powers from other worlds, Tohsaka Sakura should be more compatible with the power system of this king's world. Power from the same world is naturally easier to learn."
Gilgamesh's words made Yuto understand.
If Gilgamesh had not brought it up, he would have almost forgotten that the Gilgamesh before him and Sakura belonged to the same world.
Even though this matter had never been explicitly stated, it could be inferred from Iskandar and Lord El-Melloi II.
Yuto nodded.
He felt that Gilgamesh's suggestion was relatively more feasible.
"I assume it won't be free, then."
Yuto smiled as he spoke.
He was not naive enough to think Gilgamesh was acting purely out of kindness.
The other party was a king, and any decision a king made was bound to come with a purpose.
Because the identity of a king was extremely special.
Baseless and unnecessary sympathy or kindness, for a qualified king, was a mistake. A shackle. A burden.
A king could have sympathy, but there had to be a proper reason behind it.
Casual, thoughtless sympathy was a quality of ordinary people, not the quality of a king.
"Fuhahahaha! Not bad!"
Gilgamesh laughed several times, then stared at Yuto and spoke.
"This king wishes to make a deal with you."
"Please go ahead."
Yuto's expression remained calm.
"This king is interested in the weapons you were discussing earlier. Although this king's own strength has no need for such external tools, this king's people need them!"
As a king who possessed Clairvoyance, Gilgamesh had already seen images of his future.
Although those visions had become blurry because of the Incineration of Human Order, those modern firearms spitting tongues of flame had still left an impression on him.
His nature was proud. Under ordinary circumstances, he would naturally disdain relying on modern weapons like that.
But now, Uruk was facing Demonic Beast assaults every day.
His people were using bodies of flesh and blood to resist the claws and fangs of those monsters on the front line.
If his people could use modern weapons, then casualties would inevitably decrease by a great deal.
For the sake of his people, the proudest Hero King decided to set aside his pride and make a deal with Yuto.
The moment Yuto heard this, he understood why Gilgamesh needed weapons.
He also knew the current situation in Uruk.
"In exchange, this king promises you that I will do my utmost to train Tohsaka Sakura and make her stronger."
Gilgamesh crossed his arms in front of his chest.
His face carried a calm and confident smile, as if he believed Yuto would accept his proposal.
Yuto thought for a moment, then nodded.
"This matter still needs to be decided by Sakura herself. However, I can agree to it for now. If Sakura is willing, then this trade will take effect." Yuto spoke calmly.
Gilgamesh also nodded.
After finishing his conversation with Yuto, he continued eating his grilled meat.
The grilled meat he had waited so long for had already been served while Hatsune was speaking with Yuto.
Even now, he had only eaten about a quarter of it...
Yuto did not dwell on it too much. He only needed to wait until Sakura came and explain the matter to her.
"Speaking of which, if she wants to get stronger, I also recommend my training method."
Saitama scratched his bald head and gave a blank, goofy smile.
Yuto glanced at him, his gaze lingering for a moment on that shining, polished-looking bald head.
"That's how I trained myself!"
Saitama added another sentence, as if using himself as proof to strengthen the method's credibility.
Yuto sighed.
Of course, he knew Saitama was not lying.
But...
Saitama's method...
It probably was not suitable for Sakura!
Because... it would make her go bald!