KyokaSuigetsu
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Chapter 070: Takanashi Rikka, Chuunibyou, and the Sorrows of Power
🕑 Added 2025-05-13 03:12:00 +0000 UTCA big bowl of noodles—everyone finished it in no time, down to the very last drop of soup.
After drinking the soup, Hinami Fueguchi let out a long breath and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.
“If only Dad could’ve tasted this too…”
Hearing that, her mother, Ryouko Fueguchi, trembled all over and her eyes instantly turned red.
The atmosphere suddenly turned heavy.
Hayashi sighed.
He pulled out another box of snacks and placed it on the table.
“Everyone from Anteiku has probably already said everything that needed to be said. I won’t say much.”
“I’ll just leave you with this—eat more. Whatever comes next, decide on it when you’ve calmed down.”
With that, he patted Hinami’s head.
Then he stood up and walked away.
It wasn’t even business hours yet—he wasn’t about to sit here and give an emotional pep talk.
Pushing too much would only make it harder for them.
The right approach was to comfort a little, and then give them space to breathe.
Hayashi lay down in the courtyard again.
Tohru got up to clean up.
Kanna went off to play with the cats and Pochita.
Rize also got up and followed Hayashi outside.
At the table, everyone from Anteiku understood exactly what Hayashi meant.
After a bit more chatting, Enji Koma and Kaya Irimi stood up.
“Let’s head back for now. There are resting rooms on the second floor of Anteiku. You two can rest there for a while.”
Touka Kirishima got up to pay the bill.
Hayashi waved her off.
“You’re all regulars now. Just treat this as a free meal—but don’t make it a habit.”
“Of course not!” Touka shook her head immediately. “Thank you so much, manager. I didn’t think you’d know how to handle something like this.”
Hayashi nodded. “Watched a lot of psychology dramas.”
Touka’s eyes widened in surprise.
Hayashi finally chuckled. “Mostly just putting myself in others’ shoes. Giving people a bit of breathing room.”
“Mhm! That’s true!” Touka agreed.
And with that, the Anteiku group left.
Outside the gate, Ryouko bowed to Hayashi in thanks.
Hinami, holding snacks, also shouted, “Thank you, big brother!”
That “big brother” hit Hayashi right in the heart—what a great feeling.
Before she left, he gave her a skewer of candied hawthorn to take home and enjoy later.
So Hinami walked away, one hand full of snacks, the other holding the skewer, eyes still red, and looking a little dazed.
But either way, this little emotional detour gave them a moment to settle down—they’d be okay.
As he watched them leave, Hayashi flopped back onto the lounge chair and let out a long, satisfied “ah~.”
Rize sat beside him.
Watching him, she shifted slightly and muttered, “Why don’t I feel that comfortable?”
“Because you don’t have the mindset of a lazy dog,” Hayashi said with a content squint. “The art of lazing around is an enlightenment.”
Since that phrase didn’t have a clean direct translation, Hayashi’s version just meant self-care and inner peace.
Rize still found it profound.
“Hayashi-kun’s cultivation... it seems really deep.”
She called it cultivation.
And to be fair, it kind of was.
But not really.
“Hayashi-saaan~”
Tohru popped her head out after cleaning up.
“Are we going shopping today?”
Hayashi checked the time—it was already 3 PM.
And there wasn’t really anything that needed buying.
“Let’s skip today. Just eat something light in the afternoon.”
“Got it.” Tohru nodded and went back inside. “I’ll clean the upstairs next.”
Hearing this, Rize’s relaxed body suddenly stiffened. She stood up and followed.
“My room’s a bit messy too. I’ll go tidy up. Later.”
“?” Hayashi blinked, watching her go.
His first thought: Did Rize bring back some leftover ‘bits of people’?
But then he remembered—she didn’t eat that stuff anymore.
So what was up with her?
Oh well, not important.
So Hayashi spent the whole afternoon lounging, reading, and scrolling on his phone.
During that time:
Tohru cleaned the upstairs, sniffing Hayashi’s clothes before washing them so the scent would carry through the laundry.
She aired out the bedding too, letting them soak up the sunlight.
Rize quietly bagged her trash and went out to throw it away.
Then came down and told Hayashi she’d probably finalize a house nearby soon.
She was still planning to buy a standalone house.
Those don’t come cheap—they’re practically small villas.
About the same size as Hayashi’s shop, just smaller overall.
After Rize left, Tohru came downstairs after finishing her chores, brewed some lemon tea, and leaned against Hayashi, clinging to him affectionately.
And so, a few leisurely hours were pleasantly wasted.
“So good~!”
As the sun dipped low and the evening approached...
Hayashi clapped his hands and shouted with renewed energy.
“Time to open up shop!”
Tohru flipped the sign on the front door.
Just as they were about to head inside...
A black car slowly pulled up and drove into the courtyard.
Once it parked at the very end, the door opened—
Power leapt out in an instant.
“Hayashi! I’m here for dinner!”
Makima also stepped out from the driver’s seat, looking at Hayashi.
“I’m here.”
Hayashi nodded and led them in. “How’s the move? Finished?”
As soon as Power heard “move,” her whole body slumped.
She ran over and clung to Hayashi’s leg, wailing miserably.
“Save me, Hayashi! Lady Makima made me move everything on my own! It’s gonna take me two more days!”
Hayashi looked toward Makima.
Hands in her pockets, she replied calmly.
“That’s the price for stealing the cat’s food.”
“!” Hayashi’s eyelid twitched.
He started calculating the timeline...
Hmm, going with Utaha tomorrow, then finishing the moving right after—it actually works out perfectly.
“Good job, Makima. If Power can’t handle hardship, then let her get more exercise. Let her suffer a little.”
After saying that, Hayashi peeled Power off of him.
“Noooo~!” Power collapsed onto the ground in despair, looking ready to lie flat and throw a tantrum.
Makima noticed and gave a preemptive “kind” smile.
“If you roll around and dirty your new clothes, then there’s another entire building waiting for you.”
Power immediately sprang up from the floor like a spring-loaded trap.
“Then let’s eat first!”
Hayashi stood nearby watching.
“What do you want to eat?”
“I want meat!!” Power shouted.
Hayashi nodded and looked at Makima.
She bit her lip and looked at Hayashi. “I want meat too.”
Hayashi ignored her seductive look.
He asked calmly, “Pork cutlet rice bowl, grilled meat with flatbread, or steak. Pick one.”
“Pork cutlet!” Power shouted her choice.
“Steak,” Makima replied.
Hayashi nodded and went into the kitchen.
A short while later...
“Tohru.”
“Coming~!”
The pork cutlet and steak were served.
Makima and Power didn’t waste any time and immediately began eating.
Faced with food this good, anyone who could keep chatting, check their phone, or eat slowly had nerves of steel.
In reality, they both just focused on devouring it.
Finish first—talk later!
After a satisfying meal:
“That was heaven~!”
Power flopped onto the couch, blissfully content.
Her tired body, exhausted from yesterday and today, felt like it had been recharged and restored.
Makima dabbed her lips with a napkin.
Then she placed the napkin down and praised Hayashi: “As delicious as ever.”
“You flatter me.”
Hayashi wiped down glasses behind the bar, cleaning up the tools for making lemon tea.
Makima sat down at the bar and said slowly:
“The foreign devil assassins have already infiltrated. Public Security has locked onto one gang. I’m thinking of using someone as bait. Hayashi-kun, which team in the Anti-Devil Bureau do you think is best suited?”
“?” Hayashi rubbed his forehead. “You’re asking me?”
You’re planning to use someone as bait, and I’m supposed to choose who?
Makima was essentially the bureau chief of the Anti-Devil Bureau.
Of course, she oversaw more than one division.
Anti-Devil Division 4—which included Power, Aki Hayakawa, Himeno, etc.—was directly under her command.
That group’s specialty was that its members were either devils themselves or had signed contracts with devils.
The other teams were far more average.
Even if some had contracts, they were with weak devils—like a Tomato Devil or something.
Hell, there might even be a Green Pepper Devil.
So faced with Makima’s question, Hayashi just waved her off.
“Get out of here. Make your own decision. I’m not playing the bad guy. Just don’t let them fight near my shop. Last time the Leech Devil nearly destroyed the place.”
Makima gave a small smile. “Then I’ll be the bad guy.”
You already are the bad guy.
A very, very bad one.
Hayashi couldn’t even be bothered to comment.
Using her subordinates as bait like it was nothing.
Working under Makima was a lifelong curse.
“But Hayashi-kun, you should still be careful,” Makima warned.
“What do you mean?” Hayashi asked, puzzled. “You have new intel?”
“Yes, a professional devil assassin has entered the 20th Ward.” Makima thought for a moment. “They might be a trained operative, so their methods might go beyond just assassination.”
“Like pretending to be harmless, disguising themselves as customers, using manipulation, framing someone, or even a honey trap.”
Hayashi got the idea.
“Then if you can contact them, tell them one thing.”
Makima looked curious. “Tell them what?”
“Tell them to go straight for the honey trap.” Hayashi said seriously. “I won’t fall for anything else.”
He wasn’t joking.
Other tricks he’d just smack down on sight.
But a honey trap? He might be willing to play along for a bit.
You never know, maybe he could convince them to walk the straight path.
Historically, not many people were dragged into the deep end, but quite a few were persuaded to turn back.
Makima chuckled at that.
“Haha~”
That usual calm and serious expression of hers suddenly looked... more human.
“Hayashi-kun, you really are amusing.”
Makima smirked slightly. “So, what kind of beauty would you want to use the honey trap on you?”
Now that was a dangerous question.
Every answer could get him in trouble.
Say “all beautiful women”—bad.
Say “someone like you”—worse.
Hayashi thought for a bit. “Someone I care about.”
“Hmm…” Makima couldn’t argue with that answer.
She couldn’t exactly force him to say who that was either.
So the two kept chatting.
Meanwhile...
Lying on the sofa, Power had secretly eavesdropped on their entire flirtatious exchange.
When she heard Makima ask about which group to send in as bait...
Power pursed her lips and didn’t dare breathe too loudly.
Afraid that Makima might pick her.
Good thing she had recently pledged her Celery! Loyalty!
She was a direct subordinate of Makima now!
Even if her loyalty wasn’t absolute, she was still technically on Team Makima.
As long as she didn’t betray her, she was loyal!!!
So Makima wouldn’t use her as bait.
She’d definitely pick someone from another division.
Ding-ding~!
Just then, the shop bell rang.
Hayashi turned his head—it was a familiar customer.
“Takanashi Touka?”
And next to her was a girl dressed oddly, looking around curiously as soon as she entered.
The girl seemed just a little older than Kanna.
After coming in, Touka brought the girl to a table and sat down.
Hayashi nodded to Makima.
Then he went to greet the new guest.
At the table...
The adorable and cold-faced Touka gave a brief introduction.
“This is my younger sister, Takanashi Rikka. She’s on school break now. I thought I’d bring her by before school starts.”
Rikka stood up and greeted him.
“Main city NPC tavern boss? Thou art my ally. Present thy feast, and I—ow~!”
Before she could finish, her sister whacked her with a karate chop.
Back to reality she went, holding her head and tearing up.
“Haha~” Hayashi laughed out loud.
After smacking her, Touka looked apologetically at Hayashi. “Sorry, she’s a bit... chuunibyou.”
“No worries. It’s pretty entertaining.” Hayashi shook his head and handed over the menu. “What do you want to eat? A full stomach might calm that chuunibyou down a bit.”
“Let me see…”
After browsing for a moment...
Touka ordered one curry omurice, one seafood dish, and two drinks.
Once the order was placed, Hayashi went back to the kitchen to prepare it.
Rikka rubbed her sore head and asked softly,
“Big sis, is the food here really that good? You came all this way just for this meal?”
“Yes. It’s that good.” Touka nodded firmly. “Once you start high school, I plan to enroll you in a school here in the 20th Ward. It’s safer.”
“We’re moving here in the next two weeks, so you need to get used to the area ahead of time—what subway line to take, which streets to walk—I’ll walk the route with you a few times until you’re familiar.”
Her older sister clearly cared a lot about her safety.
That’s why she chose a school within the Safe Zone, and even the route to and from school had to be planned and practiced together first.
After all, in the Safe Zone, as long as you stick to the main roads and avoid back alleys, and only travel through populated areas, it’s generally very safe.
But Takanashi Rikka just scoffed at the mention of danger.
“Oh sister of mine, I am the wielder of the Wicked Eye of Truth! All danger disappears before my almighty power!”
“Hmm?”
Just as Rikka finished speaking, Touka raised her hand into a karate-chop pose. Rikka immediately crouched down, covering her head.
“Okay okay! I get it! No hitting!”
“Hmph.” Touka nodded, satisfied.
There was one more thing.
Touka might be going to Italy soon. A restaurant there had invited her to be the head chef, and the salary was extremely high.
While she would send Rikka plenty of money each month, Rikka didn’t know how to cook at all. If left alone, she’d probably eat fast food every day.
So Touka planned to get everything arranged beforehand.
She would find a few good places for Rikka to eat from and make a list, so she’d know exactly where to go.
If possible, she’d even pay for a meal subscription plan.
She was willing to foot the monthly bill—as long as Rikka didn’t get tired of the food.
Just then, a voice called from the kitchen.
“Tohru.”
“Coming~!”
Tohru entered and brought out the dishes.
When the grilled fish meal and omurice were placed on the table, Takanashi Rikka froze as soon as she caught the scent.
She pointed at the omurice and exclaimed,
“This must be a divine-tier meal! I can’t believe such a great person is hiding in a tavern in the main city—I must savor it!”
Takanashi Touka shot her a deadly glare.
“Eat.”
“Okay…”
Comments
Baltazar Gomez
Read it all and it was amazing worth the all nighter I pulled keep up the great work
