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Chapter 363: Chapter 359 ~ The Girl Behind the Mask

”Mmm~! This is so good!”

Eryaʼs voice rang out with genuine delight as she took another bite of the karaage from Yuna and Ninaʼs bento. 

The golden-brown chicken was fried to a perfect crisp, the coating light and crunchy while the inside remained tender and juicy. Even as she spoke, a piece was still in her mouth.

”Did your mom really make this?”

”She did~!” 

Yuna replied proudly, puffing out her chest as if she were the one receiving the praise. 

”Sheʼs an amazing cook, right~? Mama makes everything taste good!”

Across from her, Visha nodded enthusiastically while chewing her own piece of karaage. Her cheeks were slightly puffed from the food, though she had the courtesy to finish chewing before speaking.

”Itʼs really delicious.”

Yuna beamed even brighter.

To her, compliments directed at her mother felt almost like compliments directed at herself. After all, as Miraʼs daughter, surely she had inherited at least a fraction of her motherʼs culinary talent!

Erya swallowed the last bite and leaned forward slightly, her eyes sparkling with interest.

”So… will your mother be cooking the food for the hanami this weekend too?”

Her tone carried clear anticipation, but Nina gently shook her head.

”No. Yuuji, Yuna, and I will be preparing the food ourselves.”

”I see…”

Erya sighed softly, a visible trace of disappointment crossing her face.

Then she slowly turned her gaze toward Yuuji.

A very skeptical gaze.

”…What?” 

Yuuji frowned slightly. 

”Why are you looking at me like that?”

He could practically feel the doubt radiating from her expression.

”Youʼre cooking, huh?” 

Erya tilted her head, studying him like a suspicious inspector. 

”Are you actually good at it? Donʼt end up making a mess for Yuna-chan, Nina-chan, and your mother.”

”Mind your own business.”

His blunt response only made the corners of Eryaʼs lips curl upward into a smug little smirk.

Before she could say anything else, Visha quickly chimed in.

”Eh? Erya, Yuujiʼs actually really good at cooking, you know! I told you about that time I tried Yuna and Ninaʼs lunch, remember? That bento was the one Yuuji made!”

She wasnʼt defending him out of obligation—she was simply stating the truth.

The memory was still vivid in her mind. She had been shocked by how delicious the food was when she tried a bite from Yuna and Ninaʼs lunchbox. Even now, she could still remember the flavor clearly.

And when she later learned that Yuuji was the one who had cooked it?

That surprise had doubled.

”Thatʼs right!” Yuna added enthusiastically. ”Yuu-kunʼs amazing at cooking!”

Nina nodded in agreement.

”Mm. His skill is on par with our motherʼs.”

”Hm~ is that so?”

 Erya hummed thoughtfully.

Her eyes slid back to Yuuji, and a mischievous grin spread across her face.

”Then prove it!”

She pointed her chopsticks at him dramatically.

”Make something amazing for the hanami. If itʼs good enough, Iʼll acknowledge your skill!”

”Why do I have to—”

”Yuu-kun will definitely amaze you!” 

Yuna cut him off immediately. 

”Once you try his cooking, youʼll want to eat his food every day!”

”Thatʼs correct. Yuuji will exceed your expectations.”

Nina added calmly.

”Iʼm looking forward to it~” 

Yuuji stared at her victorious smile with a completely deadpan expression.

Then he sighed and returned to eating his lunch.

From her expression—and from what he already knew about her—Yuuji was absolutely certain of one thing.

Erya already knew he was a good cook.

Visha had told her. And Erya was not the type to forget information like that.

Which meant the doubt she had just expressed…was entirely deliberate.

Her goal had been simple.

She wanted to bait him into doing his absolute best cooking for the hanami.

And she had successfully achieved that goal by subtly manipulating Yuna and Nina into defending him enthusiastically.

The twins, completely unaware they had been played, had sealed the deal themselves.

Yuuji glanced at her quietly.

ʼShe has the makings of a great spy…ʼ

If Erya lived during wartime and worked within the militaryʼs intelligence department, he had no doubt she would excel. With her ability to read people and guide conversations without others realizing it, she could gather information and manipulate enemies like puppets.

”Hah…”

What was done was done.

He would just have to put a little more effort into cooking for the hanami.

”Anyway. What did you want to talk about?”

Yuuji said after they finished their lunch. 

After all, Erya had been the one who invited them to eat together in the first place.

”Ah, right!”

Erya wiped her lips neatly with a tissue before taking a sip from her tumbler.

Then she looked at him with a bright, innocent smile.

”Visha and I are planning to practice making the food weʼre bringing this weekend. So weʼre going to the supermarket after school to buy ingredients!”

She clasped her hands together cheerfully.

”I wanted to ask if you could come with us and help carry the heavy stuff back to Vishaʼs apartment!”

She said it as if she were making a perfectly normal request. Not as if she were asking him to act as their personal pack mule.

Before Yuuji could respond, she turned to the twins.

”Yuna-chan, Nina-chan, you should come too! We can all look around together. Maybe youʼll get more inspiration for the hanami dishes.”

”That sounds like a great idea!” 

Yuna said immediately. 

”Iʼm curious about the German dishes you two will cook! Letʼs go!”

”I agree. It would be interesting.” 

Nina added with a nod.

”Then itʼs decided!”

”….”

Yuuji opened his mouth slightly. Then slowly closed it again. And sighed.

From start to finish, he hadnʼt even had the chance to respond.

The entire plan had been finalized while he—the one expected to carry everything—had barely spoken.

Erya had expertly taken advantage of one crucial fact.

Between the three of them, the true decision makers were Yuna and Nina.

And Yuuji…would always go along with whatever they wanted.

ʼWhat a terrifying woman…ʼ

Watching Erya chatting happily with the twins, Yuuji couldnʼt help but think that she was perhaps already on her way to reaching the same level as Demiurge and Albedo when it came to manipulation.

--------------------------------X--------------------------------

”Visha-chan, what are you planning to make?”

Yuna asked curiously as she walked beside her, peering into the shopping cart.

They were moving through the wide aisles of the supermarket, fluorescent lights shining down on neatly organized shelves filled with fresh produce, packaged goods, and spices. 

The late afternoon crowd had begun to gather, but it wasnʼt overly busy yet, allowing them to move comfortably through the store.

Visha hummed thoughtfully before answering.

”Hm, Erya and I are thinking of making Schnitzel and hash browns with mushroom cream sauce.”

Her expression brightened as she spoke, and her eyes sparkled with excitement.

”Iʼve never actually made them myself, but Iʼve watched my mother and my little sisters make them plenty of times. So I really want to try!”

She clenched her right fist determinedly against her chest, her posture suddenly filled with resolve. Meanwhile, her left hand continued pushing the shopping cart forward.

”Iʼm planning to make three kinds of schnitzel—pork, chicken, and fish!”

”I see.”

Walking on her other side, Nina listened attentively.

”Iʼve heard of schnitzel before, but Iʼve never tasted it myself.”

She gave a small nod.

”I look forward to it.”

”Leave it to me!” 

Visha replied proudly.

The group continued moving through the supermarket as Visha began gathering ingredients.

She selected cuts of pork, chicken breast, and fresh fish fillets, carefully placing them into the cart. Then came potatoes for the hash browns, followed by mushrooms and cream for the sauce.

She also picked up several vegetables—lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and cabages.

After placing them neatly into the cart, she explained her reasoning.

”Since Erya and I will be practicing tonight, weʼll end up eating the results ourselves. But schnitzel and hash browns alone might feel a bit too heavy, so I thought a fresh salad would help balance the meal.”

She said with a small laugh. 

Yuna nodded enthusiastically.

”That makes sense! A crunchy salad would be really nice with fried food!”

The four girls continued wandering through the aisles, chatting happily.

Yuna and Nina occasionally paused to look at different ingredients, quietly discussing ideas for what they might cook with Yuuji for the hanami picnic. They seemed almost as excited about planning the menu as they were about the event itself.

Meanwhile—

A few steps behind them, Erya and Yuuji walked at a slower pace.

While the girls in front were absorbed in conversation, Erya casually reached out to various shelves as they passed.

A bulb of garlic. A couple of onions. A bottle of paprika. Then salt, black pepper, thyme, parsley, and several other spices.

Without saying anything, she quietly dropped each item into the shopping basket that Yuuji had been assigned to carry.

Watching the pile of seasonings steadily grow, Yuujiʼs lips twitched slightly.

”…Is it really that bad?”

Erya glanced sideways at him. Then she shrugged.

”Vishaʼs taste buds are… adaptable.”

Her tone was diplomatic.

”In other words, she canʼt taste subtle seasoning… Is that it?” 

Erya smiled faintly.

”Something like that.”

She picked up another small container of spices and placed it into the basket.

”Even if her food only has a little seasoning, she probably wouldnʼt notice the difference, so Iʼm taking some precautions.”

She gestured lightly toward the growing collection of spices.

”For your and everyoneʼs sake too.”

Including herʼs, since she would be eating it tonight. 

Yuuji looked down at the basket in his hands, now filled with an alarming variety of flavor enhancers.

Then he sighed quietly.

”…Iʼm counting on you.”

Erya nodded solemnly, as though accepting a very important mission.

”I know.”

What had originally been meant to be a quick trip to buy ingredients for Vishaʼs cooking practice gradually turned into something else entirely.

As they moved through the aisles, Yuna and Nina began picking up ingredients of their own. Inspired by Vishaʼs enthusiasm, the twins started discussing recipes excitedly, occasionally placing items into the cart while talking about what they might try making later at home.

They planned to ask either Yuuji or their mother to teach them properly. After all, while they could assist in the kitchen, their actual cooking experience was still fairly limited.

But if they were going to contribute to the hanami picnic, they wanted to do it right.

And so, what should have been a short supermarket visit slowly stretched into a longer one.

Meanwhile, a few steps behind them, Erya and Yuuji continued following the three girls at a relaxed pace.

Erya had one hand resting lightly on the cart that Yuuji was pushing, lazily glancing around the shelves as they walked.

Then she suddenly spoke.

”By the way…”

Her eyes narrowed slightly, a familiar mischievous glint appearing within them.

”Iʼve been hearing some interesting rumors around school.”

Yuuji glanced at her but didnʼt respond yet. Erya leaned a little closer, lowering her voice conspiratorially.

”They say you make a lot of money.”

Her lips curled upward.

”A lot of girls secretly call you a real-life prince, you know?”

She tilted her head, studying his reaction.

”So? Is it true? Are you filthy rich?”

Erya already knew a few things. She had heard from Viktoriyaʼs mother that Yuna and Ninaʼs mother was quite wealthy.

Their auntʼs café was also quite successful.

But aside from that, she had heard whispers that Yuuji himself had considerable money as well.

What she couldnʼt figure out was where it came from. Despite all the rumors, all the idle talks about lovestruck girls and their fantasies, none were information she could use to deduce the truth. 

Considering how popular Yuuji was, his private life was guarded pretty well. 

However, Yuuji remained silent.

Seeing that, Erya clicked her tongue lightly.

”Fine, how about this. If you answer my question, Iʼll answer one of yours.”

Yuuji glanced at her briefly. Then he nodded.

”... Fine.”

There had always been one question in his mind that heʼs curious about. 

”Why did you come here?”

Erya blinked once.

”You transferred to a school in another country. Thatʼs not something people normally do just because a friend moved.”

Yuuji continued calmly, his eyes looking directly at her. 

”So why did you really come?”

It was a question that edged the line of crossing her privacy. In fact, although he was curious, he was quite hesitant to ask her. 

He didnʼt expect her to answer. 

For a moment, Eryaʼs lips curved into her usual playful smile. But the faint narrowing of her eyes revealed something deeper.

”I just care about Visha a lot.” 

She said lightly.

”Sheʼs my precious childhood friend after all. Weʼve known each other forever.”

Her tone sounded casual. But Yuuji didnʼt reply. He simply looked at her quietly.

That silence alone made it obvious. And the shift in tone of her voice confirmed it.

He didnʼt believe that was the whole story. But he was willing to let it go.

”I see.”

Erya noticed immediately. His doubt, and his willingness to drop the topic if she felt uncomfortable. 

She felt a warmth spread in her chest, and her lips curled into a smile.

”Well… I guess thereʼs more to it.” 

She admitted. 

”Vishaʼs mother asked me to look after her.”

Her voice softened slightly.

”I donʼt really have much of a family back home. Vishaʼs mother helped me a lot growing up… sheʼs basically like my own mother. So when she asked me to keep an eye on Visha while sheʼs here…”

She shrugged lightly.

”I didnʼt want to refuse.”

Yuuji considered her words.

He had heard from Mira before that Vishaʼs mother was a military general. A very high-ranking one.

If someone like that allowed her daughter to study abroad, even if Visha herself was highly capable of protecting herself, a parent would still worry.

It wouldnʼt be strange if she secretly arranged covert security personnel around Vishaʼs apartment. Hidden escorts.

Yuuji had never bothered checking. He could easily extend his senses across the entire city if he wanted to. But he never had any reason to.

And more importantly, he didnʼt want to intrude into Vishaʼs personal life like that.

Still, if her mother had also sent Erya here… 

That meant something. It meant that beyond trusting her personality and her relationship with Visha—

Her mother also trusted Eryaʼs capabilities. Capabilities that went far beyond what most people could see.

”I see.”

Yuujiʼs response was brief.

Just two words. But Erya was perceptive enough to understand immediately.

He had seen through it. He had grasped the part she hadnʼt said outright.

And that realization made her smile deepen. Her interest in him grew even more.

”Hehe…”

She looked at him with clear amusement.

”Youʼre a really interesting person.”

Her eyes gleamed.

”As expected… having you around is going to make things much more fun than I thought!”

Yuuji didnʼt react. He simply continued pushing the cart.

After a moment, Erya nudged him lightly with her elbow.

”So?” she pressed.

”What about your answer?”

Her grin returned.

”Are you rich? How do you make your money?”

Yuuji paused for a moment before replying calmly.

”Stocks. I borrowed my motherʼs account and used them to trade, and she gave me the money.”

His tone was completely casual.

But internally, his thoughts briefly flickered through several things.

Linked Horizon. His shares in THL Group. His stake in Alpha. And the various assets, treasures, and resources he had accumulated across multiple worlds.

All of which could easily make most billionaires look poor in comparison.

Erya watched him for a moment. Then she laughed softly.

”Wow~ Guess youʼre a true real life prince huh? Are you going to be the alpha, overbearing CEO whoʼd sweep common girls off their feet~?”

”You read too many novels.”

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AN: I hope you guys enjoy this chapter~! Please comment your thoughts~! I would love to hear what you think about it~!!!! 

Also, if youʼd like to read additional chapters ahead and get a pdf version (Light & Dark), please feel free to check out my at ~! 

Thank you~!