Kushina had barely settled onto the stool when Rimuru looked up from his empty bowl.
"You vanished." He said, tone light but eyes curious. "No visits, no news, no nothing. I was starting to think Konoha grounded you."
Kushina snorted. "Please. I know I can run here if they do that to me."
"Then?" Rimuru pressed.
"I had some things to ask." She replied, now her tone took a dip.
"Ask who?" Claire said, not looking at her but clearly listening.
"The Hokage."
Minato remained still beside her, posture straight, hands folded loosely in front of him.
Rimuru tilted his head. "You are interrogating him?"
"Please. I need clarification." Kushina corrected. "And I had things to do."
However, she didn't elaborate.
Claire let the silence sit for a moment, then took a sip of her tea. "Was it productive?"
"Of course!" Kushina beamed.
That was all they offered. The air then shifted slightly. Though It only lingered only a breath before Kushina's attention drifted past Rimuru and Claire.
She noticed the unfamiliar faces at the bar.
"Oh." She said. "New customers?"
Aoki inclined his head. "Yes."
Kushina turned on her stool to face them fully. "From which world?"
"We came from Earth." Tsumugi answered.
Kushina blinked several times. "Earth?"
"Yeah." Rimuru answered before he started to explain about their world.
Kushina stared at Rimuru for a second before looking at the family. "That's… not what I expected."
Aoki offered a small, polite smile. "We didn't either."
"You're the only ones left?" Kushina asked.
"As far as we know."
She studied them more carefully now. "And you walked into this place?"
"Yes." Aoki said. "It's… been helpful."
Kushina glanced briefly at the man before laughing. "Indeed! Most importantly, they have good food!"
Kushina turned to Ludwig and finally ordered. "I want Ramen, make two bowls! And Lemonade. And… Puddings!"
Ludwig chuckled at her order, then in the corner of his eyes, he saw Raon perking up in the mention of pudding. Though, soon after the little dragon lay back down on the separator.
"Noted." Ludwig replied. However, he had not moved yet. His eyes just shifted to Minato. "And you?"
Minato seemed faintly surprised to be asked so directly, then he inclined his head.
"Ramen as well. But with moderate spice. And tea please."
Kushina clicked her tongue. "You're too careful."
"I prefer to taste my food, Kushina." Minato answered.
"That's called being careful." Kushina argued,
Ludwig nodded once and turned toward the stove. But before he even arrived at the prep counter, he heard Claire's voice from the bar.
"We'll have two servings of mushroom rice."
Cless blinked. "Two?"
"One for you." Claire said. "One for me."
Cless hesitated. "And Hedwig?"
"Hedwig does not get a portion." Claire replied flatly.
Ludwig turned back and chuckled. He saw Hedwig's fur shift to a faint grey before he saw Cless' eyes looking at him with a glint of hope.
"No." Ludwig said. "Foxes do not get seasoned rice."
Hedwig flickered blue as Ludwig's word landed. Then it turned gold as Rin reached over to pet her again.
Cless sighed and settled back onto her stool. "Fine."
After that exchange, the kitchen resumed their steady rhythm. Steam thickened above the stove, but this time the base was not a long-simmered broth.
Ludwig reached for the familiar red-and-black packet instead. Korean instant ramyeon. He split it cleanly. Powder first into two waiting pots of boiling water. The scent of chili and garlic bloomed almost immediately. Dried flakes followed.
The noodles went in whole. They softened quickly, curling and loosening in the rolling boil.
But this was not convenience food anymore. From the stasis storage, Ludwig retrieved snow crab legs, already blanched. He cracked the shells partially for ease. Mussels went into the broth first. Prawns next. The seafood released its sweetness into the aggressively seasoned base.
The ramyeon absorbed and transformed.
He watched carefully. Instant noodles were unforgiving if overcooked.
When the texture reached just shy of softness, he transferred each portion into deep bowls. Broth first. Then the noodles. Snow crab legs laid across the top like deliberate excess. Mussels arranged along the edge. Two prawns per bowl.
As a finish, he drizzle some sesame oil on it as well as a scattering of chopped scallions.
Then before he served it, he wiped the rims.
Minato's bowl went out first.
"Moderate spice." Ludwig said.
Minato inclined his head once in acknowledgment. He did not inspect it for long before digging in. Then Kushina's bowl arrived. The surface glowed red beneath the steam, crab legs resting across the top, mussels and prawns settled into the broth as if they had always belonged there.
Kushina grinned. "Finally."
Lemonade and tea followed.
Ludwig did not return to the pan this time.
Behind him, Bilo had already taken over the rice station. The young faun worked with steady hands, folding the mushrooms through the grains while Finka cracked the eggs with casual precision.
They did not rush. Mushroom rice was simple. That was its strength.
Oil in. Rice turned. Salt adjusted. Egg lowered just long enough to set the white without killing the yolk. Before long, two bowls were ready.
Finka carried them out first. Bilo followed with a small cloth tucked into his belt. The two bowls were placed down smoothly. But then, Hedwig quickly leaned towards the bowl.
"No." Claire said before anyone else could.
Hedwig's fur dulled to a faint grey, then brightened to gold when Rin reached across to stroke her head again. Cless muttered something under her breath and picked up her spoon. The rhythm shifted from cooking to eating.
Kushina wasted no time. She lifted noodles immediately, steam curling around her face. She did not pause to evaluate. She never did.
Minato tasted the broth first. A quiet nod followed. Then, he moved to the noodles.
Claire broke the egg into her rice and mixed it through in a few clean motions. Cless attempted the same and ended up with yolk pooling too heavily on one side.
"Mix it well." Claire advised.
"I am mixing it." Cless replied, though she adjusted.
At that moment, Bilo returned to the kitchen. Finka wiped the counter where a stray grain had fallen. For a while, conversation thinned into the sounds of eating.
Shells cracked under Kushina's fingers. Prawn tails set aside neatly by Minato. Cless scraped the bottom of her bowl with determination. Rimuru leaned back and watched the scene like it was a play he had already seen but still enjoyed.
The seafood ramyeon bowls lowered steadily. Broth diminished. Steam faded.
Minato finished first. Chopsticks aligned carefully across the rim. Kushina followed soon after, draining more broth than usual before setting her bowl down with satisfaction.
Claire also finished her rice while Cless scraped the last bit and glanced at Hedwig as if considering whether sharing was possible.
Only when bowls were empty did Kushina lean back. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and rested her elbows on the counter.
"Alright…" She finally said, as if she had been waiting to get to this part.
Rimuru leaned slightly forward. Claire remained relaxed. Minato sat upright beside Kushina, hands folded loosely.
Kushina did not lower her voice.
"The elders are dumb."
Minato closed his eyes briefly at her words.
"They were just concerned." He corrected.
Kushina sighed loudly and disagreed. "No… They are not. They are just dumb and panicking."
No one from the family spoke. Aoki simply listened, expression calm. The girls stayed quiet, attention fixed on the exchange without interrupting.
Kushina continued, words coming fast.
"They kept talking about 'external threats' and 'unknown influence.' Like this place is dangerous. Like this restaurant is a hidden base for other elemental nations. They really forget I was kidnapped in Konoha, not here, not anywhere else."
Minato's face strained, then he opened his mouth. "They were worried about unpredictability."
"They were worried because they knew they didn't have control in this place." Kushina shot back.
At the same time, the air shifted. It was subtle at first. A pressure that did not belong to the room. However, it turned into heat without flame in an instant as thin veil of red chakra bled through Kushina's shoulders, flickering like a heat haze behind her.
Minato's hand moved almost imperceptibly, two fingers brushing the edge of the counter as if measuring distance.
Claire's eyes also sharpened while Rimuru's smile did not disappear, but it thinned.
Raon and the cats woke up from their slumber, looking at Kushina before laying back down.
The family did not speak. Aoki's back straightened just slightly. Tsumugi and Momo froze. Rin instinctively leaned closer to her father.
Kushina did not seem to notice the shift at first. It seemed like she was too irritated.
"They talk about threats like they've never made one." She continued. "They say this place can influence alliances. Like I can't think for themselves."
The red chakra pulsed once and became stronger the more she spoke.
Before long, Minato spoke carefully. "Kushina."
"I'm just saying." She replied, though her voice carried more edge than she intended.
That was when Ludwig stepped forward from behind the counter.
"Ah." Ludwig's easygoing tone cut through the thick aura and the tension. "I forgot about you."
Kushina's eyes looked at Ludwig wide. All the patrons around the bar also had their attention on him now.
Ludwig chuckled inside when he saw them. Truly, doing something unpredictable that didn't fit the situation always worked to sweep people off their balance.
"What do you want to eat, big fox?" Ludwig continued.
The red chakra flickered. Though this time, not violently. It just looked confused.
Kushina blinked. "Huh?"
Ludwig leaned his forearms lightly on the counter, completely unbothered by the heat pressing against his skin.
For a brief second, the chakra thickened as if deciding whether to bare fangs or retreat. Then a low rumble vibrated through Kushina's chest.
Minato quickly stiffened.
Meanwhile Claire did not move while Rimuru's lips curved.
"…Insolent human." Kushina said suddenly. "The fox wanted me to act as its mouth."
Ludwig chuckled before answering.
"You are in my restaurant." He replied. "Everyone gets fed. That includes large foxes with attitude."
The rumble paused.
Kushina's brows furrowed. "I do not have an attitude."
The red chakra flared once in contradiction.
Minato closed his eyes for half a heartbeat.
But, Ludwig just continued as if discussing side dishes.
"Spicy again? Or something simple?"
Silence. Then the chakra coiled closer to Kushina's back, no longer pressing outward.
Kushina folded her arms instinctively. "He says meat."
"What kind?" Ludwig asked.
A pause.
"…Entertain me, human. It said." Kushina said, her irritation clear.
"Reasonable."
Ludwig did not linger in the center of attention. He turned back to the kitchen as if nothing unusual had happened. Behind him, movement resumed naturally. Bilo shifted aside to clear space. Finka already knew better than to ask questions when ancient beings requested to be entertained.
Oil hit iron. Something heavy followed. The scent that rose was not delicate. It was rich and primal. Seared meat, bone, and fat. No garnish. No sweetness.
On a separate board, Ludwig cut a smaller portion. Leaner. Lightly cooked. No seasoning at all. This one was not for a tailed beast. But, he did not announce it.
At the counter, the red chakra had thinned into something coiled and watchful instead of oppressive.
Kushina blinked twice, then exhaled through her nose.
"You know… I always felt it but… he's weird." She muttered.
"Who?" Rimuru asked lightly.
"Both of them." Kushina answered without hesitation.
Rimuru, Claire, and Minato went silence for a brief second before they burst into laughter.
"Well…" Rimuru said amidst his laughter. "Their first meeting is as weird as it could be… So of course their… Relationships will be weird."
"Yeah." Claire added. "If your village knows the fox is tame here, bet they will lose their mind."
Now, it's Kushina's turn to laugh. "Oh… They've lost their minds alright!"
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