Walking slowly behind Erina, Alex kept his eyes on the back of the girl striding forward with determination. But what frustrated him most wasn’t that their cover had been blown. It was the fact that even in this world, that ridiculous manga existed—one where, for some reason, he had replaced Anos as the main character.

Stroking his chin, Alex couldn’t help but compare Erina’s thoroughness to… Saya. Yes, if pink-haired know-it-all Saya were in Nakiri’s place—his beloved Saya, with whom he once survived a zombie apocalypse—she would’ve done exactly the same. Woken everyone up, sniffed out every detail, and wouldn’t stop until she got the full truth out of him.

Alex glanced briefly at his shadow—just for a moment, it took on the shape of Zhang Ya. He only shook his head. His ghost-wife wasn’t to blame for this failure. What happened had already happened, and there was no point in blaming anyone. Far more productive was simply to accept the situation and answer a few questions from the girl who, instead of sleeping, had spent the night digging through every scrap of information trying to uncover his identity.

He looked over at Hisako. Their eyes met—and the girl immediately dropped her gaze, flinching slightly. Watching this, Alex couldn’t help but notice that her eyes, like Erina’s, were red from lack of sleep. He had no doubt it was Erina who had woken her up in the middle of the night and dragged her into this impromptu investigation.

Leaving the forest where they’d been “caught,” Alex and his three companions followed silently behind Erina. Her expression was full of resolve—so cold and focused that anyone who tried to ask her a question instantly froze and backed away. A few students had the nerve to approach, but one look from her was enough to make them pale and retreat.

Alex shook his head with a faint smile. It amused him how Erina could literally clear a path with just her gaze, simply because she was determined to get answers.

As he followed the girls to an unknown destination, Alex couldn’t help but think about the rest of his companions—those who had chosen not to attend the festival. Their reasoning had been… very on-brand: “We’re not putting on extra weight eating for two days straight.” So instead of the festival, they’d launched a full-on raid of Tokyo’s shopping districts. Fortunately, they had escorts—locals familiar with the city and the world, who could guide them through the maze of the metropolis.

When Alex found out, he almost hugged his clone for wisely leaving them with a large enough budget. He smirked, imagining the faces of the shopkeepers when his girls started clearing out stores—clothing, jewelry, anything that sparkled. Today, some shopping mall was about to get rich, and the banking system would tremble.

Lost in thought, he didn’t even notice when Erina led them to one of the buildings. Following her and Hisako inside, Alex wasn’t surprised to find out where they’d arrived—it was one of the academy kitchens. Then again, that was no surprise. In Totsuki, there were so many of them it seemed like you could hold a cooking competition or practice session every few steps.

Looking around the kitchen, Alex nodded approvingly. He even briefly thought how nice it would be to set up something like this back home in Orario. Spacious, clean, convenient—perfect for anyone cooking for a big family.

Meanwhile, his trio of “gourmets” wasted no time. GIR, MIMI, and Stitch rushed to the fridge the moment they saw it, flung the door open, and hungrily stared at the food inside. That was all they needed. Within seconds, hands, tongues, and other appendages were already diving into the contents.

Alex sighed. As usual—no shame, no restraint.

Erina and Hisako didn’t even acknowledge them. Their attention was fixed solely on Alex, who was already sitting on the kitchen counter, lazily swinging his leg.

“So… who are you really?” Erina asked coldly, arms crossed.

“Hmm… You know, the best way to explain who we are… is to let you guess,” Alex said, cigarette clamped between his teeth.

“You’re not allowed to smoke in here,” Hisako instantly snapped, then quickly clamped a hand over her mouth.

“Don’t worry, Hisako,” Alex replied gently. “My cigarettes are odorless. A lot of folks in my family can’t stand tobacco, so I had to… upgrade them.”

He snapped his fingers, and a tiny flame flickered to life at the tip of the cigarette.

But Erina wasn’t frowning because he mentioned his family, or because of the cigarette — what irritated her was something entirely different. Instead of giving a direct answer, Alex had suggested she guess who he was. After a whole night spent trying to dig up even the slightest bit of information, that felt like a mockery.

“Why don’t you just tell me who you are?” she said sternly, crossing her arms over her chest. “If I could guess, I wouldn’t have spent all night staring at a computer screen.”

“It’s not that simple,” Alex replied calmly. “You already know we’re not ordinary people. That we’re… supernatural. Right?”

“Right,” Erina nodded. Beside her, Hisako gave a silent nod as well.

“That’s the tricky part,” he continued, resting his elbow on his knee and propping his cheek against his fist. “Where is that line — the threshold of truth — that you’re ready to accept? You were both raised in a society where anything supernatural is just fairy tales, bedtime stories, and fantasy. Am I wrong?”

“Threshold of truth…?” Erina frowned deeper, tilting her head slightly. “What do you mean by that?”

“I’m talking about your personal limit of belief. About what you’re willing to accept as true, and what you’d dismiss as complete nonsense. For example — heaven and hell: fiction or not? Gods — ancient myths or something more? Monsters, ghosts, magic — rubbish or possible reality?”

He raised two fingers, as if to illustrate his point.

“And how exactly does this get me closer to an answer about who you are?” Erina asked sharply, as if demanding assurance that her time wasn’t being wasted.

“Directly. Because if you’re not even ready to believe in the existence of ghosts, how could you possibly grasp who I am? Understanding the truth isn’t just finding out that unicorns exist. It’s more like… realizing the monster in your closet is real. That the magical world isn’t just made-up — it’s truly magical.”

He waved his cigarette hand lazily, flicking ash to the floor.

Erina didn’t flinch. On the contrary — her eyes lit up with renewed curiosity. But Hisako looked visibly uneasy. There was a clear implication in Alex’s words: the truth might be terrifying. The mention of a “monster in the closet” clearly rattled her.

Erina picked up on it, too. She wasn’t stupid. And despite her confidence, a seed of doubt had taken root inside her. She and Hisako had watched plenty of horror movies — like most teenagers — but they both knew that real-life scares didn’t play by cinematic rules.

Everything she’d discovered during the night had been fragments. But now, looking at Alex — a man whose shadow sometimes took the shape of a ghostly girl — she knew for certain: he was telling the truth. This was real.

Alex waited patiently for her response. The room was silent, broken only by the clatter and shuffle of utensils — GIR, MIMI, and Stitch had shamelessly taken over the kitchen. Since no one was feeding them, they had taken matters into their own hands. And it was unlikely anyone could stop them.

Erina took a deep breath, thinking hard.

“I think I understand now…” she finally said. “Based on what you’ve said… and the ghost that lives in your shadow… You’re a ghost hunter? And those three — they’re souls sealed into plush bodies? And that ghost girl… you made a contract with her? In exchange for something important?”

She spoke hesitantly, as if trying to convince not only Alex — but herself as well.

Alex’s eyes widened for a moment — then he burst out laughing. The laugh was so contagious he nearly fell off the kitchen counter. Even GIR, MIMI, and Stitch couldn’t hold it in — they snorted with laughter and started pointing at Erina, all yelling over each other:

“You silly girl!”

“She thinks you’re a ghostbuster!”

“Plushie souls! That’s a new one!”

The laughter of all four completely flustered Erina and Hisako. They stared suspiciously at Alex and his companions, who were still laughing like they’d just heard the funniest joke of their lives.

“Oh…” Alex exhaled, wiping away tears from laughing. “That’s a new one. I’ve been called a lot of things… but, Princess Nakiri, you’re way off. Though I’ll admit — you were headed in the right direction. You just took a wrong turn.”

“In what way?” Erina rolled her eyes, clearly irritated. “Would you finally explain properly?”

“Alright, alright,” Alex said with a smirk, softening his tone. “Let’s start with my little helpers. See that green dog-looking one? His name’s GIR. He’s not a plush toy possessed by a spirit like you thought. He was originally part of a project called SIR — Security Intellectual Robot. He was designed to protect… I just wanted to save one person. Someone who helped me back when I had nothing.”

He nodded toward GIR, who was now happily eating the food he’d cooked himself.

“But during the creation process, someone tampered with his base code. That triggered a whole series of weird events — and he became what he is now.”

“Wait…” Erina struggled to tear her gaze away from GIR. “But… he’s a robot! How can he eat? Shouldn’t food and liquids mess up his system?”

“A mystery,” Alex replied matter-of-factly. “Even for my whole family.”

“Okay…” Erina muttered, still processing everything.

“And next to him, in the pink dog suit — that’s MIMI,” Alex continued. “She was also part of the SIR project. But GIR, being… well, GIR, got jealous. He thought everyone would abandon him. So he tampered with her code — and now they’re basically like brother and sister.”

MIMI cheerfully waved a fork while still chewing.

“So you created two intelligent robots?” Erina pressed. “And they look like plush toys? How… dangerous are they?”

“You’re better off not knowing just yet,” Alex said with a half-smile. “And finally — Stitch. No, he’s not a robot. He was made by a mad scientist in some lab with one goal: to destroy everything. But… we met him, took him in. Now he’s part of our weird little family. That trio are my helpers now.”

He nodded toward Stitch, who grinned wide in response, revealing rows of sharp teeth.

Erina and Hisako exchanged a look. Then both of them turned their eyes to Stitch.

“He… fell from the sky?” Hisako whispered. “You’re saying he’s… an alien?”

The girls were already comparing him in their heads to alien designs from movies. But Stitch looked so cute, it was hard to believe he was made for destruction. How could something like that be dangerous?

Of course, they didn’t know that Stitch had found a sort of balance: when he felt the urge to break something — he just did. No one stopped him, so he never bottled up aggression the way he had in the past.

“So, ready to keep listening?” Alex asked with a light smile. “Or is that enough information for now? It’s not every day you learn you’ve been hanging around with two robots and an alien.”

“No way!” Erina cut him off sharply, not giving him even a second to pause. “You still haven’t said who you are.”

Realizing how harsh that sounded, Erina suddenly looked away, flustered. She hadn’t expected to lose her composure like that — especially not in front of him.

Alex, noticing her reaction, merely shook his head slightly. It wasn’t the first time someone had bombarded him with questions — stubbornly and insistently.

“Since you’re so determined…” he began. “The ghost girl you saw in my shadow — her name is Zhang Ya. I won’t go into the details of how she died… or what she’s capable of. For now, it’s enough for you to know her name.”

He nodded toward the floor, and the shadow beneath his feet suddenly sharpened into the clear outline of a young girl. Erina flinched slightly.

“And now are you going to tell me who you are?” Erina asked, her voice softer now as she stared at Alex’s shadow. “Or are you going to dodge the question again?”

“My situation… is more complicated than you think,” Alex replied gently. “You’ve already accepted the existence of two robots, an alien, and a ghost girl. But who I am… that might challenge your worldview even more.”

“You mean the truth about you is even more world-shattering than that girl in your shadow?” Hisako asked cautiously.

Alex went silent for a moment, as if carefully choosing his words.

“The manga you found when you were digging into who I am…” he said slowly. “There’s a grain of truth in it. But I’ll say this clearly — that world doesn’t exist. And it never will.”

Erina and Hisako exchanged a glance. They had, of course, skimmed through that very manga — the one Erina had found while investigating Alex’s identity. But now, hearing him confirm it was partially true, and then add that “that world doesn’t exist and never will,” left them both in deep thought. They tried to push aside the most insane and impossible ideas, but one thought kept surfacing — because, by Alex’s own words, it was easier to believe in robots, an alien dog, and a ghost than to accept that sitting right in front of them… was the actual Demon King from another world.

“Y-you’re saying… you’re not from this world?” Erina managed to say, pointing at Alex.

“I warned you that the truth might reshape your perception of everything,” he said calmly. “The realization that other worlds exist doesn’t come without a cost.”

“And as for who I am…” he continued, “that depends on how you look at it.”

Erina and Hisako exchanged another glance. It was hard to believe what they were hearing. Alex had just confirmed he came from another world. And though their minds tried to reject the idea, both of them could feel the boundaries of their once-familiar reality beginning to fracture.

“Why do you say your identity depends on ‘perspective’? I’m completely lost now,” Erina said, practically burning a hole in him with her gaze.

“Remember how you first thought I was a ghost hunter? Not a bad guess. Just… shallow,” Alex said, leaning back and resting on his hands. “Some call me a monster, a beast, a slayer. Others call me a hero, a protector, a savior. It all depends on the point of view. To some, I’m a threat — to others, the last hope.”

“So you’re not just a hunter. You’re… something far greater?” Erina asked cautiously.

“In a way, yes. Erina… listen. I’ve seen a lot. I’ve seen parents sell their own children for a handful of coins. I’ve seen corporations squeeze people dry until they had nothing left to give. I’ve witnessed genocide at the hands of beings blinded by their thirst for power. I’ve seen entire worlds burn, turned into battlegrounds between two mad forces. And I still hear the screams of those whose souls were scorched in that hell. Those screams… they don’t fade.”

Alex looked up — straight into Erina’s soul.

“Where there is light… there will always be shadow. And I see that shadow in you. I see how wounded your soul is. How much pain you’re hiding. Your fear… it’s like an old scar that never healed. Maybe that’s why I decided to answer your questions.”

Alex’s words struck deep. In an instant, Erina felt as if she had fallen into her past — a place filled with pain, fear, and loneliness. She began to tremble. Old memories resurfaced like wounds that had never healed.

Alex sighed softly, jumped down from the counter, and approached her. Gently placing his palm on her head, he ran his fingers through her hair. His hand glowed with a soft green light, and with every movement, Erina felt peace seep into her soul. The fear receded. Her thoughts cleared.

Erina looked up at him, her eyes full of gratitude and wonder.

“As I said, perhaps it’s your soul that made me decide to open up. But here’s a piece of advice. This is your life, and only you decide what it will be. Fear is easy to conquer — just say ‘no’,” Alex said with a gentle smile, continuing to stroke her hair. “And if you want to learn more… I’ll give you time until evening.”

“You approached me because of… my soul? But for what purpose?” Erina asked, still struggling to fully believe what was happening.

“That’s a secret for now. Like I said, this evening I’ll ask you one question. Just one. And your answer will decide your fate. Whether you’re willing to accept something new… or stay where you are now. It all depends on you. A wise man once said: life is a road full of crossroads. We choose the path ourselves. But once chosen, we can’t turn onto another. That’s how fate is decided.”

Alex raised a finger, emphasizing the weight of his words.

“Can we know the name of that wise man?” Hisako couldn’t resist asking.

“You already know him. He was once called Siddhartha Gautama… but humanity knows him as Buddha. I call him Bu-tyan,” Alex replied with a soft smile, clearly lost in pleasant memories.

“You… knew Buddha himself?! Where did you meet him?!” Erina exclaimed, forgetting everything else for a moment.

“That’s where my answers end for now,” Alex said, lightly tapping her on the nose. “Strangely enough, my family has taken quite an interest in your cooking. Some even said the ‘top ten’ cook so poorly it’s a pity. So… expect guests this evening.”

Erina, slightly covering her nose which had reddened from Alex’s playful tap, looked at him with surprise. She understood that no matter how much she tried, there would be no more answers. But the promise he made to reveal something in the evening was already spinning through her mind. Her thoughts raced, and her cheeks flushed with a rosy tint. As a girl well-read in manga, Erina knew very well that Demon Kings loved to kidnap princesses. Considering Alex’s behavior, such a scenario suddenly didn’t seem so far-fetched.

“Um… I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but all the tables for tonight are already booked…” Hisako murmured, lowering her gaze in embarrassment.

“That’s not a problem, Hisako. Leave everything to me,” Alex replied with a light smile, placing his palm gently on her head. “I did say my family has taken a great interest in Erina’s cooking. And when something interests them… well, stopping them is impossible. For the sake of peace — just pretend everything’s fine.”

“Then at least tell me who exactly is coming to my restaurant. What do they like? How many will there be? Are they all like you? Or is it… someone else?” Erina immediately switched to business mode, her gaze sharpening.

“The food part is simple — they’ll tell you what they want. As for the number… everything will be taken. And about who they are… I’m afraid if I tell you, you’ll have a heart attack,” Alex replied with a playful smirk.

“Wonderful,” Erina snorted, rolling her eyes. “Cooking for a Demon King who called my food ‘normal’ — that’s one thing. But feeding his whole family — that’s a whole other matter.”

Alex laughed.

“You’re surprisingly cute when you’re not sad. And especially when you talk like a real princess. But who exactly is coming — let that remain a secret for now. Believe me, you’ll be surprised.”

Embarrassed, Erina tilted her head. Those gentle, almost caring strokes through her hair… she hadn’t felt this calm in a long time. The warmth of his hand seemed to penetrate straight into her soul, pushing worries and fears to the background. That feeling of safety had long been forgotten.

“Well, here we go…” Alex muttered irritably, rolling his eyes.

“Did something happen?” Erina asked worriedly, catching the change in his tone.

“Nothing serious. Just… another stupid situation,” Alex said, massaging his forehead and sighing in frustration.

“Maybe I can help? My family has quite extensive connections…” Erina offered, surprised herself at how much she wanted to support someone she’d only known for a couple of days.

“Thanks, Erina. But no need. GIR, MIMI, Stitch — take care of it. Looks like some more idiots have decided they’re special. Handle it like usual, and don’t leave any traces.”

The trio immediately dropped their food, jumped off the table, and after rummaging in their little bags, pulled out collapsible electrobatons. Erina and Hisako stared in amazement at how such things could even fit inside. But that wasn’t all. Alex snapped his fingers — and the air cracked like glass. A rift in space opened before them. Without hesitation, GIR, MIMI, and Stitch jumped in. The rift silently vanished instantly.

Alex’s irritation was caused by a group of smug idiots who decided to ambush the girls from his family in an alley. These fools had no idea who they were dealing with. To them, these were just pretty and seemingly harmless girls. No one suspected that these girls had an extremely protective and very dangerous “husband.”

As they stood in the alley, lazily smoking cigarettes and discussing who would take which “victim,” a crack in space silently appeared right behind them. Out jumped GIR, MIMI, and Stitch. What happened next remained off-camera. Only a few days later did a strange note appear in the local newspaper’s obituary section about a group of boys who had vanished without a trace.

The girls didn’t even pay them any attention. They simply swatted away the annoying advances like flies and continued emptying the trendy boutique, unaware that Alex had already taken care of everything for them. Although, even if he hadn’t, they could have dealt with those “flies” themselves. Easily. Without even breaking a sweat.

Meanwhile, Alex was still standing in the kitchen beside Erina and Hisako. One eye was closed as he watched what was happening in the alley, where GIR, MIMI, and Stitch were methodically “cleaning up” the group of idiots who had decided to run. Unfortunately for these clueless heroes, their escape route was already cut off, and their chance of survival was even slimmer than surviving a fall into a black hole.

Erina and Hisako stared at Alex’s face, trying to guess what he was doing.

“Um… what’s going on? Those idiots you mentioned… who are they?” Erina couldn’t help but ask.

“Just a bunch of overconfident fools who don’t know their place,” Alex answered indifferently. “GIR, MIMI, and Stitch are about to give them… a preventive talk. They might even be reformed into law-abiding citizens. I did say they’re my assistants. And even though they look harmless, believe me, you don’t want to mess with them.”

“Is that connected to what you’re doing right now?” Erina asked, carefully looking at his closed eye.

“Something like that,” Alex smirked. “My work is… specialized. But more on that later. I have to go now. See you this evening, Erina. I’m looking forward to your food — by the way, your skill level is pretty decent. For a human.”

“Ha! And where have you eaten tastier food?” Erina scoffed, crossing her arms. She was a bit offended that he called her dishes merely “decent” again.

“The food was prepared by gods who specialize in cooking,” Alex said, narrowing his eyes slyly. “Tell me, do you think you can compare to a deity born to throw feasts?”

Erina opened her mouth… and immediately shut it. She understood that divine cuisine was on a whole different level. Even if she had a “God’s tongue,” she was still far from those who have lived millennia and prepare food capable of feeding many gods.

Noticing her embarrassment, Alex gently stroked her hair again.

“Don’t worry. For a girl your age, you’re already incredibly talented. There’s still so much ahead,” he said softly.

Erina nodded. She was only sixteen… while the gods Alex spoke of had existed for endless centuries. Yet Alex hadn’t told her—at least not yet—that maybe, one day, she could become one of them. Although he wasn’t ready to reveal this to her now, if the world allowed it, she could very well become a goddess of food.

“All right, I’ll go. I’ll take a little walk until evening. See you later, Erina, Hisako,” Alex said, heading for the exit.

“See you!” Erina called after him. “I’ll definitely be able to surprise your family!”

“Haha, I’m counting on it. If you pass their test… believe me, you’ll get much more than the academy—or even the most powerful person in this world—can offer you,” Alex said, waving goodbye.

Erina and Hisako exchanged glances. They still didn’t know who exactly was part of Alex’s family… but both were ready to give their all. His words were not just exaggeration—there was truth in them.

If Erina managed to impress these people, her life could change dramatically—for the better. She didn’t know where these changes would lead her… but she wasn’t going to take a step back. Just like the moment when she first decided to astonish Alex with her cooking.

With a wide and confident smile, Erina grabbed Hisako’s hand and dragged her toward the restaurant.

“We urgently need to update the menu!” she said on the go. “It has to match the preferences of Alex’s family. We can’t afford to miss!”

Meanwhile, Alex stepped outside and scanned the surroundings, looking for a place to sit and think. Not finding a suitable bench, he simply kept walking, strolling slowly.

But his thoughts weren’t on the walk. He was recalling what he had seen—the soul of Erina. And the scar left in her by Azami Nakiri, her own father. A scar soaked with fear, pain, and inner wounds.

A fire of anger boiled inside Alex. If not for his self-control, he would already be searching for Azami to deal with him personally. But he knew: as long as Azami hadn’t appeared in the story yet, it was too early to intervene. However, this meant he still had time. Time to take Erina away… before Azami decided to crawl out of his hole and hurt her again.

He understood his desire was selfish. He wanted to take her far away from pain. Far from threats. And maybe… closer to himself.

Yes, the plot could follow the canonical path—or deviate from it. No one knew. Not even Alex himself. That’s why he couldn’t afford to sit idle.

He didn’t want to let Erina go. And who in his place would refuse a girl who cooks such divine food?

Lost in thought, Alex continued his leisurely walk through the festival, waiting for the evening—the moment when his family would gather around the table in Erina’s restaurant.

To be continued…

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep