Late at night, the silence of the small shop was broken by the voice of Touma Kazusa, no, Arcueid.
"Haruki, I've finished washing the dishes—ah, you're daydreaming again."
"Don't disturb him, he's not daydreaming."
Another voice sounded, belonging to the third person in the shop, or more accurately, a spirit. It was Justeaze, the legitimate lover who had co from Fuyuki City out of concern for Shinji.
Both Shinji and Arcueid had changed their nas and disguised themselves. Justeaze was no exception; she placed her physical body in the small world created by Arcueid and accompanied Shinji in spiritual form. When the shop was empty, she would materialize to help with cleaning and sotis even take care of the shop in Shinji's stead, also under a disguise and a new na.
Yes, she was the last mber of the White Album Trio, Kitahara Haruki's legitimate lover—Setsuna Ogiso.
Shinji intended to fully embrace the White Album the... of course, as for the relationship drama, that wasn't possible. Justeaze and Arcueid were both immortals, and their views on love were different from humans.
During the New Year period, the household was a constant scene of dramatic conflicts. Justeaze always observed quietly, never getting involved, and would gently console the losers.
Arcueid, after the harem ending of the Tsukihi Ciel route, publicly declared her acceptance of a harem, stating, "I don't mind if you have other lovers, as long as you love ."
Here, there were no conflicts between Kazusa and Setsuna; they got along very well.
"What is he doing?"
Touma asked.
"Listening to the symphony of souls," Setsuna replied.
"I don't understand," Touma shook her head.
"Improving the Third Magic," Setsuna rephrased.
"Got it," Touma pointed towards the curtain at the door.
"But there are custors outside..."
"At this hour?"
Setsuna wrinkled her high nose and then quickly dispersed her physical form.
"Next ti, tell sooner."
"Well, you didn't ask," Touma muttered softly. "Hey, Haruki, there are custors."
"Huh? At this hour?"
Kitahara Haruki, or rather Matou Shinji, had the sa surprised expression as Justeaze.
It was understandable. The restaurant industry had specific ti segnts. Even a late-night diner had peak and low periods. Peak ti was generally from half an hour after opening until one in the morning. After that until five in the morning was relatively quiet, sotis with no custors for an hour. Justeaze usually took care of the shop during this period, while Shinji and Arcueid would clear fictional world instances.
Initially, Arcueid was against Shinji opening a shop because it was boring and severely cut into their ti exploring fictional worlds. However, when Shinji said it helped perfect the Third Magic, she reluctantly tolerated it. The princess had beco more understanding, perhaps influenced by Sakura and Fujino, who were exceptionally good girls.
Justeaze entered spirit form, and Shinji casually wiped the counter, just sitting and waiting. This mode of not needing to greet custors, just taking simple orders, and letting them eat was a key reason why he chose a late-night diner—easy and effortless.
"So this is the Grievance Pavilion those punks talked about. Not impressive."
The voice outside the curtain sounded like an adult woman, not very old, with an energy and vigor that was incongruent with the quiet late-night street.
From her words, it was clear she was a new custor who had co based on a recomndation. Late-night diners didn't make it onto any dia, relying purely on word-of-mouth. The recomndation seed to co from a yakuza mber. Could she be a woman involved with the yakuza?
As Shinji irresponsibly speculated, he looked at the last few bottles of hidden liquor under the counter. The small bottles of cheap wine and vodka he had bought were mostly consud by those yakuza mbers. He wasn't sure if they genuinely liked the strong liquor or were just showing off.
He hoped this woman could drink enough to clear out the inventory so he could bring in new stock. What should he get next? Cheap sweetened wine? Homade rice wine from the local vendors? Maybe a bit of both?
While he pondered, the curtain lifted, and a woman matching the voice's impression walked in.
Shinji glanced at her casually, his hands on the counter suddenly trembling, the cloth in his hand quietly slipping away.
Long black hair reached past her waist, swaying slightly with her steps, and she carried a brown suitcase, seemingly just back from a trip. But these weren't the reasons for Shinji's near lapse. What truly shook him was her face—a familiar yet unfamiliar face.
The familiarity ca from Aozaki Touko; the woman's features, including her eyebrows and nose, were very similar to Touko's. The unfamiliarity ca from her eyes, a pair of blue eyes, clear and bright like a sky washed by rain.
It's her!!!
Shinji harbored a secret about the Grievance Pavilion.
The na Grievance Pavilion wasn't Shinji's original creation; it ca from a fan-made manga he had read in a previous life, which also bore the sa na.
The four rules of the shop were also derived from the manga. Originally, he couldn't rember them clearly, but sohow, when he decided to na the shop Grievance Pavilion, the vague mories inexplicably beca clear. Perhaps this was fate.
To be fair, that single-Chapter manga wasn't particularly well-drawn, nor was the plot especially remarkable. Despite this, Shinji never forgot it because of the author's heartfelt wish embedded in the story.
The manga's story was simple: the Aozaki sisters, Touko and Aoko, accidentally t at the Grievance Pavilion. Under the deliberate guidance of the shop owner, they mocked and complained about each other, almost coming to blows, but ultimately reconciled.
Like the author, who went by the pen na Werewolf, Shinji also hoped that these two equally talented and divinely favored legendary sisters could make ands. He knew very well that their relationship wasn't as bad as they described it. They always cared about each other. What they lacked was an opportunity—a chance for two equally proud, equally stubborn won to open their hearts.
Shinji hoped to create such an opportunity. So, when he decided to open a late-night diner, the na Grievance Pavilion naturally ca to mind. He hoped that, like in the fan-made manga, one day the sisters would et unexpectedly, speak openly, and restore the closeness they had in their girlhood.
Because they were sisters, true sisters born of the sa parents. Although too many accidents and trials had brought things to this point, there was no need for it to be this way between them.
Touko had ntioned more than once that watching Shinji interact with Sakura reminded her of herself before she left the Aozaki family.
Shinji had also thought more than once about helping her reclaim her forr self, even if only for a mont.
So, even knowing it might upset his regular custors, even knowing it might affect his business, even knowing he couldn't seek out Aozaki Aoko, he still chose this na.
Longing is strength; emotions create miracles—perhaps this wish could indeed create a miracle.
Now, it seed that the door to what could be called a miracle had opened just a crack.
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