"Chapter 397: Erina, Who Decided to Peek Behind the Veil of Secrets."

While Erina was busy in the kitchen, preparing her finest dish — a true culinary masterpiece capable of driving anyone mad with just one bite — Alex sat calmly at the table with G.I.R., MIMI, and Stitch. Rather than anxiously awaiting their order, the four of them were immersed in a handheld console game.

Restaurant patrons, who had come to sample the cuisine of the famous Erina Nakiri, couldn't help but glance over at the strange group: a handsome man in Alex, and three of his unusual companions who looked like well-dressed plush toys straight out of a fairy tale about a high-society party in an enchanted forest.

While the rest of the guests waited eagerly for their orders, Alex and his trio seemed completely relaxed, absorbed in the game. Their calmness starkly contrasted the tense atmosphere of anticipation in the room. Alex felt the stares, but he didn't care. He had long grown used to being the center of attention. The only thing he truly cared about now was the taste of the dish prepared personally by Erina Nakiri.

He had once known of her only from a manga — back before he became the Demon King and Enforcer of the Creator. And now he was curious: how delicious would her food truly be? Would it surpass even the exquisite meals he'd tasted in Valhalla, during his efforts to alter the cosmic order and reconcile gods with humanity?

Still playing, Alex noticed Hisako step into the dining hall to begin serving dishes. One look at her face told him something was off. Her eyes betrayed worry, clearly tied to Erina. Alex frowned and glanced toward the kitchen. What was going on back there that could shake someone as composed as Hisako?

If he didn't already know Erina's personality, he'd assume she was preparing something otherworldly just to impress him. And in the moment he got distracted, G.I.R., MIMI, and Stitch immediately took advantage and ambushed him in the game. The sound of defeat rang out, and when he looked over at them, he saw the three chuckling together.

He just shook his head in resignation. Arguing with that trio was pointless — they behaved like kids most of the time, only switching to "serious mode" when it was time to beat someone up.

And finally, the moment arrived. Erina, having finished her cooking, decided to personally bring the dish to Alex. Why? Even she didn't know. She just... wanted to. She wanted to see his reaction. The smile on her face made it clear — she had poured two hundred percent of herself into this meal.

Approaching the table, she gently set the plate down in front of Alex. Her eyes briefly lingered on the trio that looked like high-end plush animals in formalwear, but... she didn't care. Only one person mattered to her.

"That's fine. Hisako will bring their food," she thought calmly, not the least bit flustered.

What she didn't realize was that she had nearly made three enemies feared even by the gods. G.I.R., MIMI, and Stitch were notoriously petty and extremely impatient. And being ignored during dinner — that bordered on a capital offense.

They stared at Alex's plate, then at the empty space in front of them. No dishes. No portions. Not even a breadcrumb. And if not for Alex's warning glance, they would've already staged a mini-revolution.

Alex looked at his plate, then up at Erina, who quickly averted her eyes, trying to maintain a calm expression. Then he scanned the dining hall and quickly noticed something else: the portions served to other guests were much smaller.

Erina instantly realized he'd noticed — but her face remained composed.

"This is... my variation of the French dish Au Poivre," she introduced the plate. "With several kinds of vegetables and, of course, roasted potatoes. I wasn't sure which vegetables you prefer, so I grilled some with sauce and boiled the rest to an al dente texture."

Alex looked at the dish — and recognized it immediately. In front of him was a classic pan-seared steak, generously seasoned with coarsely ground black pepper. The sauce served on the side was also familiar — a traditional pepper sauce, known for its rich yet balanced spiciness. His gaze slid over the vegetables: some had been grilled to a golden crisp with a thin layer of fragrant sauce, while others were boiled to a perfect al dente, preserving their texture and natural sweetness. And as a complement — a portion of crispy potatoes, deep-fried to perfection.

Everything looked more than appetizing. Erina stood silently nearby, watching as Alex examined the dish. When he gave a small nod, a content and calm smile appeared on his face — as if he had seen exactly what he'd hoped for.

Then he picked up the knife and fork, cut off a small piece of the steak… and took a bite. At that moment, Erina's heart stopped. She waited. Waited for an expression of ecstasy, delight, maybe even tears of joy.

"Mmm," Alex said calmly. "It's a decent dish. The flavor balance is well done. The grilled vegetables are pleasant and aromatic. The boiled ones kept their texture and sweetness. The potatoes — crispy on the outside, soft inside. Overall — solid. Good work."

Erina's eyes widened. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Did he say… decent? Just decent? To her, it sounded like: "Well… it'll do."

Something cracked inside her. It was a blow to her pride as a chef — precise and merciless. Even G.I.R., MIMI, and Stitch, tasting the dish, nodded in agreement with Alex's words. Hisako, who had been serving other guests, instinctively turned around — her eyes landing on Erina, frozen in place like a statue.

Chaos roared inside Erina's mind.

"This is impossible… I've cooked for royalty, for presidents, for the world's elite! And this — this is the reaction I get? Who even is this man?!" she screamed inwardly.

Alex, however, was completely unaware of her inner turmoil. He was simply enjoying the food, and it was genuine. In his view — the dish was excellent. Especially considering it had been prepared by a normal human, not a god, not a culinary spirit, not a machine.

Looking at the remaining half of the steak, he thought to himself:

"If not for the laws of this universe, Erina could very well become a god. A god of cuisine. Walking the same path as the Buddha who reached enlightenment. But… alas. In this world, there are no gods. No hell, no heaven. Only me, four goddesses, and a group of valkyries I brought with me. And all of them are foreign to this world."

Meanwhile, Erina, unable to calm down, had returned to the kitchen. But she couldn't cook — all her attention was fixed on the door, through which she occasionally peeked, watching Alex with obsessive focus.

Even when Alex and his companions finished eating and ordered tea to cleanse their palates, Erina continued watching him like a hawk. And when they finally stood up to leave, she rushed to the window and didn't take her eyes off him.

She had been taught everything — etiquette, gestures, posture. But only now, watching him walk away, did she truly notice his bearing, the way he moved. There was strength in it, dignity — something indescribable. He walked like someone above all others.

Before, she just wanted to impress him with her cooking. But now — she began to notice something... different. And what happened next made her heart stop.

Alex paused… and lit a cigarette. But that wasn't what shocked her. Her eyes fell on his shadow — and suddenly, it changed. His shadow took the shape of a woman with long, flowing hair.

Erina blinked. Then again. She rubbed her eyes.

"What the…?"

A slender female hand emerged from the shadow, a ring on the ring finger — black, with a blood-red gem. Then the whole figure followed. A woman with deathly pale skin and ruby-colored eyes, wearing a dress the color of fresh blood. She gently wrapped her arms around Alex's neck.

But the real shock for Erina wasn't the woman herself. It was — Alex's reaction.

He smiled. Warmly. Lovingly. As if this woman were the very reason he existed.

And before Erina had a chance to fully comprehend what she'd just witnessed, the woman pulled Alex backward. His body sank into his own shadow — as if into water. Immediately, long strands of hair burst out of the darkness, wrapping around G.I.R., MIMI, and Stitch — and dragged them in after him.

Silence.

"What... was... that? A ghost?! He disappeared into his own shadow?! This isn't a dream?! Could ghosts actually be real?!" Erina screamed internally. Her mind swarmed with theories, hypotheses, and wild guesses. Logic was tearing at the seams. The world around her no longer felt like the one she knew.

Everything she thought she knew about ghosts came from manga and horror films she'd watched in the evenings with Hisako to get a little thrill. Besides her culinary talent, Erina liked to think she was fairly well-versed in the supernatural — how could she not be, after watching hundreds of anime and dozens of horror flicks?

But she had no idea that what she had just seen was something far deeper — and far more terrifying — than fiction. And through her own actions, unknowingly, she had taken the first step toward that abyss which draws in all who seek answers… and truth.

"I need to do some research…" Erina whispered to herself, glancing at the restaurant's remaining guests. All she wanted now was for this day to be over.

Alex had no idea he had just become the source of sleepless nights for a young chef who had unwittingly witnessed Zhang Ya pulling him into the shadow realm. His thoughts at that moment were entirely elsewhere — with his family.

When Zhang Ya pushed him back out from the shadow world, Alex found himself standing next to his girls. They looked happy, cheerful — clearly, the day at the festival had been a success. There had been so much delicious food that they could barely walk. Though now, many of them were already complaining about "a few extra pounds" gained over the course of the day.

Being a good husband, Alex first complimented each of them — and then wisely stayed silent, lest he accidentally say too much. Still, he was curious about what Freya, Yuriko, Alcina, and Göndul would have to say — they had gone to the elite district where high-end cuisine was being served.

The rest of the girls, unfortunately, hadn't made it that far — they simply didn't have the energy or stomach space left. The main street and central food court had completely drained them.

When Alex noticed the expressions on the "elite four," it became clear their experience had been… underwhelming.

"What happened, Freya? Mortal food didn't impress you?" Loki asked, still holding the same can of beer she'd been nursing since morning.

"It's not that the food was terrible," Freya replied, leaning her cheek on her hand thoughtfully. "But… imagine a show where a monkey jumps on a pole — and then you're given a tiny portion of food. It looks beautiful, but tastes hollow and soulless."

"Ho-ho…" Alex chuckled, carrying a dozing Anya, Nyaruko, and Jinx in his arms. "And here I thought members of the Elite Ten could cook properly. Or are you just spoiled by food from the Heavens?"

"I'm not saying the food was bad," Freya replied calmly. "There just wasn't any soul in it. It's hard to explain, but…"

"Emptiness," said Alcina, holding her elegant cigarette holder.

"Exactly," Yuriko nodded. "It was an empty dish. No emotion, no spark. As if the chef cooked mechanically — trying to impress with technique, not convey any feeling through the food."

"Well, at least now they can brag that they fed a valkyrie, a goddess, a madame Dracula, and the former head of a corporation," Alex added with a smirk to lighten the mood.

"And they're not the only ones," Rekka chimed in with a smile. "None of us belong to this world. Which means, every chef who cooked for us today did something no one will ever be able to repeat."

They all exchanged glances and burst out laughing together. Smiling, Alex told the girls about the Red and White — two critics who brought chefs to tears with their ruthless remarks. Imagining the scene, the girls laughed even harder.

Lucina, Kiwi, and Lucy confirmed his words — they had just witnessed the moment when a poor ramen seller was literally crushed by the comments of those two gourmets.

The discussion about food, stalls, and culinary discoveries at the festival continued. Juri didn't miss the chance to tease Chun-Li, reminding everyone how she moaned with delight after her first meat bun. And while Chun-Li, burning with embarrassment, was ready to strike back, Alex deftly stepped between them to prevent another duel. But, of course, Juri didn't stop and continued teasing Chun-Li, making theatrical moans that only further annoyed her.

When the whole group finally entered the house one of Alex's clones had bought during a trip to the past, they decided to settle in the living room — to sit for a while before sleep. Everyone felt tired, but no one was in a hurry to leave.

"Alex, you went to the elite district too, right? How did you like the food there?" Koko asked, lazily sprawling on the couch. "Freya, Alcina, Yuriko, and Göndul weren't too impressed."

"To be honest, I liked it," Alex replied with a slight smile. "I wouldn't say it's the best food I've ever tasted, but it could easily take an honorable second place."

"Wait a minute!" Hestia exclaimed in surprise. "Are you serious? Who even managed to cook such food?"

All the girls nodded — their interest in the mysterious chef only grew.

"I was at Nakiri Erina's restaurant. You already know who she is. By the way, Becca, next time you send info to everyone, please exclude me from the list," he said, glancing at Becca, who just lazily waved it off.

"Alright, don't keep us waiting. How good is she?" Loki asked impatiently, starting to behave like a spoiled child.

"Hm… Let's say this: if there were different laws in this world, Erina could well repeat the feat of my friend Bu-chan," Alex said thoughtfully, scratching his chin.

"Bu-chan?" Lily asked, tilting her head. "Who is that and what feat?"

"He means Buddha," Brunhilda explained, setting her tea cup on the table. "In my world, Buddha was the only person to reach divinity through enlightenment and the path he walked. He became a god while remaining mortal."

"Wait…" Hephaestus said, looking at Alex with surprise. "Are you saying that an ordinary girl could become a goddess… of food?"

Alex nodded without hesitation. Silence fell over the room. The Valkyries — Freya, Hephaestus, Loki, and Hestia — exchanged glances, beginning to realize just how special Erina was.

But then G.I.R., MIMI, and Stitch interrupted the conversation — reminding everyone that Erina forgot to cook for them, so they had to wait longer than the others. In revenge, they pulled out their "dirt" — showing the girls a recording of the conversation between Alex and Erina.

Watching it caused a wave of bewilderment. The girls looked at Alex with cold, suspicious eyes: he acted like a mysterious stranger, completely unrecognizable.

Alex just rolled his eyes. He knew that look — as if they thought he was some villain, rude to everyone and hiding his true identity. He had to explain his impressions of Erina's cooking in more detail. And then the real discussion began: everyone, without exception, was curious about how delicious Erina's cooking really was and whether they could try it.

Meanwhile, Erina herself, unexpectedly becoming the most talked-about person in Alex's family, sat in her room unable to sleep. Thoughts kept her restless. She craved answers.

First, she tried to find out who Alexander Voldigoad was. But the internet and all the information databases available to her family gave no mention at all. The only thing she managed to learn was that the name Alexander has Greek origins. Nothing more.

Then she tried searching by photo — again, nothing useful. Everything she found were links to manga websites. Over and over again.

At midnight, exhausted, she decided to take a short break and… clicked on the first manga site link that kept popping up repeatedly during her searches. It was a manga about the Demon King. Erina intended to just glance and close it, but…

Opening the first page, she froze. A character on the throne. His face. The same features. The same pose. The same smirk. And the name — Alexander Voldigoad.

She even rubbed her eyes, deciding she was just tired. But the character didn't disappear. He was… Alex. Exactly.

Staring at the screen, Erina felt reality start to crumble into pieces. Her mind, tired from sleeplessness, refused to accept what was happening.

But instead of going to sleep, she acted on her own impulse.

Barefoot, on tiptoe, she sneaked into the room of her loyal friend and secretary, Hisako. She was already asleep, peacefully.

"Hisako…" Erina whispered, lightly nudging the girl.

"Mmm…" Hisako mumbled, turning onto her other side.

"Hisako, wake up. It's important," Erina insisted, shaking her friend more urgently.

Feeling herself being called through half-sleep, Hisako struggled awake and looked around until she noticed Erina looming over her. Standing in the dim light, Erina looked almost like a ghost. Hisako's heart nearly jumped out of her chest — she almost had a heart attack. Struggling to catch her breath, she put her hand on her chest, trying to calm her wildly beating heart.

Erina, seeing her friend was awake, sat on the edge of the bed and handed her a tablet.

"Lady Erina, what brings you to my room in the middle of the night?" Hisako asked, sitting up and leaning on the headboard.

"Look," Erina said briefly, holding out the tablet.

Hisako yawned, lazily took the device, and glanced at the screen without really reading.

"Lady, you're not sleeping and reading manga? And you woke me up for this? The festival isn't even over yet; it's almost two in the morning outside… You need rest, but you…"

"That's not it," Erina interrupted. "Just take a closer look. Doesn't this character… remind you of anyone?"

Hisako frowned, pushing aside her sleepiness, and shifted her gaze to the manga page. For several seconds she stared intently, then rubbed her eyes, hoping it was all just a dream. But the longer she looked, the clearer it became: the person on the throne on the screen looked suspiciously familiar.

"Wait…" Hisako whispered. "Is that… him?"

Erina nodded affirmatively and pointed to the character's name printed on the page.

"Alexander Voldigoad…" Hisako muttered, rereading the name several times. "This can't be…"

"I tried to find any information about this person," Erina began, clenching her fists. "Searched the internet, all available channels, even used the connections of the Nakiri family. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not a single record, not a single photo except those leading to manga sites. Even reverse image searches only brought me back to those pages…"

Hisako looked at her, completely baffled.

"But, Lady Erina, maybe he's just a cosplayer? Rainbow eyes could be contacts. It's all a coincidence…"

"No," Erina shook her head. "It's not a coincidence. When he left the restaurant, I saw… something. His shadow changed. It took the shape of a girl. Then that girl stepped out of the shadow… and pulled him back. Not just him — his three companions got dragged in too. I saw it with my own eyes. It was too real."

Erina grabbed Hisako's shoulders; her voice trembled.

Hisako listened with bated breath. She knew Erina wasn't the kind to make things up. And though there was still a hope in her mind that it was just exhaustion and lack of sleep, a worried glint flickered in her eyes.

"All right," Hisako finally said, gathering her courage. "Tell me everything again, from the beginning. We have to understand what that was."

Erina recounted in detail everything she had seen. And at that moment, both realized they were dealing with something beyond human understanding. This wasn't just a strange incident. It was something… supernatural.

From then on, neither of the girls managed to sleep. Until dawn, they sat at the computer, red-eyed from fatigue, scrolling through websites of urban legends, articles about ghosts, stories about shadows, mystical creatures, and even manga featuring spirits. But all they found was just fiction — stories unrelated to reality.

Yet, despite that, they kept searching.

And to clear their minds and shake off their thoughts, Erina and Hisako decided to take a walk through the festival. Her restaurant was supposed to open only in the evening, so she had time to distract herself and compose her thoughts.

They walked slowly between the food stalls set up by the students of Totsuki Academy. Suddenly, Erina's eyes widened — she spotted the very man who had kept her awake all night. She was desperate to find out who he really was.

Then she saw the cause of her insomnia run out from one of the stalls, holding three strange creatures in his hands. These beings shouted something about "cleansing sinners" and, to Erina's horror, immediately disappeared into the crowd. Without hesitation, Erina took off in pursuit.

As she chased the mysterious fugitive, it became increasingly clear to her: he was damn fast. Moreover, it seemed he didn't avoid people but passed right through them. It took her only a few minutes to catch up to him, just as he and the trio—GIR, MIMI, and Stitch—ran into the nearby forest.

"Lady Erina, wait…" Hisako wheezed, barely catching her breath after the long run.

"Quiet, Hisako. He went this way," Erina whispered, putting a finger to her lips to signal silence.

Hisako only nodded silently, though a growing unease stirred in her heart over Erina's strange behavior.

They cautiously moved through the forest thicket when suddenly voices sounded nearby. Realizing their target was close, the girls tried to move as quietly as possible, not making a single sound. Hiding behind a tree, they finally saw Alex.

He was standing in front of the three strange creatures, clearly scolding them, while they looked like naughty children—heads lowered, kicking the ground with their feet.

"What is he doing?.." Erina wondered, listening to the voice.

"I didn't ask for much…" Alex said tiredly. "Just don't burn anything, don't blow anyone up, and don't start an inquisition. We have a week off! One little week… And soon we'll have to work again. Is it so hard to avoid a disaster even once?! What did that poor student do that you decided to send him into orbit?!"

"The food was disgusting," GIR grumbled, looking up at Alex.

"Trash," added Stitch, dramatically turning his head away.

Alex wearily rubbed his forehead. He had only turned away for a second—and here was the result: the trio decided to launch the student straight into space, tied by the leg to a rocket. Judging by their looks, they didn't regret it in the slightest. The dish they tried was so awful that their anger was almost justified. Who would have thought grilled octopus with nut oil could taste like such a nightmare?

Erina and Hisako exchanged glances, trying to understand what exactly was going on.

"How long are you going to hide behind the tree?" Alex suddenly said, turning his head directly toward them.

Both girls hiding behind the tree felt their hearts almost stop. Erina and Hisako realized—they had been spotted. There was no point hiding any longer.

"Wait! It's us!" Erina said loudly, stepping out from behind the tree with her hands raised. Hisako appeared hesitantly right after her.

"And why exactly were you hiding behind the tree, Nakiri Erina?" Alex asked calmly.

"I... I saw you run away from the food stall... so I ran after you," Erina answered, trying to stay calm.

"But that's not really the reason, is it?" Alex lit a cigarette with a slight smile. "The real reason you followed me is something else entirely. And don't try to lie—I'm not that easy to fool."

"I... yesterday I saw a girl-ghost come out of your shadow. Then the shadow pulled you inside. I just wanted to know... who you really are," Erina said, noticeably nervous now.

"Strange question. My family and I just came to the festival to try some good food," Alex said, spreading his arms wide. GIR, MIMI, and Stitch synchronized their gestures.

Erina quietly snorted and, tossing her hair back like a lady from an elite family, crossed her arms over her chest. Her eyes clearly said: she didn't believe a single word Alex said.

"There's not a single record of you. Not in any country. Not where you studied, not where you were born, not where you come from. Absolutely nothing. The only thing I managed to find after hours of searching was a manga. The main character looks exactly like you. Except he doesn't have earrings. And the name and surname are the same. Exactly the same," she declared, lifting her head like someone who had just finished a serious investigation.

"Oh... so you spent half the night digging up info about me… and all you found was a manga?" Alex smirked, stroking his chin. "Didn't even know it existed here."

"So who are you?" Erina squinted. "I saw with my own eyes how your shadow took the shape of a girl. And then you and those three disappeared into it."

Alex took a deep drag and exhaled smoke:

"Hmm... alright. I'll tell you something. Just a little. But how about we change the scenery? It'll be easier to talk."

Erina nodded. Casting one last appraising look at Alex and his three companions, she led them along. Hisako was probably the most nervous of them all — she had no idea what trouble Erina's questions might have stirred up or where it might lead.

Watching her, Alex glanced at GIR, MIMI, and Stitch and shrugged. They all shrugged back in sync — it was clear they didn't care at all that they'd been noticed.

And Alex himself didn't put much weight on it — after all, he wasn't planning to stay in this world for long.

To be continued...

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