Chapter 20: Do You Shed Hair?

Chapter 20: Do You Shed Hair?

The interior of Uyuu Restaurant was a showcase of classic Inazuman design.

To the right of the entrance was an irregularly shaped bar counter. Its layout seemed a bit casual at first glance, but the natural textures of the materials used gave the space a calm and modest charm.

After a long journey, sitting here to enjoy some light snacks or desserts seemed like the perfect way to unwind.

To the left were traditional tatami mats, a staple of Inazuman aesthetics. They were common in both private rooms and the main dining area of restaurants like this.

The ukiyo-e–style mural on the background wall was dramatic and exaggerated, but it created a unique visual impact—stimulating both the senses and the appetite.

“Welcome to Uyuu Restaurant. Table for—ah, Lady Kujou!”

The proprietress, Okazaki Erika, had automatically greeted them when she heard the door open. But when she looked up and saw the familiar face, her expression changed to one of pleasant surprise.

“You’ve worked hard. My… friend and I are just here for a casual meal,” Sara replied calmly.

This restaurant’s bustling popularity could largely be attributed to Erika’s exceptional culinary skills.

In Inazuma City, her cooking was considered among the best.

“Please, have a seat.”

Although Erika was clearly an acquaintance of Sara’s, her gaze kept drifting toward Bai Luo.

It was rare enough for Kujou Sara to visit on her own. Usually, she came either to ask questions of Erika’s husband or as part of a formal gathering with high-ranking members of the Kujou Clan.

But today… she had brought a man.

That alone made Erika instinctively want to lead the two upstairs—to one of the private booths popular with couples.

Those private rooms offered discretion and quiet. Convenient for… well, private matters.

“No need for upstairs. We’ll just have something simple here.”

Sara didn’t notice Erika’s implications at all. She was just trying to avoid taking up too much space in the busy establishment.

She pointed to the bar, and led Bai Luo over.

“Huh? Isn’t that Lady Kujou?”

A voice slurred slightly from the other side of the counter.

An elderly man with graying hair was drinking by himself and had just noticed Sara’s arrival. From the slight bleariness in his eyes, it was clear he’d already had more than a few cups.

“Okazaki-san, it’s best not to drink so much,” Sara said with a rare softness in her tone.

Just the fact that she addressed him as san confirmed Bai Luo’s earlier guess.

This old man was either a former shogunate soldier… or a veteran operative of the Tenryou Commission.

And judging by the respectful way Sara looked at him—his status was likely not low.

“Good sake in hand, fine food to match—how can a man not drink? It’s the least I deserve after a life of running around,” chuckled Okazaki Rikuto, the elderly gentleman, before raising his cup and downing it with gusto.

Only in Inazuma could someone drink like that. If this were Snezhnaya’s fire-water… he’d probably be on the floor.

“And this is…?”

Before long, Rikuto’s eyes shifted to Bai Luo.

As mentioned before, it was rare—extremely rare—to see Kujou Sara bring an unfamiliar man to a place like this.

“Nice to meet you, boss. I’m Bai Luo, a friend of Sara’s,” Bai Luo said before Sara could answer, smiling easily as he greeted the man like an old acquaintance.

“…A friend?”

Rikuto blinked.

And then… his eyes took on a strange look.

There weren’t many people who dared to call Kujou Sara by her first name.

In fact, to his knowledge, only two people ever did: that Head Shrine Maiden, and Kujou Takayuki, who had adopted her into the family.

Seeing Kujou Sara’s reaction… or lack of one…

It can be interpreted that the General actually didn’t object to this Bai Luo kid calling her by her first name.

Rikuto instinctively glanced over at Erika, who had come over pretending to tidy up the table but was clearly just here to eavesdrop.

[What do you think?]

As Rikuto’s wife, Erika shared a well-honed, silent understanding with him.

She instantly picked up on his signal.

[I think there is something going on between these two.]

She blinked at him, conveying her message clearly.

“So, what would the two of you like to eat? Mapo tofu, perhaps? Even though it’s a Liyue dish, Erika makes it quite well,” Rikuto said, smiling knowingly.

Just from Bai Luo’s name, he could tell the young man likely hailed from Liyue.

As for the alcohol—he wasn’t really in the mood anymore.

After all, no matter the world, watching gossip unfold was humanity’s truest instinct.

“Just a few skewers of Tricolor Dango will do,” Sara replied, glancing briefly at Rikuto with a hint of unease.

She couldn’t say exactly why, but something about her senior today felt… off.

Still, she couldn’t put her finger on what exactly was wrong.

A trick of the mind?

“Tricolor Dango, got it. Please wait a moment,” Erika responded with a smile.

Tricolor Dango was one of Inazuma’s iconic snacks.

Before the Shogun’s lockdown decree, this treat had actually been a hit with foreign visitors too.

The preparation was simple—glutinous rice mixed with water and kneaded into balls, then steamed to a chewy softness.

They were then accented with natural color from ingredients like glaze lilies and sakura blooms, giving the plain white dumplings a more playful, lively look.

Since snacks like these were usually made in advance at an izakaya, they only needed a quick reheat before being served.

It didn’t take long before a steaming hot plate was placed in front of Bai Luo.

He picked up a skewer and took a bite.

Hmm…

Soft and chewy without sticking to the teeth. Bouncy, even.

Sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. There was a delicate floral note—like sakura—lingering in the background.

And the moment it entered his mouth, the smooth texture reminded him of glaze lilies.

It felt like any second now, these round little dumplings might sprout fins and start swimming like goldfish right there on his tongue.

Bai Luo wasn’t a fan of sweets. Saying he wanted to try them was just an excuse.

But now, having actually tasted them… he found himself genuinely enjoying it.

“Wanna try one?”

He looked at the two remaining dumplings on the skewer and motioned toward Sara.

“Sorry. Sweet things make the body and mind relax, and once I let my guard down…”

She paused.

“...You shed hair?”

Bai Luo finished for her, without thinking.

He’d heard before that certain animals lose fur when they overeat sweets—could it be the same for tengu and their feathers?

In response, he was met with a death glare from Sara sharp enough to kill.

And beside them, Rikuto, who’d been stealthily listening, had a look of utter disappointment on his face.

‘This is how kids these days flirt? Really?’

“My feathers are well-maintained. You don’t need to worry. All you need to remember is: I don’t like sweets,” Sara said coldly.

Her gaze flicked once more to the dango in Bai Luo’s hand. Her expression remained firm—clearly, it was a hard pass.

But was Bai Luo the kind of man to give up so easily?

Absolutely not.

So…

“Aiya, what a shame,” he said, feigning regret.

“If I don’t like something, I just don’t. Same reason I won’t wear those brightly colored outfits—it’s nothing to feel sorry about,”

Sara assumed he was simply lamenting her refusal to eat the dango.

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

Bai Luo took another bite of the dango and sighed with theatrical melancholy.

“You know, this is a favorite of the Raiden Shogun herself. For you not to even try it… now that’s the real shame.”