Chapter 358: Exploding Bugs!
However, when the "Exploding Bugs" were actually served on the table, Ryohei immediately regretted it.
Each one was the size of a duck egg, with various colors—orange-red, pale gold, bright green, pink, purple-red... A full ten of them, squeezed together on a large plate, constantly wriggling.
Beside them was a small dish of crystal-clear osmanthus honey, with fine golden osmanthus flowers suspended in it, emitting a faint sweet fragrance...
"Bigger than I imagined..."
Ryohei's expression changed several times. He looked up at Jashin-chan and asked, "Eat them raw?"
"Mn."
Jashin-chan wiped her slender hands with a hot towel and answered, "They only taste good raw."
"The orange-red ones are tangerine flavor, pale gold apple flavor, bright green kiwi flavor, pink strawberry flavor, purple-red dragon fruit flavor..."
She introduced them familiarly, picking up an orange-red "Exploding Bug" and dipping it lightly in the osmanthus honey:
"This is specially mixed osmanthus honey... let me show you how it's done!"
As her voice fell, she put the constantly wriggling "Exploding Bug" into her mouth and closed her teeth—
Squelch!
Abundant juice splattered instantly between her lips and teeth!
"Mmm—!"
(๑¯∀¯๑)
Jashin-chan's expression softened instantly. Chewing with satisfaction, she praised indistinctly:
"Super—delicious! The tangerine flavor is so strong... the juice is plenty! The texture is soft, tender, and bouncy... the osmanthus honey is also sweet and fragrant..."
She narrowed her eyes, intoxicated, enjoying it immensely.
"Seems not bad..."
Lucoa withdrew her gaze from Jashin-chan, picked up a bright green "Exploding Bug" casually, and dipped it in some osmanthus honey.
Ryohei thought she was going to try it, but saw her rest her hand on the edge of the table, her large breasts pressing against her arm. She leaned forward and handed the "Exploding Bug" over with a smile:
"Here, Ryohei-kun eats first."
Ryohei leaned back subconsciously, squinting at her, and resisted: "Eat it yourself."
"I want to share good things with Ryohei-kun first." Lucoa smiled like a flower, her tone intoxicatingly gentle.
"I thank you very much!"
Ryohei looked at the "Exploding Bug" coated in honey and stained with a bit of osmanthus, shaking its head in Lucoa's hand, and the corner of his eye twitched involuntarily.
"You're welcome, ah~~~."
Lucoa used a tone for coaxing children.
"Onee-chan."
Pekola beside them seemed unable to stand it anymore and chimed in:
"If he doesn't want to, forget it; don't force him."
"Look how sensible Pekola is!"
Ryohei glanced at Pekola and patted the table.
"Thinking of you first when there's something good, am I not sensible enough?"
Lucoa sighed softly, withdrew the "Exploding Bug," and prepared to taste it herself.
At this time, seeing Pekola looking at her, she paused, tilted her head, and said, "Let you have a bite first?"
"Okay." Pekola didn't refuse.
So Lucoa handed over the "Exploding Bug"—Pekola, who looked similar but younger, leaned forward and took a small bite with her cherry mouth.
She chewed carefully for a moment and gave a calm evaluation:
"Not bad."
"Mn, indeed okay." Lucoa, who followed with a bite, lifted her left eyelid, looked down at the remaining small half of the bug body on her fingertip, savored it, and said:
"Can't taste any weird flavor... only the refreshing sweetness of kiwi with a hint of sourness, and the sweet taste of osmanthus honey... surprisingly good!"
"Right?"
Jashin-chan, having finished one "Exploding Bug," reached for a second one, puffing out her chest proudly, her face full of complacency: "This is Jashin-chan certified gourmet food!"
"Speaking of which, Servant, you're really picky!"
She turned her gaze to Ryohei and mocked: "And you call yourself a chef; good chefs aren't picky eaters."
"I'm not being picky." Ryohei refuted her, righteously saying, "This is a normal reaction—99% of humans in the world can't accept eating raw bugs dipped in osmanthus honey!"
"Oh, really?"
Jashin-chan looked at Ryohei, a malicious smile suddenly curling up the corners of her mouth.
"I don't believe it!"
She stood up abruptly and, with lightning speed, stuffed the pale golden Exploding Bug in her hand into Ryohei's mouth: "Let me help you correct your bad habit of being a picky eater!"
Suddenly having a fat, wriggling bug stuffed into his mouth—Ryohei was startled and instinctively bit down.
Squelch—!
Apple-flavored juice exploded instantly in his mouth!
His body stiffened for a moment, and he instinctively clenched his fists, wanting to fix Jashin-chan.
But by this time, Jashin-chan had alertly retreated a few steps, her eyes slyly curved into crescents, covering her mouth and snickering: "Don't know why, suddenly feel so delighted."
"...You come here, I'll make you even more delighted!"
Ryohei glared at her ferociously, squeezing out this sentence indistinctly while chewing.
Jashin-chan said she was helping him correct his picky eating habit, but Ryohei knew clearly she was purely being mischievous.
The scummy snake was always like this, occasionally getting a whim to do bad things—she even dared to provoke Yurine!
"I feel like you want to hit me."
Times had changed; being hit by Ryohei really hurt now. Jashin-chan wasn't stupid and tried to change the subject:
"How is it? The taste is okay, right?"
"...Mn."
Ryohei swallowed the bug meat in his mouth and responded coldly.
Honestly speaking, the taste was indeed okay.
The bug meat was soft, tender, and bouncy, bursting with juice in one bite. The apple aroma was strong, dominated by sweetness with a subtle sourness, plus the warm sweetness of osmanthus honey, it indeed tasted good.
But the feeling of the bug wriggling and struggling in the mouth was a bit disgusting...
"So cold!"
Jashin-chan dragged out her tone, looked at Ryohei, clenched her fist to her mouth and coughed lightly, pretending to be serious: "I didn't mean anything else just now. Mainly felt it's rare for you to come here, Servant; it'd be a pity not to try it."
"...Fine, I'll let it slide this time."
Ryohei looked at Jashin-chan helplessly, letting her off the hook and not retaliating.
Jashin-chan immediately came back happily and sat back in her original seat.
"Want to try the dragon fruit flavor?"
Pekola handed over half a purple-red "Exploding Bug" from the side.
"No thanks, you eat."
Ryohei waved his hand, politely refusing.
Just then, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Taking it out, he found a message from Yurine—
Yurine: "Have you met up with Jashin-chan?"
Ah... crap! Forgot to report I'm safe!
Ryohei's heart skipped a beat, feeling a bit embarrassed.
After arriving in the Demon World, he first dealt with that werewolf, then met up with Jashin-chan, admiring the Demon World's cityscape while listening to her introduce local customs.
Then came to the restaurant to eat, completely forgetting about reporting his safety.
Ryohei hurriedly typed a reply:
[Ryohei]: "Already met up, we're eating at a restaurant now... Jashin-chan, that bastard, just stuffed a bug into my mouth!"
Her attention was diverted.
Click—!
Ryohei took a close-up photo of the "Exploding Bug" and sent it to Yurine, adding information—
[Ryohei]: "A specialty of this restaurant... fruit-flavored bugs, they explode with juice when bitten. Take you to try when you come over?"
Yurine: "Eh—! No way! Sounds so disgusting! Disgusted.jpg!"
"..."
Ryohei chatted briefly with Yurine and put down the phone.
At this time, subsequent dishes were served one after another...
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