The Fox Hole (Multiversal Restaurant)

Chapter 78:

– Haru –

Standing in the kitchens of Hogwarts, I had to admit it was probably the weirdest culinary environment I'd ever worked in…

Tiny little creatures called house-elves scurried frantically around me, their big eyes wide with anxiety as they hurried to carry out the orders I barked. I wasn't deliberately trying to intimidate them, but cooking was serious business! Especially tonight—there was no way I'd let anyone leave this ball disappointed by subpar food. My pride as a chef wouldn't allow it!

"Hey!" I called sharply, noticing an elf whisking custard a bit too lazily. He immediately jumped, nearly dropping the bowl as he snapped to attention. "You need to whip it harder—put some muscle into it. It should be silky and light, not lumpy like porridge."

The elf nodded furiously, his oversized ears bobbing in agreement. "Yes, Chef Haru, sir! Right away, Chef Haru, sir!" He returned to the bowl, whisking with frantic determination.

I sighed softly. The elves weren't bad cooks, exactly, but they were definitely accustomed to cooking "school food." Basic fare, hearty but boring. They struggled whenever I introduced something more complicated, more delicate, or even slightly foreign. I glanced toward another station, noticing several elves carefully grilling meat. Well, supposedly carefully—they were actually leaving one side over the fire far too long, the edges dangerously close to burning.

"Flip those steaks!" I ordered quickly, striding over to inspect their grill station. "You can't leave them unattended like that. We're aiming for perfection, not charcoal. Pay attention!"

The elves startled and quickly turned the meat over, shooting me guilty, nervous glances. "S-sorry Chef!" one squeaked, clearly mortified.

"It's okay, just keep a closer eye," I said in a gentler tone, trying not to completely terrify them. They were hardworking, earnest, and genuinely eager to please—just not experienced with cooking anything beyond typical wizarding meals. And to be fair, these house-elves had likely never received proper chef training in their lives. If Hogwarts really wanted to host a gourmet-level event, maybe hiring a few professional cooks wouldn't have been a bad idea…

But they'd invited me instead, and that meant my professional pride as a chef was now fully on the line. There was absolutely no way I'd allow subpar food to be served at an event I was partially responsible for. If it meant micromanaging every little detail, so be it.

"Chef Haru, sir?" another elf said timidly, tugging lightly on my apron.

I glanced down to see a shy little female elf nervously holding up a spoonful of sauce she'd prepared. "Taste test, please?"

I softened my expression, smiling warmly as I knelt down and gently took the spoon from her tiny hand. The elf watched nervously as I tasted it carefully. The flavor was surprisingly balanced and delicate. She'd clearly put genuine effort into it, and I nodded approvingly.

"Great job," I praised sincerely, ruffling her ears lightly. She squeaked happily, visibly relieved. "Keep going exactly like that."

With a quick salute, she scampered back to her station, confidence clearly boosted. At least they were all doing their best. It wasn't easy suddenly preparing dishes they'd never seen before.

Luckily, one major advantage of magical cooking was that everything could be cooked ahead of time and preserved perfectly under stasis charms until the ball officially began. That part was great—no last-minute panicking—but the preparation and actual cooking itself still needed to be flawless. There were no shortcuts when it came to quality, magic or otherwise.

"Alright, everyone!" I called out clearly, clapping my hands sharply to gather their attention again. Dozens of house elves froze mid-task, looking nervously toward me with big, anxious eyes. I gave them an encouraging smile, softening my voice slightly so they wouldn't panic. "We're doing great so far. But remember, every dish matters tonight. It doesn't matter if it's a fancy hors d'oeuvre or a simple pastry—every bite should impress. Keep your focus, check flavors often, and don't rush. Understood?"

"Yes, Chef Haru!" they chorused immediately, their tiny voices loud and eager. I could see determination and enthusiasm filling their gazes once more. Perfect.

Satisfied that the elves were back on track, I moved over to another prep station, inspecting the small delicate pastries neatly lined up on trays. These were tricky desserts, something I'd designed specifically for tonight's ball. Mini crème brûlée tarts with fresh vanilla cream and caramelized sugar crust. They looked good, but with pastries, looking wasn't enough.

Picking one up carefully, I inspected it closely. Golden-brown crust, evenly caramelized sugar, cream piped with precision—so far, so good. But the taste was the real test. Biting in, I felt a pleasant crunch, the sugary crust giving way beautifully to the silky, rich cream beneath. 

It was delicious. Perfect, actually. I nodded approvingly.

"Excellent work on the tarts!" I announced loudly, catching the nervous gaze of the elf who'd made them. His face instantly lit up with pride and relief. "Exactly the texture and taste we want—make sure they're all done to this same standard."

"Thank you, Chef Haru, sir!" the elf beamed happily, immediately hurrying to finish the rest with renewed confidence.

…

After finishing up at Hogwarts, I returned to Yasaka's palace, retreating to my room to get dressed for tonight's event. A custom-tailored black suit had already been prepared and laid out neatly for me, and as I slipped into the jacket, I had to admit it fit perfectly—comfortable but still stylish enough for the occasion.

Of course, I wasn't alone. My mother, Yasaka, hovered around me excitedly, her golden tails swaying cheerfully behind her. She looked immensely pleased, her eyes practically sparkling with motherly pride.

"Ara, my handsome son is attending his very first formal ball!" she teased playfully, smiling fondly as she adjusted my collar and brushed off imaginary specks of dust. "I'm so proud!"

I rolled my eyes, giving her a gentle, long-suffering sigh. "Mom, seriously? This isn't even close to my first ball. You've dragged me to dozens of yokai parties at the palace over the years. Remember that festival with the tengu diplomats last month?"

She giggled, clearly unbothered by my protest, and stepped behind me to inspect my tails. Before I could say anything, she reached out and began gently brushing them, carefully fluffing each one with practiced expertise. Immediately, a shiver rippled down my spine, and a deep blush rose across my face. Damn it—she knew exactly how sensitive my tails were, and she definitely enjoyed teasing me.

"Mom…" I mumbled weakly, my voice strained from the pleasant tingling sensation she was unintentionally causing. "I can do my tails myself, you know…"

"Oh hush, Haru," Yasaka said sweetly, smiling mischievously. Her gentle fingers continued their work, carefully combing and fluffing my tails until each one looked perfectly groomed. "A mother has to make sure her son's tails are immaculate before a big night out. Especially since you're going with that lovely dragon lady, Irene. Such an elegant, mature woman…"

My blush deepened considerably at her playful tone. "You really don't need to tease me about Irene, Mom."

She laughed softly, giving one of my tails a gentle, affectionate squeeze. "Oh? But it's too much fun not to tease you, sweetheart! Who knows—maybe tonight will be extra special." She leaned in, whispering teasingly in my ear. "Perhaps you'll finally lose your sweet innocence to that fierce dragoness."

I turned my head, giving her an annoyed pout. "Mom, seriously? You're a bit late with that talk—I've lost my 'innocence' plenty of times already. Hell, you literally walked in on me and Rias that one time, remember?"

Yasaka paused, her golden eyes glittering mischievously at the memory. "Oh yes, that was quite the scene," she purred playfully, clearly entertained by recalling my embarrassment. "But believe me, Haru dear, dragon women are entirely different creatures altogether. When aroused, they become… exceptionally voracious. You should prepare yourself."

I blinked, momentarily thrown off by her choice of words. "Wait—how exactly do you even know that?"

My mother shrugged casually, smiling serenely. "Oh, Tiamat and I had a brief affair once, a long time ago. She was very… enthusiastic. Delightfully exhausting, actually."

I stared blankly, trying—and utterly failing—to process what she'd just casually admitted. Tiamat? The legendary Chaos Karma Dragon herself? With my mother?

Part of me genuinely wanted to hear more details—but another part definitely did not. It was honestly a bit too weird to think about.

I quickly shook my head, shifting the conversation back to something less awkward than my mom's unexpected love life. That was a topic for her…and possibly Rimuru? Still didn't really know what was going on there and didn't really want to know either.

Besides, I was actually kind of confused about something else entirely.

"Wait," I began carefully, giving Yasaka a slightly skeptical look. "Since when do you actually like Irene? I clearly remember you being pretty pissed when you found out she'd abandoned Erza when she was younger. You were ready to tear her a new one. But now you're suddenly teasing me about dating her and acting all excited? What exactly changed your mind?"

My mother chuckled softly, waving her hand dismissively, though her golden eyes narrowed slightly, becoming more serious. Her gentle, teasing tone vanished immediately, replaced by a cool firmness I recognized all too well. "Ah, yes. Well, after you rescued Irene from those dungeons, she and I sat down together. We had a very… long, detailed, and productive conversation. One woman to another."

I raised an eyebrow, immediately suspicious. "That sounds a bit ominous, Mom. What exactly did you talk about?"

Yasaka's smile widened slightly, but her eyes held a hint of fierceness now. I noticed the air in the room suddenly grow heavier as a subtle but unmistakable surge of magicules radiated gently from her. Her twelve tails, usually cheerful and expressive, abruptly stopped moving entirely, held rigidly still behind her. It lasted only a few tense seconds, but it was more than enough to make her message crystal clear.

"Don't worry about it, Haru," she said pleasantly, the tension leaving her body as quickly as it had appeared. Her tails swished once more, carefree again. "Let's just say Irene now fully understands exactly who's in charge around here. She'll be very respectful toward you. I guarantee it."

I swallowed nervously, feeling a chill run down my spine despite myself. Mothers really could be terrifying sometimes—especially when they were supernatural creatures like mine. The mental image of Yasaka calmly yet firmly laying down the law to Irene, a powerful and prideful dragoness, was simultaneously funny and terrifying.

Before I could even respond, Yasaka stepped back, inspecting me from head to toe with an approving nod. Her earlier fierceness had vanished completely, replaced by a warm, genuine smile of motherly affection.

"Perfect," she announced, eyes sparkling happily. "My handsome son is officially ready for his big date. Irene is waiting downstairs already, so hurry along now—you don't want to keep a lady like her waiting too long."

Without even giving me a chance to protest, Yasaka gently but firmly steered me toward my door, practically pushing me out into the hallway.

"All right, all right! I'm going, Mom," I laughed, giving her a playful eye roll. I straightened my suit jacket one last time, took a deep breath, and headed toward the stairs. Tonight was going to be interesting, that much I knew for certain.

As soon as I reached the bottom of the staircase, my breath caught sharply in my throat. Irene was waiting calmly for me, leaning elegantly against the wall with an amused little smile.

Holy shit, she looked absolutely incredible.

Her regular clothes had never exactly been modest—she obviously knew how great her figure was—but tonight's dress was something else entirely. It was a sleek, form-fitting black gown that hugged every curve of her amazing body, accentuating just how gorgeous she really was. The neckline was low enough to reveal a generous amount of her flawless cleavage, drawing my eyes immediately. My gaze traced helplessly downward over her slender waist, and I swallowed hard when I noticed how the silky fabric tightly hugged the curves of her hips and waist.

Damn. Keeping my eyes off her was practically impossible.

Irene noticed my stare and giggled softly, clearly enjoying my reaction. The melodic sound snapped me out of my trance, and I quickly met her eyes, feeling warmth spread across my face.

"Enjoying the view?" Irene teased gently, her eyes sparkling playfully as she pushed off the wall and stepped gracefully toward me.

"Uh, yeah," I admitted sheepishly, scratching the back of my head with a small embarrassed laugh. "You look…amazing, Irene. Seriously, that dress is incredible on you."

Her smile widened, eyes glinting with pleased amusement. She clearly didn't mind my honesty. "Why thank you, Haru. You're looking rather handsome yourself tonight," she purred, openly running her eyes appreciatively up and down my suit.

I cleared my throat slightly, trying to regain some dignity. "Well, it won't matter how good my suit is. Pretty sure every wizard there tonight is going to be staring at you. I'd bet plenty of witches will be hexing their dates by the end of the night, too—no way any guy could keep his eyes off you."

She laughed again, clearly entertained by my prediction. "Oh, let them stare all they like," Irene said casually, a confident smirk on her lips. "Looking is perfectly fine—as long as they know touching is strictly forbidden. That privilege is yours alone tonight."

My heart skipped a beat at her bold words, and a slightly possessive pride surged through me. "I certainly have no complaints about that arrangement," I replied smoothly, stepping closer and gently taking her hand. Holding her gaze steadily, I raised her delicate fingers slowly to my lips and pressed a soft kiss against the back of her hand.

Irene's eyes darkened slightly with pleased surprise, and her smile softened warmly. "My, my—such a gentleman," she teased gently, sliding smoothly closer to my side. "Are you ready for tonight, Haru?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," I replied honestly, gently entwining my arm with hers. Feeling her warm body pressed lightly against my side was a pleasant distraction. "Shall we head over to my restaurant? From there, it's just a short walk into Hogsmeade, and we'll be at Hogwarts in no time."

Irene nodded gracefully, gently squeezing my arm. "Lead the way. I'm looking forward to seeing this famous 'magical school' you've told me about."

"You're either going to love or hate it," I promised confidently as we headed outside together. "...At the very least, I promise the food will be amazing."

Irene laughed softly at my choice of words, leaning warmly into my side as we walked. 

…

I stood casually beside Irene in Hogwarts' grand hall, watching quietly as Headmistress McGonagall guided the Triwizard champions and their dates into the center to officially begin the Yule Ball.

They entered in pairs, looking slightly nervous but excited. Harry walked in first with Hermione on his arm. They looked cute together—Harry seemed proud but a little unsure, and Hermione wore a shy but happy smile. The other champions followed behind them, though honestly, I didn't pay much attention to any of them. The only other one I bothered to remember was Fleur—the pretty blonde French girl who was a Veela, or part-Veela at least. 

Usually, every man's eyes in the room would be glued to her because of that natural allure her species apparently had in this world. But tonight she wasn't getting nearly as much attention as usual, and she clearly noticed it. 

In fact, Fleur appeared mildly irritated, glancing toward Irene and me with a slightly annoyed pout.

I couldn't help but smirk slightly at that. Honestly, I didn't blame anyone for looking our way. Standing beside me, Irene was a vision of raw beauty and confident sexuality. Fleur was undeniably attractive, but Irene was simply on another level entirely. The sexy dragoness next to me radiated a sensual magnetism that drew attention effortlessly—without any magical charm necessary.

As the eight students started their first ceremonial dance, I leaned closer to Irene, keeping my voice low so only she could hear me clearly over the music.

"So," I whispered softly, placing a gentle hand on her lower back, "how do you like Hogwarts so far?"

Irene's eyes sparkled slightly as she gazed around the great hall with an amused look. "I admit, it's quite charming. The castle itself is impressive enough, and it certainly feels magical here," she said thoughtfully. Her expression shifted slightly, becoming slightly unimpressed. "But honestly, the wizards themselves seem rather…weak. At least in terms of raw magical power."

I chuckled softly at her blunt evaluation. "You're right about that. Most of them have had very limited magical education—at least compared to what you and I are used to. Well, except for those two," I said, tilting my head toward the dance floor, where Harry and Hermione were gracefully spinning in time with the music. "They've been receiving proper magic instruction from Serana. Both of them have improved tremendously already."

From the corner of my eye, I noticed McGonagall twitch slightly at my casual use of the phrase "proper magic." Her lips thinned just a little, as if holding back a sharp retort. She wisely stayed silent, though I suspected she'd probably have something to say to me about it later.

Irene followed my gaze, her sharp eyes watching Harry and Hermione intently. "I can sense it. Those two definitely have more potential than the others."

The music finally slowed, and the champions' dance ended. McGonagall smoothly invited everyone else onto the floor. Couples around the hall rose eagerly, mingling onto the polished dance floor as new music began to play.

I turned fully to Irene, smoothly offering my hand with a charming smile. "Well, Irene? May I have this dance?"

She arched a perfect eyebrow elegantly, lips curling into a sultry smirk as she placed her soft hand gently in mine. "I'd be delighted, Haru."

"Absolutely," I agreed warmly, gently guiding her onto the dance floor. Already, I could feel countless eyes shifting toward us. But as Irene had said earlier—let them stare. I was the one holding her close tonight.

I guided her into the center of the dance floor as the music began softly playing around us. She stepped closer immediately, pressing her voluptuous body warmly against my chest without hesitation. I couldn't help but notice the mischievous glint that danced in her beautiful eyes as she smiled playfully up at me.

"You're looking rather pleased with yourself," I teased softly, my voice low enough to remain just between us.

"Oh? Whatever could you mean, Haru?" Irene purred innocently. But even as she spoke, she shifted closer still, purposefully pressing her ample, soft breasts into me in a clearly deliberate attempt to tempt and distract. Her eyes sparkled with playful intent as she began swaying sensually to the music, making sure her curves remained pressed firmly against my chest as we moved together.

I chuckled quietly, both amused and undeniably turned on by her boldness. I gently placed my hands on her lower back, holding her lightly as we danced together in rhythm. 

Irene smirked again, clearly unsatisfied with my polite gesture. She reached behind herself smoothly, taking my wrists in her soft hands, and guided them downward until both palms rested firmly against her shapely, perfectly rounded ass.

My eyes widened slightly in surprise at the suddenness of her bold move. Irene giggled softly at my reaction, her expression a mixture of playful teasing and genuine satisfaction. "Mmm, much better," she murmured sweetly, keeping my hands exactly where she'd placed them.

"You certainly don't waste any time, do you?" I asked dryly, raising an amused eyebrow even as I gently squeezed, unable to deny how good it felt to have my hands resting on her perfect rear.

Irene leaned in closer, her voice a husky whisper against my ear. "What would be the fun in waiting? I'm just making sure you fully enjoy yourself tonight."

"Trust me," I replied warmly, gently kneading her curves as we continued swaying together, "I'm definitely enjoying myself."

My tails were clearly giving me away, happily swishing behind me in response to her bold affection. Irene's eyes flickered downward briefly, noticing my fluffy tails moving energetically behind us. She laughed softly, clearly pleased by their reaction.

"Your tails certainly seem happy," she teased lightly, gently pressing herself even closer as our bodies moved seamlessly together.

"Can you blame them?" I chuckled, feeling slightly embarrassed but not enough to pull away from her inviting warmth. "They've got a mind of their own when I'm this close to a woman like you."

"I'm very glad to hear that," she purred seductively, smiling mischievously as her hips pressed even closer into mine, making the dance more intimate by the second.

As we swayed slowly, lost in our own little bubble of attraction and warmth, something abruptly drew my attention from the corner of my eye. 

Glancing briefly sideways, I noticed a male Hogwarts student inching suspiciously closer toward Irene. His expression looked slightly glazed, as if he were too distracted by her incredible figure to think clearly. Even worse, I saw his hand subtly reach out toward Irene's ass—as if planning to sneakily grope her while we danced.

Before I could react, a sudden spark of magical energy erupted from Irene's dress. A small but powerful bolt of lightning lashed out, striking the would-be groper squarely in the chest. He immediately crumpled onto the dance floor, twitching and spasming like he'd just been hit with a powerful stun gun. 

Well, that was basically exactly what had happened.

I glared sharply down at the dumb kid sprawled on the floor, irritation flickering across my expression. Irene, however, just laughed sweetly, clearly amused by the idiot's failed attempt.

"Ara ara, such a naughty little boy," Irene chastised playfully, shaking her head slightly. "You should know better. No touching allowed."

Her words carried through the stunned silence around us. After a second of confusion, whispers rippled across the nearby students, most quickly realizing what had just happened. I noticed more than a few other would-be lechers carefully retreating, clearly intimidated and deciding not to risk Irene's magical defenses.

Satisfied that nobody else would try something equally stupid, Irene casually turned her attention fully back toward me. "Now then, Haru," she murmured sweetly, pressing herself against my chest again with a contented sigh. "Where were we?"

I chuckled softly, shaking my head slightly in amusement. "I believe we were enjoying our dance," I replied lightly, gently caressing her soft curves. 

Irene smirked knowingly, eyes sparkling with delight. "Good. I'm quite happy to have you all to myself."

We continued swaying gently, completely ignoring the occasional jealous glances from around the hall. The music flowed around us smoothly, time passing unnoticed until McGonagall finally stepped forward at the edge of the hall and politely cleared her throat, magically amplifying her voice. "Attention, everyone—the dinner portion of tonight's Yule Ball will now commence," she announced clearly, motioning toward the lavishly decorated tables arranged along the edges of the hall. "Please take your seats and enjoy."

Irene glanced up at me, a soft, warm smile on her lips. "Shall we, Haru?"

"Absolutely," I agreed, gently taking her hand again. "I promise you won't be disappointed by tonight's meal…"

XXX