That Time My Anime Life Got Cursed by Outer Gods-Chapter 84 - 83: Horse Meat

At this moment, Machida Sonoko finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although the company's profit sharing wasn't the most generous, she now had a powerful author on her hands.

If Shiro Sakamaki could maintain his current momentum, there was no doubt—he'd soon become a pillar of their publishing team.

That conviction only grew stronger when he handed in a manuscript exceeding 200,000 words.

She stood up and extended her hand. "Thank you, Teacher Sakamaki, for placing your trust in our company. As a small celebration, may I treat you to dinner tonight?"

Shiro smiled politely, shaking her hand briefly before letting go. The gesture, firm but courteous, made Machida's impression of him slightly better.

"No need, Editor Machida. I already have plans tonight—maybe next time," he said, tilting his head toward Megumi Kato beside him.

Only then did Machida Sonoko realize someone else had been in the room all along. The girl didn't stand out at first glance, but upon a closer look, she was quietly beautiful in a way that rivaled Kasumigaoka Utaha—just with a completely different charm.

Machida smiled and nodded. "In that case, I won't keep you."

---

With the contract signed, the follow-up admin work and formalities went smoothly.

Before long, Shiro left Fujikawa Fantastic Bunko with two signed copies of the contract—one for him and one for Kato.

"Kato-chan, is there anything you feel like eating tonight?"

Megumi placed a finger on her chin and thought for a moment. "How about sushi?"

"Again?"

"Don't you like sushi, Shiro-kun? Food with just the right warmth and softness, easy to enjoy in a single bite—it's pretty amazing."

Shiro shook his head, unconvinced.

That "temperature and touch" talk again—food needed to be warm, sure, but anything that made him think too much about hand contact or delicate prep just turned him off. Compared to a hot, satisfying bowl of donburi, sushi felt like fancy air.

But he shrugged. "I'm fine with it. If Kato-chan wants sushi, then sushi it is."

"Oh—should I let my family know?" freēwēbηovel.c૦m

Megumi shook her head, pulling out her phone to show him a message thread with her mother. The latest message read: Not coming home for dinner tonight.

"I heard about a newly opened sushi place that serves black charcoal sushi. Kinda unique, right?"

Shiro raised an eyebrow but played along. "Alright, charcoal sushi it is."

---

They arrived in front of a shop called [Ai]. As the taxi pulled away, Megumi looked at him with mild reproach.

"Shiro-kun, it's so close to the tram line. Taking a taxi was a waste."

Taxis in Japan were notoriously pricey due to labor costs. The short ride from Fujikawa Fantastic Bunko had cost nearly 4,000 yen.

Shiro waved it off. "Don't be so stingy, Kato-chan. It's just 4,000 yen."

"You say that, but still—being rich doesn't mean you can just throw money around."

With a playful grin, he teased, "Is Kato-chan already worried about my finances? If you're offering to manage my household, I won't object."

Megumi's cheeks flushed, but she didn't reply.

Inside the restaurant, a well-dressed server approached.

"Do you have a reservation?"

Shiro and Megumi exchanged glances. "No, we decided to stop by on a whim."

"I'm terribly sorry, but we operate on a full membership system and don't take walk-ins. Reservations are required, and currently, membership applications are closed due to full capacity."

Shiro shrugged at Megumi. "Guess no charcoal sushi tonight. Want to try somewhere else?"

Truthfully, Megumi had already glanced at the menu when they walked in and had second thoughts. The prices alone were enough to make her reconsider.

Hearing the membership requirement made her inwardly relieved.

Before they left, Shiro casually asked about the membership process, only to be told the list was closed for the foreseeable future.

It didn't bother him. He wasn't all that interested to begin with. He'd only brought it up because Megumi had mentioned it.

As they stepped back outside, the sky was already deepening with dusk.

Right next door was a more ordinary-looking sushi place, bustling with customers and giving off a pleasant aroma.

"How about this one, Kato-chan? Looks decent."

Megumi nodded, and they stepped inside.

Shiro left the ordering entirely up to her—his only request was "as long as there's meat, I'm good."

He didn't really care what they ate here—he figured he'd order proper takeout later anyway.

While Megumi placed the order, Shiro pulled out his phone and sent a food order to Hinata inui, based on his favorite dishes from Kiri no Ya.

By the time he put his phone down, Megumi had already waved over the waiter to finalize their order.

When the dishes began arriving, Shiro started to regret not looking at the menu.

The first dish was classic Inari sushi, vinegared rice wrapped in fried tofu skin with a hint of beef. Dipped in soy sauce, it was... acceptable.

But then came the second dish—and Shiro immediately froze.

Bright red slices of raw meat rested neatly atop rice. The presentation was clean, elegant.

"Sakura meat sushi," the server announced. "Please enjoy."

Shiro stared at the plate. His stomach sank.

Horse meat.

And raw, no less.

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