Chapter 385: Chapter 383: Devil’s Cage
"Dying under Rindō-senpai seems not a bad choice," Sui muttered to himself softly.
"H-Hey? What are you talking about?" Rindō's face instantly flushed a deep red, and she subconsciously tightened her legs. Realizing that Sui's face was still buried in an inappropriate position, she quickly released her hold, flustered by the situation. In her anger earlier, she hadn't noticed how indecent it was.
"I mean, being choked by your legs," he quickly clarified.
"But I didn't expect Rindō-senpai's panties to be pink today," Sui added absentmindedly.
Rindō's face twisted in a mix of embarrassment and fury. "Go to hell!" she shouted, kicking Sui to the ground with a swift motion. Not finished with him, she followed up by wrapping her legs tightly around his neck again, locking him in her infamous "devil's cage" as she held one of his arms with both hands.
For the second time, Sui found himself struggling for air under the wrath of Rindō's merciless hold.
——
Once their winemaking class ended and there were no other lessons scheduled for the day, Sui led the group—though more accurately, he was escorted by Rindō—back to their mansion.
"Kohai, if you don't deliver that delicious food you promised, I won't let you off easily!" Rindō warned, her hands on her hips and her face inches from Sui's, her sharp little canine teeth glinting as she spoke.
Sui sighed. "...I got it."
But then he glanced at Yoshino, Ryoko, and the others. Why had they come along too?
"We're here to help Rindō-senpai supervise you," Ryoko said with a playful smile as she brushed back her hair.
"Yes, we're here for supervision," Yoshino chimed in seriously.
"See, kohai?" Rindō grinned, looking at Sui smugly.
Sui could only sigh inwardly. These guys were clearly just here to enjoy a free meal.
Before long, they all arrived at the tsundere's mansion. At the door, Blissey was waiting like a dutiful butler, quickly preparing slippers for the guests as they entered.
"Ah! What kind of creature is this? It's so cute and thoughtful!" Rindō's eyes lit up as she praised the Pokémon.
"Indeed," the others agreed, envious of such a helpful little companion.
Soon, Blissey brought out tea for the guests, impressing them even more with its efficiency.
"Hey, kohai..." Rindō began.
Sui immediately knew what she was about to ask and cut her off, saying flatly, "Absolutely not!"
There was no way he would give her Blissey.
"Meanie!" Rindō pouted and hit him lightly, though she knew Sui would never part with Blissey.
After the tea, Blissey brought out snacks—cotton candy from Fidough, along with some coral candies and a few Dia Grapes.
Sui had bought more Dia Grapes recently since Erina and Tohru loved them so much. There were still plenty left to enjoy.
"That's it! This is what you had for breakfast!" Rindō's eyes lit up as soon as she saw the cotton candy. She quickly grabbed a stick and began tasting it.
"Is this cotton candy?" Alice asked, intrigued as she tried it as well.
After eating it earlier in the day, Megumi, Ryoko, and the others had also developed a liking for it, so they happily helped themselves.
Before long, the girls' lips and faces were all covered with cotton candy threads and colorful candy crumbs, making them look quite adorable.
"It's delicious!" Rindō exclaimed as she devoured her portion. "It's like eating sweet spider silk, but so smooth!"
"Yeah, it's much better than what I had," Alice agreed with a nod.
But before Rindō could finish her cotton candy, her attention shifted to the Dia Grapes.
"What kind of grapes are these? They're huge! And they sparkle like diamonds!" she exclaimed, picking up one. When she took a bite, purple juice immediately burst out, splattering across her face.
"This is incredible! The flavor is so rich and refined!" she marveled.
Last time, Sui had only brought three bunches of Dia Grapes—one for Erina, one for Tohru and one for Alice—so this was Rindō's first time tasting them.
It was also the first time for Megumi and the others, and they were equally amazed. They had never eaten grapes like these before.
"Damn it! kohai, you have all these delicious treats and didn't share any with me!" Rindō cried out, pulling Sui's face with her grape-juice-stained hands, her voice filled with frustration.
Sui touched his now sticky face, too stunned to respond.
Fortunately, Blissey appeared once again, offering him a wet towel to wipe his face.
"By the way, Sui, why don't we try making wine from these grapes?" Erina suggested.
"That's a great idea! These grapes are so sweet and flavorful. I bet the wine would be amazing!" Rindō quickly added, her interest piqued. "I studied winemaking in the French countryside. I can help!"
Sui eyed her suspiciously. Was she just trying to get her hands on the wine?
However, the thought of making wine sparked even more ideas for Sui. He had recently stocked the cold storage with Freezer Bison and Red-haired pig, and now he was considering using some of the meat to make jerky or smoked meat.
When Sui mentioned his plan, everyone's eyes lit up.
"Yes! It would be such a waste to just eat the meat as it is. We should process some of it," Erina agreed.
"We'll help too!" Sōma added with a laugh.
"Alright," Sui said with a smile, nodding as he led Soma, Megumi, and Yoshino to the cold storage.
Meanwhile, the rest of the group prepared to start making wine.
Erina took out five bunches of Dia Grapes.
"So many grapes!" Rindō's eyes widened at the sight. "Wouldn't it be a waste to use all of them for wine? Can I eat a few first?" she asked, muttering under her breath.