7. Yu-Gi-Oh ARC-V A New Story of Pendulum (Standard Arc)

Chapter 17 Menu Venue

Vivian yawned as she stretched her arms, shuffling down the stairs with half-lidded eyes. The first thing she noticed was a small cluster of cats lounging in the hallway. She smiled faintly.

"En, Core, Watt, Kilo. Good morning," she greeted them one by one.

Before she could take another step, two more cats padded into view and sat neatly in front of her. Vivian blinked, rubbing her eyes. "Wait... there are two more of you? Huh?" Her confusion lingered as the group of pets mewed back innocently, as if nothing was unusual at all.

Shaking her head, Vivian made her way into the dining room—only to find Sora sitting casually at the table, already munching on something.

"Ah, Vivian! Good morning!" Sora said cheerfully, waving.

Vivian raised a brow. "Geez, you've really made yourself at home, haven't you?"

"Well, it's fine since we're friends, right?" Sora replied with a grin. "Besides, good luck with your match today. I'm working hard so I can enter the same tournament as you and Yuya."

Vivian perked up slightly. "So you're doing your qualification duels today too?"

"Yep. I only need to win six in a row." Sora smirked with confidence. "Piece of cake."

Vivian rolled her eyes but smiled faintly. "We'll see about that. By the way, where are Brother and the others?"

"They already had breakfast and left," Sora said simply.

"Speaking of breakfast—" Vivian raised her voice toward the kitchen. "Is mine ready yet?"

From behind the counter, Yoko called back, "Just wait a bit more! I'm working on Mille-Feuille Tonkatsu with a Special Salad!"

Vivian's jaw dropped. "Mille-Feuille Tonkatsu? What about the usual pancakes? They're simple, delicious, and don't take forever!"

Yoko sighed, her voice muffled by the sound of pans. "Your siblings already finished the last pancakes. I'll buy more today. And besides—" she peeked out briefly, holding a recipe card—"I've got Michio's popular recipe right here!"

Vivian groaned, slumping against the doorframe as she glanced at the clock. "Ugh... how long is it going to take?"

"Just a little longer," Yoko promised. "Patience, Vivian. It'll be worth it."

Vivian's eyes widened as she realized the time. "My duel's about to start! Forget it!" she huffed, stomping toward the door. "I'm not missing my fiftieth match just for breakfast!"

With that, she bolted out of the house, leaving Sora laughing at her impatience as Yoko shook her head, still fussing over her elaborate dish.

As Vivian hurried along the road, she muttered under her breath, "Great... now I didn't get any breakfast because I had to rush out..."

Her stomach gave a soft growl, as if to mock her. Just then, a savory aroma drifted through the air. Vivian sniffed instinctively, her eyes lighting up. "Huh...? That smells amazing."

Drawn like a moth to a flame, she followed the scent until she arrived at a large building with a distinct culinary flair. A polished sign gleamed above the entrance: Cuisine Duel School.

Vivian smirked faintly. "Looks like I've made it."

"Vivian-chan! I've been waiting for you!"

She blinked in surprise as Nico Smiley waved enthusiastically from the doorway. Before she could react, he beckoned her inside with his usual boundless energy.