Virtual Ministry Archive

In a quiet corner of Saitama, nestled between old ramen shops and bustling markets, there was a small, family-run restaurant known for its delicious home-cooked meals. However, what truly made this place famous wasn’t just the food it was the mystical cats of the display case. For years, customers had whispered about the two feline sentinels who mysteriously appeared inside the restaurant’s food display. Unlike ordinary strays, these cats seemed to have a duty: guarding the plastic food samples from unseen threats. Some claimed they were enchanted spirits watching over the shop; others swore they had been part of the town for generations. Every morning, the restaurant owner, an elderly woman named Oba-san, would arrive to find the cats comfortably settled among the neatly arranged plates of tempura, rice bowls, and miso soup. No matter how many times she gently removed them, by noon, they had always returned. One day, a wandering food critic stopped by, drawn by the legend. He observed the cats with curiosity. The white cat, perched on the second shelf, eyed him with the wisdom of an old monk, while the orange and white one on the bottom shelf lounged as if it owned the place. When the critic finally stepped inside to taste the food, he was astonished it was the best meal he had ever eaten. “The flavors,” he exclaimed, “are perfectly balanced, like the harmony of yin and yang!” Oba-san just smiled knowingly. The secret, she believed, wasn’t just her recipe it was the silent blessing of the restaurant’s guardians. From that day on, business flourished, and the cats remained in their post, basking in the afternoon sun, ensuring that every meal served carried a touch of magic. See less