Now we’re revisiting characters first introduced in Season 2. Makes sense given how far I am in this season.
The first half of Episode 8 introduces Rorona (Nanami Numakura), a newly converted vampire and a resident of the Black Brood, a sanctuary nation for vampires. While testing out her new abilities, Rorona stumbles upon a door to Nekoya. I love how as soon as Rorona steps foot into the restaurant and meets Aletta, she immediately draws out her claws. I get that prejudice towards demons is still a thing but it’s been so long since any patron treated Aletta that way so it’s shocking and hilarious to see it happen again.
Fortunately, Kuro is there to give Rorona a telepathic warning, almost knocking the vampire out in the process. Once again, I’m reminded that this dragon elf waitress is one of the most powerful characters in this show and she could kill anyone with a mere thought. The funny thing is that this episode all but confirms that the deity vampires worship is actually Kuro. Rorona doesn’t realize it (though she does get very close at figuring it out) but her god literally just told her to stop being racist. Also hilarious is the show briefly cutting to Kuro standing just a few feet away from Rorona during the dining scene. Maybe she’s just doing her job but my head canon is that she took that attempted attack on Aletta personally and she’s keeping a close eye on the vampire girl.
Coincidentally, Romero and Julietta are also present in this segment. Curious about the new vampire, they share their table with Rorona. The couple orders Roast Beef for themselves and their new friend, as opposed to Beefsteak as per usual. Apparently, they think the grape liqour that they usually order pairs better with Roast Beef. Honestly, I’m shocked to learn that someone actually bothered to experiment with the menu. Did the stars align or something? When did this happen? I’m kind of bummed that Romero and Julietta don’t ask Rorona for directions to the Black Brood. They’re clearly interested in the place and given the bigotry they faced in their introduction, the country could be the perfect home for them. Then again, the fact that we continue to see them implies that they’re doing just fine.
At the halfway point, the episode switches over to this season’s very first new patron, Hilda. This time around, Hilda is accompanied by her peers, Alicia (Sachi Kokuryu) and Ranija (Kaori Nazuka). Like Hilda, both ladies are demons though Alicia has bear-like traits while Ranijia has some reptilian features. Apparently, Alicia and Ranijia have been wondering why Hilda has been taking jobs around the forest next to their town when they generally yield low rewards so they decide to tail her. This results in them following her into Nekoya. All of this is explained to you in exposition and that is a baffling choice for the show to make. Like, I get that it’s repetitive seeing characters learn about their friend’s secret but it is tradition and it’s lamer to tell us what happened as opposed to showing it. Alicia and Ranijia did make a cameo in the season premiere but after 7 episodes, it’s easy to forget about them so them reappearing without a legit setup feels jarring.
The punchline to this segment is that all three women order cheesecake but they ultimately gravitate towards different types of the desert. Hilda’s go-to variant has been souffle cheesecake but Alicia prefers baked while Ranija opts for rare. This difference in taste (pun not intended) creates a rift between the three friends. The timing is especially awkward as before this realization, the trio agrees to team up for tougher quests and they work really well together to boot. This development is also funny after watching the last episode with Soemon and Doshun. Those two have a healthier relationship compared to these three. At least Soemon and Doshun are willing to try each other’s okonomiyaki variant. The same can’t be said about these demon ladies and their cheesecakes.
This feud soon escalates to the three preparing to duke it out. The reactions from the other patrons is so funny that it kind of makes me wish more insanity happened in Nekoya. Of course, the standoff is short lived as Kuro swiftly confiscates all of the adventurers’ weapons. One scene of Kuro using 1% of her power is already icing on the cake but two? I feel so blessed. Also, Kuro holding all of those weapons is so damn adorable. I have to hand it to Season 2; it’s become a gold mine for Aletta and Kuro content.
Watch Restaurant to Another World 2 on Crunchyroll
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