Sword and Waiter

The morning sun streamed through the restaurant's large windows that illuminated the hall, although most of the lighting was brought by the chandeliers tied to the ceiling.

It still did a good job of casting a warm glow across the polished tiled floors and neatly set of tables filled with guests who had come to get their morning fill.

"This place is so lively so early in the morning"

This place was a lot tamer than the chaos he saw in the kitchen.

There were soft murmurs of conversations all around, the clinking of silverware and the roaming of waiters from table to table brought a sense of sophistication to the restaurant.

Conrad stood near the kitchen door fit in a standard waiter's uniform. It consisted of black trousers, a black waistcoat over a white dress shirt and a black necktie.

"It's expected. Sardes is the largest hotel in the Sect after all"

Next to him was Meliora. Her waitress attire was a white shirt rolled up to her elbows, a black tie and a black skirt that reached down to her thighs. She also wore tight black leggings.

"You don't say"

"Alright, let's begin"

She said in a firm tone as she surveyed the place. Once she found the perfect targets, she pointed subtly in the direction of a couple seated near the window—they seemed to be in their mid-forties, and all dressed up in expensive clothing.

"Conrad. Do you see those two over there?"

"Yeah"

"Go ahead and take their order"

"Wait a minute. You haven't taught me anything. Aren't I supposed to go through some kind of training program or something before dealing with real customers?"

After dealing with the Head Chef, Mel had just given him the uniform and showed him where the changing room is, and then they both met up in the restaurant with new clothes.

He had not received any type of training or lessons about this job. Connie had never been into a restaurant before and sure, he had seen them in movies and such, but he could not base experience and skill from watching something that has been scripted.

Was she setting him up for failure or something?

"Calm down, I just believe in learning on the job. It saves time and money. Look, I'll just give you a crash course."

Mel gestured to a nearby table that was being served by a waiter.

"First, approach the table with confidence. Greet the customer, be formal, make eye contact and introduce yourself. Should be along the lines of 'Good morning, my name is Conrad and I'll be your waiter for today'. Then start them off with something to drink, if they are having a hard time picking what they want or are being difficult. Understand?"

Connie nodded as he watched the young waiter going through the motions Mel mentioned.

"Pay attention to their needs but don't hover around them. Give them space to enjoy their meal but always be ready to step in incase they need something"

She picked up a notepad and pen from her pocket and showed him how to hold it effectively.

"When taking orders, listen carefully and jot down notes so you don't screw up the order. That just about sums up the difficult part. The rest is easier. Go give it a try"

As Connie processed the information, she just dumped on him, Mel handed him the pen and notepad then nodded him towards the table.

"Huh, seems simple enough. I'll give it a try"

Connie took a deep breath and made his way towards the table but before that Mel added.

"One more thing… Always greet your guests with a smile"

That cute smile she put on psyched Connie into believing he can do this.

And so, he confidently approached the table and displayed his best smile. The couple was eyeing him, and he could feel it, for some reason, their expression were already slightly disdainful.

_What's with those faces? _

"Good morning. My name is Conrad and I'll be your waiter for today"

His voice was a bit steady but barely noticeable.

The gentleman in a luxury suit looked him up and down before responding in a chipped tone.

"About time someone came. Do you have any idea how long have we been sitting here young man? Is this what you call quality service?"

Connie's smile faltered a bit but still held his composure. This clearly was not his fault but since he worked here now meant he ought to take some kind of responsibility.

"I apologize for the wait sir; I'll make sure to inform the Head Chef about this matter. In the meantime, can I start you off with something to drink?"

He lied.

There's no way was he going to voluntarily go to that crazy chef for a couple of nobodies. Not his fault there were getting bad service, he just got here.

The gentleman did not respond but the woman who wore a classy dress and hat sighed dramatically as she looked at the menu.

"I'll have a mimosa, make sure it's not too sweet. The last time we were here, the bartender nearly drowned it in orange juice. Honestly, do you people even know how to make a proper drink anymore?"

_How the hell am I supposed to know that? It's still my first day here_

Connie did not entertain her, instead he just nodded and took down the order.

"I'll make sure it's done right mam. And for you sir?"

It was a brief moment before he responded.

"I want coffee. Black. But it better not be that weak, watered-down stuff you usually serve. I want it strong like, knock your socks off strong. Can you handle that?"

The gentleman's dripping voice was a clear indicator of how impatient he was. Connie forced a smile.

"Of course, sir. I'll make sure it's brewed to you like—"

"Is that alright Bertram? You usually start your mornings with a glass of liquor"

The gentleman waved his hand dismissively.

"It's fine. Last time I requested it here I could barely taste the vodka, and the garnish was pathetic. I'll just order some from Wisteria"

"Fufufu. Purchasing liquor from another Sect's brand? It makes me wonder why we even came here"

Connie had heard of Wisteria, full name Wisteria Liquor. It's a company located in the Finseld Sect. Among most brands of alcohol, it dominated the market. Its products were on almost every booze selling store. It puzzled him why this old man would go through the trouble of ordering from another Sect instead where its already easier and convenient.

Perhaps it's because he was not into drinking alcohol, so he did not follow through with its industry.

What he knew about them was basically common knowledge.

"It can't be helped. We just have to wait till our lease expires. The thought of dealing with that crone sends shivers down my spine. I feel much better leaving in peace"

"Bloody witch"

_Don't they realize I'm still here? _

Connie's patience was being tested here but he kept his cool. Granted they were guests here, there are a total of four women who held a high position in this hotel and so by looking higher, he could guess who they were talking about.

Nonetheless, he did not care, but being around entitled people like them really boiled his blood.

"Ahem, is there anything else I can get you?"

The woman sniffed disdainfully.

"We'll order food when we are ready. Just get the drinks right, if that's not too much to ask of you"

"Right away"

Connie backed away from the table and went back to the kitchen. As soon as he was out of range, he let out a frustrated sigh.

_What was that all about? Can't believe this is what I'm going to be dealing with every day. Making a plan to get out of here faster seems likely now_

"How'd it go?"

Mel asked as she stepped in. By the looks of the scribbles on her notepad, she had just came back from taking an order. Connie exhaled sharply, still feeling irritated.

"They were rude as hell. Are those the sort of people you deal with every day?"

"Among others. Yes"

She chuckled as a grin played on her lips. Upon catching a glimpse of that, Connie narrowed his eyes at her.

"Really again? You sent me there on purpose!"

Connie's shout hinted at slight anger, but it was drowned by the chaos of the kitchen so nobody, other than Mel heard him. Right now, he was not pissed at the couple but at her.

He understood that there are all types of teaching methods but hers was starting to piss him off. They were like sending a toddler to fight a heavyweight then explain to the toddler why and how he had been beaten to a pulp.

But wait. Was it a lesson though? It could have been just bad luck that he ended up running into a rude bunch.

"Calm down. Those two are the Vilehausts. They are guests here and are difficult to serve, so I purposely sent you to them to help you get the hang of the job faster. That way you can be able to deal with all sorts of crappy customers"

So, this was a lesson. Still, he did not like her methods.

Connie shook his head. He understood now. If she knows them this well, then it meant they must have been guests who were notorious for being difficult.

"Look, dealing with customers like that is part of the job. Don't take it personally. It's just business"

Mel clapped him on the shoulder, probably an act of encouragement. Connie nodded, he was a bit annoyed now since this was the kind of stuff he was going to deal with every day. But it wasn't like he had a choice in the matter either.

Mel passed by him and added.

"Besides, nobody wanted to deal with the Vilehausts. I didn't want to do it either. So, you were the perfect guy to sacrifice."

"Eh?!"

_You bitch! _

He could not say that out loud. Who knows what she could have done to him, instead he bit his tongue and grudgingly went to the bar to place the order of drinks.

***

After a five-hour long shift. It was time to begin his real training. Before that, he was allowed to rest up and eat some food served at the restaurant to push him through the rest of the day.

Just like before, he was directed into a changing room and fitted on a white kimono with a dark blue hakama and a white undershirt. He also wore a pair of light-colored socks and sandals, the same went for Mel, who stood 15 feet from him.

Given that this place was occupied by assassins, he was not surprised at all that they had a dojo. The room was spacious with wooden floors and walls adorned with various weaponry and training gear.

"Do you understand why we're using wooden swords?"

"Not really but I'm guessing it's because using real swords would be dangerous"

_And might lead to a repeat of last time_

Mel took a stance with a wooden sword in hand. That stance reminded him of the subway incident, once again his instincts were screaming at him to run, but that was not an option.

He had never picked up a sword in his entire life before, so it felt awkward and heavy in his grip. Even so he still took a stance he felt was right, even though it was sloppy.

"That too, but there are three other reasons. Number one, swordsmanship is the best I can teach you since it's what I specialize in, Niko would have been a better fit for teaching you this stuff. Number two, other than regeneration which still has yet to be proven, your Arcana Card's abilities are still unknown, and swords are weapons known to work basically with most abilities. And finally…"

She said while counting down on her fingers. Connie nodded to indicate he understood her points. But what was the final point that needed her to adjust her glasses over?

"…You're not leaving here till you've awakened as a Diviner. Meaning I get to beat the crap out of you as much as I want"

Her demeanor drastically became heavier, like a huge boulder had been dropped on his back. She exuded the pressure of a hunter ready to pounce on its prey.

She was serious.

"Wait, hold on a sec—"

Mel began to slowly circle him, and in response, he did the same. Connie took deep breaths trying to calm his nerves but that proved to be fruitless. How could he not feel nervous and afraid? This scene was all too familiar. He could feel his muscles tense up and his hands beginning to tremble.

He chuckled.

"You know what, fuck it. Considering the shit, I've gone through up till now. Bring it"

He said in a low almost menacing voice. But Mel was not moved at all.

"You're full of openings"

In the next instance, Mel had just suddenly disappeared. As he turned to look where that voice had come from. He saw her bent down.

"Hu—"

Mel swung her wooden sword vertically and landed a clean hard hit on Connie's chin. There was no time to react, she was just too fast or rather, he was too slow. The force behind the attack was enough to lift him into the air.

It was all black.

It was a nasty fall after all. Then again, he was already unconscious before he even touched the floor.

"Klein did say that your Arcana hasn't accepted you somehow. I should have held back on that one, or maybe shown you basic techniques before lunging at you like that. Ah well, this looks like it's going to take a while. I should catch up with my manga in the meantime"

She adjusted her glasses before turning to walk away from Connie's unconscious body.