Meal in The Restaurant

Babel――Pumpkin Restaurant

Somni and Tetle's training would start tomorrow. I could already imagine their jam-packed training schedule in Norn's realm. Since they might be still tired due to Babel's entrance exam, I decided to bring them to have a meal along with us in the restaurant located in the crossroad between east and west district.

Well, this was actually Lyla's idea, not that I could refuse her request after getting her involved in my problem.

『Delicious, nodesu!』

『Delicious!』

『Yuumy!』

The two girls and the puppy were stuffing their mouths with the dishes on the table while raising such cheers.

Reason why I brought them was because Faf kept clinging to me. Thus, one might conclude that I had no choice but to bring this team of three along with me. Moreover, for Lyla, the participation of the two little girls was a happy miscalculation. Therefore――

「Faf-chan, Myu-chan, try this one too, it is delicious too.」

It didn't take a long time for Lyla, who loves children to babysit them. Under normal circumstances, Lumine would pout-despite being an adult- but, the said girl was currently fluffing the black puppy who enjoyed the dishes sitting on her lap, and completely forgot about Lyla.

「Uhm, this is really delicious. Try this one too, Kai-san.」

The youth called Egg offered a plate of dish to me. Though I had no idea what Somni just told him about me, the way Egg spoke politely to me feels like someone speaking to an elderly.

Just in case, I forbid Somni and Tetle from disclosing my identity. Let's try to ask Egg since I couldn't let my disciples' mistakes slip if they made one.

「Uhm, thanks. I've been wondering for a while but, why did you treat me with such respect? I mean, I'm the most incompetent person in this world. So I should be the kind of person that people of your status despise the most right?」

Everyone's attention suddenly shifted toward us the moment I asked that question.

Egg sent a sidelong glance to Lyla and,

「There's no deep meaning behind it. I just, wanted to thank Kai-san, it's thanks to you that I regained my passion.」

He replied while scratching his cheek.

「Uhm, I see…」

I was sure that I told Lyla and co that the reason why I could become Rose's attendant was thanks to my mother's connections. Lumine and Lyla, who had no idea about the real circumstances behind my recruitment, had also accepted my explanation. But, the one who came with this excuse was none other than Rose herself, I had nothing to do with such sorry excuses. Well, maybe it was the kind of excuse that an incompetent like me needed.

「I, I shall become a swordsman in my own way.」

I saw numerous blisters on the Egg's palm. He might have been swinging his sword right before he came to this place.

Anyhow, there was nothing better than looking at the young man finding the goal of his life.

「I see. Then do your best! As long as you do so, your effort will definitely be rewarded!」

Right after I encouraged him, a blue-haired woman clad in a robe came out from the kitchen and came toward our desk,

「Kai Heineman, I made this dish in accordance with your recipe! Try this!」

She spoke cheerfully with a flushed red face.

「Uhm, you made it huh?」

She placed the plate rudely on the table. There was a rather peculiar fragrance that came from the dish. I've made various dishes in the long years I've been trapped in that dungeon.

「A~h, it's 『Gyouza』 nanodesu!」

Faf skillfully used pair of thin and long wooden sticks placed on the plate to pick the dish with sparkling eyes, and brought it into her mouth,

「DELICIOUS-NANODESU!」

She placed her hands on her cheeks as she spoke with a blissful look.

The one who came after Faf was Myu.

「It's really delicious!!」

Myu also showed the same blissful look on her face. Feeling intrigued, Lyla and co had also tried some 『Gyouza』.

「You did a great job despite only using 『Shouyu』 for the first time. It's quite good.」

「Yeah, it became a big hit amongst the guest the moment I tried to serve this dish to the――」

「Oi Ava, what are you doing during such busy hours?」

When the owner came out from the kitchen while shouting at the blue-haired female chef, his attitude turned 180 the moment he saw me, he even came to our desk and bowed to me.

「Thank you very much for various things, Master.」

And then, he expressed his gratitude with a completely different tone from before.

Though the first image I had about him was "A manager who succumbed to that idiotic prince", according to Ava, her manager was a splendid and determined person, it seems he was cursing angrily at the nobles who did the same thing after they left the restaurant. Sure enough, when the opponent was noble, it was much safer to apologize to them. He went prostrating to them for the sake of his restaurant and employees.

This reminds me of the fact that all the chefs in this restaurant were really skilled. To be honest, it was only natural for this restaurant to become so popular with those skilled chefs. And though their wages weren't that high, they chose to remain in this restaurant. If the manager of this restaurant was someone with a problematic personality, they would've left this restaurant a long time ago.

「Don't worry about it, I'm just doing what Her Highness Rose ordered to me. That's why you should thank her instead of me.」

Upon seeing me shrugging, the manager let out a meaningful smile as he looked at our group and,

「Well then, I shall take it as it is.」

After bowing again, he went back to the kitchen and dragged Ava by her ear along with him.

「Kai, is Her Highness Rosemary an adept chef too?」

「Eh, yes, she's an adept chef.」

Though I hesitated for a moment since Faf who couldn't read the mood was right there, I denied such a notion immediately upon seeing Faf completely enraptured by 『Gyouza』 and lied to Lyla.

Lyla trusted me immediately. Rather, she might think that I wouldn't lie to her. That's why if I dump the trouble on Rose, she would accept it as a fact.

Nevertheless, she would notice something was a miss if my reason was too suspicious. I still remember she was wailing nonstop when I told her that I lied to her. My lie this time was a little bit too dangerous. Honestly, I couldn't imagine how furious she would be once this lie was revealed. Anyhow, having her sit down in this place without knowing about my circumstances was gracious enough to the point that I'm willing to lie to her.

「I see. So her Highness isn't just a gentle person, she's an adept chef as well.」

Somni and Tetle exchanged glances the moment they saw Lyla expressed her impression with a complicated look on her face,

（Hey, this must be one of Shifu's recipes right?）

（Yeah, I can't think of anyone but Shifu who can make such haphazard dish.）

And spoke such irresponsible remarks in a whisper.

""

Guys, stop calling me Shifu in this place, please! We would be in huge trouble if on the off chance, Lyla heard your conversation!

Anyhow, Rose's status in Lyla's eyes is shot through the roof nowadays, another one or two lies to her good reputation wouldn't hurt her image anyway.

Lumine seems to have her fill fluffing Fen, and Fen didn't seem to hate Lumine. Let's appoint Fen to act as their bodyguard after this. Speaking of combat prowess, Fen was in the single-digit rank amongst the members of the subjugation picture book. And if something unexpected happens, he can contact me immediately thanks to our connection via the picture book. He should be strong enough to hold the fort till I arrive.

Though I had to meet Fen every day, it wasn't a big deal since Lyla also told me to meet her every day too. Thus, it was akin to hitting two birds with one stone.

（Fen.）

『Uhm? What's matte~r?』

Fen stood up, jumping from Lumine's lap to mine.

「A~h, Kai, that's cheating!」

Fen sent a sidelong glance toward Lumine, and then looked up at me while speaking to me via telepathy.

（Please act as their protector for a while. Don't worry, I'll come every day to deliver your supply.）

『Eh, sure!』

After he raised his padded paw cheerfully, he rubbed his cheek to mine and went back to Lumine's lap, munching again.

For some reason, Lumine seems to be liked by those who came from the outer realm. Maybe her simple and innocent personality-completely lacking in any kind of calculation- was what attracted them. In short, she was my antithesis.

「By the way, what is that Roman doing right now?」

I asked the whereabouts of the person who was supposed to be in this place too. I mean, that guy would definitely come since the organizer of the meeting was none other than Lyla.

「He's attending cooperation training with the hero team, I think he w――」

The door of the restaurant opened with a bang right before Lyla finished her sentence, which was then followed by a handsome, brown-haired youth rushing into the restaurant.

「Kai, why are you starting the meal without waiting for me!?」

He came to my side and spoke loudly while sending a rain of saliva in my direction.

「Thank you for the hard work. Here, try this one, it's delicious.」

I stabbed a 『Gyouza』 with the skewer in my hand and threw it into his mouth to stop him from drenching me with his spit.

「Uhm!?…」

He was chewing in silence for a while with a shocked face and sat in the available chair immediately. It seemed he was famished. This fella became rather obedient once he was hungry.

Even though I was right there, Roman ate with gusto as if he was completely captivated by the food,

「It seems everyone still wants more, let's order a second helping of this.」

I raised my right hand and placed another order of gyoza to the employee of the restaurant.