Chapter VI: Tip of the Iceberg

Welcome to Vele Bianche!" a fair maiden with light purple hair greeted the newly arriving customer with an unnerving smile. Wearing the standard maid uniform that was highlighted with golden accents, her nameplate was located on the right side of her chest with the name "Delta" on it.

The customer, intimidated by her slowly sat down at the table closest to the cafe's doors. He lowered his head as he accepted the menu that Delta offered and began browsing.

"May I take your order, Sir?" Delta asked with the same unnerving smile before.

"W-Why is horse meat on the menu?" the customer asked in a horrified tone as he began to question the ethics of the cafe.

A moment of silence fell between the two as Delta merely smiled but one would notice the corner of her smile twitching as she asked again, this time in a lower tone.

"May I take your order, Sir?"

"Is she a robot?" the customer asked himself as he suddenly began to regret following his friend's words. He has merely heard that the cafe had a great reputation, but experiencing things firsthand makes it clear his friend has been poisoned.

"Y-Yes, I would like to order a cup of cappuccino and a chocolate cupcake." he ordered with his lips quivering, fearing what was about to happen to him.

"Right away, Sir!" Delta giggled as she finished writing on the notepad she currently had in hand. She silently lowered her head as she dismissed herself and walked past two other waiters that were currently cleaning the table.

"... Why do we have horse meat on the menu?" Sylvia suddenly asked after watching Delta work and immediately picked up a menu laying on one of the empty tables.

"One of our co-workers pissed off our boss and it just so happened he had horses so..." Salvatore mumbled from behind her while he was wiping some tables clean.

A visible sweat drop rolled down Sylvia's cheeks as he slowly and carefully sets down the menu on the marble table before smoothing out the wrinkles on her dress.

It was now one past noon and customers had started pouring in. They were a mixed batch of returning customers and people that had heard of the place and wanted to try it out.

The first man was unfortunately part of the second group and Sylvia could only look at him in pity, yet it immediately changed to admiration the moment she gazed at Delta who was smiling naturally, she thinks, as she took the orders of another table.

"You know, I had my doubts on the nature of this cafe when I first got that flier and when I got here but it's not so bad." Sylvia giggled to herself while talking with Salvatore who had a smile of his own.

"Sorry about that again, I'm just trying to keep the place safe. It means a lot to me." Salvatore apologized with his back facing Sylvia who remained silent, not knowing what to say.

Just then, the overall peaceful atmosphere of the entire place shattered as the sound of a plate breaking caught everyone's attention as they all turn their gaze towards one of the customers who were gazing at a blue-haired waiter in fear.

"Hmm? What is it?" the waiter tried his best to act innocent and gaze at everyone with his purple orbs. Blood dripped from the knife he had on his hands as well as on the shards of the broken plate on the floor.

"D-Did he just assault a customer!" Sylvia shrieked as she took a step back. Her words caused a ripple amongst the guests as one by one they all began to mutter amongst them.

"I always knew two weeks without an accident is too much to ask." Dorotea mumbled with a deadpan while staring at the blue-haired waiter who kept up his facade.

"Oh Marco."

A sickeningly sweet voice echoed inside the room causing everyone to hear it feel pity for whoever the voice was directed at.

"W-wait, Delta I can explai—" the man's voice died out inside his throat as Delta delivered a swift strike at the back of his neck, causing his eyes to roll backwards as he fell to the ground with a thud.

"Don't mind us everyone, continue." Delta smiled at the guests and began dragging the unconscious body of the blue-haired waiter all the way back to the staff room.

"... She's cool as heck!" Sylvia muttered with stars sparkling inside her eyes and clutched at the helms of her skirt.

"... Did we even witness the same thing?" Dante mumbled nervously while walking over to the broken shards scattered across the floor and picked them up.

"What even happened?" Dorotea asked Delta who walked out of the staff room with a smile still plastered on her face.

"Marco thought it would be funny and cool for him to slice himself in front of a customer."

"Oh."

"Go figured."

"Well, that's just Marco being Marco."

'The heck? ' Sylvia thought to himself and frantically glanced at her co-workers as if asking them to repeat themselves.

' What's with the casual replies!? '

She thought to himself and even gazed at the customers who had went back to idly chatting amongst their peers as if they didn't hear what Delta had just said.

"Oh, Sylvia, right?"

"Hu- oh, yes ma'am!"

Sylvia immediately stood up straight and lowered her gaze as Delta casually walked towards her. Her apple-green eyes glistened underneath the afternoon sun as her steps made her dress fluttered in a way that it places Sylvia in a trance.

"Don't let this intimidate you, I assure you this doesn't always happen"

"Y-Yes ma'am! I'll make sure to work my best!"

"Fufu, I am sure Gamma would love to hear that." Delta giggled to herself and slowly walked away.

' Okay, this place might not be that bad. '

"She meant that this kind of thing isn't even the tip of the iceberg by the way." Salvatore mumbled with a deadpan from behind her making Sylvia break into cold sweat.