Chapter 2: Part 1

Isekai Restaurant

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 2: Curses and Exorcism

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- Silas -

I looked at the crowd gathered in my small Restaurant with a growing satisfaction.

A small group of regular customers came to my Restaurant. Some of them were oddballs while some had become good friends with me. 

For example, right now, when the rush hour had ended and I was sitting with some of my regulars, playing games.

"Heal me, heal me." Suzuki shouted while Saitama rushed in to attack the other team.

I cast a low heal on Suzuki's character, Momonga and threw in two buffs to reduce physical and magical damage later.

Our last team member, Mikami, tanked attacks meant for me.

Suzuki finished conjuring his spell and landed a massive AoE on the opponent team, clearing them all.

"Yeahhh!"

We cheered at our victory.

The crowd gathered behind us did the same.

The whole place had become almost like a close-knit family.

At one corner, Touma, Miu and Naruto were training under the guidance of Hayato who was drinking tea with the rest of the old men.

The three cheered at our victory and were quickly rewarded with a bash on their heads by the old man, making all of them return back to their forms with a bump on each of their heads.

I got up and let the three play the rest, passing by Naruto and brushing his hair lightly, earning a smile from the boy.

"How are you liking your new home, Naruto?"

"It's awesome. Everyone is very good to me. Apachai is fun to play around with. Pervy-sensei is funny. Shigure Nee-san teaches me how to throw Kunai and said she will even teach me how to use a sword and Miu Nee-san makes really good food. Although Akisame-sensei's lessons are hard, he is really good." He shouted excitedly, telling me about everyone in the Dojo.

It has been two weeks since he was adopted by Hayato-san and the guy has been nothing but happy. It was a drastic change from the kid who couldn't even believe that I would feed him in my Restaurant. The kid got a proper haircut and a change of clothes and looked like a completely different person with the confidence he had now.

"Yes. All the Masters at the Dojo like Naruto-kun a lot. He has even been able to keep up with training many adults cannot. In fact, Grandpa found that he has an insane amount of Ki and can become a very great Martial Artist, even a Legendary Master like Grandpa." Miu said.

"I will totally become a legendary Master. dattebayo!" The boy in question shouted with excitement, making me smile.

"You sure will. But you need to study and train properly for that."

"Umm."

As we were talking, the door to the Restaurant opened once again and another familiar face came in.

"Welcome Sakura-san."

"Hello, Silas-san."

Sakura Matou, another one of our regular customers, always came to the Restaurant. She liked to watch the new people come to the Restaurant and listen about their worlds.

The girl was very polite and liked by everyone in the Restaurant because of her attitude.

Being of similar age to Miu, they sometimes talked with each other.

Still… I don't know why, but there was something odd about the girl. It was just a feeling but it always looked like she was sad when she was alone.

Although when talking with everyone here, she smiled and looked quite happy. So, I didn't mind when she came here and spent time with everyone.

Today however something strange happened.

There was a knock on the door.

I looked out but couldn't see anyone so I went ahead and opened the door… and froze at the sight in front of me.

"What happened, Silas?"

I heard a voice behind me.

Mikami, the owner of the voice came beside me and froze similarly at the sight in front of us.

"Eh, what's going on?" Naruto came from the back.

I shook awake from my shock and tried to stop him but he had already stepped out. 

"Woah. So cool!"

"Look out!" I said but Naruto was already jumping around and looking at the being in front of us.

A Dragon.

It was a fucking dragon.

"Nii-san. There is a sword on its back. It's hurt."

The little guy was much faster than me and was already on top of the dragon and pulled out the sword before I could say anything.

By now the other patrons of the Restaurant had arrived as well.

"This is…"

"Oh my."

The Dragon looked in pain and somehow, I could see a ton of emotions in its eyes. It was as if it understood everything.

I decided to try my luck. "Do you understand us?"

It didn't answer but just looked at us.

"We don't wish to hurt you."

And yet there was no answer.

So I decided to take a different approach.

"Don't hurt it." I ordered.

Saitama and the rest were waiting in alert to respond to any action from the said dragon.

I quickly went inside the Restaurant and bought a Cheese Rabbit, a hundred and eighty kilogram monstrosity. I couldn't buy the entire thing but still got a sizable chunk of it.

Outside, the whole Restaurant had gathered around the Dragon by now.

It didn't hurt anyone, thankfully.

The old guys as well as the Masters of Ryozanpaku were surrounding it. Hayato and Issac were checking its injury.

Naruto was playing around it.

The Dragon seemed to be in pain but didn't make any kind of moves.

I carried the meat to it and kept it in front of it. "Here. Have something to eat. You must be exhausted with such an injury on your back." I said and it looked at me.

"Umm Nii-san makes the best food I have ever eaten. Go on. Eat it."

It smelled the food once and then gave it a light lick before taking a bite and just like that, in a matter of moments, the entire thing disappeared.

Over the next few hours, everyone stayed there, around the dragon, till it was time for me to close the Restaurant.

I bought another slab of meat for it. "You can eat this if you feel hungry."

"Bye Dragon-san. Get healed up soon and play again tomorrow. By the way, my name is Naruto Uzumaki and I am going to be a Legendary Master dattebayo."

….

I don't think it understood what a Legendary Master means, Naruto.

We left the Dragon resting there in peace and closed the door to the Restaurant.

"Are you sure you will be alright, Silas?" Mikami asked.

Saitama waited too.

The guy had been losing his hair due to training and seemed more… muted nowadays. We have been trying to cheer him up with different things.

Today's gaming session was the same.

"Hmm. I will be alright. I can manage as long as anything is in the Restaurant."

"Take care of yourself. If you need any help, feel free to call any of us."

"Sure." I replied feeling warm at their words.

Really. Life has never been the same since I got this Restaurant. 

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It was the next morning and I decided to get to my morning routine.

Generally, I made snacks and put up a small stall in front of my Restaurant to sell them since none of the people in the neighbourhood could find my Restaurant.

Many of them had asked me and I chose this method.

Even the cheapest of stuff from my System was a delicacy for the people of the world and my cooking was nothing to scoff at either.

I opened my stall and sure enough one after another, customers started coming one by one.

Some of the customers were regular faces and some were new.

It was the early hours and people generally came to get something for their bentos.

And today too, two such students were running in a hurry.

"Tobi-kun, wait a minute. Let's get something to eat from here. Okaa-sama was sick this morning so I couldn't make bento." A girl said to the boy beside her as she stopped in front of my store.

The girl had brown hair and green eyes while the boy had black hair and black eyes.

"I didn't know there was a store here. Did you open this recently? I don't think I have seen you here before."

"Yes. It's been two weeks. I just moved in recently. My name is Silas by the way."

"Tobio Ikuse. Nice to meet you." The boy greeted.

"My name is Sae Toujou. Nice to meet you too Silas-san."

"Would you like to try something? There are some pieces for the free trial."

"Eh… thank you."

They took a bit of the karaage I had made with a little hesitation and their faces lit up.

"This is amazing, Silas-san." the girl, Sae exclaimed. The boy didn't say anything but his reaction said it all.

The two ordered two bentos and left in a hurry for school. 

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"And you know what, she totally meant that I wouldn't get married. That bitch! *Hick* Did she mean I am old?"

I smiled awkwardly as I placed a plate of tempura in front of her.

The lady in front of me was a new customer.

Shizuka Hiratsuka is a teacher at a nearby school. She had come in an hour ago and ordered some alcohol for herself.

Today was Saturday and tomorrow was her day off so she was here to drink today.

It's just that… she was a bad drunk.

"You are still young, right Mikami?" I called for help from Mikami who looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

Mikami had brought along his junior who was here to… well show off his girlfriend. Mikami had ordered sake to drown his sorrows of being single, and I, being his friend, helped him out by bringing out an expensive bottle of wine since it was his junior who was paying.

"Thirty year aged Wine bottle. 150,000 yen only. Your junior wouldn't want his girlfriend to have anything less, right?" I gave him a smile. It took him a moment to understand and when he did, an evil smile came over the normally gentle guy's face.

"Yes yes. They are a couple in love. People like those should…"

"DIE. The fools like those who show off their love in front of others, loving the fact that others have been busy with their lives and haven't had the chance to find someone good yet and that they are growing old with each passing day. People like those… they should all die." Shizuka muttered.

… I don't think that should happen.

"Well not die exactly but going into debt and crying as their girlfriend leaves them is also good." She continued.

….

This woman was quite vindictive.

"I like the second option more. I can then bring him here again and have him pay for the sake while I listen to his sob story with some tempura and wine which he pays for." Mikami continued.

"Hehehehe."

"Hahahaha."

"Hehehehe."

"Hahahaha."

….

These two… they were getting along quite well.

"Would you like to come along for a drink? My junior has come here to brag about his girlfriend and is paying the bills." He showed her the bottle and gave her the same grin I gave him.

"Oh… is that so? Then let's rui… I mean congratulate him for this." She got up from her seat with a smile.

As I saw them walk to the seat where his junior was waiting, only one thought went through my head.

Did Mikami just pick up a girl?