The first sale of the ‘Dessert Research Club,’ which started at lunchtime, didn’t end until late in the afternoon.
“Haaaa—”
Everyone let out a deep sigh.
It was really tough, after all.
Of course, cheers soon erupted.
“One thousand! We sold so many! I can’t believe we sold all that!”
Lina shouted, her face full of smiles.
Lina had played a significant role in gathering the customers for the first sale, so she must have felt the pressure.
Every time he made and stacked the snowflake fruits, Lina would worry, “Ian, I don’t think I can gather this many people. I’ll try my best, though!” or “I don’t have that many friends.”
Outsiders would have been shocked to hear Lina’s concerns.
Sure, the initial free samples we handed out helped a lot, but Lina’s network also did an amazing job.
“To be precise, it’s 1,312! Sister Elena! I sold them with great dedication to Deus!”
“Clean the sugar off your mouth before you talk, Nyah. I saw you sneaking tomatoes!”
“That, that was an unavoidable choice because my sugar level dropped…!”
Danya and Elena were also happy with the results.
Well, it’s natural to feel a sense of accomplishment with a perfect sell-out like this.
Ian didn’t even remember how many times he used mana until he was completely drained. Without Danya’s ‘Snow Flowers,’ it would’ve been impossible.
“Alright, everyone did a great job. Danya, Lina, Elena, thank you all for your hard work.”
“Nyaa!”
“Yes, hehe!”
“Of course!”
Their expressions showed joy, but their voices were weak.
The way their words trailed off indicated how exhausted they were.
Ian smiled and said,
“How about we go for a company dinner?… No, wait.”
Isn’t this a typical boss comment?
He was surprised at himself.
If they’re tired, they should naturally go home and rest…
“Company dinner? What’s that, Nyah?”
“I’ve heard of it. It’s a ritual where high-ranking priests treat their subordinates to a meal for their hard work!”
“Wow, Ian, are you treating us to dinner? Hehe! I’m so glad to have such a great boss!”
Hmm. Ian guessed his worries were unnecessary.
“Of course. Today, we’re going to the most expensive place in Lichten.”
“Wow!”
Amidst the mixed cheers, they headed to the academy’s east gate.
A street lined with luxurious stores and guilds.
Danya mumbled, feeling somewhat intimidated.
“It’s my first time here, Nyah…”
Lina, echoing her.
“I’ve been here before, but I always just window-shopped… It’s too expensive here.”
East Street of Lichten. As they said, this street was defined by ‘luxury’ and ‘high-end.’
The main clientele were nobles from Lichten, but mainly the high-born students from the academy.
After all, those who casually bought 10-silver snowflake fruits if they tasted good could afford such things.
The spending here was on a different level.
As they walked further, getting away from the luxury and high-end areas, Danya sidled up to Ian and whispered.
“But, won’t we go bankrupt from buying food here? You said we’re going to the most expensive place.”
She glanced at Elena, who was already drooling.
“Did I say the most expensive place?”
“You did, Nyah.”
“That was a slip of the tongue. I meant a place that will become the most expensive.”
“…?”
They walked quite a bit in East Street, heading into an alley.
When they were far enough from the luxury and high-end areas, they saw their destination.
[Restaurant Esmé]
“This is our dinner spot.”
“It’s different from what I imagined based on your description…! The building is quite old, is this really the most expensive place?”
Ian explained to the puzzled Elena.
“Not the most expensive, but it will be.”
“…Huh?”
“The chef here is the best in Lichten. And, believe it or not, this is still a high-end restaurant.”
Unlike the cheap snack bars.
“Then I’m satisfied!”
Elena beamed.
For such a tiny body, she sure was obsessed with food.
Of course, neither Lina nor Danya were particularly concerned about appearances. That’s why Ian brought them here.
“Ian, if you say so, I’m excited.”
“Of course. You can expect great things.”
There aren’t many times you can eat a meal by such a talented chef without a reservation.
‘Restaurant Esmé’
This place would eventually grow to become one of the top three restaurants in the Empire, purely through its exceptional skill.
Its owner and head chef, Chef Esmé, possessed overwhelming culinary talent.
“So today, let’s eat as much as we want.”
With that confident declaration, Ian opened the door and entered the restaurant.
However, he couldn’t help but stop in his tracks, taken aback.
Inside was an unwelcome guest.
“Oh my. Ian, it’s been a while.”
Golden hair as if spun from pure gold.
Graceful movements befitting a noblewoman.
A soft face with a smiling expression.
And golden eyes that shone like coins.
“Emilia Raymond. What are you doing here?”
◆
“Oh my, is there any reason I shouldn’t be here?”
Hehehe.
She laughed softly, covering her mouth.
“It’s nice to see you again, Ian.”
Nice to see him?
From Ian’s perspective, and likely Pongpong’s as well, there was no reason for them to be pleased to see each other.
Between being exploited and abandoned.
That was the relationship between Pongpong and Emilia.
“After that, you haven’t visited our trading company. I was disappointed. You must have been very busy.”
Her infinitely kind-seeming greeting was, in reality, far from friendly if one considered their past relationship.
It felt more like she was mocking him.
“I came here to eat, so we’ll talk later.”
“Oh, am I interrupting? Of course. I’m busy too.”
Surprisingly, she stepped back easily.
Her compliance made Ian uneasy.
Who knew what she was plotting?
At least in the game, Emilia was smart enough to be used as a strategist.
Ian led his group to a table.
They sat at a distance where they could still see and hear Emilia’s interactions.
She was talking with the restaurant’s owner, Esmé.
— The collaboration will greatly benefit the restaurant. Just changing the exterior will make a noticeable difference…
Hmm.
So, she came here to invest.
As expected, she had a nose for opportunities.
— I told you already, I’m not interested in investments. Please leave.
Ian couldn’t help but smile at the chef’s response.
“Why are you smiling, Brother?”
“Oh, nothing. Just keep looking at the menu.”
Emilia’s presentation was impressive, even to Ian.
Yet, the chef’s firm rejection without even considering it was refreshing.
— I only collaborate with someone who has cooking skills equal to mine. The same goes for investments.
— But without expansion, your restaurant won’t grow.
— My priority is not to make the restaurant bigger, but to focus solely on cooking. Please leave now. The customers at that table are waiting.
Thanks to the chef pointing in his direction, Ian made eye contact with Emilia.
What expression did he have?
Probably a smile.
— I apologize. I’ll visit again.
Tap.
With a click of her heels, Emilia left the restaurant.
No, she turned around and walked back.
Approaching Ian, she whispered.
“Ian, we seem to run into each other quite often these days.”
Before he could respond, Emilia glanced over his companions, as if assessing their capabilities.
“I look forward to seeing your performance in the Aether Promotion Evaluation.”
With those meaningful words, Emilia finally left.
◆
Surprisingly, no special feelings arose.
Emilia Raymond.
Simply not encountering her for a while had been half a success in itself.
Her specific mention of the Aether Promotion was a bit concerning, but Ian felt he could handle it.
‘I’ll be getting some items soon.’
He planned to invest all the gold they earned into a ‘Mystery Box’ as soon as they returned to the club room.
That would naturally guarantee some good equipment.
There was no point in worrying too much about future events.
Even if Emilia was the only heroine who had the talent to be admitted to the academy as an Aether.
“… Ian, are you okay?”
“Huh?”
Danya’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
Did he look worried?
Danya was staring at him with a concerned expression.
“Oh. I was just thinking for a moment.”
“Is there something serious going on?”
“No. Let’s order quickly. The tomato dishes here are delicious. You and Elena should try the pasta, risotto, or lasagna.”
In this world, tomatoes weren’t widely used as a cooking ingredient.
Restaurant Esmé was one of the few places where one could enjoy tomato dishes.
That was one reason Ian had chosen it for their celebratory dinner.
“… We already ordered, and the food is here, Nyah.”
Ian looked down.
A perfectly cooked steak was elegantly plated before him.
Elena was already diving into her pasta, her face practically buried in the dish.
“Oh. I didn’t notice.”
“What were you thinking about, Nyah?”
Danya squinted at him.
Ian smoothly changed the subject.
“Let’s eat. It looks delicious.”
Danya’s eyes narrowed further, but then she pouted slightly.
“Do you always worry about yourself alone? Don’t you?”
She muttered before taking a bite of her risotto.
Her previously pouty expression brightened immediately.
“… It’s delicious!”
“Isn’t it?”
“Yes! I’m willing to forgive you this time, Nyah!”
“That’s a relief.”
Ian smiled as he began to cut his steak.
Slice, slice—
Juices flowed as the knife cut through the tender meat.
Just as he was about to take a bite, his vision widened, taking in his surroundings.
“Lina! You have sauce on your nose!”
Lina laughed and wiped the tomato sauce from Elena’s nose with her finger while eating her salad.
“Hold on!”
Elena playfully licked Lina’s finger in response.
“Yum!”
Danya smiled with her eyes closed, savoring a spoonful of risotto.
Taking a bite of his juicy steak against this cheerful backdrop, Ian felt certain.
“This is it.”
It seems this possession was not all that bad.
