So, I forget to post yesterday's chapter. Apologize guys.
It's finally here. The definition of 'normal' for Ludwig and the customers of his restaurant was finally back.
The kitchen exploded into motion. Orders stacked faster than parchment could curl. Oils leapt as a new batch of fried chicken was dunked, Beef Chili soup was bubbling in the bowl, while fresh vegetables and seafood were turned into crispy bundles of tempura in tight cycles.
Ludwig moved through it all at the center, voice cutting clean through the clatter when it needed to, silent when it didn't.
"Finka, 3 more ales, please."
"Valerie, one serving of tempura and two servings of fried chicken, ready."
"Chef, Chili soup please."
The kitchen was thick with the scent of fried food and subtle heat. Sweat gathered at Ludwig temples, wiped away without thought. This wasn't stress. This was momentum. The kind of pressure that sharpened instead of crushed.
Plates went out in steady waves. To anyone else, it would've looked like chaos, but not to Ludwig. For him, it was a rinse and repeat. A routine with extra thinking and prioritizing.
When he finally looked up from the countertop, it was because the rhythm allowed him to.
His gaze drifted out past the bar.
The dining hall was full now. Tempest denizens sat shoulder to shoulder with humans, a little dragon, and a pair of cats. Their voices overlapped in a dozen tones. Orc laughter boomed from one table while a group of goblins leaned in close over shared plates. Few dragonewts from Tempest were perched on chairs not built for their wings and tail, something Ludwig took a note on for Greito to fix.
Valerie weaved through it all like she belonged there, trays balanced, smiles deployed even though it was not needed. Vilera followed with drinks and more food, unbothered by horns, scales, or tusks. Zhark helped where he was needed, else he just lingered at the edges, pretending to tidy while quietly keeping the peace.
At the bar, Ilea was mid-meal, already halfway through a spread that would've fed three people. Behind her, the group of Medic Sentinel had forgotten all their wariness, talking animatedly with each other while watching the room with careful interest
Lee Han sat farther down, enormous frame relaxed, Tempest folk gathered around him like they thought that was where they belonged.
A smile bloomed on Ludwig's face. Denizens of Tempest, an important driving force behind 'That time I got reincarnated as a slime' but never really got the spotlight they deserve as a whole.
But here, they were laughing, drinking, eating. Alive.
They were sitting side by side with people from another world. Heck, Ludwig now realized that anyone coming to this restaurant was from a story on Earth. At least from his Earth.
Even though he only knew two titles of the story so far, he was not bothered at all by it. After all, they would only keep their originality for a few visits to the restaurant. After a certain point, their story would change. Either in a soft way, through their horizon getting broadened, or through a hard way, which someone here pushed them to do something which they wouldn't do in the originals.
Just look at Hiruzen Sarutobi for example. He shouldn't be that brave if it's the canon of Naruto. Yet, he still raided this place, sat down to make a trade agreement, and signed a pact that heavily put Konoha in a weaker position.
It was a change brought by them just trading words with each other and Kushina coming to the restaurant regularly.
Ludwig exhaled slowly, the heat of the kitchen still clinging to him.
This was what normal meant for him. Not signing an agreement with a nation brave enough to raid his restaurant. Not talking with a walking disaster that controlled ashes, not touring other worlds, and of course not hearing and seeing his customer shaken.
He turned back to the big pot of Beef Chili soup as another order came in, hands already moving before the thought finished forming.
The rush wasn't slowing. And he wouldn't have it any other way.
The bell kept ringing.
In uneven intervals. Sometimes one chime, sometimes two back to back, sometimes a pause long enough to let Ludwig think the flow had finally eased only for another wave of orders to slam into the board.
"Three chili."
"Four desserts, did we have enough? Can we keep one for me?"
"One tempura, no shrimp."
"Another round of ale."
Ludwig acknowledged them all without looking up, except when Valerie wanted to keep one pudding tucked away in the corner, ladling soup with a steady hand, sliding bowls into place as Bilo took them and moved. The Beef Chili had thickened perfectly now, heat mellowed, spices layered instead of sharp. He adjusted the flame by instinct and wiped the rim of a bowl clean before passing it off.
Minutes blurred into a rhythm. And at some point, he realized the dining hall noise had become steadier. In other words, the peak was passing.
Ludwig straightened slightly, rolling his shoulders once as Finka slid past him to grab more plates.
When he took a second to breathe in, the restaurant whispered again. Then the bell finally rang. And from the door, Claire walked in.
But she's alone. A rare occurrence since Cless was always here with her every night, even sleeping here before Claire hauled her back to Ravenhall when she was finished talking and drinking.
Though it was not him who voiced it first.
"Oh, you are alone, Miss Claire? Where's Cless and Hedwig?" Valerie stopped midstep and bombard Claire with the question rather than the usual 'Welcome to Checkpoint' thingy.
She would get a smack from Vilera if she realized, Ludwig chuckled.
"Cless and Hedwig are at home, probably still talking with each other." Claire chuckled.
Valerie pouted at the answer. "Aww… I want to talk with Hedwig too."
"Aren't we all?" Claire chuckled.
Before the girl could say one more word, Vilera happened. "Valerie! Get moving. We still have food to serve!"
"Oh! Yessir." Vilera ran to the counter like a cat running from danger before hauling another load of foods and ale to the dining hall.
After laughing at the dynamics of the twin, Claire walked and sit next to Ilea, who was still eating. Yes, a few more foods were served to him. She was contributing to most of the chaos the kitchen was experiencing.
"Vilera, can I get a whiskey and two servings of skewers?" Claire said as soon as she sat.
"Sure, Miss Claire. Please wait a moment." Vilera took the order before shouting it back to the kitchen.
Ludwig moved closer to the bar, skewer was for either Bilo and Finka to make. He summoned a whiskey glass to his hand before pulling out the 'special' ice from his Storage Dimension and put it in the glass. Last but not least, a light brown liquid was poured into the glass from the bottle with red ornaments.
"Here you go." Ludwig said, putting down the whiskey in front of Claire.
Claire nodded. "Thanks."
Like her usual routine when coming to the restaurant, she swirled the ice inside a few times. The glass clinked due to the hit. Then, she pulled the glass close to her nose, sniffing it a few times before straight dunking the liquid inside into her throat.
Claire's face scrunching up a little, her mouth chapping. Ludwig took that opportunity to refill her glass. One more glass was never enough for her. Well, he knew that well himself.
"You are such an alcoholic." Ilea laughed as she saw Claire swirling her glass again.
Claire clicked her tongue and shot Ilea a sideways glance. "Says the woman who orders one of everything and still looks offended when the plates stop coming."
Ilea laughed, loud and unrestrained. "That's because stopping is a personal insult. Also…" Her eyes dropped briefly to the order slip Vilera had just brought back to the counter, "Two serving of skewers?"
Claire paused mid-swirl.
Ludwig raised an eyebrow, amused. He hadn't commented on it, but he had noticed too. Two skewers for Claire was… unusual. Not impossible, just never happened.
"Oh?" Ilea leaned closer, grin sharp. "Since when do you eat that much? Did you finally learn the joy of food?"
Claire snorted and took another sip, ignoring her for a moment. Then she set the glass down and exhaled. "Since my stomach started complaining if I don't."
That got both of them to look at her properly.
"…Complaining?" Ludwig repeated, tone light but attentive.
Claire nodded. "Yeah. I get hungry faster now. And not in the 'I skipped lunch' way." She flexed her fingers once, as if testing them. "More like… my body expects more fuel."
Ilea blinked, then laughed again. "Oh. Oh. You're serious."
"Unfortunately." Claire replied dryly. "I thought it was just an aftereffect after the evolution. But, it kept happening."
Ilea whistled. "Damn. Stronger body, bigger appetite. That tracks."
Claire gave her a flat look. "I am not turning into you."
Ilea grinned. "You already ordered two skewers. It's a start."
Ludwig chuckled. "If it helps, you're still nowhere near her level. Yet."
Claire groaned. "That's not comforting."
The skewers arrived a moment later, steam rising as Vilera set them down. Claire barely waited before taking one, biting into it with clear satisfaction. She paused, frowned, then took another bite like she was confirming something.
"…Yeah." She muttered. "Definitely worse."
Ilea rested her chin on her hand, watching her like a proud menace. "Welcome to the club. The next step is ordering dessert before dinner ends."
"Don't push it."
Ludwig refilled Claire's glass again, smaller this time. "If your metabolism has adjusted to your new state, you'll need it. Food, rest, the usual. Power likes maintenance."
Claire nodded, more serious now. "I figured. But, that's not the problem."
She took another bite, chewed, then swallowed slowly.
Her eyes then lifted to Ludwig. It's not sharp and not playful.
It's focused.
"…That's not why I came." She said.
Ludwig sensed it at the moment. The thing Ilea talked about earlier had come. If it's not about her appetite which was increasing, then it should be worse. And he was not ready for another headache.
Ludwig sighed and opened his mouth. "I heard you said it this morning. And Ilea also told me earlier. What kind of trouble do you want to get me involved in?"
Claire didn't answer immediately as the noise of the restaurant seemed to pull back just a little.
She took another bite of the skewer, slower this time. Chewed. Swallowed. Then she lifted her glass again, rolling the ice once before taking a careful sip instead of her usual bold gulp.
That alone was enough to tell Ludwig this wasn't casual.
Ilea noticed too. Her grin faded. Not completely, but enough to shift into something watchful. She leaned back against the bar, arms folding loosely, giving Claire space without stepping away.
Claire's fingers tapped once against the glass.
"Say… Can you open the restaurant early in the morning every day for me?"
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