When El-Melloi II said that, everyone turned toward him.
He cleared his throat softly before speaking in a calm, measured voice.
"My guess is that nothing serious will happen."
He was referring to the question they had been discussing earlier: what would happen when different timelines crossed inside the restaurant.
His answer drew a range of reactions, but Gilgamesh's was by far the most obvious.
The arrogant King of Heroes frowned, looking both doubtful and thoughtful at the same time.
After a brief silence, he stared directly at El-Melloi II, his expression unusually serious.
"Why do you believe that? Do you have any evidence?"
El-Melloi II lowered his chin slightly and glanced toward Yuto.
Yuto did not understand the meaning behind that look at first, but a moment later, El-Melloi II continued.
"Of course I have a reason for thinking so."
He folded his arms, his face focused and solemn.
"Oh?"
Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes, studying him closely.
Ignoring the scrutiny, El-Melloi II turned toward Yuto.
"Boss, do you remember what I told you after you took everyone into my world's past and dealt with the Matou family?"
Yuto raised his brows slightly.
He had not expected the discussion to involve him.
He carefully thought back to what had happened.
Hestia had destroyed the Matou family with a single attack, and everyone had been delighted.
At the time, no one had stopped to consider what their actions might do to the timeline or whether they could change the future.
Yet afterward, nothing unusual seemed to have happened.
The more Yuto thought about it, the more his expression changed.
He remembered what El-Melloi II had told him later. Although he could no longer recall every detail, he still remembered the general idea.
Their actions had not changed El-Melloi II's world.
Instead, some unseen force had corrected the altered course of history.
And the force El-Melloi II had been referring to was...
The restaurant.
Somehow, the restaurant's mysterious power had restored the timeline they had changed.
"Do you understand what I mean now, Boss?"
When El-Melloi II saw Yuto's confusion turn into realization, he knew the answer.
Yuto nodded thoughtfully.
"You mean the restaurant?"
A slight smile appeared on El-Melloi II's lips.
Even Iskandar seemed to understand now.
Gilgamesh, however, had no idea what they were talking about, and irritation quickly appeared on his face.
"Enough with these riddles! Explain it clearly to this king!"
He snapped at El-Melloi II, his patience obviously wearing thin.
Being the only person who did not understand made him feel foolish, and for someone as proud as Gilgamesh, that was completely unacceptable.
"Hmph. You started visiting the restaurant much later than the rest of us, so naturally there are many things you don't know."
El-Melloi II was only stating a fact.
Unfortunately, his tone made it sound like a deliberate insult.
Gilgamesh's eye twitched.
He had clearly reached the edge of his patience.
Just before the King of Heroes exploded, El-Melloi II finally began explaining.
He had judged the timing perfectly.
As much as he enjoyed irritating Gilgamesh, he knew better than to push him too far.
After hearing the entire story, Gilgamesh fell silent and considered it carefully.
"If we follow that reasoning, then your theory does seem plausible."
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Gilgamesh already knew the restaurant was strange and mysterious.
Although he had not yet discovered the true limits of its power, he had to admit that it was the most extraordinary place he had ever encountered.
The fact that it connected completely different worlds had already shocked him in secret, and that was only one of its abilities.
El-Melloi II's theory was built around the restaurant itself. He believed its mysterious power would correct any problems caused by different timelines meeting.
His experience with Sakura and the Matou family had given him the idea.
The longer Gilgamesh considered it, the more reasonable it seemed.
Excitement slowly rose within him, and he turned toward Yuto.
Now he wanted an answer directly from the restaurant's owner.
Unfortunately, the response he received was not what he had hoped for.
"What do you think, Kamisaka?"
Gilgamesh looked at him expectantly, clearly believing he was moments away from hearing some satisfying truth.
Yuto's answer immediately froze his expression.
"Well... can I say that I don't know?"
Yuto smiled awkwardly.
Gilgamesh stared at him in disbelief, his whole face going stiff.
"You are the owner, yet you do not understand your own restaurant?"
"Does being the owner mean I have to understand everything?"
Gilgamesh fell silent.
He could not seem to find a reply.
A helpless smile appeared on Yuto's face.
Of course he knew the restaurant was mysterious.
He was also aware of the strange power El-Melloi II had described, and he suspected it was connected to the same force that usually adjusted people's memories and perceptions.
He had been running the restaurant for more than two months now.
No, it was nearly three.
During that time, he had witnessed many impossible things, and they surprised him just as much as they surprised everyone else.
Even so, he rarely tried to discover why they happened.
He simply did not feel the need.
He had already died once.
Only because of the restaurant had he been given another chance at life, along with a peaceful and fulfilling existence he never could have imagined before.
People often said that facing life and death changed the way a person saw the world.
Yuto would not claim to have reached some profound state of enlightenment, but he had still learned things his former self might never have understood.
His life was already this wonderful.
Why should he obsess over mysteries that offered him nothing he truly needed?
As for the restaurant, he did not understand the truth behind it.
But so what?
It had already given him a life anyone would envy. What right did he have to demand more?
Since the restaurant had chosen him as its owner, he would simply do his job properly.
Since he had been given another chance to live, he would treasure it.
Everything else could reveal itself in time.
Deep down, he believed that he would eventually learn the restaurant's secrets.
It just was not the right moment yet.
He also trusted one thing completely.
The restaurant would never harm him.
That belief came from somewhere deep inside him.
Perhaps it was instinct, or perhaps it was a quiet message from somewhere beyond his understanding.
"Still, I think everything should be fine."
Seeing Gilgamesh's frozen expression, Yuto could not help trying to reassure him.
The king had looked so excited that leaving him with nothing felt almost cruel.
Gilgamesh's expression softened slightly, though much of his earlier excitement had already disappeared.
Yuto's uncertainty had clearly dealt him a heavy blow.
"Truly?"
Gilgamesh asked again, sounding far less confident than usual.
"Mm."
Yuto nodded.
El-Melloi II's explanation was only a theory, but Yuto believed it made sense.
The entire idea was based on the restaurant, and Yuto had no objection to that.
Because just like El-Melloi II, he trusted the restaurant.
Gilgamesh's face brightened again after receiving that reassurance.
Everyone watched his changing expression with curiosity.
Why was the King of Heroes so concerned about this question?
He definitely had another reason.
But they also knew that even if they asked, Gilgamesh would never tell them.
They would simply have to wait until he decided to speak on his own.
"By the way, Gilgamesh, Kaguya has finished arranging the weapons. I'll collect them tomorrow, so they should be ready for you by tomorrow night."
Yuto brought up the matter Kaguya had messaged him about earlier.
The moment serious business was mentioned, Gilgamesh's expression became solemn.
Solving the weapon shortage was extremely important to him.
The people of Uruk might all be brave and capable fighters, but close combat against the Demonic Beasts still caused terrible casualties.
With the support of modern weapons, the pressure on Uruk's defensive line would ease considerably.
Of course, ordinary modern weapons alone would not be enough.
The Demonic Beasts had been created by a goddess. If guns were going to harm them properly, they would need some additional modifications.
That part would be Gilgamesh's responsibility.
"Good. Excellent! With these weapons, the people of Uruk will suffer far fewer losses."
Gilgamesh looked directly at Yuto.
"Kamisaka, as king, I thank you for your help. Your actions will save the lives of countless citizens of Uruk."
"I will therefore reward you in my capacity as king. You may make one reasonable request of me. As long as it is within my power, this king will grant it."
He spoke with complete seriousness.
Gilgamesh might usually appear arrogant, but Uruk and its people always came first in his heart.
Anything that helped the city or protected its citizens received his full attention.
Otherwise, he would never have exhausted himself reviewing policies and handling government affairs every day.
The Gilgamesh of this era was no longer the reckless and cruel ruler he had once been.
Yuto was not used to seeing him act so solemnly.
He smiled and waved one hand.
"There's no need to make such a big deal out of it. It was only a small favor, so don't worry about it."
Gilgamesh immediately shook his head.
"No. This king has spoken, and I will not take back my word!"
Yuto paused before reluctantly accepting.
However, he did not make a request yet.
Once everything had been settled, Gilgamesh visibly relaxed.
The shortage of weapons had weighed heavily on him, so his relief was understandable.
During the conversation that followed, he never mentioned the earlier topic again. It was almost as though his excitement had never existed.
No one deliberately brought it up either.
Yuto was curious to see how long Gilgamesh could hold out before speaking on his own.
He did not believe the king's earlier excitement had been fake. Gilgamesh was clearly hiding something and stubbornly refusing to say it.
The longer the proud King of Heroes kept it to himself, the more curious Yuto became.
Even so, Yuto had no intention of asking first.
This had become a contest of patience.
And he was confident he would not lose to Gilgamesh.
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