Chapter 397: The Officers' Ordering Dilemma
A sharp hiss of pressurized air shot from Vi's gauntlets as the locking mechanisms disengaged. But just as they loosened, a sly grin spread across her face. She thought of something better. Extending both hands towards Ren, she presented the massive steel fists as if offering a gift.
Ren simply smiled back. This enforcer certainly had a playful streak.
He reached out. Vi's grin widened, and then she let go, allowing both multi-ton gauntlets to drop. With a casualness that defied physics, Ren caught them in one hand each, not even shifting his stance. The metal didn't so much as clink.
"It seems your strength is quite impressive after all," he commented, his smile never wavering.
Vi flexed her now-bare arms, the pale, toned muscle a stark contrast to the memory of the hulking metal that had encased them. She dragged a hand down her face, a low groan of disbelief escaping her lips. "I'm not even surprised anymore," she muttered. "You're a complete monster."
"I've heard that from a few people," Ren mused, tilting his head. "Usually the ones I've defeated... but we generally become good friends afterward. Why don't you two figure out what you'd like to eat? I'll go put your equipment away."
As he walked off, Vi collapsed into a nearby chair, the plush seat a welcome comfort. She let out a long sigh. "Caitlyn," she said, draping an arm over the back of the chair and crossing her legs. "You could have told me the handsome owner was this strong. I get the feeling you set me up on purpose."
Caitlyn shot her a look, her posture as prim and proper as ever. "Vi, I feel like you're the one who does things on purpose! I have been telling you that this 'bad man' is powerful for the last eight months!"
Vi grumbled, "Then why did you tell him to be careful just now?"
Caitlyn's eye twitched. "I was warning you to be careful!"
A corner of Vi's mouth quirked up. "Alright, alright, I get it," she conceded. "But your 'bad boy' is... well, he's something else. That man is far too strong. I'm actually looking forward to seeing what kind of food a person like that can make."
"What do you mean, 'my' bad boy?" Caitlyn huffed, a faint blush on her cheeks. "I still want to arrest him, that much is certain."
Vi's smile was knowing. "But the man hasn't broken any laws. And more, this isn't our world, is it?"
"If I didn't know you so well," Caitlyn said with a sigh, "I'd almost think you were developing feelings for this 'bad boy' yourself."
Vi paused, giving the thought genuine consideration. "He's the first man to ever beat me with his fists, and he did it without breaking a sweat. He also said my gauntlets were unique," she mused. "But the key is... he's the first person who saw me as a woman. I wouldn't call it a crush, but I've got some goodwill toward him. He seems like someone I could be friends with."
Caitlyn believed every word. Vi was a volatile soul, but she was also surprisingly earnest. As one of her few true friends, Caitlyn knew her better than anyone. Vi didn't lie; she was a straight shooter who said what was on her mind, even if it was often wrapped in a layer of sarcasm.
Seated at a nearby table, Lucifer delicately picked at a fruit salad, a playful glint in her eyes. These two "cops" were interesting, a different flavor of chaos from Jinx. They were the clumsy, straightforward type. 'Yes,'she thought,'this is how law enforcement should be.'
It wasn't about how beautiful they were, but about having a proper set of values, a genuine sense of justice. Thinking of that scoundrel Akoya Seishu made her lip curl in disgust. Lucifer wished she could drag Justice over here right now and have her smack the man into oblivion. Utterly revolting.
When Ren returned, having stored away Caitlyn's rifle and Vi's gauntlets, the two women were still chatting. "So," he said softly, his voice pulling them from their conversation, "have you two decided what you'd like to eat?"
Caitlyn considered for a moment before producing a small, leather pouch that jingled with the sound of coins. "What can this get us?"
In truth, she could have produced a much larger bag; she had come prepared. Ren sighed gently, taking the pouch. He loosened the drawstring, tipped out a single gold coin, and pushed the rest back toward her. "Actually," he explained, "this one coin is enough for you to have a very luxurious meal. And not just one."
Caitlyn let out a soft breath. "I did prepare quite a bit. It seems my assumption was correct... eating here isn't expensive."
Vi nodded, leaning forward. "Definitely not expensive, Cupcake. Looks like I won't get a chance to take you for all you're worth today."
A small smile touched Caitlyn's lips. "But every coin we save can go toward getting more upgrades for your new motorcycle, right?"
"You've got a point," Vi admitted. "But do you even know what to order? I have no idea what people eat here."
Caitlyn froze. A look of awkward realization dawned on her face. "Actually... I don't know either," she said, turning to Ren. "Bad boy, do you have any recommendations?"
Ren sighed, a hint of amusement in his tone. "If that's the case, you might be facing a challenge. The variety of cuisine in my world is... incredibly vast."
Vi, already intrigued by this strange new place, leaned in further, her eyes wide with anticipation. "How vast? A few hundred dishes? It can't be more than a thousand, right?"
Caitlyn nodded in agreement. In their world, if you counted every dish from the common street stalls to the high tables of the nobility, you'd only get a few hundred distinct recipes. That was already a staggering amount. She assumed other regions had their own foods, but there had to be a limit.
Looking at the two women's expectant faces, Ren couldn't help but feel a little helpless. "There's no definite number. Chinese cuisine alone has countless dishes. There are eight major culinary traditions, countless minor ones, folk recipes, pastries, drinks... the list is endless. And that's just one country. There are many other great culinary traditions in the world, like French cuisine, and each of those contains multitudes."
Vi swallowed hard. "This... could a person even eat all of that in one lifetime?"
Ren shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. It's considered an impressive feat if someone manages to eat their way through just two of the major traditions in their lifetime. We often get people here who declare they'll try every delicacy in the world. They usually end up regretting that ambition."
"Why?" Caitlyn asked, confused.
"They usually choose to start with China," Ren explained with another sigh. "Many of them never make it out of the first three provinces. Not only do they keep discovering new things they've never eaten, but some dishes are so good they can't bring themselves to leave. Their grand ambitions crumble right there."
Vi put a hand to her head. "I've never felt that ordering food was such a complicated matter."
Caitlyn nodded, a small headache forming behind her eyes.
"How about this," Ren offered with a gentle smile. "I highly recommend Chinese food. Do you have any preferred flavors? I heard from Jinx that your world has the sensation of spiciness."
Vi's eyes lit up. "Uh... I want meat! Something with a strong, stimulating flavor. And something that goes well with alcohol!"
"Vi!" Caitlyn immediately interjected. "You're not on vacation! How can you drink?"
"Caitlyn, what's rattling around in that head of yours?" Vi shot back irritably. "Did you forget? You got us leave. And if I recall, you never specified exactly when we had to be back. So what are you afraid of? Didn't Jinx say she's too lazy to cause any trouble for a while?"
Caitlyn sighed in defeat. "Alright, alright... In that case, I'll have... one meat and one vegetarian dish. And... is there any alcohol that I can drink? You should know what I mean, bad boy."
"Of course, I understand. And for the flavor?"
"Hmm... I'd also like something with a strong flavor... one strong and one light, I suppose. And could you bring us some fruit as well?"
"Certainly. Please wait a moment," Ren said, turning to leave. "And if you have hats, you can set them aside."
Caitlyn was just about to remove her tall top hat when Ren's voice, now laced with a teasing warmth, stopped her.
"Little Cops..."
Her hand froze mid-air. Her entire body went rigid. "Wh-what is it?" she asked, her voice a blank squeak.
"About that 'bad boy' nickname..." Ren said, a smile audible in his voice. "I don't really approve of it. If you don't believe me, you can ask Lucifer. I'm sure Lucifer wouldn't play any tricks, right?"
Lucifer's elegant posture stiffened. She froze, a piece of fruit halfway to her lips. After a moment of stunned silence, she swallowed and let out a sharp, indignant little "Hmph!"
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