"Oh yeah, where did Riddle and Eurystheus go?"
Shirakawa and Jora walked down the street together. Having no one watching them felt truly comfortable, easy, and free.
"No clue. Haven't seen them since we split up. But I get the feeling Eurystheus will be a bit more cautious. Riddle's probably off goofing around somewhere."
"Haha, if that's the case, Riddle better watch his back. We did just take out their boss, after all."
"You hungry?" Shirakawa spotted a restaurant beside them. Glancing at the time, he figured it was nearly evening. Jora was probably hungry by now.
"I'm okay. But if you're hungry, Captain, we can grab a bite inside."
"Alright." Shirakawa himself didn't get hungry, but eating was one of the primary ways to replenish stamina. If he went too long without food, he wouldn't starve to death, but he would eventually fall into a deep, prolonged sleep.
Shirakawa led Jora into the small eatery. The place wasn't big, but it felt incredibly cozy. The decor gave off the feeling of eating a meal at home.
"I really like places like this."
The moment they stepped inside, Shirakawa said to Jora.
It had been a long time since he'd experienced the feeling of eating at home. He was always eating on the ship, staring at the same unchanging ocean view.
"Me too." Jora also glanced around the space and nodded.
The restaurant was small, yet packed with customers. Even though it was completely full, it didn't feel cramped or crowded.
Most of the diners were families of three. A father, a mother, and their child.
"Hello, welcome! Please, come right this way."
A gentle voice rang out beside them, carrying a sunny warmth. It was the kind of voice that made you think the speaker must be an exceptionally cheerful person.
Shirakawa and Jora naturally turned to look at the source of the voice, and both of them froze for a moment.
Shirakawa hadn't expected to run into someone this handsome here. Though still a notch below himself, of course.
But Jora sensed there was something very unusual about this man. If he had to pinpoint what was unusual, it was that the man possessed a serene aura very similar to Shirakawa's.
The difference, however, was that Shirakawa only exuded that serene feeling when he chose to. Most of the time, he wore a cool, aloof expression. This man, on the other hand, seemed to radiate that calm aura constantly.
The man noticed the expressions on Shirakawa and Jora's faces, but he paid it no mind. Everyone who met him for the first time reacted that way.
"Damn, that dude is ridiculously handsome," Shirakawa whispered into Jora's ear once the man turned around.
"Yeah, but still a bit less than you."
"As expected of my crewman. You know how to talk." Shirakawa grinned and patted Jora on the shoulder in approval.
The two followed him to a slightly secluded table and sat down. It was the only open spot left. Their luck was pretty good, all things considered.
"Here is the menu. What can I get for you two today?"
That enchantingly calm voice washed over them again. Shirakawa noticed that almost every woman in the restaurant, and even some of the kids, had their eyes glued to this man.
The men, meanwhile, looked surprisingly at ease. Whether that was because they trusted their wives and daughters or trusted this man, Shirakawa couldn't tell.
Shirakawa glanced at the menu. There were only a handful of simple dishes listed. It seemed the cook here wasn't a professional chef, maybe just someone from the family who ran the place.
"I'll take one of everything on the menu."
Shirakawa said it casually. Clearing an entire menu was no longer a challenge for him.
"Are you sure?"
Although the man asked a questioning word, his tone held no surprise. It was as if nothing could create a ripple in his calm heart.
"Could I be so bold as to ask your name?"
"Of course. My name is Saral." He offered Shirakawa and Jora a smile before turning and disappearing into the kitchen.
"Saral? Good name." Shirakawa watched his retreating back and offered a casual compliment, though he couldn't quite say what was good about it.
"What, you interested in that guy?" Jora asked, seeing Shirakawa inquire about the man's name.
"Nothing much. I just think it's a real shame he's working here as a server."
Shirakawa could feel it. The man's inner self didn't match the persona he projected. Everything he showed on the surface was just a facade.
While they waited for the food, Shirakawa and Jora listened in on the conversations of the other customers around them. Most of the chatter, unsurprisingly, centered on Saral.
Comments like "Saral is so handsome" or "Saral has such a great aura" floated around them.
"This Saral guy is pretty popular. I bet at least half the people in here came just for him," Shirakawa remarked.
"Yeah."
Before long, Saral began bringing out the dishes one by one. Shirakawa took a single bite, and his eyes flew wide open.
"What's wrong? You didn't get poisoned, did you?"
Seeing Shirakawa's expression, Jora asked with concern.
"I think you should take back what you just said. They don't just come here for Saral. They come for the food, too."
"Really? Is it that amazing?"
Jora skeptically took a bite and immediately mirrored the exact same stunned expression Shirakawa had just worn.
"Saral, did you make all these dishes yourself?" Shirakawa asked, noting that Saral had been in the kitchen the entire time.
"That's right."
"Okay. Got it."
"Captain, you have to get him on our ship. Even if we have to tie him up and drag him aboard."
The moment Saral stepped away, Jora spoke to Shirakawa without a shred of hesitation. After one bite of Saral's cooking and the memory of Riddle's culinary disasters, Jora felt like everything he'd eaten before had been literal garbage.
"I was thinking the same thing." After tasting the food, Shirakawa found himself more and more satisfied with this Saral.
"We really should make Riddle come taste this food. Let him see the gap between himself and a real chef."
"Speaking of which, isn't your cooking about the same as his?"
At those words, Jora's slightly smug expression instantly deflated. Didn't that mean his own cooking was also comparable to garbage?
"We were talking about Riddle! Why are you dragging me into this?"
"Haha, sorry, sorry. Keep eating."
Jora stared down at the enticing dishes in front of him. For some reason, he suddenly had no appetite at all.
/-\
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