Some time later, Rose led Yuan and his wives to one of their largest and most famous restaurants, known for being favored by merchants and powerful hunters in the village.
“Roasted Boar Shop,” Yuan read the sign above the door aloud. Given the village’s size and population, it was not surprising to find a restaurant of this scale.
“As the name suggests, this restaurant specializes in boar meat. While they do have other dishes on the menu, their roasted boar with garlic and butter is their most famous offering,” Rose explained before they entered.
“Welcome to the Roasted Boar Shop, Eldest Miss Rose!” The receptionist immediately recognized Rose as the acting village head and greeted her warmly.
“Please arrange a table for seven,”
“Understood. Please, follow me,” the receptionist replied.
They were led to the largest table in the room, easily accommodating a family of ten.
“Here’s the menu, Eldest Miss,” the receptionist said, presenting the menu to Rose.
“Thank you. By the way, please put the bill under my name,” Rose instructed the receptionist.
“Eh? Are you sure, Rose? We can pay for ourselves. You’ve already provided us with a place to rest; that’s already a great favor,” Yuan expressed, surprised by Rose’s offer.
“Yuan is right, you’ve already done enough for us,” Anna added, echoing Yuan’s sentiment.
“Please allow me to treat you to this meal. If my mother finds out that the guests paid the bill, she would make a scene and scold me endlessly. After all, you are our esteemed guests. If we can’t even provide a simple meal, it would bring disgrace to the entire Monroe Family,” Rose explained earnestly.
“You’re exaggerating…” Yuan responded with an awkward smile, unaccustomed to being treated in such a manner, even back on Earth. It was a new experience for him.
Emma, feeling the same way, also found herself in unfamiliar territory with this level of treatment.
“Anyway, please order whatever you’d like. I will cover all the expenses today,” Rose insisted, her smile unwavering. 𝒃𝙚𝙤𝙫𝒆𝒍．𝙘𝒐𝙢
Seeing the determined smile on Rose’s beautiful lips, Yuan could only nod and accept her offer, returning her gesture with a smile on his handsome face.
“By the way, does this restaurant accept custom orders?” Yuan inquired, turning to the receptionist.
“Of course, sir. We do accept custom orders if the guests provide the raw materials,” the receptionist confirmed.
“Mo… Anna, can you take out ‘that’ thing?” Yuan requested, almost slipping and nearly calling Anna ‘Mom.’
“Alright! Give me a minute!” Anna replied and accessed her spatial ring.
“What is this ‘that thing’ you two are talking about?” Rose asked, curiosity evident in her voice.
“You’ll find out in a moment,” Yuan replied, his lips curling into a mysterious smile.
A few minutes later, Anna retrieved a large chunk of meat from her spatial ring and placed it on the table before Rose and the receptionist’s eyes. It was a portion of meat from the Violent Red Boar they had slain during their travels.
“Where did she take out such a huge chunk of meat from? I don’t recall seeing any magic pouch with her…” Rose wondered, her mind consumed with curiosity about where Anna had retrieved such a significant piece of meat.
“T-This is… Isn’t this the meat from the Violent Red Boar…?” the receptionist exclaimed, immediately recognizing the chunk of meat on the table.
The receptionist’s surprised voice snapped Rose out of her thoughts, and she temporarily forgot about her earlier question regarding the source of the meat.
“What? Violent Red Boar? Isn’t that the most aggressive B-Rank monster? It usually takes at least two A-Rank Hunters to bring it down. Most hunters avoid fighting it due to its aggressive nature, impenetrable skin, and its meat is considered a luxury among high-ranking nobles. Just to purchase a kilogram of it would cost a fortune,” Rose murmured, seemingly dazed, as her gaze fixated on the meat before her.
“This color, this texture… It really is the meat of a Violent Red Boar! Oh my god, where did you obtain this priceless ingredient?” the receptionist asked Yuan and his wives, astonishment evident in her voice.
“Well, we came across a Violent Red Boar during our travels, and we killed it,” Emma calmly replied, a small smile gracing her face.
“Killed it? You all must be incredibly strong to defeat a B-Rank monster…” the receptionist remarked, taken aback by Emma’s nonchalant response, as if slaying the B-Rank monster was a trivial accomplishment for them.
‘It seems that I made the right decision by asking Yuan and his wives to help defend our village against the Wyvern and its armies,’ Rose thought to herself, still lost in a daze.
Learning that they had defeated a B-Rank monster like the Violent Red Boar filled Rose with a sense of relief, as it indicated that they might stand a chance against the Wyvern and have a fighting chance to save their village from destruction.
Some time later, the receptionist addressed Yuan, asking, “How would you like me to cook this priceless ingredient, good sir?”
“I would like you to prepare some of the finest dishes this restaurant has to offer… the ones that are everyone’s favorite!” Yuan replied, indicating his preference to the receptionist.
“Very well. I’ll immediately inform the cook,” the receptionist promptly left their table, noting down the details.
“Yuan, you must have had some interesting adventures fighting powerful and fierce monsters during your journey and crossing the mountains,” Rose commented, her smile somewhat stiff as she wondered about the number of formidable monsters Yuan and his wives had faced before arriving in the village.
“Yes, we’ve had quite the thrilling adventure along our travels,” Yuan began, recounting some of the experiences he and his wives had encountered on their way to the village, purposefully omitting certain important details such as the ancient ruins.
“Wow! You’ve truly had a remarkable adventure, Yuan!” Rose exclaimed, impressed by their stories.
Curious, she continued, “If you don’t mind me asking, where are you planning to head after leaving Pinebrook Village?”
“Oh, we’re heading to Monbrook City,” Lily promptly responded.
“Oh, Monbrook City! It’s not far from here, only about 630 miles,” Rose exclaimed, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness for some reason.
‘Not far? It’s still 630 miles…!’ Yuan cried inwardly.
Some time later, the receptionist and a few servers returned to the table, each of them carrying dishes in their hands.
“Here is your order, Good Sir. We will continue bringing out the dishes as they are being cooked. Do you need another table to accommodate the plates?” the servers asked, offering additional space.
“No, it’s fine. We will finish the dishes before you can even bring out new plates,” Lily replied, glancing at Yuan, Emma, and Xi Meili, who possessed monstrous appetites.
Once the table was filled with an array of dishes, Xi Meili, Yuan, and Emma wasted no time and began indulging in the feast before them.
“Oh, man! This roasted boar meat is amazing! The flavors are so rich and the meat is incredibly juicy, with the perfect balance of garlic! Every bite is pure bliss!” Yuan exclaimed, his enthusiasm evident as he continued to take bite after bite.
“I couldn’t agree more, Hubby! This meat is incredibly delicious! I could eat meals like this all day long!” Xi Meili chimed in, her eyes sparkling with delight as she, too, stuffed her mouth with food, following Yuan’s lead.
“It’s one of the best meals I’ve had so far!” Emma added, her mouth full of food as she expressed her appreciation.
Inspired by their praise, Anna, Grace, and Lily also began savoring their portions of the flavorful dishes.
Rose observed the scene before her, her eyes fixated on Yuan, Xi Meili, and Emma, who seemed to have an insatiable appetite, as they continuously shoveled food into their mouths without pause. She couldn’t help but wonder to herself, ‘The three of them are truly unfathomable… Especially Xi Meili! How is it possible for her slim body to accommodate so much food?’
A few moments later, Rose herself began to partake in the meal. However, unlike Yuan, Emma, and Xi Meili, she ate with grace and poise, savoring each bite slowly and meticulously. Maintaining her composed demeanor was crucial for her public image as the acting village head.
As Yuan continued to chew his food, he overheard a conversation from the people sitting behind them. Their voices caught his attention, causing him to slow down his eating.
“Hey, have you heard the news? Viscount Lewis and his wife Elisabeth, along with their son and butler, got themselves killed in Clover Town,” one person whispered.
Yuan’s curiosity was piqued, and he strained to listen further.
“I heard it too! It’s unbelievable. Rumor has it that only one person was responsible for slaughtering the entire family right in the middle of the town,” another person chimed in.
“It’s said that the same person who saved Clover Town from the Orc Lord and his army is behind it,” added another voice.
Yuan’s expression turned solemn as he slowly turned around to face the group of people chattering animatedly behind him. The news of him being linked to the killing of Viscount Lewis and his family had traveled far and wide.
‘So the news of me killing Viscount Lewis and his family has reached even this place,’ Yuan thought to himself, his mind swirling with mixed emotions.
Meanwhile, Rose, who had also overheard the conversation, was taken aback by the information. Her thoughts raced as she processed what she had just heard.
‘What did I just hear? Yuan killed Viscount Lewis, his wife, son, and the butler? How could that be? Viscount Lewis is known for his formidable flame magic, and he himself is a peak fifth-circle mage. If Yuan managed to defeat him, that means Yuan is incredibly strong!’ Rose contemplated silently, her mind brimming with newfound knowledge about Yuan and his wives.