Hostess of Fertility.
At dusk.
The restaurant was still filled with a bustling and lively atmosphere. The sounds of clinking glasses and the calls of Adventurers rose and fell one after another.
Charles leaned against the back of his chair. This exploration of Orario had no regrets. Not only did they successfully reach the 18th Floor, they also reached a special place filled with food. Besides, they also met good friends like Zephyr and Lili.
Having tasted so many delicacies he never dared to imagine before, and encountering those Gourmet Creatures he had never seen before, looking back on it felt quite dreamlike. Charles felt that he would never forget it.
It was a pity that he wouldn't be able to eat those dishes cooked by Zephyr in the future.
If he wanted to eat them tonight, there would have been an opportunity. But thinking about how much help he had received from Zephyr, it made no sense to make the other party cook for the final gathering.
Charles said to Kate who was sitting beside him, "Zephyr and the others should be here soon. Let's order then, okay?"
"No problem." Kate had no objections.
She looked toward the gate outside the restaurant, and immediately after, she saw the extremely familiar figure of Lefiya walking toward her. Following behind were Zephyr and Lili.
After a simple greeting, Charles gestured for Zephyr to sit down and handed over the menu.
"What do you want to eat? It's my treat tonight. Don't be polite."
Zephyr cast his gaze toward Lili beside him, and the latter understood instantly. She placed the large food container she had been hiding behind her back onto the table.
Zephyr explained, "I made some food and brought it over."
Actually, if they really wanted to have a gathering, choosing the Loki Familia would certainly be quite suitable. Presumably, given Loki's personality, she wouldn't mind. However, upon noticing that Lili and Lefiya were a bit constrained in front of Loki, Zephyr dismissed that idea.
Therefore, all things considered, the restaurant was actually the best choice.
Next, Lili placed the steaming delicacies on the table. There were only 5 types in total, all cooked based on available ingredients.
Thinking that he wouldn't be able to eat them again in the future, Charles felt these portions were too small.
He rubbed his hands with a grin, and asked, "Isn't the portion a bit small?"
Zephyr shook his head. "It's enough. You guys order some more of what you want to eat, don't make things difficult for Aunt Mia and the others."
During the busiest time of the evening, there was no reason to borrow their venue and also prepare all the food. That wasn't in line with the rules.
"Right. I almost forgot about that." Charles scratched his head in embarrassment.
Turning around, he noticed the sturdy dwarf manager at the bar counter looking at him with an unfriendly gaze, so he hurriedly flipped through the menu in front of him and started ordering.
The one serving them this time was Syr Flova. She noticed the extremely tempting dishes on the table and quickly realized they were not products from the restaurant.
Chloe could definitely not make food that looks this good!
She looked at Charles and asked, "These dishes... why do I feel like I've never seen them before?"
"For sure." Charles nodded.
He looked at Zephyr, his tone unable to stop showing off. "They were all made by my friend. How about it, isn't it amazing? The taste is delicious."
Following his gaze, Syr's eyes landed on Zephyr.
An extremely complex soul that was burning with a stubborn red flame!
In the gentle smile on her face, there was a touch of excitement she hadn't even realized herself. However, Syr quickly suppressed the emotions in her heart.
She curiously scanned the dishes on the tabl and said, "So amazing. Although I haven't eaten them, just looking at them, the taste seems very good."
When she spoke, the expectation in her eyes was very obvious. She just looked at Zephyr and the gazes of other waitresses also swept over.
Zephyr felt a bit uncomfortable being watched.
The meaning of food lies in sharing!
Thus, thinking of the huge portion of food, he ultimately couldn't bear to refuse.
"There's quite a lot. If Syr-san is interested, you can also taste it."
"Thank you. Then I won't be polite."
Syr ran to the kitchen and took out a plate. She took a little bit of each dish to taste.
She first picked up a piece of braised Crab Pig rib. The moment the meat broke between her teeth, the salty and sweet sauce flavor arrived at her taste buds first, followed immediately by the unique sweetness belonging to the Crab Pig.
The seafood-like umami blended with the richness of the land meat, weaving an unprecedented taste experience.
Syr's pupils contracted slightly qs she carefully savored the layers spreading on her tongue—salty umami, clear sweetness, lingering aftertaste.
Subsequently, it was the pasta. The golden macaroni wrapped in milky white sauce slid into her mouth.
Finally, there was the charcoal-grilled Crab Pig hind leg, slices of meat from the meat tree, and the Barbecue Pig.
She had tasted them all one by one. The corners of her eyes curved into crescents spoke to her mood at this moment. Every dish was so delicious that she didn't want to stop eating.
These delicacies, both in terms of seasoning and the texture of the ingredients, were unlike anything she had ever seen before, making her eyes sparkle.
Delicious!
The taste of the food seemed to wash away the fatigue accumulated from working in the restaurant all this time.
However, when she noticed the atmosphere, she realized she had been a bit uncomposed. She smiled faintly, a blush rising to her cheeks.
She said softly, "Excuse me. This food... it tastes so incredibly good that I lost my composure a little. Um... could I take some to let my friends try?"
"No problem." Zephyr, of course, had no objections.
Food like this was something he could eat at any time, and besides, there was plenty of it. It was reasonable to want to share it if they were curious about the taste. Besides, bringing his own food into the restaurant was a bit awkward.
Just as Zephyr was about to say "let's eat," he saw Syr return to the table with drinks.
"Thank you. The food cooked by Zephyr-san is delicious, this is a token of my appreciation. Consider it a reward for your culinary skills."
Zephyr didn't really like drinking and wasn't interested in alcohol, but seeing the atmosphere, he still raised the glass of beer.
After all, Charles and the others were about to leave Orario. He couldn't ruin the mood, right?
Zephyr smiled and raised his glass. "Then let's eat! Dig in!"
The dinner party continued until the moonlight completely enveloped Orario.
Charles wiped the corner of his mouth, his expression full of satisfaction. The rich variety of dishes on the table had been polished off, leaving only scattered remnants of sauce.
During the meal, they had also ordered quite a few of the restaurant's signature dishes to go with it.
"I'm full. Today is definitely the happiest day since I arrived in Orario. Of course, there's also a little bit of sadness."
"Tonight we have to leave Orario with the School District. I don't know when we'll be able to gather again."
"Don't say such sad things." Kate patted him on the shoulder. "Maybe we'll come back to visit Orario in the future?"
"When that happens, we'll come back to this restaurant to eat together. It's a promise." Charles nodded.
Lefiya sat on the other side of the table. Her complex gaze swept over her friends' faces, and when it finally landed on Zephyr beside her, emotions kept welling up inside her.
From now on, the group would only consist of herself, Zephyr, Lili, and the other members of the Loki Familia. The way they interacted would surely change. But there were some things Lefiya knew clearly, things that wouldn't change no matter what.
She said, "Charles, Kate, when you return to Orario next time, let's gather again."
"Yeah."
After the meal.
Zephyr looked at Charles who was clearly drunk and lying on the table as if resting. His alcohol tolerance was really subpar.
The drink Syr had brought over was more like a craft beer. But then again, perhaps this kind of parting was the easiest. There was no need to face those sentimental farewell scenes, nor did he have to bear too much sorrow.
Looking at Kate and the others from the School District, he said, "Take good care of him."
"No problem."
Afterwards, Zephyr stood took his wallet and walked to the restaurant bar, casting his gaze toward the sturdy manager who was pouring drinks.
He didn't know why, but when facing the proprietress of the Hostess of Fertility, he felt a slight sense of oppression.
Recalling how Loki addressed her, Zephyr took the initiative and said, "Aunt Mia, how much is the total for the food and drinks tonight? Sorry for the trouble."
"It's fine. As for the money, your friend has already paid in advance."
"Ah?" Zephyr was a bit stunned.
However, just as he wanted to ask for details, he saw Mia frown and urge, "That person, the one with the horns, already paid. Don't keep them waiting."
Upon hearing this, Zephyr turned around and saw Charles being supported by Kate. Their figures stood on the street, waiting for him.
Charles broke free from Kate's support and waved at Zephyr. With a relaxed smile, he shouted incoherently, "Friend! Until we meet again!"