Listening to this guy's conversation with Sora, the world he was from was probably also Japan, but his appearance didn't look like a Japanese person. Could it be the so-called Other World parallel universe theory?
"Rimuru."
Hearing Asaka's question, Rimuru politely introduced himself, then chose a seat further inside and sat down. He didn't know why, but this restaurant had no windows, and the entire space felt like a sealed small box.
It had to be said that such an environment was quite oppressive.
"Why do I smell the aura of other dragons on you?"
Because she was so curious, Tohru simply got up and sat across from Rimuru, then propped her face with both hands and stared at his cute face, her eyes full of curiosity.
"You're talking about the Storm Dragon Veldora, right?"
Hearing Tohru's words, Rimuru was also startled, then he thought of the Storm Dragon Veldora, who he had swallowed into his body. No wonder he felt this lady's aura was so familiar just now.
Could it be that she and Veldora were from the same place?
"Storm Dragon?"
Hearing Rimuru's words, Tohru's face was full of confusion. She had never heard of a dragon with that name. Could it be a dragon from another Other World? It must be.
However, for a dignified dragon to willingly reside in the body of a slime, it truly damaged the dignity of dragons!
A hint of disdain flashed in the depths of her eyes, but considering that this was Hoshino Sora's restaurant, Tohru did not utter the mocking words in her heart.
"Why don't you call him out? The food made in this restaurant is incredibly delicious even for dragons, and it will definitely suit his taste."
Even so, Tohru still wanted to see the appearance of this useless dragon, and by the way, properly ridicule him in front of him. A dragon being swallowed by a slime, how ridiculous.
"Veldora was sealed by a hero, so he can't appear in reality for now."
Shaking his head, Rimuru explained. If Veldora hadn't been sealed by a human hero, he wouldn't have met that guy, nor would he have been given a name.
"Is that so? So he was sealed by a hateful human. But if he can be sealed by a human, his strength can't be that great."
After holding back for a long time and not seeing the main body, Tohru finally couldn't help but mock him. As soon as she said this, Veldora in Rimuru's body immediately became displeased.
It could see the outside world through Rimuru's body and even share tactile sensations, so it naturally heard Tohru clearly. Instantly, a displeased expression appeared on its dragon face.
"Who is this little girl?! I feel the aura of a dragon on her, but I have no impression of her whatsoever. Where did this miscellaneous half-dragon come from?! How dare she say such things to the great Storm Dragon!"
Because the dragon species in this world were limited, it had some impression of every single dragon, but the appearance of this guy in front of him, although she had dragon horns on her head and exuded a dragon's aura, was one it had never seen before.
Therefore, this guy in front of him must not be a pure-blooded dragon, and her strength absolutely couldn't be that great. How dare some miscellaneous item mock him?!
"If only I could get out, this guy…"
She should really be glad he could only be in Rimuru's body, otherwise, he would have gone out and devoured her alive!
"Ah, this…"
Looking at Veldora, who had started to make a ruckus inside his body, Rimuru's face showed a hint of awkwardness. For a moment, he didn't know how to respond, whether to comfort him or not.
"Alright, everyone, come and try it. Eating delicious food can make you feel better."
Having heard Tohru and Rimuru's conversation from the kitchen, Hoshino Sora knew that if he didn't come out soon, trouble might ensue, so he brought the freshly fried Golden Fried Rice to the dining table.
Of course, it was a double portion.
Asaka and Rika had already eaten their fill earlier. Only Tohru, due to her larger appetite, was still devouring food. Now that Hoshino Sora was cooking again, he naturally thought of her.
Tohru, noticing this, was greatly moved. Although she didn't speak, the emotions in her eyes couldn't be faked. Hoshino Sora was the first human to be so kind to her!
In the past, humans would either try to kill her for treasure or fear her and stay away. And she had been instilled with the belief since childhood that humans were lowly, inferior beings who must be annihilated to be purified!
"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and try it. Don't you love my cooking? You probably haven't tasted this Golden Fried Rice before. It only uses eggs and rice."
Looking at the stunned Tohru, Hoshino Sora tilted his head and asked with some confusion, not quite understanding why she was hesitating. Didn't she say she loved his cooking the most?
"Mmm! I'll dig in!"
Hearing Hoshino Sora's words, Tohru stopped overthinking, picked up her bowl and chopsticks, and started devouring the food, a blissful expression on her face as she ate.
That superficial satisfaction eloquently conveyed the deliciousness of this bowl of fried rice!
"This fried rice is too delicious! Does it really only use eggs and rice?! It's made from such ordinary ingredients, yet it's fried into a delicacy-level dish!"
"The color of the eggs is even, and the whole dish looks golden and translucent. The texture is dry yet not hard. Although it's just a small Golden Fried Rice, it showcases the superb cooking skills of the fried rice master!"
Praise flowed endlessly from his mouth. Rimuru ate faster and faster, even creating afterimages with his hand movements. In no time, he had polished off all the Golden Fried Rice.
"Boss! Your craftsmanship is truly not just talk! Can I have another bowl?"
"No rush, there are other dishes in the pot. Save some room to try other dishes."
Hoshino Sora was not surprised by Rimuru's suddenly bright eyes and his request for another bowl. He gently advised him.
Although Golden Fried Rice was delicious and itself a Golden-tier dish, his other dishes were also not bad. A combination of flavors made a meal complete.
"Got it! Can I bring my friends over? It won't take long, about ten minutes will be enough."
Having tasted the delicious food, Rimuru looked up at Hoshino Sora, holding the empty bowl that had contained the Golden Fried Rice, a hint of excitement in his eyes.
"Of course, you can bring as many people as you want. I'm just worried about not having enough customers."
Hearing Rimuru's words, Hoshino Sora was even more excited than him, a strange light bursting from his eyes.
One person could give him one ability. If Rimuru brought his subordinates, wouldn't he make a huge profit?!
"The things in the kitchen should be almost ready. I'll go and bring them out. If there are other customers coming, I'll make a few more dishes, guaranteeing your satisfaction."
"Then I'll go out and call people first."
As they spoke, Hoshino Sora and Rimuru both began to act simultaneously. Hoshino Sora went into the kitchen to cook new dishes, and Rimuru went out to find his companions.
The clock on the wall ticked. Before long, four people entered from outside the restaurant: Rimuru, the Goblin Village Rigurd, the Ogre Princess Shuna, and the Ogre Shion.
"That's how it is. The taste of this restaurant is exceptionally good. I hope you can try it too."
Looking at the dishes being brought to the table one after another, Rimuru also returned to his previous seat, looking at the exquisite and perfect dishes, he couldn't help but swallow his saliva.
"Oh, Lord Rimuru, is my cooking not good? You're actually sneaking around outside."
Shion, keenly noticing Rimuru's expression, pouted and spoke. That expression made Rimuru break out in a cold sweat, thinking, 'Is what you make even edible by humans? I'm really afraid I'll be sent off if I'm not careful!'
"Cough, cough, Shion, your cooking is also quite delicious. But the proprietor of this restaurant is truly amazing. You'll know once you taste it yourself."
Unable to bear to discourage Shion, Rimuru said against his conscience, then sat down in his previous seat. The others behind him followed suit, looking curiously at the dazzling array of delicious dishes.
"What is this?"
"This is Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs. Simply put, it's fried pork ribs, then stir-fried with a sweet and sour sauce."
Hearing Shuna's question, Hoshino Sora tried to explain in terms that people from the Other World could understand, then he returned to the kitchen to continue cooking.
However, what he didn't notice was that Shion, after hearing his words, showed a thoughtful expression on her face.
But even if he had seen it, he wouldn't have cared.
Anyway, when Shion cooked, it was Rimuru who suffered, not him.
"I'll dig in!"
As they spoke, Rimuru and the three others picked up their chopsticks and began to eat. The first person to taste the dish was Shuna. She immediately took a liking to the Brown Sugar Glutinous Rice Cake in the center of the table.
The vibrant colors combined with the rich and enticing aroma of brown sugar, sticky glutinous rice cake paired with liquid brown sugar—any girl would love it. This was an absolutely irresistible temptation!
Taking a bite, closing her eyes to savor it, the rich brown sugar aroma spread in her mouth. The fried glutinous rice cake had a crispy exterior and a soft, chewy interior, which perfectly balanced the sweetness.
And with these two combined, the taste and texture could be said to be excellent! Perfectly harmonized.
It could only be said that every dish's invention had its philosophy. It was unknown who invented the Brown Sugar Glutinous Rice Cake, but the person who invented this dish was truly a genius!
Shuna looked utterly delighted, yet remained silent on the surface. Despite the dish being incredibly delicious, she still ate in small bites, embodying the image of a refined young lady to the fullest.
"Stop, this dish is mine."
"Yes!"
Looking at Rigurd, who was reaching for the Brown Sugar Glutinous Rice Cake, Shuna said softly while chewing the Brown Sugar Glutinous Rice Cake. However, the instant darkening of her face and the faintly emanating terrifying aura made it clear she wasn't joking.
And Rigurd also timidly shouted, "Yes!" He didn't want to risk his life for a dish!
"Hiss…"
Hearing Shuna's voice, Rimuru, who had originally wanted to try the Brown Sugar Glutinous Rice Cake, immediately turned his chopsticks to another dish.
Shuna, when protecting her food, was so scary!
"Lord Rimuru, try this dish. It really tastes good."
"Shuna, you eat it. I've already eaten just now."
Seeing Shuna's extended chopsticks, Rimuru shook his head like a rattle, his eyes filled with reluctance. He didn't want to be scolded by her over a dish.
"It's okay, just try it again. Lord Rimuru, you're being too polite with me."
At this moment, Shuna had reverted to the sweet appearance he first saw. Her pink hair, set against her cute face, looked especially harmonious, if she hadn't shown that expression just now.
"Mmm!"
Unable to refuse her hospitality, Rimuru finally tasted the Brown Sugar Glutinous Rice Cake, and a satisfied expression appeared on his face.
As they chatted, their chopsticks continuously moved. This proprietor was truly an extraordinary person; every dish he made was incredibly delicious.
Especially this Xianxia Chunshun Lion Head, he didn't know how it was made, but the shrimp flavor was rich and incredibly chewy! The soup was delicious and the meat fresh. One bite brought extreme satisfaction!
"This is almost the same as what I make, so why does Lord Rimuru like this but not what I make?"
Looking at the empty plate in front of her, Shion quietly complained. It had to be said that sometimes being overly confident wasn't a good thing; it made it easy to fail to recognize the difference.
"We've eaten enough, Proprietor. We'll be leaving now."
Secretly leaving a few gold coins on the table, Rimuru led his companions out of the restaurant, and at this moment, the system's notification sound rang in Hoshino Sora's mind.
[Task Completed]: Entertain the Slime King
[Reward Gained]: Elemental Manipulation: Fire
[Elemental Manipulation: Fire]: Allows free control of flames, changing them at will, controlling temperature, up to 10,000 degrees Celsius.
Goodness, this wave directly gave him the ability to control flames!?
Although entertaining four people only earning one ability felt a bit meager, such a useful ability was far more valuable than four unknown, useless skills!
So, strictly speaking, it's hard to say whether he ultimately profited or lost.
However, as long as he can gain powerful abilities by providing delicious food, it's always a profit for him, no matter what, right!?
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