Now that I'm done with work, maybe I'll eat at the Hostess of Fertility today.
"Tsk, tsk!"
"Meow~"
"Let's go eat, you little brat. Today, we're going to the Hostess of Fertility you love so much."
"Meow!"
"Good grief... Usually, you just laze around all day, but mention food and you suddenly become so quick."
"Prrrr~"
"I'll finish cleaning up and head out soon, so wait out front."
.
.
.
.
.
The young man cleans up.
.
.
.
.
.
"Done. Come on, let's go."
"Meow."
Boing. Tap, tap.
Cats really are amazing... What just happened was that the little guy stepped on the wooden crate beside him, sprang up once, then used my arm—which I had happened to be lightly swinging forward—as another foothold before leaping onto my shoulder. Seriously, he could have just waited until I bent down...
"Off we go!"
"Meow~!"
"Ow, my ears."
As I walked along, occasionally petting the little guy on my shoulder, half talking to myself and half talking to him, we arrived at the Hostess of Fertility before I knew it. No matter how often I see it, this place is huge for a restaurant.
"Mama Mia, I'm here!"
"You're here, son!"
"Welcome, Smith!"
"Ah, long time no see, Syr."
"You brought your cat again today?"
"Meals feel empty without this little guy now. And he doesn't seem to have much appetite when I'm not around either."
"Hee... Are you two made for each other?"
"Maybe we are. Hahaha!"
Syr Flova, one of the founding members of the Hostess of Fertility and a beautiful gray-haired waitress! This girl, who only looked cute to me because she was nearly two handspans shorter than I was, was actually... Hmm, no. I felt like I'd bring misfortune on myself if I even thought about it.
"Smith? Why are you staring at me like that?"
"No reason. I was just thinking you look pretty today too."
"No amount of flattery will get me to accept a confession—or even give you a discount, you know?"
"Tch, no luck today either. No, more importantly, there's got to be about a twenty-year age gap between us. Why would I try to hit on you?"
"You never know. Maybe Smith has unusual preferen—mmph."
"Ahem. Children shouldn't say things like that."
I was only half joking, but it was true that Syr Flova was pretty. She was eighteen at the point of the original story, so she was about ten now, right? She already had the makings of a beauty.
"Mama!"
"What is it?"
"Call May from the kitchen, would you? I want to ask what our kitty wants to eat."
"May, come out here!"
"Coming, meow, Mama!"
The one Mama had called was May, a Cat Person working as a kitchen assistant. Something I learned after coming to Orario was that Cat People could understand what cats said, at least vaguely. Incidentally, May was also an upper-class adventurer of at least Level 2. This place really was Orario's demon realm...
"Nya-hah, you came again today, meow?"
"Long time no see, May. Could you tell me what our kitty wants to eat today? Please?"
Honestly, I did not know the ages of the people here (...shiver), but since we all recognized one another as Mama Mia's children and I was treated as her son, I was comfortable around them. We spoke casually and traded jokes... But if everyone here was at least Level 2, then they were probably older than me for the most part... (...shiver, shiver, shiver)... Let's stop thinking about that.
"So, what do you want to eat today, meow?"
"Meow, meow~"
"Meat is a given... Poultry? Hmm... Chicken, meow?"
"Meow!"
"Order received, meow~ What will Smith be having, meow?"
"What did he ask for?"
"He wants drumsticks, so I was going to order a drumstick assortment, meow."
"Then give me four servings of that."
"...Do not leave the bounds of humanity, meow."
"I do hard labor all day. How is this leaving the bounds of humanity? Honestly."
Whoosh.
She annoyed me somehow, so I tried to flick her forehead, but she slipped away with a whoosh—and what she said next was absurd.
"Nya-nya, if you want to hit this body, come back after reaching Level 3 and accumulating ten years of Dungeon experience, meow!"
"Oh? Then your age..."
Shiver.
"Quiet."
"Yes, ma'am."
...I nearly died. Is age a dangerous topic wherever you go?
"Mama Mia, four servings of the special drumstick assortment, meow."
"You're eating heartily again today. I'll make it delicious, so wait there!"
"As always, just grill about half a serving plain and put it separately on a small plate."
"I know, you brat. How many times have you brought that little fellow here? Do you think I'd forget?"
"That's my mama for you."
"So, did anything happen today?"
"Nothing much, really..."
Sitting at the counter bar, I casually talked with Mama Mia as she cooked about everything that had happened lately.
Someone bought some weapon or another.
Someone else caused trouble here again, got thoroughly trounced, and was thrown out.
Evilus seemed to be showing signs of activity again.
Bodies presumed to have been subjected to a pass parade in the Dungeon had been found, and so on...
I slowly told her all the stories we had not been able to share over the past week or so. When I suddenly came to my senses, I realized that a faint smile had been lingering on my face for some time. When I spoke of sad or painful things, my expression changed for those moments, but my basic expression remained a smile.
The instant I became aware of it, I understood. This place was no longer merely a restaurant. Before I knew it, I had come to think of it as another home.
"Hehe..."
"What's this? Why are you grinning like an idiot, boy?"
"Mama Mia."
"What now?"
"Is this place... our home?"
The moment I said it, I realized my mistake. If she said no, if she asked what nonsense I was talking about...
"What are you talking about?"
"..."
I knew it...
"Why are you asking something so obvious?"
"...Huh?"
"The moment I became your mama and you became my son, this place became our home. What obvious nonsense are you spouting?"
I stared blankly at Mama Mia as she continued cooking without the slightest hesitation, as though it were the most natural thing in the world. As I sat there dumbfounded, she eventually set down one large bowl and one small bowl in front of me.
"That's three and a half servings of the special drumstick assortment you ordered, plus half a serving. The large bowl is the spicy flavor you like, so enjoy."
"...Yeah, Mama. You eat too."
"Meow~"
I had been starving, so I was wolfing down the food that had arrived when Mama spoke to me.
"By the way, what's that little fellow's name? You always call him 'this guy,' 'that guy,' or 'kitty,' but I don't think I've ever heard you call him by a name."
"Huh...? Ah..."
Come to think of it... Had I not given him a name?
"...Don't tell me you still haven't named him?"
Danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger danger
If I get caught, I'll one hundred percent be buried beneath the Dungeon!
"Come on, of course not. I just never had a reason to call his name..."
I tried to escape Mama's interrogation while sweating buckets, but...
"Really? Then call him now."
Perhaps she was already certain, because Mama blocked off my escape route!
Uh... What would that little guy react to? Anvil? May? Brain, if you can't remember, your master dies...!
"...Leg!"
"Meow?"
"Hmm...?"
I remembered that he had wanted chicken drumsticks today, so in my desperation, I called him Leg! Fortunately, perhaps because he responded to my voice, he answered me. Looks like I might survive...!
"...That sounds like a name you just came up with."
"Come on, Mama. What are you saying? His feet are so fast, so I named him Leg, as in fast legs."
...If I get caught, I die!
"Hmm..."
"..."
Drip, drip, drip.
Oh, Lady Hephaestus. Please grant me the luck to get through this situation!
Hephaestus's Side
"Achoo!"
"Hmm, did you catch a cold, Goddess?"
"Sniff. Is someone talking about me...?"