As Liam walked down the street, a familiar voice called out
"Liam!"
He turned his head, scanning the busy street until he spotted a gray-haired girl waving energetically. Behind her stood a building with a sign reading "Hostess of Fertility."
She looks familiar... where have I seen her before? Liam searched his memory. Ah, right - Miss Syr from earlier!
He approached the cheerful waitress. "What is it, Miss Syr?"
"I just wanted to say hello when I saw you walking by!" Syr beamed, her gray eyes crinkling with warmth.
Liam rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Oh... well, hello then, Miss Syr."
Syr tilted her head curiously. "Where are you headed, Liam?"
"The dungeon," he replied.
"Wow! So you're an adventurer?" She clapped her hands together excitedly.
"Not exactly, but you could think of it that way," Liam answered vaguely.
Syr paused thoughtfully, then asked the question that seemed most important to her: "Have you eaten lunch yet?"
"I hav—" Liam began answering Syr when a sharp voice interrupted.
"It's you, nya?!"
That familiar, cat-like tone sent a chill down his spine. That voice... the 'black-hearted underworld boss'?!
Slowly, he peered behind Syr. The restaurant door stood open, revealing none other than the cat-eared girl from before, her tail puffed up in agitation.
"Anya, what's wrong?" Syr asked, turning to her friend.
"This is the guy who threw dirt in my face, nya!" Anya hissed, her claws unsheathing as she glared at Liam.
Syr's eyes widened. "Eh? Liam, is this true?"
So Miss Syr is working with this underworld boss to capture me?! Liam's expression darkened, his body tensing for a fight.
"Liam?" Syr tilted her head in innocent confusion.
Then realization struck. Wait—if she were really collaborating with them, they would've kidnapped me earlier when I was distracted by my system...
"Yes, Miss Syr," Liam admitted seriously. "I did it... for my own safety."
"Nya! How shameless!" Anya's ears flattened. "What safety? You attacked a defenseless girl!" She lunged forward, only to be caught in a firm grip from behind.
A black-haired catgirl restrained her. "Calm down, Anya. Maybe he had a reason—let's hear him out first. meow"
"No, nya! Let me go, Chloe! I'll teach this guy manners first, then we'll talk!" Anya squirmed violently in Chloe's grasp.
Syr turned to Liam with a conciliatory smile. "Why don't we go inside and clear up this misunderstanding? What do you say, Liam?"
Liam hesitated, eyeing the two catgirls. Their matching uniforms and the "Hostess of Fertility" sign finally clicked. Wait... they're just waitresses? So that screw head catgirl isn't some crime boss after all?
"Ahem... I understand," he conceded.
Before he could reconsider, Syr happily grabbed his hand and pulled him into the restaurant, her grip surprisingly strong for someone so delicate.
---------------------------------------------------
Inside the cozy atmosphere of Hostess of Fertility, Liam found himself seated at a table with Syr beside him, while Anya and Chloe sat across. The tension was palpable as Anya's piercing gaze remained locked on him, her tail flicking irritably.
"Alright, let's all calm down," Syr said gently, placing a reassuring hand on the table. "Anya, let's hear his reason first, okay?"
"If Syr says so..." Anya relented slightly, though her ears remained flattened and her claws tapped rhythmically against the wooden table.
Liam wiped his brow, feeling like a criminal under interrogation. "Miss Syr," he said carefully, "could you... let go of my arm now?" He glanced at where Syr's hand still clung to him.
"Oh!" Syr immediately released him, cheeks flushing pink as she looked away. "I'm sorry!"
"It's fine," Liam muttered, though he couldn't help but shiver at the sudden absence of warmth.
Chloe clapped her hands together, bringing the conversation back on track. "Alright then nya, let's hear Sir Liam's explanation." Her calm demeanor helped ease some of the tension.
Liam took a deep breath and recounted the events from earlier. As he spoke, Syr and Chloe's initial seriousness gradually gave way to suppressed smiles.
By the time he finished, Syr was giggling behind her hand. "Anya? An underworld boss? Liam, you give her too much credit!"
"Nya?! You threw dirt in my face just because of that?!" Anya's ears shot upright in indignation, her tail puffing to twice its normal size.
Chloe struggled to contain her laughter. "Underworl—ahem, Anya, I think his reasoning makes sense. Why demand he move when you could have just walked around him? meow"
"I— That's not— Nya!" Anya crossed her arms with a huff, her cheeks puffing out in a pout as Chloe barely suppressed another chuckle.
Liam averted his gaze, unsure how to respond. The memory of those pitying looks from passersby still puzzled him.
As if reading his mind, Chloe explained, "If you're wondering, Anya is a Level 4 adventurer nya. Those people probably pitied you for arguing with someone high Level."
"I... see," Liam said slowly, suddenly understanding why those onlookers had seemed so concerned.
"Seems like everything's settled then?" Liam said, rising from his seat. "I'll take my leave—"
"Not so fast, nya!" Anya's hand shot out, blocking his path. "You still owe me emotional compensation, nya!"
Liam blinked. "Why? Didn't we just settle this?"
"You threw dirt in my face, nya!" Anya's ears twitched indignantly.
"Uh huh..." Liam averted his gaze.
"That's true, meow," Chloe chimed in, nodding solemnly.
"Indeed it is," Syr added with an innocent smile.
The three girls huddled together, whispering animatedly. Liam's eyes darted between them as cold sweat formed on his brow.
Am I about to get robbed?
...But I don't have any money.
Wait—are they planning to sell me?!
No, they're just waitresses... right?
Fragments of their discussion reached his ears—something about "punishment" and "treat" that only confused him further.
After what felt like an eternity, Syr turned back with a bright smile. "We've decided, Liam!"
"You've decided... what exactly?" Liam asked cautiously, stroking his chin.
Chloe cleared her throat. "Sir Liam, as compensation, you must dine at Hostess of Fertility at least twice weekly, meow."
Liam's face twisted in confusion. "???"
"That's right, nya!" Anya nodded vigorously. "You'll buy our food so I can get a raise from Mama Mia!"
"That's... it?" Liam shrugged. Just eating here twice a week? Easy enough. "If that's all, I'll be going—"
"Liam!" Syr called as he reached for the door. "The agreement starts now! You need to eat here first!"
Liam froze. "Uh... I don't have any money right now..."
Chloe waved her hand dismissively. "You can pay later, meow."
"...Okay then," Liam conceded, slowly returning to his seat.
A commanding voice suddenly cut through the chatter. "What's all this commotion?"
A towering woman emerged from the kitchen, her muscular frame casting a shadow over the table. Brown hair tied in a practical bun, she wiped her hands on her apron as she surveyed the scene.
"Ah, Mama Mia!" Syr chirped. "We were just deciding Liam's punishment—he has to eat here regularly!"
The woman—Mia—turned her sharp gaze to the young man standing awkwardly before her. "Liam?"
"That would be me... Miss Mia," Liam replied carefully.
Mia burst into booming laughter and delivered a hearty pat to Liam's back that nearly sent him stumbling. "Hahaha! 'Miss'? What a polite young man! Then I hope you enjoy our dishes!"
Liam grimaced, rubbing his stinging back. Is this woman a gorilla or something? "I... I will..."
With a final chuckle, Mia returned to the kitchen. Anya and Chloe also excused themselves, returning to their duties with amused glances, leaving only Syr with Liam.
"Here's our menu, Liam." Syr handed him a beautifully crafted menu.
Liam scanned it for a few seconds before handing it back, his expression blank. "You can recommend something, Miss Syr."
The dish names might as well have been in another language—Orario Cream Stew? Babel Tower Sandwich?—there was no way to guess what they actually were.
"My recommendation? Are you sure?" Syr leaned in closer, her gray eyes sparkling.
"Yes... Just keep it simple. A normal meal is fine."
"How about drinks? Would you like beer?"
"Beer? No thanks. Do you have juice?"
"We do!"
"Then I'll take that."
"I'll go prepare your order now," Syr said with a bright smile before disappearing into the kitchen.
Liam watched her leave, then turned his attention forward, muttering to himself, I could drink beer... but not now. Getting drunk before heading into the dungeon would be reckless. He shook his head, dismissing the thought.
Twenty minutes later, Syr returned carrying a tray laden with food. She set down a basket of golden-brown garlic bread—the only dish Liam immediately recognized. Next came a steaming bowl of creamy white soup that smelled richly of mushrooms and herbs. Finally, she placed a chilled glass of fruit juice beside it.
"Here you go, Liam! My recommended dishes—I hope you enjoy them!" she said cheerfully before hurrying back to the kitchen.
?
Liam examined the meal. The soup shimmered invitingly, its surface dotted with flecks of herbs. He took a tentative sip—creamy, savory, with an earthy depth from the mushrooms. Perfect.
Tearing off a piece of garlic bread, he dipped it into the soup. The crisp exterior softened just enough, soaking up the rich broth while still retaining a slight crunch. So warm... so satisfying.
As he savored another bite, he noticed Syr had slipped into the seat across from him, resting her chin in her hands as she watched him with an amused smile.
"What is it, Miss Syr?" Liam asked between bites.
"Nothing~" she said, her gray eyes twinkling. "I just enjoy watching you eat... our dishes, I mean."
"Is that so?" Liam glanced back at his meal. "Well, this is really good. Thank you."
After finishing his meal, Liam dabbed his lips with a napkin. "Thank you for the food," he said, turning to Syr. "I'll come back later to pay after earning some money in the dungeon."
"I'll be waiting, Liam!" Syr beamed, then suddenly placed a cloth-wrapped package before him.
Liam blinked at the unexpected gift. "What's this, Miss Syr?"
"It's... it's a lunchbox I made for you!" she stammered, avoiding his gaze while fidgeting with her apron strings.
"A lunchbox? For me?" Did I do something heroic in a past life to deserve this? "But... why?"
"Because—because—" Syr's eyes darted about as if searching for an explanation in the air.
Liam studied her flustered expression before closing his eyes with realization. Only two possibilities came to mind: either this girl had taken a liking to him, or—more likely—this was a clever scheme to addict him to the restaurant's food. Tsk tsk... Miss Syr, I didn't expect such business tactics from you.
"I see. Well, I'll accept it then. Thank you," he said, taking the package.
Syr's face lit up instantly. "I hope you like it!"
With a polite nod, Liam stood. "I'm sure I will. I'll take my leave now, Miss Syr."
"Bye bye! See you later!" she called after him cheerfully.
Just as Liam reached for the door handle, it swung open on its own—revealing the very last person he wanted to see: the brown-haired, glasses-wearing elf girl from the guild.
Speak of the devil... If Syr's scheming, this one's practically a mastermind.
(A/n: tell me your thoughts)