Before long, all the dishes Shirakawa ordered were served. Perhaps because the manager had given special instructions, his food was prepared first, and the plating was exquisite. Whether the taste matched the presentation remained to be seen.
As Shirakawa picked up his cutlery and chopsticks, the manager standing off to the side watched him nervously, terrified that a single dissatisfied bite might lead to their establishment getting wrecked.
Fortunately, Shirakawa only furrowed his brow at the first mouthful and then nothing. Just like an ordinary diner, he chewed slowly and ate every last bite.
That initial frown had only come because his palate had been spoiled by Salar's cooking. To an average person, the food here would count as delicious, but for Shirakawa, who had been living on Salar's meals for a month straight, it was merely passable.
He took a sip of red wine and frowned again. Sure enough, he preferred beer. Even if wine appeared more suited to his image.
"Please, let this gentleman not lose his temper." Every time Shirakawa knitted his brows, the restaurant manager felt his heart leap into his throat.
He had already reported Shirakawa's arrival to the person backing him, only to receive a single directive: "Keep that man thoroughly satisfied. If anything happens to this restaurant, you'll answer to me. As for me, I'm not showing my face. You have full authority there."
The manager understood. The man behind him was afraid, unwilling to step out into the open.
All in all, the meal passed without incident, and the manager let out a quiet sigh of relief.
When Shirakawa went to settle the bill, the manager fully intended to waive the charge, but Shirakawa refused to owe anyone any favors. In the end, the manager accepted a symbolic payment of one hundred Belly.
"You're the one who insisted on taking so little. Don't say I wasn't willing to pay." Shirakawa, finding it impossible to argue the manager down, had no choice but to hand over the hundred Belly.
"Yes, yes, it was entirely my wish to accept this little." The manager hurriedly bowed, his voice deferential.
"Mm." Shirakawa turned and walked away.
Watching his back, the manager exhaled in relief. The man was finally leaving.
Just then, Shirakawa's steps halted, and he glanced back. The manager's heart instantly jumped into his throat.
"Oh, by the way, your chef's cooking really isn't up to much. The food on my ship tastes far better."
"Yes, yes, we will certainly improve."
"Good. I'll come again next time."
"Of course, we welcome your next visit." The moment those words left his mouth, the manager wanted to die. Thank goodness his heart was strong, or Shirakawa would have scared him to death long ago.
When Shirakawa finally stepped out the door, the manager finally completely relaxed. He collapsed into a chair, feeling the sweat soaking through the back of his shirt.
"Uncle, who exactly is he? I've never seen you so afraid of anyone." The young waiter who had first served Shirakawa approached the manager.
It turned out they were related. Otherwise, given the way that waiter had initially handled Shirakawa, he would have been kicked out long ago.
"Don't ask questions you shouldn't. All you need to know is that the man who just left is one of the most dangerous figures on the sea. Keep your eyes sharp if you ever see him again. If you cross him and get yourself killed, I wouldn't even be able to avenge you."
"Even the boss can't compare to him?" The waiter meant the boss behind their operation.
"The boss? Ha." A scornful laugh escaped the manager at the mention of the boss. The very man who had been ready to abandon them.
"Compared to him, our boss is nothing. A little kid brother, understand? Or maybe not even that in his eyes."
Hearing his uncle's words, the waiter was utterly stunned. He had never imagined there could be anyone in the world who frightened the boss more. Truly, his horizons had been too narrow.
Still, he felt deeply grateful his uncle had stopped him. If he had truly angered that man, his head would likely already be separated from his body.
When Shirakawa stepped out of the restaurant, he found the sky had already grown dark. Night, the time when people let loose.
The evening streets were filled with dazzling lights and flowing wine. Crowds bustled along the roads, the flow of people easily double that of daytime.
As he walked, Shirakawa noticed someone tailing him. He had intended to shake the pursuer off, but then realized the other's strength was decent enough to keep pace.
"Interesting." A faint smile tugged at the corner of Shirakawa's mouth.
If someone had deliberately come to follow him, then they certainly had a purpose.
"President, the Vice President is about to make a move against the captain of the Silver Pirates." Inside the Bounty Hunter Guild, within the president's office, a subordinate delivered the report.
"Good. Immediately issue the order to expel him from the Bounty Hunter Guild."
"Yes, President."
"Malding, since you're determined to court death, don't blame me for not saving you." Indeed, the Vice President of the Bounty Hunter Guild was named Malding, and he was the very person now tailing Shirakawa.
Shirakawa wound his way through several turns, slipping into an extremely secluded alley before stopping. A moment later, a figure appeared behind him.
"How did you notice me?" Seeing Shirakawa waiting there, he realized he had long since been discovered.
"As an assassin, you're utterly unqualified. You can't even properly conceal your own killing intent. It makes you very easy to spot."
Shirakawa explained with surprising patience.
"So that's it. But since you knew I intended to kill you and still dared to come to a place like this, it seems you're asking for death."
"How can you be so sure I'm the one asking for death?" Shirakawa had been moving with his back to him the whole time, but every little move his pursuer made, he sensed perfectly.
"Me, ask for death? Hahaha, don't think that just because you're a pirate with a five hundred million Belly bounty I'll be afraid of you. The bounties of the pirates I've taken down add up to more than five hundred million!"
Hearing this, Shirakawa nearly laughed aloud. A bunch of pirates whose bounties added up to five hundred million versus a single pirate worth five hundred million... how could those possibly compare? To actually encounter a villain with such an impressive level of stupidity right before his eyes was truly rare. He had expected this kind of character only to exist in novels.
"What an idiot."
Shirakawa muttered under his breath, yet the volume just happened to carry the words to the other man's ears.
"What did you say?!" the man roared in fury. He dared call him an idiot?
"Since you seem eager to hear it again, I'll say it once more. What. An. Idiot."
Without another word, the man drew the two daggers from behind his back and lunged at Shirakawa.
Shirakawa spun with lightning speed, seized the man by the throat, and slammed him against the wall. Malding barely registered a flash of white before his feet left the ground.
"This is the level of strength you brought to assassinate me? Were you dreaming?" With those words, Shirakawa tightened his grip and snapped the man's neck, not even giving him a chance to beg for mercy.
/-\
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