Chapter 109: Café Lutece
After concluding their examination of the physical evidence and other clues, the group departed from the Chasing Shadow Pavilion, intending to find a quiet place to consolidate their findings.
The city around them was a marvel of impossible engineering and whimsical architecture. As they walked, their curiosity was piqued at every turn. They saw sleek aquabuses gliding along elevated waterways, powered by some unseen, silent energy. They passed a blacksmith's forge where the clang of the hammer rang with an almost musical quality, and spotted strange, complex alchemy stations humming softly on street corners. At what appeared to be an Adventurers' Guild outpost, a small, doll-like Melusine stood perfectly still, her large, unblinking eyes giving her an uncanny appearance.
Faced with so many wondrous sights, even Mouri Ran, who had been wrestling with a knot of anxiety, found her worries temporarily melting away. Her gaze softened as she took in the fascinating scenes, a world of pure imagination brought to life.
The children, of course, were bursting with unrestrained curiosity. Moments after leaving the pavilion, they were already darting about, their energetic shouts echoing through the pristine streets as they explored every nook and cranny.
Even Conan Edogawa, whose mind was typically consumed by the case at hand, couldn't resist casting curious glances around, his detective's eye cataloging the impossible details of their surroundings. He had to admit, if not for the life-or-death threat posed by Noah's Ark, this 'Cocoon' game would have been an astonishing and thoroughly enjoyable experience.
Suddenly, Genta, who had run ahead of the others, spotted an outdoor café. He broke into a sprint, turning to wave them over. "Hey, everyone, hurry up! I found a café! We've been in this game for a while, and I'm getting hungry. Let's grab a bite and talk over the case while we eat!"
Mitsuhiko jogged to catch up. "Genta, don't run off like that! And have we really been in here that long? You ate a bunch of snacks back at the venue. How are you hungry again already?"
Moroboshi, one of the other boys, looked intrigued. "Can you even get hungry in a game?"
"You probably can," Natsume mused, a thoughtful smile on her lips. "But we haven't been logged in for very long. Genta's 'hunger' is mostly just an excuse to eat something."
"Hehe," Genta scratched the back of his head, a little sheepish at being called out. "Well, that's part of it. But aren't you guys curious? I want to know what the food in a game like this tastes like!"
His words seemed to strike a chord. Haibara, who had been quietly observing, added, "I'm also a little curious to see how eating in a game compares to the real thing."
A murmur of agreement went through the group, and they all headed toward the café.
A cheerful proprietor greeted them from behind the counter. "Welcome to Café Lutece! What can I get for you today? We have the sweetest cakes in all of Fontaine, guaranteed to be as sweet as a Melusine's smile with every bite."
The children huddled together, their eyes wide as they scanned the beautifully illustrated menu.
"This 'Fonta' drink seems to be a local specialty," Haibara pointed out. "The description says it was invented by the Fontaine Research Institute. Let's order a bottle. I'm curious what a drink developed by a place like that tastes like."
Ayumi, however, was captivated by the exquisite desserts. "Ooh, this 'Bulle Soufflé' looks so pretty! It says it's baked inside a hollowed-out Bulle Fruit. It looks delicious! But... what's a Bulle Fruit?"
Mitsuhiko, also noticing the many unfamiliar ingredients, pondered for a moment before replying, "I don't know. It must be a special ingredient unique to this game world."
Genta wasn't concerned with the details; his gaze was glued to the pictures of decadent pastries. "Who cares what it is, as long as it tastes good! Let's see... this 'Beryl Conch Cake'looks amazing, and that'Floating Dew Frost' sounds a little weird, but it looks good too. Which one should I get? Hmm... maybe I'll just get both!"
Conan, who had been studying the menu himself, quickly intervened. "No way! You already ate a ton of food earlier. Eating too much is bad for you, and besides, we don't have that much money."
Kikukawa, another of the boys, chimed in, "We're in a game, Conan. Eating too much won't actually affect our bodies."
Genta nodded vigorously, conveniently forgetting their earlier disagreement. "Exactly, exactly!"
"Money is still a problem, though," Moroboshi pointed out practically. He turned to the two oldest members of their group. "The money that Miss Tsuista, the Melusine, gave us... is it enough?"
"Miss Tsuista gave us some local currency before she left," Ran explained, opening the small pouch to check. "She said it's called 'Mora,' which is a bit of a strange name. As for whether it's enough... it should be, but if we end up staying in the game for a long time, shouldn't we try to be a little frugal?"
"There's no need for that," Natsume replied with an easy confidence. "I doubt we'll be in here for an extended period. Our real bodies outside wouldn't be able to handle it, so the game's runtime is probably limited. This is a rare chance to eat things we can't get in reality—and without gaining any weight! We should definitely eat our fill."
She gave Ran a reassuring smile. "Don't overthink it, Ran. If we run out of Mora, we can just have them put it on the Hydro Archon's tab. She's the one who wants this court showdown with us, so it's only fair she covers our expenses, right? This is a game. Since we're here, let's just have fun and not worry so much."
"You're right, Natsume." Ran felt the logic in her words and decided to release her lingering worries, embracing the rare moment of leisure.
Seeing that Ran was on board, Natsume turned back to the children, her voice bright. "Alright everyone, order whatever you want! Enjoy the game!"
"Yay! That's great!" the children cheered, their attention snapping back to the menu with renewed vigor.
"This 'Bulle Fruit Crepe' looks good too," Kikukawa decided. "Let's get one of those."
Conan considered Natsume's words and conceded that she had a point. He began studying the menu again, realizing it could be another source of information about Fontaine, which might prove useful for the case. "In that case, I'll have the 'Beryl Conch Cake'too." The menu described it as a pastry made to imitate the shape of a Beryl Conch.'So, that must be a type of seashell found in Fontaine,' he mused.
Just then, Natsume caught Moroboshi's gaze. She offered him a small, encouraging smile, a silent gesture for him to hurry up and choose something.
He seemed momentarily taken aback, then a faint warmth touched his cheeks. He quickly turned to join the others. "Then I'll have the 'La Lettre a Focalors.' The menu says it's a dish inspired by the people of Fontaine's love for the Hydro Archon, and it looks like it really tests the chef's skill. I'll take this one."
"I'll have that too," Emori, the last of the boys, quickly added, his interest piqued by Moroboshi's choice.
After all the children had excitedly placed their orders, Natsume and Ran also chose a few desserts that caught their eye. With their selections made, they led the group to a table in the café's pleasant outdoor seating area, settling in to wait for the proprietor to bring out their treats.
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