Chapter 30 : Daily date (4)

“The food here is all quite unique.”

“Hearing you say that makes me a little worried… Well, it smells good, at least.”

I suppose I should find solace in the fact that everyone around seems to be enjoying themselves.

Visually, though, it’s truly awful.

“Normally, you have to book years in advance to eat here, but I pulled some strings. It’s a good start to a date, right?”

If she had a tail, it would be wagging furiously right now.

She clearly doesn’t have ears or a tail, but she’s giving me that puppy-dog look that says ‘Praise me! Praise me!’

“Besides, even though it’s old, this place is popular. Look around, everyone’s minding their manners. No fights or anything, it’s the perfect spot for a quiet, relaxed conversation! Even if it is old!”

“You said ‘old’ twice. You chose a good spot, though.”

[The Silver Horned Divine Beast, Who Only Seeks Virginity, complains that you aren’t interested in women you’ve already conquered. It urges you to compliment the woman in front of you.]

“Stop eavesdropping.”

“Eh? Me?”

“No, some pervert keeps butting in.”

This damned Divine Beast is so desperate to interfere.

It’s like that little pervert kid from some anime who’s obsessed with young ladies.

[The Silver Horned Divine Beast, Who Only Seeks Virginity, snorts, saying It’s heart is pounding even though it isn’t the target of your affections. As long as you maintains your virginity, he’s capable of anything! Marriage bonuses across all regions increase by 1000%.]

“Hey, are you trying to break the game balance again? I’ll quit if you don’t fix it right now. Gaia, do something about this.”

This is seriously at the trauma level now.

It promised it’d behave, then it changed my appearance, and now this? It’s all for nothing. I sent a signal to Gaia.

“But… I’ve lost all my power here.”

“Huh?”

“I… escaped from there. All I have left is affection, loyalty, beautiful memories, and an intelligent mind.”

“That’s quite a lot left.”

“Hehe… It makes it easier to assist you.”

She puffed out her chest shamelessly, bragging. I flicked her forehead and sighed.

I should flick Yena’s forehead a few times too.

[The Silver Horned Divine Beast, Who Only Seeks Virginity, says it is restraining itself and tells you not to worry. It assures you that it will absolutely not cross the line.]

“How is this *not* crossing the line…”

I decided to ignore it and wait for the food.

If I kept paying attention, I’d get a stomachache and wouldn’t be able to enjoy the food.

I especially didn’t want to imagine a pure white horse grinning confidently.

The food didn’t take as long as I thought it would.

I didn’t even know what we ordered, and the atmosphere got a bit awkward, so I turned to Gaia to start a conversation.

Gaia was smiling at me, her hands cupping her chin like a flower.

She seemed happy just looking at me.

She seemed happy even though the food hadn’t come out yet.

“Why are you so happy just to eat a meal with me?”

“I was cooped up for so~ long. If it weren’t for you, Master, I would have probably stayed there forever, lamenting my situation.”

“Right, right. It’s a little much, though.”

“I’m just… happy. About all of this. About eating together with Master in this small space. About the fact that I, and no one else, have you all to myself right now.”

Is it because the game settings were maintained when she came out here? She seems to really like this world.

The way she showed me around this restaurant, the way she introduced me to this world…

“Even if someone else had rescued me, I wouldn’t feel this way. It’s not because you’re a man, or because you saved me. It’s purely… I really like how you don’t hide your feelings, Master.”

“Whoa, what’s with the sudden…”

“Heehee… I’m just happy right now. I don’t expect an answer.”

The way she shyly expressed her feelings while smiling looked beautiful, even without wings.

Gaia cautiously spoke as if opening a hidden door to her heart.

I can’t answer her feelings right away, but I can close the distance a little.

She mumbled, ‘Was that too much?’ I casually tossed out,

“You don’t have to call me ‘Master.’”

“Yes?”

“Just call me by my name.”

“How could I dare…”

“So, you don’t want to?”

I teased her with a slight smile, and Gaia’s face instantly turned red again.

She probably just remembered what she had said earlier.

If this were a manga or anime, there would be a ‘Poof!’ sound effect right now.

“W-WooSeok…?”

“Yeah.”

“Heehee… WooSeok.”

“I’m listening.”

“I think I did well to be brave. Those who challenge are beautiful!”

Gaia exclaimed, smiling brightly and pumping her small fist.

If it were just the two of us, this would be a really nice moment.

[The Silver Horned Divine Beast, Who Only Seeks Virginity, declares that this moment is so sweet it’s driving it’s crazy and vows in it’s name to record this story as an oral legend in this world.]

[The Silver Horned Divine Beast, Who Only Seeks Virginity, whispers that not just it, but almost every god in the world is watching this scene.]

“Please…”

Gaia didn’t seem to mind the situation, just grinning at me.

“Isn’t the food taking a long time? I feel like it’s been an hour.”

“You’re right. It usually comes out pretty quickly… It doesn’t usually take that long to cook monsters, anyway.”

Just as we started to wonder about the delayed food, things started happening around us that hinted at the reason.

“My fried rice isn’t coming out!”

“Grandma… the plate’s right in front of you…”

A grandmother with thinning hair complained.

She was yelling for her food even though a steaming plate of fried rice was right in front of her.

“When are my 12 protein shakes coming out!”

“Why are you looking for those here!”

A muscular woman was looking for her protein supplements in the restaurant.

Wait, do they even have protein in this world?

“Waiter… spit in my coffee…”

“That’s disgusting!”

A large woman was sexually harassing the waiter.

Even in a world with only women, there’s always someone like that.

I think I understand why the waiter looked so tired earlier.

“चावल कब निकलता है”

“What?”

And then a dark-skinned woman in a hood started babbling in a strange language.

The inside of the restaurant was in chaos.

No wonder the food wasn’t coming out.

“Gaia? What’s up with this place?”

Gaia avoided my gaze, whistling.

Unlike my desire to quietly enjoy a meal and spend time with her, the chaotic atmosphere showed no signs of improving.

“Is the bathroom here?”

“Don’t pee where you’re sitting, you crazy old lady!”

The senile grandmother wet herself right there on the spot.

The waiter’s face was turning blue.

“I’m losing gains!!!”

“So why are you looking for a protein shake at a restaurant! Go work out!”

The woman stood up and started doing muscle training when the shake didn’t appear.

She wasn’t paying any attention to the objects breaking around her, so the poor waiter started getting hit by the shards.

And now she’s speaking informally to the customers, too?

“Waiter… Can I lick you?”

“Get out of here!”

The woman who was beaten up earlier for harassing the waiter came back and asked again.

At least she’s asking for permission before acting.

“नृत्य मजेदार है”

“They’ve started singing a weird song and dancing!”

The people in turbans started singing and dancing merrily.

I tried to suppress my laughter at their cheesy B-grade sensibilities.

Seriously, why are they doing this in a restaurant?

I started to understand why the waiter was a bit cold to us.

There was nothing she could do with three of them plus the singing people in that small space.

Gaia was just trembling and watching the women ruin the nice atmosphere.

And after a short while, I felt like I heard a ‘snap.’

Literally, a ‘snap.’ It sounded like something I had been holding back had finally broken.

“Oh, seriously!! Why today of all days!! Unicorn, do something!”

Gaia shouted towards the sky.

Of all the beings to ask for help, why that one?

[The Silver Horned Divine Beast, Who Only Seeks Virginity, joyfully answers his comrade’s call. This space will explode in 10 seconds. 10, 9, 8…]

“Hey!”

It ended in an explosion after all.

I knew this would happen.

I quickly grabbed Gaia’s hand and ran out of the restaurant.

“Eh? H-hand…”

The cheesy B-grade music.

The sound of breaking glass from the training.

The constant demands of the pervert.

The sound of the senile old woman crying for her parents.

“All of you, get out of my restaurant!!!!”

Everything came together and enveloped us.

[3… 2… 1… 0]

As the countdown ended, the world’s best restaurant, as it was claimed to be, exploded like fireworks and flew away.

The sky was unnecessarily clear, providing a backdrop for this untimely fireworks display.

[The Silver Horned Divine Beast, Who Only Seeks Virginity, declares: Art is…?]

“Sob… sniff…”

“Hey, why are you crying?”

I was staring blankly at the sky when I heard sniffling next to me. I turned my head to see Gaia crying.

“Delicious food determines the day, but the date started… sniff… I prepared so hard.”

Did she have high expectations? I held her tearful face and tilted her head up.

A face filled with both embarrassment and sadness.

I pinched her nose with one hand and sat down, looking at the still-exploding restaurant.

“Sit down. Let’s watch that.”

“But…”

“Why are you acting so unlike yourself? The day has just begun.”

Her expression changed as I finished speaking.

She looked dazed, as if deep in thought, and then her eyes widened in sudden realization.

Finally, she gave the biggest, happiest smile I’d seen all day.

“Okay!”

She shouted and sat down next to me, watching the sky together.

She quietly leaned her head on my shoulder, but I decided to let it slide this time.

B-grade sensibilities accept everything, after all.