Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Today's Menu? (3)
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The gazes of the five people seated at the table were fixed solely on one person.
They were directed toward me—the one dressed impeccably in a black suit, displaying an oddly calm demeanor amid the current situation.
The fierce attention pouring from those around me. Bolstered by their interest and encouragement...
I put on another spine-chilling encore performance.
"Shall I say it again? Serving this as food is deception and violence against the customer from the moment it's brought out."
I laid into the food right in front of me with scathing criticism.
Not toward anyone else.
But openly hostile toward the waiter who had served it.
"This is truly the worst dish I've ever laid eyes on."
This food was genuinely the worst.
Without hiding a thing.
I told the waiter straight up.
And naturally, my words were 100% sincere truth.
Not a single lie mixed in.
A brutally honest review.
【……】
After hearing my harsh critique...
The waiter fell into a long silence.
"……."
The others, who had witnessed my outburst in real time, also went silent.
Every one of them wore expressions like they'd given up on everything.
Among them, one even complained of dizziness right after my remarks.
But...
'We're not done yet.'
The brakes on this runaway locomotive had been broken for a long time.
"Eating this garbage might as well be scooping mud from the sewer—it'd probably be better."
【……】
"We came all this way because it's famous... but with food quality like this, is the next course going to be food waste?"
【……….】
"You've actually tasted this shitty dish before serving it, right?"
And after that...
I unleashed a barrage of complaints without holding back.
Naturally, with every harsh word I spat, the faces of the five people here...
Gradually turned deathly pale.
They looked like they'd completely given up on everything.
How many more minutes passed after that?
After wringing out every last complaint I could muster, I caught my breath with a sense of relief.
The waiter, having silently endured that endless torrent of abuse, gripped the knife in his left hand tightly—it caught my eye.
Swish—
And when the waiter made his next move...
He directed it toward me...
【My apologies.】
He bowed at the waist.
【I have no words for the irreparable discomfort we've caused you.】
The waiter suddenly offered me a heartfelt apology.
!!!!!
The five watching this scene couldn't help but be stunned.
It was only natural they were shocked.
What I'd done up until moments ago...
Was the worst kind of tantrum that could've gotten my limbs torn apart without anyone batting an eye.
Those chunks of flesh scattered on the floor were proof enough.
But he didn't tear me apart.
Far from it.
He bowed at a perfect 90 degrees.
And delivered a sincere apology.
Doubting the situation was perhaps inevitable.
So, they must have been even more curious.
Why did the waiter...?
Why treat only me differently from the others?
The reason was simple.
A situation you see all too often in restaurants that sell food.
A complaint.
I'd followed every single etiquette rule for dining at that waiter's restaurant.
So I'd simply exercised the rights any customer has.
And that very rights assertion...
Was one of the few ways for everyone to escape this restaurant ghost story unscathed.
+
📰 Breaking News
/Today's Menu? Escape methods if you end up at that ███ restaurant. Escape isn't that hard... right? :) 1. Have one person per course eat it to escape. (Downside: forces sacrifice of a few.) 2. Schedule a return visit to escape. (Downside: obviously gets dragged back on the visit date.) 3. Order the spe... . . .
There isn't just one way to escape this ghost story restaurant.
Looking closely, there are plenty of useful escape methods listed.
Escaping alone might not even be that hard.
But on the flip side...
Almost every escape method fundamentally requires someone's semi-forced sacrifice.
So my options were limited.
Among countless escape methods, the one where everyone could escape this shithole...
-12. Complain about the food the waiter brings out to escape. (Key point: acting skills are crucial! Don't forget!)
This method lets everyone escape without any sacrifices.
Of course, if I slipped up even a little during the complaint...
Human ingredient ending.
'Who knew the crap those asshole customers pulled during my night shifts would come in handy like this.'
This was entirely thanks to the 'Smile Badge's' major contribution, of course.
Swish—
The waiter, who had bowed toward me, cautiously began reciting the following lines.
【We sincerely apologize once more for providing unsatisfactory service.】
The waiter slightly straightened his bowed posture.
And continued.
【If there is anything you desire from us, we will fully accommodate it.】
"……."
'Yeah, that's the line I was waiting for.'
What I wanted from that waiter was simple.
"We'll be on our way now. We're not in the mood to eat anymore today."
【……Understood.】
The waiter bowed low to me once more.
I rose first from the chair I'd been glued to longer than the others.
!!!!!
Naturally, the others watching alternated glances between me and the waiter.
【……】
Even as I stood from my seat, the waiter showed...
No reaction whatsoever.
He didn't chop off the legs of the one who stood.
No twitch.
No movement.
The waiter's tacit approval continued.
Confirming the waiter's lack of response, the others...
Slowly...
Began rising from their seats one by one.
I gave a faint smile to those who'd bravely stood, reassuring them.
"Then let's get out of here."
"……."
The moment they heard my voice saying 'let's get out' and saw the faint smile on my lips...
Tears welled up—!
They struggled to hold back the tears brimming in their reddening eyes.
It seemed like relief at the thought of surviving and leaving this place.
Step—
Once again, I took the lead.
The five survivors slowly followed my back as I headed for the restaurant entrance.
Some glanced warily at the waiter, but he showed no movement from our table.
Splash—!
Passing through the blood puddles on the restaurant floor.
Our steps advanced slowly.
One step, one step toward the entrance.
As we drew closer to the entrance, sobs from the survivors echoed behind me.
Unlike the radio incident, I'd wrapped this up without major issues, and I felt relieved too.
But no letting guard down until the end.
As we neared the entrance...
I stopped at the door to let the remaining survivors exit first.
The first to pass through was the sole man among the five survivors.
The moment he crossed the threshold...
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud—!
He bolted out at full speed.
"Mom!!!"
Ignoring his remaining companions, he fled far away to save his own skin.
"……Ha."
The women watching his escape let out a hollow sigh.
'Down to four now?'
I whispered softly to the survivors left behind.
"I'll go last. Please exit first without worry."
Of. Course.
Deep down, I wanted to bolt out ahead of that guy who'd just run.
But the reason I didn't...
Was that their survival was directly tied to mine.
If something went wrong during the escape, it'd be even worse for me.
"Um, excuse me..."
"Yes?"
Suddenly, one of the women stopped mid-step and called out to me.
She blurted out in a trembling voice.
"Thank... you."
"……."
Unlike the fleeing man...
This woman offered genuine gratitude.
"……."
As an ordinary guy like them who likes women...
Hearing thanks from one didn't suck.
But... wrong place.
I wished she'd save the thanks for after leaving the restaurant.
'I'm on edge here. Can you just hurry up and go?'
In this situation where the waiter could move any second...
I wanted her to prioritize her own life over thanks.
"Guys."
As if reading my mind via telepathy...
The woman who'd first spoken to me started pushing her friends' backs.
"We'll give our thanks properly after we get out."
Exactly my thoughts.
And luckily, her words got them nodding one by one.
"Y-yeah. Let's get out quick."
"R-right, like Hee-ji says, let's go first."
The three women resumed toward the entrance.
As I watched them exit one by one, I finally let out a sigh of relief.
Tick—
Now just one left.
Once Hee-ji passed through, this job would end without a hitch.
Tick—
Without a hitch...
Tick—
We'd wrap it up...
Tick—
I'd been far too complacent.
Dong~ dong~ dong~ dong~
!
A deafening roar filled the space, like I wanted to cover my ears.
Bam—!
The restaurant door, open until just now, slammed shut.
I swiftly grabbed the wrist of Hee-ji, who was clutching her ears in panic.
'Why now of all times!'
The ear-splitting vibration faded, and the waiter—who'd been bowed at our table—stood straight.
Clap-clap—!
Two light claps echoed with a lively voice.
⚡ EVENT ALERT ⚡
【Break Time!】 【Time to eat, everyone!】
The waiter's booming voice filled the space, and it summoned 'those guys' here.
Bam—!
【It's meal time.】
⏰ Break Time ⏰
01:00:00 00:59:59 00:59:58 . . .