Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: The Man Who Drinks Snacks Like Water (5)
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“What did you just say?”
For a moment, I thought I’d misheard. My eyes went wide. It didn’t taste good? After scarfing it down like that?
I wasn’t the only one shocked. Pippin rushed over and grabbed Enbi by the collar, shaking him.
“What did you just say? You were going at it like you’d devour the plates too!”
Enbi tilted his head away, pretending not to hear.
“Master, get your money back! Give me the snacks! I should’ve just dumped them in the sea! I didn’t like them from the start!”
In the midst of it all, Pippin’s rage veered off in a strange direction.
“You even hunted my share of beasts! You chomped the monster corpses down to the bones in your orca form! You stole my chance to watch! You, you interfering fish!”
Pippin shook Enbi while glaring at me.
“Master, should we just ditch this guy?”
“Wait, hold on…… Give me a minute to think.”
It was bewildering. Things weren’t supposed to unfold like this after finishing the snacks.
Enbi meets Anemone, devours the snacks deliciously. He gobbles up every dessert in the shop like a glutton, and Anemone soothes him gently as they wrap up their date.
With his belly full of snacks, Enbi blushes shyly, saying it’s his first time trying such sweet treats. He admits that for someone used to nothing but brawling in the sea, this peaceful indulgence is a novelty.
And his affection level should rise by one.
‘The event that unlocks at three affection hearts is definitely right.’
But right now, there wasn’t even an event notification in my status window, and the affection hearts were stuck at three, not budging.
“Tasteless. So this is what land-dwellers eat. Just makes my throat drier. Burp.”
For someone complaining, he looked awfully relaxed and laid-back. Belching repeatedly like that, he seemed satisfied with his meal—so what was the problem?
Was it the shop? Did it have to be the one with Anemone?
“Let’s try another shop.”
I shot up from my seat. Pippin and Dandel stared at me in surprise. Dahlia was looking too, but she didn’t seem fazed. She was just rubbing the crumbs off her skirt.
“Lord Enbi is a proper guest. We can’t send him away unsatisfied.”
I forced a smile and approached Enbi. I grabbed some napkins and brushed the cream and crumbs off his face and body. The pristine merman I’d freshly bathed was now a total mess.
“Lord Enbi, what was wrong with it? Wasn’t it a new experience?”
Enbi sat still under my touch, pretending to mull it over with an “Hmm……”
“Just.”
“…….”
“Dunno. I wanna drink water.”
For once, I could sympathize with Pippin’s suggestion to dump him in the sea. But giving up after dragging him this far wasn’t my style.
“Master, do we really have to go to another shop?”
Pippin pried Enbi away from me.
“A dimwit like this should be grateful he got to eat this much.”
“Pippin, watch your mouth. He’s my guest.”
“More like a headache on legs.”
“Even headache guests need tending to. We’re going to another shop.”
Dandel caught on first and headed downstairs to pay.
“Let’s go, Dahlia.”
I wiped her hands and helped her up. Dahlia let out a tiny burp. A mysterious “Bip” sound escaped her.
“Dahlia. A duke’s lady doesn’t burp in public.”
“Okay.”
Holding Dahlia’s hand, I headed down the stairs to leave the shop when a group of waitstaff rushed over. My sour expression had soured the mood. The eldest one approached me and bowed deeply.
“Gluttony Duke, thank you so much for visiting. But we heard your guest wasn’t satisfied…… We’re truly sorry.”
He clutched his uniform cap tightly, face crumpling.
“Was there a problem? We at Nubes Patisserie staked our reputation on giving you our very best today.”
I was about to say it was fine when Enbi blocked my path and picked a fight.
“No taste, no taste! Crispy, sweet. Where’s the fish? Huh? Who made this? Can you fight?”
[Hahaha! How tacky! I’m embarrassed for you!]
Enbi’s menacing aura plus the talking sword made for quite the spectacle. The waitstaff’s faces paled.
I sighed once and waved loosely at Pippin. He swiftly subdued Enbi and bound his arms behind his back.
“Don’t cause a scene. I’m only going easy because you’re still Master’s guest.”
“Argh! Think I can’t fight on land? Argh, fight! Fight!”
Enbi bellowed. Pippin glanced at me. I nodded.
“Drag him out.”
Enbi was just being capricious; the shop wasn’t at fault. I patted the waitstaff’s shoulder with an awkward smile.
“He’s a guest from very, very far away, so he’s a bit……”
How could I spin Enbi positively? I racked my brain, but there was no salvaging him. Hopeless. Taking him to another shop felt daunting. Maybe Pippin was right—just ditch him. The current Pippin would cheerfully agree even if I said to kill him.
I was the real idiot for going to all this trouble. I just wanted to avoid murder if possible.
Right, killing a merman now would leave me speechless in front of the crown prince later. It could turn into a diplomatic mess. Mermen probably had no sense of loyalty anyway.
“The snacks were all excellent. Especially the fruit tarts.”
The waitstaff’s faces relaxed a bit. Dahlia shot her hand up, eyes sparkling.
“Dahlia’s favorite!”
“Yeah. You had two bites of that one. The rest, your short mouth couldn’t handle much.”
The waitstaff clasped his hands prayerfully, thanking me nonstop. Just not offending the duke seemed a huge relief for them.
I called out to Dandel, who’d been standing back watching everything.
“How about you?”
He flinched, surprised I’d address him.
“M-Me, sir? I was honored!”
“No. Which ones tasted good?”
“How could I…… This is a shop for nobles…… Tasting such masterpieces was……”
Dandel seemed unusually subdued today, which made me feel a bit sorry for him. He’d come to the shop, placed the snack order. He’d worked hard enough to deserve some reward.
“On the way back, send someone to deliver today’s desserts to the duke’s castle. Ask the head chef what he can replicate too. I was satisfied.”
“I’ll see to it!”
Dandel bowed and scurried off.
Before leaving, as I returned their bows, I asked the waitstaff,
“Forgive the imposition, but is there a dessert shop more renowned than yours?”
“W-Well…… That’s……”
As the troubled waitstaff hesitated, someone dashed out from behind. Wearing a chef’s uniform, probably the head patissier.
“Duke! Gluttony Duke!”
The patissier rushed over, apron flapping. Dandel trailed behind.
“Duke! Eating so much before leaving!”
The panting patissier’s eyes gleamed.
[♥♥♥♥♥]
We’d just met today…… Why does he like me so much?
The patissier was an older man with a sensitive vibe. He grabbed my hand with his flour-dusted, powdery ones. Normally, you don’t touch a noble’s person, but he acted like etiquette didn’t exist. Stunned in his place, Dandel following snapped at him.
“Hey! How dare you touch the duke!”
“Dandel, it’s fine. So, what is it……”
The patissier’s eyes welled up. He kissed the back of my hand with a choked voice.
“Duke, thank you truly. Since opening Nubes, you’re the first guest to eat this much.”
“Ah.”
My gaze involuntarily flicked to Pippin and Enbi. Eaten? Or drunk?
“Yeah, I suppose so.”
I’d brought two bottomless gluttons. Pippin still had crumbs around his mouth. Enbi, restrained by Pippin, kept demanding a fight between burps. Utterly disgraceful.
“My master always said: Everything starts with not going hungry. Sweet pastries nourish the heart’s hunger, but filling the belly comes first.”
“That’s…… a warm sentiment……”
I wasn’t interested, but……
“Baking all those today left my arms aching. First time since training—I’m overwhelmed, thrilled. To have someone eat my pastries so heartily!”
“Glad you like it.”
“I overheard you with the waitstaff. Looking for more pastries? Need a patissier at the duke’s castle? I can recommend talents.”
I shook off the patissier’s hand. Dahlia, holding an OK sign to her eye, giggled at him.
“No, nothing like that. Just…… someone who needs to experience new flavors.”
I rolled my eyes toward Enbi. Still hopping mad. A live fish flopping on land.
Doubtful if feeding that guy more pastries would trigger the event, but I had to try.
“Then why not visit a pastry master?”
The patissier blinked rapidly, fluttering his lashes.
“How about meeting my master? He lives in a remote spot a ways from here…… but he’s the one who taught me. A professor at Dairy Academy, now retired.”
Dairy—our castle’s head chef trained there too. A professor from there must be skilled.
“The duke’s visit would surely inspire his best. He raised me like a son, kind and affectionate. Mention I sent you, and he’ll welcome you right away.”
The patissier had a waitstaff draw a simple map and hand it to me.
The master lived quite far. Past the plaza, into the suburbs.
The sky was still bright. If we hurried, we could make it. I took Dahlia’s hand and shook it.
“Dahlia, up for a bit more strolling?”
“I like walking with big brother.”
Bidding farewell to the patissier and waitstaff, I stepped out. Pippin approached, Enbi bound.
“Shall we go? Pippin, look after Lord Enbi. Keep him from slipping away.”
“Master, I wanna go home now. I’m tired. Back from expedition today. Aren’t you tired?”
Pippin grumbled. I flicked his forehead and shook my head.
“I’ll feed you, so work. You’re my escort knight.”
“Ugh. I’ll eat a ton. This fish’s belly too. Brace yourself.”
Dandel had separate tasks for this trip.
“Dandel.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Head back to the castle and deliver the ordered pastries properly. We’ll go on without you this time. You’ve got more to do.”
“Huh?”
Dandel glanced at Pippin and Enbi, shaking his head wildly.
“Duke, you’re taking those two?”
“Pippin the escort knight’s here, so no worries. The kids at the castle will love it especially.”
It was all groundwork to win them over later anyway.
“That kid Millibel…… She greeted me before. Share with the stable boys too.”
“Duke……!”
Dandel’s eyes sparkled like the patissier’s. My brow furrowed like I’d bitten a lemon.
“Creepy, so cut it out.”
“Yes, sir!”
Sending Dandel off, we hailed a carriage and boarded. While Dahlia and Enbi pressed against the window gawking, I reignited my cunning yet benevolent plan.
“This time, no matter what…… I’ll make you happy…… Taste the master’s pastries, Enbi.”