Chapter 232: Election Campaign (2)
Chapter 232: Election Campaign (2)
We stepped back out onto the street, but to be honest, there were two problems.
One: I still hadn't decided where to go.
Two: I hadn't eaten yet.
For those reasons, after escaping the previous restaurant, we went looking for another one.
The place we found was much more upscale than the one that had just exploded. By our world's standards, you could call it a fancy steakhouse.
However, I didn't choose this place because I wanted to eat something expensive. I only had one consideration while searching for a restaurant.
A place where we wouldn't be attacked. Or, a place where we could notice an attack coming in advance.
The result was this restaurant, located on the third floor, with a queen-sized table placed next to a transparent glass wall overlooking the street.
No matter how much of a bunch of lunatics they were to treat civil war like a daily routine, surely they wouldn't blow up an entire building.
Having made such thorough preparations, I received the menu and flipped it open, but...
“....”
I couldn't read a damn thing.
I keep forgetting this, but Otherworld translation technology only applies to hearing and speaking.
In other words, it doesn't apply to written characters.
Therefore, I spread the menu out on the table and tossed a question to Un-ho.
“Un-ho, starting from the top, what kind of food is this...?”
The moment I spoke.
“By any chance, can you not read our language, guest?”
A waiter cut in.
A sophisticated fairy waiter, dressed in a full tuxedo.
“Ah, yes. That’s right.”
Since the other party was polite, my response naturally became polite as well.
“My apologies. Please wait a moment.”
The fairy waiter said so and lightly waved a hand to generate a Magic Circle, then placed a glowing hand on the menu.
“There, it is done.”
With those words, he quietly pulled his hand away.
What changed?
Nothing seemed particularly different other than the slight glow, so I tilted my head and looked at the menu again.
...I could read it.
Miraculously, I could understand the meaning of the sentences written on the menu.
I still couldn't understand the characters themselves, but the meaning was being etched directly into my mind.
“Ho-oh, a spell that uses a combination of telepathy and detection-type magic. Translating text is difficult for general translation magic unless it's a one-to-one linguistic correspondence, because the intent of the writer has usually vanished or wasn't there to begin with.”
Perhaps impressed by the magic, Al’shel—who had been silent until now as if he had nothing to do with this—opened his mouth.
“Is it that impressive?”
“Most translation magic doesn't read the language; it references the consciousness of the speaker. Well, I can do it too, but it's quite a lot of work, so I usually feel like, ‘Why bother?’ In that sense, seeing such magic used even in a restaurant is quite fascinating.”
That damn magic geek.
He didn't say a word when we were being attacked, but he starts yapping excitedly the moment he sees a bit of magic.
“Thank you for the compliment. However, it is not that my magic is great. As you said, it is only possible because the meaning of the language was embedded into the menu beforehand.”
“Ah, the same principle as a grimoire. Since it's just menu information and not a complex book... the efficiency is a bit low, but hmm. Not bad.”
What the hell are these guys talking about?
“Un-ho. Do you get it?”
“No clue, poyo.”
“Right, let's just pick our food.”
Whenever the conversation turns to magic, I can never understand what's going on.
The waiter and that damn octopus seem to be having fun, so I'll just pick my meal.
Let's see.
Salad and magic-generated meat steak.
Roasted artificial whole bird with sauce.
A dish of fresh vegetables and various meats simmered in alcohol.
Perhaps because of the translation method, instead of the names of the dishes, information about how they were made flowed into me.
Feeling that, I was first curious about the identity of the meat, but the next thing that caught my eye was the mention of alcohol.
...Is this Coq au Vin?
“Ah, excuse me, Mr. Waiter?”
“...Regarding that, I've made a slight arrangement... Ah, excuse me for a moment. What is it?”
The waiter, who had been chatting amiably with Al’shel, immediately dropped the conversation and responded to me when I called.
“This dish here, the one that says alcohol—is it something like fruit wine?”
“Yes, that is correct. Ah, if you are worried about getting drunk, please do not be. The alcohol is used simply for the texture and aroma of the meat, so you do not need to worry about intoxication.”
Mm. It really is Coq au Vin.
The actual ingredients are different, so the taste will be a bit different, but I think I'll go with this.
“I'll have this, please.”
“Yes, understood. Have the others decided as well?”
“Yes! I'll have the Fruit-Meat with vegetables, poyo!”
...Fruit-Meat?
“I'll have coffee and scones, please.”
They have coffee?
“Yes, orders received. One dish of vegetables and meat simmered in alcohol, salad and Fruit-Meat, one cup of coffee and scones. Is that correct?”
...Nothing's wrong, but man, the cuisine is really esoteric.
When we agreed, the waiter nodded for a moment as if he understood.
“Then, I shall prepare them quickly. If you have any needs, please tap the corner of the table twice.”
Leaving those words behind, he slowly flew through the air and disappeared somewhere.
Thus, only we remained at the table.
In the midst of the quiet silence, I soon spoke up.
“What the hell is Fruit-Meat? And why is there coffee?”
“Fruit-Meat is meat that tastes like fruit, poyo.”
No, why would you eat something like that?
“What does it even taste like?”
“It's savory fruit! It mixes the best of both ingredients, poyo!”
Yeah, I don't get it.
I'll have to steal a bite of Un-ho’s later.
“Fine, let's say that exists because your world is weird. But what's with the coffee?”
Why is something from our world here?
Even the tea from the Demon Train was something completely different from ours.
“It is simply translated as coffee for convenience. In reality, it is a substance made by drying and steeping a plant with stimulant properties.”
No, just from the description, that's just coffee.
“So, why is that... No, never mind. I should just accept it.”
Between the election that's on the verge of a total mess and everything else, I think I just have to roll with it.
If I start listing every single weird thing, I feel like I'll collapse from high blood pressure.
So, I calmed my anger by gulping down some water and quietly turned my gaze to the glass wall reflecting the street.
A street where a massive crowd moved about noisily.
I didn't see any groups draped in specific colored cloths among the crowd, but there was something I could feel.
“They sure are diligent.”
“What do you mean, poyo?”
“See that over there, on top of the building?”
That thing that looks like a piece of trash cloth fluttering in the wind.
At first glance, it looks like a piece of flying trash caught on the building's ledge.
But in reality...
“Ah, you're right. They're peeking from over there, poyo.”
I had been fully prepared to explain it in case he didn't notice, but Un-ho took a quick glance and realized exactly what I was talking about in one go.
“What, how did you know?”
“The way the cloth flutters is strange, and strangely, there's no flow of mana only in that spot, poyo. Then it's obvious, poyo.”
...Accurate.
I noticed it because I felt their gaze, but I guess the mana flow was weird too.
However, his comment about the way the cloth flutters is correct.
Right now, everything else around it is fluttering in a completely different direction, but only that cloth is fluttering in a direction that matches my line of sight, as if the wind were blowing from our window.
It means it's intentionally fluttering so that the inside of the cloth can't be seen.
By the way, I expected Al’shel to notice, but for Un-ho to realize it in one go...
Well, Un-ho has always been quick-witted.
He recognized me as the Black Marauder the moment he saw me, and it was the same during the Gray Eater incident.
Actually, maybe this strangely sharp yet relaxed demeanor is Un-ho’s true nature.
Back on Earth, he just spent all his time slacking off because there was no reason to fight, but since coming to this world, he's been acting much more competently than I expected.
Does that mean he actually has the skills to deserve the rank of Brigadier General?
Thinking that, I tossed a question to Un-ho.
“What's the reason for doing that?”
“Well, they're probably trying to catch a scandal, poyo.”
“A scandal?”
“Like Brigadier General Un-ho harassing a civilian, or dining and dashing, or sleeping on the street—stuff like that, poyo. Even if it's a factional struggle, people like Captain Af, who maintain neutrality and just cast their votes, are sensitive to such incidents, poyo.”
Hmm. That makes sense in its own way.
While I was momentarily impressed by the unexpected side Un-ho was showing.
An ominous thought flashed through my mind.
...Dining and dashing?
“...Un-ho.”
“Yes?”
“You do have money, right?”
Come to think of it, shouldn't I have settled this first?
I naturally assumed Un-ho had money when we entered the restaurant.
Since Un-ho didn't say anything about it, I took it for granted that he had some.
But no matter how sharp he's become, Un-ho is still Un-ho.
Who can guarantee he won't cause some ridiculous accident?
“Money? Of course I have it, poyo. Don't worry about that, poyo.”
That's a relief. Then I should enjoy my meal with a peaceful mind.
Thinking that, I leaned back and rested my body against the chair.
* * *
It was a bit different from what I expected, but the meal was satisfying.
The dish I had in mind when ordering was something like Coq au Vin, where the meat is tender and the vegetables are cut into large chunks, soaked in savory meat broth. But what actually came out was a bit different.
What was served were several pieces of meat resembling chicken legs submerged in a clear soup.
For a moment, I tilted my head, wondering where the vegetables went.
But I decided to taste the meat first and took a bite, and I soon realized where the vegetables had disappeared to.
The vegetables hadn't disappeared.
The vegetables were inside that translucent soup.
To be precise, I don't know the exact cooking method, but they must have simmered them until only the essence remained.
Thus, a soup with a deep vegetable flavor was created.
By adding an appropriate amount of alcohol and meat to it, they had created this perfect dish.
Tender, lean, and savory meat.
If it had been just that, it would have been a simple meat dish.
But between the fibers of that meat, I could taste the deep flavor of the vegetables.
To the point where even I, with my dull sense of taste and smell, could feel it.
Since I felt this way, if an ordinary person had eaten it, wouldn't they have felt like they were downing an entire stew the moment they bit into the meat?
Although the portion was small, it was a meal satisfying enough for me to praise it this much.
In addition to that, if I were to offer one more opinion...
It would be the Fruit-Meat I stole a bit of from Un-ho.
I had expressed doubt when he said it was meat with a savory fruit flavor, but it tasted better than I thought.
The refreshing sweetness unique to fruit, with a savory flavor that emerged the more I chewed.
It wasn't quite my style, but I'm sure someone would love it.
I think I could enjoy it quite a bit if it were served as a regular meal.
Anyway, it was a good mealtime, enough for me to say all this.
Except for one single problem.
Specifically, the problem unfolding right before my eyes.
“Um. I am sorry... but the payment is being declined no matter how many times I try.”
“Why is that, poyo?!”
Un-ho placed his hand on the machine they presented as a payment terminal several times, but the only answer that came back was that the payment was being declined.
“By any chance, is your balance insufficient...?”
“There's no way, poyo! I definitely had enough to buy a house when I was dispatched, poyo!”
“Umm... Then I will go and try to make a call. Please wait a moment.”
The waiter, who didn't lose his politeness until the end, left.
Around the time the table became quiet, I opened my mouth.
“...You do have money, right?”
“I have itttttt, poyo!”
...As expected, Un-ho was Un-ho.
An incident broke out like clockwork.
Seeing how wronged Un-ho felt, it seemed he really did have money, but...
I just have to pray that no bigger accident happens here.
So we quietly waited for the waiter to return.
After about four minutes had passed.
The waiter returned to the table with a troubled expression.
And as soon as the waiter returned, Un-ho...
“I have money, right? Tell me I have it, poyo!”
He let out a bizarre scream and shoved his head toward the fairy.
At that, the waiter's troubled face became even more troubled, and he quietly spoke.
“Well... I contacted the bank. It is true that your balance is sufficient.”
“See! I told you I had money, poyo!”
Emboldened by the waiter's single sentence, Un-ho snapped at me.
However, I didn't let go of my grumpy expression and quietly looked at the waiter.
Because that expression on the waiter's face was not the expression of someone whose problem had been solved.
“However, well... they say that because you haven't used it for a long time, your account has been... frozen...”
“...Poyo?”
Well, we're screwed.