Seia's Menu Board
At the mention of work, Seia’s expression shifted as though she had just been entrusted with a monumental responsibility. Her small lips pressed together in a firm line, and her large brown eyes widened until her pupils seemed to expand, making her look remarkably like a cat.
“Seia’s going to write the words right here.”
“Me?”
“That’s right. Everyone who comes will see what our Seia wrote. The man who visited last night, the grandfathers and the young lady who came today, and all the other customers too.”
“Seia’s… writing…”
Though her face had been resolute and solemn moments before, the realization that everyone would see her handwriting seemed to make the weight of responsibility feel heavier than she had imagined. Not that anyone would scold her even if she wrote something like “Today’s Menu. Dummy.”
“What do you think?”
“…I’ll do it!”
“Good. First, hold the pen.”
“Hold the pen…”
“Now write the words here. Today’s menu.”
“Today’s menu.”
The very first button was already fastened wrong. Jungwoo had no intention of correcting it right away.
‘…Should I make it a little longer?’
He had originally planned to keep it simple—just “Today’s Menu. Pork Cutlet.” But seeing Seia’s handwriting made him change his mind. He wanted to write something longer.
“Hand-trimmed tenderloin.”
“H-hand-trimmed… tender… idiot…”
“Hm?”
The moment Seia finished writing, something felt off. No, it was definitely off.
‘…Idiot?’
Seia wouldn’t know, of course, but there was no need for that particular word to appear. Jungwoo crouched down.
“Seia, sweetheart.”
“Yes?”
“It’s not ‘idiot,’ it’s ‘tenderloin.’ The bottom stroke should be, not.”
“Oh! Tender… loin…”
Fortunately, Seia quickly added two strokes to turn the into, and anyone unfamiliar with the story would never notice the difference. Still, the sight of that tiny hand carefully scrawling the word “idiot” in place of “tenderloin” was oddly endearing—more than just his imagination.
“And after that, coat it with crispy breadcrumbs.”
“Mhm… coat it with… crispy… breadcrumbs…”
Every single word was slightly misspelled, yet that was part of its charm. At her age, these were the kinds of mistakes people smiled at rather than corrected. Seia was still learning, and learning was nothing to be ashamed of. Jungwoo had never spent much time around other children, so he had no idea whether Seia’s dictation skills were good, bad, or simply average. But if something was lacking, he could teach her one thing at a time. Being slow wasn’t a sin.
“Golden-fried pork cutlet.”
“Golden… fried… pork cutlet…”
Besides, the words Jungwoo was dictating weren’t ones people used every day. The finished sign would be placed right in front of the restaurant for everyone to see, so he chose not to point out every mistake. Seia would only feel embarrassed, and while watching her get flustered had its own quiet joy, she was already plenty lovable and adorable without it.
“Daddy.”
“Hm?”
“Are we done?”
“We are. You did a great job, Seia.”
The letters were crooked—more crooked than usual, probably because she had been so nervous knowing everyone would see them. Even so, Seia looked proud of what she had written. She had carefully copied difficult words she rarely used (though misspelled, of course) and felt she had done rather well.
“Did Seia do good?”
“Yes. Our Seia is a master calligrapher.”
“Calligrapher?”
“That’s what we call someone who writes beautifully. A master calligrapher.”
“Hehe, Seia is a master calligrapher!”
Seia beamed, eyes crinkling with delight at the praise, and Jungwoo gently patted her head. Whenever he did, she would close her eyes, just like a contented cat.
“Shall we go set it up together?”
“Yes!”
One hand holding Seia’s, the other carrying the signboard, Jungwoo stepped outside. Mounted at just the right height, the board displayed Seia’s large, uneven handwriting. Both father and daughter gazed at it with satisfaction.
“Seia.”
“Yes?”
“Will you write it again tomorrow?”
“Yes! Seia’s a master calligrapher!”
Since opening this small restaurant, Seia had taken on more roles than expected. She was the mascot and part-time server, and now she was also the marketing staff in charge of the signboard—and a master calligrapher to boot. She even recommended which menu items tasted best. With skills like that, shouldn’t she be paid more than minimum wage?
Jungwoo didn’t know what effect the signboard would have, but judging by today’s customer count, he suspected the numbers would keep growing. He understood exactly how important Seia was to the restaurant. Just by being here, she made people happy and helped them reclaim a little peace of mind—even if only for a short while.
Still, this was a restaurant. A place where people paid for food prepared by someone they had no other connection to. No matter how cute and lovable Seia was, the taste and hygiene could never fall short. Thanks to that mindset, Jungwoo hadn’t heard a single complaint about anything being too salty, too spicy, or lacking flavor. It had only been one day, and most people didn’t voice such thoughts anyway, but the expressions on their faces had been filled mostly with happiness.
Delicious food, a comfortable atmosphere, and an adorable mascot. The menu items were familiar, and the open kitchen let customers see everything—the cleanliness, the quality of ingredients, the care put into each dish—through their eyes, ears, and noses.
“Shall we go back inside?”
“Yes!”
It was time to prepare for the evening rush. He had no idea how many customers would come. After a while, people looking for simple snacks and drinks would start arriving too. Even if the food wasn’t exceptional, a newly opened place always drew crowds at first. A little preparation now would make things much easier later.
At least the restaurant wasn’t very large. The second floor was just the right size for a family of three, and the first floor matched it in area. Part of it was divided into a small storage room and kitchen, leaving space for maybe five tables at most. The approaching evening filled him with both anticipation and a touch of worry.
─┼
“I’m finished.”
The emotionless voice was so stiff and cold it almost sounded detached. The woman with the matching gaze looked at the elderly man, her intent impossible to read.
“Hoho. Good work.”
Already accustomed to such responses, the old man’s voice remained perfectly calm.
“Guild Master, it’s dinnertime.”
“Oh, so it is.”
The man addressed as Guild Master was the same elderly gentleman who had visited Seona’s Restaurant between breakfast and lunch. Thanks to that experience, his mood today was noticeably good—good enough that others could tell.
“I’m going.”
“Why not have dinner together instead?”
“No thanks. You always pick the strangest places.”
“Now, now. Strange? Each one has its own unique charm, doesn’t it?”
“Your idea of charm doesn’t match mine, Guild Master.”
“Goodness, it’s not just about the food.”
“Anyway, I’m not going.”
“It’s an ordinary place. A warm one.”
Under normal circumstances, the Guild Master wouldn’t have pressed so persistently. He often invited her to meals, and sometimes she accepted, sometimes she refused. Even when she went along, the food was usually the kind that sharply divided opinions, so it rarely suited her taste. Since she had nothing else to do after work anyway, she used to follow him, but lately she had started refusing even that, leaving her days feeling strangely empty and still.
She hadn’t joined the guild out of any strong desire; people around her had nagged her so much that she figured entering a large guild might make things easier.
“I think you’ll like this one quite a bit.”
“…This is the last time.”
This would be the final time. If he took her to another restaurant with polarizing food, she was fully prepared to draw a line—Guild Master or not.
“Wise choice. Won’t you join us as well?”
The old man’s gaze shifted to his secretary. After a brief moment of thought, the secretary nodded. The woman’s eyes flickered with mild interest at the sight.
The Guild Master’s secretary was the same type of person as her—someone who simply did their job and showed little interest in anything else. Whenever the Guild Master wanted to eat together, this secretary would quietly excuse themselves, knowing it meant dealing with one more person. Facing two S-rank hunters at once wasn’t exactly pleasant for an A-rank hunter, after all. The sheer difference in magic power made it difficult to endure.
Both the Guild Master and she were quite well-known even among S-rank hunters.
“Well then, let’s head out. It’s dinnertime, so there might be quite a crowd.”
Since he had called it an ordinary restaurant, she didn’t hold high expectations. Leaving the massive guild building, they walked to a destination close enough to reach on foot. It was far more ordinary than she had imagined.
An old, shabby building. She couldn’t tell what was on the second floor, but between the first and second floors hung a neatly written sign in an old-fashioned script.
[Seona’s Restaurant]
“Seona’s… Restaurant?”
She hadn’t known such a place existed. Even the name felt like something rarely seen these days. The fact that the Guild Master had come here suggested he was probably reminiscing about the past. It was rather striking—this side of a man who wasn’t exactly warm-hearted. It felt as though she had stumbled upon a secret hobby, and her curiosity about Seona’s Restaurant grew stronger.
Was it run by a grandmother? Or a grandfather? Usually, memories resurfaced most easily when shared with someone who held the same ones. Thinking so, she peered inside—and saw something entirely different from what she had expected.
A young man who appeared to be the owner, and a small child who could have been his daughter or younger sister. The little girl was smiling brightly, and the sight caught her eye.