Chapter 16: Stellaron Hunter Returns! Permanent Blacklist Name Determined?
"..."
"Delicious, love it."
"..."
"You should eat more too, otherwise I'll finish it all."
"..."
Inside Luke's restaurant, the person wolfing down food early in the morning was named Kirisame Marisa.
Watching her appearance, lacking much maidenly reserve, Erina, who had stopped her spoon, didn't know how to evaluate her for a moment.
However, Luke was used to Marisa's straightforwardness.
After filling a new bowl with rice congee and serving it over, Marisa immediately started eating rapidly again, like a student about to be late, quite anxious.
"Eating like this, although it's congee and you won't choke, you can't possibly taste what ingredients are inside, right?"
"Don't quite understand what you're saying... Ingredients? I don't pay attention to that. The food Luke makes is all delicious, so I'll send it straight into my stomach immediately, right~!?"
Marisa finished speaking, looked at Luke, and even winked, seeking affirmation.
"Right, right, right."
Luke brushed it off with a smile.
Having finished the third bowl of rice congee and letting out a burp, Marisa picked up her broom.
"Done. I'll give you the meal money next time, put it on my tab like before, no problem, right, Boss Luke? You can totally trust me, daze!"
"You did indeed clear your previous tab, of course you can run a tab again."
"Thanks."
Marisa waved her hand, not lingering in the restaurant.
However, before leaving, she handed a handwritten name card to Erina.
On it was written 'Gensokyo All-Purpose Yorozuya, Kirisame Marisa Awaits Your Request'.
Erina accepted it somewhat confusedly and continued enjoying the dish before her.
"What a decisive person. Are the customers in Luke-san's shop all unusual?"
"That's indeed the case. If you have to say ordinary... perhaps only Reimu."
Admittedly, Hakurei Reimu was the guardian of the Great Hakurei Barrier of Gensokyo, possessing extraordinary power.
But comparing her to the other youkai in Gensokyo, she seemed quite normal.
Likes money, occasionally lazy, passionate about a leisurely life.
"Reimu?"
Hearing a name she hadn't heard before spoken by Luke, Erina felt somewhat curious.
"I'll introduce you next time there's a chance."
After finishing the conversation on this topic, Erina ate the last remaining rice congee.
A warm feeling of fullness spread throughout her body.
The chill brought by being drenched in the rain earlier had long since vanished.
Ding-a-ling-ling!
The doorbell rang.
The person marked as a regular by Luke appeared again.
"Kafka-san, welcome. You're early today."
"Early? My world is different from here, it just entered night."
"Looks like the time difference is significant..."
"Indeed, but it's also interesting, not troublesome."
Kafka chose the seat by the window again this time.
After pouring Erina a glass of water, Luke walked over with the menu.
"Is it just Kafka-san alone again?"
"I originally invited Silver Wolf and Firefly, but the former didn't accept because of a 'game update', while the latter decided to rest."
"What a pity."
"Anyway, there are still many opportunities. Our journey hasn't reached its end yet, and this restaurant will surely become a good resting place."
Kafka took the menu in hand and ordered a bacon sandwich and a coffee soufflé.
Luke, taking the order, immediately prepared to start making them.
Walking to the kitchen and taking out bread, Luke said to Erina,
"Nakiri-san's clothes should be dry by now. You can find them in the second-floor washroom."
"So quickly?"
"My dryer is also very efficient."
"Thank you for the trouble."
Erina planned to go to the second floor to change back into her own clothes.
Once the girl left, Kafka took the opportunity to strike up a conversation with Luke in the kitchen.
"We didn't chat properly before. Luke-san, does this restaurant you operate encounter trouble on weekdays? This restaurant located in the woods feels like it could easily be targeted."
"There have indeed been similar situations."
Luke recalled the past for a moment.
Then said with a smile,
"The restaurant was attacked by two rabbits before."
"Rabbits?"
Kafka became interested, urging Luke to continue with a questioning tone.
"That's right, but not literal rabbits, rather humanoid youkai with rabbit ears."
One was called Inaba Tewi, the other was the 'Moon War Veteran' Reisen.
At that time, they seemed to think the restaurant was a threat and started investigating.
The final result was that both learned their lesson...
"Just like the boundless cosmos, it seems this world also has quite a few non-human races."
"Humans and youkai coexist here. I suppose the world Kafka lives in is also like this."
Even knowing the setting, Luke didn't use an 'affirmative tone' to chat.
Kafka smiled lightly.
"The coexistence of humans and non-humans is not as simple as imagined. Those who walk on thousands of paths often clash before reaching the end, becoming enemies."
Before Kafka's words faded, the restaurant door was pushed open again.
Luke stopped his actions and looked over.
Scanning the newest guest, Luke immediately issued an expulsion order.
"Scram. You're not welcome here."
"Oh my? This place is certainly not the Abyss, more like a dimension connected after space was distorted. What a miracle! A miracle indeed!"
The new guest suddenly exclaimed, appearing very excited.
Luke frowned slightly at this.
He hadn't thought the person before him would come to the restaurant.
Was there a problem with the function connecting myriad worlds, failing to filter this fellow out?
Luke thought of this, and issued the expulsion order again.
"You will be on my permanent blacklist. Before I make a move, get out, sir."
"Where does your hostility come from, Your Excellency? I... Bondrewd, the seeker of the Abyss, coming here certainly cannot be accidental!"
Bondrewd...
Known as the Lord of Dawn.
An extremely twisted existence from Made in Abyss.
Why would such a fellow appear in the restaurant?
Thinking this, Luke looked out the window.
Maybe... take the opportunity to eliminate him as an 'incident'.
Having made the decision, Luke didn't stop his cooking work, but instead let Bondrewd sit down.
In a few minutes, I'll just deal with this guy...
---
Read More With Pictures (20+ Chapters In Advance):
p@treon.com/U22
Replace '@' with 'a' on your web browser.
(NOTE: Apple charges 30% more if you buy a Patreon membership through the iOS app. So, I suggest using a web browser to buy the membership from Patreon. You can then use the app to read chapters. Of course, if you don't want to save money, then ignore my suggestion.)