The Other World Dining Hall (WN) Chapter 73

TN: For some reason, the author repeatedly used this “Once Again” heading for their chapter t.i.tles lately. I wonder why?

Morning Once Again

When they finished the last cleaning at 10 p.m., the business of otherworld dining hall ended.

[Ou, another tiring day. Here, today's share.]

To Aletta who changed into her own beautiful clothes that she splurged to buy at early spring after her shower, he handed out a brown envelope that contained her wage of 12 silver coins.

[Yes! Thank you very much! …Eh?]

Aletta tilted her head after noticing that the paper bag was heavier than usual.

The owner told Aletta the reason with a little satisfaction.

[Aa, that's right. I forgot to tell you… I increased your wage from today. It's twelve silver coins per day now.]

[…Ee!? Is that fine!?]

At first, Aletta was unable to comprehend the meaning of those words. When she did, she exclaimed in surprise.

As it was normal for wages to decrease, she had never experienced an increase of salary before.

That's why Aletta did not think that it was possible for this job's salary, which was already high in the first place, to increase.

But apparently the owner was serious. He continued to speak with a smile.

[Ou, you've worked with me for a year now and had performed really well.

That's why it's fine to increase you salary a little.]

In fact, Aletta had been doing really well from the owner's point of view.

She had never mistaken the customer's order, and the plates that she had dropped and broke into pieces could be counted with the fingers of both hands.

At first, her hospitality was stiff due to tension, but she recently had become accustomed to serving the various customers.

(Besides, I would be troubled if her salary remains that cheap.)

He did not really understand the otherworld, but Aletta looked like a high school student and was now indispensable for Sat.u.r.day business.

It's too cheap for her wage to be 700 yen per hour when she worked for 14 hours from the store opening to its closing.

It was also the reason why he increased her wage.

[Is that so. Then, thank you very much.]

She listened to the owner's story and thanked him deeply.

She felt like she's still dreaming.

Compared to a year ago, she was blessed now.

Aletta felt that way.

[Well, good work today.]

With care, the owner handed the takeaway bag to Aletta.

[Yes, thank you very much!]

Aletta also took care of that immediately. She took a silver coin from her payment, handed it to the owner and received the bag.

Aletta seemed to have be asked by some customers of otherworld (a female regular that came to order minced cutlet around once or twice a month) to deliver takeaway.

Cookie can of Flying Puppy which she bought every week ever since he gave it to her for "congratulations on finding employment" for the first time.

Today was the favourite of Aletta's employer, Minced Cutlet Sandwich, who couldn't come when she's in town.

And…

[Eh, this, what is this?]

Aletta tilted her head seeing the unfamiliar silver cylinder in the bag.

It was something slightly warm that she had never seen before.

[Aa, that's a bonus. Sorry that it's just a leftover of the restaurant.]

He told the content to Aletta.

[Please wash and return the container when you come next time, for the content…]

The owner told her.

It was the name of the first otherworld dish that Aletta had ever eaten.

When Sarah, a treasure hunter mainly working at the capital, woke up due to the sweet scent drifting from the kitchen, the day was already quite bright.

[A, that's right… I fell asleep before Aletta came back yesterday…]

She wiped the ink marks from her cheek and grasped the situation with the speed of a treasure hunter while picking up the blanket that Aletta probably draped over her when she fell asleep.

On her working desk were a magic lamp she used for her adventure that emitted faint light and a notebook that she read repeatedly.

And a bunch of parchments that she used to write down things.

That clearly represented Sarah's work.

The notebook that she received from her older cousin when they met each other for the first time in 10 years at the otherworld dining hall.

In his notebook, the information of "Southern Continent" where he wandered around for the past decade was written down with brand new ink.

And the one returned to Sarah after she handed it to her aunt and uncle as a proof that her cousin was still alive.

To say, she wanted a clean fair copy that she could read.

Sarah did not understand it.

For treasure hunters, information was only second to their life and they took various measures to protect it.

And the easiest way to do so was "characters that was ineligible and could only be read by themselves".

Of course, if it's too ineligible it would be impossible even for them to read so moderation was necessary, but the characters in her cousin's notebook was still ineligible.

As an educated daughter of a successful merchant family, Sarah could write beautifully, but the letters in her notebooks were usually intentionally wrote in such a way that amateurs couldn't decrypt it.

And her cousin was more experienced and skillful than Sarah, so naturally the code was harder.

In addition, when it came to the part where the encryption was combined with her great grandfather's cipher, Sarah would be needed by the Gold family.

In such circ.u.mstances, Sarah undertook the job of decrypting the information left by her cousin as her aunt and her husband did not have "William's curse".

The remuneration given to her by her wealthy magical tools merchant aunt and uncle were considerable, and it was also a great thanks to Sarah for having the chance to carefully inspect the information of "Southern Continent".

Sarah received the request immediately and in the last few dozens of days, the information she had decrypted were organized and written beautifully.

[Aa, hungry…]

Yesterday she had only eaten hard black bread with cheese and water, so she left the room while feeling hungry.

In the kitchen, Aletta had lit up a stove for cooking and was stirring a pot.

Her well-maintained and beautiful blonde hair with its black horns was swaying.

[A, good morning! Breakfast will be done soon, so please wait a moment.]

She noticed Sarah standing on the entrance of the kitchen and she greeted Sarah with a cheerful smile while being careful so as to not burn the bread and cheese.

[Un. Thanks. By the way, the soup in that pot…]

Sarah asked about the sweet scent from that pot with some expectation.

[Yes! The owner gave me some corn potage yesterday! I'll divide it with you.]

Sarah answered that expectation with disappointment.

On Sarah's small table, the meal for two people lined up and they sat at a same time.

Usually an employee did not eat with their employer, but Sarah did not care about that.

Rather, it's better to eat with company rather than eating alone.

[Demon G.o.d… thank you for the food today too.]

Before the meal, Aletta prayed as usual.

When she just came to the capital, she did not do so as she was hiding her ident.i.ty as a demon, but she was now praying properly ever since she quitted hiding her race.

(Even so, the scripture of prayer was different every time…)

Aletta usually did not seem like a demon and she only prayed before her meals.

Even if she was not educated by a professional priest or there's no fixed verse for the Evil G.o.d, her words of prayer were slightly different each time.

Sarah began to eat while thinking that it's the way of demons.

Toasted black bread served on wooden plate.

(Un. It's quite different when it's just toasted.)

The burned hard surface and fragrant scent of wheat.

Freshly baked bread was the best but it's quite different when it's re-toasted.

When one's not careful, the surface would be burned to black and was extremely bitter, but this was quite tasty though it's not as tasty as the white bread she ate at her parent's house or at the restaurant.

After enjoying bread just like that, she placed the warmed cheese on it and bit it.

When the taste of thick cheese was added, just that was good enough.

It was a staple in the middle of an adventure to eat hardtack with cheese little by little.

(Actually, I wish I can have that berries boiled in sugar water.)

Sweet enough that it's wonderful on bread, that sweet and sour berries boiled in sugar water was finished in no time.

It was really delicious.

Normally, she would share half of it with her sister that was using Aletta as a courier (properly paying her with money) to buy sweets of otherworld (it was quite valuable as one would expect from its gla.s.s bottle and metal lid). It was a preserved food but it fit with bread and matched with tea so it was finished quickly.

It's too bad that it's not for sale.

(Well then…)

After correcting her mind and enjoying her bread, she reached for the yellow soup… corn potage served in a bowl.

The plates, bowls and cutleries they used were made of cheap wood, but it's somewhat sophisticated when she scooped the soup with a spoon and drank it without making a sound.

(It's kind of sweet.)

The faint sweetness spread in her mouth.

The soup made of milk and sweet vegetables had sweetness unlike fruits that made her stomach warm.

(Un… if the sweetness is enough, it's already delicious.)

When she was at her parents' home, she did not like the overly sweet food that made her head and tooth hurt. Rather, she preferred the sweetness of knight's sauce.

Also, this soup was not just sweet. If she tasted it well, she could discern proper saltiness, smooth taste of milk, taste of Oranie, and the underlying complex flavours used by the restaurant for its soups other than miso soup.

(I mean, this is considered as free.)

As always, the soup rolled in her mouth unlike minced cutlet and she enjoyed the flavors soaked by the soup.

Slightly warm black bread soaked up the corn potage and slightly changed its flavor.

When she ate it, it was soft and she could enjoy it along with the absorbed corn potage every time she chewed.

(Un. It's delicious.)

She enjoyed the soup well enough… in addition, Sarah smiled and put down her spoon on seeing Aletta watching the last bowl with desire.

She smiled wryly at Aletta who seemed openly relieved with her state of affairs.

This soup was delicious, but it would be somewhat better for this lovable servant.

In addition…

[That's right. Did you buy it?]

[Yes! I bought the minced cutlet sandwich! I'll heat up for your lunch later!]

Because a feast was waiting for her lunch.