Meat Party
"Fufufu, Ethan-dono, what a charming nickname you’ve got."
"Well, it's okay."
"Is it really okay!?"
Ethan-dono seemed unexpectedly nonchalant in response to Chris-san's teasing.
I was surprised by Ethan-dono's reaction.
"Are you sure it's okay?"
"I don't mind if it's just what the kids say."
Ethan-dono didn't seem to truly mind, and I found myself respecting the depth of his character.
"Thank you, E-chan~"
"So, want to have some yakiniku together?"
While thanking Ethan-dono, Allen and Elena didn't forget to invite him to yakiniku.
"Well, I don't mind having a meal together for the sake of socializing, but treating us to something extravagant... that might be an issue."
"It's not fancy?"
"It's on the house?"
"While that might be fine for you, Allen-kun and Elena-san, it might seem luxurious from my perspective or from a general viewpoint."
“”Ehh~"”
Even if it didn't cost money, luxury was luxury, Ethan-dono remarked, causing Allen and Elena to puff up their cheeks.
"”So, as long as it's not fancy?"”
"Yes, if that's the case, I'd be happy to join you."
“”Yay! Let's go then!"”
"Wait, wait! Allen, Elena, we haven't finished discussing the matter of the branches!"
“”......”
Stopping the children who seemed ready to leave immediately, I sat down quietly without saying a word. However, perhaps because they didn't speak, the adults swiftly wrapped up the discussion about the branch.
... Is this what they call silent pressure?
“”Where should we eat?””
"Are there any places where it's okay to bring our own meat?"
"In that case, let's go to a restaurant owned by an acquaintance of mine. They'll be accommodating."
"Please."
And so, with Chris-san, Ethan-dono, and Dill-san in tow, we headed to the restaurant.
By the way, the vice-director stayed behind at the Headquarters. Dill-san also wanted to decline, but the kids wouldn't allow it, so he reluctantly joined us.
“”Oniichan, meat!"”
"Okay, okay—Alright then, I'll pass the meat over to the kitchen for them to cook."
Chris-san’s acquaintance at the restaurant kindly allowed us to cook our own ingredients. So, Chris-san and the others went ahead to a vacant private room, while we headed towards the kitchen.
Kaiser went with Chris-san and the others to the table first... but he won't slip up with some inappropriate comment while I'm not looking, right? ... I'll choose to believe he won't.
“It's a secret~"
"We won't tell~"
"Well, just enjoy it without overthinking."
"......"
Chris-san, Ethan-dono, and Dill-san glanced at each other suspiciously, as if suspecting that some of the meat might be classified as 'premium.'
"If you don't know, it's just meat."
"... If we don't know, right~ Well, since we rarely get such opportunities, I'll just enjoy it."
"That's true. I also can't tell what kind of meat this is in its current state."
"... Sigh. What will I do once my taste buds get used to this?"
Chris-san and Ethan-dono seemed resigned to the situation, but Dill-san had a different worry.
"If you start making money off of the fragments from a first floor, you can totally afford this!"
"Oi!?"
“”Do your best!””
"Ooi!?"
Even if they start to appreciate luxury, as long as they keep from earning branch fragments, they should be fine! Fragments can fetch quite a sum, after all.
"Nevertheless, it's quite an innovative way to eat. Cooking your own meat at the table."
"That's true. But it's actually quite enjoyable this way."
"... Aren't you two getting used to this quickly?"
Dill-san watched Chris-san and Ethan-dono dive into grilling the meat as if they were pros.
"It's important to accept the situation as it is to avoid unnecessary confusion."
"If it were a criminal act, corrective action or punishment would be necessary, but this... well, falls under playful mischief."
Indeed, the two leaders of the organization showed remarkable composure.
"Is it cooked?"
"”I think it's fine~"”
"So, we season these ourselves? Which one do you recommend?"
“"All of them!"”
"... Oh my."
"The salt and sauces Takumi prepared are all delicious. So, it's good to try everything and find your favorite flavor. But I recommend starting with the pepper salt. Enjoy the meat first!"
... Kaiser was starting to sound like a seasoned yakiniku connoisseur.
"Pepper salt?"
"The bottle with the black lid."
Kaiser seemed to have a firm grasp even on the contents of the convenient salt.
"Mmm! This is delicious! Is this really from an Armored Buffalo?"
"And this one is from a higher-tier Orc!"
The yakiniku party ended with rave reviews.
However, when we returned to the inn, I suddenly remembered that I forgot to buy instant soups at the Dungeon Management Headquarters.