CH 25.2

Manpower Agency 25.2

Chapter 25.2 – A Little Play Date and Slave’s Nest

After the play was over, he took me to a restaurant he opens for the commoners.

He said he was confident of the taste but as a genuine flower from the royal capital, I don’t expect much.

「This is our most popular coffee. It’s sweet when mixed with the cream on top.」

「Oh, it’s like a coffee sherbet. It looks good, doesn’t it?」

「You should taste it too.」

The border between the coffee and the white cream has turned to beautiful brown.

The beans were selected and roasted with the assumption that they would be sweetened.

The balance of sourness and bitterness is good.

Even though the coldness numbs my tongue, the taste and smell are still recognizable.

It tastes cheap but it’s frustratingly delicious.

I mix the cream with a spoon.

It becomes mellow at once and it is already a different drink from coffee but it tastes good.

This is the kind of taste I would want to have after a hard day’s work.

「How is it?」

He asked me while peeking from looking down. I pat his head and say, “I lost”.

I wonder if he’s thinking that I’m a slutty woman who likes to touch someone.

「Thanks for waiting.」

「Ah, these are pancakes. They are very popular with ladies.」

A maid brought it to him and he offered them to me. It is white bread with white cream and berry sauce on top.

「Thanks but, are you sure it’s okay to rent this store for today? Isn’t this very popular?」

There are quite a few seats but right now, the two of us are sitting on the sunniest seats all to ourselves.

If this store was his source of pocket money, I think I have disrupted it…..

Though I must admit, I’m happy that he reserved this whole place for me.

「Oh, it’s alright. Don’t mind it. Try tasting it.」

「I guess I’ll have some then.」

I imitate his way of spreading the cream and sauce on the bread.

I cut it with a knife. Ah, there’s something in the bread.

Is this syrup?

That means this is a very sweet food, isn’t it?

Sweet food tastes good so this can’t be bad.

Oh.

The white stuff was cold unlike the cream earlier.

「That’s cold cream. We call it ice cream.」

「I see. This is something fresh.」

It seemed to contain vanilla and its complex sweetness unexpectedly refreshed my palate.

In no time at all, my plate was empty.

And found that he has cream on his lips.

I can’t help it.

「Ah, sorry.」

「No problem.」

I wiped it off with a handkerchief and said sorry though I didn’t really mean it.

It looks like he was planning to wipe it with his cuffs or something.

Boys are really handful.

「Would you like to eat something else? They’re all delicious.」

「Hmm, your menu has pictures which makes them easy to understand.」

「This Bolognese is very popular. Or maybe you’ll like margherita.」

「They are all dishes I’ve never seen before. Did you buy them from a foreign chef?」

「No, I came up with the idea and our chefs did their best to make it.」

Hmmmm, it’s like the play we saw today.

The barbarians were delighted when they were served with cuisine from another world.

For now, why don’t I ask for that margherita? I like its beautiful white, red, and green color.

「May I order this one?」

「As you wish.」

The maid at his side bowed and went to the kitchen.

She’s wearing some pretty fancy clothes, doesn’t she?

「That dress」

「Yeah?」

「Do you like that kind of thing?」

「Well, I like it but it’s not that I’m obsessed with it.」

「Would you like me to wear it for you sometime?」

「Eh? Ah, no…hahaha」

「What’s wrong? Didn’t you say you like it?」

「No, the size is….」

「May I order this one?」

He turned his gaze to my chest as he said those words.

The corners of my mouth loosen.

It looks like I made the right call…..Mion.

When we left the shop, it was already evening.

A town carriage was already waiting in front of the shop and armed women in matching blazers were hanging around it.

「Greetings, master.」

「Ah, thanks for your hard work.」

A scalekin woman bowed to him. It looks like she’s a private soldier of his family’s company.

She’s a quite well-built slave.

Especially that centaur over there.

Like her horse part, her human part is compact and full of muscles.

I wonder how they train them.

「Are they part of your family’s private army?」

「No, they are my adventurer slaves. However, in times like this, I ask them to guard me.」

「Adventurer? This girl here is like a sergeant in the army.」

「She was part of the regular army before.」

The scalekin girl quickly took her hat off and saluted.

I see. If you just take the effort of curing them, you’ll get a bargain in buying slaves.

「Are you planning on building an army out of slaves?」

「No. I have them collect magic crystals. We are a merchant family after all.」

「Ah, I see.」

If that is the case, won’t their hard training be in vain?

I playfully let off a slight bloodlust.

Without hesitation, the scalekin girl got between me and Sawadi and became a wall.

In the distance, the centaur has already turned into a javelin wielding oni and is squeezing her muscles like a bow.

Looking at the others closely, I can see the red-haired fishkin has drawn her sword and is hiding it on her back and even most of the other slaves are already holding their weapons.

They are well disciplined, aren’t they?

「You are well trained, aren’t you?」

I put my hand on the scalekin’s shoulder.

The depths of her golden eyes have no plan on letting her guard down and she’s prepared to die at any moment.

How can he make his slaves this loyal…..?

I found another fascinating thing about him.