Daniel's eyes narrowed as he met the manager's gaze. A hint of a sneer played on his lips as he scrutinized the man. The manager, under Daniel's intense scrutiny, couldn't help but betray a flicker of nervousness.
Daniel is a man who'd faced down supernatural beings, whose hands were likely no stranger to the blood and battle, exuded an aura that most ordinary people, like the manager who are just... trying to simply do his job, would find difficult to resist.
"Perhaps I should rephrase," Daniel said, his voice polite yet firm. "Are you absolutely certain my reservation hasn't been... misplaced?" The subtle pressure in his tone sent a shiver down the manager's spine.
"Sir... I... I...." The man stammered, his face draining of color as a sheen of cold sweat slicked his forehead.
ust then, a smooth-talking young man in expensively tailored clothing sauntered down the stairs and approached the reception area. "Hello, ladies," he greeted with a dazzling smile, completely ignoring Daniel. "My name's Pierre Dubois. How can I be of service?" His gaze lingered on Envy, clearly captivated by her undeniable charm.
Envy, however, remained silent, opting for a knowing smile towards Daniel, a subtle cue for him to take charge.
Pierre was confused. His usual tactic of undermining the prestige of men typically worked, as most modern women were quick to judge and blame their partners.
However, this man didn't appear to be their date; he seemed more like a friend accompanying them for a good time at the restaurant. That's because Pierre didn't initially think that Daniel, accompanied by several women, would be their partners.
Normally, when he undermined a man's prestige, their partner would take over the conversation if he addressed them directly.
This would prompt him to shift his focus to the woman and engage in a pleasant conversation trading their contact, and then showcasing his ownership of the French restaurant to impress them. Pierre was aware that many modern women sought high-income partners.
Subsequently, he would display generosity by offering the women access to the VIP room, despite having instructed the manager to delete the reservation. He would insist that there was no record of the reservation in the first place, attributing any mistake to the man, who would typically refrain from arguing with their partners.
But this was the first time Pierre encountered a situation where women politely allowed their male partner to maintain control even after he had undermined the man's prestige.
"Judging from your attire and your ease in accessing the staff-only area without reprimand, you must be the owner of this place," Pierre nodded at Daniel but seemed reluctant to engage with him.
Pierre's eyes narrowed in annoyance but he quickly concealed it; This man had unexpectedly challenged his status, diminishing his ability to show off to the ladies.
After all, Pierre was also at the top of the income pyramid. He had his connections, even reaching to the Congress, given that his father owned a large conglomerate group. While it couldn't compare to the Golden Empire Group, it still carried significant weight.
"Sir, if you're going to act like this, we can't serve you. Please..." Pierre gestured toward the door. "Make way for other customers; you've taken up enough of their time." This was Pierre's trump card.
In Pierre's mind, at this moment, the girls should have yelled at the man, blaming him and taking control of the conversation. Making a reservation at his restaurant was quite a challenge; without months of pre-reservation, they wouldn't have been able to secure a spot.
Daniel's smile widened, but it was more of a sneer than a smile now. "Fine, have it your way. Just remember who started this," Daniel said before turning to his companions. "I'm sorry, but we need to change venues. Let's go," he announced, and the girls nodded in agreement.
Penthesilea, however, looked at Pierre with visible disdain; she wasn't very good at hiding her anger. Nonetheless, she followed her lord's decision and left the restaurant with him.
Seeing this, Pierre was confused. Why had the ladies left with that man? Wasn't this supposed to be the moment when they took charge and blamed him? Pierre was stunned but quickly calmed himself; this was also a scenario he had anticipated. Even though he doesn't want it to happen.
"Heh, talking big. I'd like to see what you can do to me," Pierre sneered before going about his day. Although he regretted not getting the ladies' contact information, he remained optimistic, thinking he just got a free reservation fee worth 500 USD, courtesy of that foolish man.
—
At Daniel's side, they exited the restaurant and headed to a fried chicken joint near Union Square.
Inside the venue, Daniel began ordering chicken and fries sets for the girls. Envy smiled; it had been a long time since she last ate here. Likewise, for Koyuki, it had been ages since she and Daniel had visited this fried chicken spot, not since they graduated from university.
For Anastasia, this fast-food experience felt novel. Back in Russia, she hadn't had many chances to dine like this.
Penthesilea, loyal to her lord, happily ate wherever he did. Whether it was a roadside hot dog stand or a fancy restaurant, she enjoyed it.
The only one who found this less than ideal was Svetlana. She didn't want her princess eating at such a place. But seeing even the princess of the Tokugawa clan dining here, she refrained from judging Daniel's taste; after all, he was the most outstanding artificer in the Curtained World.
The group began to enjoy their meal, with Koyuki particularly relishing conversations about their university days. She and Daniel talked like an old couple, reminiscing, while Envy chimed in occasionally about miscellaneous topics.
Penthesilea didn't join in the conversation, maintaining a respectful distance. Despite being considered one of Daniel's wives, she still saw herself as his servant. However, Daniel didn't ignore her; he asked about her well-being from time to time during their meal, which warmed Penthesilea's heart.