Belle brought me to a burger joint.

In front of me was a touch-screen monitor terminal, with a life-like model of a generic burger rotating about.

There's only a single employee behind the counter, smiling and bowing at my direction. She had a ponytail and that hat which didn't cover the hair--I don't know how to call it.

When I saw the list of menu, I was like...what the fuck. It's totally empty.

She told me, this joint just recently opened.

The reason why the menu is empty—this joint has a concept: from customers, for customers.

We can create any menu, as weird as creative we want and the burger joint will make it. Using the terminal, it would list the final price we have to pay.

The meals we create will be up in the menu list and others can also order it.

If they ordered the menu, about thirty percent of the earnings will go to us in the form of points.

We can exchange the points for cash and prizes.

There's also a point milestone depending on how much points we got.

Regardless if we spent it or not, the milestone will be intact. There are voucher rewards, a ticket to hot spring inn, plasma TV, motorcycle...the usual stuff mostly.

I went to the counter and asked, "If we order our own menu, will we still get the points?"

"Of course!"

Meanwhile, Belle was busy designing her burger...

It was quite esoteric. With chocolate, pineapple, cheese, and eggplant...the patty were also rainbow colored.

Well, let's see...

"Any other rules we have to be aware of?"

"Lil' missy, you don't need to worry. Feel free to create whichever menu you want."

There weren't any written stuff about copyright infringement...

As she didn't warn me beforehand, it's probably a trivial matter.

"Do we have to eat the burger and stuff the moment we finish designing it?"

"Of course not, hehe."

"Nn."

There weren't any customers. The breeze from the air conditioner rang clearly across the whole floor.

I had this plan in my mind, as I took the nearby seat and browsed the signature menus of popular burger franchises. If infringing copyright is allowed, can't I just...nah—too much trouble.

Belle sure took her sweet time. Her face's brimming with joy when she went to the counter to receive her cooked goodies.

She sometimes came up with weirdest things but it's always tasty.

"Onee-chan, I'm done! Hehe...behold--my masterpiece..."

Uh...I couldn't describe the burger anymore.

She sat in front of me, nomming her meal with smile that made the Sun cry with envy.

"I'm excited to see which kind of burger Onee-chan will make!"

"Don't talk with your mouth full."

Speaking of which, this place doesn't have a water dispenser?

The terminal had a lot of menus.

There's also a Smart AI feature to adjust the ratio of the specifics, like salt and sugar level according to industry's standards...

Nah, forget about it. Too much hassle.

I'll just make my favorite drink—mineral water.

It'd be one-and-half liter, that came with a pitcher and plastic cups from the joint.

...what the hell?

Why is water so expensive?

Judging from the quantity, it's understandable. With a thirty percent discount, it's only a bit higher than convenience stores.

I also added a more expensive version with spring water. People with some extra cash always want to try the new stuff befitting their caste.

Plus Oxygen water, 600 ml in a bottle.

The final drink menu is blank soda. No saccharine and stuff. When I'm at work, I love to drink it. Served cold in the freezer, straight from 250 ml bottle.

For the main course, I went with blank burgers.

I saw a lot of them had so much meat you couldn't even get them all in one chew.

It'd be a nice complementary for the big burgers people designed. You can shove the extras into the blank patties of your taste.

It's just like rice in the form of bread.

...and I ate rice three times a day.

I made few variations: standard, garlic bread, crispy and stuffed crust (patty with cheese/meat filling). If they want their custom bread, they can make their own or list it in customer suggestions.

The condiment levels, just the usual.

Let's also make a topping bar. People can just order the blank burger and choose their favorite. Whether it's lettuce, cucumber, tomato, cheese, beef, venison, crab, fish...

I also added rice and beans to the mix. I felt it's nice to eat it with rice. I even ate pizza with pineapple and rice.

It truly beats having to design the menu from the scratch—all you can eat. The thought alone made me salivate.

Another good complementary are french fries.

There's a burger joint called Four Guys. Their burgers were normal but man, their meal set had so much fries. Made outta a natural potato.

I made mine outta the same material.

Only differentiated by the shapes.

Straight, crinkle cut, circular cut. In addition, I finished the alphabet and animal-shaped ones. It only took a few clicks. They came in packs of small, medium and large. The Four Guys' portion as large, and I used the AI to deduce a sizable proportion for small and medium.

To preserve the natural taste, I only use a bit of salt. The industry's standard had too much--no wonder people died of hypertension.

If people want more, the condiments like salt, pepper, cheese powder, mayo, teriyaki or thousand island—the joint will provide it.

Adding a Salad Bar is also good. While, in the nutrition table, the fast food stuff had no indication of trans fat, there's no harm to go green. Plus, it's all you can eat. A good way to encourage people to eat veggies.

I don't need to design much. Just going over to the list of available fruits and vegetables, copy-paste and done. The usual condiments are provided.

Let's add two blenders, One is too few and people don't like to wait in fast food joints. A salad bar comes with as much vegetable and fruit juice of your liking. I also provided toppings--the kind you see on bubble teas.

Maybe someone can get a bit creative. Put blender in their burgers and drink it like juice?

I wanna add a drink bar which people can mix drinks to their liking...but, that ain't for amateurs.

...and I'm no bartender. It'd be a chaotic hoot if drunk people start fighting or have sex with each other.

My other idea's a snack bar, but it defeats the purpose of a burger joint.

"Wow...Onee-chan, are you a genius? You practically owned the entire store with this."

Belle's voice from right behind made me jump.

I didn't even notice I was standing there for pretty long, probably an hour or so.

The owner kept nodding and tapping her fingers with the other. I was wondering since my ideas were pretty extensive, should I strike a contract?

I don't want the Owner to steal my ideas, claiming it as her own. I don't have any law power to uphold the agreement.

In reply to Belle's words, and also to this notion...

"I'm just lazy."

Since my design was basically an overhaul to the entire joint, it'd be ready by the next week.

I ordered Belle's design as a take-out. Only eating it after a few hours in the fridge.

The main reason I didn't eat in the joint...I wasn't really hungry.

She invited me right after I ate lunch...

"Mmm..."

"How was it, Onee-chan?"

It's not even a burger...

This fits more in a novelty bakery—not sure if they exist.

...but well, it's sweet, refreshing and delicious. I gotta hands up to her free-spirit.

"Epsilon good job."

"Yey!"

Belle ended up snuggling me and rubbing her body against mine.

So comfy...

==

A week later, I revisited the burger joint.

There's a big sign, 'All you can eat – Salad & Burgers'.

Inside's pretty crowded with people styling their burgers and salad. A lot more employees but I didn't see the owner.

...the terminal's no longer present.

I had a bad feeling about this.

As I was wondering about, one of the employees called out.

"Lil' Miss over here, Boss is looking for you."

They pointed at the 'employees only' door in the back. Not having a problem as I walked past. There were the kitchen area, the washrooms and the office at the very back, having 'Management' printed atop. It's kinda plain.

Inside the office, the owner wore a casual shirt and she's busy typing stuff on her laptop. The office doesn't have a lot of decorations. Just simple, clean white room with few, but nicely placed decorations.

"Ah, lil' miss..."

"About the thirty percent deal thing..."

"Yes. In fact, I had contracts for both you and your little sister. The ideas are such a hit, I don't think thirty percent will do justice."

Hmm...

I was surprised it's doing so well—but what's even more astonishing, is Belle's novelty bread.

"It couldn't be that weird bread...right?"

"Actually...miss Belle submitted over a hundred designs and she already signed the contract. We have to make a lot more shops...the first one's congested with long lines."

Well, it's to be expected—seeing Belle doing better than me.

"What about the rest?"

"It doesn't work. These people kept trying to imitate the menus from popular franchises and directly ripping off each other for the discounts."

I gave a short 'oh' and moved on.

"There are creative designs that have the opportunity to sell. But the majority only cared about themselves—like it's the most original. It's ironic, how the loudest bunch, are the rip-offs."

Okay.

"...not that I was surprised. Though I was wondering—why did you pick mine and Belle's?"

"I just love you two's ideas the most. Is that enough?"

"Sure..."

"I'll transfer the money to your bank account. I'll deliver the presents at another date. Oh yeah, do you have LAIN?"

It's rather aggressive. I prefer comfy girls.

Well, she's pretty and has an okay personality...but...

"Alright."

Signing the contract, we start to refer each other on a first name basis.

The money might not mean anything much, but I'm looking forward to how things will turn out.