After the incident at the MonsterTamer HQ, I made the decision to leave City B behind. With my trusty food cart and the munchies by my side, I embarked on a journey to City Q.
As the guild expanded its branches across various cities, I found myself in City-Q, a bustling metropolis. Using the earnings I had accumulated from my food cart, I swiftly rented an apartment there.
Setting up my food cart just beneath my apartment building was a strategic move. This area was teeming with commercial establishments, ensuring that the irresistible aroma of my cooking would attract a steady stream of customers.
The munchies remained as energetic as ever, assisting me in various ways, including acting as couriers to procure ingredients from nearby markets. Even amidst the hustle and bustle of the city, I often spotted heroes patrolling the vicinity.
The popularity of my food cart grew rapidly in City-Q, leading to a surge in customers and sales. Thanks to the efficient AI in my cart, I could focus on cooking while it handled the accounting tasks.
As night fell and the crowds dispersed, some monsters passing by would also stop to enjoy a meal. I made sure not to let any food go to waste and fed the leftover portions to these creatures, fostering a sense of community.
With time, the area around my cart became a place where both humans and monsters coexisted peacefully. Some monsters even formed bonds with the customers, and those once feral beings gradually became civilized, integrating into human society.
Heroes passing through the area grew accustomed to the presence of monsters, as long as their behavior remained non-aggressive.
As the months passed, there was still no word from the guild or Alice. Every now and then, I would find myself holding the ribbon I had intended to give her. I would reflect on the connection we had developed over time, even though circumstances prevented me from giving it to her. Placing the ribbon back in my pocket, I decided to keep it as a token of luck and a reminder of the memories we had shared.
Time flew by, and my business flourished. Some of the monsters I had encountered earlier became an integral part of my enterprise, working as friendly staff that serve the dishes I prepared. The Hero Association kept a watchful eye on my establishment, ensuring there were no potential threats. Despite their scrutiny, they found nothing amiss and eventually allowed things to continue as they were.
Among the staff was KongKing, a towering beast resembling a monkey, standing at a towering 6 feet. He was hardworking and amiable, capturing the hearts of customers, especially children.
Another member of my team was Fumiko, a humanoid cat with human-like features but cat ears and a tail. While she garnered attention from older male customers, she was less friendly and would often rebuke drunked patrons who teased her.
Both KongKing and Fumiko proved to be reliable, and I welcomed them to live with me in my apartment, bringing an extra dose of liveliness to my home.
Then suddenly a man's wounded appearance caught my attention as he entered the area, and something about his face seemed strangely familiar, reminiscent of Silver Fang. He approached my food cart and placed money on the counter before quickly taking a seat at a nearby table. Fumiko promptly served him a dish.
His demeanor seemed anxious, his gaze darting around the vicinity, maybe he is uncomfortable with the presence of monsters nearby. Suddenly, he rose from his seat and made his way toward me.
-- Are you the owner? -- he inquired.
I nodded, slightly puzzled. - Yes, is there an issue with the food? -
-- Nothing wrong with the food, actually. It was quite delicious. But you do realize, they are monsters, right? --
He pointed subtly towards KongKing and Fumiko.
I frowned at his statement, a faint irritation creeping into my voice. - Yes, I am aware. And what's your point? -
He smirked, an air of superiority in his expression, before calmly returning to his table.
Then suddenly another familiar figure suddenly made his way towards my food cart – White Lion.
--- Hey, Food cart boy!! Enjoying your little business!? --- he exclaimed, his voice laced with a hint of sarcasm. He approached with two women at his side, giving off an air of swagger.
He then reached into his jacket, pulled out a bundle of money, and casually tossed it onto the counter.
--- Give us your most expensive dish --- he demanded, his tone challenging.
My eyes narrowed slightly at his demeanor. However, things took an uncomfortable turn as he shifted his attention to Fumiko, one of my monster employees.
He held her chin with a careless familiarity, inspecting her face. Fumiko clenched her fist in response, clearly agitated by the gesture. I quickly noticed her reaction and leaned in, whispering to her to stay calm.
--- Is this creature also for sale, HAHAHAHA Just kidding! ---
White Lion's crude attempt at humor further infuriated Fumiko, but I tried to defuse the situation with a calm and controlled response.
Fumiko managed to regain her composure and served the food to White Lion. However, things took an unexpected turn as he grabbed her and pulled her into his arms. Fumiko lost her balance and ended up bumping into White Lion's body.
-- Your quite aggressive, b*tch, --
he taunted, clearly not realizing the line he had just crossed. Fumiko's patience ran thin, and she retaliated with a punch that sent White Lion flying away from his table. His expensive clothing got spoiled by the food, and the girls rushed to his side in concern.
KongKing pulled Fumiko away, Then suddenly white lion summoned a ghost ship.
Amidst the chaos, I stepped forward to intervene, attempting to reason with White Lion.
- Stop it! What do you think you're doing? - I confronted him, my voice firm.
--- Don't interfere, half-cooked boy! --- he retorted dismissively.
As the tension escalated, the munchies by my side transformed into lion-like beasts, positioning themselves beside me. White Lion seemed undeterred and summoned another ghost ship. From the ship emerged a sea folk, standing in front of White Lion. A metal collar around the sea folk's neck indicated that it was under White Lion's control. The situation was becoming increasingly hostile.
In the midst of the chaos, White Lion gave the command.
- Attack them! -
The sea folk under his control immediately lunged towards us. Kongking swiftly pulled me out of harm's way while the munchies engaged the sea folk in battle.
Suddenly, the man who had ordered earlier stood up and took action. With a determined expression, he exclaimed,
-- Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist! --
His fighting style was strikingly similar to Silver Fang's. His powerful attack targeted the sea folk, and the force of it shattered the metal collar around the sea folk's neck. As a result, the sea folk broke free from White Lion's control and began to wreak havoc.
Seeing the sea folk out of control, the man pulled back. The sea folk turned its attention towards White Lion and attacked him. However, White Lion's ghost ship retaliated by firing its cannon, releasing a thick chain that restrained the sea folk's movements.
In a remarkable display of power, the man propelled himself into the air and destroyed the ghost ship, causing it to dematerialize. As a result, the sea folk was freed from the restraining chain and seized the opportunity to deliver a powerful punch to White Lion's face, sending him flying into his expensive car.
With White Lion temporarily incapacitated, the sea folk turned its attention towards the two girls, preparing to launch an attack. However, before it could make a move, it caught wind of the alluring aroma emanating from my cooking. Its focus shifted towards me, and it began to approach, its steps cautious.
Quickly, I prepared a plate of curry and presented it to the sea folk, recognizing that it had likely gone without a meal for a while. With sincerity in my voice, I offered.
- I know you haven't eaten for a while. So here, eat up!" -
The sea folk accepted the plate and wasted no time in devouring the food I had offered.
Meanwhile, White Lion regained his footing and summoned a fleet of ships. The man, however, leaped towards White Lion and beat him up, causing the fleet of ships to dematerialize. The two girls rushed to intervene, trying to stop the man and prevent further violence.
The man returned to his table to finish his meal, leaving money as a tip before departing. As he walked away, KongKing expressed his gratitude for the tip, and Fumiko found the man's behavior quite strange.
White Lion, on the other hand, hastily fled from the scene to escape further confrontation. Meanwhile, the seafolk thoroughly enjoyed the meal I had prepared, and he spoke with heartfelt gratitude,
--- Thank you, boy. This was delicious. ---
Tears welled up in the seafolk's eyes as he finished his meal, clearly moved by the gesture. After his meal, the seafolk made a decision – he wanted to be a part of my team. This unexpected turn of events brought a new member to our diverse group, as we continued our journey of creating a place where humans and monsters could coexist peacefully...
