Bowlsmith (1)

After coming back from the modern world, it was nearing the end of winter. But the weather was still cold.

In the evening, hot soup dishes sell well at the restaurant. At first, many customers were hesitant about these soup dishes, but recently, it’s become a very common sight at our restaurant.

There’s nothing better in cold weather. Especially spicy broth, which warms the body, can become quite addictive in winter.

“Ms. Elena. This is a broth made with vegetables and mushrooms. It’s a bit spicy, so be careful when eating.”

The base is kelp and shiitake mushrooms. It’s not boiled broth but naturally steeped. Adding vegetables and various mushrooms and boiling them gives a good broth flavor without any meat.

Elena kept nodding, proving its taste.

“Yes, it has a clean and refreshing taste and is really delicious. It’s a bit spicy, but it’s fine!”

“Right? I’m glad. Hehe.”

Elena smiled. It was a very gentle and graceful smile. But next to her, a red-haired dragon, not graceful at all, started talking.

“Seriously, how can you live by eating just these greens?”

“But, it’s delicious?”

“What is this!”

Sereina grumpily took a sip of the broth. Then her eyes widened.

She started shouting with a completely surprised face.

“Oh my, oh my, oh my! This is delicious?!”

“Right. Making delicious dishes with just greens is what our restaurant does.”

“Hmph, when’s mine coming out? I paid for it too, so why is Elena’s first?”

“It’s coming soon, paying customer.”

Elena ordered first, so it’s natural that hers comes first. What’s there to explain?

I stared at Sereina to quiet her down and returned to the kitchen.

Moreover, there are quite a few customers today. So, there are many dishes to prepare.

“Hey, Rurin, this is the meat dish Sereina ordered, take it to her. And this one too.”

“Why is it so busy! I’m tired!”

“You’re tired just from that? If you want to achieve your goal, you better hurry and serve!”

“Hmmph, you don’t even feed me…. But this looks tasty.”

Grumbling is her default, but she’s doing her job properly.

So far.

But perhaps because she heard it was the Red Dragon’s food, she suddenly caused a delivery accident.

“You, it doesn’t matter with other customers, but there’s no need to give such delicious food to the Red. Oh, it’s tasty!”

“Hey, Black! Why! Why are you eating my food! I paid for that! Do you want to dieee!”

As Rurin touched the dish, Sereina rushed out and grabbed the plate.

But the ribs were already half gone.

Rurin started licking the rib sauce off her fingers and laughed.

“Be grateful I left half! Hehe.”

“You, you, this is ridiculous!”

“Hey Sereina, I’ll make more, so stop causing a scene and sit down. Or I’ll kick you out.”

“…Here we go again! I’m a customer too! You unfair chef! She started it…!”

Well, she’s right. Even a Red Dragon is a customer if they paid.

Squeeze, squeeze.

So I squeezed Rurin’s temple in retaliation. The Red Dragon flinched and sat down to eat the meat.

“Ow! I’ve told you so many times I don’t like this…! It hurts!”

“Stop doing such foolish things. Sigh.”

Rurin glared at me, expressing her grievance. What is there to feel wronged about?

“What did I say would happen if you did a good job today?”

“You said you’d give me a tight hug when we sleep!”

“But is this doing a good job?”

“I was doing well. But it’s okay to eat the Red’s food! Isn’t it?”

“If they pay, they’re a customer. Repeat after me. If they pay, even the Red Dragon is a customer!”

“Ugh.”

“Rurin, are you getting mad?”

“Why are you siding with the Red Dragon! I demand an improvement!”

“Talking about improvements, huh.”

Rurin raised her eyebrows. Her protest was fierce. But I ignored her and resumed my work in the kitchen.

I pounded the flour noodles to make the noodles for Elena’s mushroom hot pot. Then I had to prepare the next dish right away.

“Hey! Rurin! What are you doing there! You have five seconds! Five! Take this and put it in Ms. Elena’s hot pot.”

“This is an evil restaurant. Improve it!”

Rurin declared a protest and walked to Elena’s table with the noodles in hand.

I started making a dish for the customer in front of me. This time, it’s a simple home-cooked meal. It’s for a regular customer sitting at the bar table in front of me.

His name is Finer, and he once introduced himself as a potter.

When I served him the dish, he examined it with a curious expression and then carefully took a bite.

“This is really delicious. How can a simple home-cooked meal taste this good? What is it made of?”

“That? You asked for a simple dish, so I made it. It’s just a regular stir-fry with vegetables and uba meat.”

“To get such a deep flavor from uba and vegetables. The uba meat is crispy on the outside and tender inside, and the vegetables are crunchy with well-absorbed seasoning…!”

“You’re flattering me.”

What he’s eating is a simple stir-fry made with cabbage and pork.

It’s not something to make a fuss about.

“Hmm, it looks like a simple dish, but it doesn’t seem simple at all… Not the taste either.”

“When running a restaurant, even if it’s the same home-cooked dish, there should be something different.”

“Is that so…? Can you teach me how to make this? Please. I beg you!”

“The recipe? Well, I can teach you, but why all of a sudden?”

“It’s because of the girlfriend I mentioned before. I really want to cook her a dish I made… Even if we get married, I want to show that I can cook too.”

Finer scratched his head vigorously and bowed as he asked again.

“Sure. It’s a simple dish, so I’ll teach you.”

“Really? Thank you! It’s an honor!”

“Well, it’s not something to be honored about with a simple dish.”

I smiled at the slightly overreacting young man and explained the recipe. The key to the pork-cabbage stir-fry is how you cook the pork.

You mix the pork with soy sauce and salt, then fry it. The key is how you use the oil. It’s important to make the outside crispy.

“Thank you! Thank you!”

The young man expressed his gratitude excessively, almost drank the remaining dish, and left. All the other customers had also left, and soon only Elena and Sereina remained.

“By the way, what are you doing there, Rurin?”

I told her to put the noodles in, but Rurin, who had disappeared, was now clinging to Sereina and slurping together.

“See! Didn’t I tell you it’s delicious! You skeptical Red.”

“Ugh, it’s frustrating, but it is.”

“Hehehe, don’t you eat pale flour? If this tastes good, I’d say I’d change my hair to black.”

“I never said that? Ouch! Suddenly my stomach hurts. Bathroom, bathroom!”

The Red Dragon, who seemed to have bet her hair color in a useless bet, suddenly complained of a stomachache and ran outside.

Elena looked alternately at the departing Sereina and the triumphant Rurin with a very troubled expression.

The dragon she was so afraid of.

But recently, being surrounded by two dragons more often, Elena seemed to have somewhat overcome her phobia of dragons.

A welcome guest arrived. It was Benen, the orchard owner. He’s now a late groom about to get married.

“Hurry in! This is the best restaurant in Greek City.”

“Here?”

“With that bland expression. You walk around like a master, but you can’t recognize a real gourmet spot. Are you still judging by appearance? Tsk tsk tsk.”

“That’s not true!”

Benen waved at me as he entered the restaurant with a man of his age who seemed to be his friend. The man looked quite dignified, with notable small scars on his hands.

“I’ve heard a lot about how you helped him…”

“Of course! That’s right. Have a seat. Sit down.”

Benen sat his friend at a table and called me over. Then he began to introduce his friend.

“This guy is the owner of the largest workshop in Greek City, making everything from expensive tableware to common dishes for ordinary people. His skills are so exceptional that people come from other cities to learn from him. He’s always immersed in making dishes. He said he had something to discuss after a long time, so I brought him straight to the restaurant. So please bring some good food and drinks. Hahaha.”

“Oh, I see. So, you’re a master of tableware?”

“Yes, the dishes from his shop are sold not only in Greek City but also in other cities.”

“Oh, it’s not that much. I’m Horne. Anyway, nice to meet you. I’ve heard about how you helped my friend. I’m also grateful. I knew he was foolishly continuing his unrequited love…”

“Stop talking about that!”

The two of them started chatting happily. I started cooking happily as well.

It’s very welcoming to have someone bring their acquaintances while calling my restaurant the best.

Fortunately, it wasn’t crowded like yesterday, so I could focus on Benen’s meal.

“What’s this? The dishes…”

Although I have many Dwarf dishes, from what Benen said, the other dishes I bought from the market were made by the man in front of me.

So I intentionally served the food in those dishes.

“These are definitely dishes I made… You’ve been using them here too. Thank you.”

“Of course. There are many dishes I like.”

“Moreover, the food in the dishes is truly beautiful. It enhances the dishes and brings out the colors of the food. Benen, I understand what you meant. This seems like the most beautiful use of my dishes.”

“Right? So, just eat. Food is not for admiring but for eating. Eat.”

The dish I served was Gujeolpan. A dish where colorful vegetables and meat shine together in the dish.

The harmony of the colors and the dish seemed to please Horne as well.

Well, that’s good.

If the customer feels good and I feel good, that’s successful service, isn’t it?

“By the way, why did you want to meet? You’re the guy who wouldn’t meet because you were busy.”

Benen poured Horne a drink and asked. Horne paused for a moment, then took the drink and started speaking again.

“It’s about my daughter’s marriage. She’s at the age to get married, and she’s been begging to get married…”

“Hmm, can’t you tell by looking at me? If there’s someone to marry, just let her get married.”

“Well, it’s my disciple, who is diligent but has nothing. He’s an orphan without parents… As a disciple, he’s fine, but he’s not reliable enough to entrust my daughter’s life to. And another disciple has proposed. He’s the eldest son of a large workshop in Melkci. He’s from a wealthy family. He’s more suitable for my daughter, and she wouldn’t have to struggle. Besides, my workshop should be inherited by my son anyway.”

“Hmm… But if they love each other, isn’t it unnecessary to separate them?”

“It’s good if their hearts align, but is there a guarantee that feeling will last a lifetime? When the heart cools, everything will be seen differently. It’s better to marry someone of a suitable match.”

“So you’re sending her to the workshop’s son?”

“But… my daughter is so stubborn… It’s giving me a headache.”

“Huh.”