Time after the lunch rush always left the restaurant in its familiar half-silence, that strange calm that came only after hours of motion.
The air was thick with the scent of oil and broth, it clung to the beams and floorboards like warmth that refused to leave.
Ludwig sat on his usual station, a glass of cold americano with a double shot of espresso hung in his hand, ears listening to the small sounds that followed any meal: forks clinking, mugs emptying, the low rumble of satisfied chatter.
Beyond the separator, some of the orcs were still lingering, arguing about which fried chicken was better, the sweet-spicy or the plain. Valerie laughed along with them, bright as always, while Vilera quietly refilled mugs.
He exhaled through his nose. "Good service today."
"Thank you, Chef." Bilo said softly from behind the stove, still wiping down the ladle with the same care he gave to cutting fish.
Ludwig let his gaze drift toward the door. The lunch crowd was thinning. Soon it would be the lull before the dinner and night surge. That brief stretch of peace that never lasted long, but something he always welcomed.
And then, just as he thought about taking more sip of his coffee, the bell above the door chimed again. He looked up to the opening door. There, he saw a familiar figure stepping through.
Akane.
Her hair tied back, her movements were springy but still measured. In her hands, she carried a small tray, covered by a cloth that hid something carefully balanced beneath.
"Good afternoon." She greeted, bowing slightly. "I hope I'm not interrupting."
"You're just right on time." Ludwig said, smiling faintly. "The tide is finally calming, for the next five minutes, at least."
Akane returned a small smile of her own. "Then I'd better make them count."
She stepped up to the counter, setting the tray down. The scent that escaped the cloth made Ludwig pause. Not savory, not spice. It was sweet. Faint caramel, egg, and milk, rich and comforting.
Without being told, he lifted the cloth.
On the tray sat six small cups of pale gold pudding, their surfaces trembling faintly with the weight of their own smoothness. Each one was glossy, touched with a thin layer of syrup that shone like amber under the light.
Egg pudding.
He blinked once, then twice. "Finally."
Akane clasped her hands together, half-proud and half-nervous. "It took a few tries to get the consistency right using natives eggs from my world. I had to blend in a bit of milk from an ox monster from the market. It helps the texture set smoother."
"Smells right." Ludwig said, picking one up carefully. He tilted it slightly, watching how the pudding swayed. "Even the wobble's perfect."
"Go on." She urged.
He took a spoonful. The texture broke clean, not rubbery, not too soft. The flavor spread across his tongue, creamy sweetness with the faintest whisper of caramel bitterness underneath.
It was balanced, warm, and nostalgic.
Ludwig let out a quiet breath through his nose. "You did it."
Akane grinned. "That's a relief. I was worried it'd be too sweet."
"No." Ludwig said as he took another spoonful. "This isn't too sweet. It was enough. We'll put it on the menu."
Her eyes widened. "Really?"
"Of course." Ludwig beamed. "But let's talk business first. How much do you want to sell them to me?"
Akane's mood shifted at the question. Her happiness evaporated as if it was never there before. No, she was not donning the same calculative and sharp appearance like what Ryouma did last night or in the morning.
She was doing the exact opposite.
She was lost, completely lost because of how humble she was, just like any other Japanese. However, when other Japanese chefs or craftsmen always trusted their craft and priced them accordingly, Akane didn't have that.
Ludwig could see through her plan instantly. She would just give him the cost price without even including her own energy.
In a stammer and hushed voice, Akane answered. "T-two silver pieces should be enough."
Ludwig hummed with amusement. "Is that so?"
Seeing his prediction was correct, Ludwig couldn't help chuckling. Of course, he could just haggle for her to raise the price—as strange as it sounds. But from what happened that night after he hunted the wyvern, he decided not to.
Better to just give her finality rather than haggling against her. It was weird and exhausting at the same time.
"I will pay 5 silver a piece." Ludwig said, tone devoid of his usual easy-going personality. "And no, I don't take objection. Take it, Akane, you deserve it."
Ludwig looked at Akane straight to her eyes. No humor, and just business. Dessert was necessary in this restaurant, one to satisfy the taste of myriad customers coming into the restaurant and two, to offer more variety.
After her mouth opened and closed for several times, she finally relented. "Fine…"
The moment he heard her answer, the seriousness in his face disappeared. He smiled widely. "Can you make 50 of it everyday?"
"I should be able to do it." Akane answered. "What time do you want me to deliver them?"
Ludwig moved his hands towards his chin. The customers who come around lunch mainly just come for a quick bite rather than staying for too long. But would it be enough reason to not offer them the desert?
Of course not.
But what if he offered it for lunch and the stock wouldn't last for the day?
"I think..." Ludwig started. "How about just before lunch? We will also look at the demand. If many people bought it, I'll probably put in a new order. Will you be able to handle that?"
This time, Akane's face scrunched up. "Maybe. If it's too much for me, I think I can ask few maids of the palace to help me."
Ludwig smiled at her answer. "We have a deal then."
Akane laughed, a soft, genuine sound that brightened the kitchen more than the lamps. "So it's official, then?"
"Official." Ludwig confirmed. "You've just given the restaurant its first dessert."
At that moment, Valerie poked her head from behind Akane, curiosity winning over restraint.
"What's that smell? Is that… sweet?"
Akane turned toward her. "Want to try one?"
"Do I?" Valerie darted closer before Ludwig could object, scooping a spoonful. Her eyes lit up instantly. "Oh my gods—Chef! T-this! It melts!"
Ludwig chuckled. "You'll have to thank Akane, not me."
Valerie's grin was bright enough to sell the dish by itself. "Then thank you, Akane! This is amazing! Can we serve it today?"
Akane hesitated. "I only made six…"
"That's enough for a test run." Ludwig said. "Put them in the cooler. We'll offer them quietly to our regulars. Don't let Raon know, alright? He always said everything is delicious."
Valeire chuckled at the mention of the young mighty dragon. Then, she brought the tray to the cooling cabinet, not the Stasis Cabinet because the pudding was lukewarm.
Ludwig leaned back against the counter again, a rare look of satisfaction crossing his face. "Desserts, huh. I was wondering when we'd finally have one."
But just before Akane answered his question which was not really a question, the bell chimed again.
This time, the door opened to reveal a young man with short brown hair and a few things that looked like a bag around his body.
"Excuse me." The young man said, stepping inside with a polite bow. "I'm from Bamboo Forest, under Ryouma Takebayashi. I was told to deliver these." He held up a set of neat canvas bags.
Ludwig smiled faintly. "I see. Thank you, mister…."
"Calum. My name is Calum. I'll be in charge of collecting and returning the laundry for your staff." The young man's tone was brisk, professional. "Boss Ryouma said the pickup can be done in the evening, and returns will arrive by the morning. The only thing he asked me to ask you is, how often do you want to do your laundry?"
Ludwig let out a hum. At the same time, he could see Akane moved away from them, but eyes were still lingering.
If money was the problem, once a week would be fine since it would minimize the cost of doing laundry. However, what is this place? A restaurant. Even though he didn't really think about it before, his employees' clothes were all rather dirty.
So, to combat that and make an impression that his restaurant was clean, for now once every three days should be fine.
"How about once every three days?"
"Understood. If you or your employees have more things to clean outside of that time, just tell me. After all, I'll also be stationed here." The boy, Calum, answered. Tone even and confident.
He laid the bags out neatly on the counter, each one a different muted shade of brown, simple and practical. Valerie, curious as always, leaned closer. "So, we just throw our dirty uniforms in there?"
"Oh, you are the one?" Ludwig asked, tone surprised. "You'll start tomorrow right?"
Calum offered him a nod. "Yes, sir."
"Around what time?" Ludwig asked again.
Calum answered politely. "I'll be here before lunch, Sir. Will it be fine?"
Ludwig nodded and smiled. "Of course."
With that, Callum offered one last bow before leaving the restaurant.
As the door closed behind Calum, the faint jingling of the bell lingered in the air for a heartbeat before the calm reclaimed the restaurant.
Ludwig's eyes drifted to the counter where the delivery bags sat neatly in a row, the stamped mark of Bamboo Forest catching the light. A small smile tugged at his lips.
"Laundry delivery service in a restaurant… this place really is becoming a world of its own."
From a few chairs beside him, Akane chuckled under her breath. "All that's left is a bed, and people might not leave anymore."
"Let's not tempt fate." Ludwig replied dryly, but there was warmth in his tone. He leaned back against the counter again, taking the final sip of his now-lukewarm coffee. "Still… not bad for a day's work."
After giving those words to the restaurant, he looked at Bilo. "Go find Zhark and Finka. Get some rest. We'll be busy again soon."
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