The Other World Dining Hall

Chapter 71

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Chapter 71

Cheesecake Once Again

Empire-based female demon mercenary, “Night Run”, Hilda was visiting that forest again on that day.

[Un. It’s there today.]

She checked that the black door was at its usual place and when she tried to grasp the handle, a voice called out suddenly.

[Oi, oi, what is that bizarre door? Why is it in such a place?]

[Maa, it seems that she knows its purpose.]

A crude tone of Empire language and polite words of a woman with Western Continent accent.

[Na!? Why the heck are you here!?]

She turned around with her favourite crossbow on firing position and was dismayed with the presences in “reachable distance” in literal sense.

There were two women.

[What, there seems to be something in your mind. I can see it.]

[Is it not like you? You don’t notice our approach.]

…They were Hilda’s brethren, demons with the same power as hers.

The “Female Bear” Alicia who had the arms of a bear complete with its strength as her blessing, she had crushed many enemies with her favourite battle axe and her strong arms.

With her beautiful brown skin and dubious charm of Western Continent, she had gecko’s fingers that could stick even on ceilings and poisonous snake fangs that were able to kill even demons when she coated her daggers with her poison, “Venomous Snake” Ranija who a.s.sa.s.sinated her enemies.

Even in the Empire that had many female demon mercenaries, there were not many others that had useful “blessing” like Hilda.

The strength of a demon depended on the blessing bestowed by the Demon G.o.d that governed infinite life and chaos.

For a demon, their blessing was more important than their age or s.e.x.

In the past when demons were regarded as “enemy of the world”, their blessings gave them devastating power.

Some had big horns that produced magical powers surpa.s.sing humans and at the same time had a neck of a goat that enabled them to use more than one magic at a time.

One had a hard sh.e.l.l of a bug that could reflect thousands of arrows with bug wings that were able to fly for a long time.

One was a basilisk with petrifying eyes of a gorgon and killing breath…

However, the blessings of the Demon G.o.d were fickle and sometimes produced weak demon children without much protection while vice versa produced the demon king with enough blessing to dominate the demons and match an army of one thousand.

Because of that power, the demons destroyed the old Kingdom that was the oldest human country and continued to wage war with the humans for around 500 years.

…70 years ago, humans continued to fight with the demons, until the four a.s.sa.s.sins (heroes) managed to defeat the Evil G.o.d.

Now that the Evil G.o.d was defeated by the humans, the blessings given by the G.o.d were weakened, though it was not rare for some demons to have strong blessing like the “Lion King”.

That’s why like Hilda, the three people were aware of each other and even intermingled.

[Maa, you’re suspicious lately. It seems that you’ve been receiving jobs that entailed visiting this remote forest although there’s no use.]

[That’s right. I think that the first goblin extermination job was good for you, but all the other jobs were just underling works for novices. We’re a bit worried.]

She guessed it’s because they’re such ladies. Hilda’s movements were suspicious.

Hilda was now a famous mercenary.

Naturally, the works accepted also had high degree of difficulty, so they were good jobs.

Such Hilda did not acc.u.mulate money as soon as possible, bu

t had only received cheap jobs for a certain place.

They thought that there was something to it, so they followed her.

[So, what is that door? Is it an entrance to some ruins?]

[No, it’s different.]

To Alicia’s words, Hilda pondered and shook her head.

The fact was that she had blundered and they had seen the door.

It would be difficult to “monopolize” this place any longer.

[Beyond this is the otherworld dining hall… a place where we can get confectionaries for cheap.]

From that idea, Hilda easily explained to them.

[Haa!? So the secret is sweets!?]

[Maa, maa, it seems interesting. It looks like Hilda is obsessed with sweets.]

They couldn’t believe it so easily.

‘Chirinchirin’, with the sound of bell, the three of them pa.s.sed through the door.

[A, welcome, Hilda-san. The ones you’re travelling with, nice to meet you.]

At first, Aletta noticed the familiar customer. She was surprised that she brought two friends together, but she smiled and cheerfully greeted them.

First impression was important for serving in a restaurant.

[Aa, I’ve come again. Sorry to trouble you, but bring me a menu please.]

[Yes, please wait a moment.]

Hilda always ordered soufflé cheesecake so she did not use the menu anymore, but today she brought companions.

So they sat on a table and waited for the menu.

[Still, a different world restaurant that offers confectionaries… no, there are interesting people here too.]

While looking inside the restaurant, she confirmed that there were demons customers among the humans and her ferocious smile deepened.

(Indeed, this is a different world. If these people were to gather in one place, they’ll definitely kill each other.)

Alicia who had strong fighting instinct imagined the scene and licked her lips.

[Ee, I doubt my eyes a little truly.]

Ranija also looked around and doubted her eyes a little.

Based on the brown skin and handsome facial features, that’s the first prince of the Sand Country and his sister that were chatting with the Empire’s princess.

(I see. I heard the story that the Sand Country recently is trying to befriend the Empire, but it’s this kind of thing.)

Ranija saw the truth of the gossip circling in the back society at a strange place.

This restaurant was strange.

The two new customers came to the same conclusion.

[Sorry to keep you waiting. Here’s the menu.]

The menu was brought by a neat looking female demon with weak blessing.

[Aa, thank you… here, you two. The dishes of this restaurant are listed here. I recommend the cheesecake.]

She received it and opened it for them.

[Fu~un. So this is the otherworld confection that’s you’re obsessed with.]

[There’s a lot. Even the cheesecake has three different variations.]

They looked at the dessert section.

[Aa, the sweets here are really delicious. I’ve bought a confection from a shop that has the best reputation in the capital before, but I was disappointed. The confections here are many times better.]

Even though the price was ten times more expensive, she continued with a laugh.

[Maa, I don’t know what’s good. Sweets, when was the last time I ate it.]

[That’s true. Sugar is expensive in the Empire.]

Alicia said while being slightly amazed at Hilda who delightfully ate the sweets here.

[Oi! Over there! I want to order! Bring me one each of these three cheesecakes!]

[Yes! Thank you very much.]

Anyway, she did not know which cheesecake was delicious, so she asked for all kinds.

Alicia did not have much education so she didn’t know the exact price, but one slice can be bought by several copper coins.

Even if she ordered it, it wouldn’t cost a lot.

[Well, I’m interested with the confections here. Let’s compare it.]

The other two agreed with Alicia’s proposal.

And the orders were arranged in front of them.

[Thank you for waiting. Here are your three kinds of cheesecake.]

Three slices of cakes were lined up on one plate.

Though they were cheesecakes, their appearances were different. “Rare” was pure white, “baked” was fox-coloured while “soufflé” swelled softer than “baked”.

Rare Cheesecake

Baked Cheesecake

Souffle Cheesecake

[Well then, let’s eat.]

To Alicia’s words, Hilda and Ranija nodded. They picked up a fork and started eating.

The first one that Alicia tried was the baked cheesecake.

(Oo, certainly this thing is delicious!)

Alicia stabbed the fork into the cake and ate about half of the slice in one bite.

With the taste spreading in her mouth, she was now convinced why Hilda was keenly addicted with this.

A cake with slight flavor on its surface and ma.s.sive heavy texture crumbled softly in her mouth.

The flavor of slightly sour cheese mixed with the taste of fine sugar inside the crumbling cake. Arranged on the surface was sliced orange peel boiled in sugar giving pleasant sweetness to its acidity and bitterness.

If the cheese was seasoned with sugar and then baked, that would be pleasant enough.

While knowing what she had not known before, Alicia flattened the cake in three bites.

(It’s not enough. I want more.)

She thought such.

Ranija reached for the rare cheesecake first.

(Ara, this is not baked?)

Ranija who noticed with her unique observation eyes cut the edge and looked at it a little curiously.

A white mysterious confection.

It was different from the other two as there’s no indication of heating, it just firmly hardened.

(Maa, I’ll know after I eat it.)

Although she hesitated a little after remembering a slimy feeling, royalty visited this restaurant.

It won’t serve strange things.

Never mind, she carried it to her mouth.

(…Maa. Is this cheese I wonder?)

She was surprised by its texture.

It was smooth as silk and melted in her mouth.

Compared to the sweets she had eaten, the sweetness was thin, but it’s good.

Also, the cheese used for the cheesecake melting in her mouth was different from the cheeses that she knew.

It was fresh, the taste of milk was strong and its acidity was stronger than normal cheese, but it’s delicious.

Though it’s somewhat similar to yogurt, the taste was definitely cheese.

Ranija did not know that there’s such cheese.

(Indeed, because of this cheese, this red fruit suits it well.)

Matched with the cake were red berries.

The very sweet fruit with little acidity was in harmony with the rare cheesecake with its strong acidity.

In addition, the red berries on top of the cheesecake was boiled in sugar and crushed.

(Fufu. It seems that they like it.)

Hilda was surprised and pleased that they liked the cheesecakes. She proceeded to eat her favourite soufflé cheesecake and they ate silently.

With its soft flavor and texture, the sweet and sour taste of soft cheesecake were complimented by the sweet blueberries.

She did not get tired of this taste no matter how many times she ate it.

She thought that the other two were also delicious, but the soufflé cheesecake was the most exceptional.

…She did not know yet.

Her companions thought that their selected cheesecake was more delicious than soufflé cheesecake.

And they fought to determine which one was more delicious.

…The three female demon mercenaries who were famous even in the Empire.

It would be a while until they could formally start working together once again.

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