Chapter 26: Mylan Steak House [1]
A carriage ran along the wide avenue, maneuvering between the crowds.
Inside that carriage sat Hiresia and me.
The carriage stopped in front of a neat five-story building. Even in the central square, this prime building commanded an incredibly high rent.
The restaurant that occupied the fourth and fifth floors was 'Mylan Steak House.'
Mylan Steak House had one strategy: premium only.
Premium ingredients, premium chefs, and premium recipes. It was a steakhouse for the best customers, and this approach worked well.
Word of mouth spread among the wealthy, quickly establishing its reputation.
"Hey, this is…,"
Hiresia gulped, feeling slightly nervous at the 'No Entry for Poor People' vibe emanating from the entrance.
I whispered softly to her, "Senior, relax. You look undignified."
"Ugh."
Her shoulders straightened as if stung.
Even though she had transformed into a human, it seemed she still had to worry about image management.
"Okay, let's go in."
"Huh, hm. Okay. Let's go in."
I walked one step ahead of her, a kind of escort. A few steps in, a magic elevator appeared before us.
This expensive elevator allowed Mylan Steak House to confidently set up shop on the fourth and fifth floors.
I pressed the button for the fifth floor, the most popular area with the best view.
Knock knock.
The elevator pulled us up by magic, and soon, the door opened again.
"Please get off."
"Huh."
The entrance had a classy and neat atmosphere.
"Welcome. Welcome to our store. Are there two of you?" A man who appeared to be an employee greeted us with a smiling face.
"Exactly."
I answered in a noble tone. I always had to be mindful that this body was the eldest son of a count's family.
"Please come in. Have a nice time."
A guide led us to an empty table. Luckily, there was an empty window seat. I sat down and spread the menu toward Hiresia.
"Take your time."
"You?"
"I've already chosen."
I played the game so much that I could recite the menu of this place—one of the main restaurants in the downtown area—without even looking at it.
"Already?"
She looked at the menu with a slightly bewildered expression. She squinted at the words, but it seemed like it would be difficult to make a decision.
It was natural. She wouldn't even know what was delicious on the menu.
I helped. "How about a light steak tartare to start? Then we can slice the Chateaubriand and rib cap."
Actually, I didn't know what it tasted like.
How would I know if I only ate it in the game? What's the difference between beef and beef?
Start with Western-style raw meat, then cut up some delicious parts like shrimp and eat them with confidence. They will melt in your mouth.
Wow, my mouth was watering.
In reality, what was beef? Pork belly was expensive, so I didn't eat it often.
"Oh, yeah, yeah."
She nodded quickly. It meant that since she didn't know anything, she would leave the ordering up to me.
"Then I'll do that."
"Yeah, that, that one."
I raised my hand and called the waiter. Soon, a waiter came quickly.
"Have you found it?"
"Order here… Huh?!"
For a moment, I opened my eyes wide in surprise. It had to be that way.
There was a face I had seen countless times before my eyes. No, if it were just because of that, I wouldn't be this surprised.
"Customer?"
A voice so familiar.
A manly, handsome face. Tall and straight. If there was a main character in the game, he would look exactly like this.
And hey, this guy is the main character!
"Hey, Kamian! Why are you here?!"
I was so excited I couldn't control myself and ended up screaming.
***
Kamian Kreutzer. I know him well.
The main character of the very game I fell into, *There is No Happy Ending for That Hero*. His profile came to mind like an automatic reflex.
The second son of a fallen baron family whose fortunes had declined long ago. His older brother, who was quite a bit older, was sickly from birth and was not fit to succeed.
That's why Kamian was chosen as the successor early on, but because his family was not very well-off, he couldn't receive proper support.
Although he was born with talent and was from a remote mountain village, there was no one among his peers who could compare to him.
Baron Kreutzer, who considered Kamian's talent extraordinary, decided to send him to a great school, even if it meant paying expensive tuition.
To the best academy: St. Leferia Academy.
But the plan hit a snag before it even got started.
The eldest son's illness worsened, and he became critically ill.
They called in all the doctors they could, but they all shook their heads.
The doctors' common diagnosis was that treatment was ineffective, and the best they could do was prevent further deterioration.
And for that, expensive herbs were needed. A remote territory with low yields.
It was impossible to pay for the eldest son's medicine and the second son's tuition at the same time.
A situation that would normally make a person frustrated. But instead of being frustrated, Kamian chose to challenge.
A full scholarship was awarded up to second place. He took the entrance exam to St. Leferia Academy with that as his only goal.
The result? A proud second place.
He made a brilliant debut at the Academy, proving that his talent was not that of a frog in a well.
That's the beginning of the game.
However… why is he here?
Kamian stood there, his face showing no recognition of me, which made sense. In this world, we hadn't met yet.
But for me, seeing him in the flesh was surreal. He was supposed to be the star of his own story, the one destined to overcome every obstacle, rise from nothing, and save the kingdom.
And now he was here, working as a waiter at a steakhouse. It was almost tragic.