Chapter 56: The Lunch Buffet and That Person 

　The morning two days after Henry’s night visit.

　I was playing in the backyard with Sophia when the chiming bell rang.

“Sophia-chan, over here!”

“What is it?”

　I didn’t have time to answer, so I grabbed Sophia-chan in my arms and ran into the kitchen. I immediately locked the door. I also turned off the clapper wards. I handed Sophia-chan her clothes and looked out the window. Someone was standing outside the door.

 “Hurry up and get dressed. Someone’s coming.”

“Okay.”

　I left Sophia-chan, who was getting dressed, in the kitchen and ran to the door. Two men were standing at the door and were about to knock. They were wearing the same civil servant uniform as Henry-san.

“Good morning. We open at eleven o’clock.”

“No, we are here to see if we can rent the place out for lunch. It would be for twenty people.”

“We can do it tomorrow.”

“Then I will like to make a reservation for tomorrow at eleven o’clock for twenty people. Please prepare plenty of food. This is the budget.”

“Wait a minute, please. I don’t want to stand around talking, so please come this way.”

　I asked them to come in and give me a detailed explanation. The civil servants were the ones who accompanied the beastmen and guided them around the royal city. Since the beastmen were traveling in groups, there were few restaurants that could accommodate 20 people at once without reservations, so it seems they are having trouble finding a place to have lunch.

“These are the beastmen sailors that came. They are a cheerful lot, and by no means rough.”

“I see. They are welcome here. Please feel free to come. If there is anything on the menu that you would like, I will be happy to accommodate you.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

　When I asked the beastman about their preferences, I found that some liked vegetables, some meat, some fish dishes, and many others.

“Then would it be all right if you can go and pick the dish you like by yourself?”

“Is it a standing buffet?”

“No, I’ll prepare a seat for you.”

　After much discussion, they decided to serve the meal in a buffet style. Apparently, it is not customary here to have all-you-can-eat meals with seating.  At evening parties, they usually have a standing buffet style.

　We’ve hosted many year-end parties and wedding receptions at “Café Riyo” and am familiar with the buffet style. It’s my first time preparing everything by myself, but now I have the magic. Bring it on!　

　After handing Sophia-chan over to Karin-san, I worked furiously. After putting up a sign that said, “Tomorrow’s lunch is reserved for a private party,” I decided on the menu, made a list of ingredients to buy, and continued to prep the ingredients. I also served dinner in between. and late at night I went to bed thinking, “I’m tired. It’s a fulfilling kind of tired.”

　I got up before the market opened in the morning and did a ton of shopping. As I was buying a lot of vegetables, Karin came running out from the back of the store.

“I heard there was a customer making a large purchase, so I looked over and saw that it was Mai-san. What are you doing pulling around a cart?”

“I have a private lunch today. I was told they’re sailors, so I figured they’d eat a lot.”

“Could it be that group of beastmen?”

　I didn’t know if it was okay to say it was the group of beastmen, so I just smiled.

“You can’t say anything about the customers, can you? I get it. Thank you for buying so much. I’ll give you a bonus. Manager!　Is that all right?”

　While I was saying “Huh? What? It’s fine,” the deal was settled, and I got ten bundles of greens for free. On top of that, she said she would leave Sophia with a neighbor friend today, so I should feel at ease. I’m sorry for making her change her place, even though it was so sudden.

“Don’t worry about it. Thank you for cooking the beastmen’s meal.”

　Karin-san said as she wrapped her hands around my hands. I know that Karin-san and the others are beastmen, but we’ve never discussed it. I’ve only talked about it with Mr. Dion. But she thanked me for cooking for the seafaring beastmen. A sense of camaraderie, I guess.

　After finishing preparing a large amount of food, it was finally eleven o’clock. Twenty beastmen arrived at the restaurant, led by two civil servants and a man in the uniform of the Magic Department. The beastmen were looking around the restaurant, chatting cheerfully and merrily.

　The sailors are all well built. Although the number of people is the same as during normal busy times, the restaurant seems extremely crowded.

“Welcome. Please enjoy as much of your favorite food as you like today. You may refill as many times as you like, as long as there is food.”

“Oh, how bold!” “I’m looking forward to it!” “It smells so good!”

　The sound of gruff voices came from all around. A long, narrow table is placed in front of the counter. The dishes are arranged on two levels, one on the counter and the other on a makeshift table. The long, narrow table and the platters on which the dishes are served were created with transformation magic.

　The menu consisted of sautéed lamb and apple, fried chicken, white fish meuniere, ginger  pork, sweet tomato-flavored rice noodles, seafood noodles, hot vegetable salad, vegetable soup, mashed potatoes made from local potatoes, and bread. For dessert, cookies and cream puffs. I stayed up almost all night preparing this. Now, let’s get them to eat their fill.

　The beastmen were all well-built, as you’d expect from sailors. The food was disappearing rapidly. I gently cast sensing magic and found that there were four colwer: red, blue, orange, and green.

　The guests were smiling and eating and refilling their platters with this and that dish. When the dishes were almost empty, I would add more. In the kitchen, additional dishes are on standby, ready to be fried, heated, or grilled.

　As I was repeatedly serving food, adding more, making food, and cleaning up, a man in his forties opened the curtain and called out to me.

“You must be busy. Let me help you.”

“What?　No, no, I can’t let you do that.”

“Don’t worry about it, I’m the chaperone. Sorry I’m late, but I am Jusel Leesley. I’m from this country.”

　While I was struggling to come up with a response, Mr. Leesley poured hot water from his hands and began cleaning the dishes in the sink.

“Mr. Leesley, you’re a wizard, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am. I used to be the head of the magic department, but now I’m just a regular wizard. Hahaha.”

　The man in his forties has silver hair mixed with gray. His face is tanned. He is tall and has a cheerful smile. He is easy to approach. I wonder what happened to him to be demoted from the head of the magic department to a regular position.

　The sailors all said “It’s delicious, it’s delicious” and all the food I had prepared was beautifully gone.

　The cookies and cream puffs for dessert disappeared quickly as well.

　　The beastmen, stroking their bellies with a look of satisfaction, decided to leave. As I watched them leave at the door, Mr. Leesley, who was at the tail end of the group, swooped up to me.

“Please allow me to visit you again tonight. I would like to talk to you about magic.”

　I remained frozen with a smile on my face and watched him leave, thinking (There’s something troubling about this.).*spells trouble

　I closed up shop before getting ready for dinner, wrote a letter, and ran to the castle. It was quite a dash after preparing late into the night and working continuously since early morning.

　I arrived at the castle wheezing. I handed the letter to the gatekeeper, who looked at me with a puzzled expression: “Who is this woman?”

“Sir, I have an urgent message for the Head Civil Servant, Henry Howler. Please help me deliver this letter.”

“What is your name?　I would like you to tell me what business you have with the him. I cannot accept letters for such trivial matters…”

 “Oh? You’re the owner of ‘The Hideaway’ aren’t you?”

　I turned towards the young voice and saw it was a boy who had come to the store before. He came with his friend and ordered the daily special and bought cookies.

“Oh, thank goodness. I see my guest works at the castle. I want to get in touch with Sir Henry, the head civil servant.”

“ Howler-sama, I see Please wait here and I will get back to you as soon as possible.”

“No, just give me this letter…”

　Before I could finish my sentence, the boy ran off  at a great speed. The gatekeeper looked at me awkwardly.

“So, guess, I will wait here for a bit.”

“So you knew Howler-sama . If so, why didn’t you say so earlier?”

　I said I had something urgent to tell him. Usually, when you say that, it’s someone you know. But I could reach him now, so I didn’t care. Soon I could see the tall Mr. Henry running in front of me in beautiful form.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s written here. I would like to know if there is anything I should be aware of about the people who are coming to the store tonight. It would be great if you could write down those points and give them to someone. I’d appreciate your guidance.”

　Since the gatekeeper was listening, I told him in a formal tone, bowed my head and turned back. I had been cooking almost all night, and had been cooking while standing throughout the buffet. My whole body was tired and heavy. It was reckless of me to dash to the castle, which was more than a 20-minute walk away.

　I’m definitely going to master message magic.

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