“How did you get that table?”

Vance looked up from where he was staring out the window. “I sat down at it.”

Ash crossed his arms. “There are still plates on that table.”

Vance looked down. “I know. It is very strange. Did someone eat here?”

“Yes they ate there. This is a restaurant.”

“I keep forgetting that.” Vance looked around the room for apparently the first time, then turned his attention back to the window.

Ash leaned over the table. “What were you even looking at?”

“Nothing, nothing.” Vance looked out the window.

Ash followed his gaze. “Is that Bede and that other girl-”

“Privati.”

“Is that Bede and Privati eating at the Galaxy Lip across the street?”

“Oh look at that! It is them.” Vance feigned surprise.

“And who is that with them?”

“The winner of the Event today.”

“She looks familiar.” Ash started clearing plates off of the table. “Are you stalking them Vance?”

“Heh heh, look at how bored they look.”

“They do look upset despite sitting at the finest restaurant in town. Besides this one of course. Why do they keep eating there if they don’t like it?”

Vance rapped the table with his knuckles. “They have to. It’s part of their employment at the Ocean’s Bounty. They have to entertain the winners of the Events.”

“Do they even like doing that?”

“No, they hate it. They hate each other. They’re constantly fighting and bickering. Trying to get away from the duties that their Aunt assigns. The only thing that brings me joy is watching the two of them suffer in each other’s presence.”

“Okay I’ve got to get back to serving my tables. Please stop using our restaurant to plot your revenge.”

Vance took a looong drink of water.

#

Rosy put an elbow on the kitchen window.

“Table 2 wants to order the omelette without cheese.”

Cophin looked up. “It doesn't come with cheese. It’s only eggs.”

Rosy nodded. “I told him that. He insisted that an omelette comes with cheese.”

“So does he want tha omelette?”

“Yes. But without cheese.”

“It doesn't come with cheese.” Cophin repeated.

“I know. But he doesn't. So just make the omelette and don't add cheese to it.”

“I won't. It doesn't come with cheese.”

“That's good because he doesn't want any.” Rosy walked away.

#

"You're telling us you were there when this Demon Lord was summoned?" Jack tried to keep his hands still. For some reason his thumbs were wrestling each other.

"That's right." Ave leaned back in her chair.

"But, you can't be serious. This is the White Council we're talking about. They wouldn't do something like that." Jack kept picking up his water glass then putting it back down.

"Why not?" Ave’s hair almost fell in front of her eyes but her braid kept it in place.

"Well, because, they're the most powerful men in the Kingdom."

"Yes."

"They control everything that happens in the Capital."

"True."

"They have all of the wealth and power that they could ever want or need."

"Undoubtedly."

Jack blinked at Ave's continued agreements. "So then they, uh, have a responsibility to look after the Kingdom. Right? They'll do the right thing. Because it's the right thing."

Ave made no effort to agree or disagree with him.

"It's their duty. They have an obligation to the people, not to use their power for stupid or selfish reasons." Jack looked like he didn't like the taste of the words coming out of his mouth.

Ave rocked her chair ever so slightly. "I can't tell you what their duty is. I can only tell you what I saw."

Jack turned his head. “What about you Tasha? Do you believe all this nonsense about Demon Lords and spirits?”

Tasha took a looong drink of water.

Jack looked down at the table.

"Ah! Damn it all!" Cophin yelled from the kitchen.

"Excuse me." Ave stood up from the table. She walked over to the window.

"This is a disaster." Cophin grumbled.

"What do you mean chef?" Luke asked.

"We need those tomatoes. Tomatoes are full of glutamic acid. We need them ta add that savory flavor to our dishes."

“We’re all out of tomatoes?” Luke looked under the counter.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“That’s right. Because some peoples didn’t finish running tha market order I gave them this morning.” Cophin drummed his fingers on a chopping board. He didn’t look at Luke.

Ave put her elbow on the window. “What do you need?”

“Tomatoes.”

“Got it.”

Ave turned and walked out the courtyard door.

“Wonder what that was about?” Cophin blinked.

#

“How is everyone doing over here?”

Plinth strolled up to a table.

“You can bring us our food.” The Impatient Tourist crossed their arms.

“Your food will be right out. The chef is preparing it as we speak.”

“So if we stop talking to you will it be done then?”

“A cutting remark sir. Can I interest the table in any wine this evening?” Plinth produced a bottle. “We have a very nice pinot grigio. It’s dry with only a hint of sweetness. I think that you will find it pairs very well with our salads.”

“Is that a Franz one?”

“I’m sorry, what was that? I don’t understand your question.”

“Is that one of those Franz wines?”

Plinth kept his face neutral. “Are you asking if our pinot grigio… is from the kingdom of Franz?”

“Yeah.”

“...yes.”

“Then I don’t want it. What else you got?”

“Well, I am assuming that you will not be interested in our champagne, our bourgogne, or a bordeaux choice either… Can I select a nice cognac for you?”

“Is that a Franz wine?”

“... it is not.”

“Then one of those.”

#

Cophin slid a plate onto the kitchen window.

Eins leapt up onto the counter. The dog used a paw to ring a little metal bell that was set on the counter.

*Ding*Ding*

“Order up.” Eins announced.

A tourist looked up from their table.

“Did that dog just…?”

“Bark bark.”

#

“Dancing dishrags we are running on scraps at this point.”

Cophin shook an empty vegetable bin.

“I’m surprised that you didn’t have more supplies Chef.” Luke quickly turned his head to avoid Cophin’s glare.

“We’re dealing with an unexpectedly high volume of customers tonight.” Cophin massaged his neck. “Also if someone had finished the shopping I sent them to complete this morning then maybe this would not be a problem.”

“Heads up!”

Ave threw a tomato into the kitchen. Cophin caught it with one hand. He examined the tomato. He sniffed it.

*Tomato*

Ave set a small basket of tomatoes on the kitchen window.

“How did you get this so quickly? You couldn’t have gone all the way to tha market. You didn’t steal this did you?” Cophin narrowed his eyes.

“No.” Ave crossed her arms.

“Where did ya get it?”

“Local garden.” Ave responded. “I traded some of the extra eggs from the chicken coop for it.”

“You know where ta find a local garden. How?”

“I used to live here. I know where to find a lot of things in town.”

“Is that right? Even this late at night?” Cophin tapped the flat of his kitchen knife against his palm. “Can you get me some shallots?”

“I’ll need some cash.”

Cophin threw a small purse into Aves hand. Ave caught it and slipped it into her blouse. Then she turned on her heel and hustled out the door.

#

“I’m going to go put these plates back in the kitchen.”

Ted picked up some of the empty dishes from their table.

“What are you doing? Let Ash get those.” Jack said.

“Ash is busy.” Ted said.

“Ash is our waiter. It’s his job right now. Let him do it.”

“I’ll be really quick. It’s not any trouble.”

Ted scooted his chair back. He got up and carried the plates he was holding into the kitchen.

“So you’re the son of the Mayor huh? Tell me about it.” Tasha said.

Jack straightened his shirt. “There’s not much to tell. I mostly handle administrative tasks for my father. Filing contracts, sorting letters, making appointments. That sort of thing.”

“Come on, there has to be more to it than that. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve seen? Did you ever have to confiscate any summons?”

“Not really.”

“Come on…” Tasha smiled.

Jack looked to the side. “Well, someone did accidentally summon a giant pudding downtown one time.”

“Really?”

“Oh yeah. It was two stories tall. Covered in frosting and strawberries. It glistened in the sun. All of the schoolkids ran home to grab spoons…” Jack picked at his nails. “But by the time they got back my father had roped it off. The enormous desert was ultimately impounded.” Jack straightened his shoulders. “Which was appropriate. Sugar is a grade 1 stimulant. It wouldn’t have been acceptable to have so many children ruining their meals with that many empty calories.”

“I see. What about adventuring? Do they let you put up bounties for Adventurers?”

Jack looked at the table. “Father says that a respectable Mayor doesn’t need to rely on Adventurers. A city should run like a clock. Precise and on time.”

“I brought us some flatbreads.” Ted stepped up to the table. He placed a platter of flatbreads in the middle of the table.

“…flatbreads…!”

Tripillli’s circular body unfurled. The crab rolled off of Tasha's head and onto the platter.

Ted and Jack stared.

“Is… that a roach?” Ted asked.

Tripillli picked up a flatbread with its claws and wrapped the bendable baked good around itself like a blanket.

“... so soft… so warm…”

Tasha tried to grab Tripillli from out of its carbohydrate cocoon. Tripillli snapped at her fingers with its claws.

*Snap*Snap*

Tasha looked down at the spirit, then back up at Jack and Ted.

“This is… hard to explain.” Tasha said.

“Is that a Shadowbeast or something? Do we need to get an Adventurer to take care of it?” Jack raised an eyebrow.

Ted went to sit down.

Tasha wrestled with the bread. "That’s not necessary. Tripillli is my… pet? Besides, Rosy is an Adventurer. And I don't know about Cophin but Plinth told me that he's a Combak."

"Holy shi-" Ted missed the seat and *Slammed* into the ground.

"Burn and bless, are you alright Ted!?" Jack leaned over.

Ted scrambled up to the edge of the table.

"Did you say that Plinth is a Combat Baker?"

"That's right."

"Holy shi-" *Ka-crash*

Ted missed the chair beneath him. As he fell his elbow caught the edge of the table they were sitting at. The table tipped over under Ted's weight. All of the flatbreads (and Tripillli) were catapulted off of the top and landed on a neighboring table.

Tripillli rolled to a stop in the middle of the scattered breads. The poor trilobite uncurled and spun in a lazy circle. Its little legs kicked the air.

"... ah... this table is too hard..."

The Cottontail Excursionist looked down at the surface of her table.

"Is that a roach?" Her nose twitched.

Plinth swept in and dropped a napkin on top of Tripillli.

"A roach? Not at all. Must have been a lump of fried okra. Nothing to make note of."

"I thought your restaurant didn't fry any food." The Cottontail Excursionist said.

"Can I get you some more wine?" Plinth smiled.

Ted grabbed a hold of Plinth's apron strings.

"Mr Plinth, sir, is it true that you're really a Combak?"

"Uh... yes."

"That's incredible. You have to tell me more. I have so many questions."

"Yes, yes, we can talk about that in a minute. Here-"

Plinth swept the napkin and extra flatbread off of the table and onto a tray he was holding. He shoved the tray into Ted's arms.

"Take this to the kitchen."

"Right away sir." Ted hustled off to the kitchen.

Tasha and Jack righted their table and started picking silverware up off of the floor.