While waiting for the hostess, he could finally observe the decoration of the room. The table was the first thing of notice; with some exquisite carving details, it was made of dark and high-quality wood. Twelve people could dine comfortably at this single table but an additional three of four seats could be placed without becoming crowded. Over the table, there was some basic cutlery and a few fancy glasses surrounding a silver candleholder. However, the light in the room was manly provided by the crystal chandelier positioned above the table and a couple of dim sconces.

The walls were lightly decorated with flowers and wave patterns in addition to two paintings, one featuring a sea landscape and another with the Seaport sketch. There was also a thin 50-something inches TV hanging on a position that didn’t damage the exquisiteness of the room. Only then did he notice the soft instrumental music playing in the background.

Gold wasn’t used to fancy settings but the room gave him a refreshing feel. In his opinion, this kind of decoration was really fit for a coastal city. Unknowingly, he was already appreciating the benefits of being wealthy.

“Excuse me, Mr. Gold. Have you decided on your order?” She remained politely formal, but he could feel the disdain in her tone.

For a moment, Gold considered changing his order for the most expensive dish; however, he decided to just ignore it for the sake of his pocket. Although he trusted that another 5.000 would come next week, there were many things to buy.

“I want a salmon salad, a house fish soup, and… a glass of your red Merlot.” Gold decided to change at last minute the beer for a glass of wine. He had never drunk expensive wine, but he guessed it was more appropriate than beer. At least, it was four times more expensive.

However, he would never guess that the girl was secretly laughing at his lack of harmonizing sense. Actually, it wasn’t that uncommon for wealthy customers not to know the best combinations, but in that case, they would certainly ask for a suggestion. The fishing soup was definitely a no-brainer that would go perfectly with chardonnay, or at most with pinot gris.

“Anything more, sir?”

“No, thank you.”

“Then, excuse me.” She bowed and left the room. However, just a moment later, a waiter came in with an exquisite water crystal jar and a plate with bread, cheese, and butter. Gold wanted to decline it, but the waiter quickly explained:

“This is our courtesy, sir.” The middle-aged man wasn’t surprised since he guessed that this was Gold’s first time in a fine restaurant.

Embarrassed, Gold nodded and thanked the waiter. Unfortunately, Lord Menes had warned him that tips would be considered wasting the money, so he couldn’t gratify the man for treating him with respect. What he didn’t know was that the courtesy should have been sent was soon as he entered the room, but the hostess had purposely delayed it until he actually ordered something.

The moment the waiter left the room, Gold started attacking the food. The bread was crunchy on the outside but extremely soft inside. The butter and cheese were soon used up, leaving only half of the bread on the platter. Gold was still hungry, but he could only stop or else he risked getting full before finishing the dishes he ordered. Of course, the poor boy couldn’t think of the simplest and most common solution; asking the waiter to pack the rest for him to eat later.

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Then, he could only spend time observing the paintings and decorations of the room. Gold yawned a couple of times and almost feel asleep. As an early morning worker, he was used to sleeping before 11 pm, and sometimes he would even sleep at 7 or 8 pm to avoid getting hungry. Ironically, he was now awake past midnight just to eat.

Fortunately, the first dish was served just ten minutes after the waiter left. The salmon salad looked fresh and tasty, so Gold picked up the fork and started eating without any regret. When he savored the natural taste of the salmon accompanied by the flavor of the dressing and the slight bitterness of the greens, he finally understood why this appetizer was so expensive. Either because of the quality of the fish or because of the cutting technique of the chef, or maybe even both, the salmon tasted better than any other fish he had eaten before. It was worth the price.

Gold tried to slow down and better appreciate the taste. He was a foodie that never had the opportunity to develop a palate, but now he was ready to change this mistake. Lord Menes, on the other hand, looked at his display of utter delight with contempt. This mortal could be shocked after experiencing this meager and inexpensive meal, how would he act when he had to eat something 100 times more expensive?

After devouring the salad, Gold’s hunger was finally appeased. Sadly, he still had to eat the main dish, which should be at least two times heartier than the salad. As if reading his mind, the waiter entered the room to retrieve his plate and announce that the main course would be served soon.

Two waiters returned a few minutes later, carrying the fish soup and a bottle of wine. The dish was placed on the table and the fragrance immediately captured Gold’s attention. The other waiter showed him the wine bottle before pouring a glass and then they left. Gold stared at the large soup bowl and patted his belly as if coaxing it into accepting more food. However, his stomach didn’t seem so eager to receive the delicious offering. Hence, he could only start with the wine and hope that it would stimulate digestion.

At first sight, the wine was thicker and more fragrant than the cheap ones he tasted before. When he brought it to his lips and took a small sip, Gold was assaulted by the fruity fragrance, and surprisingly, he didn’t feel the common aftertaste dryness usually left by wine. Then, he could only take a larger sip and taste the drink again. He was surprised by how much he liked it. The glass was finished in only a few minutes, so he decided to order another one.

When the waiter appeared, he quickly explained:

“I want another glass of this wine.”

The waiter said some polite words and was prepared to turn back when he noticed the untouched soup.

“Sir, may I ask if you’re unsatisfied with the dish?”

“No, no. I’m sure it’s as delicious as the salad… It’s just that I’m a little full right now, but I can’t bear to not eat it, so I can only wait for a while…” Gold was too embarrassed, but since the waiter treated him well, he decided to explain.

“Oh… Why don’t you ask the kitchen to pack it for takeout?” The man suggested after noticing that Gold might not understand that such a thing was also done in fine restaurants.

“Can I…?” Gold suddenly realized his stupidity, and quickly confirmed with asked Lord Menes. Both the cat and waiter nodded back to him, so he could only add embarrassedly:

“I mean, please send it to the kitchen and pack it for me… I’ll still have that glass of wine, though.”

After drinking another glass and confirming that he loved it, Gold asked for the name of the wine and paid the bill before leaving with the packed soup. In the end, he paid 1.010 tahrs for the dinner. The wine glasses cost 200, the salad 220, the soup 500, and there was an additional 90 for the service. Unfortunately, the hostess was nowhere to be seen when he paid. He would love to see her expression when they charged over a thousand of his card successfully.

Even so, he still felt happy and rich with roughly 3.800 in the bank and 200 tahrs in his wallet. He could barely wait to spend it all.