January 2, 1811 A.D.

5:20:11 AM

Hermes opened his eyes, realizing he sleep too long. He rolled down in the bed and fell down on the floor. A loud sound produced from the hard impact. Luckily, he didn’t bother and woke up the neighbors and renters. Rubbing his chin being hit earlier, he stood up and quietly looked around.

“Ooooh ooh, ouch, this going to take a while to heal.” He murmured, wearing his mask and eyeglasses. “Now then, let’s start to search for Justin today. That bastard will be going to be punished if I ever find him.” Cracking his arms, he went outside of his room.

As he walked from the stair, he sniffed the harmonic and pleasant aroma of fine dishes. He followed the scent towards the kitchen and found a beautiful woman, humming while preparing the foods in the table. The girl wore a beautiful blueish blouse and white apron. Removing her hairnet, her hair followed the gust of wind from the east, making Hermes stun at his position. Taking two spins to get some peppers, she saw Hermes watching her. She stopped and covered her face in embarrassment. She turned around and ran away from the scene before Hermes could say a word, “... Good morning”.

“Seriously, what’s wrong with her? What’ a girl’s name again? Hmm… ah.. her name was Daliah. Yeah, it’s Daliah, I presumed.” His stomach growled and he found the meal in the table. “I hope she doesn’t mind to let me eat this. It’s breakfast anyway.”

The young Don sat down and prepared himself. As he grabbed his spoon and took a portion of meat by his fork, a huge glowing liquified purple hand appeared behind his back and stole the portion of his food when he sneezed. He took a bite but no meat was swallowed. Confused he began to take another one but suddenly when he was going to pick the glass of water from his side and the pitcher to pour the glass, the food in his plate had disappeared, making him jump in surprise.

"What the hell? Where's my food?"

Hermes quickly sat down and began to do the same thing he did earlier. His hunger tempted him to taste one however, he tried his best control his glutton. The sweet smell and aroma were stronger to stop that he ended up to pick one. He started to taste the chicken. His mind burst as in his body flew in-universe. The sensation of the meat he ate made him pick more. But suddenly, something tapped his right shoulder, letting himself to check his back from his right and when he turned the dishes were already eaten. He made a conclusion that he already ate everything since he felt no hunger at all. The next one he grabbed the plate of chicken.

“Oooh great, this chicken meat has a good texture and whenever I bite it, it was like I’m just eating an expensive French cuisine. But my cooking is tastier than this. Oh my, what else she made?” Hermes continued to eat the foods prepared without caring who might be the other people will join him.

“Phew, I think I eat a lot of this. Such delicious food she makes here. She earns my respect for that.” Hermes said, patting his stomach. The liquified hand suddenly sensed an approaching person, returning itself behind its host.

“M-M-Mr. Aljen, what have you done?” a familiar voice came in from the kitchen. Hermes turned around to find the person and he found Ms. Daliah in the corner. Holding a tray in her shoulder, she was surprised at what she witness.”Where is your manners, Mr. Aljen? Why did you eat those meals in the table? Such an unforgivable act you made today!” Her anger made her to point her tray towards Hermes who was stayed normal in the place.

“Ooh, sorry, I just can’t barely keep watching these foods in the table so I decided to eat this.” Hermes replied, standing up from his sit. “I will go head outside now, Ms. Daliah. Don’t worry, I’ll pay this. But my cooking skills is far more better than yours.”

“No… you must stay!” Daliah grabbed his arm. “You won’t get away from this area. Because you eat all of this, you must take responsibility to remake another one!”

“Eeeh? You’re kidding me? I’m fifteen year old boy though, I don’t have any experience to make one. I don’t even cook in my entire life.” Hermes replied, trying to release his arm from her grip. Opposed to his compliment earlier, he was trying to escape from the job.

“Don’t lie to me! You said earlier you’re cooking skill was better than mine. Then prove me wrong! There is still 2 hours before the customers arrives in this inn. You have to cook more than these dishes prepared in the kitchen. Don’t worry, you won’t compensate nor need to pay you ate earlier. That’s the payment. Don’t hesitate to cook it!” Daliah released his arm and leave the room.

“W-w-wait! What the heck? Did you just hear what I just said earlier? I don’t even know how to cook!” Hermes scratched his head and let out a sigh because of this mess he made. “What should I do?” Hermes turned his sight the other side of the kitchen. He recalled the beautiful girl recently.

Oooh, I thought Daliah was supposedly the one who cook in this place. Why the heck that girl cooked the dishes in this kitchen anyway? Hmm…. oh boy, I don’t care.

Who cares about that? Crap, I must cook another breakfast ? Why the heck did I eat all of these? Aaargh! Damn it, because of my curiosity, my appetite didn’t restrain myself!

Darn, two hours before the customers arrive in this inn, huh. What should I make then? Crap! There is another way to finish this, right? Jeez, I am not going to lie but this is going to be difficult to do. However, I accept her challenge. I’m a man who won’t let myself to get defeated by something like this. I must not back down. But…. there is a big problem here…. Opposed from his original character information, the original Hermes was not a good chef! If they find out Hermes cook, it will only trigger an another strange phenomenon that will definitely change the plot once again. C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, Hermes, think, think, think…. Ops, yeah I totally forgot, I am using right now my real name in the previous world. I’m now referred as “Aljen”. They won’t even know who I am. But man, what should I do? I don’t like to show my skills in this inn but Ms. Daliah will get angry if I don’t do this.

*Sigh*. Hermes grabbed the white apron hanging in the cabinet and gathered up all the available ingredients in the room. All he needed to do was to follow the proper instruction he could recall from his previous world. A lot of varieties of different dishes emerged and appeared in his mind when he closed his eyes. He grasped everything and concentrated in his job. He didn’t know exactly how he did managed to picture those things however, preparing a good and healthy breakfast to the customer was all he cared about.

Two hours later, Hermes was almost done.

Suddenly ‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒

“Umm, uh… excuse me... what kind of dishes did you prepared?” Daliah came in, couldn’t believe what she saw.

“Oh hello again, Ms. Daliah. I’m preparing a food. Ummm.. do you want to taste them?” Hermes replied, slicing the cabbages into pieces. “You told me to make a breakfast, right? So here it is.”

“Unbelievable…, you told me earlier that you don’t even cook. But look, everythings is already done. You’re a talented cook. You prove to me that you’re better than me. The aroma is more…. Oh my… never mind. T-T-The customers are here now. Please help me to give these to all of them.” Daliah one by one picked up the dishes in her tray and moved outside.

“Huh? Crap, she didn’t even let me finish to make a soup and now ordering me to serve the customers… now.. Jeez, alright. I’ll give her a hand for now.”

As he moved outside, he saw a lot of different faces inside the inn. There was a bald one with one-eyed patch, a lot of children playing around in the table, a mother with her baby and an familiar face in the second table near the window.

“Eh… Ms. Ilona? … Why?” Hermes astonished as he saw Ilona in the area. She noticed his presence and waved her hand towards him.

Daliah got mad as she saw Hermes remained in his position while watching the customers. “What are you doing, Mr. Aljen? Please serve those dishes to the customers immediately!”

“Oh, uh, umm, right.” Hermes followed her order and proceed to his forced job. He was bewildered in the moment she said those words.

What happened to the timid and wary behavior she showed to me? She become more bold type of person that forcing me to assist her around.

“Mr. Aljen, send another one in the first and fourth table quickly.” she pointed to the next table in the fourth row.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Mr. Aljen, those plates are not for kids that’s for another one in the fifth table. Quick change it to small one.” she pointed to the right side near the old couples.

“... Uh, umm, right… Right on it, Ma’am.” Hermes obediently followed in panic.

“Mr. Aljen, I told you already that’s not a black seasoning. The other one is what the customer’s prefers to. Go get some green seasoning and put it in the plate of table Six.”

“... What’s the difference? Everything has the same color. And --”

Her firm eyes made him to gulp his saliva and hesitate to answer back.

“Where the heck is that black seasoning?”

After the bloody and tiresome quest he unwillingly accepted, he took a rest in the corner near the manager’s desk. The manager moved closer him and offered him a drink.

“You look so tired so take this blue herb drink to remove the stress from your body. By the way, thank you, Mr. Aljen. You help us to serve the customers very… well. Even though the foods prepared was different from the original, you’ve managed to please them. A lot of customers wanted to come back and tasted your food again.”

Hermes picked up the glass and lowered his head as a sign of thanks. The manager was glad at his response.

Unbeknownst, he was watching by every customers and bewildered at his appearance. A little girl asked to her mother why he wore something unpleasant but her mother explained not to bother to ask; she didn’t know the answer as well.

“Mr. Aljen….” Daliah called him.

“Y-Yes… ?” Hermes stood up and gave the glass to the manager in cold feet. “... What is it, Ms. Daliah?”

“Please come over here. There is something I want to converse to you… privately. Please get yourself in the kitchen.” Daliah averted her eyes when they made an eye contact.

Hermes shook his head and replied, “Oh sure, uh, I as well, something… to ask to you.” Hermes moved inside the kitchen afterwards.

Daliah returned to her timid and wary characteristics. Her hands pressed to each other and she shook terribly. Hermes just let out a sigh and scratched his head. He just laid his back in the wall and crossed his arms in his chest.

He asked, “Ms. Daliah, what do you want to talk?”

Her eyes opened wide because of shock and replied timidly, “I… I… I.. ”

“Forget it.”

“... W-W-What? I was… gonna..”

“No need to apologize to me. I was at fault at all. After all, it was a good experience to serve everyone in the first place. Thanks for that, I was able to show everyone what I’ve got.”

“But … everyone keeps telling you look strange because of your looks.” Daliah quietly whispered to herself.

“Huh… ? They said those things behind my back? Unforgivable...”

Daliah panicked, “No no no, not like that.”

“Ooh boy, that’s going to happen.” He tapped his forehead in displeased.

“No no no. You have no right to punish those people. I want to ask why you still wear that mask. And - what’s wrong? Why are you laughing?”

Hermes laughed and spoke, “Naah, just leave it aside. Sorry, I just wanna see your face like that. You look seriously terrified when I first entered here. You’re smile turned pale when you saw my strange appearance. Now, look at you, you return to your usual self.”

Her chin turn red and she covered her face to prevent him to see more. Hermes just continued his laugh until she answered back to stop.

“Please… stop it, Mr. Aljen. Please...”

“Oh boy, alright. Ms. Daliah. I have something to ask for you.”

“... Yes, what is it then?”

“I was gonna ask if you saw a man wearing a butler suit in this area. He has a blonde hair and elegant unforgivable face. Have you seen someone like that?”

“Umm… I saw a lot of people with the same hair color but I haven’t seen anyone with butler suit. Why did you ask?”

“My companion and I got separated yesterday. I tried to find him in the area he went to.”

Ms. Daliah held his hand and shievered. “Please… can you do … something in your mana...” she asked, pointing the mana.

“What? What do you mean?” Hermes unaware about her question, his aura dispersed.

“N-Nevermind… now it’s gone. My fear has disappeared as well.”

Hermes was still unaware of what she mean. He didn’t knew that his mana had been spread across his body and came out since last night. The pressure made her fear his presence. Daliah had an [Aureal] magic, a type of skill that gave the user the ability to see the aura and mana of its target.

“That will lessen the abnormality.” she said, smiling of relief.

“What do you really mean, lady?”

“I have an ability to see someone’s aura. I saw darkness in your body but there was pure white innocence in your eyes.” she explained.

“Wait… an aura. I’m a magicless user though. I’m just an ordinary man.” he said, telling the truth.

“Oh my,” she covered her mouth by her right hand. “People hiding their identities must be preserve nowadays. Are you a convict, criminal or a fugitives from other nation?” she felt pity on him. He wiped out her tears from her eyes when she imagined his hard work to escape from cruel world.

“No fucking no! The answer is no. I’m a merchant came from —”

She covered his mouth by her hands. “Sssh… I know.. I know… You’re just a person who have an objective. Don’t worry, I’m just teasing you.” she gave him a wink, making to blush.

This girl….

“By the way, if you have time. Come back here at 12:00 pm. There are customers willing to pay for your dishes.” she gave him the list of the schedule of his job.

“Wait what? Hey lady, I haven’t agree to work with —”

She covered his mouth again. “Sssh… You’re a good cook. We need a professional chef in our inn. I’ll let you go if lend us your skill. I’ll pay you large some of money as well.”

“Hey, hey, hey, this is too much and complicated. Miss Daliah, I have a mission. A mission to preserve my future. I need to find my servant first.” he said.

She puffed and gave in. “Alright… you win. I can’t even pursue you.”

“Miss Daliah, you’re cute and persuasive person. Use your charm to attract more customers and practice more to improve your cooking skills if you want to surpass mine. Try to research more delicate and rare dishes to enhance your knowledge. That’s one of the qualities to highly sustain this kind of business.”

She clinged his arm. Her smooth chest touched his skin. She smiled at him and gave him a flick in his forehead.

“Ouch, hey lady, Miss Daliah, remove your filthy body away from me. Your chest… your chest. Aaagh!” he couldn’t release his arm and pushed her away.

“Smooth,right?”

“Yes… ” he smiled but returned to his senses, “No, fucking no! Release me lady!”

“Ssh, you’re disturbing the customer. Don’t yell.” she flicked his forehead once again. “You tell me to use my charm right? Here it is.”

“I told you earlier. Use that in the competent person except for me!”

“Hmm…, alright then.” She released him and turned around. “You may take your leave. I’ll be waiting for your return. You have one job to do though.”

“Hey, i told you. I’m a customer as well. I’m a renter here.”

“Sure sure… But I swear, you’re going to be a good husband in the future because of your special talent. I promise to keep my mouth shut and won’t tell anybody about your identity.” she went outside and leave him alone inside the kitchen.

“Weird girl. What does she mean by that? I thought she was a normal person. I guess you’ll never know a person if you don’t talk with them personally.”