In the kitchen, Branno and Falmer resumed their busy work. The waitress took a "Closed" sign from behind the counter and hung it on the front door.
Starlight, Moen, and Little Gold sat to the side, watching the two men work while conversing in hushed tones.
“Starlight, are you really going to the north to find that Hellfire Lotus?” Moen asked softly, a clear trace of worry in her eyes.
“Yes. Since I promised, I have to see it through,” Starlight replied with a firm nod.
“But the northern volcanic ranges are dangerous, and a Hellfire Lotus doesn't sound like something that would be easy to find.” Moen frowned, appearing uneasy about the mission.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be careful. Besides, I have you guys with me, don’t I?” Starlight smiled, his gaze carrying a touch of warmth.
Moen nodded, a small smile finally appearing on her face.
Just then, a rich aroma wafted from the kitchen. Branno and Falmer emerged carrying plates of exquisite dishes, which they arranged on the table.
“Come, have a taste! These are this old man’s signature dishes!” Branno said with a grin, a hint of pride in his eyes.
Starlight and Moen picked up their utensils and began to savor the food. Each dish was filled with a unique flavor, with the heat and seasoning perfectly balanced to leave a lasting impression.
Even more surprising was the incredibly dense mana contained within the food. With just one bite, Starlight felt the power within his body begin to dance joyfully along with the food entering his stomach.
“This is no ordinary cuisine!” Starlight was once again amazed by how Branno had perfectly fused his mana with the food.
He was certain that if his mana were depleted, this single meal would be enough to restore more than half of it.
Most importantly, the recovery effect provided by the food worked from the inside out, which was entirely different from the way he recovered through meditation. This meant the two effects could be stacked.
Moen clearly felt the uniqueness of the meal as well. After exchanging a glance with Starlight, she began to eat heartily.
However, what surprised Starlight even more was Little Gold, who was devouring the food in large gulps.
Although the mana within these dishes was very peaceful, its quantity was substantial. Even Starlight and Moen needed to digest carefully before they could continue eating.
Yet, as the mana-filled dishes were sent into his stomach one by one, Little Gold showed no signs of being full; on the contrary, he began to eat even more vigorously.
“Who... exactly is this little guy?”
At first, Branno and his disciple watched Little Gold with curiosity, but by the time he finished his fourth plate, they were both stunned.
“Master, did you mess up somewhere during the process? This isn't something a normal person could do!” Falmer asked, pointing at Little Gold in disbelief.
“Are you joking? Do you think I’d be as lazy as you? Hey, kid! Slow down! If you eat too much, something bad will happen!”
Branno shook his head, but as he watched the fifth plate disappear into Little Gold’s stomach, even he began to wonder if he had made a mistake.
It wasn't until Little Gold had finished most of the dishes on the table that he finally let out a satisfied burp under the ghost-seeing gazes of the master and disciple.
“Ah! That was delicious! This is the first time I’ve eaten so well! Thank you so much! If I get the chance, I want to come back here to eat again!”
“I’d certainly welcome you back for a meal... but I should warn you, this child’s dining expenses won't be cheap,” Falmer said to Starlight with a helpless sigh.
“How much?” Moen asked curiously.
“Hmm, let’s see. If we don’t count my master’s reputation or his appearance fee... this spread would be about seven hundred gold coins?” Falmer glanced at the spotless plates on the table with an air of mock seriousness, stating a price that left the two of them wide-eyed.
“How... how much? Over seven hundred gold coins? Are you robbing us?!”
Starlight shouted almost instinctively, and the food in his bowl suddenly didn't seem quite so delicious anymore.
“Wait! Let me make this clear, this isn't a rip-off joint, and Master is treating you to this meal anyway...”
Before Falmer could finish, Branno shoved him aside and cut in irritably, “When did you hear me say I was treating them? Didn’t you just say this was your shop? However, Starlight, Falmer’s calculation is correct. The ingredients alone for this meal cost about six hundred gold coins. When you factor in labor, rent, and everything else, he’s not actually cheating you.”
Starlight’s face twitched upon hearing this.
It seemed he had truly underestimated the wealthy people of the continent. Just what kind of person would spend nearly a thousand gold coins on a single meal?
While he was still lost in thought, Moen gently tugged on his sleeve from under the table.
Starlight followed her gaze and realized that Little Gold’s pant legs had actually shortened by another section during this time.
Branno and Falmer, meeting Little Gold for the first time, didn't realize their meal had such an effect, but Starlight and Moen, who had just been discussing Little Gold’s height, were extremely sensitive to it.
“Hah~ I’m full, and so sleepy!” Little Gold stretched and spoke in a lethargic tone as he leaned against the edge of the table, looking as if he were about to drift off.
Seeing this, the two of them quickly supported him and warned him not to fall asleep.
They weren't sure what would happen if Little Gold fell asleep now. Although Branno and his disciple didn't seem to have any ill intent, the fewer people who knew about Little Gold’s identity as a dragon, the better.
The two quickly exchanged a glance. Setting aside formalities, Starlight had to bite the bullet and tell Branno they had other business and would have to visit again next time.
Fortunately, Branno didn't seem inclined to press them for details. Instead, he simply waved them off.
“Go on, go on. There’s no need to stay here just to keep me company. Besides, I’m a bit tired after that bit of activity; I’m going to go rest. You brat, go see the guests out!”
With that, Branno stood up and walked unsteadily toward the rooms at the back of the restaurant.
Falmer watched his master’s retreating back and sighed helplessly. Without saying anything more, he led Starlight’s group toward the door.
As they were about to part ways, Falmer seemed to remember something and spoke to Starlight as he prepared to exit.
“Could we talk privately for a moment?”
“Privately?” Starlight blinked in surprise but signaled for Moen to take the exhausted Little Gold ahead. “Of course.”
Seeing Moen lead Little Gold out of the restaurant, Falmer turned and waved to the waitress. She nodded obediently and retreated to the back of the establishment.
“Since there are no outsiders, I’ll be blunt.”
“Don’t take the two conditions my master mentioned too much to heart. Regarding the Hellfire Lotus, just do your best. That thing isn't something an ordinary person can obtain.”
“Why?” Starlight asked.
“Because the prerequisite for harvesting a Hellfire Lotus is reaching the Saint Rank in the fire attribute. An ordinary person would likely be burned to death before even getting close. Normally, Master would have collected it himself, but his physical condition is no longer sufficient to support such a trip...” Falmer spoke slowly, his tone carrying a faint sense of worry.
“Master Branno... what happened to him? Moen—the girl from just now—is a healer. Should I have her come back and check on him?” Starlight’s expression shifted as he asked quickly.
“Thank you, but there’s no need. Conventional methods are useless. This is your first time meeting him, so it’s hard to tell, but he’s already at the brink... Even I didn’t expect him to be so weak that even cooking a single meal would exhaust him.” Falmer shook his head.
Rate on N.U.
