This House Has A Delicious Restaurant - Chapter 4 - The Hunters (1) - Part 1

04. The Hunters (1)

Was it luck that helped us?

I’m not sure if it was because Zerdan’s group achieved their goal or if they were just cautious because they didn’t know my abilities, but thanks to them clearing out, I was able to escape safely with Anise. Of course, that includes Luke as well.

I got tired of saying I wasn’t on the same side as the villains, but it was understandable since there was enough to cause misunderstanding. I did have moments when I thought of betraying them. But of course, I didn’t say this out loud.

“I thought you were on their side. I’m sorry for being rude… I didn’t know you had such good intentions.”

As we walked towards the tavern to take Luke back, Anise spoke.

It was already night, and the surroundings were dark. We were the only ones walking on the road.

Anise was still beautiful. Her initial haughtiness was gone, and now she was just a shy girl, blushing and apologizing to me for her actions.

“It’s okay. I was wearing earrings that prevented me from using my ability, so there was no other way. I should have explained it earlier, but it was such a sudden situation. You must have been really surprised, right?”

“No, I’m grateful just for being saved.”

Touched by the kind words of Moa Ablon, Anise slightly bowed her head, trying to hide her blushing face with her hair.

Luke, walking behind, couldn’t muster the courage to say, ‘That’s probably a lie,’ so he kept his mouth shut.

After a moment of hesitation, Anise carefully began to speak.

“You might have guessed, but I have a unique ability. I can amplify the abilities of others. Since I can only use it when there are other ability users around, I realized this not too long ago. And I still can’t control it well, so I use it unconsciously.”

“If you give a signature, does the ability activate too?”

“Yes, that’s right. Someone told me, so I’ve been trying to refrain from it. I only sign for people I think are normal or harmless. Luke is one of those cases.”

Well, Luke was a child and not an ability user. He didn’t seem like someone who would do bad things either.

I understood why she was so sensitive about giving signatures. Someone who knew could exploit it.

Unconsciously, I patted her shoulder, and Anise covered her face with her hand.

What’s wrong with her? Did it hurt?

“But I want to ask one thing. Those people ran away because of your ability. What kind of ability do you have that scared them so much? Is it terrifying?”

I was looking at Anise strangely when Luke, seemingly curious, asked a question. Anise also seemed curious and looked at me.

“I felt an immense sense of fear too. It was like all the hairs on my body stood on end, and I couldn’t move. Was it because your ability is so strong that we were overwhelmed by your charisma?”

There seemed to be a look of admiration in his gaze.

I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should tell them, but decided to be honest since we probably wouldn’t meet again.

“That feeling is my ability. It makes all the hairs on the opponent’s body stand on end.”

“…What?”

“…Really?”

When Luke asked again if it was true, I nodded calmly, and he looked amazed.

“You would be a huge success as a con artist.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

I replied cleverly and then shifted my gaze to Anise. I thought she would be disappointed, but instead, she looked even more moved, with tears in her eyes.

“You tried so hard in such a dangerous situation for us! You must have been really scared…”

“…You’d be great at running a cult too.”

Luke whispered beside us.

A while later, we arrived at the tavern. On the way, I told them that I would be leaving to completely escape from Zerdan.

Anise, thinking we wouldn’t meet again, looked disappointed.

She seemed very grateful for the help I had given her and wanted to repay me somehow, so I silently handed over the handkerchief I received from Lazis.

“Oh, I remember you said you needed a signature. I’ll give you one. My signature has a small power to amplify abilities, but he’s not an ability user, right?”

“Um, yes, but it doesn’t matter. It’s not your ability I want, just…”

“Just?”

Anise tilted her head, not understanding the term. Then, thinking she should give a signature, she asked Luke to lend her a pen.

As Luke ran off to get a pen, I hastily added.

“Luke! Please get a pen that smudges and erases easily.”

“What?”

Anise and Luke both looked at me, puzzled.

A little later, Luke came back with a pen. I drew a circle on the paper and rubbed it with my hand; it smudged easily.

Smiling in satisfaction, I handed the pen to Anise, who took it in confusion and signed next to the initials on the handkerchief.

This is the rare Anise’s signature.

Anise smiled warmly at Moa Ablon, who cherished the handkerchief. As Moa Ablon turned away with the handkerchief, Anise wondered if she was crying out of concern. However, Luke, standing in front of the turned-around Moa Ablon, had a sullen look on his face.

…Why blow her nose?

Luke wondered to himself, unable to ask aloud for fear of shocking Anise.

* * *

“I didn’t expect to receive it…”

It was late at night, but since I had nowhere else to go, I headed straight to where Lazis was.

Fortunately, he was still at his post. He looked somewhat reluctant but led me to the reception room when he saw me confidently approaching.

He seemed a bit surprised to see Anise’s signature on the handkerchief I handed him.

“Since I kept my promise, you should keep yours too, right?”

“Looks like you’ve sorted out the earrings issue. So why not contact him with the thing around your neck?”

“I tried that, but there was no response. Maybe it’s too old, or it’s a cheap one and doesn’t work well.”

Lazis bit his lip slightly at my words.

He seemed to be holding back laughter, so I looked at him questioningly. Just then, I heard an unfamiliar man’s voice from behind me.

“Money isn’t an issue.”

Whoa, that scared me.

I barely stopped myself from cursing and turned around to see a man I had never seen before.

He had dazzling blond hair and vivid golden eyes like Zerdan’s. He was an extraordinarily handsome man with a refined, gentlemanly appearance, thanks to his neatly slicked-back hair.

He looked familiar somehow.

His golden eyes reminded me of Zerdan, so I asked without thinking.

“Could you be… Bella?”

The man’s expression soured.

Oh, judging by his reaction, I must be right.

This was Obella, the true main male character of the game and Zerdan’s older brother.

True to his status as the main male lead, he was flamboyant and attention-grabbing. He was the biggest and most well-built man I had seen so far.

“It took some time to find you since it’s not the aura of Diswen. I’ve heard about the situation. You were kidnapped by Zerdan, and since you’re alone… Diswen must have fallen to that guy.”

By “that guy,” he meant Zerdan.

I nodded in affirmation. Obella sighed and looked at Lazis.

“I’ll need to hear the details later.”

“Shall we send her with you then?”

“Yes. She must be in shock, so rest should come first.”

Lazis nodded. The space seemed to warp again, indicating he was about to use his ability.

From what I could infer, they were planning to send me to where Obella lived. As my vision blurred, I heard Lazis’ puzzled voice.

“But why is the handkerchief so damp?”

…I decided to pretend I didn’t hear that.

When the space changed and I opened my eyes, we were inside a building. It looked like the corridor of a mansion, so I hurried to follow Obella, who was moving with familiarity.