This House Has A Delicious Restaurant - Chapter 9 - Helper (3) - Part 1

09. Helper (3)

The place Khan led me to was a restaurant.

“Welcome… Oh, it’s you again, Khan? I thought it was someone else because you came in with a pretty lady!”

The man, who appeared to be a waiter, greeted them warmly, indicating that Khan must be a regular here.

The spot the man guided us to was near the kitchen, allowing us to see the chefs preparing food.

“Khan will have his usual, and you, miss?”

“Just give me the same as him.”

“Got it. But what’s the occasion? You always come alone, so I was sure you had no friends!”

A cheerful laugh followed.

As the man started preparing the food, Khan casually walked into the kitchen and came back with some alcohol.

“Don’t be stupid.”

“Yeah, yeah. That tone made me sure you didn’t have any friends! Judging by how you’re acting, she’s not a new girlfriend, so is she a friend of Ding’s?”

“Ding?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Khan brought a glass for himself and poured the drink. When I stared at him, he frowned, sighed, then brought another glass and placed it in front of me.

I smiled as I watched the glass fill up with alcohol.

I didn’t expect to be offered a drink, so this is a pleasant surprise.

“Thank you. But who is Ding? Khan’s girlfriend?”

“No way! She’s a very pretty little lady! If Ding were Khan’s girlfriend, I’d have used this knife on him already!”

The man playfully twirled a large kitchen knife as he spoke. From his words, it seemed like Ding was a much younger girl.

Khan might have frowned, but he didn’t object, so it seemed clear that they had some connection. But who could it be?

I don’t recall seeing a young girl in the organization where Zerdan is.

I took a sip of the drink. It was a bit strong, but not too different from what I’m used to.

Before the food even arrived, I’d taken one sip, then another, and soon enough, the glass was empty. Khan looked at me with a surprised expression.

“Are you a drinker?”

“Not really, I just enjoy it moderately. But I’d like to know more about you, Khan. Could you tell me?”

“Oh, what’s this? Are you interested in Khan?”

“Yes. I want to be someone important to him, but Khan is so guarded.”

“He’s not only guarded but also quite curt! I tried talking to him when he first started coming here, but he ignored me for a month straight. Still, he must like the food because he kept coming back.”

“Shut up. And don’t talk so freely; she’s not someone to trust.”

It was a rather harsh remark, considering I was right in front of him.

The man looked at me. When I reflexively made a sad face, he glared sharply at Khan.

“I don’t know what your relationship is, but isn’t it too harsh to say that when you’re sharing a meal? You should be kind to women! Miss, if you’re curious about Khan, ask me. I’ve known him for years, we’re practically family.”

“He must be a regular customer.”

“Of course! Our place may not be super famous, but once people try it, they can’t help but come back. We’ve got plenty of regulars just like Khan!”

“I’m looking forward to the food. It seems like Khan used to come here often with someone named Ding?”

Khan looked half-resigned at this point, sipping his drink without much interest. I turned my attention to the kitchen, watching the man cook. He seemed to enjoy chatting while he worked, a smile on his face.

“Yeah, at first, he came alone, and we got to know each other a bit. Then one day, he started bringing along a little girl who barely reached his waist. She was a very pretty child! At first, I thought she might be Khan’s daughter, but from their conversations, it didn’t seem like it. They were a bit awkward around each other, and they called each other by their names.”

“If she only reached his waist, she must have been young. If she wasn’t his daughter, was she your niece, Khan?”

“…It’s none of your business.”

Khan’s response was sharp.

Could it be that she’s no longer around?

I glanced at the man, who simply shrugged, looking just as puzzled by Khan’s reaction.

“She stopped coming at some point, though. I was worried, so I asked Khan if she was sick, but he said no. After that, he got all prickly and wouldn’t say anything else. But I can tell you one thing for sure—you don’t have to worry about him having a girlfriend.”

“That’s a relief.”

“You’re quite charming, miss. Anyway, here’s your food. Dig in. Feel free to help yourself with more drinks if you want. I’m just going to step out to the restroom for a bit.”

He placed the meals in front of us.

Seafood fried rice, maybe?

Khan silently began eating, so I took a bite as well.

“…I can see why Khan would be a regular here.”

“Stop talking and just eat.”

As usual, his response was unenthusiastic.

But the food was better than I expected—simple, not too heavy, and easy to enjoy. I busied myself with the meal, glancing around the place.

It wasn’t exactly a prime dining time, so aside from Khan and me, the restaurant was empty.

With the waiter gone to the restroom, it was just the two of us.

“Khan.”

He didn’t respond, but I figured he could hear me, so I decided to bring up something he mentioned before.

“Why don’t you tell me where Ding is if you know?”

“…What are you talking about?”

“You mentioned before that you stayed with the organization because you had someone to protect. That person you’re protecting—isn’t it the young girl, Ding?”

I felt his gaze on me. Pretending not to notice, I continued eating. Khan took a drink, seemingly frustrated, but he didn’t deny it.

“When I visited earlier, it didn’t seem like a place where a child would stay. Is she living somewhere else?”

“I’m not obligated to answer that. Just finish your meal.”

“It’s a shame. I wanted to meet her. But Khan…”

It seemed that I had finished eating faster than Khan. I set down my utensils, poured myself another glass of alcohol, and took a sip, watching as Khan finished his meal.

“Are you sure that girl, Ding, is being protected?”

“Enough. If you say one more word, I won’t let it slide.”

“I’m just curious. Zerdan doesn’t seem like the type to protect someone unless there’s a reason. Does that girl have abilities too? If so, I guess that would make sense—protecting her just to use her.”

“Khan!”

As soon as I finished speaking, Khan stood up and grabbed me by the throat. Luckily, the man who had just returned from the restroom saw what was happening and quickly intervened. If he had been a little later, I might have been choked to death by Khan’s grip.

I rubbed my neck where he’d grabbed me. I had expected him to get angry, but his reaction was more intense than I anticipated.

“Khan, are you out of your mind?! I don’t know what’s going on, but this is too much! Don’t do something you’ll regret later.”

“…Leave the money and go.”

Khan didn’t respond to the man’s words and just stood up, ready to leave the restaurant. The man sighed and approached me.

“Khan! That idiot… Miss, are you alright? What happened while I was gone?”

“It’s nothing. I just asked him a rather rude question.”

“Even so… Hah. Is your neck okay?”

“It hurts a little, but I’ll be fine. I should get going too. Thanks for the delicious meal. I’ll come by again.”

“Sure. And if Khan tries anything rough again, make sure to run away!”

I smiled and nodded at his words. Then, still rubbing my neck, I hurried after Khan. Fortunately, he hadn’t gone too far.

I was worried he might use his ability to suddenly leave me behind, but perhaps because there were a lot of people on the street, Khan was just limping along the way we came.

“……”

Khan didn’t say anything, but he didn’t look happy either. The mention of Ding’s name seemed to make him very sensitive.

If she isn’t his daughter or niece, could she be his adopted child?

As I pondered this, I reached out and grabbed Khan’s arm.

“Khan, I told you before, didn’t I? I want to be one of your people too. If you ever need my help, just let me know. I’ll help you.”

“What’s your real intention? If you’ve run away from the captain, shouldn’t you be hiding or begging for your life? Instead, you’re leading the fight between us and the hunters.”

My intentions, huh? I guess saying I’m doing it for fun isn’t convincing enough. Maybe I need a grander reason.

To reach the game’s ending, you have to focus on one character. But to do that, you have to follow the story to the final scene.

In this world, where Zerdan and Obella are the most prominent figures, their inevitable confrontation is likely embedded within the storyline. The narrative probably includes a battle between them, which is crucial to advancing the plot.

To hasten the endgame, I must bring their fight forward. If this isn’t a reverse harem, the character with the highest affinity for me will likely become the protagonist of the final ending. That character will probably win in this battle as well.

While it’s clear that Zerdan is interested in me, I’m not sure if it’s the kind of interest one has in a romanceable character. On the other hand, if I gain more trust with Obella, their affinity for me might increase significantly.

Yes, the character who wins this battle will likely be the one to adorn the final scene of the game. And if I help them win, their affection for me will peak, ensuring a smooth conclusion to the game.

“There can be no end without a beginning.”

Khan might find this statement puzzling.

But it doesn’t matter. My main goal is simply to see the game’s ending.

Once Zerdan and Obella have fought, the game’s storyline should come to an end.

I’m eager to finish this and finally take a break.