Dark Fantasy: Super Coward Mode

Chapter 30

The air in the surrounding area quickly calmed down.

It was shocking enough that someone was still in the restaurant, but they even ended up eating and dying right there.

When pufferfish cuisine made its world debut, I wondered if it felt something like this if I could return to the time when someone fainted after eating it.

The Record Keeper casually left the scene as if it was just another ordinary day for the cook.

Still, perhaps out of courtesy, the cook approached the person, shook their body, but there was still no sign of movement.

Could it be that Lia told me not to eat something off the street for this reason?

If that woman hadn’t seen the incident and just quietly ate the food that was served...@@@@

No, this won’t do.

It really is better to leave.

I figured it was wiser to escape now rather than awkwardly stay put.

So I immediately stood up.

“...Early Bird Wake-Up!”

The person I thought was dead suddenly lifted their head with a snap.

W-what?

Didn’t Lia just say that their heartbeat had stopped?

Looking at Lia in confusion, she shook her head as if she didn’t know anything about it either.

Sure, how would you know about such an anomaly?

But what was even more shocking was that even though she had just fainted after eating, the woman started shoveling more of the food into her mouth.

And she was smacking her lips as if it was delicious.

“...Huh! This is truly delicious to the point of death... cough.”

Then she banged her head on the table and fainted again.

Lia carefully approached, checked her pulse, and shook her head as if confirming whether she was really dead this time.

But before long...

“Ki-hee!”

As if nothing had happened, she lifted her head again and started stuffing her mouth with the food.

Eat.

Thud.

Eat.

Thud.

Eat.

Thud.

That series of events felt so bizarre that my previous determination to leave just crumbled away.

I felt like if I moved recklessly, I might end up becoming the target for something terrible.

W-what on earth is going on with this person?

The cook quietly observed and finally smiled brightly at the person who had finished all the food.

“Did the meal suit your taste, dear customer?”

“Ha, one more bowl!”

No.

What kind of situation is this?

I really needed some explanations, but there wasn’t anyone around to ask.

I stood there, dumbfounded, and the cook came over with an awkward smile.

“I’m sorry to keep you waiting! I’ll get it ready right away!”

“Ah, okay.”

What’s going on?

I was just having a meal, but maybe I overreacted.

However, Lia’s expression also suggested she was bewildered.

Right, right.

Maybe she’s just an unusual person.

“...Hey, but why did I come here?”

... I tried to think, but then I noticed that person was drooling.

No way!

That person just made a remark that sounded like they didn’t even remember why they were here!

But the cooking had already started, and with a loud bang, the shop’s door closed.

“Ahem~”

It seemed like the cook was about to start cooking as they headed toward the kitchen.

What happened next made me doubt my own eyes.

As she reached out to the air, suddenly her arm disappeared.

No, it wasn’t that her arm had vanished; it appeared to have moved to another space but looked as if it just disappeared from my sight!

As if searching for something, she made cheerful sounds like “Where is it?” and began to wave her arm here and there, before pulling something as if she’d found what she was looking for.

What emerged was...

A giant wild boar that filled the entire kitchen.

And this wasn’t just any wild boar; its eyes were red, and its fur was excessively crimson.

Moreover, was it captured alive? It was violently thrashing around!

How ferocious!

“Thanks for the meal... didn’t I?”

The cook’s expression, which I expected to be filled with joy, turned out to be quite different from my thoughts.

When witnessing an unbelievable scene, my eyes widened in shock, displaying a classic expression of disbelief.

“Wait, could it be!?”

Could it be that there was poison hidden in here all along?

I was trembling with fear at the thought that I might end up like that woman.

“...Huh.”

Suddenly, before I could process anything, a sobbing sound reached my ears.

Huh?

Who’s crying at a time like this...?

Realization hit me that the sound was coming right from in front of me, and when I looked up, I saw the cook with her hands covering her mouth, tears streaming down her face.

“W-What’s wrong?!”

“Sniff, haah, sob. Was the food to your liking?”

Wanting confirmation again, the cook, despite still chewing, asked about the food.

I had no idea why she was crying, but regardless, I was fine and the food was delicious...

“Yes! This was the best thing I’ve eaten so far.”

At that moment, it seemed like the dam of the cook’s tears had burst; tears started flowing freely down her cheeks.

“Wahh!”

“Y-Yes?! Are you alright?”

Even as I tried to calm her down, her tears showed no sign of stopping.

—

It wasn’t until the cook began speaking again, having composed herself, that I understood why she was in such a state.

“The Knight’s Restaurant was... truly set up to serve the knights in the human world.

In this world filled with relentless cold, where beings devour one another, and even resort to cannibalism, it was the knights’ despair and hunger that called out to me.

Hunger and fear. I exist to fulfill that need.

I established this restaurant hoping to alleviate even a fraction of their suffering, but reality was different.”

So, that’s how it was.

Given Rondan’s rule to avoid anything related to Outsiders, it was no surprise that those who had consumed food from Outsiders wouldn’t be in good shape.

Even if it was out of goodwill.

As I listened to the cook’s words, I felt immune, thanks to the fact that nothing awful had happened so far...

In fact, it almost felt like my health had improved after eating.

Without thinking, I stood up, but due to the newfound strength in my muscles, I lost balance and toppled over.

“Ugh, ack!”

“Are you okay?!”

W-What’s going on?

Was it really just my imagination that I felt healthier than usual?

Feeling something was off, I jumped from my spot, and my body bounced unnaturally high.

It was almost alarming.

“...So that was it.”

“Gardener?”

At that moment, I heard the Gardener’s voice.

“The Outsiders’ nutrients can be tolerated by humans, so it seems another effect has manifested. You truly have a remarkable body.”

So that meant consuming the cook’s food somehow enhanced physical abilities.

I could get stronger just by eating?

If I could leverage this properly, it would help immensely in dealing with Outsiders!

Just like that candy I had eaten before!

I wouldn’t have to worry about physical limitations while rescuing the Outsiders!

“Are you hurt anywhere?!”

Concerned, the cook dashed out of the kitchen, inspecting me closely while bouncing around.

“Eh.”

“...Would you like to be friends with me?”

It was a surprising request, yet the cook, after pausing for a moment with a blank expression, responded with a bright smile.

“Even though it’s sudden, yes, if you’re okay with it....”

Alright, great!

I just gained another secret friend in the Outsider realm.

It felt like I was strategizing for a game character, and in a way, it was quite fun.

...Though that was something I didn’t want to say in front of her.

So does this mean I can now summon the cook with my horn too?

Having taken a risk resulted in a pleasant outcome, and I felt a little uplifted.

Thud.

“...So how long will that person keep crying?”

“Right? I’m glad you enjoyed it, but...”

Ignoring everything else, that woman who was repeatedly caught in a cycle of nearing death continued to offer me a bowl.

“One more bowl!”

...Is this really okay?