Betty, Muni, and Koshiro gobbled up their streaming juicy meat promptly after they laid their plates before them. Betty shook her head and squinted her eyes while she ate. At first I thought the head shake was a bad thing until she spoke upon her meal completion.
“Big guy, where have you been all my life?”
“I know, right? This is delish,” Koshiro agreed.
“I’m impressed… beyond impressed,” Muni added with a fluffy blue ear flutter.
“If everyone is done, I’ll take the dishes,” I nodded.
Betty waved her index finger. “No, you will not. The cook doesn’t clean.”
“Don’t we know it?” Koshiro smirked.
“I cook and you girls serve the customers and clean up. Do you think the customers want to see me washing nasty dishes while I cook their lunch?”
“Grandmother, you can’t get yourself so worked up. You were actually beat up a few hours ago,” Muni replied with warm compassion.
“Why don’t you go get some rest? We’ll handle things and get ready for tomorrow,” Koshiro said.
“She’s right,” I added, even though none of this was my business.
“I suppose you’re right. I’ll head upstairs and lie down for a bit,” Betty added as she gingerly stood. Muni jumped up to catch her grandmother if she lost her balance.
“I’m going to walk her up there myself. Excuse me.”
I nodded along with Koshiro. “No problem. Take your time. Good night Betty.”
“Good night to you Chad. Thank you so much for all of your help.”
“I’m not sure how much help I was. I fear that the Big is going to cause you more problems.”
Betty waved away my concerns. “Bah, I ain’t scared of those clowns.”
“Grandma, let’s go,” Muni said softly but sternly.
“Oh right, dear, let’s go. No, wait.”
Muni scoffed and tilted her head. “What is it?”
“Chad, are you interested in a job? This place needs some fresh blood. We could use a menu revamp and a rebrand. I think you’re the guy that can get us there. I understand if you aren’t interested, we did just meet,” Betty pleaded softly.
“Please say yes,” Koshiro begged with her blue and green eyes.
I thought it over. I did just meet these people, but I already felt a bond forming. What better way to use my cooking than to be a cook at a restaurant? The kitchen was modest, but the stock of ingredients was impressive. I could always get more to cook more complicated dishes. This was going to be fun.
“Yes, I would love to work here. When do I start?”
Koshiro’s face lit up, and she began jumping up and down, clapping happily. “Thank the Nine!”
I smiled and looked over at Muni, who had a smile on her face, but she didn’t show the level of excitement that Koshiro exhibited.
Suddenly, the window shattered and an object engulfed in flames slammed into a group of tables. The flaming whatever must have been super hot. The furniture ignited and burst into bright orange flames.
You are reading story Barbarian Chef at novel35.com
“Get out, Jesus Christ!” I screamed at the shocked ladies, as they stared at the terrifying fire that was spreading by the second. The blaze was reflected in their eyes. The sight was horrible and beautiful all at once. There was a small opening in the horror that the women could squeeze through to safety. They had to move immediately. The fire would cover the opening in a few seconds. “Run!” I exclaimed.
The women awoke from their stupor. I lifted Betty, and we all darted through the opening to safety on the city street and saw the fire grow larger and larger through the shattered window.
“Watch out!” a man in a blue robe exclaimed as he charged into the door.
I raised my hands with surprised eyes. “What the hell are you doing?” I saw a burst of blue inside that lasted for five seconds. The fire was out.
I turned to the girls. “What the hell just happened?”
A rapidly breathing Koshiro broke her silence. “He’s a frost mage. Thank the Nine he was close by. I don’t know who he is, but thank the Nine for him.”
“He’s probably an adventurer headed to the dungeon,” Betty interjected.
A familiar voice shouted. “What the fuck? That was a terrible throw. They should be burning alive at this very moment. And what are the freaking odds that a frost mage would stroll by?”
I turned to see the man that escaped earlier. It was a member of the Big coming for revenge. He brought four men back with him. They were of all shapes and sizes, standing at his flank. One of them was huge, and I recognized him as an orc with his tusks protruding from the bottom of his mouth. He held a small, blood-stained battleax in each mammoth hand. The others were roughly the same size as the man from before. The orc was going to be a problem. In FFO, the orc race was obsessed with battle and plundering the countryside. From the looks of the other humans, he would be the only gangster that might cause me some trouble.
I focused on the green monster, and a screen popped up over him.
Vlad
Orc Warrior
B-Rank
Having the Analysis skill would be extremely useful in the world. I would have thought this huge orc would be ranked higher, but luckily for me, he was two ranks below me. This revelation lessened my apprehension of facing him in a one-on-one fight.
Steam arose from the fire, as the frost mage exited the restaurant triumphantly.
“Thank you so much!” Betty shouted.
The mage nodded and continued on his journey. As he walked past the Big cautiously he locked eyes with the leader and his hands grew a radiant blue. When they didn’t attack, the arcane energy dissipated, and he walked on.
“That was a huge mistake,” I growled and clenched my fists.
I could tell that the man was thinking the same thing, but he tried to act tough and was ready to stand his ground in front of the men that he brought. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the sheriff march over. I expected him to get in the middle of us and stop the upcoming brawl, but he didn’t. He stopped beside Muni and looked as if he didn’t know what to do. The man was a coward through and through.
“Do something!” Betty shouted at the sheriff.
He shook his head. “I told yall they would want revenge.”
“Aren’t you the fucking sheriff? Stop this shit!” Koshiro shouted.
The sheriff stayed silent. He was clearly embarrassed by standing down, but he would do nothing. This guy shouldn’t be in charge of anything and needed to be replaced by a man with some balls. However, that fight was for another day. I had one right in front of me.
“Get him Vlad!” the leader commanded.
The giant orc roared and slammed his axes together and moved forward with bloodlust in his dark eyes.