NOVEL NEXT Chapter 14
Chapter 14 – The Correlation Between Happiness and Growth
With a buffet spread of 100 dishes, it was so abundant that I could indulge in the air for ten whole days.
All I had to do was clear ten dishes per day.
Since it took exactly ten days to reach my destination, this was pure bliss.
“Ahh.”
“What’s the matter, Young Lady?”
“I just realized something.”
Jonnas immediately changed his expression, knelt, and started fiddling with my shoelaces in a whisper.
“…Excuse me, but could you explain what trap you’ve noticed?”
“It’s the quantity. I doubt all types of food will be collected in the cookbook just because I piled different dishes onto a plate.”
“……I’m afraid I don’t understand at all.”
The individual serving criteria for the cookbook is a significant matter.
What if a mixed plate of buffet food doesn’t count for the collection?
What if only the dish with the highest quantity counts?
“I can’t enjoy the fun of choosing various dishes if I have to fill a plate with just one dish at a time ten times, over ten days….”
No matter how much I love collecting, this would be torture.
Wait a minute.
Is there a rule that it has to be fully filled to count as one serving?
Buffets are meant for piling up food as you wish.
Even if I fill just a tiny bit, as long as there’s at least one kind of food on the plate, I could still successfully collect it, right?
Click, click
As I excitedly pondered over filling my plate, I heard a somewhat incredulous voice say, “You really recover your mood quickly.”
“Kekek. Look over there. The little Young Lady who can’t even reach the side dishes. Isn’t she cute?”
“Oh my. She reminds me of my youngest daughter back home. Hohoho.”
Some customers who came to relish the cheap meal passed by and smiled at me.
With tears welling in my eyes, I clutched the butler’s sleeve.
“Jonnas… I can’t even reach the food storage….”
“You’re quick to recover your mood in a negative sense too.”
Thanks to Jonnas’s help, I could finally get my food.
“Is it really okay to have just one chocolate chip?”
“I plan to start lightly.”
“You don’t know how to eat like a mouse.”
“Ahh, fluffy brute!”
“This is how to eat.”
The furry guy at the next table piled his food high and scarfed it down like a food fighter or a competitive eater.
Watching his boisterous meal ignited my competitive spirit, but right now, testing was the priority.
Crunch, crunch
“…….”
“Would you like more?”
“Yes….”
In an instant, I devoured the cookie.
What followed on the menu was….
“Another chocolate chip?”
“I, this time I’ll have four more!”
Until I’m sure I’ve received a count as one serving, I will just demolish chocolate chips!
Just when I thought that should be enough, a light headache formed along with a notification.
[You have collected the common dish [Chocolate Chip] in the cookbook.]
[The single collection effect of the common dish is none.]
After successfully collecting chocolate chips, I started filling each dish to the brim with a single type of food.
…
[You have collected the common dish [Mushroom Soup]
in the cookbook.][You have collected the common dish [Crab Avocado] in the cookbook.]
[You have collected the common dish [Salmon Sushi] in the cookbook.]
[You have collected the common dish [New York Strip] in the cookbook.]
[You have collected the common dish [Melon] in the cookbook.]
…
I was busily moving the food to my mouth like an ant carrying a crumb.
Naturally, Jonnas struggled to serve me the food.
Yet, I truly appreciated his dedication to filling the bowls despite the hardships.
“Perhaps it’s because we didn’t train today, but you’re eating well without breaking any bowls.”
“I wouldn’t be able to swing my sword if I got tired!”
Even with my frail condition, my stamina had improved somewhat from consistent training. “About 2kg weight…” I muttered, glancing at Jonnas, who was deep in thought beside me, feeling both thankful and guilty today.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why the sudden apology?”
“Just because.”
Jonnas looked down at me with his usual fierce gaze and said in a blunt voice.
“I’m proud of you, Young Lady.”
“Me?”
That was praise I had never heard before while only running around with muscle-bound male characters.
“You don’t whine about food, and you don’t complain about the difficulty of your training.”
“……Is that really a compliment?”
“It is indeed. Considering the daily life typical children your age enjoy, your effort and diligence for entering the academy is quite remarkable.”
At the next table, the Monkey Humanoid looked intrigued, while Jezel had a complex expression watching on.
Receiving praise in front of others is a bit embarrassing.
“I believe in you. Your efforts will not be in vain. One day, perhaps the Lord will acknowledge and summon you.”
“Oh, that’s a bit…”
“Don’t you wish to meet the Lord?”
“It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s just that, how should I put it… a bit….”
Annoying events exist.
The random Papa events put specified Papas, which can lead to related events like [Papa’s Request] or [Main House Call] after a time.
If I receive a lot of support early on, I might have to fulfill Papa’s request during precious weekends, and spend long hours attending the Main House Call during break times.
The higher the benefits, the lower the freedom.
Just like everything in life, noble Papas have those minor flaws despite their many advantages.
Requests from commoner Papas or calls to the Main House are simple—just show up, have a meal, and leave, but the pretentious culture of nobles is entirely different.
Noble-hosted hunting tournaments.
Sudden gatherings of matching nobles.
Randomly generated large and small incidents within the territory.
A line of time-consuming events awaited, already forming a queue.
“Are you afraid?”
Yet I can’t just turn my back on a Papa who offered me 100 gold coins and act ungrateful.
As I pretended to be scared and nodded, Jonnas pulled something out of his pocket and placed it in my hand.
“What’s this?”
“Since you are training steadily, there will come a day when you find a way to open this cubic.”
“A riddle?”
“Once you open this cubic, your fear of the Lord will lessen, at least a little.”
Hmm. A cubic, huh?
Should I bite it─.
“You can’t eat that.”
“…I was just going to take a gentle nibble. Just a little bit.”
“Putting anything in your mouth is a bad habit. This cubic is so sturdy that it could break your teeth. Please restrain yourself, Young Lady.”
I was scolded.
“Why is it all warm and cozy? What’s the problem, employer?”
“Everything you see isn’t all there is.”
As the Monkey Humanoid and Jezel chatted, I felt humiliated for being scolded in front of them.
“Will you finish your meal?”
“I’m off to train.”
To clear my daily quota of five more plates, I need to create an appetite through exercise.
…Though, maybe I mostly want to avoid the embarrassing situation, but I won’t voice that reason.
*
Dinner time.
After finishing my intense training, I nearly fainted from the shocking sights at the buffet.
“Oh my!”
“Are you alright, Young Lady?”
“How can such inhuman things happen!!”
Jonnas said, with a face that seemed to expect this.
“I warned you, didn’t I? It’s better to finish training early today.”
[Thank you for using our airborne buffet today.]
[Our airborne buffet operates from 8 AM to 5 PM, so early or late arrivals are kindly requested to understand.]
[CLOSED]
“I didn’t know the buffet would close at 5!”
“It seems to be a popular buffet; there’s not much we can do.”
“Then what about my dinner?”
“There’s an evening restaurant that opens during dinner time. Would you like to give it a try?”
“…I’ll go!”
It’s regrettable not to have finished the buffet food, but as long as I fill up at the restaurant, it’ll be even.
“Rief, are you not going too?”
“I’ve already finished eating, so I’m looking for more facilities that might help you.”
That makes me feel a bit guilty.
He’s out here working hard just for me when he’s only interested in the buffet and training grounds.
Even if it’s not for himself, but for me, I feel like I should take the time to explore the course he introduces for at least a day.
“Whoa!”
That’s what I thought until I saw the restaurant’s menu.
“…Jonnas. Why are the prices like this?”
“It’s the night surcharge.”
“One meal for one gold coin is crossing the line!”
“Please calm yourself, Young Lady. That’s a set menu.”
“Ah.”
It’s real.
[A Set - Evening Full Course 1 Gold Coin]
[B Set - Evening Course 40 Silver Coins]
[C Set - Evening A La Carte 15 Silver Coins]
“It’s common sense that services available at night are usually more expensive than during the day.”
“I’m sorry. I was just momentarily shocked by the high prices.”
“Don’t worry, Young Lady. I can cover your meal with the security funds provided by the Lord.”
“Really?”
“If you take into account that you received a Platinum Ticket, think of it as a gift from the Lord.”
In a game, I’d probably be shaking in frustration trying to find cost-effective collection menus instead of spending this hefty initial capital on food.
Being able to enjoy luxuries I never dared to dream of as a player made my heart swell with happiness.
“Jonnas. I’m so happy right now.”
“I hope you continue to grow steadily, Young Lady, so you can be happy.”
Suddenly, a playful idea struck me.
“What happens if I don’t grow? Will you still stay by my side?”
“…That probably won’t happen. I hope such a future doesn’t come.”
“Why?”
“The Lord has many Scholarship Students… I mean, children. He won’t show interest in those lacking talent or slow in their growth.”
“Then what about Jonnas?”
Jonnas fell silent.