When The Cute Godkiller Opens A Tavern [OP Mentor, SoL, LitRPG]

"Can't I just cook and serve people?" ~Shallies Mythernal, the new

Chef

[Vinegar-Braised Pork Recipe - 5 servings]

1 kg pork
1 whole garlic, minced
1 whole onion, minced
1/2-1 cup soy sauce, adjust to taste
1/2-1 cup vinegar, adjust to taste
1 tablespoon of sugar, adjust to taste
Pepper, adjust to taste
Oil, as needed

A lot of Shallies' recipes usually only involved two to four cloves of garlic. This one was sort of an exception from the few exceptions that used an entire head. She felt like she could double or triple the amount of garlic and the dish would still be so good that even vampires would still eat it, despite the resulting coughing, dizziness, and melting flesh that they would have to suffer for a few nights.

Same was the case for onions. In fact, this recipe was as much of a pork-braise based dish as it was for onion and garlic.

After slicing up the pork, Shallies added them in a container along with the minced-up garlic and onion. She sprinkled some pepper, made sure she was generous with it, before adding the soy sauce.

This was the part where the Chef had a conundrum. Yes, she was still in the marinating step of the recipe, and already she could see the diverse ways it could be taken. And she imagined it would be a constant thing throughout the cooking process.

I should probably take back what I said before… This is a stroke of genius.

A simple recipe could always be complicated if one so desired. The trick with Vinegar-Braised Pork however, was its simplicity even with added steps. This marinade, for example, could go with some pineapple slices with the juice to replace some of the vinegar later. She could choose to add some water or not. Boiled eggs would be perfect for the end product, too. She could also make some crispy garlic for garnishing later…

Shallies shook her head. Additions could come later. The objective right now was to make the recipe work first. So she followed the revised recipe she had written down last night. She closed the container to allow the pork to marinate for an hour.

The door to her freezer was also an automatic sliding door, letting her in while she carried the pork marinade with both hands. Inside were a lot of empty containers, but there were some that had things in them. Fruits, vegetables, packaged meats, butter, and all sorts of cooking ingredients that required cooling.

The room was also segregated into multiple sections, with varying levels of temperature that she set herself through Stachie. With one section closed off with another sliding door. In here, she planned to store larger meats and anything else that needed freezing, including potentially rare ingredients procured from monsters. It was designed with Ben's butchery in mind.

Not that I know how to cut them up or field dress them, yet…

Shallies left the marinated pork close to the entrance and went back to the kitchen to make some breakfast. She went with her old, trusty Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwich. She hadn't practiced cooking for a long time, and this was the best time to do so, especially since she had decided to put this combination as a staple in her menu. This time, along with the addition of beans for thickness and cream for garnish, she replaced the soup's water with beef broth, aiming for a more savory flavor.

[Congratulations, Shallies. Your Extend Food Life Skill Proficiency has improved to Apprentice level. The time it takes for your ingredients and dishes to spoil is now increased by 200%.]

"Oh, that's neat. Thanks, Stachie."

[You still have 1 Skill Point remaining.]

"Yeah, but there isn't anything new to choose from," Shallies replied after taking a taste of the soup. She was getting consistent results now, which was an important aspect for any restaurant or tavern.

[Well, I'm just giving a reminder.]

"Thank you. It's just, unlike Combat Classes, it feels like options for Profession Classes are a lot less."

[More options will be available, eventually.]

"I don't doubt that, but I'll save the point for now. If Grace and the others are successful, I might be able to narrow down my options."

[Speaking of, you have them as guests today, correct?] Stachie inquired. She made a System Console appear, but waited for her master to respond before issuing commands in it. [Want to check where they are?]

"I do have them as guests, but I don't really have to bother figuring out where they are." Shallies brewed tea for Apple and started eating breakfast in the kitchen. She had had the teacup fairy make a few chairs last night to use within this section of the house. She shifted the adjustable prep table to make space for her chair.

Apple appeared just in time, still rubbing her eyes while she floated through the sliding door. She saw the teacup and flew straight to it, regulating the temperature with nothing but her muscle memory. As she dipped in, her face relaxed even more, smiling with a purely content face.

"Good morning," Shallies said, poking Apple's face.

The teacup fairy made a frustrated noise, pushing away the finger. She looked like a kid asking for five more minutes of sleep, but was doing it while soaking in a bathtub. Shallies couldn't help but giggle, but she left Apple alone, letting her absorb the tea in peace.

Next to appear was Valor'el. His face gave away that Arun'dul was still asleep. For what it was worth, they had all made sure that the seraph in comatose was stabilized and healthy. The seraph that was conscious, however, was getting a bit worried. He took a bowl of soup and a sandwich, but never really took a bite.

"Getting tired of Tomato Soup?" Shallies asked, venturing a different guess in the hopes that she had misread his cues.

"It's Arun'dul I'm worried about, Lady Shallies," Valor'el said. He forced himself to eat.

"Yeah… It's been more than a week now. I know I initially asked for him to stay because I felt responsible, but now, I think there's more to this than just a Curse-Induced Coma Condition."

"Anything serious?"

"Don't know yet. I doubt it's anything to do with your previous god, but in case some of his contingencies linger, we'll need to clear it out as soon as possible."

Valor'el was in deep thought for a while. "Then, would you mind if I ask for a specialist to check up on him?"

"Phey'lan?"

"Yes."

"I don't have her in my Realm Gate, but if she can find another way to get here, I don't mind. I think that's the best course of action we have at the moment."

Valor'el, whether he knew if it was showing or not, had a dumb smile on his face. Shallies stopped herself from pointing it out.

"I'll let her know of your address."

"By the way, I'm making more of the same dish from yesterday," Shallies said, moving on to her next concern. "But I'm doing it with rice this time. Are you alright with that?"

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"I don't mind," said the seraph. "But if you have more options, I'll take them."

Shallies appreciated his honesty. It would do her well to make multiple dishes now that the kitchen renovations were over.

"Want some fried chicken?"

"I'd love that."

With that, Shallies went to work.

"This is delicious!" Tayin exclaimed, devouring her serving of Vinegar-Braised Pork. She even ordered a plate of Boneless Deep Fried Chicken and extra helping of plain rice. Out of Shallies' guests since opening up the tavern, the halfling was the most lively of them all.

Despite their energetic nature, halflings were usually honest-to-goodness type of people. They weren't exactly difficult to please, but they also wouldn't sugarcoat their words if something displeased them.

At the very least, this gave Shallies enough confidence that her revision of the recipe worked.

They were a little less enthusiastic, but Grace, Amabelle, and Ren still finished their meals with delight on their faces. They had the same set as with Tayin, but only the Shield Knight asked for another cup of rice.

"Looks like the rice option worked," Valor'el said, helping himself with both the chicken and pork as well. He had introduced himself to the new people in the same way he had done for Danilo and Yor'ylin. Of course, he was doing his best not to correct the guests on how they should address Shallies.

"Looks like it, yeah."

"Honestly, I think you're just missing some booze to drink, Shallies," Tayin said with a huge grin on her face. "The chicken alone would be a great pairing for beer."

"You just like getting wasted," Ren commented. The halfling admittedly laughed.

"I'm sure this goes without saying, but you don't drink while on a quest, right?" Shallies asked.

"If the quest leads us out of town, then I don't drink," Tayin clarified. "Can't be too careful."

"I suppose that's fine."

"You don't drink, Shallies?" Grace asked.

"I do, but only when I'm not doing quests. If I have one, I don't drink even when I'm in a town or a city. Especially in a city, different shades of people try to take advantage of you." Shallies pointed towards her cellar, drifting away from any potential follow up questions. "Oh, and I'm planning to make my own drinks soon. I would love some testers."

"Count me in!" Tayin proclaimed, raising her arm with gusto.

"How much do we owe you for the food?" Amabelle inquired, opening her System Console. She had been quiet for the most part, but she was clearly taking notes of the friendly competition.

"I don't know yet," Shallies admitted. "I haven't been thinking of pricing at all. Last I sold anything was the Tomato Soup to Mayor Schooner. Even then, I've updated my recipe for that. How about I just charge you next time?"

"Lady Shallies," Valor'el began. "You haven't been charging anyone at all. At this rate, you'll be known for charity rather than a tavern."

"I agree with Sir Valor'el," Amabelle followed. "You should at least come up with an estimated price."

"Well… I don't want to just make up some random number." Shallies opened her System Console, referring to the cost of ingredients.

The pork was the most expensive one, which was 11 bits per kilogram. With the other ingredients, the total ingredients amounted to somewhere around 13 bits. She was able to make five servings in total, of which Grace, Valor'el, Tayin, Ren, and Amabelle all took one each.

The chicken was even cheaper to make. She made some quick calculations and found her price.

"This isn't final, but here's the breakdown," she said, presenting it to Amabelle.

"A single bit per rice," she began, nodding. "Standard. Five bits per serving of Vinegar-Braised Pork. Five bits per serving of Crispy Deep Fried Chicken."

As she announced, the group started opening their System Consoles, waiting for whether Shallies would accept physical bits or bank transfer. Before she could respond, however, Amabelle held up a finger.

"You can easily add two to three bits more for the pork and chicken each," she began. "With how delicious they are, and the size of your portions, you can easily justify this price increase."

"But the pork is just eleven bits," Shallies reasoned. "Isn't that markup a little overkill?"

"Not really," Amabelle replied.

"I think it's fair," Tayin said, nodding along. "Just the homey feel and coziness of your place, I'd say the overall experience is worth that price."

"Yes, that's my point exactly," said the Flame Devout. "You're not only selling food here, Shallies. You're selling an experience. Not the kind you gain from killing monsters. The atmosphere, the cleanliness, the quiet mood, even the peaceful nature surrounding your abode should be taken into account. With a setup like this, cheap prices might actually hurt your marketing."

"The experience, huh…" Shallies pondered to herself. "You're making it sound like I'm running a fine-dining restaurant."

"With how cozy it is, I'd say it's close to that, yes."

"Can't it be both?" Grace asked, making all heads turn to her. "A tavern and a fine-dining restaurant, I mean."

Shallies blinked a couple of times. So did the rest. For some reason, no one disputed the suggestion right away, as if something incredible was put forward on the table.

Amabelle joined her in deep thought, looking around the place even more curiously than before. Ren joined next, but he had withdrawn to himself. Tayin was excited as expected, looking at Grace with wide eyes. The Spell Sword looked like she wanted to apologize at first, but quickly realized she didn't do anything wrong.

Valor'el had gone into analysis mode as well. And Apple, the sweet, little teacup fairy, was just smiling at all of them while she relaxed in her empty cup.

"This might be a stroke of genius," Amabelle concluded. "A relaxing abode with mouthwatering meals, if you set up a cozy drink bar, this could really be a hit. Our place is usually loud, so you can do the opposite and attract people wanting to relax in peace."

"Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves here," Shallies said. "So far, I only have three things finalized on my menu. Tomato Soup, Grilled Cheese Sandwich, and Crispy Chicken Sandwich. I haven't even thought about drinks yet."

"Chicken Sandwich?" Ren asked. He took one with a fork and took a Crispy Deep Fried Chicken, letting the crunch echo dramatically. "Is it the same as this one but in bread? It's really good."

"No. I used a batter for the chicken sandwich, that one doesn't have any."

"But it's crispy!"

"Because of the flour and starch," Shallies pointed out. "And because I deep fried it. I think it's missing something, so I'm not really sold on putting it on the menu yet."

"Some sliced up cabbage, and mayonnaise," Tayin said almost instantly. "A slice of lemon if you're feeling fancy."

"That's a pretty quick suggestion."

"Just telling you what I think would go well with it. I don't always have food that makes me crave for more food, you know?"

"Hmm…" Shallies caught herself pondering again and stopped herself. "Okay, I'll try that next time. I'll consider your opinions. I'll think about if it's possible to turn this place into a fine-dining tavern or something along those lines. I'll think about my prices too, but let's keep them as is, for now. Let me take them in physical bits so I can segregate them easier."

"Didn't you open up a new bank account?" Grace asked, but she did pull up her bits.

"I haven't been taking note of how much I have left in there. I had to pay Danilo and Yor'ylin quite a hefty sum."

Though in the grand scheme of things, this wasn't the case for Shallies, she actually wanted to make some proper accounting later. By her estimates, the renovation had probably taken almost half of her capital. With the additions she had requested, the original 45,000 bits agreement became somewhere above 50,000.

As everyone produced their payments, Shallies saw Valor'el doing the same. She immediately stopped him.

"I asked you to come over," she began. "That makes you my guest. You're not paying for your food."

The seraph had wanted to say something, but he had the mind to acquiesce. He quickly moved on and changed the topic instead.

"If you're considering drinks, Lady Shallies, we can offer you our brews. You've tasted some of them."

Shallies appreciated his understanding. "I found someone who can help you get your cowblinks as well. Forgot to mention that."

"I'm in no rush."

"I am!" Tayin interjected. "Seraph wine! I bet that'll taste amazing!"

"I'll see what I can do, Miss Tayin."

"Awesome!"

While they talked, the group gathered their payment, and Grace went to the counter by the door where Apple waited with a silver tray that could fit her. She asked the young adventurer to place the payment there. The teacup fairy confirmed four large bits, rectangular with a golden shine, and six of the smaller ones, squares with a silver sheen. A total of 46 bits.

Apple presented, through their Confidant connection, a question regarding taxes. Stachie made some gurgling sounds, mumbling about why a fairy would be concerned with taxes, but Shallies just put it on the side, internally mentioning they would deal with it in the future once they were actually getting regular customers.

"By the way," she began, addressing Tayin and the others while silently sighing to herself. "I need you three to stay for a while. Rest up for a bit, and then we'll do some training. Amabelle, you're free to watch if you want."

"Training?" Ren said, his eyes glinting. "What for?"

"To check your teamwork and see if it can be improved before you go on the quest."

Ren and Tayin exchanged looks before looking at Grace, who was still at the counter. The Spell Sword's face was practically sparkling with anticipation.

"Well, I have nothing to do today," Tayin said, smiling.

"I'm free as well," Ren followed, nodding.

"I would like to watch please," Amabelle requested.

"Me as well," Valor'el said last.

Apple was just there with a smug look on her face, eyeing her master while shaking her head. With a single expression, she conveyed directly how her master just wanted to avoid dealing with her earlier question.

"Let me show off once in a while," Shallies said telepathically, which the fairy replied to by sticking out her tongue.

With the excitement rushing throughout the room, Stachie quickly and silently made a scuffed receipt and passed it to Grace's System Console. It included the breakdown, the total, the payment, and a change section that was left blank. While Apple could probably do it, they didn't want to risk her treading on the line of her Great Sacrifice.

Grace frowned at the receipt and turned back to Shallies.

"Say, this is a little late, but I haven't asked the name of your tavern at all."

Shallies blinked before frowning herself. "I haven't thought of one."