Chapter 13: The Burger and the Boy (3)
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I summoned a fire spirit that lived on my mana. A small flame flickered around me.
The boy stared at it in amazement.
“What is this? It’s sparkling!”
“It will protect you if your life is ever in danger. You can shout confidently without fear.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. Even though it looks small, if you’re in danger, it will transform into a flame and devour everything in its path.”
“I think I’ve read about spirits in a book. Amazing!”
“But it’s not free.”
“Not free?”
“Even when you become the lord, you must visit the restaurant often. But, you must come with the heart of the boy you are today, not with the grandeur of a lord. If you come acting high and mighty, you’ll be kicked out.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be a good lord, no grandeur involved. Right?”
“No, there are times when you must have grandeur. You need to know how to handle situations appropriately. It all depends on you.”
“Got it!”
Leaving the boy who was busy making resolutions to himself, I called Rurin.
“Rurin, stop lounging around. Let’s go back.”
Rurin, rolling on the sofa and patting it as if she liked it, spread her arms wide open. She wanted me to carry her. This dragon…
“This is so comfy! Can’t we take it to our house?”
“I’ll buy you one later, so don’t covet others’ belongings.”
“You better keep that promise! But first, hug me so we can leave! This time, face to face.”
Rurin spread her arms even wider. Well, if it makes things easier…
“See you next time.”
I said my goodbye and hugged Rurin.
The boy raised his hands in surprise.
“You’re leaving already?”
“Next time, come here openly instead of sneaking out.”
At that moment, Rurin used her teleportation. The spiral of the black hole engulfed my vision again.
When the boy starts asserting himself, his stepmother will be quite startled. She won’t give up easily, though.
From there, it’s the boy’s fight. Not everyone around him supports the stepmother. He’s seen as a weakling now, but with some effort, he can change that.
I have some interest, but from now on, it’s up to him.
If he becomes a regular, I’ll take care of him more. If he becomes a regular.
At least with the spirit, his life won’t be in danger. The fire spirit was a service for the 100,000 runes he paid at the table.
I don’t like returning money once I’ve received it, no matter how rich I am.
***
A few days later.
The boy came back to the restaurant. He was alone again.
“Did you sneak out again?”
When I asked, the future lord shook his head and pointed outside.
“I told them openly. There are guards outside.”
“Is that so?”
I patted the boy’s head lightly. Then I was surprised at myself. It’s a good thing no one saw. Normally, even emperors tremble before me.
So, patting the head of a count’s son would not just be patting but slapping without them being able to say anything. But here, I’m just a retired commoner.
A commoner patting a noble’s head.
But the boy looked up at me with shining eyes as if it was nothing.
“Just as you said, I started speaking up a bit more. When I asked how dare they glare at the eldest son of the Greike family and the future lord, they couldn’t say a word!”
“If you could do that, why were you so timid until now?”
“I was scared. But thinking that I had allies like this flame, I got a bit braver. Your words really hit home. And you showed me that being forceful made them back down.”
“You did well. Soon, your hidden allies will start to show themselves. But you need to develop an eye to filter people.”
“An eye for people, huh? I’ll keep that in mind.”
“If you can do that, you’ll surely become a good lord.”
“I’ll do my best to become a good lord.”
Of course, the guards outside were likely placed by the stepmother to keep an eye on him. They couldn’t lock him up just because he started acting strong, and they couldn’t imprison him while the current lord is still alive.
“Do your best.”
“Yes. Anyway, today I can enjoy my meal in peace. So, another unique dish…”
At that moment, a boy around Greike’s age entered the restaurant, holding hands with a girl who looked about ten years old.
Greike and I both looked at the newcomers.
“Um…”
“Welcome.”
I greeted the siblings with a smile. The age of my customers means nothing to me. There are more important things in the world than age.
“Are you here to eat?”
“Yes, but can you prepare a meal with this?”
The boy and girl ran up to me and took out some runes from their pockets. About 500 runes.
“We want to prepare a meal for our mother, with lots of meat… for three people.”
The boy’s face showed no confidence, and the small girl was trembling with anxiety.
They must have been rejected by other restaurants. That’s why they came all the way up here.
With 500 runes, it’s impossible to get a meat dish for three people in most restaurants. Even one portion would be a stretch. A very cheap meal might be possible, but not with meat.
If they hadn’t frequented restaurants, they wouldn’t know the prices. If they did, they wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of collecting this money.
“A meal for your mother?”
“Brother…”
When I asked again, the girl looked up at her brother anxiously. He gently gestured to her to calm down and then spoke to me.
“It’s our mother’s birthday today. She’s been working for ten years since our father passed away, doing labor in various fields to raise us. This money is what I’ve saved from helping her with work since last year. I wanted to get her a decent meal, but every place turned us down… We really want to give her a proper meal to boost her spirits. Is there any way you can make a meat dish for this? Even just one portion?”
“Right! I won’t eat, just for her!”
The girl added. Despite her confident words, her trembling body and anxious face were pitiable.
“At our restaurant’s prices, we can barely manage one portion for 500 runes. But would your mother really be happy if you two just watched her eat?”
“That…”
“Brother, I don’t think this place will work either…”
Although I use top-quality ingredients in my restaurant, there is a minimum price I have to set. Not adhering to that would be unfair to both the customers and the restaurant.
Customers must understand the value of top-quality ingredients and pay the fair price. If not, the restaurant would become a free kitchen.
You have to pay what’s due and receive what’s deserved. Even if I’m running a business on a whim, there are lines that shouldn’t be crossed.
Both children drooped their shoulders. Then Greike approached me and whispered.
“I’ll pay for it. Give them and their mother a hearty meal. I can’t bear to see them like this.”
I shook my head and asked the siblings to wait a moment.
“Please wait for a bit.”
“Yes, yes!”
The boy exclaimed. I pulled Greike aside and whispered.
“That won’t do.”
“Why? I want to help them. Isn’t that the first step to becoming a good lord?”
“So, will you help everyone in need? All single mothers, farmers, the poor, and beggars in Greike City?”
“We should help them. That’s what a good lord does.”
“Listen, Baron. That’s just self-satisfaction. What changes by helping once?”
“Huh?”
“And is that your money? It’s the family’s money, right?”
“That is…”
“When you manage the estate as a lord, it will be your wealth. But not now.”
The boy couldn’t say anything.
“If you truly want to be a good lord, don’t just give money for no reason. Provide meaningful help. Create policies or jobs that support single-parent families. It’s the lord’s role to find fundamental solutions so the people can stand on their own. Throwing money is something anyone can do, and it changes nothing.”
“But!”
“When people encounter unexpected fortune, they become dependent on help rather than solving things themselves. Do you plan to take care of them forever?”
“Uh…”
My words weren’t the ultimate truth. But thoughtless charity could ruin the boy and girl. At least, that’s what I believed.
“How old are you, young man?”
“I’m 18!”
“At that age, you’re helping with the fields?”
“Yes!”
“If you really want to give a gift, there’s a chance. Though such chances are rare, the world isn’t that easy.”
“I understand! We’ve been turned away so many times.”
“Brother…”
“Okay, here’s what we’ll do. I’ll give you a chance. If you work and complete the task, I’ll prepare a grand feast for your family.”
“Really? Whatever the task is, I’ll do it! I’ll break my body if it means giving my mother a delicious meal!”
The boy bowed his head repeatedly.
“I’ll do it too!”
The girl, holding her brother’s hand, spoke up.
“She seems too young to work.”
“I’m already 12!”
She looked at me with earnest eyes. I couldn’t reject such earnestness.
“Well, you can help your brother.”
Then, Greike, with a determined look, spoke up.
“I’ll do it too. I want to learn something. I want to earn money with my own hands, thanks to you.”
Experience is valuable. His desire was admirable. No reason to refuse.
“Alright.”
I led the young sprouts to the Rimon Forest.
Pointing to the forest, I explained.
“There are eggs like these all over the forest. Search everywhere, in the grass, inside bamboo, and collect as many as you can. And if you find ones like this, bring them too.”
I showed them not only the eggs but also the bamboo shoots that were difficult to find and harvest.
“If you want to do something for your mother, give it your all.”
“Thank you! I’ll work hard!”
The boy ran into the forest without hesitation.
“Brother! Wait for me!”
The girl followed. Greike, with determined eyes, entered the forest. The guards quietly observed Greike without interfering.
