第５３２堀：相変わらずの彼と彼女 (Part1)
Chapter 532: The Usual Him and Her
Side: Yuki
Well, with only one task left from the mountain of work that had piled up, I think things will finally settle down to a manageable level. The remaining items are mostly related to visits and the like, which can’t be helped until the parties involved actually arrive.
"But that one last thing is the real problem."
Yes, that final task is a massive headache. It was something I should have asked about from the very beginning, but I had intentionally avoided it. I knew full well that it would only lead to some trivial information that would end up burying us in even more work. Yet, the dilemma and contradiction remain: I know that leaving it alone will inevitably cause trouble, so I have to ask eventually.
Even with such thoughts weighing on my mind, my feet keep moving, carrying me through the residential district of Weed toward my destination. However, when I suddenly look up at the sky, the sun is high, and a glance at my watch shows it’s nearly noon.
If I go at this hour, I’ll just end up being hit up for a meal, or worse, forced to cook or pay for everyone’s lunch, which would only double my exhaustion. So, I turn on my heel.
"Hm? Yuki, what’s the sudden change of heart?"
"That’s the opposite direction from our destination, isn't it? Did you receive some urgent message?"
Cleena and Samantha, who are accompanying me as guards, tilt their heads in confusion. Of course, they wouldn't know what I’m thinking without me saying a word.
"I just realized it’s almost noon. It seems I spent more time than expected with Zargis and the others. Let’s have lunch first. If I show up over there now, they might be in the middle of eating or out, which would just be a wasted trip and rude to them."
"Hmm. Now that you mention it, you're right. We should avoid this time of day."
"Indeed. Then, let's have lunch first. Where shall we go today?"
"Let's see... for now, let's head to the commercial district."
"Hmm. That sounds good. There might be some new shops open."
"That’s true, I would certainly like to see if there are any new establishments."
With that decided, we leave the residential district and head toward the commercial district. People often imagine that my family eats every meal together, but in reality, that’s not the case. In the beginning, we ate all three meals together, but as Weed developed and my wives established their own workplaces, they basically started eating lunch however they pleased.
Even if we wanted to gather, someone has to prepare the food. With the burden already heavy on Kirue and Sasari—who are always at home and now have to look after the children—even they have resorted to buying bento boxes from the supermarket for lunch lately.
Well, while it might look like they’re cutting corners, these lunches are actually important for keeping track of the daily life and development of Weed, as well as checking if any problems have arisen. By venturing out to various places like this, we get to see the state of the city firsthand. Though, as Cleena said, there’s also the simple pleasure of hunting for new shops. Or rather, in this specific instance, it’s mostly because I didn't want to be hit up for a meal by *that* person.
While lost in these thoughts, we pass through the gate from the residential district to the commercial district and step out onto the main street.
"Whoa, it’s bustling."
What spreads out before me is a sea of people—people everywhere. It’s likely because it’s lunchtime and many have come here to eat. It seems there are more people out on a weekday afternoon than I thought. Well, I set the lunch break in Weed to two hours. That’s based on my own experience as a salaryman in Japan, where a one-hour break meant I couldn't go anywhere far to eat and couldn't really rest. Even if the workplace is far from the industrial district, the gates make travel time negligible, so we don't have the situation where there are no restaurants nearby. Because of that, the lunchtime bustle in this commercial district is extraordinary.
"It really is lunchtime, huh."
"...So many people, no matter how many times I see it."
"Indeed. It is the time of day when the residents of Weed and the tourists mingle, after all."
That’s right; the commercial district is a place where residents and tourists mix, and if you’re not careful, it can be even more crowded during the day than at night. Many people prefer to relax at home once their work is finished. Conversely, those who are off work or on holiday spend their afternoons here enjoying entertainment, so you could say this is the peak time.
"Still, with this many people, everywhere looks pretty packed."
"Doesn't look like we'll be able to take our time."
"I’d rather not eat while people are waiting behind us, as expected."
I had thought to just walk around and find somewhere decent, but as they said, every place is full, and in some cases, there are even lines of people waiting. Looking closely, I see signs saying "Featured on Weed Radio recently!!" or "Highly recommended by the radio personality!!"
Ah, right, they mentioned they were doing something like that on the radio lately. Well, I was the one who suggested it. I thought it would be good for advertising and revitalization, but it’s clear that the lines are exceeding capacity. Did I overdo it? Even on Earth, it’s natural for a featured shop to be crowded on the day it’s introduced, but it’s only natural that people would flock to it here, where there was no prior infrastructure for providing such information to the masses.
Looking closer, I can see police officers standing by for extra security, separate from the regular patrol members. With this many people, trouble is bound to happen. But as Cleena said, we won't be able to eat in peace, so we head toward the Laboratory Shopkeeper’s place on the outskirts of the commercial district, as usual. Even so, since more people know about it than in the past, it’s reasonably busy even in this remote location.
"Hey, welcome!! How many—oh, is that the Boss?"
As we enter the shop, the usual shopkeeper greets us. He’s been here since the early days of Weed and is a fellow cook who helped me recreate various dishes. Because of that, I entrusted him with managing this laboratory, where he handles everything from prototyping dishes to selling recipes and teaching up-and-coming cooks.
"Yo. Haven't shown my face in a while. How’s it going?"
"As you can see, despite it being a 'secret' spot, a fair number of people come every day now. Thanks to that, the deficit at the eatery has disappeared."
"I don't know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing."
The primary purpose of the laboratory is to recreate and develop dishes, not to run a business. Well, if there were no customers to eat the food, that would be a problem too. This place is meant to be a hub for improving the food culture of all of Weed. That’s why it’s normal for it to run at a deficit as an eatery, but apparently, that’s not the case lately.
"Well, that’s a bit complicated. So, are you here to develop a new dish today?"
"Ah, no, I just came to eat. The main street was insane."
"It is lunchtime, after all. The number of people has more than doubled compared to the beginning. Honestly, Weed is truly something the Boss created. It makes the cooking worth it. Right this way."
Just as he starts to guide us, the shop door opens again, and more customers enter.
"Hey, welcome!! Wait, oh, Luna-san and the others. You're here again today?"
Huh? What did he just say? I feel like I just heard a name I really didn't want to hear.
"You bet I am!! The food here is the most delicious, after all!! Honestly, it’s unbelievable that Yuki is trying to keep this place a secret. Right, Lilishe, Hifie, Nonoa?"