第１７６８堀：グラス港町の評価 (Part1)
Chapter 1768: Evaluation of Glass Port Town
Side: Yuki
The buffet event concludes, transitioning into free time.
Well, calling it an "event" might be a stretch; it was mostly Sisua and Sona talking about Glass, the head chef presenting the cuisine, and Yayui giving a brief, visual-aided explanation of the fish and ships.
"Good work, everyone."
I approach Sisua and the others.
"Thank you. How did it go?"
"Was the flow alright?"
"Yeah, you both did fine. Though, the real test starts now. I imagine plenty of guests will be coming over to talk to you."
"Ahaha..."
The two of them offer a dry laugh at my words.
After all, even while they were explaining things, the guests were busy eating whatever they wanted from the buffet.
The head chef had his own presentation, but he’d also placed descriptive cards in front of each dish, so those interested could simply help themselves.
If they liked the taste, they’d surely ask about the preparation or the sourcing of the fish.
Especially someone like Blade; that old man is a glutton.
"Also, Head Chef."
"Yes?"
He is a cook Ratz discovered for commercial purposes, and he has done a magnificent job preparing the seafood that serves as the main attraction of Glass Port Town.
"Every dish you made was exquisite. Thank you."
"Y-yes! Thank you very much!"
He seems overwhelmed, his eyes welling up, but I have to say something a bit harsh here.
"However, I need you to be careful. They are nobles—well, people—so naturally, they have their likes and dislikes. You might get complaints about the food, but I need you to endure it, or rather, just let it slide."
It’s a difficult situation.
To have someone criticize a dish you made with confidence—a dish recognized by so many others—feels like a rejection of the people who praised it.
Still, getting into a head-on argument and causing a scene is something we must avoid.
The head chef blinks, stunned for a moment, before a smile spreads across his face.
"Yes, I understand. For those types, I will simply ask what kind of seasoning they prefer and tell them I will keep it in mind for next time."
"I see. So, you’ll pacify their dissatisfaction that way. Though, I feel like listening to every customer's request might be a bit much."
"Oh, I’ll add, 'I see, so you don't care for the seasoning that His Majesty and the others enjoy,' before I do."
The head chef says this with a smile. The people around us, like Prol, look shocked.
Indeed, that phrasing implies that we have unrefined palates.
Without careful handling, it could be taken as an insult to us.
It doesn't matter if they are nobles or not. Since these are the highest-ranking figures from various nations, an arrogant attitude toward them is absolutely unacceptable.
"Pfft, you’ve got a sharp tongue. Was that Ratz’s training?"
"Yes, well, you inevitably run into those types. It’s not a tactic I use often, but when you’re the head chef of this Glass Resort Hotel, it’s a different story. If our reputation drops, it affects all of Weed, or even the Intercontinental Exchange Alliance. I’ve told him to protect the flavor with everything he’s got!"
"I see. Well, don't abuse it. Also, we’ll all be coming by to check the flavors ourselves, so—I’m sure you know this—don't get cocky."
"Yes! As a former cook from the Laboratory, I will continue to hone my craft and maintain the quality of our flavors!"
"Right, you were a cook there. In that case, I suppose it’s fine."
The group of cooks dedicated to recreating the flavors of my hometown.
By now, they’re better at cooking than I am, and they’ve even mastered creative cuisine.
"We’ve been experimenting with various seafood dishes in cooperation with the Laboratory, too. You can try plenty of things if you go over there."
"I see. So, the Laboratory is also enjoying the local fish cuisine."
If we have their cooperation, we shouldn't fail too easily.
Actually, since the Laboratory is a shop I funded, maybe I should give them a bonus.
But, putting that aside...
"Also, the live cooking corner was good."
"It was, wasn't it? Watching the fish, meat, and eggs being prepared right in front of us felt very fresh."
Shera agrees with a smile.
This buffet features a corner where they prepare simple dishes on the spot according to the guests' requests.
For seafood, they grill it with salt; for meat, they sear it to your preference; and for eggs, they make tamagoyaki or scrambled eggs right there.
"It’s entertaining to watch, and it’s quite nice. I just hope it doesn't get too popular."
"Ah, that might be a concern, but we can only increase the staff. The size of the iron plate limits us to two people at most."
True.
The downside to those stall-like setups is that the waiting time inevitably grows as the crowd increases.
Well, that’s a matter of using numbered tickets or, as Ratz said, just adding more people.
Though, since this buffet only holds about a hundred people, I doubt it will get *that* crowded.
"We’ll have to see how it goes in practice and make improvements later. The 'stall' style is a novelty for the nobles, after all."
"That’s true. Especially the royalty and high-ranking nobles; they call eating at stalls like that 'vulgar.' Well, considering the risk of poisoning or the needs of their guards, that’s only natural."
"Ahaha, I was told the same thing, but it’s delicious if you don't worry about the poison. Oh, we’ll need to include those warnings."
"Indeed. They might get the idea to try out local stalls, so we definitely need to issue a warning."
That’s the difficult part about dealing with important people.
Ensuring safety at stalls outside of Weed is difficult.
So, it’s only natural for their entourages to tell them to stop and stay away.
Though, if they use the excuse that it’s "vulgar," the people running the stalls won't be very happy about it.
It’s a case of being careful not to pique their interest too much.
Actually, Blade from Roday is a former adventurer, so he’s been freely wandering into stalls and even more dangerous places.
"I’ll make sure to mention the dangers of outside stalls to the people I talk to."
"True. Though it might be a waste of time. After all, you already gave them those poison-nullifying rings."
"...Right, I did. Well, I’ll just have to encourage it by pointing out that it saves their guards time and budget. Anyway, we’ve digressed. Sisua, Sona, Yayui, Head Chef—this is enough to hold the party without any issues. Start preparing for the main event. And while it’s good to work hard, make sure you take your breaks."
"Yes!"
Yes, rest is important.
If you work non-stop, the fatigue piles up.
I want them to take proper breaks, refresh their minds and bodies, and face the main event in top form.