Perhaps it was because it was a somewhat awkward time to eat.
The restaurant floor we arrived at by elevator inside the hotel was extremely quiet.
Then again, high-end restaurants were wrapping up lunch service and getting ready for dinner around this time.
It couldn’t be helped that there weren’t many people around. Who would be eating at this hour?
Thus, after wandering around for a bit, we decided on a buffet restaurant as our destination.
It was the kind of place where you could eat as much as you want until closing time, as long as you paid the entrance fee.
Of course, it wasn’t particularly fancy, so reservations weren’t necessary…
But maybe because it was for hotel guests, the food quality was decent enough.
“Oooh… There’s so much delicious-looking stuff everywhere! Chicken, shrimp, beef… Mmm, my mouth is watering.”
Meat, seafood, noodles, bread, Western, Chinese, Japanese…
The buffet didn’t seem to have any specific concept – it was filled with all kinds of dishes.
Naturally, with such variety, the quality of each dish might not be top-notch…
But for someone like me with cheap tastes, quantity mattered more than quality. Filling my stomach was the priority.
I came in today determined to eat until I got indigestion…
Fortunately, it looked like I’d be able to keep that promise. Hmm, is that a good thing?
“Let me show you to your seats.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Following the staff’s guidance, we took our seats at a large table.
We divided into groups of three: those who came by car and those who came by train.
Next to me was Alice, and across from me was Sabrina. Both liked me way too much, which was becoming a problem.
So now I can eat whatever I want, right?
Sitting across from Sabrina, I wiggled my butt in preparation for action.
I wanted to quickly fill my plate with meat, meat, and more meat, then shove it all into my mouth.
Maybe they saw how excited I looked, ready to burst out any moment.
Raven stood up with an evil villain-like expression and declared:
“Alright, let’s go! Kuhahaha! We’re going to drive this buffet into deficit!”
“Mr. Jin… Could you please refrain from making strange comments outside… Haah, I’ll take care of Yuria and Sabrina. Shall we go, girls?”
“Yes, yes!”
“…”
However, Alice scolded Raven for making embarrassing comments outside,
and quickly led Sabrina and me away from the table, as if to say we shouldn’t learn from such behavior.
Well… Alice and Raven usually eat several times more than normal people anyway.
Even without trying, their regular eating habits could cause significant financial damage to the establishment.
Trying not to think about that, I followed Alice who was leading me by the hand.
Worrying about the buffet’s future… Honestly, I was so hungry I just wanted to put something, anything in my mouth.
“Have you two ever been to a buffet before?”
“No, there weren’t any buffets where I lived…”
“Hmm, I see. Then would you both like to follow my example? Take this white plate down here, and use it to transfer whatever you want to eat onto your own plate. Easy, right?”
“….”
Hmm, pretty much what I already knew.
I nodded enthusiastically to show I understood, then started serious shopping with my plate.
Pork, chicken, beef… Meat over vegetables, definitely.
I loaded my plate with food until my hands trembled from the weight.
Soon, a tower of fried foods and roasts had formed on my plate.
“Ah, maybe I got a bit greedy…?”
Though the so-called Great Tower of Meat I’d created looked rather precarious.
It seemed fine when still, but I worried it might collapse from just walking.
Therefore, after checking that no one was looking,
I discreetly used telekinesis to keep the tower from falling.
I released the telekinesis as soon as I reached the table. It should be fine, probably.
“Hehe, Miss Yuria. Your plate is full of meat.”
“…!”
Raine, who had sat down before me, giggled cutely while covering her mouth.
Did she think I was a picky eater? No, buffets are meant for picking only the meat, right?
So I looked at Raine with dissatisfaction, wondering why she was laughing.
Without answering, she simply gave an eye smile as if nothing was wrong, then poked at her salad with a fork. Tch, I lost…
Looking around after sitting down, I noticed Raine was the only one at the table with a light plate.
Apparently, others were taking their time deciding what to eat.
“Did I finish faster because I just piled things up randomly? When will the others come?”
Speak of the devil, just as I thought that, Raven and David arrived at the table.
Raven skillfully carried three plates loaded with various foods,
while David’s plate had a well-balanced combination of dishes.
Maybe a person’s usual tendencies show in their buffet plates?
Suddenly, I became curious about Alice and Sabrina’s plates, who hadn’t returned yet.
“Hmph, what’s with this tower of meat and fried foods? How arrogant.”
“!!”
Raven, now safely seated, looked at my plate with disbelief.
Then suddenly standing up, she grabbed a piece of meat from the top with her chopsticks.
If you’re hungry, eat your own food! Why are you stealing mine!
Naturally, I was furious and punched Raven’s side.
Maybe because her skin was as hard as rock,
My wildly swinging fist only ended up hurting myself. This was really annoying.
“Miss Raven, why did you steal Yuria’s food? That was bad.”
“Hmm, honestly, that was quite something. Makes me question your humanity…”
Fortunately, Raine and David sitting across from us supported me.
Honestly, I was just sitting there with my eyes open while being robbed. It was unfair, but…
However, Raven still had something to say.
She blew a raspberry and casually replied as if she’d done nothing wrong.
“Shut up. It’s this careless guy’s fault, right? Tsk, fine. Sorry. Want some of mine?”
“…”
Then give me steak and duck roast.
Forgiving Raven’s apology, I transferred some precious meat to my plate.
Good. The Great Tower of Meat is still in business.
Sitting back down, I stabbed a piece of meat with my fork and brought it to my mouth.
Indeed, a high-class hotel. The food tasted as good as expected.
Grinning, I leisurely continued demolishing the tower of meat from the top down.
While enjoying various meats to my heart’s content,
Suddenly, a familiar male voice came from a nearby table behind us.
“Hmm? Raven? Did I hear that right, Raven?”
Clatter!
Someone noisily pushed their chair back and abruptly stood up.
Naturally, everyone’s attention turned to this noisy man.
There stood a tall blonde man with spiky hair wearing sunglasses.
He was so tall that he cast a shadow over our group.
Seeing sauce smeared around his mouth, he must have been inhaling food just moments ago.
Looking closely, there was a mountain of plates stacked in front of where he’d been sitting. Quite the big eater.
“Huh? I’m Raven… Oh? You’re Victor, aren’t you?”
“Ah, yes. Long time no see, Raven.”
Victor, the spiky-haired blonde, smirked as he whipped off his sunglasses.
He was someone we knew – or rather, an original character from the source material.
A former comrade from the same unit as Raven, and practically her rival as a Pixie.
But something felt strange. This should have been our first meeting…
Yet his face looked strangely familiar.
Who was he? Who was he?
As I searched my memories, I finally pulled out a recollection from his facial features.
“Ah! Wasn’t he that pervert in a gown who followed me around in the past?”
Thinking about it, it was quite peculiar.
The power of my telekinetic flicks could knock out even beastmen, who are physically different from humans.
And here was a human tough enough to take one straight to the head and act unfazed.
No matter how I thought about it, he had to be an enhanced human.
Not only stronger than most other races,
But skilled enough to chase flying people with just a grappling gun.
And blonde with a muscular build?
How many people could fit all these characteristics?
Actually, it was strange I hadn’t realized it back then.
“Hmm, so that pervert in a gown was actually Victor the Pixie. No wonder he kept chasing me no matter how I ran. All that suffering wasn’t for nothing. I’ll pretend not to recognize him for now.”
Having sorted out my thoughts, I deliberately avoided his gaze and continued eating, trying not to draw attention.
If he recognized me as the same ghost from before, it would be quite troublesome. I intended to remain completely unnoticed.
Fortunately, it seemed he wasn’t particularly interested in just the back of my head.
He was just chatting with Raven, his old friend he’d met by chance.
“To meet you here of all places! This must be fate!”
“What fate? Just a coincidence. Anyway, what brings you here? Are you on vacation too?”
“Hmm, sorry to disappoint, Raven. Actually, I’m here for work.”
Victor grinned widely as he spoke, his teeth sparkling.
His smile was so bright it felt burdensome just glancing at him.
But Raven seemed used to such displays.
Without much reaction, she absent-mindedly picked at her ear while asking curiously:
“What brings you here? Is something interesting happening that requires Pixies?”
“Huh? Raven, don’t tell me you don’t know about the biggest auction Saint Maria is hosting for several days starting tomorrow?”
“Auction? So you’re…”
“Yeah. I’ve been hired to guard the items and VIPs in case of theft. Probably several other Pixies are staying at this hotel too. That’s why we’re eating late like this.”
Hahaha! Though having me for security would be enough!
Victor laughed cheerfully, in a way that might trigger PTSD.
Well, he was indeed considered top-tier among top-tier professionals.
It wasn’t arrogance or conceit – he was sincerely stating facts.
“So there’s an auction event. At Saint Maria Hotel… During year-end vacation… An auction… Hmm, none of this is from the original story.”
An event not in the original story? Could it be some strange incident?
Even so, with this lineup, we should be fine even if something happens.
I naturally felt some anxiety but prayed this vacation would be as peaceful as possible.
Though whether this prayer would actually work was anyone’s guess.
