Be Careful When Agreeing to Terms and Conditions

2. Liyue Uptown (3)

In Liyue, there was a peculiar rumor circulating.

It was said that a merchant from Mondstadt had closed down a restaurant and started a food business in Liyue.

Of course, foreigners coming to Liyue and opening restaurants were not unusual. In fact, in Liyue Harbor, the continent’s top trading port, there were abundant restaurants run by foreign chefs on every street.

However, the reason this rumor was considered ‘peculiar’ was that the person running this restaurant was a ‘merchant.’

Merchants typically stayed for a few weeks at most and then moved on. So, what would a merchant be doing, opening a restaurant?

It was reasonable to save that time and explore business opportunities. Therefore, it was natural that until now, there had been no merchants renting restaurants and doing business in Liyue.

However, the rumor, initially drawing some attention, quickly grew uncontrollably within a few days, spreading throughout all of Liyue.

The reason was that the level of the restaurant set up by the ‘merchant from Mondstadt’ exceeded everyone’s imagination. Impeccable cuisine, accompanied by Mondstadt’s finest wine. On top of that, rumors spread about some special effects when eating the food.

Any one of these elements would have been enough for a restaurant to become famous. Even more extraordinary was that all three elements came together, creating a restaurant with the unique background of being operated by a ‘merchant from Mondstadt,’ and it was gaining popularity day by day.

So, where was this famous restaurant from the rumor? Needless to say, it was the restaurant I operated.

Commonly known as ‘Xiu Restaurant Liyue Branch,’ the official name had not been decided yet. Since the people of Liyue already referred to it as ‘Mond House’ based on my origin from Mondstadt, I didn’t see the need to bother naming a restaurant that I would fold within a week.

If customers called it that way, that would be its name. Moreover, the name ‘Mond House’ suited the concept of the restaurant quite well.

The menu served at my restaurant included “Piled High,” Honey Roast, Mushroom Pizza, Mondstadt Potato Pancake, Cream Stew, all of them being specialties of Mondstadt. Additionally, the alcoholic beverages were exclusively from Mondstadt.

To emphasize the fact that I was a ‘merchant from Mondstadt’ and that the items I dealt with were ‘Mondstadt wines,’ I decided to set the concept of the restaurant as ‘Mond.’

So, it was not unreasonable for the people of Liyue to call my restaurant ‘Mond House.’ While I hadn’t had time to touch the interior of the restaurant, I made an effort to infuse as much of the unique feeling of Mondstadt into the food and drinks.

To be precise, it wasn’t me who put in the effort but rather the ‘cooking’ function that worked diligently.

Anyway, my restaurant became a hot spot in Liyue within just a few days. Even now, the interior of the restaurant was filled with customers.

Not only inside the restaurant but also in the backyard and outside the restaurant, tables were set up, yet the procession of customers showed no signs of diminishing.

Although it was an ambiguous time for meals, it seemed that when people started looking for drinks in the evening, the line would become even longer.

It should have been a cause for joy that business was doing well. However, lately, in one corner of my mind, there was a worry stuck like a stubborn rock.

The presence of many customers is good, but too many is overwhelming.

Running things somehow with the ‘cooking’ function, but the popularity was unexpectedly high. Running a restaurant was not as simple as giving out one dish, unlike street stalls.

Tables were needed, customers had to be attended to, and various demands had to be satisfied.

As for cooking, I could handle it. Even if a lot of people ordered, my ‘cooking’ function that could handle large quantities at once made it manageable. That’s why I could add tables to the front and back yards.

If it were another chef, they probably couldn’t handle the influx of orders.

The problem was the absence of waitstaff to carry the food and attend to the customers.

Anywhere you go, in Liyue, waitstaff were as important as cooking. Liyue, with its Chinese-inspired motifs, valued face, reputation, and tradition. Finding waitstaff who could satisfy such demanding Liyue people was not easy.

I was temporarily hiring the staff who originally worked in the restaurant I leased, paying them daily wages. However, with the increase in tables, even that had its limits now. Putting up a recruitment notice for a one-week restaurant was not an option; there was absolutely no time for interviews.

“What should I do…”

I scratched my chin, lost in thought.

My initial idea was some kind of ‘pop-up store.’ A plan to create a buzz in a short period, promoting ‘Mondstadt wine.’

So far, the plan seemed to be progressing smoothly. The reputation of my shop had already spread throughout Liyue, and the fame of drinking Mondstadt wine alongside it was also spreading well.

Originally, the people of Liyue were somewhat envious when it came to liking alcohol, and naturally, Mondstadt wine, famous enough to be called the ‘mora-shaped bottle,’ was well-known to the people of Liyue.

But the problem was that the supply of ‘Mondstadt wine’ had been cut off for a while.

No matter how famous a product is, if the supply is interrupted for a few months, the excitement naturally diminishes. That’s exactly what happened to ‘Mondstadt wine.’ It wasn’t that there was no alternative, and it could be made anywhere, whether in Liyue or Snezhnaya.

Moreover, what the Anemo Archon destroyed wasn’t just the distribution network. Liyue’s major suppliers, unable to receive supplies for months, had long since terminated their delivery contracts with ‘Down Winery.’ It was a judgment befitting the people of Liyue, who value contracts.

Initially, ‘Down Winery’ didn’t have many direct supply contracts to handle the volume of goods. The distribution system before the modern era mostly involved the top receiving supplies from the production site, moving them to the supply site, and selling them, thus making a profit from the distribution margin.

While ‘Down Winery’ was a rare place with the capital and manpower to transport goods directly while producing them, they didn’t have a large number of permanent transportation personnel. After all, most of the volume was handled through bids from the tops.

In other words, it also meant that the suppliers I needed for ‘Mondstadt wine’ were scattered among various tops with contracts. Instead of finding them all again, it was better to start from scratch.

So, a ‘pop-up store’ was necessary. To re-establish the fame of ‘Mondstadt wine’ and create demand for it. And if there’s demand, there must be supply.

If Mond’s distribution network had been normal, it would have been impossible. However, ‘Mond Wine’ had been unavailable for several months, and now it was a commodity that only I could supply exclusively.

So, contact would undoubtedly come. There is demand, and I am the only one in Liyue with a large supply of ‘Mond Wine.’ But I can’t handle that amount alone. Then there must be people in the middle who want to profit.

For that, I had been recommending Mond Wine to guests, even adding that I had an enormous quantity. Most took it as a joke, but words spread.

It had been smooth so far. As the reputation of my restaurant spread, interest in ‘Mond’ naturally increased. Along with it, the interest in ‘Mond Wine’ exclusively available at my restaurant grew. Some of the clientele who had forgotten it entirely were now trembling at the taste again, reminiscent of the time before the Stormterror incident.

But now, that plan was making a creaking sound.

The satisfaction in the pop-up store was directly reflected in the interest in the product. In other words, it directly influenced demand.

However, the number of attendants to handle the guests is insufficient, and now the satisfaction is likely to drop. At the moment, there seemed to be no clear exit strategy.

If I couldn’t properly hire attendants to serve the guests, there should at least be something to appease the customers’ complaints.

What could it be, I wondered.

“Yawn, the twilight hour tempted the princess’s wisdom, but the chain of causality led me back to this place. My servant, are you ready to perfect the sacred ritual by proofreading the princess today?”

“The young lady says, ‘Good morning, let’s cheer up for today.'”

A yawn accompanied by a long, stretching arm. A cheeky voice and a polite voice interpreting it. With just a glance, I could guess who those two were.

“Piesel, Oz. Did you sleep well?”

In response to my greeting, Piesel nodded with a face not fully awake. It was around 2 PM now, and these days, Piesel tended to sleep late and wake up early in the afternoon.

She seemed to be reading a popular novel being sold in Liyue, but was it really that interesting?

I didn’t quite understand, but considering the hardships Piesel had gone through, I let her do as she pleased.

Piesel was an admirable adventurer taking responsibility for her own livelihood, and as someone merely meddling in her life, I didn’t want to overstep my bounds.

As I continued my musings, I suddenly snapped back to reality and lifted my head. Now was not the time to worry about such things.

I needed attendants. Or at least, there had to be a means to appease the customers’ complaints. I continued to ponder on that for a while.

Suddenly, feeling a gaze, I turned my head back. There, Piesel was staring at me intently.

She squinted her eyes and leaned her face closer, observing me silently. It seemed like she was examining my expression.

“It seems that the cursed fate’s prophecy won’t leave me alone. If I confess my sins to the princess, maybe she will lend me her wisdom.”

“The lady said, ‘Do you have any worries? I’ll help you.'”

Lately, Fischl has been showing a lot of interest in me. Since the day I became her “servant,” Fischl often scrutinized my face and actions. Perhaps I had been recognized as a “special person” by Fischl since that day.

By the way, considering Fischl’s haughty voice, I wondered if there was anything she could help with.

And then, I burst out laughing. It was because an image of Fischl dealing with customers came to my mind.

To think that Fischl would speak in such a strange manner when dealing with customers… It was quite…

“…Huh?”

I narrowed my eyes slightly and examined Fischl carefully again.

Fischl was simply blinking her eyes without understanding a single word. Her golden hair, long arms and legs, and emerald eyes that shimmered.

Fischl, who had not yet shed her girl-like appearance, was beautiful. And above all, she was cute.

‘Cuteness,’ I recalled that word and found myself smiling unintentionally.

“Fischl, please help me with one task.”

“Hmph, no matter what task it may be, it will be futile before the celestial laws governed by the princess of the night sky.”

Fischl seemed secretly pleased by the fact that she could be of help to me, saying so while straightening her shoulders.

The way she clenched her fist and pressed it against her chest seemed to mean that I could entrust anything to her.

I decided to gratefully accept Fischl’s willingness.

“Well then, let’s change our clothes first, into waitress uniforms.”

“Huh?”

Considering that it’s a Mondstadt concept, we should at least have one person doing the welcoming to give off the Mondstadt vibe.

As I imagined Peacel, dressed in a waitress uniform, serving customers with her peculiar manner of haughtiness, I thought to myself, “This works.” I was absolutely certain.

***

“Hmph, the grace of a princess! I gratefully accept.”

The next day, Peacel, dressed in a waitress uniform, brought out Mond’s specialty drink, “Dandelion Wine,” and said to the customers. Of course, her usual arrogant voice remained the same.

According to Liyue’s etiquette, this was an unimaginable act, yet somehow the middle-aged man who received the Dandelion Wine from Peacel seemed rather satisfied, bursting with joy.

“hahahahaha! I wonder if I’m so overwhelmed with gratitude that the alcohol is getting to me.”

Peacel began serving customers last night.

At first, Peacel, wearing the waitress uniform, blushed and expressed her dissatisfaction, saying things like, “It’s, it’s outrageous. How dare I wear such clothes to the princess….” But thanks to me repeatedly saying, “You look cute, it suits you,” she reluctantly started serving customers.

Even without the strange manner of speaking or the arrogant attitude, it was all just a disguise for Peacel to hide her embarrassment.

In terms of serving, there were certainly many mistakes that could be considered as such, but the customers’ reactions were fine. If anything, they seemed to like it a little.

In a Mond-themed restaurant, a cute Mond girl serving Mond’s alcohol.

First and foremost, Peacel’s pretty and cute appearance played a big part, and this place being Mond and not Liyue made the customers feel more at ease.

At least here, it was okay not to strictly follow Liyue’s etiquette. If a cute girl like Peacel acted a bit impudent, it could be tolerated. If anything, Peacel pretending to be haughty seemed quite cute in the eyes of the adults.

Most of the customers who came to my restaurant were of a fairly mature age. Well, it’s a tavern, so it’s only natural.

At first, Peacel was shy, but as the customers liked her, she became more proactive in serving them. Well, Peacel is, in the end, like a curious child who craves attention.

Of course, if it were just Peacel, I would have been a little worried. But by Peacel’s side, even if I strictly adhered to Liyue’s etiquette, there was a presence that could satisfy the customers.

“I apologize, sir. The restaurant is a bit crowded due to the large number of customers. The dishes are already prepared, so please wait a little longer and I will bring them out soon.”

To be precise, it was a “talking raven.”

The people of Liyue could only nod blankly at Oz’s polite tone and the weighty voice, not knowing what else to do. There was also the fact that a crow was speaking, which added to the confusion.

Oz’s only flaw was the lack of hands, preventing him from serving food. Nevertheless, he could manage to clutch a drink with his talons. Truly, the crow was quite useful in various ways.

The events of the previous night, featuring Fischl and Oz, had left a lasting impression on the people of Liyue. Even though only one night had passed, there were quite a few individuals inside the establishment who recognized Fischl and Oz.

Well, I must say it was a brilliant strategy. Nodding in agreement with my own thoughts, I suddenly sensed movement next to me.

I was startled and turned my head. Standing there was a man with reddish-brown hair, a red mask tilted on his face.

Quite striking. His skin was fair, perhaps from the northern regions? His blue eyes were so hazy that it was impossible to discern his sincerity. The well-defined jawline and handsome features suggested that he must have had quite an impact on women.

He was handsome. And, he looked somewhat dangerous.

It emanated from his relaxed posture and sly smile. It conveyed a sense that he had nothing to fear, at least in terms of his own abilities.

Very much so.

“Oh, that’s a good idea. People tend to be lenient towards women, children, animals, and peculiar things. With that, you won’t have customers complaining about them, right?”

His voice was calm. I felt a slight chill down my spine.

I was definitely standing in front of the kitchen door, gazing into the hall, encompassing the entrance in my field of view.

Yet, I hadn’t noticed at all until this person approached me.

“…Who are you?”

Due to tension, my voice naturally lowered. Whatever signal he interpreted from that, the well-dressed man chuckled.

“Don’t be like that. I just came for a deal.”

As he spoke, he extended his hand. It was gloved in a gray color.

“I’ve heard rumors. You came from Mondstadt, right? Only three days since you opened this restaurant… impressive, you’ve sold quite a bit. More than a few hundred bottles of alcohol.”

I shook hands with the man, feeling a bit uneasy. His string of information suggested that he had done some investigation about me.

“But isn’t it strange? Throughout the past few weeks, no caravan carrying Mondstadt alcohol has passed through the gates of Liyue Harbor. Ships too. Yet, a Mondstadt merchant arrives with hundreds of bottles of alcohol?”

And with that, he smirked. His eyes narrowed slightly, and a faint spark flickered in his deep, mysterious blue eyes.

Usually, if emotions cannot be felt in a person’s eyes, it’s one of two things. Either they are so deep that you can’t see inside, or they have lost their flavor.

It seemed that this person belonged to the latter.

“Well, regardless of what means you used, I’m not interested. What’s important is that the rumor is likely true. The rumor that you may have brought the entire supply of wine barrels from the Down Winery.”

With that, he shook my hand a few times, then blinked as if he had just remembered something and added:

“Oh, by the way, my name is Tartallia.”

And with his next words, I could be certain.

“I am an executor of Snezhnaya, acting on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen.”

The “giant” I had been waiting for had finally arrived.

As he said that, I swallowed dryly.

…He seems like a slightly dangerous person, but it’ll be fine, right?