The Other World Dining Hall (WN) Chapter 23

Cheesecake

A mercenary based at the capital city of the Kingdom, "Hidden in the Night" Hilda was currently at a certain forest.

[…Whew. You sure are troublesome.]

There were 30 goblins at the dark of the night and the last one had turned his back to the herd of goblins to run. She checked her night goggles made of quartz plate and pulled the trigger of her crossbow.

The crossbow was her favourite ever since she became a lone mercenary. Even when wielded by the slender arms of a woman, it had the power to punch through iron armor.

Her head was covered by a hood resembling a helmet made with hard animal leather and goggles using clear quartz plate to protect her eyes.

Her legs were covered by durable leather trousers, the upper body with sleeveless leather jacket along with mithril gloves which was fingerless to sense the wind.

Hilda, who had accurate ears that could navigate during night and hear small sounds, acted alone.

Instead, there were no other mercenaries that could act like Hilda who could run through the woods at the middle of the night with little lighting.

It was inevitable.

[I'll take their treasure later… I wonder if I should return to my base.]

After completing the extermination of goblins, Hilda was more open and talked to herself more than usual.

According to experience, goblins stored their treasure at their nest.

As there were 30 goblins, the amount should be enough.

Most of them were garbage that could not be sold for even a single coin, but sometimes coppers, silver coins and other golden items could be mixed in, so it's not sure.

Of course she would receive a reward for completion, but that's just the way it was.

More than 20 years ago, she grew up in a cold land where wheat could not be grown. At the Empire's pioneering village, their meals were mainly baked and boiled Baron's fruit which grew inside the soil and could not be eaten by the birds.

Hilda visited the forest to exterminate the goblins as requested by one of the villages.

After 3 days, Hilda had finally eradicated all 30 goblins and completed the request.

[You're no longer a goblin.]

She tidied up her crossbow and arrows, slung them over her back, and returned to the place she prepared as her base.

Although it's a simple base where a tent was erected and firewood was collected to make a bonfire, Hilda who was accustomed to such a life felt relieved.

And Hilda found "it" on her way back to the base.

[…Huh?]

Hilda suddenly stopped walking.

[Is there…something?]

Although there was no basis, her intuition made her legs stop.

Hilda checked her surroundings with her eyes.

Her eyesight which was almost the same during daytime even in little starlight caught it, and Hilda elaborated unintentionally.

[Is that… a door?]

In front of her was a black door with golden handle.

…It was not something you would find in a forest.

[…Until yesterday, there was no such thing, right?]

She pa.s.sed through this area yesterday.

That's what she knew.

Until yesterday, there was no such door in that place.

[…I smell treasure.]

Hilda, who somehow sensed a "good feeling" from the door, grasped the handle and opened the door.

Hilda always believed in her intuition.

With no equipment like what she had now and without having a bow, she only had her eyes and ears. Since the beginning, she survived due to her own intuition and became the top-notch mercenary that she was now.

She had no doubt at all.

When she applied force on the handle, the door opened easily.

[A, wel, welcome!]

A girl wearing strange costume saw Hilda and greeted loudly.

While listening to the bell sound from the door, Hilda was surprised at the girl's presence.

From behind her goggles, she could see the girl wearing a strange costume with short sleeves and skirt.

That's good.

But the problem was… her head.

[You're… a demon?]

With a low voice, she asked the girl in front of her.

Yes, her head, with clean fluffy golden hair… and a pair of jet black horns.

If she was a normal human, it could be thought as an unusual hair ornament. But Hilda's eyes could not be deceived.

[Eh, ah, that…]

[Ah, no, I'm sorry. I won't say anything.]

In a hurry to placate the panicking demon girl, Hilda decided to reveal her ident.i.ty.

She removed her goggles and took down her hood.

Her pupils which appeared from under the goggles reacted to the bright light of the shop and shrunk "length wise".

The dark brown pointed ears covered with animal fur hidden under the hood moved quickly.

[…I am also a demon. My name is Hilda.]

Hilda, a demon mercenary who received the cat's eyes and ears from the Demon G.o.d's protection, said.

[I see, this is the otherworld dining hall.]

While listening to the circ.u.mstances from the waitress Aletta, Hilda took a seat.

[Yes! Every dish here is very tasty!]

Aletta answered so with a full smile.

Those words were not something the owner compelled her to say. She really meant them.

Hilda drank the slightly fruit tasting water that Aletta told her was complimentary, removed her mithril gloves and wiped her hands with the hot towel provided.

(Well, it's a nice restaurant inside.)

The water was gentle on her dry throat and the cloth was comfortable.

Her intuition understood. Here was a nice restaurant.

(The guests were eating their food vigorously.)

Inside the otherworld dining hall, several guests were talking about the delicious food.

All their faces were smiling. As Aletta said, all of the customers thought that the food here was delicious.

(…Over there is the Samurai Master Tatsugorou, next to him… no doubt the great sage Arturius.)

A legendary mercenary that hailed from the Western continent and a man called the world's best Wiseman.

It's the first time Hilda saw the two of them after hearing about them so many times before.

In Hilda's world, this was a bit of an incident.

[Yes… so, what do you want to eat?]

[Let's see. What can you make?]

Hilda listened to Aletta's confirmation.

[Yes… Uh, can you read Samanak language…?]

[I can read it. I learned it after becoming a mercenary.]

Aletta blushed hearing her answer.

[Oh, then wait a moment! I'll bring you the menu!]

She declared, retreated to the back and came back quickly.

[You can order the food that's written here. Please order after you decide!]

After giving a thin big book to Hilda, Aletta went to another customer.

[…Well, it's quite a lot.]

Hilda, who was left alone, did not panic and opened the menu.

What was written was a list of food and their explanations.

Most of the dishes were not known to Hilda.

[Ho. They also have croquette and fried potato… nu!?]

She could recognize a few food items.

Hilda, who was thinking of ordering a staple dish of the Empire using Baron's fruit, was surprised again after turning the pages.

[…Sweet confectionaries!?]

"Dessert" was written on the t.i.tle.

The names of various sweets were lined up there.

Hot cake, parfait, pudding, pound cake…

Not all of them were familiar, but Hilda could tell.

[…This is quite cheap.]

The sweets that were written could be bought with a few pennies and a high value coin could buy around 10 plates.

Ordinarily, confectionaries had a high price, so even a little piece could cost at least a silver coin.

That's because all sweet things like honey and sugar were priceless. Commoners could not afford them and usually only n.o.bles could eat them.

Hilda had only eaten some seasonal fruits that could be bought with a few copper coins. She had never eaten a confectionary before.

[Mumumu… But if it's this price, it's positively a cake.]

Price as high as the other dishes… it's unquestionable that it was a confectionary.

Looking at the price, Hilda decided to eat dessert.

[What to order… ho, soufflé cheesecake…?]

When you got lost, rely on your intuition.

Choose the one that seemed right.

Three kinds of cheesecake were rare, baked and soufflé.

According to the descriptions, Hilda's favourite was the soft sweet baked goods. Hilda decided to order that.

[Hey! Aletta! I want to order!]

[Yes! I'm here!]

She called Aletta and placed her order.

[Give me this soufflé cheesecake. Along with tea please.]

Hilda who found the phrase "all drinks are half price when ordered with dessert including pudding" written at the end of the dessert section decided to order tea together with the cheesecake.

[Yes! Thank you very much!]

After Aletta nodded to Hilda's order, she retreated to the kitchen at the back.

She waited for a while.

[Sorry I've kept you waiting! It's a set of soufflé cheesecake and tea. In the blue jar there is sugar. Feel free to put it in the drink.]

[I understand. Thank you.]

She was surprised that the sugar was free to use but she accepted it.

Red tea poured into a white elegant clay pot and a triangle cheese coloured dessert with reddish purple sauce poured on it.

This was the first time Hilda saw both food.

(First of all… it's quite white. I thought it would be browner.)

She opened the blue pot and peered inside.

Pure white grain with a spoon to scoop it.

For the time being, Hilda put some sugar on top of her palm and licked it.

(…It's really sugar.)

Convinced it was sugar due to the sweet taste spreading in her mouth, she put three spoons inside her cup of tea.

[…Yes, delicious.]

Along with the sweetness, the tea contained a hint of astringency and sourness.

It was an unexpected taste, but it settled in her tired body and was very delicious.

[Well, next…]

She started on her ordered soufflé cheesecake.

Take a small fork and cut the tip of the triangle… starting from the part not covered by the sauce.

[It's a dessert that taste like cheese… mu!?]

She brought it to her mouth…

It was her first time eating cheesecake. It was certainly sweet and a little bit sour with the aroma of cheese.

But this taste was utterly amazing.

(Stupid… it was written that it was soft, but this cheesecake is really soft!?)

Yes, that confectionary was really soft.

It had a moist and light texture, and gently collapsed inside her mouth.

What was left behind was the sweet taste of cheese.

Although she had surely eaten it, only the lingering aftertaste was left in her mouth.

[Oh my G.o.d!]

She could not forget this feeling, she could not believe it.

She cut another piece and threw it into her mouth.

Again, the sweet taste of cheese that gently collapsed in her mouth.

But, that was not all.

(Mu!? This purple sauce is also exquisite!?)

Yes, Hilda cut a big piece of cake earlier, so a bit of the purple sauce was on the piece.

The taste was also wonderful.

(This sauce, it's berries boiled with sugar!?)

The sweet and sour taste of the sauce had a great compatibility with the cheesecake.

It had a deep sweetness that could not be found in raw fruits alone.

The dense sweetness of cheese and berries, along with the two different types of acidity resulted in one harmony.

Soft, sweet and sour… incredibly delicious.

Moreover, the compatibility with the tea she ordered was outstanding.

[Excuse me! Aletta! Another serving of cheesecake… no, bring me two servings! I'll also have another pot of tea!]

It was inevitable that Hilda asked for reorders.

[Yes! Just a moment please!]

Aletta pleasantly replied to Hilda's request.

[Fu… to think that I could bring it home…]

While breathing out the fragrance of cheese, Hilda wandered around the forest very slowly.

In her hand was a large cake cut into six slices that she bought from the otherworld dining hall.

Along with a small gla.s.s bottle containing the sauce called jam.

She only had to pay 1 silver coin for this purchase.

While praising herself, she gently embraced it and rushed to her encampment.

[…I'm looking forward to tomorrow morning.]

After that, though the man that was the owner said that it would rot if not eaten tomorrow, it was not a problem.

If it tasted that great, she could eat all 6 slices in one meal.

(Aa, no matter… I can endure until tomorrow.)

She denied the idea of eating another slice that pa.s.sed through her thoughts.

She would regret it if she ate all of the cake while the remaining aftertaste still lingered in her mouth after eating at the restaurant.

Hilda's intuition said so.