The shock from the real identity of the hoe forced Hiraku to open up about himself.
As Ludwig expected, he was someone who came from Japan. To be exact, modern Japan. However, rather than finding him in the same situation as Rimuru and the other reincarnated customers of Checkpoint, his circumstances were similar to Aoki and his three daughters.
He was transported to a different world.
The reason the word 'similar' was used rather than 'identical' was this: Aoki was dead. But God granted him a new life in another world. Not only that, but the God he met was quite a generous one. He also granted Hiraku many abilities.
And it was when Hiraku told them about it that Ludwig could grasp what kind of person Hiraku was.
Someone with no ambition to rule. Ludwig gave his judgment as Hiraku finished telling them about the abilities he had acquired.
It might not be enough to see through someone's real nature. However, that would only apply to those who were still alive. When someone met god after they died and got asked what kind of ability they wanted to have, why should they still hide their nature?
Aside from the youthful body that God granted him at first, he told Hiraku he would grant all of his wishes. However, among the myriad of powerful abilities Hiraku could wish for, he only asked for a body that never gets sick, to live in a place with few people, and the ability to speak the local language.
Yeah… Just that.
If something like that happened to Ludwig after he died, he would surely ask for an unlimited amount of Mana. That was the only thing that mattered.
Thankfully, this God he met was not just generous but also fair. He could just send Hiraku with what he wished for, but turned out, what Hiraku wished last was something that would already have been given to him even without him wishing for it. Therefore, he got another wish.
And that last wish was how Hiraku got his Godly Artefact. All-Purpose Farming Tool, he called it. No, Hikaru didn't wish for it. He just told God he wanted to do Agriculture, and for some reason God gave it in shape of the Artefact rather than ability.
Ludwig let out a long breath. But rather than disappointment, it was filled with helplessness. How could a god just gave a mortal a Godly Artefact when they just want to farm?
Well at least now he knew that the passage about Gods and god in the history book he read had some credibility. They were all whimsical, a little bit crazy, and bored.
As Ludwig thought so, Aoki threw a question from several chairs down. "So, Hiraku, you are farming in this new place of yours now?"
Hiraku flinched a little before his hands landed on the back of his own head. "N-not yet. I was too excited yesterday about the farming tool and got carried away. I plan to start farming after I find something to eat, but here I am."
"I see." Aoki nodded. But of course, in Ludwig's eyes, his disappointment was clear no matter how hard he tried to hide it. It seemed like he was dying to get some input on his own farming project.
"Well, we have taken your time long enough. Anything you want to order? We have Oxtail Soup, Jerk Chicken served with rice and peas, and grilled fish for today's menu. If that's too heavy for you, we also have Tempura assortment as well as some skewers." Ludwig leaned towards the man.
Hiraku's eyes went towards the menu board. It lingered there for way too long for a mete contemplation.
Only when he spoke, Ludwig understood why.
"Uh… I don't have any money with me currently." He said.
Ludwig felt a lightbulb appear inside his mind as he heard what Hikaru said. It was a fact he overlooked due to just how ridiculous his situation was.
But just before he offered the usual 'The first one was on the house,' something new appeared in his thought.
Hikaru's situation was similar to Aoki and his daughters'. More similar than he previously thought. Both of them were transported to a place where nothing was around them. It was obvious why Hiraku didn't have money; it hadn't been long since he was transported. Then, the question was, why could Aoki still pay for the food even after coming to this restaurant for some time?
Ludwig looked towards Aoki, but he didn't instantly voice his curiosity. Again, it was not his business to dig around in his customer's life when they didn't even have the thought to harm his restaurant.
However, he felt he still needed to ask.
Why? Because one, they were people stranded in Earth with no one around. They could eat well, but that depended heavily on the success of Aoki's farming project. And two, he knew what to offer if they could no longer pay for their food.
He just needed them to agree.
Even so, it's not the place or the time to ask. So instead, Ludwig just faced Hiraku again. But not without giving hints towards what Aoki could do for the restaurant in the future.
"The first one is on the house. And since I know your situation well, you can just come here to eat. And later, if your farm is successful, we can probably work out something like making you this place's suppliers. How's that sound?"
He could see Hiraku's mouth open slightly as soon as he finished. Then, his eyes started to glisten out of the blue. "Y-you are willing to do that for me?"
Feeling a little bit awkward, Ludwig tried to shift the mood. "Why not? You are someone with a Goldy Artefact made for farming. I just make an investment I know I wouldn't lose."
Contrary to what Ludwig hoped, the tears in Hiraku's eyes just fell. "T-thank you. Th-thank you."
Ludwig was at a loss as to what to do. Not because this was the first time someone cried because of what he did. He had experienced this kind of thing too many times to count. But every time, every single damn time, he simply didn't know what to do.
His friends had told him to just accept it, but how could he? He just think he simply didn't have the personality to handle this kind of thing.
"It's nothing, so, please stop crying." Ludwig blurted out.
The moment the words left his mouth, he already knew they wouldn't work.
If anything, the attempt only made him look more flustered as he tried to wipe his eyes with the back of his hand, shoulders tightening as if he were trying to hold everything in and failing at it anyway.
Deciding that whatever he did now would only make the matter worse, Ludwig just stood there.
Only after a few more minutes had passed did Hiraku stop. "I-I'm sorry for that."
"It's fine. I'm sorry for responding like that also." Ludwig chuckled.
Hiraku also chuckled, with his eyes still red. But then, he finally ordered. "C-can I get the Oxtail soup?"
"Sure. Any drinks?"
"Just water please. I still need to work later." He answered.
"Please wait a little." Ludwig turned around from the bar and walked to the back of the kitchen.
Even before he arrived, a bowl was already placed on the countertop near the stove. With a nod to Bilo, he took it and let Mana around the pot disperse. He summoned a ladle into his hand next before scooping the soup as well as the oxtail into the bowl, careful enough to make sure the contents were balanced.
Ludwig carried the bowl back to the front, the steam rising steadily as the scent followed him out of the kitchen. He set it down in front of Hiraku carefully, making sure not to let the broth ripple too much.
"Here." He said simply.
Hiraku looked down at the bowl for a moment before giving a small nod. "Thank you."
Ludwig gave a short nod in return before stepping away, leaving him to it.
For a while, Hiraku didn't speak. Ludwig also left him to his business. Instead, he passed the time talking with Tsumugi. She was maybe the chattiest customer he currency have beside Rimuru.
Whenever he talked with her, it was as if she had so many things she wanted to know. Thankfully, Ludwig was quite capable in that front. He would always teach her about things she was curious about, of course, while making sure no hidden knowledge would be spilled.
As the conversation progressed, Hiraku finally finished eating. He put the spoon down on top of the bowl before saying his prayer.
"I hope you like it?" Ludwig takes the chance to talk with him again.
A smile appeared on Hiraku's face before he nodded. "It's delicious."
"Glad you like it."
As soon as Ludwig said so, Hiraku downed the water placed beside his bowl and stood up. "I would love to chat some more, but I still have work waiting for me."
Ludwig looked at the man and smiled. "I see. Please be careful out there. If you meet or find something you are not sure about, just run here. We have quite a lot of people who can fight around here."
"Thank you again." Hiraku nod. "And, thank you for the food. I will make sure I repay your kindness."
"Please." Ludwig waved his hands. "It's something I do to every new customer—maybe not."
Both of them laughed before Hiraku walked away from the bar. He said goodbye to Aoki before he opened the door and disappeared outside.
"Well, there's no time to be bored in this restaurant." Aoki chuckled as he returned his gaze to Ludwig from the door.
"It surely is." Ludwig answered.
As if the world heard what he said, the restaurant buzzed into him a moment later. But unlike usual, the door swung open before it could even say who was on the other side.
"C-chef Ludwig!"
A voice broke through the dining hall as soon as a short green creature dashed in.
The figure that burst through the door was small, no taller than Ludwig's waist, yet it moved with a speed that made its size easy to overlook. Its skin carried a deep green tone, uneven in places as if it had been hardened by sun and wind rather than care. The ears on both sides of its head were long and pointed, twitching slightly as it tried to take in everything at once.
With only that much, he knew where this goblin came from.
Tempest.
"Chef Ludwig!" He shouted again.
Ludwig blinked out of the kitchen and appeared before the goblin. "What's the matter?"
"It's an emergency!" He said as it tried to regain his breath.
Ludwig's eyes narrowed. For Tempest to send a runner to his restaurant meant something big had happened. But, in his memories, no disasters would befall Tempest around this time. After all, some events still hadn't taken place.
But the next words from the goblin made Ludwig realize what was happening. "Rimuru-sama send me here to book the big table! T-the dwarven king is coming here!"
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