The Neon Moon was overflowing.
Laughter rolled through the packed restaurant while warm lanternlight spilled across crowded tables and polished mugs. Music drifted through the air from somewhere near the back while servers hurried between guests carrying trays stacked dangerously high with food.
The moment the Vixens stepped through the doors—
the hostess spotted them immediately.
"Oh! Welcome back!"
She hurried toward them smiling brightly.
"Right this way. Your table's already prepared."
Llandra glanced around the crowded restaurant.
"…Festival traffic?"
The hostess laughed softly.
"No, dear."
Then she pointed toward the kitchen.
"This is because of your human."
The girls exchanged looks immediately.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
As they followed the hostess deeper inside, whispers trailed behind them.
"That's them."
"The group from yesterday."
"Are they with the chef?"
"Do you think he'll make more of the dragon sauce?"
Nyxian blinked.
"…Dragon sauce?"
"I may have accidentally told someone he fought a dragon," Bunny admitted.
Llandra sighed.
"Of course you did."
Their table sat directly near the center of the restaurant floor.
Reserved.
Waiting.
Important.
Bunny leaned toward the hostess immediately.
"Have you seen Jax?"
The hostess pointed toward the kitchen doors.
"He's been back there all day."
Almost immediately, a waitress arrived carrying mugs of the good mead.
Nyxian raised an eyebrow.
"Of course she did."
But Bunny noticed something else first.
Her ears perked upward.
"…Wait."
She inhaled deeply.
Then her eyes widened.
"This place smells AMAZING."
She was right.
Not just better.
Different.
The Neon Moon no longer smelled like a struggling roadside tavern.
It smelled rich.
Savory.
Comforting.
Alive.
The kitchen doors suddenly swung open.
And Jax stepped through.
He wore the dark fitted coat Bunny had picked for him earlier, sleeves rolled slightly while traces of flour still dusted one arm.
The restaurant reacted instantly.
Applause erupted around the room.
"That's him!"
"The human chef!"
"Gods, he's younger than I expected!"
"He's surprisingly handsome!"
Jax visibly froze for half a second.
Then awkwardly smiled while several patrons reached out to shake his hand as he crossed the floor.
Nyxian smirked into her drink.
"Oh no."
Llandra sighed softly.
"What?"
"He's accidentally becoming important again."
Before Jax could even reach the table, the shift leader hurried onto the floor raising both hands dramatically.
"Everyone, your attention please!"
The room quieted immediately.
Jax looked mildly alarmed.
The shift leader pointed toward him proudly.
"For those visiting tonight—yes. THIS is the man responsible for yesterday's special!"
Several tables cheered loudly.
Jax rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
The shift leader continued excitedly:
"And tonight, Mister Darquebane has expanded the menu with three new main dishes and four appetizers!"
More cheering.
Jax mouthed:
I did not approve this speech.
Nyxian looked delighted.
The shift leader gestured dramatically toward the kitchen.
"And in celebration of the festival week beginning tomorrow…"
Servers emerged carrying trays.
"…every table will receive complimentary samples tonight!"
The restaurant exploded into applause.
Jax finally surrendered to the situation.
He raised his mug slightly.
"Eat well," he called out across the room.
"Drink well."
Then after a small pause:
"And if anything tastes terrible, blame the old menu."
The crowd burst into laughter.
The energy inside the Neon Moon transformed instantly afterward.
Not just busy.
Excited.
Tables talked to each other.
Servers moved faster.
People laughed louder.
The place no longer felt tired.
It felt alive.
Jax finally reached the table and sat down with a sigh.
Llandra folded her arms.
"So," she said calmly.
"When exactly did you buy a restaurant?"
Jax took a sip of mead.
"About ninety minutes ago."
Bunny nearly dropped her mug.
"What?!"
Jax shrugged lightly.
"I only own twenty percent technically."
"TECHNICALLY?"
"It came with management authority."
Nyxian stared.
"You bought part of a business, replaced management, retrained the kitchen staff, redesigned the menu, and reorganized workflow…"
She narrowed her eyes.
"…in under two hours?"
Jax paused.
"…When you say it out loud, it sounds slightly unhealthy."
"SLIGHTLY?"
Plates suddenly arrived at the table.
Beautiful plates.
Perfectly cooked meat.
Fresh vegetables.
Real seasoning.
Steam rolled upward carrying rich aromas across the room.
Bunny stared at her food emotionally.
"…I would fight people for this."
"Please don't," Jax sighed.
"Not unless they start it."
Nearby tables had already started arguing over appetizers.
The first bites hit the table.
Then silence followed.
Real silence.
Llandra slowly lowered her fork.
"…Gods."
Nyxian closed her eyes briefly after tasting hers.
"That should genuinely be illegal."
Zee looked personally attacked by how good the food was.
"I didn't know food could taste like this."
Jax laughed softly.
"That's because nobody here uses seasoning correctly."
A stout middle-aged beastkin suddenly approached the table holding a mug of mead.
His eyes looked suspiciously emotional.
He grabbed Jax's shoulder dramatically.
"Sir."
Jax blinked.
"…Yes?"
"These flavors…"
The man gestured wildly toward his plate.
"…they've changed me."
Nyxian nearly lost control laughing.
The man pointed at Jax accusingly.
"You possess the tongue of a culinary god."
Zee took a calm sip of her drink.
"Oh, he definitely has an amazing tongue."
The entire table froze.
The man blinked slowly.
Then nodded with profound respect.
"…Lucky woman."
And walked away.
Jax nearly inhaled his mead.
Nyxian's eyes widened with predatory delight.
"Oh?"
Zee looked completely calm.
"And," she added thoughtfully, "I hope he keeps using it on me."
Jax choked violently.
Bunny turned bright red instantly.
Nyxian looked moments away from ascending spiritually.
Llandra stared directly into her drink.
Zee tilted her head innocently.
"…What?"
"You know EXACTLY what," Nyxian whispered.
Zee smiled faintly into her mug.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Jax desperately pointed at the food.
"Look how delicious dinner is."
Nyxian leaned closer toward Zee.
"I underestimated you."
"I've been underestimated before."
Llandra slowly covered her face with one hand.
This group was spiraling rapidly.
The evening only became louder after that.
More drinks arrived.
More food followed.
The Neon Moon practically vibrated with energy now as people ordered dish after dish while musicians near the back started playing faster songs.
Outside, festival lanterns slowly lit the streets of Solmere.
Inside—
hope spread table by table.
Jax noticed it.
People smiling more.
Workers laughing.
Staff moving proudly instead of miserably.
Money flowing.
Morale rising.
Amazing what decent food could do.
Bunny leaned forward across the table.
"So."
Jax immediately looked suspicious.
"So?"
"When is my day?"
Jax blinked.
"…Your what?"
"My date."
Nyxian raised her mug casually.
"We voted."
"You voted on WHAT?"
"Rotational scheduling."
"That sounds deeply illegal."
"Llandra got yesterday."
"Zee got today."
Nyxian pointed toward herself proudly.
"I get tomorrow."
Bunny immediately grabbed Jax's sleeve.
"And I get the shopping trip!"
Jax stared into his drink.
"…I may genuinely need stronger alcohol."
Llandra hid a smile behind her mug.
The night eventually softened into comfortable exhaustion.
Tipsy laughter.
Warm food.
Relaxed conversation.
When they finally left the restaurant together, the streets outside glowed beneath hanging festival lanterns while cool summer air rolled through Solmere.
Nyxian walked slightly crooked.
Bunny hummed happily.
Zee looked terrifyingly content with existence.
They reached the inn stairs.
Then Bunny suddenly gasped.
"Oh!"
Everyone looked toward her.
"Today was THEIR days."
Jax narrowed his eyes cautiously.
"…Yes?"
"So you should kiss them goodnight."
Jax froze instantly.
"That feels unnecessary—"
Llandra grabbed him.
No hesitation.
No warning.
Her kiss hit like fire.
Passionate.
Hungry.
Nothing careful remained about her now.
Jax barely processed what happened before she finally pulled away breathlessly.
Then immediately realized what she'd done.
And turned bright red.
Nyxian looked spiritually fulfilled.
Before Jax recovered—
Zee stepped forward.
Wrapped both arms around him.
And kissed him too.
Soft at first.
Then deeper.
Confident.
Possessive.
Like she'd quietly decided something important hours ago.
Nyxian physically pulled her backward before things escalated into public disaster.
"Not tonight," she laughed.
"We have a schedule now."
Zee looked mildly disappointed.
Which somehow scared Jax more than Nyxian ever had.
The girls disappeared up the stairs together still laughing.
Leaving Jax standing alone in the hallway.
Silent.
Heart racing.
Mind spinning.
He slowly turned toward the magical lift leading to his suite.
The doors opened.
He stepped inside numbly.
Then exhaled slowly while leaning against the wall.
"…What a world."
The doors closed gently.
And somewhere above the lantern-lit streets of Solmere—
the future continued unfolding one impossible day at a time.