The Demon’s Menu

He returned to the dining table once more.

The black notebook beside the cutlery was already open.

When Jason chose the “Crab Meat Salad,” a few extra lines of text appeared on the title page of the notebook.

“Ropes can only lock around my neck.”

“But!”

“They can never lock up my stomach!”

“Remember: This is not the main dish, you are still one table setting away from it.”

…

Then, the black notebook automatically turned to the second page.

Annotations began to appear after that—

“Background: Eleven years ago, your aunt and her family moved to the ‘Hans’ port, where they built up a considerable industry, and this time your cousin is getting married. Your aunt is planning to make the wedding a family reunion, not just for you, but many of your relatives have been invited as well…”

“Main quest: Arrive at ‘Hans’ port before the 26th, and attend the wedding.”

“Temporary language acquisition, automatically disappears upon leaving the instance.”

“Clothing, appearance, and equipment temporarily changed, will automatically revert upon exiting the instance.”

“Detection of firearms and grenades not in keeping with the era, power decreased by 60%, MF92, UZ, Mac M1 firing intervals increased by +0.5 seconds, reload speed increased by +2 seconds.”

(Hint: Please enjoy your appetizer.)

…

As soon as Jason’s eyes finished reading, the notebook promptly closed.

Just like when he went to ‘Lorde,’ he entered another world yet again.

Immediately, Jason began to check himself.

The casual clothing he was carrying had changed to something similar to what he’d been wearing when he left ‘Lorde.’

Except the pure black coat had turned to a grayish-black, and the hunting cap was now purely black.

All the equipment he had been carrying was with him.

Including the ice hockey mask given by the old earl and that notebook.

The four potions and spices gifted by Taniel were all in the leather bag around his waist.

After ensuring everything was in order, Jason started to take in his surroundings.

It was a not-so-large room with windows.

The curtains were drawn, faint light filtering through.

The arrangement of the table, chair, and bed was simple, the bedding on the bed was still unfolded, and he was sitting in the chair with a small box, three opened letters, and a newspaper on the table in front of him.

Jason didn’t immediately touch the box or the newspaper.

He turned his attention to the opened letters.

He picked up one of them.

My dear Jason:

You have completed your studies exceptionally well!

My child, I am proud of you!

I have already received more than one compliment from the instructors and professors!

Your journey ahead will require you to make your own choices, whether it’s the military camp or the academy, but no matter what you choose, ‘Aiden Orphanage’ will always be your home.

Also, your aunt sent a letter, hoping you would attend your cousin ‘Gerard’s wedding.

I am sorry, I only recently found out that you have such an aunt.

Your parents entrusted you to me in such a hurry that they didn’t explain these things.

It just so happens to coincide with your holiday, and I hope you will go and visit this aunt and cousin of yours.

After all, they are your relatives.

Of course, it is all for you to decide.

Your principal: Kraul

Hp. 1881.9.12

…

This was the first letter.

Then there was the second.

Unlike the first, this letter contained plenty of contents, not just the invitation, but also a bank draft.

The content read as follows—

My dear nephew:

It was very difficult for me to find you.

Believe me, locating you was more challenging than you’d think, after all, ‘Hans’ port is really too far from ‘Jedanlen.’

Of course, it’s also my neglect.

I never imagined ‘Lily’ would leave this world in such a manner.

I am deeply sorry for all that you have been through, so I’ve offered you a bit of compensation.

No other intentions, I just hope you can have a better life.

I hope you can come to ‘Hans’ Harbour on the 25th to attend Gerard’s wedding.

Your aunt: Lym

Hp.1881.9.3

…

Jason set down the letter and picked up the invitation and the cheque.

The invitation merely contained the words of request, but at its close there was a detailed address: ‘Hans’ Harbour, 111 Duron Street.

The cheque bore the number 200.

Although he did not yet know its purchasing power, based on the background information, Jason guessed that it must be quite valuable, and then he picked up the third letter.

It was written in a lighthearted tone—

Dear cousin,

Are you surprised and delighted to receive my letter?

I was more surprised and joyful than you when Mother informed me that we had finally found you!

I once feared I had lost you forever.

Now you have returned once again.

I’m truly so happy.

Hurry over to ‘Hans’ Harbour!

The scenery here is beautiful, the food delicious, life is comfortable, and the girls are more enthusiastic and generous than you could imagine (you once promised me, to write the truth in blue ink and the lies in black, sadly I couldn’t find any blue (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧).

Your cousin: Gerard

Hp.1881.9.3

…

Reading the last letter, although Jason had no recollection of this cousin, his intuition told him that the other must be a… joker.

“Parents died early, grew up in an orphanage.”

“Received a considerable education and military training.”

“Possesses exceptional abilities.”

Jason looked at the first letter, musing subconsciously.

Then, he opened the chest.

Besides the change of clothes, there was a coin pouch.

Inside were three banknotes and four coins.

The banknotes included one with a denomination of 5.

And two with a denomination of 1.

All four coins were 1s.

After putting the coin pouch into his jacket pocket, Jason picked up the newspaper.

Jordanlund Daily.

“The Disappearing Cat (Serial in Progress)”

“House of Divination Invites Your Presence”

“Yesterday’s Circus Performance was a Disaster!”

…

There was no question that this was a newspaper containing both daily life and entertainment.

For Jason, it was enough.

Because all he needed was to confirm the date.

Hp.1881.9.15!

The date was clearly written at the very top of the newspaper.

Judging by the newspaper’s degree of freshness, it must have been from the last day or two.

“A little over ten days left?”

Jason quickly packed his things, calculating the days.

Whether from the content of the letters or the posting date, traveling from Jordanlund to ‘Hans’ Harbour was a fairly long distance, and he didn’t want to fail the main quest by not arriving in time.

Although it wasn’t explicitly stated what would happen if he failed the main quest,

Jason couldn’t allow himself to fail, just thinking of the 6 points of satiety spent.

Carrying the chest, Jason pushed open the door; before him was a long corridor with rooms on both sides, five houses on one side and, due to the washroom and the staircase leading downstairs, only two on the other.

Jason’s room was in the middle of the five on one side.

“An inn?”

“An apartment for rent?”

Jason guessed as he continued forward, intending to go downstairs.

It was then, as he did so, that Jason clearly heard a faint noise coming from behind him in the washroom.

It was the sound of…

Tearing, chewing meat.

PS Fat Dragon recommends “The Age of Descent of All Realms”~ For the members of Fat Dragon’s foodie Legion, feel free to check it out~