Chapter 11: Opening a Chicken Restaurant in Another World

The deal with Rachel went smoothly.

Although I couldn’t promise three meals a day, I offered to provide her dinner every evening, which made her very happy.

However, her reason for being happy was a bit unexpected.
“Anyway, I only eat one meal a day! It’s more efficient time-wise that way!”

The idea of getting a free meal every day when she only ate once a day seemed like a great deal to her!

Honestly, hearing that made me feel a little guilty, wondering if I had been too stingy. But the thought of five chickens quickly eased my conscience.
“At least I need to keep the business running until they come back.”

While I wasn’t broke, I couldn’t afford to feed a mage three meals a day indefinitely.

After finalizing the deal with Rachel, I had an appointment with Elder Eloy.

“Now, this here is Jackson, the head of the Hilton branch of the Adventurers’ Guild, and this is Kyle, my successor for the restaurant. Go ahead and greet each other.”

Wait, the acquaintance from the Adventurers’ Guild was the branch head?

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one surprised, as the branch head looked equally shocked when he saw me.

“Kyle? Surely not the Red Moon Sword?”

“The Guild did call me that.”

“Good grief, Elder! You could’ve told me about this in advance! I almost had to endure another rant from above about how the branch head didn’t know something like this!”

“Why? This way is more fun.”

“What fun?!”

“The fun of seeing someone’s surprised expression, of course.”

The elder chuckled heartily while the branch head closed his eyes as if nursing a headache.

After glaring briefly at the elder, he cautiously asked me,

“I heard about your retirement, but… have you truly stepped away from it all?”

“Even if I wanted to, it would be difficult with my leg in this condition.”

“That’s true… but still, for the Red Moon Sword…”

I shook my head.

“I’ve already decided to run a restaurant. I won’t be returning.”

“I see. A Gold Badge Adventurer retiring—what a significant loss for the kingdom.”

“Don’t be too disappointed. There are many Gold Badge Adventurers, but finding a restaurant owner who can cook as well as Kyle is much harder. He’s better than me.”

“Oh? Is that so?”

“Absolutely. Why? Do you think I’d hand over my restaurant to just anyone?”

“Of course not. I’ll make sure to visit someday.”

“Sure. I’ll treat you to my best dish.”

With that, we wrapped up our conversation, and I brought up my main concern with him.

“Do you have any recent news about Isel’s party?”

“Isel’s party? About a week ago, we received reports that they entered the Demon King’s territory. Since it’s the first time anyone has made it there, there’s a lot of buzz about the war potentially ending soon.”

They entered the Demon King’s territory?

If true, it was astonishing. In modern terms, it was akin to a special forces unit infiltrating the enemy’s capital.

The idea that the war might soon end didn’t seem premature at all.

If they succeeded, the war would indeed be over.

But my heart was racing for an entirely different reason.

“If they succeed…”

What if they failed?

I have considered failure and death before.

However, looking at it from a third-person perspective, now that I am no longer in the party, the feeling is entirely different from when I was with them.

The helplessness of having no choice but to trust and wait is far more agonizing than I expected.

“No, they’ll succeed.”

If it’s them—those I’ve seen and fought alongside—failure is impossible.

Even if no one else believes in them, I must hold on to that belief.

Calming my mind, I made a request to the branch head.

“If any additional information comes in, could you let me know?”

“It’s not a difficult request. I’ll contact you as soon as I hear anything.”

“Thank you. And if anything happens at the guild, let me know. Even though I’m retired, I can still be of some help.”

“Are you serious?! I’ll take you up on that!”

“…Just don’t ask too often. I still have the restaurant to run.”

“Haha! Don’t worry. I’m not that shameless.”

Jackson, the branch head, grinned as he said that.

Seeing a rugged man smile like that made him look like a pirate captain who had just found a treasure ship.

Elder Eloy clicked his tongue at the sight.

“Does it make you that happy to put a retired man to work?”

“Who said I’m working him to the bone? I’m just relieved to have some insurance.”

I sincerely hoped he would keep it at that level.

After requesting a change in guild affiliation and other formalities, I left the branch.

A week later.

Just as I finished preparing to open the restaurant, Uncle Olek handed me a new prosthetic leg.

“It’s done. I made it from the lightest and strongest metal I could find.”

“It still feels heavier than it looks.”

“I balanced the weight to match your remaining leg. Once you put it on, it shouldn’t feel heavy.”

He was right.

The prosthetic leg was remarkably similar in appearance and weight to my own.

It was crafted specifically for me, fitting perfectly, and far exceeding my expectations.

The silver sheen on its surface made it look less like a prosthetic and more like a piece of high-end armor.

But my admiration for its appearance didn’t last long.

The moment I put it on and started walking, I was blown away by its performance.

“Wow, except for the lack of sensation, it’s almost indistinguishable from my real leg! Even the pressure points feel greatly reduced!”

“Well, it’s made of metal, so it’s sturdier than your real leg.”

“Oh, you’re right. At this level, I might even be able to return as an adventurer.”

“What? What did you just say?”

“No, I just meant it’s good enough for that, so please put the hammer down!”

Anyway, with this, all the preparations were complete.

As we stood on the verge of opening, Selly asked me,

“Everything’s ready now. Did you decide on a name for the restaurant?”

“Yeah, I’ve thought of one.”

Shortening “Kyle’s Fried Chicken” to KFC…

No, that would be plagiarism, so I went with a different name.

“The restaurant’s name is Party House.”

Party House.

I named it with the hope that those guys would return safely and share a drink here.

And so, the otherworldly chicken restaurant, Party House, opened its doors.

“I’m back, dammit! I made it back alive, you bastards!”

The adventurer Dennis kicked open the door of the adventurer’s guild and shouted.

If he had done this as a mere Copper-ranked adventurer, he would have faced the harsh reality of the guild’s strict hierarchy. But today was different.

The request he had just completed was none other than a promotion quest!

Now, he was no longer just a Copper-ranked adventurer but proudly a Silver-ranked adventurer, worthy of being called a true adventurer.

The other adventurers in the guild, already aware of his promotion, rose from their seats and cheered for Dennis’s safe return.

“Hey, is that guy really back alive?”

“I told you he’d make it! Damn it, I believed in him!”

“Stop lying and pay up for the bet! You bet he wouldn’t come back!”

“Oh, did I? Damn it, why did I even get excited for him?”

Though it didn’t sound much like a congratulation, Dennis didn’t care.

What mattered was that he had returned alive and had become a proud Silver-ranked adventurer!

High on adrenaline, he raised the reward money high and shouted.
“A pint of beer to anyone who recommends a great bar! First come, first served!”

“Who’s going to settle for just one pint, you fool?”

“Oh, is a Copper-ranked adventurer daring to talk back?”

“Look at this guy, already acting cocky before even receiving his Silver badge!”

The adventurers laughed at someone’s jeers, but not everyone ignored his words.

Ruth, the guild’s information broker who was always around, spoke up.
“Try the restaurant just down the street. It’s pretty good.”

“The one that old man used to run? Did it reopen?”

“No, it got sold. But it’s even better now. Way better.”

“Really?”

Dennis was intrigued.

The restaurant known among adventurers as “the place down the street,” Traveler’s Rest, was famous for its refined dishes, thanks to the old owner.

However, its high prices meant that as a Copper-ranked adventurer, Dennis could only ever admire it from afar.

“But now, things are different!”

Who is he?

Silver-ranked adventurer Dennis.

Though the past Dennis, who was just a Copper rank, couldn’t step inside, the current Dennis could!

The fact that the place was supposedly better now made him worry about higher prices, but…

On the day of his promotion to Silver rank, trivial matters like that didn’t bother him.

Even if it meant spending every coin he earned, today was a day to celebrate!

Resolving himself, Dennis kicked the guild door open once more.

“Thanks for the info!”

“I’ll put a pint of beer on my tab for you.”

“Make sure it’s only one pint! If it’s two, I’ll kill you later!”

With that, Dennis headed to the restaurant.

He recognized the familiar building but paused at the sight of the unfamiliar sign.

The bold sign, which read Party House, and the wooden sculpture of a chicken caught his attention for a moment.

Then, with confident strides, Dennis walked inside.

The place was bustling with customers.

“Oh, so this is how it looks inside.”

The spacious hall was filled with people.

The tables were already crowded with adventurers who were heavily intoxicated.

But more than the crowd or the lively atmosphere, what captivated Dennis’s attention was the food placed on the tables.

‘What is that?’

A dish that gleamed golden under the lights!

It didn’t look particularly fancy, but the aroma wafting from it was no joke.

The rich, savory smell seemed to punch his stomach directly!

Dennis, who almost drooled without realizing it, swallowed hard and made a decision.

‘Whatever that is, that’s my dinner tonight.’

He sat down at an empty table and soon called a server who approached him.

“What’s that dish called?”

“Oh, that? It’s buttermilk chicken. Fried chicken.”

“Give me that and a pint of beer.”

“Sure, your order has been placed.”

The food arrived quicker than expected.

It was thanks to the endless stream of orders keeping the kitchen frying nonstop, but Dennis was simply happy the food came out fast.

And as soon as the chicken was placed before him, Dennis felt a little dizzy.

“Wow, this is insane.”

He already knew it looked amazing, but seeing it up close made the aroma and visuals overwhelming.

Its presence was so dominating that he didn’t even glance at the beer that came with it.

Already starving, Dennis pushed everything else aside and tore off a piece of chicken.

As the tender meat tore apart smoothly, steam rose gently. He blew on it to cool it down, stuffed his mouth full, and—

“Holy shit! Why am I only trying this now?”

He devoured the chicken as if he had wasted half his life missing out on it.

The next day, Dennis couldn’t stop bragging about his incredible experience at the guild.

Before long, Party House became a famous hotspot among adventurers.