I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun

〈Chapter 5〉 4 – Reaction

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“Are there many people outside?”

“There are so many that even doubling the salary wouldn’t be enough.”

“Hearing that makes me not want to work even more.”

It wasn’t because I was tempted by the rumor that the boss was a white tiger.

The server, who mumbled to himself, stared at the long line of people outside with dead eyes.

Wasn’t break time supposed to mean a time to rest?

But why was I cleaning, organizing items, doing the dishes, mopping the floor, and sorting ingredients during break time?

Actually, that’s correct.

Well, because there was so much work, I liked that they paid us more than we could imagine.

But that was it.

Everyone who came here had similar reasons. Was it to eat, or to see the boss and then eat?

Therefore, everyone working here needed to know where the boss was at all times or have the skills to make up convincing excuses.

Or both.

Even after only three months of working here, I had become quite skilled at talking my way out of things.

“Was it like this when it first opened?”

“Probably better than now…”

Wait. Or not?

If you add the initial rush of a new opening, it would have truly been a hell on earth.

It would have been like an unexpected logistics job suddenly arriving at the restaurant.

For that reason, it was said that no place had a higher turnover rate of part-timers in the first three months after opening than here.

Not because the conditions were bad, but because it was hard.

By the way.

“It’s noisier than usual outside today.”

“Indeed.”

The sound of murmuring reached all the way here. Had the boss arrived? I glanced at my wristwatch.

It was 4:28 PM, almost time for the restaurant to reopen.

Even so, the commotion outside was clearer than usual.

When was the last time it was like this?

From my memory, it was when the boss came back from running errands and met the customers outside.

But today, he was inside.

“Well, we’ll find out once we open the doors.”

Although it was a sudden story, there’s a saying from an anime that reality is more dramatic than drama.

These days, drama plots are so chaotic that it wasn’t always accurate, but…

—There are many customers, so I’ll come back later.

—Oh, no! I’ll clear the reservation sign on that table for you.

Unexpectedly, another beastkin came into the store, making it a scene that made you question the realism of reality.

Everyone, not just the servers, subtly rolled their eyes.

A snake tail thick as a thigh and a visual enough to draw admiration.

Pointed ears poking out from long hair and deep blue eyes.

A gaze so blatant it seemed almost physical focused on one spot in the store.

The protagonist, however, seemed uninterested.

“…Don’t they include tips here?”

“Sorry? Tips?”

“Oh.”

…There was something strange about it.

Had she lived abroad? Well, imagination is free to work anywhere and anytime.

That thought ended there.

At a time when customers were pouring in, spacing out and staring at someone would be a nuisance to both colleagues and the person themselves.

Carefully placing an order slip, with an oddly long list, on the table, I headed to another table.

There were far too many people.

Moreover, human memory is inherently volatile, and the memories of employees in a crowded store evaporated even more easily.

After a chaotic rush, the order confirmations and all the table settings were complete.

Now it was time for the kitchen to get busy.

And.

“I’ll confirm your order. One garlic carbonara pasta, one gorgonzola pizza, one grilled chicken and mushroom risotto, and one herb rib-eye steak, correct?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“You can pack the leftovers, so let us know if you’re full.”

Nod.

Enough food for two people to eat to their fill was placed on the table where only one person sat.

The gaze, which seemed to be cooling down, quickly refocused on that spot, but her attention was on the food.

Slowly, the spoon and fork were picked up.

The inhalation began.

Despite all the food being freshly made and hot enough to emit steam.

Humans naturally turn their gaze towards something contrary to their thoughts or simply fascinating.

The ancient sages elegantly called this behavior ‘inquiry’ and referred to it as the essence and driving force of human development.

Resolving curiosity about things different from oneself was the most powerful fuel and reason for human actions.

Therefore…

“…Wow…”

While slowly wiggling that smooth tail,

It seemed legal to send an involuntary gaze towards the serpent woman eating more than five servings of food.

However, that was all they were allowed.

Who knew that secretly taking a photo could later bring a summons notice via registered mail or text, seen at the worst possible moment.

Laws related to manifested beings were particularly strict in such matters.

Anyway, her presence caused a lot of curiosity among those dining in the restaurant.

Manifested beings, especially those with such distinct physical features, were extremely rare in society.

They had been worshiped since the time animism appeared on Earth in the distant past.

While worship had disappeared in modern society, it had naturally transformed into social attention and popularity up to the present moment.

In short, she was akin to another celebrity sneaking into a restaurant run by a celebrity chef.

Of course…

“Hmm…”

She was absorbed in her meal.

Her eating speed was neither fast nor slow, and like any meal, the food slowly diminished with calm and orderly actions.

One more peculiar thing stood out.

───Ssss.

Holding the steak steady with her left hand, she grasped the knife with her tail and cut the steak while putting pizza into her mouth with her right hand.

An act that perhaps only one person in the world could perform.

At that moment, the question often raised on various internet communities,

“If a tail is big and long enough, can it be as useful as an arm?” was unexpectedly answered.

Time passed slowly, with everyone but her feeling on edge.

“Does the food suit your taste?”

A fluffy white tail.

Ears perked up high.

Black and white striped hair.

The owner of the restaurant, who had heard the news, appeared.

*

“Phew.”

Now I felt alive.

Skipping breakfast and lunch had made me feel like I was going to die of hunger.

The biggest and chronic problem of this seemingly perfect body was its fuel efficiency.

With a minimum daily calorie consumption exceeding 5000kcal, my body was like a food-consuming hippo.

Back then, my team members always carried extra calorie bars in their gear for me.

Anyway.

Rustle.

Various aromas wafted from the many packaged foods hanging from my arms and tail.

I had barely met my minimum daily calorie intake with the earlier meal, so these would serve as snacks or late-night food later.

…Looking at it like this, I seemed like a complete glutton. Consuming a lot of calories and money. Since I hadn’t been here long, I didn’t have any money I earned.

I was using the money saved by my past self.

Thinking about it, it seemed a bit risky to spend money like this.

If I had stayed there, I could have lived without major financial problems by working as an urban warfare consultant or tactical advisor, but…

Well, I had returned, so that’s that. Now, I needed to quickly figure out how to make money here.

It was a shame the ICARUS device wasn’t compatible with the local government standards, or I could withdraw the salary I hadn’t used until now. I should try as soon as I returned.

Thinking about various things, I arrived back in front of the apartment complex.

It was a decent place, even to someone as ignorant about houses as me.

If asked whether I had originally lived here, the answer would be ambiguous…

As I walked with such thoughts, I felt something odd in my pocket.

“…What should I do with this?”

The crinkling sound was from a business card.

Even now, I felt quite baffled. Who asks about such things while dining, not even in a fine dining restaurant?

Moreover, fine dining places usually don’t do that, right?

Anyway, what happened was simpler than expected.

While I was eating, the restaurant owner appeared, asked a few questions—apparently, despite the restaurant’s name, they had stopped participating directly in the cooking process since about three months ago—and gave me a business card after the payment.

The back of the card had a rough message asking if I was okay with signing and taking a photo for a visit commemoration.

The phone number was written there.

Since the restaurant was too crowded, we decided to discuss it later.

The restaurant reopened at around 4:30 PM, and after waiting for about 40 minutes and spending that much time eating, it was now around 6 PM.

Being in the middle of summer, it was relatively bright outside even in the evening. With the sunset painting the sky with light red hues, the day was ending.

Many tasks I had thought of throughout the day were being crossed off the list one by one.

I had safely moved the plate carrier, tactical vest, firearms, and other items to a secure place, so they were crossed off.

I had also memorized the rough layout of the neighborhood through today’s reconnaissance, so that was crossed off as well.

Let’s see, what’s next…

───Buzz!

“Ah, that startled me.”

With a loud noise and vibration, the ICARUS device projected a hologram.

The fragments of scattered letters quickly aligned,

And to summarize the content───

—Where did you neglect your physical training?

“Oh.”

I should find a nearby fitness club.

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