"Heehee. I thought waiters in Barbie's Restaurant all knew its rules?" Flora chuckled in sarcasm.
Greasy Bird Neo was not offended in the least. He kept speaking with tensed lips while picking his nose, "Lady Greya, Tom Weasel brought a guest and needs you to admit him."
Guest? Now? Sunders raised an eyebrow.
Could it be those wandering wizards outside? Flora frowned while smiling. Tom Weasel did not let them in because they did not have a card. So… who was it this time?
Greya was focused on her cooking and was not listening at all. She did not even look at Greasy Bird.
As a gourmet wizard, she had her own rules to obey when cooking.
"Who is it? Don't you see there are already customers here? Don't tell me it's a silver card holder?" Flora kept her sarcasm as if she really hated Greasy Bird.
In this small banquet room where Greya was currently working silently, Flora's words were exceptionally loud.
When Flora mentioned "silver card holder", Greya's ears twitched, but she did not stop her work.
Greasy Bird picked something from his nose and swallowed it carelessly. "No, not a silver card."
Flora sneered at the answer, but when she saw Greasy's action, she almost vomited.
Greya, on the other hand, put away her doubt and continued being an attentive cook.
Greasy Bird shrugged. "It's a golden card."
Flora was not sure she heard right, so she frowned hard and let out a "Huh?"
Sunders, who was slowly tapping on the table with his finger, stopped when he heard the answer.
Clang—
The cooker in Greya's hand dropped on the ground, causing a loud metal clanking noise.
"A golden card? Are you sure?" Greya asked aloud without paying attention to her professionalism anymore.
"Yes, my lady."
Greya tossed her diamond-decorated tools away and quickly trotted to Greasy Bird. "Then move! Now!"
Barbie's Restaurant only gave out three golden cards in each business cycle. A guest with a golden card was even more important than Greya herself.
Greya followed Greasy Bird and left quickly. She was in such a hurry because the rule of treating a golden customer was not her own idea, but something "that man" established, and she was demanded by him to strictly follow it. That man was the source of belief in the entire Fairytown, and she would follow his words no matter what.
"Ehh??" Flora said. She tried to stop Greya, but was stopped by Sunders.
"It doesn't matter. We already found Greya, we can wait. The rules about cards were the inherited tradition for the Candy House. Greya's Barbie's Restaurant, Felicia's Butterfly Tavern… They all follow the rules," Sunders paused. He then expressed a cold grin, "Although I would really like to know who this guest is."
Sunders took his black hat and put it on gracefully. He lowered the hat brim a bit and left the banquet room.
…
Following Tom Weasel's guidance, everyone reached their dining place.
After walking through the dark, ghostly hallway, they were not expecting their destination to be something like this.
The golden banquet room was like a luxurious guest room in a grand theater. Large, magnificent and glittering. The carpet was made from the hide from some unknown beast - it was pure white soft fur mixed with traces of golden velvet. The walls were decorated with foreign, silver embroideries with concentration spell formulas written on them. The tables and chairs were carved out of magical plants which gave out an aura that calmed the mind. The dishes were white, flawless porcelain artworks. Even the lamp holder beside the dishware was golden and carved with the image of an abyss beast.
From the fairytale style from outside to the dark Baroque hallway, till the extreme luxury in front of them now… The group experienced several different styles, which were all strange, yet harmonious.
Maybe all the staff here are just as strange? Angor pondered.
They met a lot of weird workers on their way. The dancing Tom Weasel, a ghost cleaner who kept talking nonsense, sloppy manager Neo who was drenched in oil, an eyeless waiter with a stiff body who could only hop forward… oh, and finally, this one.
Angor looked at the mass of flesh, Greya, and gulped. Of course, that was not because of Greya's bewitching makeup. He was scared.
As Greya followed Neo into the golden banquet room, she immediately sensed the ripples from the magic lines on the golden card.
She was surprised too. She was expecting al wizard, or at least a wizard's companion. However, it was only an ordinary man who had not even constructed his spirit model.
The surprise only lasted for a second before Greya quickly put it away. Tom Weasel had told her telepathically that this young man named Angor was the golden card holder.
So little Toby was behind all this?
Greya raised an eyebrow. Whatever was the Morning Dew that attracted Toby?
Greasy Bird Neo quietly stepped back to somewhere out of sight while Tom Weasel led everyone into their seats.
Heroline, Jellal, and Sabot sat down in a leisure manner, while the other apprentices hesitated. There were seats for them, but they did not dare to sit down. Same for Angor. However, Tom Weasel just kept staring at him, and Angor could not stand those stares in the end, so he took a seat in embarrassment before Tom Weasel finally walked away with his dancing steps.
Jellal humphed in frustration, for sharing a table with a common mortal. However, he did not say anything. The mortal had the golden card, after all.
Heroline and Sabot chatted nonchalantly while Angor sat with a blank face, with no one to talk to. He kept shifting anxiously until Greya walked in front of him with charming steps and swaying hips.
"It's good to see you, honored guest," said Greya as she sat down on the table in front of Angor in a seducing way. She took out a folding fan decorated with laced edge and gave Angor's shoulder a gentle tap.
Angor shivered.
"I'm Greya, your chef today."
When she mentioned her name, Heroline, Sabot and Jellal all looked at her. They thought this monstrosity of human flesh was also one of the workers. But man, she was the owner of the restaurant, "Warrior Barbie" Greya!
"So you're Lady Greya. Back at the Floating Mech City, my mentor Mithra mentioned your name," said Sabot.
Sabot was expecting Greya to respond or exchange a basic greeting with him, but… Greya only turned around, looked at him up and down, and turned away.
"…" Sabot was speechless.
Heroline had a clear idea about her position. The three wizards were only receiving a free meal thanks to Angor, so she did not try to talk to Greya. Instead, she watched the interaction between Greya and Angor with interest. Ha, a real wizard, serving a common mortal. This was fun.
"La—Lady Greya, I'm Angor Padt, a reserved student for White Coral Floating Island Academy." Angor stood up uneasily and gave Greya a deep bow.
Greya stopped him with her fan. "Angor Padt, is it? I'll call you Angor from now on, can I? And put away those manners. You're in my restaurant, you're my guest. To hell with the wizard rules."
She unfolded her fan and hid her crimson lips behind the laced fan leaves as she said, "Not to mention that you're the most respected golden customer of Barbie's Restaurant."