During the moments of silence among the three of us, I remembered something. Something… alarming, to say the least.
It was the fact that Arthur nonchalantly spent 15 gold coins in one sitting.
The miser in me felt stabbed, burned and whipped, from the amount of money he spent. With that money, I could feed the orphanage for two weeks.
Arthur was a little taller than me who is 162cm. Short orange hair, brown eyes and a slightly muscular build. He seemed to be a good person, so far at least, but I never thought to myself he might be a little rich.
Out of respect and the little dignity I had, I never asked him about his finances.
"I'm so excited!" Arthur's eyes were like twinkling stars, saliva gushing out his mouth and shaking with excitement and so was Maou.
They were so alike, it's like they were brothers or best friends from another life.
"Arthur, what's it gonna taste like?" Maou questioned Arthur.
"Maou, trust me. The meat here is one of the best I've ever had. The seasoning and perfectly fried meat are thrilling."
At the same time, one of the men out of a group sitting at a table got up and walked drunkenly towards us.
"Hey, little missy… *hic* … come drink with… *hic* … me and my pals…*hic* … and leave these… *hic* …kids to themselves."
The man's beer-soaked beard brushed against my face. He had his arms wrapped around me and the obvious smell of beer was oozing out of his mouth with each breath and word.
Disgusted, I pushed him off me and said. "Sorry, but I'll have to decline your offer."
The drunken man was not pleased with that and proceeded to grab my arm.
"You think you can disrespect me like that! Huh?!"
"Leave her alone!" Demanded Arthur, pushing the man back, releasing me. "Just go back to drinking with your pals."
The drunk man curled his fist. "Mind your business, SHRIMP!"
"Oh, please! Don't even bother. You couldn't hit the air if you tried." Arthur turned around, about to sit back down. "I don't want to hurt you. So, please leave."
His two friends back at his table were snickering at him.
"You think you can make fun of me and walk off like you're cool or something."
Enraged, he threw his fist at Arthur.
Arthur calmly, skillfully and in one motion, quickly turned to him and diverted the man's punch to the side with the palm of his hand.
Now, the drunken man's friends were loudly laughing at him. His pride was hurt and felt he needed to regain some form of dignity, even if he had to beat Arthur to a pulp.
"You brought this on yourself, Shrimp!" He threw another punch, but with more aggression than the last.
Arthur, with a dead-pan look, effortlessly stepped to the side and stretched his foot out. The man's punch missed and he tripped over Arthur's leg. Plummeting face-first to the wooden floor.
"Thump!" The drunken man was flat on the ground, confused by what happened.
His two drinking partners, who were laughing at first, saw this. They got up, pissed off and rushed at Arthur ready to attack.
"Who do you think you are, you little brat?!" Another drunken man of the three swung his fist at Arthur.
Arthur grabbed his arm and using the man's momentum judo threw him, shaking the ground and knocking him out.
While Arthur's guard was down for a split second, the third drunk man raised a broken glass to stab Arthur. By the time Arthur realised what was about to happen, it was too late, so he braced for impact.
"Springboard kick!" Maou shouted as he jumped off Arthur's back.
Launching off his shoulders, he collided his knee with the man's face. A tooth went flying out his mouth. He crashed into a nearby table breaking it. The man was knocked out.
"I've always wanted to do that." Maou grinned to himself, feeling accomplished.
"I'll make you pay for that Shrimp!" The first drunken man got up and went back at Arthur with a punch once more.
Unfortunately for him, I had a bone to pick.
"No, you don't!" I stomped hard on his left knee, making him lose balance and he fell on his back.
He clutched his damaged knee in pain. "No more, please! I'm sorry!"
I stood next to his face, glaring at him in pure disgust, then kicked him across the chin. The hit jerked his brain knocking him out. "That's for putting your nasty hands on me. You filth!"
"Thanks. You guys saved me." Arthur thanked, hopping back on the stool.
"I should be thanking you for standing up for me." I crouched over the man's body.
"That worked up my appetite." Maou grabbed his tummy.
"Maou-senpai! That was such an amazing attack you did. The jump-off was perfectly timed and the hit was on point, it even knocked out his tooth." Arthur praised Maou and made him blush.
"Perfect!" I found the money pouch that the first drunk man had. "Now, onto the next two. How lucky am I today?"
"Shelly, what are you doing?" Arthur asked.
"Oh, me! I'm just collecting their apology money for attacking us." I sang in a jolly tune.
"Wait…. Yes, they attacked us but taking their money. Isn't that going too far?"
"What's going too far? I'm simply accepting their apology." I continued to smile, filling my pouch with the money from the second man's pocket. "How kind of them to be so apologetic."
"Shelly, but that's wrong." Arthur tried stopping Shelly.
Maou put his hand on Arthur's shoulder.
"It's easier if you look away. Can't you see the money in her eyes? Pretend as if you don't know her and let her be shamefully happy."
"Is she always like that?" Asked the surprised Arthur.
"Only if it's money," Maou replied.
Maou had a desensitised and emotionless expression, looking at the money-hungry and despicable Shelly, scavenge through the men's pockets.
Everyone else in the bar witnessed Shelly's thieving actions with disdain. But, she was oblivious to their scornful eyes. She laughed to herself, counting 5 silver and 20 copper pieces. Her miserly joy was immeasurable.
"Yes! My precious!" Shelly started to sound like a goblin. "Rich! I am rich!"
Arthur's respect for her started to dwindle.
"Just turn around, Arthur. It'll pass soon." Maou urged him with a blank look.
Mr Meats popped out of the kitchen.
"Who's hungry?!" He shouted, carrying two huge plates.
Each having at least 20 pieces of meat piled on top. The children carried smaller plates. Some on their head, and their palms, at least 10 pieces on each plate.
"MEAT!" Arthur and Maou stretched over the counter, drooling at the food.
All the plates lined the entire counter. Piles of meat stacked on top of one another.
People on the inside and those looking in from the outside, all dropped their jaws in amazement.
The food glistened brightly in their eyes. The steam that graciously rose from the golden crispy meat, was overwhelming to them.
Maou wiped away a tear. "All this food…. It's so… beautiful! Words can't describe it."
Arthur also wiped away a tear. "I know what you mean. It's beyond heavenly!"
Both Maou and Arthur lifted their fork, then plunged deep into the succulent and enticing meat.
Before their salivating mouths and sharpened teeth tore through the food, they took a huge whiff.
"Sniff! Sniff!"
"It smells so GOOD!"
Maou and Arthur were elevated to cloud nine, using their nose.
"What's taking so long!? Hurry and take a bite. That's when you'll experience the true magic." Mr Meats stood behind the counter, folding his arms.
"Gulp!" Maou and Arthur swallowed their saliva, right before sinking their teeth in the meat.
"Crunch! Nom! Nom! Nom! Gulp!" They swallowed their first bite.
In that instance, they felt their souls exit their bodies and meet the Goddess Athena. The euphoric taste of the meat, along with the flavourful juices that oozed out, was soul bending. Their minds zoned out from trying to process its excellence.
"Hey! Are you both dead or something? Why're you so still?" Mr Meats was a bit anxious.
Maou and Arthur spoke in an enlightened voice with tears streaming down their face and a glowing light surrounded their head.
"Don't be perturbed, mortal. We aren't dead, but have instead ascended to the Goddess Athena herself, through your food, and attained enlightenment."
"Woah! … Did my cooking send you two mad?" Mr Meats took a step back in shock.
"Oh, wow! That smells so delicious. Don't mind if I take a bite." Shelly grabbed a piece, sunk her teeth in and started chewing then swallowed.
"Wait! Don't eat it… oh, no… it's too late." Mr Meats tried to stop Shelly.
"Why? Should I have not eaten that-?" Her mind zoned out mid-sentence.
Shelly felt her soul leave and reenter her body, then her eyes opened wide. Tears ran down her face and a blinding light surrounded her head.
"Ah…. Yes… I have attained enlightenment." Shelly touched her forehead. "My third eye has been awakened. I am now above the mortal soul."
"Yup! They've gone mad." Mr Meats shook his head.
His children stared at the food longingly, and Pork tried to sneakily grab a piece of meat.
"Stop that!" Chicken whispered, slapping Pork's wrist.
"I just want one, I'm starving." Pork gripped his belly.
"Well, it's not ours. So, don't touch it."
Looking away from the three lunatics in front of him, Mr Meats saw the broken table and three knocked out men.
"Who broke my precious restaurant!" Mr Meats became furious and flames seemed to be coming from his eyes.
"It was them! They did it" Everyone else present in the restaurant, pointed at the three drunk men knocked out cold.
"Pork! Beef! Mutton! Chicken! Turkey!" Mr Meats had veins bulging across his face, arms and neck. "Prepare the apology room. NOW!"
The children felt a major chill run down their spine when they heard the words "apology room".
"Sir! Yes, Sir!"
They all ran from behind the counter and pushed open the door to a dark and eerie room, in another corner of the bar.
"You three punks think you can come here and cause destruction to MY RESTAURANT! AND NOT FACE JUDGEMENT!"
Mr Meats with fire for eyes, dragged the three men by the collar into the dark and locked the door.
Everyone, other than the still enlightened Maou, Shelly and Arthur, clasped their hands and said a little prayer for the innocent men.
The one who truly broke the table was Maou, but who would believe them if they blamed such a small child.
"Bam! Bam! Bam! "
One of the men banged on the door heavily, but everyone pretended not to hear it.
"I know you can hear me. Get me out of here! Please, I beg you!"
"Where do you think you're going!? Come back here. I'm not done with any of you yet." Mr Meats roared in anger. "How dare you destroy the restaurant built by my ancestors! I'll make sure you pay with your dead body if I have to."
"It wasn't us! It was the little kid at the counter who did it. I swear!" One of them explained.
"You would dare accuse such a small and innocent child of your crimes. You coward of a man, own up to your wrongdoings."
"Crack!" The sound of bone breaking echoed in the restaurant.
"Ah! My leg! It hurts!" He screamed in pain.
One of them tried pleading for his life. "Please! Let me go. I have enough money to pay for it."
"Crack!" The second man's bone broke.
"Ah! My finger! It's broken!" He screamed in pain.
"Do you really believe your filthy money can return 100 years worth of memories?! You Dumbass!"
"Crack! Crack!" He broke two more fingers.
"Ah! Please stop! No more fingers, It hurts!"
"And what do you have to say for yourself!?" He spoke to the third man.
"Please! Have mercy! My right knee is already damaged, I can't walk."
"Oh, okay. I understand…. Your right knee is already damaged… but what about the LEFT KNEE?!"
He tried to crawl away from the diabolical Mr Meats. "No! No! No! Please! Leave me alone you monster!"
"Crack!" His right knee was stomped on, breaking it on spot.
"Ah! Help! Help! Somebody help us! It hurts!" The shouts and cries of pain and terror left the room.
Everyone pretended not to hear anything. They continued enjoying themselves, drinking, eating, laughing and chatting.
Ignorance is bliss, I guess.