They return to the bustling streets of vendors and shopkeepers. Customers and consumers walking here and there…
Kate's stomach starts to growl as she walks.
"Ah, sorry, please don't mind…" she says with an apologetic expression.
"Don't worry about it," Delta reassures her, "Let's go eat anyways. I'm also quite hungry."
Violetta nods and follows them towards the bustling restaurant, filled with customers, since it's noon.
It's one of the best restaurants in the area. Although the size was on the smaller size, the cooking is fantastic, is what it says on the ratings.
The group walks into Heaven's World Restaurant.
The sounds of orders, dishes served and the wafting smell of steamed fish and fried rice comes over.
A couple of stomachs growl.
A waitress comes up front in a dark purple qipao and a maroon stick in her hair.
"Big sis, what's that stick looking thing?" Chris asks, tugging her sleeve.
"It's called a 'zan' or hairpin. It's a traditional hairpin that's worn by many women in this country. You did see some in the palace too actually. If you look at the concubines, they wear ones made of gold. Also, those complex hair ornaments that stick out of their hair with a bunch of tassels and designs; two of them in the back are also 'zan'," Violetta patiently explains.
Chris looks at Violetta for a moment before processing and understanding. Then, he nods his head happily.
The waitress smiles at the child and then turns towards Delta and Kate.
"A table for how many?" she asks in a polite voice.
"Just four," Delta replies naturally.
She brings them around the busy restaurant and towards the window giving them a nice table of four with the view of the lake. The waitress chose a nice place for them, since she knew the child and ladies wouldn't want to be caught in the center of the pushing and pulling and gossip around the tables.
Next, she hands them the menu.
Violetta takes it, politely nodding her head before looking down at the assortment of signature dishes.
"I'd like one bowl of the specialty beef ramen please!" she orders, cheerfully.
It's just like when she was enjoying food before. Though the decision seemed to be made fairly fast, she had already skimmed through the specialties, sides, and mains in the menu before making her decision. She had also noticed the chef at the display window skillfully 'pulling' the ramen into long, bouncy, strands when she walked in before. Those were her skills as a gourmet food critic and foodie.
Her gaze softens as she's reminded of all the delicious foods she tried in her past life. There were also many that she wanted to try… hopefully they existed here too.
The waitress turns her head towards Kate and Delta.
Kate speaks up first.
" I'd like uhhhh… sweet and sour pork and the shrimp with fried rice," she reads the name unfamiliarly and nervously.
"I'll take the pork dumplings…" Delta adds.
Both of them looked unnatural and were unfamiliar with the ways. It is easy to tell they weren't from here.
The waitress gives them a calm, reassuring smile while Violetta gives a thumbs up for 'good job'.
The waitress then turns towards the little boy sitting beside Violetta.
His eyes darted left and right, as if trying to find somewhere to escape. The startled little boy sees the waitress looking at him. Unfortunately at the Demigod Society, his brother treated him like a treasure, so he's never done something like this before. He panics with pressure building up inside.
Violetta frowns, concerned, "What's wrong, Chris?"
He looks at the heartwarming face, and tugs her sleeve.
"Big sister, I don't know what to order…"
She smiles understanding the situation from his thoughts.
Patiently, she points back to the menu on the table.
"Is there anything you like?"
He shakes his head, a trace of confusion in his eyes.
"Alright, then how about I suggest some for you?" she asks.
Chris's eyes shine brightly in hope.
"Hmm, I'd recommend you try the classic tomato and eggs and … ooh the soup dumplings look nice too!" says Violetta, while pointing to the individual names.
"Alright?"
"Mhm."
Mustering up his courage, the young child faces the waitress.
"U-uhm, I'd like the tomato and eggs dish and soup dumplings…"
The waitress smiles and jots the order down quickly. Then, after confirming everything she leaves.
BAM!
A mug of beer slams on a neighboring table.
A young blonde hair boy with flushed cheeks hobbles around.
"How dare those cheapskates, those bastards disrespect us! Don't they know who we are?!"
The surrounding crowds of diners all shrink back, seemingly to avoid attention.
Violetta furrows her brows. They were the same troublemakers from the herb halls.
"He sounds like a broken record always saying that!" Kate harrumps.
"Alright, alright, Azin. Stop shouting. You've drank too much today," the burly adult with a scar orders.
Azin hiccups, "Hic- no way! I haven't drunk enough! And those fools are too stupid to know what's good for them! After everything her highness has done for them!"
Violetta frowns. She's never heard of any achievements or such that Lotus did for the country other than keeping the Emperor company.
The underaged drinker chugs another mug of beer, "Not hic, not enough!"
He reaches out to the cans on the tables.
A loud bang is shakes the cans and table.
"You've had enough," a low voice thunders, "Draven, take Azin. He's acting like a disgrace to our name. Let's go."
"Yessir," the scar faced man responds.
He chucks the blonde boy over his shoulder and walks out the door along with the rest of the members.
"Say, don't you feel like they ran off acting proud like they have a trump card but are actually dogs running with their tails between their legs?" Delta jokes.
"Hey! I didn't think you had a funny bone in you!" Violetta nudges the once-seriously-doing her job, mage.
"I like to joke once in a while."
The princess laughs.
"Anyways, regardless of if they have a trump card or not, we shouldn't underestimate Concubine Lotus's side," she responds with a more serious expression.