Time passed, and it was now night. Amber explained a few more things to Kai and how to refill the Spirit Power using the Nature power that existed in the atmosphere.
They had dinner together in the restaurant area. The menu that night was a spicy Mapo Tofu, Kai's specialty. When they had dinner, the door of the restaurant was opened again. Kai looked up in reflex, afraid another Slayer was to find Amber.
But the one entering the restaurant was someone familiar. An old man with a healthy build and gray hair.
"Grandpa!" He called out, which made Amber turn around to look in the door's direction.
"Oh, that lad is still here. You've grown up, huh, brat?" Kai's grandfather smirked as he approached them.
"No, Amber isn't like that. More importantly, where are you going earlier?"
"Ah? Not your business." He scoffed, then turned to Amber. "Nice to meet you, lass. You can call me Marcus or grandpa, seeing that you're apparently this brat's woman. Hahahaha."
"Ah, yes. Please call me Amber, Grandpa."
Kai could only watch their exchange. It was smooth that he had no chance to fix his grandfather's misunderstanding. Amber also didn't seem to mind as she didn't fix it.
'I will tell him in private later.' He thought.
"Oh, brat. You make Mapo Tofu for dinner?"
"Yeah. Do you want some? There are still some left in the kitchen."
"Nah, I will eat it later. I think I will drink outside with the others." Marcus pointed outside in the direction of the stall near the restaurant.
"The sun had just set…" Kai muttered, looking at his grandfather with a hopeless gaze.
"A perfect time to drink, no? Bahahaha!" With a loud laugh, Marcus walked out of the restaurant, leaving Kai and Amber behind.
"He's a free-spirited old man," Amber commented.
"Too free-spirited, in fact." Kai sighed. "Let's eat, Amber."
"Yes."
***
After eating, Amber returned to Kai's room. She said she was still recovering her Spirit Power from the contract, and Kai let her be as he went to the stall to have a drink.
He really needed one, especially after what had happened.
The stall was filled with old people. The younger ones seldom visit the drinking stall like this lately and often choose to go to modern bars and café. But Kai liked the atmosphere around here the most. Besides, the drink was cheap, and he could save some money.
"Hey, brat! Come here!" Marcus called out to him when he walked toward the stall. Sitting with his grandpa were 2 other old men. One of them had a mustache, while the other one was bearded. Both had short gray hair, but they still looked as energetic as people in their mid-thirties.
He didn't really think much about it as he knew both of them.
"Good evening, old man John, old man Billy."
"Oh! Here comes the man. I heard from Marcus you got a busty girlfriend. Hahaha! Way to go, Kai!"
"Indeed. I heard she's an orange head beauty. She also looks good in a Chinese dress. Lucky you."
John and Billy smiled widely as they laughed. The old men around here really loved rumors and joked around.
"She's not my girlfriend, only my friend. Also, she will work as a new waitress tomorrow, so don't tease me too much, old men." Kai said as he pulled the chair beside his grandfather and sat on it. "A beer, please." He raised his hand, calling for the owner.
The owner raised his thumb, signifying he had gotten his order.
"Excuses. What kind of friend sleeps together, huh?" Marcus scoffed as he drank his beer heartily. "Kuh! That hit the spot!" He wiped the remaining bubble around his lips with his sleeve.
"We just passed out from drinking last night." Kai made his excuses. "Anyway, grandpa. Can she use the room next to mine? I promised her free lodging if she helped us as a waitress."
"Sure." Marcus replied instantly, surprising Kai. "What? Do you think I will refuse? Even if you said she's your friend, I still believe she's your fucking girl. Don't make excuses and man up, Kai! Even if I am strict with you, I am glad you get a girl yourself."
"As I said–"
"Here is your beer!" The owner came at a bad time and slammed Kai's beer on the table. "Enjoy it."
"Just like what Marcus said, Kai. Don't make excuses! You will only hurt your girl!" John said seriously."
"Like he said." Billy nodded a few times, agreeing with John. "I remember how my wife hit me when I lied about her being my friend."
"Hahaha! That was really funny! Bai Ju was really mad at that time." Marcus laughed and pointed at Billy.
They began to talk about old stories among themselves, ignoring Kai, who was left helpless and still couldn't resolve the misunderstanding.
He decided to drink quietly. At least his grandfather didn't mind Amber living with them in the next room. That was one problem over. He could always fix the misunderstanding the next day.
***
As Kai drank with his grandfather, Amber sat on top of Kai's bed while absorbing Nature Power to replenish her lost Spirit Power.
The small dots of light in the room slowly absorbed into her body as she breathed in a certain rhythm. There was a smile on her face, a happy one.
Mythical beings such as Mythical Beast didn't need to concentrate much to absorb Nature Power. They naturally absorbed it; breathing in a certain rhythm only made it faster. Kai himself didn't know it, but his body also naturally absorbed Nature Power when he was sleeping, like her.
Talking about Kai, Amber was thinking about him.
'I am glad he was the one to save me from my carelessness.'
Indeed, she was somehow careless and slept at a random place yesterday without putting up a barrier. She could make one without a Talisman due to her nature as a Mythical Beast. But she didn't tell Kai yet.
"But thanks to that, I am able to stay with him. I am glad." She muttered.
***
"So this is Amber, the new worker here from today onward."
"Nice to meet you all!"
The next day, Kai introduced Amber to the two waitresses wearing red qipao. Currently, Amber also wore a dress similar to theirs, but with a shorter skirt and black thighs.
The two waitresses had wide smiles. They finally gained a new person, meaning their work would decrease a lot. So they welcomed her warmly.
Kai smiled, looking at them. He returned to the kitchen as he left Amber's instruction to the two waitresses. He believed in those two, Mai and Anna.
After some preparation, the restaurant was opened afterward. As usual, the morning was the easiest part. Only some people wanted to eat in their restaurant in the morning as the menu was a bit limited. All complex dishes were only available at lunch and dinner.
It was going great. Or it was supposed to run smoothly and great. That was until Amber showed up through the small window in the kitchen, gesturing to Kai to get closer. He was a bit confused, but he approached Amber because the restaurant wasn't too busy yet.
"What's wrong?" He asked curiously.
"There is a Slayer entering the restaurant." She said quietly. "And he's ordering a spicy Mapo Tofu."
"Say what?"
"What should I do to him?"
"For now…" Kai paused a little, trying to make a decision. There were many other customers, and he couldn't make a scene.
If the Slayer stayed silent and ordered food, that meant he brought no harm and also didn't want much attention. It was only thanks to Amber, who could somehow sense a Slayer with a method he didn't know yet, that they knew there was a Slayer entering the restaurant.
The action he needed to take was simple in that case.
"Let's serve him Mapo Tofu first."