Elvys watched the series of fluid movements and deeply felt provoked.
Ina picked up the trembling Coalball at her feet, stroked its fluffy head to comfort it, and explained, "Coalball is a cat I saw at a nearby college a few days ago. It's not very smart, so it's always bullied by other cats. In addition, as black cat, humans also dislike it. I saw a big footprint on its buttocks, so I brought it back."
She sat in front of Elvys, looking sincerely into his eyes. "Now that you're back too, I'll treat you both the same. Really."
Elvys: I almost believed it, just remove your hand from its head first!
The atmosphere in the restaurant was a bit awkward, or it might just be Ina who felt awkward. She looked at Coalball, who was swinging his fists in the air on one side, and the sulking black cat on the other, suddenly feeling that it wasn't such a big deal.
Ina began her 'love rat' speech: "I just made a mistake every woman would make. My heart shattered into many pieces, and each piece fell in love with a little kitten."
Black cat Elvys looked at Ina without changing his expression.
Coalball jumped onto Ina's lap, curling into a ball on his own. Ina covered its ears casually, and sweet-talked the other black cat who was still sulking, "Coalball is not here to break up this home, but to join it! Even though I have an extra cat, you're still my favorite."
Looking at Coalball, who was lying on Ina's lap, with both paws around Ina's wrist, Elvys, feeling his primary position at risk, slowly moved to lie down in front of Ina, looking away, his ears folding back slightly.
What's she staring at? Can't she understand his hint?
A delicate, fair hand covered his body, stroking from the top of his head all the way to his back. When she tried to continue, a soft tail wrapped around her wrist, hinting at Ina not to overstep.
When Helena walked into the Dragon Flame Restaurant, she saw a scene of a left and right embrace, surrounded by cats. Ina sat among them, calm and unmoved.
"A lot has changed in the restaurant while I was away from the capital," Helena looked at the two black cats vying for Ina's attention and joked.
Indeed, the changes in the restaurant every day were overwhelming. In just a few days, Ina had two black cats with completely different personalities, an additional waiter with green hair, and a well-arranged tea restaurant waiting to open for business.
Helena was here for this green-haired waiter. It was she who received Duke Elvys' instructions to bring Vilanthe from Safi to the capital, and she was also responsible for taking care of Princess Orlan's future life.
"I will take good care of Vilanthe. Her mother and I have some history, and Vilanthe can be considered my junior. I will discuss with her and determine Vilanthe's future plans." Ina held a full cherry, red and purple, and put it to Elvys's mouth. She took another one for herself.
Coalball also came over to ask for some, but Ina firmly moved its head aside. Coalball was just an ordinary kitten, unlike the black cat with strong digestion, so the food it ate was separately prepared and would not be mixed with people's food.
In this round, Elvys felt a slight advantage. He glanced at Coalball who continued to move forward and refused to give up, wanting to persuade it to save its effort.
The conversation between Helena and Ina was still going on. Ina proposed a novel idea, and Helena was trying to understand this delivery model.
"Takeaway Service?"
"Yes, the students place their orders on our takeaway panel, insert the coins, and take out a numbered plate with a location function. The mechanical bees in the restaurant will then bring the corresponding meal to the student. In this way, they can enjoy the food from the Dragon Flame Restaurant without leaving the school, and it also somewhat solves the problem of lack of space in the restaurant," Ina patiently explained.
Helena understood her meaning: "So you mean, not only do we need to place this kind of takeaway panel inside the college, but we also need to allow mechanical bees to enter and exit the college. Miss Ina, you want my approval, don't you?"
This was the part Ina was worried about. She didn't own the Star College, and many things required Helena's approval, and perhaps even needed to be submitted to some big shots behind her to be realized.
Ina also proposed her conditions: "I noticed that many professors of magic machinery are very interested in mechanical bees. I can donate one for their research. As for the profit from the takeaway, I also plan to donate 10% to the Magic Machinery and Potion Studies departments, to fund some research projects."
"The takeaway panels and mechanical bees, apart from their function to assist the takeaway system, will not have any form of aggression, nor will they pose a threat to the safety of the teachers and students of the academy," Ina assured.
Helena straightened up, "Miss Ina, from my personal point of view, I fully trust your character and would be delighted to promote this unique takeaway system. However, as the Dean of Star College, I have to be responsible to the students and the major donors to the college, so I can't promise you right away."
This was a better outcome than Ina had anticipated. She believed that the students would love this idea, but she was unsure if the upper management of the college would agree. Most of these people were nobility and renowned wizards. If they didn't have any vested interest, they might agree.
If all else fails, Ina thought, should I bribe them a little?
βββ
Asland had recently heard that his knights often frequented the Dragon Flame Restaurant, even if they had to spend nearly an hour on the road each time. He thought of Duke Elvys in the restaurant and wanted to subtly obtain some information.
"I heard you guys have been frequenting a restaurant lately?" Asland casually brought up the topic.
"Yes," Ennis suddenly became alert, "Sir Knight, is there a problem with that restaurant?"
"Nothing, I'm just asking." Asland didn't even lift his head, "I heard that this restaurant is very popular among you, so I was just curious."
"I see," Ennis did not hide his admiration for the Dragon Flame Restaurant, "The food there is mostly novel in taste, even our familiar dishes taste better than anywhere else, probably due to pure seasoning and better cooking techniques."
"There is also a magical item in the Dragon Flame Restaurant that can keep food fresh. Sir Knight, magic has been around for so many years, and finally, those of us without a hint of magical power can feel the convenience of the magic age. We finally found a cheap and practical magical item." Ennis was a very competent subordinate, except that he was a bit talkative. But now, Asland was grateful for his loquacity.
"A largest self-heating bento box, with the food inside, only costs twenty silver coins. When we split it among five or six people, it costs less than four silver coins per person, and we can have a delicious meal anytime, anywhere at our station."
Without any prompt from Asland, Ennis continued to express his amazement, "The garlic-flavored crayfish taste really great, and the shrimp sauce noodles are also pretty good. I could eat half a pound by myself." Ennis finally remembered Asland beside him and strongly recommended, "Sir Knight, you must go there when you have time."
Ennis recalled if there were other features in the restaurant that could attract Asland. He skipped the magical machinery, strange decorations, and the owner and waitstaff who were far more attractive than the average person, and came up with a brilliant angle, "And they also keep a very affectionate black cat there, who loves to rub against customers' legs."
Asland had been listening quietly all along, but he didn't expect to suddenly receive such explosive news. He asked incredulously, "Are you sure? Affectionate? And rubs against legs?"
My goodness, Duke, are you capable of doing such a thing to attract customers and win Miss Ina's favor?
"I often hold that cat," Ennis thought the knight commander also liked cats and kept talking, "The restaurant owner takes good care of the cat, its fur is smooth, and it feels heavy when you hold it."
"You hold it?" Asland was so surprised that his tone changed, completely abandoning his usual calm and elegance, his pitch was almost rising to the sky.
Ennis thought the knight commander was worried that he had offended the restaurant owner and explained, "The restaurant owner also agrees. Sir, you don't know, when this black cat meows sweetly at you, and looks at you with those round, rolling green eyes, it's hard to refuse."
Green... green eyes?
Ah, then there's no problem. Asland let out a long breath, and his heart, which had been suspended, was finally put back into his stomach.
However, to prevent Elvys from truly falling from grace in front of the lady he fancied, abandoning his dignity and principles, should he actually go to the Dragon Flame Restaurant to check things out?