Barney did not introduce himself, nor did he intend to introduce his daughter to everyone.
After Kenda left, Barney's sharp gaze swept over everyone present, then he said calmly, "No need to be so reserved. Just treat this place like your own home."
Upon hearing this, Kuri and the others forced a smile, thinking to themselves, 'Easier said than done.'
After Law took his seat, he checked all the twenty or so people in black suits in the room, but found no Nen Users.
'There's just Kenda...'
'With just this level of security, how can he be so confident?'
Law pondered silently.
Ellie, who looked like a porcelain doll, unabashedly scrutinized Law. As for Kuri and the others, she chose to ignore them.
Law was not a dense person, and he could clearly feel Ellie's invasive stare, but he pretended not to see it.
"This is the first time I'm asking Meteor City for help. Asking for a collectible as payment isn't unreasonable, but I expect you to prove your worth." Barney suddenly said at this time.
"I hate wasted investments. If I've paid such a hefty price only to end up with a group of useless liabilities, it'll put me in a very difficult position."
Everyone presents had a stern look on their faces, except for Law, who remained calm.
"The Elder attach great importance to this cooperation and the personnel selected are all skilled." Vogt said at the perfect moment.
Barney nodded slightly and said calmly: "Just don't disappoint me. Okay, don't be nervous, enjoy this lunch later. This is a delicacy that ordinary people will never have the chance to taste."
Vogt and the others nodded slowly, though their minds churned with different thoughts.
The spiky-haired man and the horse-faced man felt a growing sense of pressure in their hearts, while Kuri and Vogt had already made a plan and hoped that the enemy would be stronger. But whatever happened, they needed to hold out until the auction concluded.
If they want to take action, they need to wait until Barney has purchased enough items.
Law remained silent throughout, constantly trying to weaken his presence. However, despite his best efforts, Ellie's curious gaze remained fixed on him, making his attempt to fade into the background futile.
At that moment, Law's nose twitched a few times and he smelled a subtle, fragrant aroma in the air. At the same time, dense and light footsteps sounded in the room.
Law couldn't help but look in the direction of the enticing scent, and saw a group of pretty girls carrying dishes toward the long table, followed by Kenda and a chef dressed in pristine white clothes.
Each dish was hidden beneath a silver cloche, concealing its contents, yet the aroma alone was tantalizing. Law guessed that unveiling the dishes would only intensify the mouthwatering scent.
Seeing this, Law suddenly became excited. After all, these were delicacies made from ingredients that only Gourmet Hunters could obtain.
The girls served the food to Barney and Ellie first, and then moved on to the others. Since Law was sitting the furthest away, he was served last.
When the silver cloche in front of him was lifted, a vibrant, fresh fragrance of fruits and vegetables flooded Law's senses.
On the porcelain-white plate sat a small boat crafted from bright green leaves. Inside the boat were translucent, rainbow-colored 'caviar' and a few miniature, milky-white strawberries.
'Caviar? But it doesn't smell like caviar. The strawberry looks weird too. If it weren't for the red seeds on it, I wouldn't even recognize them as strawberries.'
Law stared at the exquisite emerald green boat in front of him and swallowed subconsciously. The fragrance that drifted into his nose kept whetting his appetite.
Barney, who is on the main seat, didn't move, so the others didn't dare to start eating right away. Instead, Ellie ignored such formalities. She picked up a spoon, then scooped up a spoonful of 'caviar' and stuffed it into her little mouth.
Barney glanced at Ellie with a hint of doting in his eyes, then he looked at the chef who came with the serving girls.
Noticing Barney's gaze, the chef bowed slightly and explained, "Today's meal consists of three courses. This is a cold appetizer called Rainbow Boat, which can stimulate your appetite."
Barney nodded slightly, then looked at the others at the table and said, "Go ahead, dig in."
When Kuri and the others, who had been almost tortured by the aroma, heard Barney's words, they moved almost in unison. Without using a spoon, they directly picked up the small green boat half the size of their palm and stuffed it into their mouths.
After the Rainbow Boat entered their mouths, Kuri and the others' cheeks puffed out like chipmunks and they chewed very quickly.
But after two or three seconds, they all consciously slowed down, for fear that they would chew too fast and swallow the Rainbow Boat instinctively.
Before coming in, Kenda reminded them about their eating manners, and Kuri and the others remembered it.
However, the aroma emitted by the Rainbow Boat itself has the effect of stimulating appetite, so those who lack resistance to delicious food cannot control themselves at all.
No matter what, Law had eaten a lot of delicious food and had a certain degree of self-control, so he didn't lose his composure like Kuri and the others.
He picked up a spoon and lightly stirred the colorful 'caviar', 'At first glance, it looked like caviar, but upon closer inspection, it was clearly some sort of fruit.'
'So this is what ingredients in Hunter x Hunter World are like.'
Law smiled slightly and gently scraped the green boat with a spoon. With an inaudible hissing sound, a small piece of green leaf was easily separated, and then the caviar fruit and a milky white strawberry with red seeds were put into his mouth.
"Hmm?"
The moment the caviar-fruit and white strawberry hit his tongue, they melted, coating it with a sweet and tangy flavor that filled his entire mouth. Meanwhile, the faint minty note of the green leaf balanced the sweetness and acidity, elevating the overall taste to new heights.
'Delicious.'
Law's eyes widened in astonishment. It was the first time he had tasted such flavor.
At the same time, the white smoke text slowly emerged in his mindscape.
Rainbow Seed Fruit: Found in damp environments, the seeds within the fruit skin release an aroma that stimulates appetite, causing anyone who smells it to salivate. When it comes into contact with saliva, it melts instantly, with a primary flavor of tartness.
Snowberry: It grows in extremely cold places and buried deep in the snow. It is known as one of the sweetest fruits in the world and is a favorite of the elusive Snow Bears. Rarely found.
Curled Leaf: Harvested from mountain forests, these leaves come from the Curling Tree, which is a common and edible plant species.
The white smoke text provided the descriptions of the three ingredients, which slightly stunned Law. However, he wasn't too shocked.
Scooping up ten or so of the rainbow seeds with his spoon, he glanced toward the chef and asked, "Are these Rainbow Seed Fruits?"
"Yes." The chef replied.
Law nodded before swiftly finishing the Rainbow Boat. He asked this specifically just to verify whether the white smoke text was accurate. Interestingly, the chef is also a Nen User.
Seeing that Law knew about the Rainbow Seed Fruit, everyone else at the table was surprised, especially Barney, who was extremely surprised.
After the cold appetizer was finished, the second course was soon brought out.
As the silver cloche was lifted, waves of steam carrying the rich aroma of red wine filled the room. The fragrance, powerful and untamed, seemed to gallop freely like an unleashed stallion.
On the pristine white plate was a palm-sized piece of snow-white 'meat chunk', half of which was drizzled with a rich, rosy sauce. A few small decorative flowers adorned the side of the plate.
"This is the second course, the main dish: Red Wine White Liver." The chef introduced the dishes at the right time.
Upon hearing the chef's introduction, Law finally realized that the snow-white 'meat chunk' was a liver. However, he had no idea what this 'white liver' actually is.
After Barney took the lead, others couldn't wait to taste this Red Wine White Liver.
Law gently pressed the white liver with his spoon. After releasing it, he saw its surface jiggle slightly like pudding, which intriguing him further.
Having never heard of white liver before, Law was very curious about it. However, he refrained from questioning the chef or immediately taking a bite.
Instead, Law discreetly touched the dish with his finger, hoping the white smoke text would display information about it. To his disappointment, nothing appeared.
'What was the reason for the white smoke text to display these ingredients? I had eaten so many meals in Meteor City, but the information about the ingredients never appeared once.'
Law was puzzled by this. He dug out a small piece of white liver covered with rosy sauce and placed it in his mouth. The texture was dense yet creamy, and the explosive flavor of the sauce combined with the liver created a harmony that made his eyes narrow in pleasure.
At the same time, the white smoke text reappeared, not only revealing the origin of the liver, but also... the Awakening Rate of all the six Nen Categories had actually increased by 0.2%.