After finally calming down, I let Eris know I'm ready.
She raises her hand and calls out, "Lilly, we're ready!"
"Coming!!!"
The waitress responds cheerfully, finishing up at another table before making her way over.
And now that I get a proper look at her—
Oh. My. God.
She's adorable.
Lilly is a sheep-girl, with short, fluffy blonde hair and big, curvy sheep horns curling atop her head. She's dressed in a cute maid outfit, complete with a frilly apron and thigh-high socks.
I'm pretty sure medieval waitresses on Earth didn't dress like this.
This outfit is 100% something you'd find in a modern-day maid café in Japan.
BUT—
I AM NOT COMPLAINING!!!
Lilly is absolutely precious, and the way she smiles?
It melts my freaking heart.
I almost want to order everything just to see her happy little reactions.
"Alright, my order is already in the making. What do you want, Felicia?" Eris asks.
I clear my throat, regaining focus, and open the menu again.
To make things easier, I point at the dish names as I speak.
"Can I have the medium-sized dinner combo for one, please? Green salad with lettuce, tomatoes, and cherry vinaigrette sauce, a side of mashed potatoes with double cream, creamy mushroom soup, and five lamb skewers!"
I finish my order proudly.
That should be plenty for me.
But then—
I look up.
Lilly and Eris are staring at me.
Both of them tilt their heads slightly—identical expressions of confusion.
I glance around.
A few other people at nearby tables are also staring.
Huh???
WHAT???
I instinctively touch my face. "I-Is there something on me?" I whisper, suddenly self-conscious.
Eris smiles, but her eyes are still full of amusement. "No, nothing."
Then—
"But… are you sure you can eat all of that?"
I blink.
…
OH. RIGHT.
HOW COULD I FORGET???
I'M A GIRL NOW.
My appetite probably isn't what it used to be!
I probably can't eat as much as before!
What if I waste food?!
I panic.
"T-then… c-can I get the smaller combo instead?" I blurt out. "Same things, just less potatoes and meat!"
I love eating healthy, so I won't cut down on the salad—a balanced diet is important.
Besides, if I don't get enough vegetables, I might get constipated.
And who wants constipation in a medieval fantasy world?!
No toilets, no toilet paper—just suffering.
But—
Eris and Lilly exchange a quick glance.
There's still a flicker of puzzlement in their expressions.
Then—
"Let's go with the normal combo, please. Double the meat," Eris says with a grin.
"Alright!" Lilly chirps, jotting down the order before bouncing away.
Wait.
What???
I turn to Eris, completely lost.
She's still smiling.
"Come on, Felicia, I know you're being considerate because I'm paying, but you need to eat properly! Don't hold back, okay?"
"O-Oh!!" I nod quickly, though my mind is still spinning.
I don't get it.
I really don't get it.
What the heck just happened???
Was I being weird or something???
——————
Even during this busy hour, the kitchen and service here are shockingly fast.
Less than twenty minutes later—
My food arrives.
And holy crap—
It's huge.
The green salad looks fresh and crisp, the mashed potatoes are steaming hot, creamy and smooth. But the real showstopper—
The skewers.
Not five.
Not six.
TEN whole, beautifully grilled skewers, stacked onto the plate like a mountain of pure, meaty goodness.
Everything is super-sized.
Oh my god.
I don't even know if I can finish all of this.
But the smell—
The smell alone is heaven on a plate.
I practically start drooling as I stare at the feast before me.
But—
Eris's food isn't ready yet.
I want to wait for her, to be polite, but—
Bbbbbbbrrrrrrr!
My stomach betrays me, growling so loud it might as well be a battle cry.
Eris chuckles, clearly amused.
"You don't need to wait for me. Just dig in!" she says with an easy grin.
I hesitate.
"T-then… you can have some of mine while you wait! Here, try a skewer!" I offer, handing one to her, feeling a little guilty for starting first.
"Hehe, sure!" Eris grins, accepting it. "Thanks, Felicia."
"Hehe," I giggle. "You don't need to thank me—it's your money, after all!"
"Oh, right." Eris laughs. "Anyway, eat up before your food gets cold!"
"Yeah!"
With zero hesitation, I dig in, my hunger fully unleashed.
———————————-
Seconds later—
Something feels off.
"…Huh? What's wrong?" Eris asks, noticing my hesitation.
"N-n-nothing!" I stammer, still chewing on my salad.
Nom. Nom. Nom.
But—
Why does it taste like this?!
It's just a regular salad—lettuce, tomatoes, a bit of vinaigrette.
And yet—
It's bitter.
So bitter.
I almost spit it out but force myself to swallow.
I vaguely remember reading somewhere that the more bitter the vegetable, the more antioxidants it has.
So…
This is good for me, right?
Right?!
I brace myself, determined, and take another bite.
I can do this.
I swallow—but it's even harder than before.
The soup is next.
I take a cautious sip—
And immediately regret it.
It's… bland.
Like someone boiled a mushroom in water for two seconds and called it a day.
And the mashed potatoes?
There's something off about them.
It's not the texture, but the taste—something subtle, something wrong.
I can't quite put my finger on it.
It's just…
Kind of gross.
But—
On the bright side—
The meat skewers?
Perfection.
Smoky, tender, bursting with flavor.
Before I even realize it, I've devoured all nine remaining skewers in record time.
Yeah, I probably looked gluttonous as hell.
But I was starving, okay?!
And the meat was too damn good to resist!
Suddenly, Lilly pops by to check on our table.
"Well, how is everything?"
"E-everything is great! So tasty!" I lie through a forced smile.
I don't want to complain—it feels rude, especially after the quick service.
"I see, I'm glad you like it!" Lilly smiles.
And then, right at that moment, Ding!
The small kitchen bell rings.
"Oh, I think your food is ready!" Lilly says to Eris. "I'll be right back!"
"Alright!" Eris replies casually.
As I sit there, it hits me—I don't actually know what Eris ordered. She just asked for her "usual."
She must eat this dish all the time.
Now I'm really curious.
What kind of food does Eris like the most?
But before I can ask, something else catches my eye.
"Eris… where are your utensils?"
I frown, realizing her side of the table is completely empty.
Eris smirks, leaning back in her seat.
"Utensils? Nah, you don't need those for drumsticks."
"Oooooh! Drumsticks!"
That makes sense!
So, Eris is a fan of chicken.
I mean, she's a catgirl, so of course she likes chicken!
It fits her perfectly.
But then—
Lilly returns with Eris's food.
She sets the plate down—
And my eyes widen in absolute shock.
AYO!
What the heck?!
Those aren't chicken drumsticks!
More like dinosaur's drumsticks, absolutely gigantic!
Each piece is bigger than my leg, and there are a whole freaking three of them!
I stare.
My brain malfunctions.
Eris just grins, completely unbothered, cracking her knuckles as she eyes her meal.
Meanwhile—
I sit there, trying to comprehend how this catgirl is about to devour something that could easily be used as a weapon of war.