A Stay-at-home Dad’s Restaurant In An Alternate World

“Fine. You can eat this chicken,” the system said resignedly after a long while. “And you can use all the ingredients you get by finishing a mission.”

Mag smiled. “That’s more like it.” I’m starting to get the hang of bargaining with the system. I can’t be too subservient to it or too defiant right now. Once I understand the rules it has to follow, I will be able to play it like a fiddle.

The system didn’t mind playing dirty, nor did Mag.

“If you don’t need anything else, I have to go study. Please don’t disturb me for a while.”

“You’re not going to study different ways to reach org*sm, are you? That’s indecent, even for you!”

A line of words appeared in Mag’s head: “The system is learning…”

Mag felt like he had been a bad influence on the system.

When they were halfway to Chaos City, Amy insisted on walking by herself. She took the kitten in her arms and tried to keep up on her short legs.

I’m lucky to have such a considerate daughter. Mag slowed down and kept her by his right side.

The same distance took them triple the time this time—an hour and a half.

“Whew, we’ve finally arrived at the gate,” Amy said, looking up at the gate. A drop of sweat rolled down her face and fell onto the kitten’s head.

Then she dropped her gaze to the kitten. “You’ve got fatter, I think. Lose some weight when we get back.”

“Meow, meow.” They kitten raised its head and looked at Amy with innocent, sapphire eyes.

“No excuses! You’re going to run 10 laps tonight before sleep.”

“Meow,” the kitten cried in dismay.

“Ugly Duckling is growing, like you. That’s why it has got heavier.” Ugly Duckling looked at him with grateful eyes. “But running is good for it.”

The kitten looked away, unhappy.

“You did great walking all the way here,” Mag said, crouching down. “Get on my back and we’ll go to our bike.”

“The father and daughter have come back, Boss! So soon!” a young guard said, surprised.

“Is that a fire chicken, and… a bronze boar’s tusk?!” said another guard.

Buddy also looked surprised. “Never judge a person by appearance.”

After they entered the city, Mag said, “System, give me my bike.”

In his head was still the same line of words: “The system is learning…”

Mag lifted an eyebrow. The system is hopeless. Then he saw an icon in his head with four words on it—pick up the bike. Mag clicked on it; a holographic map within a 50-meter radius of him popped up, with a message telling him to select the location of the bike.

Mag looked around and found a quiet alley. Then he walked towards that alley with Amy.

It’s pretty thoughtful of it to let me pick up the bike myself, Mag thought as he looked at the bike. “Get on the bike and let’s go home,” he said to Amy.

Amy nodded happily. “Yes, Father!” She put the kitten in the basket and climbed into her seat.

“Meow, meow.” The kitten gripped on to the basket, giving a scared look at Amy.

Mag put the tusk in the basket. “Hold on to this, Ugly Duckling.” He got on the bike with one hand on a handle and the other holding the fire chicken, and pedaled. The bike went out of the alley and towards the Aden Square.

“Meow,” the kitten cried. It was all it could do not to be crushed by the tusk.

Mag took a look at his watch. Eleven o’clock. Normally, some customers would have arrived at his place. Hopefully, not many people are waiting there.

He had said he would open tomorrow, and he meant to keep that promise.

Besides, his hand needed time to heal; it might be difficult for him to knead dough with an injury on his hand.

No one was waiting there when Mag got back, except a mound of gleaming knives.

Mag could feel their owners’ hate oozing from them.

Amy was very happy to see them, though. “So many knives, Father! Can I pick one?”

“Sure. You can pick any one you like.” Mag even saw some very fine weapons among them—they had to have belonged to some rich folks.

“Boss, you’re back!” Yabemiya said happily as the two walked out from the side of the restaurant.