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

Rood was taken by surprise. “2,000 ballots?” It’s too many for a newly opened restaurant.

Mag nodded. “Yes.” 2,000 ballots can last only a few days. He was even more confident now that he had learned the prices were also a factor; he believed his dishes were the most expensive.

A couple thousand copper coins for the Haagen-Dazs ice creams’ recipe. That’s a great deal. I like Haagen-Dazs ice creams too, Mag thought.

“You cannot return them once you buy them, just so you know,” Rood said seriously. “And the anti-counterfeiting magic mark will only work for 15 days. You can buy more ballots at a polling station.”

Mag nodded. “Come on in. I’ll get the money for you.”

“He may be wealthy, but he’s stupid,” Arvin said once he was sure Mag couldn’t hear them.

“Not so loud. He might hear you. I’m just glad that today’s job is done,” Rood said in a low voice, excited.

When they walked inside, they were amazed.

Everything about this restaurant was just extraordinary—the crystal chandeliers, log tables and chairs, and paintings on the wall.

Many restaurants though they had been to, they had never seen one like this—fancy yet comfortable. They liked it more than those luxurious, large ones.

They believed it would become popular in no time.

Mag handed the money to Rood. “There you go. Two dragon coins.”

“Thank you,” said Rood, and took the money. “I need you to give me the names of five of your dishes. Customers can rate the five dishes in one ballot.”

“Five?” Mag looked hesitant.

“Yeah, only five. Your five best-selling dishes,” said Arvin.

“Add braised chicken and rice to the menu, system. 800 copper coins each. The rice is 50 copper coins each,” Mag said to the system.

“That will be 20 copper coins,” the system replied. “And it’s done.”

Mag picked up the menu on a table, opened it, and handed it to Rood. “You’ll find the names in this menu. The sweet tofu pudding and savory tofu pudding are two dishes.”

“Only five dishes?!” Rood blurted out in surprise.

“The prices are wrong, I think,” Arvin said, wide-eyed. Even Dukas Restaurant’s whole roast lamb—the first on the list—is only 2,500 copper coins each. These prices are ridiculous.

Now, they thought the restaurant would never be popular.

“No. They’re not,” Mag said.

“Okay,” Rood said, and started writing down the names and prices in his notebook. “The sweet tofu pudding and savory tofu pudding are one dish.”

“No, I can assure you they’re two,” Mag replied.

“As you say, sir.” When he was finished, Rood gave the ballots to Mag and left with his partner.

After they walked out, Arvin glanced back at the restaurant. “He is either stupid or overconfident,” he said softly.

Rood nodded. “Agreed. I think he only needs 10 ballots.”

With Sally working here, we should be able to serve several hundreds of customers each day, Mag thought. These ballots will only last three or four days.

I will be more productive when I get stronger, and then I may need to enlarge the restaurant.

“System, what’s the purpose of this mission?” Mag asked. “We’re already busy enough.”

“For a man of the world, you’re strangely short-sighted. Get ambitious and conquer this continent!”

Mag rolled his eyes in disapproval. “Conquer this continent? Are you crazy? I just want to cook.”