Chapter 73: Chapter 73 - Evan D. Sherden. Turns Twelve (3)
Evan D. Sherden. Turns Twelve (3)
"I would like to invite all of the staff at the main branch of the Brotherhood Pharmacy to my birthday party."
Evan looked back as he spoke. He had been thinking about this since he had left the mansion today.
Evan had been learning alchemy from Bernard as usual. He packed his luggage and asked before opening the Pharmacy door.
"Will everyone be coming then?"
"It's an honour to hear that you are inviting us to your birthday party, Master! However, I can't help but wonder… Wouldn't the atmosphere get a little uneasy if we went to a place where only those with higher statuses would be gathering…?"
"It isn't like that, Sis Hanna. Oh, but you have to wear the uniforms of the Brotherhood Pharmacy. That will explain your identity and position."
"Uniforms…" Hanna bit her lips as she carefully touched her uniform at Evan's words.
Evan felt like he knew what she was thinking, even if she didn't speak.
She wanted to wear pretty clothes.
"I can't help it this time, Sis. When the nobles will be meeting each other in the mansion, your uniform will serve as a protection."
"I know, Master. We're grateful that you thought about us and invited us to the party…"
"And Sis Serpina too has a status that requires her to participate in a priest's uniform, so don't worry about it too much."
When Hannah listened to the words, she looked utterly bewildered. She looked shocked at the idea that her deep thoughts had been read by a child so easily.
Evan smiled and added, "This party is composed of two halves. I can't help with the first half as it would be formal, but if you want, I can allow party dresses for the second half."
"For the second half…?"
"Yes. As soon as we can get rid of the troublesome nobles, the place will be left to us. Then we can have fun."
Evan couldn't take care of the Brotherhood Pharmacy people until the first half of the ceremony was in progress. Even if the Brotherhood Pharmacy employees were not wearing uniforms in the second half, it would not be a problem.
In this way, Evan would be able to be on his guard and take care of himself. And maybe others too…
"I'm going to tell Brother Raihan to prepare a nice tuxedo for himself." As Evan winked lightly and said this, Hannah was moved to tears.
"Young Master, you think about me so much…"
By now, it was obvious that something of a romantic scenario was playing in her mind, which consisted of Serpina, Raihan, and herself. Evan shrugged.
"And just to be clear, I'm not going to be on the side of anyone, because the both of you are close to me."
"I don't know what to say …Thank you for this alone, Master."
Hanna was a valuable coworker of the Brotherhood Pharmacy, and Serpina was an important executive of the Church. Evan couldn't neglect either one of them and thus, chose to be neutral.
In this case, it would be good for all of them if Raihan concluded soon. But at this point, he didn't even know that the two had an interest in him, and he had no room to think about anything else because he was fully occupied with his shield skill training right now.
"Ah, but what do you even like about such a wooden statue? Hannah, you're young and pretty enough, shouldn't you think more about someone who approaches you first?"
Meanwhile, Bernard, who was envious of the man Hannah liked, intervened by clicking his tongue loudly in the middle of the conversation. Hannah averted her eyes.
"Why do you behave as if you are my father, Bernard?"
"If your dad gets to know him, he will have the same reaction as me. In a relationship, the one who clings to it first always suffers, and if it starts like that, it has no choice but to continue to lose its value. Keep my words in mind."
"How can a person calculate profits or loss of a relationship or while dating?"
"Oh, are you that naive? Love is only a myth, just like fairy tales. All humans behave the same now."
Evan, who had some memories of going through a lot in his previous life, felt himself sympathizing with Bernard emotionally… Maybe Bernard had been single because he had such a mindset.
Evan found himself trying to hold back tears.
Then he addressed Hanna and Bernard.
"I'll pick out clothes for Grandpa too! Grandpa is not too late to have fun. He's still young and cool!"
"I know roughly what your intentions are boy, but I refuse. I have no intention of coming to such an occasion."
The moment he heard that Evan felt as if he had been struck by lightning.
"What!? It's my 12th birthday and you're not coming?"
"Uh-huh, kid."
"Grandpa!"
When Evan suddenly started to cry, Bernard became extremely embarrassed. Evan didn't know if it was because of the Marquis, or the King of the country who was also coming. He thought Bernard didn't want to get any attention after participating in such an event.
But still, it was Evan's twelfth birthday, and it was a very important occasion for him!
"Wow, I was just trying to joke around with you, kid. Of course, I'll also be coming."
"Grandpa, I love you!"
"It's all right now. Hey, don't hug me, you bastard! I can't stand kids who aren't even twelve years old."
Bernard was unable to overcome Evan's aegyo and eventually surrendered to it. The Brotherhood Pharmacy staff watched Evan take over Bernard and rejoiced.
Bernard smiled bitterly. He thought that he would look like Evan's grandfather to a stranger.
Some employees were very relieved that Bernard was also coming to the party, but he thought that if Bernard was told about the fact that many pretty women were coming to the party, he would be very willing to come anyway.
Of course, Hannah was also going to be one of them.
"… Ahem, so are those Lute girls pretty?"
"It's not a joke. They are the top of the line. They are so famous and pretty that they are also called to the Mado and Sang countries sometimes. And more than anything else, their bodies…."
"Huh, huh, huh. Oh uh… !"
"…Remove that kinky expression on your face."
The next day, Evan met the owner of the restaurant who sold monster skewers. His shop was now well known enough that everyone who came to dungeon city or was living in it knew about it. As a result, the restaurant had been greatly expanded, and employees were also being hired from time to time.
Now, the chef wasn't buying and selling monster meat secretly in the back alleys. Rather he had turned to only buying high-quality meat, which was then being supplied to the famous battle guilds of the city.
"Would like to make a debut in front of the nobles at the mansion? Because now you have an opportunity."
"But it isn't that simple, right, Master? There will only be people with high statuses so I don't know how I'll be treated there."
The chef was reluctant to accept Evan's proposal. How could he go to a party where the Majesty himself would be coming?
"Don't you want to be treated as a chef?"
"No matter how much I deny it, you do make sense. But what can a monster meat griller cook at such a party?"
"That's why I have come to you. You'll cook monster meat and can show it off in front of the nobility."
"Oh, I can't confirm right now Master. First, eat some skewers. You're lucky, they're fresh."
The owner shook his head and placed a monster skewer in front of Evan. Whenever Evan came to his restaurant, he would always try his best to cook the most exquisite of skewers for him.
"This looks so delicious!"
"That's what the Master says every time."
The skewer was made up of meat, which had been torn off the ribs of the Shaman Fighter, among the rare Orc elite. But it wasn't always available, and the price was terrifying, so it was not sold to everyone. It was only served to Evan because he was one of the most regular customers.
Thanks to that, the escort knight Dain was also able to enjoy the skewers.
"Well, it's mouth-watering as always. Or dare I say more than usual… The sweet and spicy sauce is perfect in balance." He continued.
"By the way, did you add something else to the sauce? It's awesome… Oh, I know this. This is a herb that only grows on the 21st floor. It can be used to boost the effectiveness of the health potion, but did you put it in the sauce too?"
"Young Master, I'm surprised that you were able to recognize it just from its taste. Yes, I had expected that you would like it and now looking at your expression, it seems that I was right."
Evan tasted the sauce sprinkled on the skewers with his fingers. After all, the owner's talent was extraordinary. He carefully picked his ingredients, cooked the meat well, and above all, he had no shortage of brilliant ideas for his recipes.
Due to having met at the right time, the chef was able to be successful like this, but that alone was not enough! This man had the qualities to be a star chef!
"Your skills are too remarkable to be buried in this city. You need to spread your delicious cooking outside the city too."
"I'm satisfied enough with all of this. You are always welcome to eat here, Master."
"I want you to cook skewers at my birthday party. You won't get tired of only doing it once, right? If you cook these, everyone will be completely in love with your skills."
"There's no way I can…"
He was still reluctant, but he heard Evan's words carefully. Wouldn't it be the happiest moment for him if his cooking was recognized and appreciated by the King?
"As I said earlier, your dishes are delicious. With my escort knight, we have gone to several other places too, but I dare say that the skewers here are of the highest quality."
"I will arrange all the meat. The main meal would consist of your skewers. You don't even have to talk to any one of them. I'll assign you an assistant too. When someone asks for a skewer, you just need to bake it and give it to them."
When Dain added to Evan's persistent persuasion with these words, in his heavy voice, the owner's expression changed, and it looked like he was confused.
"Definitely. Skewers grilled and served right away are the most delicious but…"
"As you'll be grilling the skewers on a fiery flame, you'll be sure to get all of their attention. And from then on, they'll be driven by curiosity. You can conquer the whole party with your cooking skills!"
Evan was strongly convinced that the owner's dishes could be appreciated everywhere! Inwardly, he was also hoping for a drastic increase in demand for monster meat through this because if that happened… A new industry may begin and flourish.
"In this way, your cooking can become world-famous! Don't you think that's cool? You can become the best Master chef."
"There are many other people better at this than me but… I can see that you truly believe in me."
The owner looked at Evan's twinkling eyes, then smiled and nodded.
"Alright, I'll do it. Instead, I'll make sure the King keeps wanting more. But there are a lot of preparations to do before I'm ready to be able to serve delicious skewers to that many people."
"Yes! Then I'll leave it to you!"
In that way, Evan had succeeded in convincing the owner.
This was the moment of the launch of Brotherhood Skewers.
The day before the birthday party, Evan did the last thing he had to do for the party.
He selected a common uniform for the five Rookie children living in the mansion, who were Shine, Belois, Paul, and Mary.
"My hands keep slipping over the clothes, Master."
"It's so soft."
"Okay, everyone gathers around."
The clothes were luxurious in shades of black, which had purple cuffs and purple strings visible along the sewing line. They didn't look like the clothes a servant would wear in the slightest.
"Young Master, are we even allowed to wear such expensive and nice clothes… ?"
"Yes, you can. From now on, this will prove your identity. You will attend the party in these dresses."
"Identity… ?"
Evan replied with a smile to Paul, who had asked rather dumbly.
"From now on, you are the trainees for the Dungeon Knight Squad which I will be the Commander of."
There was a reason Evan had given them matching clothes. At this birthday party, he would be announcing that he would become the Dungeon Knights Commander, and he was planning on revealing his trainees as well.
As a result of this, the outsiders would be able to realize that he was already giving young children education for the first time, and insiders would firmly recognize them as "Evan's subordinates" or preliminary members of the Dungeon Knights squad rather than just servants.
"Of course, if you want to remain servants and maids of this mansion as you have been, you can tell me now."
"No, Master!"
"Ever since the day we first met you, Master, I vowed to do anything for you! It was this thing that gave me determination this whole time."
"Yes, I'm glad… So please continue to look forward to it. I'm betting everything on you."
"Yes, Master!"
"Of course, Master!"
Mary, who used to be weak and childish, was looking strong today.
She answered confidently, followed by Paul, who also responded hurriedly. The other two children also responded with firm expressions.
The clothes were not that big a problem to these children who had been persecuted until now just because they were Rookies, and apart from that, the hopes and expectations that Evan had for them were overwhelming. It would be a lie to say that they were not affected by his passion at all.
"Okay, somehow they turned out pretty well. The black uniform suits them. Does it look cool?"
"Do you also like black and silver colours just like me?"
"Our knightly uniform is tailored to the taste of the Vice Commander to teach."
"Vice Commander? Who is the Vice Commander, Master?"
"You are."
Evan tapped on Shine's shoulder and smiled.
"Please take care of their training in the future. Vice Commander."
"No, wait a minute, Master! It's a joke, right… You're not kidding!?"
Shine, the second in command of the Dungeon Knights, who had been appointed by Evan so unexpectedly, was flabbergasted. He had never thought the responsibility of the Rookies would befall him.
Mary's blue eyes were burning with passion.
Shine realized that he couldn't reverse Evan's decision, and he dropped his head in despair.
Another day passed, and the brilliant morning arrived, which marked Evan's 12th birthday.
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