Chương 27: Booming Business
Mephisto started her morning as usual with a run in Nikola Park. She ran lap after lap, and each time she passed a certain corner, she would stop and look around for a moment.
"Strange, why hasn't he shown up today? Could it be he's not coming?" she wondered, while her companion, Sawk, tugged at her shirt curiously.
"Ka-chi~ Ka-chi~~"
Sawk hadn't been here yesterday, so it had no idea what its trainer was waiting for.
"Ah~" Mephisto snapped out of her thoughts and quickly said, "It's nothing, let's keep running!"
Sawk nodded, glancing once more at the spot Mephisto had just been staring at. It still didn't understand what was so special about that place. Why did its trainer always stop and gaze there whenever they passed?
As soon as Mephisto and Sawk left, Angie's food cart slowly rolled into the park.
After parking the cart, Angie opened one side of the window and, just like yesterday, placed Komala on the counter.
"Komala, be good, okay?"
With that, he busied himself with preparations.
Angie checked the dough and the fillings, finding that the dough had risen perfectly and the fillings were well-flavored. He then began making buns in earnest.
His speed was incredible. In no time, a row of perfectly white, round buns appeared on the stove. Each bun was nearly identical in size, with exactly 25 folds on top, as if they had been shaped by a mold.
After making a batch, Angie placed them in the steamer to cook, ensuring they would be ready before customers arrived.
Just as he finished loading the steamer, a sweaty girl came running over.
"Good morning, boss," the girl greeted Angie.
"Good morning! You're up early," Angie responded kindly.
"Yeah, morning exercise," Mephisto said, as concise as ever.
Seeing her staring intently at the steamer, Angie smiled and said, "They're not ready yet, you'll have to wait a bit."
Mephisto shook her head. "That's okay."
Beside her, Sawk was utterly baffled. Is this really my time-conscious trainer? Normally, she wouldn't waste time waiting for breakfast to be ready. She'd rather run a few more laps than stand around doing nothing!
"Ka-chi~~" Sawk tugged at Mephisto's shirt again.
Of course, Mephisto noticed her Pokémon's confusion. With a straight face, she explained, "Coming back later would waste even more time."
She knew very well that soon a long line would form here.
Sawk: ???
As time passed, steam began to rise from the steamer, and with it, a rich, delicious aroma filled the air.
"It smells even better..." Mephisto whispered.
Sawk thought its trainer was speaking to it, so it tugged on her shirt again, as if asking, "What did you just say?"
Mephisto calmly shook her head. "Nothing."
Soon, Sawk's attention was also captured by the overpowering fragrance wafting from the steamer.
As the scent spread, more customers gathered, and before long, a long line had formed.
"Boss, is it ready yet? I'm starving!" someone asked impatiently.
"Almost! Almost! Good food is worth the wait!" Angie said with a smile, not pausing for a moment as he skillfully shaped more buns and dumpling in his hands.
This boss is amazing! Mephisto watched in awe, her mind reeling at his dexterity.
"Boss, your buns and dumpling are just too good! Yesterday, I only bought two, and I regretted it so much after finishing them!" one customer chatted with Angie while waiting.
"Yes, exactly! I regretted it too. When I tried to come back later, the line was too long, and I couldn't get any!" someone chimed in.
Angie chuckled, "Then buy a few more today."
"Of course! Today, I'm getting 10!"
"I'll take 20!"
"Can you even finish 20?"
"Can't I share with my wife?"
...
The rich aroma, the rising steam, and the cheerful banter of the customers made Angie's stand the liveliest spot in Nikola Park.
Finally, the first batch of buns and dumpling was ready. As soon as the steamer was uncovered, billowing steam rose, spreading the mouth-watering scent even farther, causing the crowd outside to stir in excitement.
It smelled too good!
Mephisto, standing at the front of the line, immediately said, "Boss, fifty buns and fifty dumpling."
Angie was surprised. "That's a lot. Can you finish it all?"
Sawk was just as shocked by its trainer. Those buns and dumpling were big—could they really eat all 100 of them?
"We can." Mephisto nodded without hesitation. Then she looked down at Sawk and added, "We'll eat them together with everyone at home."
Alright, Sawk thought, nodding quietly.
"One moment!" Angie smiled as he quickly started packing the buns for Mephisto.
Fortunately, Angie had prepared in advance today. If he had continued wrapping the buns and dumpling in rom leaves like yesterday, larger orders like this might have been difficult for customers to carry away.
Yesterday, since most people were buying for the first time, they only ordered one or two buns, maybe three or five at most, and wrapping them in leaves worked just fine.
But anticipating that some people might order more today, Angie had used the happiness points he earned yesterday to buy some packaging bags from the system store. He still wrapped the buns and dumpling in the fragrant rom leaves, but then placed them in the bags to make them easier to carry.
After receiving her order, Mephisto immediately began eating, even stuffing one into Sawk's hand.
Hoo~ Ha~ Hoo~ Ha~
The buns were still steaming hot, but Mephisto couldn't wait any longer and took a big bite.
Mmm~~ It was too delicious!
Her eyes narrowed in bliss, her face showing an expression Sawk had never seen before.
Curious, Sawk took a bite of its own bun, and in that instant, it finally understood all of its trainer's strange behavior earlier.
Before long, the freshly steamed buns and dumpling were completely sold out. Angie had to shout to the remaining customers, "Please wait a little longer, that batch is sold out, and the next one isn't ready yet."
Hearing this, the people still in line groaned in disappointment.
"Can't you guys at the front order fewer at once?"
"Exactly, exactly. Aren't you afraid you'll get stuffed eating so much?"
"Boss, are you trying to starve the rest of us with the smell?"
...
When the old man arrived near Angie's food stand with his Growlithe, he was stunned by the long line. "Whoa! So many people?"
Because Angie only accepted cash and didn't offer online payment, many people who wanted to eat yesterday couldn't since they didn't have cash on hand. Today, they made sure to bring some, eager to taste the delicious aroma that had tortured them the day before.
As a result, the number of people at Angie's stand had multiplied since yesterday!
"If I had known, I would've come earlier," the old man grumbled to himself, lining up at the back. Still, even with the crowd, he was determined to get a taste of those buns and dumpling. After all, he had nothing better to do.
Like the old man, Flamel was also shocked by the length of the line when she arrived.
She had promised to bring something tasty for the princess today, so she had left home early. But she hadn't expected to encounter such a scene!
Flamel checked the time on her phone. She figured she should still have enough time, so she quietly joined the line.
Soon, a fresh batch of buns and dumpling was steamed, and the line started to move slowly.
Angie was incredibly busy, almost like a blur of motion. As he packed food for customers, his hands never stopped making more buns and dumpling. Otherwise, he'd never be able to keep up with the demand.
Komala was also frantically helping, its eyes still closed but its little hands expertly collecting bill after bill without making a single mistake.
Finally, it was the old man's turn. With a wave of his hand, he said, "A hundred buns each of cabbage, radish, and chive filling, and fifty dumpling!"
Angie was stunned. "Sir, isn't that a bit much?"
The old man laughed heartily and waved it off. "Not at all, not at all! I have a big family, they'll finish it all." The Growlithe in his arms nodded eagerly.
"Woof woof!"
Exactly, exactly!
"Well, this batch won't be enough, so you'll have to wait a bit," Angie replied, helpless.
"No worries," the old man said cheerfully. "I've got all the time in the world."
Angie quickly packed what was ready and handed it to the old man with a smile. "Alright then, please wait a bit."
The moment he got his hands on the buns and dumpling, the old man and his Growlithe began eating right away, causing the people still in line to swallow their saliva in envy.
This old man's being a bit greedy, buying so much at once!
As soon as the bun entered his mouth, the old man immediately noticed a difference from yesterday. "Young man, how did these buns get so much tastier?"
"You've got a sharp palate!" Angie laughed as he continued working. "I adjusted the filling recipe."
The old man suddenly understood. "Ah, that explains it!" He gave Angie a thumbs-up. "You're talented, young man!"
Yesterday, his Growlithe had clearly preferred the taste of the dumpling, but today, it was drooling over the buns.
While the old man chatted with Angie, Flamel peeked over at him. With just one glance, she froze.
Why did this vendor look so familiar?
Flamel stared at Angie for a long time, trying to figure out who he reminded her of, but no matter how hard she thought, she couldn't place him.
With his chef's hat hiding his blond hair, Flamel never made the connection between Angie and the royal family.
A fresh batch of buns and dumpling was ready, and the old man, now holding a full bag, left in high spirits, humming a tune. His Growlithe squirmed free from his arms, happily trotting along behind him.
Seeing his Growlithe's eager expression, the old man chuckled fondly, "Alright, alright, we'll share with Grandma and Skitty when we get home."
Not long after the old man left, it was finally Flamel's turn. "Five buns of each filling, and five dumpling, please," she said.
"Got it, one moment," Angie replied without looking up, quickly packing Flamel's food.
Flamel stared intently at Angie's profile, trying to remember who he reminded her of.
"Here you go," Angie said, handing the packed buns and dumpling to her.
Flamel accepted the food and then asked, "May I take some side dishes to go as well?"
Angie nodded. "Yes, of course. The side dishes are on the table; you can help yourself."
"Thanks," Flamel said, but even as she turned to leave, she still couldn't place who Angie reminded her of.
Carrying the bag of buns and dumpling, Flamel made her way to Princess Kimia's office in the palace. The princess was engrossed in her work when Flamel arrived.
Knock knock knock.
Flamel knocked on the door and entered the office. "Good morning, Princess."
Kimia looked up and smiled. "Flamel, you're later than usual today."
Flamel set the buns and dumpling on the desk. "I promised to bring you breakfast today."
Kimia was caught off guard. "You're serious? I've already had breakfast."
"Of course!" Flamel began unwrapping the food, and in an instant, the rich aroma filled the entire office.
"What's that?" Kimia instinctively swallowed.
"These are called buns and dumpling. There was such a long line that I almost didn't get any," Flamel explained.
"It's so fragrant." Kimia leaned in closer to smell them, quickly forgetting that she'd already eaten. After all, who said breakfast could only be eaten once?
"Princess, why don't you bring out your Gardevoir and eat with us? I bought plenty," Flamel suggested, while releasing her own Pokémon.
Flamel's Pokémon was a Florges, a gift from the royal family when she became the princess's private secretary.
"Sure." Kimia nodded, retrieving her Pokéball and releasing her own Pokémon, a Shiny Gardevoir.
"Florges~!"
"Gar~devoir!"
As soon as the two Pokémon appeared, they were immediately drawn to the food in front of them, captivated by the overpowering aroma.
"Come sit and eat," Kimia invited her Pokémon. She could barely wait herself.
So, the two women and their Pokémon sat around the table, each grabbing a bun in anticipation.
As Kimia held the soft, springy bun in her hand, she marveled, What an incredible food! Even the fluffiest bread can't compare.
With one bite, the rich juices of the cabbage filling burst in her mouth. Each chew brought together the fresh, crisp vegetables with the tender, doughy wrapper. The flavors melded into something unique and irresistible, truly a taste to be savored!
Kimia inhaled deeply, finally recovering from the overwhelming deliciousness of the meal.
At that moment, palace guards, maids, and officials passing by the princess's office all stopped in their tracks.
What is that smell? they wondered, sniffing the air curiously.
Meanwhile, in his laboratory, Prince Raleigh, who had been focused on his research, also caught a whiff of the enticing aroma.
He looked up and asked the nearby minister, Alva, "Alva, what's that smell?"
Alva blinked in surprise, took a sniff, and then shook his head. "Prince Raleigh, I suggest you remain focused on your research."
Raquel hesitated for a moment, then pushed his chair back, stood up, and walked straight to the door. He opened it and stepped out of the lab.
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