Labyrinth Restaurant

It's always a peaceful Demon King restaurant, but there was an unusual and sinister air on this day.... Nevertheless, it is not a serious story.

"Guru... how about it's time to give up... mugu!?"

"Mmmm... not at all... ahhh!?"

Two of the youngest members of the store's regular routine, Simon, a certain prince of the country, and Lyme, an elf girl, were across the street from each other across the table. There are two plates of dry curry rice on the table, and Simon and Lime will eat it alternately, one bite at a time.

Curry, which can be eaten deliciously by adults, also seems too spicy for children's tongues. We both have sweats on our faces and tears in our eyes.

"You strongman......!

"That way......!

We keep eating bites and bites without resting the movement of our hands and mouths, being mean to each other that we will be making noises before each other. It's not just a meal that's taking place on this occasion, it's some kind of battle.

By the way, why are these two having such a rare battle in the first place?

◆ ◆ ◆

"Alice, I'm here! Mm, it's crowded today, isn't it?

The time was around lunch, and when Simon and Claude came to the restaurant, the store was crowded sometime. Basically, it's pretty unusual for this store, which is more of a hippo time.

As far as the inside of the store is concerned, it's full, and on top of that, the two of us are waiting in order before Simmons, and unfortunately it's going to take a while for Simon and Claude's order to come around.

"Sometimes it's unusual. Oh, what's that smell like?

"Young man, there's a lot of yodel here. But it smells really good."

The store was full of scents like Simmons had never smelled, and what an appetite-stimulating scent it was. There's something I can't wait to do for Simon, who encourages me to work out and study in the morning and is hungry.

"Looks like we're all eating the same dish, is that under the smell? But if I don't have a seat, I can't eat what's at stake, and this is killing me alive."

Most of the customers in the store seem to be eating the same dish, curry rice recommended today. Even though prices have dropped slightly now yesterday, the image of luxury products still remains deeply ingrained in dishes made with spices. You can eat cheap dishes with tons of that spice, and there's no reason not to ask for it if it tastes the best.

The Demon King's curry is basic in shape: onions carefully stir-fried in butter until candied, beef tender enough to crumble on the tongue with molasses and meat fibers, carrots sweet and melting as if they were fruits, and potatoes as baked in the oven to avoid boiling and collapsing.

They also allow you to choose between sweet or dry, so even if you don't like spicy things, they can be delicious.

"Welcome, Simon, Claude."

"Oh, Alice. You seem to be thriving today."

"Excuse me, Simon. It's going to take a little longer for your seat to be vacant."

Alice, who moves around busily, greets Simon and then guides the two of them who were waiting in turn first.

"Thank you for waiting, Mr. Time, Lime. Your seat is vacant, so I'll show you."

"Yeah, thanks"

"Mmm."

The two of them in line before Simon, Elf's sisters' time and the time when Lime walked out following Alice's guide and came up with something a few steps further, turned to the Simmons who were behind them.

"Yeah, well, why don't you guys take a seat? It would be tight to wait in this smell."

Alice checks with Simon when she hears that. These empty seats are seated for four, so they're all as big as they can sit, but there are a few people in the world who don't like their seats.

"What do you want to do, Simon?

"Your seat, um, I don't mind that. And if you smell any more of this delicious smell, you're going to starve to death before the order comes."

Apparently, Simon was the type of person who couldn't resist his seat. The four of us, Time, Lime, Simon and Claude, were able to calm down safely this way.

Thank you for saving my life.

"What, cheap?"

Simon thanked me for the time he suggested my seat. Waiting like that would have all come in order, but how hungry I must have been.

Everyone also informed Alice of their order and now they are waiting for the dish to arrive. Of course, I ordered curry rice, the adults are dry and the kids are ordering sweet.

"I've seen you in this store a few times, but you never talked properly. My name is Simon and my grandfather here is Claude."

"My name is Claude. Best regards, Elf."

"Oh, nice to meet you, Simon, Claude. I'm Time, and this girl is my sister Lime. Elves don't mean we're anything but great, so make yourself at home."

I've seen each other's faces about as many times as I've seen each other since we're regular in this restaurant, but I never talked properly so I introduced myself again.

"The Times are elves, you heard the story, but you really have pointy ears."

"Oh, you want to touch it?

Simon watches with interest as Time moves his long ears up and down with a tingle.

"There were no elves in my country. When you're in this city, you can see things that are rare."

"What's in this city is all interesting from my eyes. I've been looking around for about a hundred years since I left the woods, but there's never been a place as weird as this."

"What a hundred years! I'm afraid you're older than you look!

Time's age is roughly 250, and only a hundred years have passed since he left the woods. Simon was greatly impressed to learn that Tim, who looked younger than Claude the old man, was more than three times older.

"Over there...... was it just lime? Does Lime look like this, too, and he's old or something?

…………

Simon turned to me, but Lime is keeping his mouth shut. Lyme, who in a way has a strong elf-like temperament, is a familiar character and has a slight difficulty with her so-called ability to communicate.

"Speaking of which, I didn't even know the year of Lime yet, how old are you now?

The same goes for the Demons, but the elves also have an insensitive aspect to people's age because of their longevity race. Because Time, my sister, asked me, and now Lyme also answered.

"... Don't"

"Oh, my God, it's so much the same as mine."

Lyme's age is seven as she looks. Simon, who heard that, said as if he had clapped it out. But the "boring" nuances that were put out of the language didn't seem interesting to Lime.

"... what are you?

"I'm six."

"Phew..., I'm better lady"

Lyme was proud to find that she was one age above the other. But now Simon rebelled against it and said it back.

"You're only one thing different from me!

"Still, Kachi Kachi"

But I'm taller.

"... mmm"

It's a slight difference, but Simon seems slightly taller when the two of them line up. Lyme looked remorseful, but he said it back as if he wasn't going to admit to losing.

"I can be alone."

"Mm, don't do it. I've never left a message because there's always someone in the castle."

"Phew."

Naturally, neither the castle where Simon originally lived, nor the embassy of the labyrinth city where he is currently staying, have the opportunity for him, the prince, to leave a message because there is always someone there. But Simon hasn't had to lose either.

"I can wave a sword that grownups have, more powerful than you."

"Mm... nothing funny"

Then Simon. We're having a little talk. You can have an adult sword somehow, but normally you don't say you can "shake" the flirtatious and sword down to the ground.

"I can grab it better"

Even when it comes to magic, it's enough to make a breeze somehow.

"I can do my math."

Though there are still no fewer miscalculations and Claude, the educator, struggles every day.

"Grunt..."

"Mmmm..."

You don't want to beat each other, you stick with each other by the details. By the way, the two guardians, Tim and Claude, look interesting to see how it goes with Niyanya..., originally Nico and I smile.

"Thank you for waiting.... Oh, what's wrong?

That's when Alice brought in curry rice for four. Trying to put a dry before adults and a sweet plate before kids......, Simon said before that.

"Wait, Alice, give me the harder one. How about we settle this?

"Where to peek"

This was the dry curry battle between Simon and Lime.

◆ ◆ ◆

There are only two rules of battle: Simple and Clear, "The Winner Who Finishes Curry First" or "The Loser Who Gives Up First".

"Sweeter looks better, too. Come on, Lime, come on, come on."

"This is delicious. You're almost there, young man."

The two adults who are eating sweet curries that they traded for the kids occasionally cheer as they indulge in cooking. Anyway, if this is a real fight, there's no reason to stop it if you just compete peacefully.

"I hate this loser......!

"That's it...!

Neither Simon nor Lime will ever try to admit to losing, even though they face the spiciness of their tongues burning. I'm drinking some cold water and eating it this way somehow.

Just take a bite and your mouth will burn tingly and you will learn the illusion as if you were drinking a magma. Only the slight sweetness of potatoes and carrots is the lifeline, and it's not where you enjoy the taste very much.

"Ugh..."

"Ku......"

We've both poured tears and runny noses, and we can no longer afford to deal with each other. The essence of this battle is to fight yourself, only to move the spoon carelessly is the muscle path to victory.

Drinking water that you no longer know how many glasses, mechanically moving your hands and mouth with a hazy consciousness is all they have in their brains. I forgot how you are so strong on yourself for this ordeal a long time ago.

"... one more bite..."

"Now... a replacement..."

In the end, I ate my last bite completely at the same time. The battle ended in a draw.

"Don't do it, it's Lime."

"Simon was amazing too"

Strange friendships were sprouting between the two of us who had finished the fierce fight. Now we have an extra order of ice cream to celebrate each other's good fight while healing our mouths.

"Yeah, yeah, friendship's a good thing."

"Right."

This time, the parents, who were just amused from start to finish, are similarly savoring dessert as they say their textured thoughts with tongues that often go around.

"Mmm, it tastes different than mine, doesn't it?

"Do you want a time?

The kids were eating vanilla ice cream and the adults were eating mint ice cream.

"Would you like some?"

"Young as well."

Simon and Lime, who were intrigued by the flavors they'd never eaten, had each parent split them up for a bite.

""...... Huh!? "

Apparently, I didn't mind the mint flavor, and it's about time we both made our eyes black and white. But because neither Simon nor Lime want their competitors to see their weaknesses,

"Hey, isn't that delicious... I didn't push it..."

"Wow, so am I... so delicious..."

And so on, I stuck to my will.... that didn't seem right.

"Oh no, did you like it that much? Then I'll trade you for mine."

"Come on, young man, don't hesitate to eat it."

Meaningless adults once again offered mint ice cream, almost eaten, in front of their children. Thus, neither Simon nor Lime could pull off, and the curtain of the second round of the battle was cut and dropped.