The LV.99 Middle Boss, Starts His Second Life with Subordinates!

 

　A man crawls down a dimly lit back street, trying to avoid being seen by the public eye.

 

 

　At first glance, he looks like a mere beggar, his bad taste aristocratic costume now a mere scraps of cloths.

 

　Who would believe that this was the end of a man who had once taken everything with his own arm?

 

 

“Damn it, damn it, that little brat…!” (High Orc)

 

 

　His name is High Orc, who spews curses in the dark alley.

 

　He is the former head of the Orc Bandits and is the one who even got the right to negotiate with a multitude of human outlaws.

 

 

　But he failed.

 

　Trafficking of the Harpies—he was stopped at the end of his plan and lost everything.

 

　His subordinates, his pride, and even a place to come back to.

 

 

“Oh, shit, I’m starving and I’m about to die…” (High Orc)

 

 

　His eyes are hazy from starvation.

 

　He’s not even sure where he is now.

 

 

“Damn it… after all my hard work and scheming, I’m going to end up covered in the garbage in a dark alley like this…” (High Orc)

 

　Then he collapsed on the spot with a thud.

 

　Although he has done his best to walk the path of evil, he was weak enough to start rethinking that it might be the time for him to pay his comeuppance.

 

 

　That’s when it happened.

 

　In his starved vision, High Orc recognized the figure of a boy looking down at him.

 

　He is an uncommon eastern-looking boy.

 

 

“What are you looking at, you little brat… haha, you must think I look miserable, laugh if you want to laugh at me…” (High Orc)

 

 

　Not even leaving him on his own, even when High Orc tells the boy to laugh at him—the boy instead wordlessly offered him something.

 

 

“…What? What is this…” (High Orc)

 

 

　It’s something pure white.

 

　It’s a pure white cube on a pure white plate.

 

 

“Haha… even an eastern kid makes a fool of me… Should I eat this piece of soap you’re offering me?” (High Orc)

 

 

　The boy shook his head.

 

　He couldn’t seem to speak.

 

 

“Come on, you can’t make fun of me like that…” (High Orc)

“—Oh, unusual things keep happening.” (Voice)　Suddenly, a voice came from behind the boy.

 

　When High Orc looks at the source, he saw an old woman with a bent back and gentle smile on her face.

 

 

“I never thought that this boy would cook twice a day, well, that’s what the guests didn’t touch.” (Voice => Granny)

 

“…You call this cooking? Old lady… Are you making a fool of me…?” (High Orc)

 

“Don’t say that, you can eat it, I guarantee the taste, it’s called tofu.” (Granny)

 

“Huh… what a load of crap…” (High Orc)

 

 

　However, High Orc’s attention was drawn to the white cube.

 

　This is food? Tofu? He’s never seen or heard of it before.

 

　But whatever it is, his hunger is unbearable…

 

 

“…You got me if you want to laugh, laugh.” (High Orc)

 

 

　At last, he reached for the plate the boy offered him and grabbed a piece of tofu with his bare hands.

 

　It was soft and cold.

 

　It was hard to believe that it was food, it was even a bit creepy.

 

　After a moment’s hesitation, he slowly bit into it…… and rolled his closed.

 

 

“This is…!?” (High Orc)

 

 

　It was quick from there.

 

　He was careful not to let the tofu fall out of his grip, but he shoved it into his mouth as if he were sucking it up.

 

　The seemingly empty white substance tasted quite earthy.

 

 

　He flopped it down and let out a big sigh.

 

 

“This is amazing..! I didn’t know there was that kind of food! Grandma, what kind of restaurant are you running!?” (High Orc)

 

“Restaurant?” (Granny)

 

 

　Then Granny blinked her eyes once and then laughed.

 

 

“I’m just an old woman with a small eatery…… No, soon I’ll be just an old woman because I’m going to close my eatery next month.” (Granny)

 

“Closing down!? But you can make such a dish!?” (High Orc)

 

“Actually, this kid is the one making it… I guess it’s the times, we’re behind the times, there’s better food on the street…” (Granny)

 

“That’s note fine food…?” (High Orc)

 

 

　High Orc is a gourmet despite his appearance.

 

　Of course, he had also eaten the food on the main street of the town of Canal.

 

　And all of them are terrible food that can hardly be called fine dining, and he remembers spitting them out and hitting the owner in anger.

 

 

　In comparison, this is—

 

“Hey kid! Give me another plate!” (High Orc)

 

 

　When High Orc shouted, the boy had already prepared the next tofu and was silently offering it to him.

 

　This time, he didn’t grab it with his bare hands but took a spoonful with it.

 

　He took it in his mouth and tasted it slowly, savoring it.

 

 

“Hmm… soft on the tongue, delicate in flavor, certainly not an obvious taste… Are the ingredients beans? But this is…” (High Orc)

 

 

　Then he twisted his mouth into a grin.

 

 

“… Hey Grandma, you don’t have to close your store, it’s going to be busy.” (High Orc)

 

“Eh?” (Granny)

 

 

　High Orc stands up.

 

　The figure of the broken man from before is gone.

 

　There was a fire of ambition in his eyes.

 

 

“—I guess praying three times a day has shown its worth.” (High Orc)