Want to read ahead? Join my Patreon for only $7 to get early access to upcoming chapters!
> > Patreon.com/NegativeTranslations <<
----------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 23: Who Can Compete With the Glutton?
Ace's hand, gripping Luffy's ear, froze in mid-air.
Sabo's hand, covering his face, also slowly lowered.
Treat... treat them?
Luffy's ear instantly stopped hurting.
He snapped his head up, and his eyes, which had lost their light, re-ignited with two raging flames!
He pointed at himself in disbelief, then at the steaming roast meat in the restaurant.
"Really? Red sister!"
"Of course!" Amber patted her chest, her smile so bright it could melt winter snow. "I'm a Reconnaissance Knight of the Knights of Favonius! It's my duty to help friends who've come from afar!"
"Alright! Amber, you're the best!" Paimon did a somersault in the air, screaming in excitement. "Paimon wants Sticky Honey Roast! And Sweet Madame!"
"Meat! Meat! Meat!!"
Luffy instantly let go of the lamp post, turned into an afterimage, and was the first to dash to an empty seat at Good Hunter. He grabbed a knife and fork and started banging them on the table! Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Boss! Food! Bring me all your best meat!"
Ace and Sabo looked at each other, a deep sense of powerlessness in their eyes.
This idiot...
A short while later.
The table at Good Hunter was covered with a dazzling array of Mondstadt's specialty dishes.
Golden, crispy Mondstadt Grilled Fish, Sticky Honey Roast drenched in rich sauce, and sizzling skewers of meat.
The aroma was overwhelming!
"I'm digging in!"
Luffy and Paimon roared in unison!
The next second!
It was a whirlwind of devouring!
Luffy opened his ridiculously large mouth and swallowed an entire skewer of meat in one bite. He didn't even spit out the skewer, just chewed it with a crunching sound, and then swallowed the whole thing!
"Waaah! Delicious!"
"Hmph! You're too slow!"
Paimon, floating in the air, was not to be outdone. She grabbed a whole plate of Sticky Honey Roast, bigger than herself, and shoved her face right into it! Her cheeks instantly puffed up, making her look just like a gluttonous little hamster!
"Another one!"
"Boss! Twenty more meat skewers!"
"Paimon wants fifty Sweet Madames!"
The two of them, no, one person and one small floating creature, began a tragic battle for food!
The empty plates in front of them began to stack up at a visible rate!
One stack!
Two stacks!
Soon, two high towers made of plates rose from both ends of the table, and they were still growing!
The surrounding diners were all stunned.
Ace pressed a hand to his forehead in pain. He felt his temples throbbing.
He lowered his voice and hissed at Sabo.
"This idiot... Is he trying to eat her into bankruptcy!"
Sabo had a helpless, wry smile. He picked up a napkin, wiped his mouth, and gave Amber an apologetic look.
"I'm so sorry, Amber... Luffy... he's just like this."
"Hahaha! It's fine, it's fine!"
Amber's eyes were sparkling. She watched the two of them scarfing down food, and far from being angry, she found it extremely amusing!
"Amazing! I've never seen anyone eat so much!"
She looked over at the blond-haired boy who had been silent the whole time, just quietly drinking his juice.
"Traveler, look! They can eat even more than you!"
The blond-haired boy, Traveler, just smiled and nodded. Then, he silently pushed his own untouched plate of grilled fish to the middle of the table.
Instantly, a pair of chopsticks and a small hand reached for the fish at the same time.
"It's mine!"
"Paimon's!"
Bonk!
Luffy's and Paimon's heads slammed into each other.
Luffy's head caved in, then popped back out.
Paimon clutched her head, tears in her eyes as she spun in the air.
"Wuwuwu... you and your rubber head!"
"Hehe! The fish is mine!" Luffy laughed triumphantly, his mouth full of fish, announcing his victory indistinctly.
Ace finally couldn't take it anymore. He felt that if he let his idiot brother continue to embarrass himself, he'd lose all his own dignity too!
He shot up, slammed his hand on Luffy's head, and pushed him flat onto the table.
"That's enough out of you, bastard!"
"Wuwuwu... meat... my meat..."
Watching this chaotic scene, Sabo sighed helplessly, but felt a warm feeling filling a corner of his heart.
He looked at Mondstadt's azure sky, at the relaxed smiles on the faces of the people around him, at his brothers and new friends roughhousing beside him.
Freedom.
Perhaps... this is the taste of freedom.
"Hic!"
Luffy let out a world-shaking burp, patting his round belly in satisfaction. In front of him, the tower of empty plates was teetering.
On the other side, Paimon was also slumped in mid-air, clutching her little tummy, a look of bliss on her face.
"I can't... Paimon can't eat another bite..."
Ace and Sabo looked at the utter mess on the table, their expressions priceless. One was so embarrassed he wanted to dig a hole in the ground with his toes. The other had a dark face, wishing he could string up his idiot brother, who had just eaten the restaurant out of house and home, and give him a good beating!
"Um... Amber." Sabo's face was full of apology. "Really... I'm so, so sorry!"
"It's fine, it's fine!" Amber was still trying to be strong. She waved her hands, but her smile was a bit stiff. "As long as everyone enjoyed the meal! Hahaha!"
Just then.
Sara, the owner of Good Hunter, walked over with an elegant smile.
In her hand was... a ridiculously long bill.
"That will be 89,600 Mora."
Sara's voice was gentle and sweet. But the number made the air freeze.
"Eigh... Eighty-nine thousand..."
The smile on Amber's face completely shattered.
With a trembling hand, she took the long bill, her eyes scanning it meticulously from top to bottom.
Sticky Honey Roast, 30 servings.
Mondstadt Grilled Fish, 20 servings.
Sweet Madame, 50 servings!
Meat Skewers, 120 servings!!
Amber's pupils shrank violently.
She felt her heart bleeding!
Her entire month's... no, her entire two months' salary!
Just like that... gone!
The new Wings of Gliding skin she had her eye on! Gone!
The limited-edition Dandelion Wine she promised Eula! Gone!
Her food budget for next month! Also gone!
"Wuu..."
A single, glittering tear, filled with poverty and regret, silently slid from the corner of Amber's eye.
"Whoa! Red sister, why are you crying?" Luffy tilted his head, looking at her curiously.
Bonk!
Ace's fist slammed hard on Luffy's head!
"This is all your fault, you bastard!" Ace hissed, forcing a roar through his gritted teeth. "Look what you've done!"
"Oww! Ace, you hit me again!" Luffy clutched his head, looking aggrieved.
"I'm terribly sorry!" Sabo shot up and gave Amber a deep, 90-degree bow. "This money... we will find a way to pay you back!"
As he spoke, he started to undo the Vision at his waist. In his mind, this thing had to be valuable.
"No! It's fine!"
Amber quickly grabbed Sabo's hand.
She took a deep breath, and using all her strength, squeezed out a smile that was uglier than crying.
"I said it was my treat... so it's my treat!"
She turned, her steps heavy, as if she were walking to the gallows, and went to the counter.
She took out her own flat, Baron Bunny-themed wallet.
"Sara... I... I'll pay..."
Her voice was thick with tears.
A dozen minutes later.
The group was walking on the streets of Mondstadt again.
However, the atmosphere was a bit strange.
Luffy was full and content, still savoring the taste of the roast meat.
Ace was glaring at his idiot brother with murderous eyes.
Sabo, his face full of guilt, followed behind Amber, looking like he wanted to say something.
As for our Reconnaissance Knight, Miss Amber, she was completely grayed out.
Her eyes were lifeless, her steps unsteady, and she was muttering something under her breath.
"My Mora... my Baron Bunny..."
"Paimon was wrong..." Paimon flew to Amber's side, carefully poking her shoulder. "Paimon shouldn't have eaten so much..."
"It's not your fault," Amber replied hollowly. "It was me... I underestimated the stomach of a rubber person and... Emergency Food..."
"I'm not Emergency Food!"
"Alright!" Amber suddenly slapped her cheeks, forcing herself to cheer up!
"We've eaten! Time to get down to business!"
She pointed at a grand building in the distance and announced loudly.
"That's the Knights of Favonius Headquarters! I'll take you to see our Acting Grand Master, Jean, right now!"
"Jean?" Sabo paused.
"That's right!" The light of the Reconnaissance Knight was rekindled in Amber's face. "Jean is the most reliable person in Mondstadt! She needs to know about your situation!"
Her gaze fell on Sabo's waist.
"Especially... your appearance!"
"A brand new, unknown Vision bearer... This is a huge deal in Mondstadt!"