A Stay-at-home Dad’s Restaurant In An Alternate World

The eggs almost melted in her mouth, the soft and tender ham was well mixed with the rice, and she thought she had tasted shrimp. Different tastes blended in this mouthful of food and spread quickly, tickling her taste buds. After she swallowed, the pleasant smell of rice remained.

Almost instantly, she felt a warm current flowing slowly all over her body, nourishing her. Every cell of hers was cheering and dancing, lighting up her face.

Yabemiya’s eyes went wide. How can anything be this good?! Oh, it’s a dream. But it tastes so good! She couldn’t help but bring another spoonful to her mouth, savoring the delicious taste melting in her mouth. She felt as if she were bathing in a hot spring, with no cold or hunger. One spoon after another, she was not able to control her hand.

Poor girl. She has grown up, but it seems she hasn’t even sold one match. Amy sighed quietly as she gazed at Yabemiya with sympathy. We don’t have roasted goose, but she should be happy to eat Father’s delicious rainbow fried rice.

She must have eaten nothing for days. Mag smiled, watching the hungry girl wolfing down the fried rice. There’s no way a dragon would be reduced to such a miserable state. If she is not an orc, she is probably a half-dragon.

Life was difficult for hybrids here. Although she was pretty beautiful, there was still a good chance that she wasn’t able to find a job. Hybrids could mean trouble, and no one wanted to attract unwanted attention.

“Ding!”

The spoon clattered on the empty plate. Yabemiya froze for an instant before she realized she had finished the whole plate. Looking at the several remaining rice grains, she couldn’t refrain from licking the plate, and then put it down, satisfied.

A warm and comfortable feeling permeated her whole body, and the pleasant smell of rice remained in her mouth. The feeling of hunger was gone, and she felt alive again. All of this was because of that delicious fried rice!

“Even the food in dreams is so magical! I don’t want to ever wake up!” Yabemiya muttered to herself. Then she looked up at Mag and smiled. “Excuse me. I’d like one more plate of this!

“Oh my! Such a cute little elf! Can I pinch your cheek?” Then she stroked Amy’s cheek and petted Ugly Duckling’s head. “The kitten is so lovely, much lovelier than the black ones and white ones.”

Mag was taken by surprise. “You still think you’re dreaming?” he said, smiling. She looked much better now after eating the fried rice. When she grinned, she would reveal two sharp canine teeth, looking very cute.

“Big Sister, it’s daytime. You’re not dreaming. Look out the window. It’s Aden Square,” Amy said as she shook her head, looking at the smiling Yabemiya, pointing at the window.

“Meow!” Ugly Duckling cried out in annoyance, cowering in Amy’s arms. It had never been touched by anyone other than Amy and Mag.

“It’s not a dream?” For an instant, she froze. She lifted her eyes to look at Mag, at innocent Amy, and then at the hostile orange cat. Everything seemed to be frozen in time.

After a while of awkward silence, Yabemiya turned slowly to look behind her. Through the transparent glass, she saw Aden Square in the beautiful sunlight, an old man practicing swordplay, and two pigeons landing on the grass looking for worms. Everything was so simple yet so real.

I’m not dreaming… Yabemiya turned back slowly. She looked at the plate that could almost reflect her face, and realized what she had just done. She blushed, and rose quickly to her feet, her head bowed in embarrassment and fingers wriggling with nervousness. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I thought it was a dream…” she said apologetically.

Amy shook her head. “That’s okay, Big Sister. When I first ate Father’s rainbow fried rice, I thought I was dreaming too. Because it’s so delicious,” she said. “But you’re much older than me, and you still can’t tell dreams from reality.”

Yabemiya wanted to sink into the ground with shame. “What’s your name? When was the last time you ate?” Mag asked softly. “You fainted outside our door, so I carried you in. I’m glad you’re okay. I’m the owner of this restaurant. You can call me Mag.”

Their words of consolation and kind smiles calmed her down. This father and daughter seem so nice.

Her mood suddenly worsened as she remembered the situation she was now in. She nodded. “My name is Yabemiya. The last time I ate was three days ago. I worked in a restaurant, but the owner there kicked me out without giving me even one coin. I have been looking for a job on Aden Square ever since, but no one wants to hire me even as a dishwasher, because I’m a half-dragon. When I walked past your restaurant today, I thought hunger made me hallucinate. I thought such a beautiful restaurant only existed in dreams. Then I fainted. Sorry for inconvenience.”

Mag raised an eyebrow. I guessed right; she’s a half-dragon. But what’s wrong with this world? There is no reproductive isolation here?!

Moreover, aren’t dragons and humans too different in size? Maybe a dragon could have babies with a troll, but a dragon and a human??

Based on what she just said, clearly hybrids are struggling in this world. Dragons are so formidable, but a half-dragon like her can’t even find a job as a dishwasher. She almost died of hunger. Speaking of dishwasher…

“Poor girl,” Amy said, casting a sympathetic glance at her. Then she looked up at Mag, and asked, “Father, didn’t you say we need a waitress in the morning? Can’t we let Sister Miya stay?”

Yabemiya’s eyes lit up immediately. “Do you need a waitress?” Then she saw her surroundings and lowered her eyes sadly.

Even those filthy restaurants don’t want me. It’s out of the question for such a fancy restaurant to hire a half-dragon.

Many people treated her as an outcast. She had rarely received any respect growing up. Even job-finding agencies didn’t want her file there.