Looks like they adopted my suggestions.
The first ‘attraction’ was ——MAX Burger.
“This is the most famous western cuisine restaurant amongst commoners.”
Western cuisine restaurant……
The interior design of the restaurant was modeled exactly after the original.
The only difference was that the shop was abnormally s.p.a.cious, and the large number of employees at the counter made me wonder if this MAX Burger was situated in the Olympic Village¹.
“Wow! Wow!”
The Ojou-samas were as happy as a lark as they excitedly surveyed the shop .
Aika and Reiko also opened their eyes wide as they stared at the counter and tables.
And immediately headed for the tables.
“Please wait.”
Kujou-san explained the procedures of eating in a fast-food restaurant.
“In this restaurant, you ought to first place an order at the counter over there.”
“……Over there?”
“Yes. There is a menu on the counter. Please look over it and give your order to the employees.”
“I understand. After that, we only need to be seated at the tables, right?”
“No. You need to wait here.”
A commotion rippled between the Ojou-samas.
“……Until the food is ready? Standing like this……?”
“Yes.”
The Ojou-samas behind them whispered among themselves.
“H-how come?”
“In this restaurant, you have to bring the completed dish to the table with your ownhands.This practice is called ‘Self-service’.”
“——!”
The Ojou-samas were shocked.
“……Self service’……”
“With our own hands……”
After a few moments of mumbling by the Ojou-samas——
“““““How amazing!”””””
All of them said that at the same time.
“So independent!”
“Commoners must have been raised with strict education!”
“I have painfully realized how spoiled I was before……”
The explanation somehow became more and more exaggerated.
“As expected, commoners really are amazing……!!”
Each one of them looked at me with eyes that showed respect.
“If that is the case, then I am willing to wait more than one or two hours!”
“Yes! I can’t wait to wait!”
“No, there is no need to wait for such a long time.”
Kujou-san kept her composure as she spoke respectfully.”
“This kind of western restaurant is known as a ‘Fast Food restaurant’, and takes pride in it’s speed. The food is normally served within one minute after you have placed your order.”
“……One minute…..”
The shock hit the Ojou-samas once again.
“““““ONE MINUTE!?”””””
They said it again.
“HOW CAN A MEAL BE READY SO FAST!?”
“I CANNOT IMAGINE IT!”
“WHAT ARE THESE COMMONER PEOPLE, REALLY!?”
“They…are commoners…:”
“You’re right!”
Kujou-san signaled towards the counter as she said:
“Then once again, try placing an order, please.”
Suddenly, the atmosphere became tense.
I glanced at Aika and made an eye signal towards her.
——Do it! It’s time!
I taught you about ‘MAX’ right? We did this in our training. Just walk towards the counter and boldly say ‘Teriyaki Burger Set and a Cola Zero’!
But——Aika stood there without moving a single muscle.
She embarra.s.sedly tried to avoid my gaze.
——What are you chickening out for!? Go!
I poked her elbow repeatedly, but she still averted her gaze away as if she pretended to not notice.
This girl…is so vexing.
Reiko who looked like she was also troubled by the tense atmosphere tried to suppress her nervousness to change it.
“I-I will go!”
She raised her hands.
“As expected of Reiko-sama!”
“Please do your best!”
Showered by the good wishes of everyone, she nervously walked towards the counter.
“Welcome. Would you like to eat here?”
“Eh? Erm…”
After glancing confusingly around her for a moment,
“N-not here. I would like to eat at the table.”
“…..Arisugawa-sama, sorry for interfering,”
Kujou-san lowered her head as she spoke.
“She was asking you if you wanted to eat in the shop or take the food in a package to eat it elsewhere.”
Can’t she use a little of that respectful att.i.tude towards me?
“I see. I could take it back to a tea party as a gift, I presume?”
“It seems we can use it as a lunchbox for a picnic……”
“Amazing……”
Actually, you just take it home and eat it alone.
“Can I take your order, Miss?”
The employee (Seems to be one of the staff at Sekain) pointed towards the menu.
Reiko lowered her head to look at it——
And turned to stone.
It’s natural that she’s overwhelmed. Even I would hesitate in front of the menu sometimes, not to mention the unique psychological pressure emitting from it.
On top of that, the employee would avert her eyes away from you, adding more pressure on the already ma.s.sive stress.
Sweat rolled down Reiko’s face like a waterfall.
“Reiko-sama, please relax!”
“Maria-sama is watching you!”
——Hey, this is the best moment, you know!?
I poked her elbow again——the h.e.l.l!? She had also turned to stone.
……Aika’s done for.
Unable to take it anymore, I walked up to a.s.sist Reiko who was in distress.
“The most popular menu item is this ‘Teriyaki Burger Set’ right here.”
“! Kimito-sama……”
“There’s also this restaurant’s signature burger, the ‘Big MAX’, but it’s probably too much for you.”’
”T-then, I will choose the Teriyaki Burger set.”
“Very well. What would you like to drink?”
Reiko looked at me.
“I suggest this mixed tea.”
Although I think Cola suits best, the Ojou-samas of Sekain academy may not like it.
“Then, I will have this.”
”Very well. Please wait near the counter for your order.”
Order complete.
“Th-thank you, Kimito-sama……”
Reiko looked at me with a pair of eyes as if she’s intoxicated.
“As expected of Kimito-sama!”
“How reliable of you!”
The praises of the Ojou-samas which came from within their hearts made me feel embarra.s.sed as usual.
Afterwards, everyone queued up before the counter and placed their orders.
The employees completed the orders at a speed I have never seen before, completing almost 70 orders within just a mere 5 minutes.
Maybe this is the feeling you get when you watch the national rowing contest for the first time.
With everyone seated, they chattered excitedly among themselves.
“Oh my! What an interesting formation they are placed in!”
The tray was laden with the paper-wrapped burger, paper cup, and the exposed fries. It must be quite an interesting scene for the Ojou-samas.
Now that I think about it, only fast food restaurants have this kind of food arrangement on a tray, don’t they? (TLN: Unsure,仔細一想,確實除了快餐店以外沒有其他地方能看到如此的裝盤)
“Well then, Itadakimasu~”
Reiko represented the others as she said that.
The other cla.s.s should also have a cla.s.s monitor themselves. It could be said that Reiko was the head representative of the whole year.
I once again felt her overwhelming potential.
“““““Itadakimasu~”””””
After that, everyone turned their heads towards me.
Their eyes were saying——’Example, please.”
Although Aika should have done it this time, she was currently sitting at the seat facing the window at the corner of the shop, with her back towards us.
Why do you look so perfect in that seat? As if you’ve been there before you were even born.
I tried to ignore the pressure given off by the others as I opened my burger wrapper.
After I finished unwrapping my burger and made sure that everyone was staring at me, I took a bite.
Oh…OH MY G.o.d!
WHAT KIND OF MEAT IS THIS!? WHEN I CHEW, THE JUICE IS OOZING! THIS REFINED SCENT OF BEEF FAT! AND THE SWEETNESS! IT DOESN’T HAVE THE GREASY TASTE OF PORK, YET STILL HAS THE PURE TASTINESS AND FRAGRANCE OF BEEF! I AM NOW BESTOWED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT A REAL ‘BEEF’ IS LIKE! THE GROUND BEEF I HAD EATEN SO FAR WERE TRAs.h.!.+ JUST ROTTEN GARBAGE MADE OF RUBBER! AND THE BUNS ARE ENVELOPING THE BEEF TIGHTLY! THE SWEET SCENT, SOFT TEXTURE AND HEAVENLY TASTE! UNDOUBTEDLY, IT’S MADE WITH THE BEST FLOUR, A GOLDEN FIELD OF PROSPERITY! THE SUN! IT ENVELOPS THE BEEF PATTY KINDLY LIKE THE EARTH, AND CREATING SYNERGY WHILE NOT LOSING TO THE BEEF’S PRESENCE! ON TOP OF THAT, THE PICKLES AND THE KETCHUP BLEND TOGETHER SO PERFECTLY TO GIVE THAT SPOT-ON SOURNESS! THE AMOUNT! THE VEGETABLE’S FLAVOR! THEY ARE SUPPORTING CAST TO THE MAIN ACTORS, CONNECTING EVERYTHING IN A HARMONY TO EVOLVE INTO ITS OWN ‘WORLD’! IT’S AS IF THERE’S AN ORCHESTRA IN MY MOUTH! PYTHAGORAS! PYTHAGORAS!
“But…THIS ISN’T MAx.x.xx.x.xx.x.xx.x.xx.x.xx.x.xx.x.xx.x.xx.x.xx.x.xx.x.xx.x.xx.x.xx.x.x!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
“K-Kimito-sama!?”
“What’s the matter!?”
“This is definitely very delicious, but where’s the simple but balanced flavor of a MAX cheeseburger, or the unique fulfilling taste of a Big MAX? Most importantly, there are some things you can only taste at a MAX Burger! On the other hand, how much are they gonna sell this for!? 120 Yen!? Even if they sold this for 1000 Yen, they would still lose a lot money!! Don’t you ever look down on MAX Burger!! Whoever cooked it, SHOW YOUR FACE RIGHT NOW!!”
“Kimito-sama is angry…!”
“I do not know the reason, but he looks very mad……”
After eating, we threw the food containers into a trashcan.
“So commoners really take care of everything themselves.”
The task of disposing the trash depending on their categories seemed to have piqued the interest of the Ojou-samas a lot.
“It’s my turn next.”
“Beniko-sama, keep it up!”
“I sense that I have grown as a person!”
“Me too!”
The field trip in ShominLand was going as smoothly as it could be.
All that’s left was Aika’s indecisiveness.
1.An Olympic Village is an accommodation center built for the Olympic Games, usually within an Olympic Park or elsewhere in a host city. Olympic Villages are built to house all partic.i.p.ating athletes, as well as officials and athletic trainers. After the Munich Ma.s.sacre at the 1972 Olympics, the Villages have been made extremely secure. Only athletes, trainers and officials are allowed to room at the Village, though family members and former Olympic athletes are allowed inside with proper checks. Press and media are also barred.