The Grand Duelist

With the help of the wooden workshop, the small shop that Joseph rented was now a small restaurant. Even though the restaurant looked simple and quaint, it was neat and tidy.

With an area of about thirty square meters along with only a few chairs and tables, one could say that it was indeed only a small restaurant.

Joseph stared at the two dishes listed on the menu. He shook his head and helplessly sighed. It was because despite Joseph's efforts on recreating the more complex dishes that his father and mother taught him within these past few days.

He only managed to reach mastery in regards to the Egg Fried Rice.

As for the other dishes such as the Pork Adobo, and Pork Nilaga...

Joseph could only sigh in regret. 

The only comfort that he had was that even though he only had two dishes on his menu.

The prices of these dishes were extraordinarily high!

A bowl of an Egg Fried Rice costs a single gold coin, while the Entrada Family's Secret Special Egg Fried Rice had a price of a single Spirit Stone! 

Spirit Stones were the official currency of cultivators according to Pixie Fairy Elizabeth.

A single Spirit Stone could be exchanged for a hundred gold coins, but it was still something that only cultivators had. After all, Spirit Stones were useless in the hands of mortals.

For an unknown restaurant, these prices were exorbitant.

It really made Joseph wonder as to how expensive would his other dishes be.

"[Why are you sighing again, master? Are you not satisfied with the evaluation of the prices that I told you about?]" Pixie Fairy Elizabeth's voice rang inside Joseph's mind.

Joseph turned to look near the entrance of the shop and he found a cat sitting comfortably near the doors. The eyes of the cat were focused on Joseph as a bitter smile emerged on his face.

"[No, I think the prices are reasonable, but how do I attract customers with these ridiculously high prices?]" 

Pixie Fairy Elizabeth replied, "[Didn't master say that master doesn't want any customers for now? Why the sudden change of mind?]"

Joseph raised his head and stared at the cat before sighing: "[You don't understand, Elizabeth. For a chef, there's this certain satisfaction of seeing others happily eating the dishes that you make. Without that satisfaction, everything feels empty. It's like I'm working, but for nothing... Will this really help me comprehend the ways of the heavens?]"

Pixie Fairy Elizabeth lazily replied, "[Well, isn't that just how one comprehends the heavens? Cultivation is always mundane, master. For you to become a proper cultivator, you must endure through that loneliness with only one focus in mind, and that focus should be on comprehending the ways of the heavens...]"

Joseph bitterly smiled, "[There you go again with those vague words...]"

Even though Joseph had a lot of stock knowledge regarding cultivation. It didn't mean that he had mastery regarding the topic. It was like even though you knew how something worked since you have read some books about it. It didn't mean that you were a master of it.

Mastery wasn't something that could easily be obtained by just reading a book or two. Mastery comes with time, only by spending enough time in repetition could one become a master of something.

Will I really be able to endure a hundred years of loneliness?

Joseph inwardly sighed.

The doors of the small shop suddenly opened, but the person who came in wasn't a customer.

It was the young boy who was now an employee of the small restaurant.

The restaurant was closed for the day, yet Joseph ordered the young boy to come to the restaurant.

Of course, the young boy who wanted to eat the delicious Egg Fried Rice didn't refuse. In fact, he even rushed towards the small restaurant when the time for him to go to the restaurant came.

"You're finally here... Sit down on the table for now. I'll go and prepare everything for a bit."

Joseph went into the kitchen and readied everything mise en place.

Then, he started cooking.

Joseph who had cooked Egg Fried Rice every day for at least a week now was growing increasingly proficient in cooking the dish. Of course, it wasn't to the extent that Joseph could cook it even while his eyes were closed, but it was close enough.

The dishes brought within the small restaurant couldn't be brought outside. This was one of the rules that the Pixie Fairy Elizabeth made. She also proposed that the small shop should be opened around the clock, but Joseph protested, saying that he needed to rest.

Joseph's complaint became the reason why the small restaurant now had a strict regulation regarding opening hours. Of course, Joseph could choose not to obey these words, but there was no place for someone who was whimsical in the world of cultivation.

Fighting against the heavens was dangerous enough, so there was no room for hesitation.

A single hesitation could cause the birth of an inner demon inside your heart.

An inner demon could easily cause your death once the Heavenly Tribulation descended.

This was one of the lessons that Joseph learned from his several years of reading Eastern Fantasy books.

Pixie Fairy Elizabeth also confirmed that this was indeed the truth.

Half an hour later, Joseph was done with his cooking.

Carrying a tray, he placed it in front of the elevated platform near the kitchen that faced the customers. The young boy revealed a dazzling smile. This small restaurant had a strange rule, customers should serve themselves and there were no waiters nor waitresses. 

The young boy stood up and fetched the bowl of Special Egg Fried Rice and started eating it with gusto.

Even though the young boy wasn't saying anything regarding how delicious the Egg Fried Rice was. Words weren't necessary when Joseph could see the satisfaction on the young boy's face.

The young boy frequently visited the small shop within the past few days.

Within those days, Joseph came to know the name of the young boy.

The young boy was named, Kenneth.

He looked to be about six-years-old, yet he was actually twelve-years-old.

The reason why he looked incredibly young despite his age was because of malnourishment.

He was so grossly malnourished that it stunted his growth.

Despite being twelve-years-old, he looked like he was about five or six-years-old instead.

When Joseph learned this fact, he began to like the young boy as if he was his sibling.

Whenever the young boy requested an Egg Fried Rice, he would give it to him, but of course...

There was an exchange of labor after the meal.

Joseph didn't want to see the young boy become a spoiled brat, after all.

However, the Egg Fried Rice that Joseph always gave to the young boy wasn't actually the cheapest option within the menu.

It was actually the Entrada Family's Secret Special Egg Fried Rice.

According to Pixie Fairy Elizabeth...

The reason why that Egg Fried Rice was priced as such was that it could increase a cultivator's chances of breaking through the next realm or tier.

But what if the mortals ate this Egg Fried Rice?

Since they didn't have any cultivation...

The Egg Fried Rice would instead transform into an incredibly nutritious meal for them, which not only gave them their daily requirement for vitamins and minerals. It also increased their lifespan.

Even now, after only several days of consecutive consumption of the Special Egg Fried Rice. Kenneth the young boy's body was finally showing signs of catching up to his true age. He was now steadily growing like how a boy at his age should be.

"Thanks for the meal, uncle!" Kenneth said with a wide smile.

Joseph replied: "No problem. However, now that I am about to open the restaurant tomorrow..."

"This is the last day that your father and mother can eat the dishes of this restaurant outside. You're not exempted from the rules and if you violated it, I will definitely blacklist you so you should be careful, all right?"

Kenneth who attentively listened nodded his head in understanding.

"I will be obedient, uncle!"

"Good! Now take these two portions of Egg Fried Rice and hand it over to your father and mother. Tell them that I liked the furniture that they made." Joseph handed over two bowls of Special Egg Fried Rice to Kenneth.

"Mkay, uncle! Goodbye!"

Kenneth turned around and made another mad dash towards the exit of the restaurant.

"Finally, he's gone..." A feminine voice rang near the entrance of the shop. Dazzling light briefly flashed and a beautiful woman appeared after the disappearance of the light. The gorgeous young woman was clad in a dress that perfectly depicted the sensations of Spring and its colors.

She had wings attached to her back and there was a wide smile on her face as she ran towards the kitchen and fetched herself a bowl of Special Egg Fried Rice.

Joseph sat cross-legged on a nearby mat and started cultivating.

Since the shop was closed for the day, it was impossible to have any customers.

Instead of wasting time doing nothing, Joseph proceeded on absorbing the nearby Spiritual Energy so that he could acquire as much Experience as he possibly could.

[You are absorbing the nearby Spiritual Energy...]

[You have acquired Experience: 20,231] 

[You have acquired Experience: 21,612]

[You have acquired Experience: 25,021]

[...]

Just by merely absorbing the spiritual energy in the air into his body.

Joseph was steadily gaining experience that he could eventually withdraw once the King's Trial ended. What's even better was that even if he failed the King's Trial, the Experience Points that he acquired within the King's Trial wouldn't be lost and would still be awarded to him.

Acquiring experience points by just absorbing the nearby spiritual energy was awesome, but it was also such an incredibly boring activity.

However, Joseph who was an avid player of MMORPG games five years ago was someone who was used to grinding. No matter what kind of grinding it was, Joseph wouldn't be bored.

In fact, he was even excited as to what level he would reach after he received these Experience Points when he returned to the world of Victory after this King's Trial.

The next morning, Joseph woke up after a good night's sleep through the use of True Sleep Mode.

After he washed up, the restaurant was finally opened to business.

However, the small restaurant was still deserted.

Not a single person could be seen inside.

Pixie Fairy Elizabeth who transformed into a cat was still lazily lying on the floor as usual.

Joseph went outside of the small restaurant.

He carried a chair and placed it near the entrance so he could enjoy the warm sunlight of the morning. He felt too comfortable sitting outside to the extent that he slid downwards as he closed his eyes and started absorbing the abundant spiritual energy in the air once again.

The location of the small maybe only behind the main street, but every person who wanted to buy or sell something placed their stalls or shops on the main street. After all, the main street received all, if not most of the traffic for this side of the City of Eichenwalde.

The cat inside the small restaurant also went outside and sat beside Joseph. It lazily glanced at Joseph for a moment before it laid its head on the floor and started sleeping under the comfortable warmth of the sun.

"[Elizabeth...]" Joseph couldn't help but speak.

The cat raised its head and stared at Joseph, "[What's wrong, master? Are there any troublemakers?]"

"[No... I just want to say that it seems like you're getting quite used to being a cat. Are you sure that you will still want to return to your original form after all of these?]"

Pixie Fairy Elizabeth coldly replied: "[Are you mocking me, master? Of course, I will still return to my original form! I just want to enjoy the warm sunlight! That's the reason why I am here outside!]"

You completely missed my point...

Joseph inwardly chuckled. Of course, he didn't dare to say these to Pixie Fairy Elizabeth. 

Time slowly passed and after about an hour, footsteps came from the distance.

Although Joseph could hear a lot of footsteps on a daily basis due to the fact that the small restaurant was just behind the main street. This was the first time that he heard footsteps from strangers and not just from the young boy Kenneth and his parents.

Joseph raised his head and found that the person approaching was Kenneth with a wide smile on his face. Beside him was a young man who looked incredibly feminine to the extent that Joseph had to take another look.

He then discovered that if not for the wide shoulders and the protruding adam's apple on the young man's neck...

Joseph would've been convinced that he was a woman.

Fuck... As expected... If there's an apple above, there's a banana below.

Kenneth quickly walked beside Joseph and whispered: "Uncle... I saw the prices listed on the menu. Can you reduce those prices for a little bit? It's really too much..."

Joseph merely shook his head, "Rules are rules..."

"Only those that are willing to pay shall be able to eat."

Kenneth could only reveal a bitter smile.

He approached the beautiful young man once again and said, "Young Master Vlass, this is the shop that I told you that's selling the most delicious Egg Fried Rice that I have ever tasted in my life. It is an Egg Fried Rice that's one of a kind. Once tasted, it's always wanted!"

Joseph smiled. This young boy, Kenneth, obviously saw that Joseph didn't have any customers on his first day of opening even though his dishes were too delicious. Kenneth probably visited the residence of this beautiful young man and improvised some schemes so he could lure him here.

The beautiful young man turned to look at Joseph. 

Joseph smiled at the young man.

But the beautiful young man merely glanced at him and went inside the store.

"Kenneth, there's no one here. I thought this place was recommended by your father?"

"Yes, my father greatly recommends this store."

"Then, where's the owner?"

"Ah, the owner? He's right outside."

The beautiful young man paused.

He turned around and found that Joseph was the only person outside.

"So, you're the owner? My apologies. I just didn't expect that the owner of this restaurant recommended by the father of this young boy would actually be so young." A smile could be seen on the beautiful young man's face.

There was a saying that one cannot punch a smiling face.

Faced with politeness, Joseph couldn't ignore something like that so he responded in kind.

Clasping his hands, he slightly bowed his head and smiled: "Yes, I am indeed the owner of this small restaurant."

The beautiful young man replied: "Wow, you're really polite. If you keep that attitude up you'll definitely make it big..."

Joseph merely smiled and didn't reply.

Silence fell, but it was broken by the beautiful young man who asked, "It's late in the morning and I'm getting quite hungry. May I see the menu, perhaps?"

Joseph maintained the smile on his face as he darted his gaze on a nearby plaque.

The moment Kenneth saw Joseph's gaze. He secretly sighed and thought that it was over. He had bragged to quite a few people about this shop, but whenever they heard the prices. They would shake their heads in dismay.

And this was Kenneth's expectations as soon as the beautiful young man saw the prices listed within the menu.

Indeed...

When the beautiful young man's gaze landed on the plaque.

His figure froze and a wry smile escaped on his lips.

"Uh..."

"It seems like I came to the wrong restaurant..."

He then turned around and headed for the exit.

Leaving the bitterly smiling Kenneth and the sighing Joseph on his wake.