Chapter 115:
Assorted Waffles
ON DAYS OF SATUR, Aletta got a break after lunchtime.
Beside the kitchen, next to the shower room and changing room, was a break room with a plain table and chair, as well as something called a “clock” with two moving sticks. There, Aletta sat down and let herself reflect.
As she rested, her mind went back to Saki, who was covering for her. Saki was a new employee and the master’s niece.
I need to work harder, Aletta thought. I can’t do things like she does.
When Saki introduced herself, she said she just came of age, but she was probably still Aletta’s junior. Even so, as far as Aletta could tell, she was a quick-witted girl who could seemingly do anything.
Saki not only helped the master cook but also—like Aletta—helped clean the restaurant. She wanted to be a chef, so in the mornings, before Nekoya opened, she was always in the kitchen doing prep work like peeling vegetables. The tasks were simple but still helped the master prepare the restaurant’s meals.
And Saki was from the other world, like the master. Not only was she smarter than Aletta, she’d also picked up knowledge by going to “school.” She’d never made a single mistake on a bill, and on top of that, she could read and write the other world’s language. Aletta, on the other hand, still couldn’t do simple math, so she couldn’t calculate bills for customers.
Of course, Aletta had worked at Nekoya for years now, so she was at least confident that she was better than Saki at handling guests and bringing out orders. After all, ever since the master hired her, she’d dealt with customers from all over her world by herself.
Still, when she watched Saki—who could write simple characters, do math, and answer questions about the menu in detail—Aletta couldn’t help thinking that the master’s niece was a far better waitress. Sometimes, she worried the master would someday tell her he didn’t need her anymore.
Consequently, Aletta hadn’t really opened up to Saki. So when the smiling student came over carrying a Flying Puppy box and two ceramic mugs and said “Hey! Crazy out there, right? Can I sit next to you?” the demon girl nodded mostly out of surprise.
“Oh, of course.”
“Whoopsy-daisy!” Saki took a seat casually. “Oh—Uncle told me you really like cocoa, so I got us some. Is that okay?” She handed Aletta a mug.
The cocoa’s sweet aroma brought a smile to Aletta’s face. Remembering that Saki was next to her, she got nervous all over again. “Um, thank you.”
“Mm-hmm. It’s no trouble! I just want to make friends, is all,” Saki said bluntly. The young student was anxious to be on good terms with Aletta. After all, the demon was the first person from the other world Saki had met, as well as one of the only staff members who worked on the Day of Satur.
Aletta sat beside her with a stiff expression. “Huh? I mean, what…?”
She couldn’t help her confusion. There were people in the other world who’d looked out for her—starting with the master himself, and including even Sarah and Shia—but that was because she worked for the restaurant. No one had ever asked to be her friend, so she was at a loss in this situation.
Saki stated her case plainly. “You know—friends. I mean, if you’d rather not, I guess that’s that. But I mean, we’ve already eaten together, haven’t we? Besides, on the Day of Satur, you, me, and Uncle are usually the ones working. I’d love to be friends, if possible.”
Since her first visit to the restaurant, Saki had never been especially scared of Aletta. According to Aletta herself, she was a demon; still, she wasn’t the kind Saki had known from manga or anime—creatures who were bloodthirsty, or covered in gore, or sacrificed people. Nothing about Aletta was different, aside from the horns on her head—she was basically like a coworker born outside Japan. If anything, she was easier to hang out with than some of the exchange students at Saki’s college, because she somehow spoke Japanese fluently.
Aletta smiled awkwardly, but Saki had gotten through to her. “I-In that case, um, I’d love to be friends.”
“Awesome!” Saki smiled back. Aletta still looked stiff as a board, but this was a good first step. “Let’s share these in honor of our new friendship.” Still smiling, she opened the box she’d purchased with her employee discount.
Aletta’s eyes widened. “Huh? Wait…are those slices of cake?”
Inside the box were some sort of baked goods colored light brown, darker cocoa brown, and pink. The top and bottom were sandwiched together with a matching layer of cream. They looked like the “cake” enjoyed by human priests, priestesses, nobility, and a certain demon mercenary.
“They’re similar, but kind of different,” Saki replied. The Flying Puppy cake shop upstairs sold this special set of three “cakes.” They’d looked so delicious that Saki couldn’t help but buy a box, but they were a bit too much to eat by herself.
Reaching into the box, Saki grabbed a “cake” filled with yellow custard. “These are called ‘waffles.’ They’re delicious freshly toasted, but they’re also really good cold,” she explained, splitting the waffle and handing the demon girl the larger half. “Don’t hold back—I need you to eat half. Ha ha ha!”
Aletta looked at Saki with hopeful eyes. “Then, um, thank you, Dark…er, thank you, Saki…” she replied, combining her premeal prayer with her thanks to the other girl in her fluster.
Covering her confusion, Aletta took the waffle and bit into it. The soft, fluffy dough was just a bit sweet, and the sugary cream within had black specks and an eggy taste. It was slightly bitter and smelled a bit like liquor.
The sweet-smelling cream made Aletta drop her guard, and she grinned. This really is wonderful! It wasn’t until she’d started coming to the Restaurant to Another World that she’d learned how fun eating could be. So when she ate good food like this, she naturally smiled.
Wow. She really does look happy when she eats. Saki couldn’t help thinking that Aletta was at her cutest when eating. She halved the next waffle, offering her a piece; Aletta took it happily.
This waffle was dark brown with black cream inside. Looking at it, Aletta thought of one of her favorite foods. Is this chocolate?
When she took a bite, the waffle tasted nothing like she’d expected. It was sweet, but the distinct, aromatic bitterness that usually brought out chocolate’s sweetness was stronger than ever. “Ooh…it’s kind of bitter!”
“Oh—do you not like bitter foods?” Saki’s expression shifted, worried she might’ve made a mistake.
Aletta, however, took another bite. “They’re good!” she replied with a grin. “This is bitter and sweet. It’s delicious!” The bitterness brought out the waffle’s sweetness out even more.
“Right? Okay, this is the last one. There are raspberries in it,” Saki explained, splitting the last waffle and handing it over. The cream within the pretty pink waffle contained deep-red berries.
No longer hesitant, Aletta bit into the waffle. She looked surprised—this time, the filling was ever-so-slightly tangy but far sweeter than the last.
After that initial impression, she tasted a tangy flavor more strongly—the tiny berries mixed with the cream were more sour than sweet. The sharper fruit cleansed Aletta’s palate, helping her pick up on the filling’s sweetness.
It’s sweet and sour! Those two flavors came and went in turn, and the slightly sweet-and-sour dough surrounding the filling made the dessert special. None of the three waffles they’d eaten was just sweet. Naturally, Aletta found herself beaming.
Saki took a sip of hot cocoa. She loved eating good food and felt just as happy watching someone else enjoy it. She found herself smiling, too, enjoying the same experience as Aletta.
Seeing the demon girl grin, Saki thought, I should bring her something new next time.