New World, New Life: I Became A Bigshot In The Ancient World
Chapter 86: HUNTING FOR HUMANS

Chapter 86: HUNTING FOR HUMANS

In the carriage.

"We bought this for you." Serina said cheerfully as she handed a meat skewer to Aristia.

"Thank you, Seri." Aristia brightened up, giving her a side hug.

"We’re not heading home, are we?" Beatrix asked.

"Hell no, we’re not." Aristia replied. "The fun’s not over yet. Plus, I’m hungry from all the talking I did."

Beatrix and Serina chuckled.

Adeline comforted with an expression of heartache. "Princess, we will buy lots of food." Her Princess has been working hard. She couldn’t let her go hungry.

"Are you going to hire the two sisters to work in the restaurant?" Beatrix asked curiously, guessing correctly.

"Yes." Aristia nodded. "I have decided to invite whoever can cook delicious food to work in the restaurant."

"But, how will you know?" Serina asked, cleaning her spicy hands with a handkerchief.

"By eating their food, of course. Is anybody full and can’t eat anymore? Aristia asked and received negative answers. Aristia knew that it was very against nobility’s law of etiquette but knowing it and following it were two different things.

Did she care? The answer was a big no.

She continued, "I need the help of all of you to convince the people we meet." She then knocked on the carriage partition. "Stop the carriage, Lucas."

Lucas gave an affirmative grunt and not long after, the carriage stopped at the side of the road.

Aristia smirked. "Let’s go hunt for humans."

The five of them dismounted the carriage and walked down the street.

"Let’s go to that noodle shop." Aristia pointed at a small shop across the street.

"Noodle?" Beatrix asked with curiousity.

"You haven’t eaten noodles before?" Aristia asked, surprised.

"No, we haven’t." Serina shook her head.

"Then this is a good opportunity to do so. Come on." Aristia said.

They walked across the street to the noodle shop. They opened the door and entered the shop.

The shop was neat and, albeit small, and there were tables and chairs set up for the customers.

They chose a table and sat down. Aristia looked around. There were at most only two people in the noodle shop.

Just as the thought that, the three people left. It seemed they had finished their meal as a middle aged man came to collect the money.

[Is the food that bad?] Aristia thought in puzzlement.

"Mister, we will each have a plate of noodles." Aristia said with a smile.

In no time, the dishes were served. Five bowls of steaming hot noodles. A tantalizing aroma filled the air.

[Mm. Smells... absolutely delicious.] Aristia closed her eyes and breathed in the delicious smell.

"Here you go." The man turned to the woman who was cleaning the table the three people had been sitting and said. "These children are good looking."

The woman who was probably his wife replied. "Indeed, they are. And that young lady with them is beautiful too." The couple spoke as if they were not in front of them and hearing any word.

[This couple is quite... straightforward.] Aristia thought.

She looked down at her steaming bowl of noodles and her eyebrows raised in surprise.

[Wow! This is the first noodle shop since I entered the book that served beef noodles. Other stalls just serve plain noodles with soup.] Aristia thought as she ate the beef noodles.

This stall owner seemed to be creative and open to trying new ideas, and the noodles were delicious. It was odd that they didn’t have much customers.

"Mister, did you cook this?" She asked the man who had served them the food.

"Yes. I cook the noodles with my wife." The man replied, looking a little embarrassed.

Aristia gave him a thumbs up and smiled childishly. "It’s very delicious."

The man smiled widely.

Aristia looked around her dramatically. "But, why aren’t there many people here? This is the first place in the capital I’ve seen noodles cooked like this."

The man’s wife had a downcast expression on her face. "This is indeed a new way of cooking noodles that I and my husband came up with. It attracted quite a lot of people at first." She said.

"But because of the price, many people stopped coming." Her husband added.

"They say it’s too expensive. What do they expect? Beef isn’t cheap." The woman completed. She looked like she had finally found a place to vent.

It was just as Aristia had deduced. It was the price, otherwise why would the stall not be filled with people?

"I see." Aristia said in thought as she slowly chewed the beef noodles.

Normal noodles were sold at eight copper coins, but these beef noodles were sold at twelve copper coins. It was no wonder that the commoners would not be prone to purchase it. They preferred to save the few extra coins.

"Auntie and Uncle, what do you think about working in a place where people would be guaranteed to buy your food?" Owen asked the couple.

"Well, that would be great. But where would we find such a place?" The couple indulged the beautiful children. They were just saying. They didn’t really have high hopes for such a thing happening.

"If you’re interested, I know a place like that." Aristia smirked. The couple laughed, not taking her words serious. But Aristia continued,

"There will be better pay, and lots of opportunities to try different foods and recipes." She threw out the bait.

The couple exchanged glances. It would be good if they could work in such a place. But, could they rely on the words of a little girl?

The man shook his head and chuckled, wiping his hands on his clothes. "You don’t know much, little girl."

Aristia was not offended at his words as she could tell he wasn’t trying to downgrade her.

"You’re right. I don’t know much... But I know that this business is going to close down soon. It would be better to work for me. It is a risk you want to take." She said.

The couple finally realized that she was serious. "You... You are just a child. W-what are you saying." The wife asked.

They were stunned. Hearing a child say this was more than a little strange. But the little girl had a point.

They were indeed planning to close down their noodle business since it wasn’t generating much profit. They had a family to take care of. They had been planning to open another business that they could make profit from.

"You will not regret working for her." Owen said. He was a fine example of that.

The couple paused and observed the clothes worn by these beautiful customers. They seemed like they belonged to a well-off family. The couple didn’t consider the possibility of them belonging to nobility as they didn’t think nobles would even eat at stalls.

Therefore, they assumed that the little girl and her companions were from a wealthy family. Even so, the couple was still hesitant. Was it wise to agree to work for a child?

But they were considering it. If there was really work like that, it would be a good thing. Perhaps, the child’s family was too indulgent and allowed it. They could even have someone else managing it on her behalf.

After considering all those things, the husband took the lead and spoke up with a sigh. "It is true about the shop closing down. Little girl, if you’re serious and there really is a place like that where we can work, then we agree."

"Marvelous!" Aristia said with a light clap of her hands. "Then, I also have an offer that might interest you."

She paused. "I am holding an examination in order to test the ability of the people who will be hired as cooks. You can act as part of the judges and taste if the food is alright. Those who pass can stay and will be hired." It was an elimination method.

The couple’s eyes lit up in excitement.

"When can we begin? I mean when will the examination be held?" The wife asked.

"We will return later. We have to take care of some things and make some arrangements." Aristia turned to Beatrix, Serina and Adeline who had been sitting there quietly.

"Are you done?" She asked.

Beatrix and Serina shook their heads. They had been too engrossed watching the interaction with interest and amazement in their eyes as they quietly slurped down the delicious beef noodles to avoid disturbing Aristia’s conversation.

Aristia chuckled and lowered her head as she resumed eating her beef noodles which were now warm.

Occasionally, the couple would steal glances at her, or peek secretly. They were still in a state of wonderment and found the situation hard to believe.

Who would believe that on a normal day of their business, they would receive an attractive offer from a little girl who looked no more than five years old?

After the meal, Aristia left with the others.

"Goodbye. Await word from me." She said and the couple nodded dazedly.