"Everyone, we're almost at Gourmet Paradise!"
A massive passenger port came into view. White cruise ships lined the docks—some arriving, others preparing to depart. Most of the travelers were tourists.
Cargo ships docked elsewhere, at a separate port.
This one was exclusively for passengers. And in a place like this, one Gourmet Paradise wasn't enough. There were many.
The foot traffic alone was astounding.
With it came staggering wealth. Everyone who could afford to come here had serious spending power. It wouldn't be a stretch to say Gourmet Paradise rivaled the GDP of some small countries—or even surpassed them.
It was heaven for food lovers... and a playground for indulgence.
The cruise ship pulled in and lowered the gangway.
Kaizen was the first to step off.
Two figures stood waiting at the bottom of the dock.
Menchi and Buhara.
Behind Kaizen, Shizuku, Tessia, and Sally followed closely.
Menchi spotted them and waved excitedly. "Kaizen! Over here!"
But as usual, Buhara was more eye-catching.
It was hard to miss someone his size in a crowd like this.
Kaizen smiled. "Let's go."
He led the trio toward the two waiting Hunters.
...
"Menchi-sama. Buhara-sama"
Both welcomed him with warm smiles.
"Welcome to Gourmet Paradise," Menchi said. "Come with us. The car's parked outside—this place is too crowded to bring it in."
"By the way," she added, glancing at the trio behind him, "who're your companions?"
She could tell right away—they all had aura.
"They're part of my team," Kaizen explained. "This is Shizuku, Tessia, and Sally."
Then he turned to the girls.
"These two were my examiners back during the Hunter Exam. Menchi-sama, Buhara-sama."
Everyone exchanged polite greetings.
...
The six of them stepped out of the port and onto a broad open road. It was so wide and empty of traffic it felt more like a plaza than a street.
They soon arrived at an oversized van.
"Hop in," Menchi said, climbing into the driver's seat.
Buhara opened the passenger door and eased himself in—with some effort.
Once he was in, there wasn't much space left.
No surprise—he was enormous. The van must've been specially made for someone like him.
Thankfully, Kaizen and the others were of normal build and could fit without issue.
The engine groaned—not so much a roar as a wheeze—as the van slowly rolled forward. After a few minutes, the ride smoothed out.
Kaizen looked out the window.
Restaurant after restaurant passed by, bustling with people. The smells drifting in were intoxicating—even without eating, the scent alone made his mouth water.
Despite the massive crowds and heavy tourism, traffic was surprisingly smooth.
"Gourmet Paradise is well-organized," Kaizen remarked.
Menchi nodded as she steered them toward the inner district.
There were fewer people here—more spacious, more peaceful.
...
"Buhara and I have a place here," Menchi said. "It's spacious and comes with living quarters. You guys can stay with us while you're in town."
Soon after, they pulled into a large courtyard.
"We're here," she said.
Everyone got out.
Kaizen glanced around.
"Is this your shop?"
"Yup," Menchi replied.
It was huge. "Shop" wasn't the right word—it was practically a villa.
"The front yard's small and open to customers," she explained. "That building there is the kitchen and restaurant. The backyard's bigger. We don't have staff, so when we're open, it's just me and Buhara running things."
"So we don't take many guests."
She turned to Kaizen. "How many rooms do you need?"
"Four, if that's alright?"
"Of course. There's plenty of space, but they're not set up yet. I'll show you the rooms first and send supplies up after."
Buhara spoke up. "I'll get started on dinner."
"Alright. I'll handle things here," Menchi replied.
...
She led Kaizen and the others to the second floor.
Kaizen didn't give it much thought and picked a room at random.
The others took a bit more time comparing.
"You can rest for now," Menchi said. "I'll send up linens and toiletries."
"Thanks," Kaizen said.
"No need to be so polite."
She left.
...
Now only the four of them remained upstairs.
A hallway connected to a large open balcony, offering a full view of the garden.
It was beautiful.
The front yard had rows of trees and colorful flowers. Out back was a cultivated area—vegetables, herbs, and other ingredients grew in tidy plots.
There were also animals—clearly not standard livestock. Likely rare ingredient species.
"The air here is amazing," Kaizen said, gazing up at the sky. He inhaled deeply.
Shizuku set down her suitcase and pulled out her notebook.
Her short-term memory often failed her, so she relied on her notes.
But this time, when she flipped it open and saw what was written, she froze.
"Wait... Did I really make that kind of agreement with the captain?"
She blinked, stunned.
Then her expression turned sheepish.
"Well, if it's written here, I must have agreed to it…"
"I can't believe I forgot something so important."
"This is bad. That's... really irresponsible."
...
Soon, Menchi returned with staff carrying bedding and supplies—four sets total, all delivered to the respective rooms.
Once everything was set up, Menchi clapped her hands lightly.
"Kaizen, are you heading to the front? Buhara might need help in the kitchen."
Kaizen looked at Shizuku and the others.
"Let's all go."
...
They made their way to the restaurant.
Inside, Buhara was hard at work. The sounds of flames, pots, and knives rang out clearly from the kitchen.
Delicious aromas wafted through the air.
"Mmm!" Shizuku sniffed, eyes lighting up. "Smells amazing!"
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (1047 chapters in total)