Poor Miss Saber / The Samurai Girl Artoria

The red-haired girl, Bazett, strode into the street.

Following the route map formed by the closed shops where she worked, the gluttonous demon should arrive here today, on the southeast corner of the street, where there are a bunch of restaurants, mainly ramen and oden shops, and of course, there are also teppanyaki and okonomiyaki restaurants.

"Given that gluttonous demon's eating habits, he usually chooses restaurants that offer large portions and are sure to fill you up, preferably the kind that have competitive eating contests." Bazett had already put on black gloves and clenched her fists. She was ready for a fight and was determined to teach that bastard who dared to repeatedly cause her to lose her job a lesson. She would ask him why he was targeting her; all she wanted was a job!

"But there aren't any competitive eating contests around here, are there?" Shirou looked around at the shops, since all the restaurants that used to hold competitive eating contests nearby had closed down, and the surrounding restaurants must have heard the news.

So no one would do that again, after all, even if they don't believe in extraterrestrial stomachs capable of consuming the entire store's reserves. But many restaurants have indeed run into problems. Savvy business people will naturally have a backup plan.

"How could this happen..." Bazett lowered his hands in despair. Was he really going to let that gluttonous demon go like this?

"Senior, even if it's not a competitive eating contest, there are still restaurants where you can eat to your heart's content for a reasonable price," Sakura said from the side.

"Ah..." Shirou realized it at this moment.

Unlike competitive eating contests where you can eat free food and compete to see who can finish the most portions, or events where you can earn rewards by consuming huge portions of extremely spicy food within a time limit.

However, the prices aren't too expensive, and there are restaurants where you can eat your fill. Japan is a long-established developed country, and although it hasn't achieved self-sufficiency in fruits and vegetables due to foreign influence, wages and prices have remained relatively stable.

There isn't much difference between cities and the countryside. Aside from having more upscale hotels and longer queues outside, Tokyo also has plenty of affordable and delicious restaurants.

"Buffet!" Shirou exclaimed.

"Mmm!" Sakura nodded with a smile. She considered herself a foodie, so a buffet was a good choice.

On this street, there is a famous dumpling buffet restaurant where you can eat as many as you want—steamed dumplings, pan-fried dumplings, boiled dumplings, and dumplings with various fillings and cooking methods. It costs 2280 yen for 60 minutes, which is about 145 RMB.

Considering that the average salary for Japanese people aged 20 to 40 is 250,000 yen, monthly rent is 70,000 yen, and a lunch costs around 800 yen, it's actually not too expensive.

"Buffet! That's right! Buffet! That bastard is definitely there! Damn it! They changed their strategy!" Bazett shouted excitedly, raising his fist.

After a while, she turned back to Shirou, her mouth practically watering, and asked, "Is that stuff tasty? It looks so expensive, I've never had it before."

"Senpai..." Sakura tugged at Shirou's clothes.

"Well..." Shirou smiled helplessly.

But we ate dinner before coming out, and now we're going to eat at a buffet? Do you really think that's appropriate? This isn't a dessert buffet, it's a dumpling buffet!

Are you trying to say, 'Hey, dumplings are served in a separate stomach?'

The three eventually arrived at the dumpling buffet restaurant, which was already quite crowded. Luckily, they found a seat in a corner; otherwise, they might have had to wait outside for a while.

Shirou glanced around. Besides dumplings, the shop also offered cold dishes, fruits and vegetables, noodles, rice, and pastries, as well as low-alcohol beverages like plum wine and beer. The tables were full of people; he wondered if the prisoner Bazett had mentioned was among them.

Shirou turned around, about to ask Bazett if he had noticed anything, but Bazett and Sakura were already carrying plates and heading towards the gyoza section of the main course.

"Are you here to find someone, or to eat?"

The two girls faced a plate laden with various kinds of dumplings: chive dumplings, mustard green dumplings, green bean and carrot dumplings, mushroom and cabbage dumplings, crystal dumplings, three-delicacy dumplings, black-skinned dumplings, green-skinned dumplings... and smiled happily.

It seemed they had already forgotten about the crucial matter. Shirou sat down helplessly. In that case, he could only wait and see.

After all, if Bazett, the one who initiated this trip, doesn't care, then there's nothing for him to be in a hurry about.

"Senpai, these dumplings are delicious." Sakura sat opposite Shirou, picked up a dumpling, and held it to Shirou's mouth.

"Thank you, I'll come by myself," Shirou said.

"Don't be shy, come on, ah~!" Sakura remained in the same position, showing no intention of putting down.

"Ah~" Shirou was unable to open his mouth.

"It's delicious, isn't it?" Sakura asked with a sweet smile.

"Mmm, it would be even better with some wine," Bazett, who was engrossed in his food and didn't quite understand what was going on, chimed in.

"You're still a minor, right? You can't drink alcohol, so just have some vinegar to tide you over," Shirou said irritably.

At this moment, on the table where the dumplings were placed, opposite where Sakura and Bazett had just stood, a girl was holding two large plates of dumplings piled up like small mountains in her hands. The high stack of dumplings obscured the girl's face, and only the blue ribbon tied in her hair could be vaguely seen.

Dozens of dumplings were placed on a plate, stacked up like a human pyramid, with three more dumplings on top, forming a small dumpling mountain that didn't fall over—it was practically an artistic miracle.

Just then, several men in black stood in front of the dumpling.

Chapter 1105 The Wronged Miss Saber

Inside the buffet restaurant, people on the roadside were stunned. They wanted to go and get some food but dared not approach, because a row of men in black stood with their hands behind their backs, and behind them was a man dressed as if he were the restaurant manager.

"What can I do for you?" the girl, whose face was obscured by the mountain of dumplings, asked in a pleasant voice.

"Sir, this is your tenth time serving dishes. Isn't that enough? Otherwise, we'll be in a lot of trouble," said one of the managers among the men in black.

"Didn't I already abide by the rule you just mentioned that you can only carry two plates at a time? Isn't this a buffet restaurant where you can eat whatever you want after paying?" the girl asked doubtfully.

"No... Of course this is a buffet restaurant, but you can finish all the dumplings in less than five minutes after you sit down. If this continues, our kitchen won't be able to keep up with the demand for dumplings," the manager said in a low voice.

"I've only been in the store for less than thirty minutes, so are you trying to kick me out? Like the people in those other stores before? You're the ones who set the rule that we can eat as much as we want!" The girl behind the dumpling mountain looked aggrieved, her body trembling slightly, her voice carrying a hidden authority that made people dare not disobey.

This world is truly unreasonable! Weren't the rules set by the store itself? Like a competitive eating contest, the point is to provide all the food and let people eat until they're full. But the food provided is so little, it's simply not enough.

This was clearly an event you organized yourselves, wasn't it?

Isn't the selling point of a buffet that lets guests eat until they're stuffed? Did I only come here because your flyers said that once you pay, you can eat as much as you want for an hour?

Why rush someone to leave when they're only 80% full? You know, if you're 80% full, just a few steps will digest it down to 60%. They came to the restaurant hoping to be truly full, but by the time they left, they were less than 50% full.

This is terrible! Absolutely terrible! Weren't the Japanese supposed to be humble, polite, and trustworthy? Turns out, not a single businessman is any good!

"Young lady, you can't say that. After all, the restaurant isn't just serving you. Your overeating is affecting the serving time. We can't have everyone watching you eat. Uncle believes you're a sensible and good girl. You've already eaten more than five times the amount of other customers, so let's call it a day."

With men in black protecting him, the manager was fearless. There were so many of them, they weren't afraid of a little girl at all. She was so short, barely 1.6 meters tall even with her tuft of hair sticking up, what could she do to them?

Restaurants are businesses too, and businesses are about making money. A business that loses money isn't a business. Any signs or rules are just selling points that can help the restaurant make money, but they don't welcome anything that will make the restaurant lose money.

Buffets typically limit the amount of food offered to ensure they can make a profit from each person. Even if a few big eaters manage to consume all the food they paid for, they can still recoup their costs from the others.

But if someone is there who can profit from the store's losses, then that's considered disruptive.

Just like a casino, nine out of ten gamblers lose. If you let ten people in and one leaves smiling, and that person isn't a shill, then for a casino, that's already more than enough.

If there's a guy who's like a mythical creature that only takes in but never gives out, then either they'll cheat him out of everything and leave him penniless, or they'll catch him cheating, cripple him, and make him disappear.

If no evidence can be found, they will be blacklisted and permanently banned from entering.

In short, casinos absolutely cannot lose money.

The same principle applies to restaurants.

"Then why don't you speed up the serving of the food! Instead, you want me to leave! I'm a guest too!" the girl shouted.

"No, no, our chefs in the kitchen are already working overtime to make dumplings," the manager explained.

Of course he's lying. If the kitchen were that efficient in serving food, how would his restaurant make any money? Serving more of the cheaper dishes and a little less of the more expensive ones, first come, first served, once they're gone, they're gone. That's the proper way to run a business.

"You're lying!" The girl sensed something amiss, raised the plate, and brought it to her mouth. Her mouth wasn't particularly large, but at that moment, the dumplings seemed to enter a distorted space, and she ate them one by one.

A plate of dozens of dumplings was devoured by the girl in less than ten seconds, without even a bulge in her mouth. Then another plate appeared, disappearing silently once more, as if by Magecraft.

With a soft click, the empty plate was placed on the table. The girl revealed herself completely; her golden hair was tied up at the back of her head with a blue ribbon, and her pretty face made her look about fifteen or sixteen years old. Her azure eyes were pure and strong, giving her a very cool appearance.

Only then did the men in black notice the samurai sword tucked into the girl's waist. The restaurant manager, meanwhile, recalled a recent rumor circulating among his peers: the terrifying tale of a restaurant destroyer.

One characteristic is a stomach that can never be filled, with a large appetite and faster digestion.

The second characteristic is that they eat very quickly, yet with great elegance.

Thirdly, they absolutely cannot be confronted with force; once angered, they can be terrifying. They possess extremely high combat prowess, always carrying a samurai sword. One shop had its pillars severed, causing it to physically collapse.

The men in black on both sides were on high alert. They were just chefs in the kitchen, only brought in as bodyguards and appearances because they were fat.

The two men in black exchanged glances, deciding to quickly use the manager in the middle as a shield if things went wrong. They were good at chopping vegetables, but they were definitely not good at killing people! They were only making a pittance anyway, and there was no guarantee of a raise; there was no need to fight to the death.

"Damn it!" The manager, who was standing to the side, realized the chefs' little scheme. If he couldn't even see through this, he wouldn't be in charge of managing these people.

At this moment, the blonde girl placed her hand on the hilt of her sword, releasing a black aura of killing intent. She was ready to draw her sword if the conversation continued to deteriorate.

The chefs in black retreated to both sides, leaving only the manager standing still.

"I'm so sorry! We were definitely wrong in this matter!" the manager quickly bowed and apologized.

Chapter 1106 Samurai Girl Artoria

"It's not a matter of being wrong! A promise should be kept, and those who break their word deserve to be punished by heaven!" the blonde girl said righteously.

"Guest! Guest! Please don't get agitated!"

"An empty stomach is my greatest enemy! You want me to experience the pain of an empty stomach! That makes you my enemy!" the blonde girl glared at the manager. She Instinct and could sense whether the man was malicious or lying. She knew the man in front of her was not someone to be trusted.

And this untrustworthy person even interfered with her eating, so the only option is to execute him! There's nothing more to say!

"No, no! Sir! That's not what we meant!" the manager cried out in despair.

Just then, a strong hand reached out and pressed down on the top of the girl's sword hilt. Using softness to overcome hardness, it restrained the point of force, preventing the girl from drawing the samurai sword smoothly and averting a tragedy.

Shirou arrived just in time, breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, he had taken a good look around before rushing over. Otherwise, while the girl might not have killed anyone, the restaurant here would have been in grave danger.

"Shirou?"

"Artoria, can you calm down first?"

"Well, since Shirou said so," Artoria released her grip on the hilt of the sword.

'What happened? Someone I know? But at least I'm saved, right?' The manager, who had closed his eyes in fear and resigned himself to death, opened them now, feeling somewhat puzzled.

"Ohhhhhh!!!"

The men in black applauded. In their eyes, Shirou was like an eagle hunter riding a gyrfalcon on the Mongolia steppe, or a lion tamer who subdued a lion with his bare hands in the Roman Colosseum —a hero-like figure.

Shirou felt he bore some responsibility, because he loved watching Artoria eat, and it held a large place in all his fond memories.

Therefore, when writing stories based on Artoria, he always included scenes of delicious food. Over time, the girl in his works became a character with an insatiable appetite.

"It's because we prepared far too little food. If you were to eat any more, then... So, this is a complimentary voucher. Next time, please eat at the restaurant next door," the manager said in a low voice.

The manager saw Shirou and his group off as they left with the blonde girl. He had even specifically instructed a young man working there to change into casual clothes and buy the invitation tickets from the sukiyaki buffet next door. In any case, at least his life was saved after seeing the blonde girl off.

Shirou and the three girls strolled along the street.

"Artoria, where are you staying now? Would you like to come to my house? I still have a room." Shirou looked at the girl and extended an invitation.

"No, there's no need. I'm actually staying at a dojo right now, receiving care from the dojo owner. I'm currently serving as an instructor there as a disciple of the same school. Besides me, he's also taken in some of my friends, so I really can't leave," the girl explained earnestly.

"I see." Shirou nodded, not insisting, or rather, this was just the girl's style.

"Hmm... So it turns out it wasn't true after all, that it was targeting my prisoners." Bazett, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up.

"Huh? What's going on?" Artoria asked, puzzled.

"No, no, it's just a misunderstanding," Shirou said with a smile, waving his hand.

Even if the red-haired girl didn't want to admit it, it seemed she was just unlucky to run into Artoria.

Compared to Bazett, Artoria was doing much better at this point. In the light novel, she was a national champion-level kendo master, which, in the context of the novel's world, was the highest rank a high school student could achieve: third dan in kendo, a rank that could be advanced to once she reached a certain age.

However, the most crucial element is practical combat skills.

Of course, there's also the special circumstances at hand, which forces that kendo dojo to retain a master like Artoria.

"On the way back, we'll buy some groceries at the supermarket. We can make some late-night snacks at home. Artoria, why don't you come and get acquainted with the place?" Shirou said with a smile.

"Then I'll go," Artoria agreed.

So he led the blonde girl back home. Although he had a lot to say, there was no rush. Shirou brewed some tea and handed it to the girl on the table.

While Shirou and Sakura were in the kitchen, Bazett and the blonde girl were sitting at the dining table drinking tea.

"That's how it started, but recently there have been more and more dangerous individuals. I've been patrolling at night lately to prevent those scoundrels from harming ordinary people."

"Huh?" Bazett was taken aback, looking at the girl in surprise.

So you weren't just coming out to eat? Then why did you manage to bankrupt so many restaurants? Was it just because you were casually eating?

"Hmm?" Artoria looked at the woman with a puzzled expression. Had she said something wrong?

Bazett is a descendant of Celtic heroes, Artoria is also part of the Celtic hero King Arthur, so the two identify with each other.

However, as expected, there are differences between continental Celtic and island Celtic systems; the two systems do not share some similarities, and their radio waves are different.

At that moment, Shirou, wearing oven mitts, brought out a steaming pot of oden. He placed it on the heat-resistant mat on the dining table, lifted the thick lid of the clay pot, and immediately a rich aroma wafted up with the steam, wafting towards the girl.

The white broth was still bubbling gently, the cubed radishes and konjac were crystal clear, the shiitake mushrooms were spread out like umbrellas, and there were various kinds of meatballs, beef offal, squid rolls, and egg tofu.

"Yes, please use it. Be careful, it's still very hot." Shirou handed the bowl and spoon to the girl.

"Thank you, Shirou, ha... hoohoo~" Artoria scooped up a portion of radish and Ushiwakamaru, wanting to put them in her mouth, but it was too hot, so she had to pull her lips back and blow on them instead.

"Huff huff..." Bazett was also struggling with a fish ball.