In the distant Southern Continent, Hutton Kingdom, Royal Capital Ikelite.
At ten in the morning during spring in April, the sky over Royal Capital Ikelite was tinged with a gentle blue, and the air was even brighter and fresher amid the fragrance of flowers.
Located east of Iketerite Academy, it was reached by crossing two broad, clean streets lined with shops and filled with bustle.
A small restaurant gave off a rich breakfast aroma, the scents of oats and cheese wafting gently through the air.
It was a two-story building made of tea-colored wood. The sign above the shop was carved with the Hutton Kingdom script for Cat Boss Restaurant. Its roof was broad and naturally curved, with eaves that extended far outward. Whenever a breeze passed by, the wind chimes beneath them rang out pleasantly.
Every so often, accompanied by a series of "jingle, jingle" sounds, the restaurant door was pushed open as customers came and went. The first floor had been simply yet cleverly divided into several sections. Besides the counter by the entrance, there were passages leading to the kitchen and the second floor.
At this hour, the restaurant was not yet at the breakfast rush. There were few customers. In the kitchen, two women wearing aprons prepared ingredients at the worktable, with green vegetables, fruit, and various seasonings neatly arranged.
Their teamwork was so seamless that they needed no words. On one side, knives danced across the cutting board in a crisp, powerful rhythm. On the other, seasonings and ingredients intertwined in an artful blend.
Talia was in charge of cutting. Every stroke landed perfectly, producing vegetable slices of uniform size before she pushed them aside.
Asina handled the mixing and processing, preserving the ingredients' original flavors while giving them new life.
This morning, Asina, the