The clamor of the birthday feast gradually settled, leaving behind an air of contentment and the faint, lingering aroma of food.
Phaethon's gaze swept through the crowd, finally landing on Aglaea, who was preparing to slip away unnoticed.
He quickened his pace, catching up to her just as she was about to step out of the courtyard gate.
"Lady Aglaea, a moment, please."
Aglaea stopped and turned her jade-green eyes, calm and unreadable, towards Phaethon, waiting for him to continue.
A perfectly measured smile touched Phaethon's lips as he asked, "Lady Aglaea, if I may be so bold… how did you find the taste of the dishes tonight?"
Aglaea seemed caught off guard by the question, a rare moment of hesitation flashing across her features.
After a moment of silence, she spoke slowly, her voice still cool but carrying a note of frankness. "I lost the ability to perceive sweet, sour, bitter, or spicy long ago. For me, food is merely fuel to sustain this vessel."
She paused, her gaze sweeping across the courtyard—where Trianne was licking the last bit of cream from her fingers with relish, Hyacine was leaning back in her chair, contentedly rubbing her full stomach, and even the usually aloof Castorice wore a hint of languid satisfaction.
"…However, as the food settled, a certain long-lost sense of fulfillment, originating from the depths of this vessel, did indeed well up.
Combined with Tribbie's look of rapture, Miss Hyacine's effusive praise, and… the obvious state of enjoyment exhibited by the others,"
Her eyes finally returned to Phaethon's face, "The food you prepared should be defined as 'excellent'."
Receiving such an "objective" yet weighty evaluation from the Guardian of Okhema, Phaethon's smile deepened.
He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice with an air of "discovering a business opportunity" excitement. "Then… Lady Aglaea, might you be interested… in earning a bit more?"
Aglaea's jade-green pupils contracted slightly. She narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Phaethon.
"You…" She seemed to grasp his intention instantly, her tone tinged with disbelief and inquiry. "Are you serious? You truly plan to earn the full eight million Balance Coins this way? All for… that several-tons-heavy metal pillar of Chartonus?" She couldn't comprehend this near-obsessive investment.
Phaethon let out a light laugh, tinged with self-deprecation but mostly resolve. "So, not even a breeze stirs within the Holy City without your knowledge, Lady Aglaea. But… what else can I do? Unless Lady Aglaea, in her great mercy, intends to cover the cost for me?"
Aglaea fell silent for a moment, her eyes growing profound, as if she were genuinely considering an absurd possibility. "If you are willing to accept my trial and ultimately acknowledge yourself as the 'Deliverer' prophesied…"
"Stop! Stop! Stop!" Phaethon hastily waved his hands to interrupt, shaking his head like a rattle drum. "Lady Aglaea, you know that's impossible! Besides, a 'Deliverer' selected through such a 'transaction'… do you really think that would be reliable?" He looked at her helplessly.
A faint trace of what might have been amusement flickered in Aglaea's eyes, so fleeting it could have been a trick of the light. She returned to her usual composure. "So, what is your plan?"
Phaethon straightened his posture, his gaze becoming sharp and persuasive. "I want to open a restaurant! A top-tier restaurant truly capable of conquering the palates of Okhema and The Grove! But as you well know," he spread his hands, "start-up capital, a prime location… these are things I cannot afford right now. So, Lady Aglaea, care to invest? It's a guaranteed profitable venture!" He issued a sincere invitation, his eyes brimming with confidence.
Aglaea listened quietly, not answering immediately. She seemed to be assessing the truth and feasibility of Phaethon's words. After a moment, she spoke slowly. "Elaborate on this… 'guaranteed profit' of yours."
For the next while, Phaethon laid out his business blueprint for Aglaea with clear logic:
* Cost Advantage: "Those absurdly high-yield, top-quality ingredients from The Grove's Lotophagism school will be our core supply! Imagine how low we can push the costs."
* Logistics Monopoly: "What does the Infinity Gate mean? It means direct, fresh delivery from The Grove's farms to Okhema's kitchens! Shipping costs? Negligible! This is an advantage no competitor can replicate!"
* Vast Customer Base: "Think of all those students and scholars in The Grove, tormented by boring food yet with some spare change! And the crowds in Okhema pursuing a high-quality lifestyle! With my cooking skills plus top-tier ingredients, do you think they'll refuse? What we need to worry about now isn't finding customers, but whether our output can keep up with the demand!"
* Brand Effect: "Having your investment and endorsement, Lady Aglaea, is the best advertisement in itself!"
Phaethon didn't speak quickly, but each point hit the mark, filled with a convincing passion.
Aglaea listened in complete silence, the light of rational calculation flashing rapidly in the depths of her jade-green eyes.
Finally, as Phaethon concluded his "demonstration," Aglaea gave a slight nod.
"…Very well." She delivered her decision succinctly.
Phaethon's eyes lit up, and he immediately moved to finalize the details. "Then… Lady Aglaea, it's settled! You will invest 500,000 Balance Coins as start-up capital and provide a prime storefront near the central Marmoreal Square in Okhema. Profits will be split fifty-fifty. I'll deliver the formal contract to your residence first thing tomorrow morning!" His words tumbled out rapidly, as if afraid she might change her mind, an irrepressible smile of joy on his face.
Finally, as if remembering something, he asked, "Oh, right, the restaurant's name… Do you have any ideas? After all, it's your investment."
Aglaea looked at his excited state, the corner of her mouth seeming to twitch upwards almost imperceptibly.
After a brief contemplation, she said, "Let's make the profit split seventy-thirty. Seventy for you, thirty for me. As for the name… let it be… 'The Golden Eatery.' Simple, direct, and reflective of its value."
"'The Golden Eatery'?" Phaethon savored the name, then snapped his fingers. "A great name! Resonant and luxurious! Lady Aglaea, just you wait and count the coins!"
Aglaea gave Phaethon a deep, complex look—one containing scrutiny, a barely perceptible sense of testing him, and perhaps… a tiny flicker of appreciation for his rampant ambition?
"Very well, Phaethon," she said with a slight nod, "I will await the results." With that, she turned, her figure melting into the night as she departed silently.
Phaethon watched the powerful investor disappear through the gate, let out a long sigh of relief, and felt every cell in his body thrum with excitement for the new venture about to unfold.
He turned and walked back into the post-celebration courtyard, his heart light and satisfied.
Open a restaurant? This was no whim. It was the result of Phaethon's careful consideration.
Phaethon stretched and walked over to the washing area, picking up a plate.
Cyrene looked at him in surprise. "Huh? You…"
"It will be too pitiful for the dishwasher to handle a hundred plates alone," Phaethon said, picking up a sponge, squeezing on some soap, a grin spreading across his face. "I'm in a good mood today, I'll share half the load."
Cyrene was stunned for a second, then her smile bloomed as brightly as the hum of the machinery at dawn. "Little Phaethon! I knew it! You care about me the most! ♪"
The two chatted idly amidst the sound of running water.
The meticulously planned "schemes," the uninhibited laughter and fun, the sincere blessings, together with the clatter of dishes wrapped in the warmth of kitchen smoke, they all became the most unique and precious memories of this birthday.
*This, Phaethon thought, is probably the kind of life I want to protect—* one filled with surprises, laughter, bonds, and… people for whom he was willing to sincerely cook for.