Chapter 30: No Need to Rush

After being pulled aside by Mrs. Goethe to learn a few tips, Bronya returned to Venti’s side feeling a bit dazed.
At the moment, he was holding a spoon, looking troubled as he stared at the meal in front of him.

A bowl of sticky, unidentifiable lumpy soup; a murky-colored meat jelly containing chunks of some unknown creature; and a large plate of fried rice emitting an unsettling aroma.
Rather than a meal meant to satisfy hunger, it looked more like some kind of punishment game “prize.”

“Even I’m struggling with this food. Hmm... this is quite a dilemma.”
To be fair, he absolutely didn’t want to waste food, especially in the resource-scarce lower district, where any waste was shameful.
But, how should he put it…

Even though Venti knew that food shouldn’t be judged solely by its appearance and that one should taste it before evaluating, this meal looked so unappetizing that he really didn’t want to take a bite.

“Uh, what exactly did you order?”
Bronya was equally stunned.
If even Venti, who often traveled through the lower district and had some resistance to its food, was reacting like this, let alone Bronya, who had been raised with the highest standards as an heir.

In her memory, even the worst military rations from the frontlines probably didn’t look as stomach-churning as this.

“This one is called mixed vegetable soup, that one is rat meat jelly, and this... well, the menu didn’t specify, it’s just fried rice.”
Venti tapped his cheek, looking rather troubled.
“Mrs. Goethe said she was trying out new dishes and asked for feedback, so I didn’t order the usual dishes I go for.”

“I see. Mrs. Goethe certainly has a... creative spirit.”
Bronya swallowed hard but decided not to dwell on it. Instead, she picked up a relatively clean spoon and pondered where to start.

When it came to food, she naturally shared the mindset of avoiding waste. She would never refuse to eat something just because it looked unappealing. She wasn’t that spoiled.

“Ah, leave these to me. It wouldn’t be good if your first experience here scared you off and made you never want to visit Mrs. Goethe’s place again.”
Venti quickly tried to dissuade her.
He even scooped a mouthful of fried rice and ate it, his expression shifting rapidly as the strange flavor spread in his mouth.

However, he eventually managed to swallow it with the help of the mixed vegetable soup.
“Whew—”
Seeing him let out a long breath as if he had just fought a tough battle, Bronya couldn’t help but feel a little amused.

Even though she knew it wasn’t right, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of “secret delight.”
Of course, Venti didn’t just focus on eating. He pushed the menu toward her and suggested,
“Ah, right. Here’s the menu. If you want to try some authentic lower district dishes, I recommend the fried rock crab and the salamander meat stew in an iron pot.”

Although Venti wanted to recommend some lighter dishes or ones more suited to a woman’s palate, the Goethe Hotel, limited by its ingredients, couldn’t offer the variety found in the upper district.
The edible, or rather, the somewhat appetizing options, were limited to just a few.

After some thought, Bronya decided not to “compete” with Venti for his food.
While she didn’t mind such things, what if Venti didn’t see their relationship as close enough for that? What if she was just being presumptuous and ended up being disliked?

Just thinking about that possibility made her want to flee back to the upper district out of sheer embarrassment.

Following Venti’s recommendation, she ordered the two dishes. The fried rock crab, a classic luxurious dish, had actually appeared at upper district banquets before, though not in this golden, rock-like fried form. Instead, it was served as a cold dish with the meat carefully arranged by the chef.

As for the salamander meat stew in the iron pot, while it was unclear whether the pot had been salvaged from some discarded machinery, it was at least clean. The edges were thoughtfully wrapped in a layer of bread crust, not only preventing burns but also pairing surprisingly well with the tender salamander meat.

During the meal, the two didn’t talk much. Bronya, due to her upbringing, wasn’t accustomed to chatting during meals and maintained an elegant, steady pace of eating.
As for Venti, while he might have wanted to say something like “feasting on beauty,” the reality of eating these headache-inducing dishes was better described as “pain and pleasure.”

By the time they finished, Venti was leaning back, patting his stomach like a beached fish.
In contrast, Bronya seemed more like a resident of the lower district, thoroughly enjoying the meal.
She elegantly wiped the corners of her mouth, her movements graceful and full of poise.

This oddly mismatched pair naturally stood out in the restaurant. However, Venti’s reputation was excellent, and everyone was used to seeing him accompanied by outstanding women. They simply watched the two with kind eyes.

Mrs. Goethe also came over at this time to ask for Venti’s feedback on the dishes. After honestly sharing his thoughts, especially emphasizing that she should change the name of the rat meat jelly, Venti took the opportunity to ask about their main concern.

“…Sisters living in the Fragmentum?”

Mrs. Goethe put away the food review notebook, its edges stained with grease from the kitchen fumes, and adopted a thoughtful expression.
“If it were a few years ago, right after Rivet Town was breached, it’s possible someone might have still been living there. But now, it’s impossible for anyone to live there. Most people either moved to Boulder Town or became wandering families.
At most, they might have joined the mechanical settlement established in recent years. Beyond that, there’s no other option, right?”

“So, Mrs. Goethe, you have no recollection of this either?”
Bronya pressed urgently.

Seeing how important this matter was to her, Mrs. Goethe furrowed her brow and thought for a long while before shaking her head.
“I’m sorry. I really haven’t heard of such a thing. After all, the impact of the town being overrun by monsters was too great. Many people never returned, so it’s possible that some were left behind.”

As she spoke, a few other diners chimed in.
“Yeah. That place isn’t somewhere ordinary people can live. Unless you’ve got a death wish, who would dare to settle down in the Fragmentum?”
“And if I remember correctly, that area is often visited by scavengers. If you lived there, wouldn’t you be afraid of coming home one day to find everything stolen?”

“The only advantage is that it’s close to Rivet Town, making it easier to scavenge and sell things to the mechanical settlement. But you’d need to be alive to spend the money, right?”

As the discussion continued, the focus shifted to the mechanical settlement, a large organization.
“Speaking of which, the mechanical settlement seems to have developed something incredible recently.”

“What is it?”
“I’m not sure, but I heard they can control the surrounding temperature to a level suitable for the human body.”
“Isn’t that just a regular geothermal heater? Every household has one…”

While they discussed, Bronya also listened and gathered some information, gaining a general understanding of the organization. Anything she didn’t understand, she asked Venti for clarification.

“The girl in the Fragmentum mentioned that her sister would go there to find valuable items. Since the mechanical settlement is the largest trading hub here, maybe they have some clues?”
“That’s a good line of thought. Coincidentally, I also have some business there. Let’s make the mechanical settlement our fourth stop!”

“Oh, you still remember that…”
Bronya had actually thought that Venti’s purpose for bringing her to the lower district had already been achieved. After witnessing such a tragic situation firsthand, no one could remain indifferent.

From now on, no matter what Venti wanted to do, as long as it wasn’t overthrowing Belobog’s current regime but rather gradually fighting for what the lower district deserved, she would support him and act as his advocate.

Even now, Bronya believed that if she could just talk things through with her mother and convince her to lift the blockade on the lower district, the tension between the upper and lower districts would surely ease.

However, Venti, who knew all too well that change wasn’t something that could happen overnight, simply smiled as warmly as ever.
“Of course. Although every journey must eventually end, we’re still on the move. If this were a song, we’d only be halfway through!”