The Three Realms' Top Restaurant - chapter 12
Thinking about the original story and the System’s task left me restless, so I completely forgot about that minor little kitchen-theft issue.
So it wasn’t until Song Changshan and Yu Qing came back from their leave, and E Le Me reopened, that I finally remembered the small trap I’d set in the kitchen.
When I went in to make breakfast, I was still talking to Song Changshan and the others about it.
“Honestly, my rustic method probably won’t catch a mouse. If it doesn’t work, we’ll just raise a cat. I’ve been wanting a pet anyway…”
As I spoke, I casually lifted the bamboo cover off the chopping board.
The roast duck inside had vanished without a trace-but in its place was a motionless Little Black Snake.
I yelped. My hand slipped, and the bamboo cover dropped right back down, smacking the Little Black Snake’s tail.
The Little Black Snake let out an “Ow!” and instantly came back to life on the spot-except only its head and tail popped up. The middle of its body lay there rigid, like it was fake.
“You hateful, vicious, scheming human! Locking me up for a whole day and night wasn’t enough-now you’re trying to murder me?!”
What a weird pose. I looked again.
Huh. Tiny and slender… kind of cute.
Yu Qing clearly didn’t get what was cute about it. The tall sword cultivator stepped in front of me. Radiant Moon flashed out of its sheath, her blade leveled at the Little Black Snake’s neck (?).
“Demon creature. How did you get in here?”
Startled by Yu Qing’s movement, the Little Black Snake’s swaying head froze stiff. It didn’t dare move at all.
But its mouth was still arrogant. “S-She invited me back! If she hadn’t been so eager, I wouldn’t have come to this dump!”
The tip of the Little Black Snake’s tail pointed straight at the culprit.
Me, being pointed at: “?”
I didn’t. I wasn’t. Why is this snake talking nonsense?!
I was about to deny it when the Little Black Snake cut in first.
“It was you who picked up the little branch I was staying in! You even praised me for being straight, said you were some kind of king, and wanted me to be your holy sword!”
Hearing that, Song Changshan stroked his chin and glanced in the direction of the Demon Realm, joking as he asked me what kind of territory I liked.
Yu Qing, meanwhile, tried to shove Radiant Moon into my hands, earnestly advising me.
“Don’t play with snakes. Play with Radiant Moon.”
Me: “…”
Enough! Don’t expose my cringe chuunibyou black history at a time like this!
I tried to drag the topic back to the Little Black Snake.
“So you’re the little branch I picked up that day? Then what are you-snake demon or tree demon?”
“Ignorant human. Open your dog eyes and look carefully. I’m not-”
Yu Qing mercilessly pressed Radiant Moon down. Scales split, and a few drops of blood fell from the Little Black Snake’s neck.
“Watch your mouth. If you’re rude to her again, I’ll kill you.”
The Little Black Snake shut up.
The Little Black Snake stared with eyes wide open.
Three seconds later, it blinked-and started crying.
Tears dripped from its mung-bean-sized eyes, pattering down. It was so aggrieved even the tip of its tail trembled.
“You’re the one who brought me home. It’s not like I wanted to come. You brought me back and then starved me. All these days I’ve only eaten a few pieces of meat from you.”
Its head was small, but its brain worked fast. It immediately turned toward the only human in the room who seemed easy to talk to.
“You even locked me in this cage for so long, and just now you smashed my tail…”
Even knowing it was deliberately acting pitiful, my conscience still twinged. “…”
Song Changshan glanced at the sniveling Little Black Snake, then at Yu Qing-who remained unmoved, still shielding me in front-and suddenly burst out laughing.
It was like he’d just seen the funniest thing under heaven. He laughed so hard he couldn’t straighten up, only able to rest his chin on my shoulder.
I hurried to steady the frail accountant, afraid he’d laugh himself into passing out.
Song Hesheng half-looped an arm around me and, out of nowhere, offered kindly.
“Shopkeeper, look at this pathetic little broken snake. Why not keep him? The shop could use someone to wash dishes.”
With so many customers now, the pile of used bowls and plates really was a massive workload.
But… letting a snake not even as big as a dish rag wash dishes?
Even the Little Black Snake clearly thought it was ridiculous. “How dare you! That kind of dirty, exhausting work-I would never-”
An extremely loud “gurgle” cut it off.
The Little Black Snake’s tail jerked. It quietly pressed against its own belly.
“Big sister,” it suddenly started speaking like a person, “from yesterday morning until now, I’ve only eaten half a roast duck. I’m so hungry.”
Devi Shapfitri
Lol. I wonder what kind of male lead this little “snake” was. He’s so… entertaining. 🤭🤭🤭🤭 No wonder the (fictional) readers were mad when the (fictional) author made that kind of ending and dared to run away. It’d be more heartbreaking than when a “normal” protagonist (as normal as eastern fantasy protagonist can be) face such end.