Chapter 977 - I Only Feel Happy When I Am With My Daughter

In a teahouse, Robert looked at Derrick, who was sitting across him, concernedly. “Mr Derrick, the progress of your food tasting seems to have stopped for three days. Is your body unwell?”

“This…” Derrick, who was about to drink from his cup, hesitated for a moment before putting down his teacup. He embarrassedly said, “I’m not unwell. It’s because I encountered a restaurant whose food was so delicious that I can’t help but to go there to eat for every meal. After I finished and came out, I couldn’t eat any other food anymore.”

Robert looked at Derrick in astonishment. He was a famous food reviewer in the culinary world, and he was stopping his footsteps for one restaurant? He thought for a while before his eyes flicked open. “Is it Mamy Restaurant?”

“Yes, it is. So President Robert knew this restaurant too.” Derrick nodded.

“Boss Mag’s culinary skills are the best in Chaos City. He was even declared the best chef by the king of Roth Empire on his birthday feast. How can I not know him?” Robert said smilingly. But, he held back his words as he looked at Derrick when he was about to say more.

Derrick obviously knew what Robert was trying to say. He sincerely replied, “Honestly speaking, the culinary standard of Chaos City is still a distance away from Rodu’s. There are even many restaurants that don’t sell vegetarian food, and there is also a lack of respect for vegetarian food. They made it hard for me to find an appetizing restaurant. Therefore, if the president has a shortlist, please give it to me. I obviously am not able to complete the mission of trying every restaurant on the scheduled list.”

“This…” Robert seemed to be in a difficult place. The Food Association was going all out and coming up with new rules to select the really outstanding dishes and restaurants. If it was reduced to a shortlist before being given to Derrick to review, it would differ from their original intention.

However, Derrick was not wrong, either. There were indeed many restaurants in Chaos City that had a nonchalant attitude toward vegetarian food. To an expert culinary reviewer like Derrick, it was impractical to continue trying those sub-par and awful vegetarian food. Furthermore, there also wasn’t enough time to do so now.

After hesitating for a while, Robert finally nodded at Derrick. “Alright, Mr Derrick. There will be a person handing you a new list of shops to try. You only have to try those restaurants in the new list.”

Derrick had the best reputation and prestige amongst this year’s panel of reviewers. If he could introduce more about Chaos City’s delicious food in the culinary review, maybe some chefs would be attracted to come, and new energy would be injected into Chaos City’s culinary world. This would have a great effect on Chaos City’s culinary development.

…

“Do you know what happiness is?”

On Aden Square, a white-haired old man holding a wooden staff was asking a child, who was eating sweets on a chair, with a smile.

“Grandpa, I already used my last copper coin to buy the Exploding Fireball Magic from that grandpa earlier. I don’t have money to buy new ones anymore.” The kid took out a spell book from behind and shook his head.

“Shallow. How could happiness be bought with a mere copper coin?” The old man shook his head as he looked at the boy in disappointment before he moved on to the next child. In his crossbody bag, the same spell book could be seen.

The old man Angus finally sold a spell book for a copper coin after pacing around Aden Square for the entire afternoon.

“Today is indeed a happy day.” Angus lay on a bench in a corner. He placed that copper coin in front of his eyes, and his face revealed a bright smile. Half of the teeth in his mouth were already rotten.

A young man suddenly stood next to the bench, and smilingly asked, “Old Mister, is it that joyful to earn one copper coin?”

Angus kept the copper coin after he heard him, and sat up by supporting himself against the back of the bench. He looked at the well-dressed young man, and smilingly said, “I would feel much happier if you buy another one.”

“I’ll buy two, then.” Mag took out two copper coins and passed to Angus with a smile. He came out for a walk because he was feeling bored, and then he met this old man who was selling fake spell books to children.

Although there was some fraudulent nature in this behavior, even a comic book cost more than one copper coin. Therefore, Mag wasn’t too annoyed by the old man. Instead, he felt pity for this hunched old man who was only wearing an old and tattered padded jacket. If he could help it, an old man of his age wouldn’t keep bending over for a mere copper coin in this cold wind.

Angus accepted the copper coin. He took a spell book called “Skyhigh Flames” out from his bag and passed to Mag. He smilingly said, “A person can only buy one copy. Too many of this will cause you to go crazy and deranged.”

“One will do too.” Mag looked at the thin booklet the size of his palm. It did look like those comic books he had when he was young. He didn’t insist as he kept the other copper coin away and prepared to leave.

“Young man, what do you think happiness is?” Angus asked Mag with a smile.

“Happiness?” Mag halted, and thought seriously for a moment before he smilingly said, “I used to think having more than enough money to spend was happiness. Now my pursuit has become higher, I only feel happy when I am with my daughter.”

Angus gazed at the smile on Mag’s face. His eyes darkened, and he nodded. “Yes. Being together with your child is indeed the happiest.”

“It’s getting cold, Old Mister. You should return home now,” Mag said with a smile. His finger flicked, and a gold coin fell into an open pocket silently. Then, he turned about and prepared to leave.

“Home is too far. I can’t go back anymore. Young man, are you willing to hear my story?” Angus asked Mag whose back was facing him as he shook his head.

Mag turned to look at Angus.

“If my son wasn’t lost, he would be around your age now.” Angus looked at Mag and sighed. His eyes were full of regret.

Mag looked at Angus. This old man seemed to have lost everything in an instant. He felt a tug on his heartstrings. After a moment of silence, he said, “He could be living happily in some place with a cute child and a nice family.”

A gleam lit up in Angus’s eyes again. He chokingly replied, “Thank you.”

Mag sat next to Angus, and softly asked, “Where did you come from, Old Mister?”

“I came from the Roth Empire, as a citizen of Rodu. I had a few houses and shops originally. 25 years ago, my three-year-old son disappeared when he was playing at the door. My wife cried every day after our child went missing. She died the following year. I have been travelling from the north to the south all these years. I have covered the whole Roth Empire, but I still couldn’t find a trace of my son…”