He enjoyed each part of the dish independently, and his lavish meal attracted the attention of everyone present.
It was a meal that not everyone could afford, even though everyone here was wealthy.
This was true even for Miss Evergreen, who was sitting with her friends at a distant table. And her friends couldn't help but look at Louis with jealousy.
They couldn't afford that dish, let alone the wine he was drinking.
Louis ignored these jealous glances and kept his attention on the delicious food until he finished.
As he did so, the waiter came over.
"Would you like dessert, young sir? Or would you like something else to eat?"
"Bring the dessert."
"Okay. As I said earlier, the Grapes of Locked Time will be complimentary. We have spring and autumn. Which would you like?"
'I don't know what these grapes are, but...' Louis frowned.
"The autumn ones," he replied casually, choosing at random.
"Right away." Then the waiter left.
A short time later, he brought a small cup with 10 peculiar grapes inside.
The grapes' color was strangely bright. Five were purple, and inside, they had what appeared to be an additional round yellow fruit that glowed between the purple ones on the outside.
The other five were green. These inside seemed to have small yellow threads wrapping around them from within.
Both the round fruit and the small threads seemed to be frozen. At a glance, you could tell they had an eccentric flavor.
The waiter placed them on the table and stood nearby, letting him try them.
Louis picked up a purple grape.
'The purple ones are always tastier,' he thought, and put it in his mouth.
Then he bit it...
His eyes lit up with intensity at the peculiar taste that spread across his taste buds, hitting him with a rush of eccentric and new feelings.
The peculiar taste of purple grapes was present, but it was mixed with a strange, sweet, and sour flavor that was slightly warm. This immediately sent his mind flying to a vast, beautiful forest characterized by falling leaves.
This strange taste...
'The Autumn...'
His mind descended into chaos as he understood the meaning of the name.
Grapes of Locked Time.
It's because they hold a portion of time inside them, presumably during which they grew. They hold on to that feeling they grew up with and keep it until someone eats them.
Then, they let you travel back to those seasons.
As the grape slowly went down his throat, its temperature gradually dropped. From hot to cold, until it disappeared.
He opened his eyes once the process was over and looked at the green grapes.
He grabbed one and decided to try it.
He always preferred purple grapes, but green ones also had their charm. He wondered how they would taste with this added peculiarity.
This time, his eyes sparkled more intensely. And his body trembled gently.
Green grapes don't have a very developed sweet taste, so a sour taste wouldn't normally contrast with them, but this one was completely different.
There was no sweet-sour taste; both sour flavors complemented each other in one, and each strange thread divided its feelings, allowing him to enjoy the sour flavors first and then, when his taste buds were bathed in that flavor, they were bathed in the warmth of autumn and a strange sweet taste.
This marked the contrast.
There were three different flavors in layers, not mixed together. This made it feel like ice cream, but it all happened instantly and awakened anyone's taste buds.
'Interesting,' he smiled. For the first time, he liked a green grape more than a purple one.
That's why he couldn't help but try more green ones in quick succession, although he saved one for last and ate the purple ones first.
His spirits were sky high when he finished, and his temperament had calmed down more than usual.
"Did you like them?" asked the waiter, Liam, who had watched his reactions closely.
"Yes, they have a unique flavor. Everything was delicious, thank you, " he replied, a calm smile blossoming on his face.
"That's good. As long as you enjoy yourself, that's enough for us. Would you like anything else?"
"No." Louis shook his head. "I'm fine. Let me pay. I'll come back again in the future."
Louis was taken to the cashier.
"Sir, the total is 2 million Jens for the wine and 54,000 for the dish." Someone brought him the bill, which was handwritten with the information he needed.
'2 million...' His eyes sparkled. 'Indeed, it was a very exclusive wine. But this is a dish that very few can afford.'
Louis took out one of his 20 million cards and pressed it to withdraw the cash.
These cards are devices with magic storage inside. The money is in the form of bills and coins.
He could take out the necessary amount in bills and give it to them.
Those who served him were quick to count, and he was ready to go in a few minutes.
They thanked him with kind and exaggerated words, realizing how incredibly wealthy he was, until they let him go.
-
As he was full and his mind was at peace, he returned to his mansion and slept soundly through the night.
He hadn't slept like that in a long, long time.
He woke up early after sleeping for 8 hours.
He brushed his teeth and thought about going out to buy breakfast.
KNOCK*
KNOCK*
KNOCK*
The doorbell rang before he could leave.
He went to open the door, and on the other side was his uncle. He couldn't see much of his face, but he quickly greeted him with a smile.
"Young sir, I have arranged for you to enter the Academy. But we are being monitored."
Louis looked outside toward the house. There had been some auras nearby earlier, so he stepped aside and let him in.
Inside, Dan R Lockward looked out the window of one of the rooms, his sword in his hand, ready to attack if necessary. But after closer observation, he sighed and sheathed his sword.
"Who are they?"
Louis was sitting behind a desk, eating some fruit he had bought the night before.
Dan shrugged.
"They're not dangerous on their own," he replied, sitting across from Louis. "They belong to the House of Shadows and work for those two you saw the other day. They're just monitoring."
"The House of Shadows?" Louis frowned.
It looks like he'll have to visit them soon. He hates it when malicious people try to control him.
But for now, he didn't give it much thought.