After being banished by the hero, I decided to join another party – the revival of the legendary hero's team! However, the seductive heroine in her thirties clad in a bikini armor has a mysterious reason why she can't fight! - Episode 9

“Hey, shopkeeper, get over here!”

“Yes, Hero, how may I assist you?”

How could this man smile so casually after serving something so awful?

“This curry is absolutely vile. Are you mocking me?”

“I get it, Dolman. This is revolting. I don’t blame you for being angry—it’s like they’re not even trying. If they’re doing this on purpose, even someone as patient as I am would be furious.”

“This is ridiculous. It’s too spicy and tastes horrible. As a saint, I’m tempted to report this insult to the church.”

“Listen, before everyone gets even angrier, just remake the dish. I’ll try to calm things down, but surely this is just a mistake, right? You didn’t mean to serve this garbage on purpose, did you?”

“M-my apologies! I’ll remake it immediately!”

A high-end restaurant, serving this? Did they think we were country bumpkins they could fool?

This watery, soupy concoction couldn’t possibly be called curry.

And the bread? Plain and tasteless.

When Fudra made curry, it was different. He served it with soft, ear-shaped bread or fluffy, white rice—something unique and delicious.

His curry was nothing like this—it had richness, depth, and flavor, almost like a gourmet stew.

“Hey, Elza, don’t you think they’re mocking us?”

“I agree. There’s no way a professional chef should cook worse than Fudra, who’s just a villager.”

“Maybe they mistook us for some low-ranking adventurers because we’re still in our travel gear. They probably thought they could cut corners. But I’m sure the next batch will be better.”

“There’s no way this could even compare to Fudra’s cooking, let alone the restaurants he used to recommend. Let’s wait and see.”

“This is infuriating. We’re starving, and this is what they serve us after we paid six silver coins (about $600)? If the next batch isn’t better, I’m going to lose it.”

“Calm down, Dolman. They promised to fix it. Let’s give them a chance.”

“Yeah, they wouldn’t dare cut corners now that they know we’re the Hero’s Party.”

“Look, here it comes.”

“Heroes, we’ve prepared a new batch of curry for you.”

What the hell is this?

The curry was just as watery as before, and now they’d swapped the bland bread for some yellow, unappetizing rice.

The curry itself hadn’t improved at all. And it didn’t even come with fukujinzuke, the pickled garnish Fudra always insisted was essential.

“Curry without fukujinzuke isn’t complete,” Fudra used to say.

This was clearly a lazy attempt to placate us.

“Hey, shopkeeper! Who made this? Bring them out, now! Do you think you can insult the Hero’s Party like this? Hurry up!”

“Y-yes, right away, Hero.”

This was infuriating. Maybe a punch would knock some sense into them.

◆◆◆

“I am Albert, the chef responsible for this curry. Is there a problem with the dish?”

“A problem? Of course, there’s a problem! This curry is disgusting. Make something proper! This is inedible!”

“Allow me to clarify: I, Albert, was once a chef at a one-star restaurant in the royal capital. This curry is nearly identical to the one served there. It is not a dish worthy of complaints.”

“Then why is the curry I’ve eaten before so much better than this garbage?”

“And where, pray tell, did you have this superior curry that leads you to insult mine?”

“It was Fudra’s curry! The one he made! And he’s just a mere adventurer—”

“Fudra? Are you referring to Battle Butler Fudra? If that’s the case, I must humbly decline any further complaints. Your meal is on the house. Please leave.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Battle Butler Fudra, as you may know, is a renowned adventurer famous for his exceptional cooking. His dishes are often referred to as ‘otherworldly cuisine.’ Without obtaining the exact recipe directly from him, recreating his dishes is nearly impossible. Especially curry—each person’s recipe is completely unique. Replicating Fudra’s curry is beyond my abilities.”

“Is Fudra’s cooking really that incredible?”

“From what I’ve heard, while he may not be skilled in creating elaborate full-course meals, his single-dish recipes are said to have the elegance and flair of a royal palace chef’s creations. I’ve always dreamed of tasting Fudra’s cooking at least once myself.”

“So Fudra was that amazing, huh?” Dolman muttered, his tone tinged with disbelief.

“He really was,” Elza admitted with a nod.

“It was delicious,” Cecilia agreed. “I’ve never tasted anything like it in any other restaurant.”

“Now that you mention it,” Isabel added, “no other place had anything remotely similar to what he made.”

The chef interjected, “And wasn’t Fudra part of your party, Dolman? If that’s the case, might I make a request? I would gladly pay up to two gold coins to hire him for a day.”

“Two gold coins?!” the group exclaimed in unison.

“Yes, it’s well-known among adventurers that hiring Fudra for a day of catering through the guild costs about one gold coin. I’d happily pay double. Would it be possible to arrange?”

Dolman sighed deeply. “I’m sorry, but Fudra isn’t with us anymore.”

“I see… that’s truly unfortunate. Without Fudra’s personal touch, his recipes are impossible to replicate. In that case, there will be no charge for your meal. Please, feel free to leave.”

Dolman’s pride bristled at the implication. “No… in that case, let me pay for something else. Bring us a proper meat dish—something delicious. Sorry for being unreasonable earlier.”

The chef softened. “Very well. I’ll prepare that for you immediately.”

As they waited for the new order, Dolman clenched his fists in frustration.

“So that’s it… we’ll never taste Fudra’s cooking again.”