Inn Overlord: Reincarnated with Enhancement Magic, Now Worshipped as a Divine Messenger! - Chapter 25

(Seraph’s Perspective)

“What the heck is this!?”

“It’s so good!!”

“Please! Give me more of this!!”

The regular customers were shouting in shock. But to me, their screams were a happy sound.

Peeking from the kitchen into the dining area, I saw everyone enjoying the sashimi and crab miso set made from the Land Crab.

Then, I made eye contact with Luka, who gestured for me to come over to Hazan.

Tilting my head in curiosity, I stepped out of the kitchen. Hazan spoke up.

“Hey, Seraph! You just suddenly served an amazing dish!”

Hazan was the one who suggested I take over after David.

“How did you make this!?”

“That’s a secret for now. ♪”

Land Crab was not sold in this world’s markets. If its deliciousness became widely known, people might start overhunting it. That could disrupt the already unstable Demon Forest. The Queen Ant had yet to provide any information about Lydia Kreil from the Harmonia Three Great Scores, and we didn’t know when that threat might strike. So, for now, we decided to keep the Land Crab a secret.

“I see, that makes sense! Gahaha!!”

Hazan laughed, spraying spit everywhere.

I was happy.

People were eating my food and saying it was delicious. I wanted to keep spending my days like this.

After the tavern closed, my family gathered for dinner. We made crab hotpot. Using a magic tool that lit up when infused with mana like a stove, we boiled water and added thinly sliced orc meat, crab, leafy greens, and mushrooms. We dipped them in grated radish and a ponzu-like sauce.

I loved this time of day.

My mother was here. Abigail, David, and Laura were here. Luka and Jeanne were here. We all sat together, enjoying the hotpot.

“Hey! Luka! That’s the orc meat I carefully raised!”

“Ah! No wonder it tasted so good! ♪”

“O-Oh…”

David couldn’t bring himself to get mad, and we all laughed. Not just at their banter—the meal itself was delicious and fun, and we laughed together.

After dinner, Jeanne and I stayed behind to wash the dishes.

Everyone else was getting ready for bed.

As we stood alone, Jeanne suddenly spoke to me.

“Seraph-sama… I believe I must tell you the truth…”

The truth? I didn’t understand what she meant. So, I stayed silent and waited for her to continue.

“How much do you know about Griffons?”

It was rare—no, it was the first time—Jeanne had ever talked about her past as a Griffon. I was surprised. She had always avoided the topic.

Even as I washed the dishes, I listened carefully and answered her question.

“I know what they look like from the monster encyclopedia, and that they live in flocks.”

Jeanne responded.

“I…”

She hesitated, stopping her hand that was drying a clean plate. I had already finished washing the dishes, but to fill the silence, I pretended to keep scrubbing.

Then, Jeanne spoke again.

“I was cast out of my flock as a failure… I-I’m sorry, Seraph-sama!! I hid my uselessness and became your servant!! If you want me to leave, I will—!”

Hearing her confession, I couldn’t stop my tears from falling. Jeanne gasped at my reaction. I finally understood what she had been afraid of. She had been hiding the fact that she was abandoned for being weak. It had been weighing on her heart, and she felt she needed to confess. But she was also terrified that revealing the truth would make me, David, and the others reject her.

“S-Seraph-sama…?”

Wiping my tears, I spoke.

“Can I ask you one thing?”

“Yes…”

“Why did you decide to tell me this now?”

“Because… Working here and eating meals with everyone makes me so, so happy… But keeping this secret while being part of that happiness felt painful…”

Jeanne’s voice trembled. I replied.

“I feel the same way, Jeanne…”

“Huh?”

“I love the time I spend at this inn.”

I stopped washing and continued.

“My father cast me and my mother out of our home because we were useless. But David and the others took us in.”

My tears came not just from this life’s memories, but also from my past life. I remembered being an outcast, abandoned by family and those around me.

Jeanne looked shocked.

“That… That’s awful…”

“So, Jeanne, I would never abandon you. And I don’t see you as just a servant.”

From the moment I first met Jeanne, I had an overwhelming urge to save her. Now, after her confession, I finally understood why.

“You’re my family. If you want to stay, you can stay as long as you like. And if you ever want to leave, you’re free to do that too. It’s entirely up to you.”

I wasn’t used to saying things like that, and I suddenly felt embarrassed. Trying to cover it up, I scrubbed an already spotless plate and spoke again.

“Did I just say something embarrassing?”

My words echoed in the quiet kitchen. Jeanne remained silent for a long time. Worried about her reaction, I turned to look at her.

She had dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face.