SC1 0.1 – Prologue

  After a moment of silence Owner Tetsuo asked me, “Sanno, do you really have to quit now?”

  “Yes,” I firmly replied. “I have to go back to my home town. My old man needs me to take care of our rice field.”

  Actually, my hometown was one galaxy away from earth. Not to mention, it didn’t exist anymore. A damnable dragon destroyed it two hundred years ago. However, Owner Tetsuo would definitely think I had gone insane if I told him the truth.

  Then, as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously Owner Tetsuo asked another question, “Are you planning to open your own diner?”

  “I’m not”

  “Is other diner offering you a higher salary? I can increase your salary you know.”

  “Owner, I truly have to go back to my hometown.”

  “Fine.” After letting out a deep sigh Owner Tetsuo handed over a brown envelope to me. “This is your salary for this month, and some bonus for your excellent work for the last five years.”

  “Thank you.” I happily accepted the money.

  “Sanno, if you come back to Tokyo and need a job, just come here.”

  “I will.”

  After shaking Owner Tetsuo’s rough and strong hand, I quickly took my leave. For five years, I was second cook at Tetsuo’s Diner. Of the seven diners where I working as second cook, Tetsuo’s Diner had the heaviest work load and the strictest working procedure.

  However, I loved Tetsuo’s Diner the most because this place gave me massive valuable skill and knowledge that helped me becomes a far better cook. It’s just that, it was not wise to stay at once place for more than five years if you didn’t age like normal people. So, every five years I had to look for new diner or my forever young appearance invited unwanted circumstances.

  Pretty similar to the previous diner, I limited my interactions with other worker only as far as working colleagues. So, with ease I refused their invitation for a farewell party. I would just left without a trace. I had packed my belonging into my internal spatial storage and say goodbye to landowner this morning.

  And so, I could go straight to central station and took bullet train to other islands, if only someone didn’t tailing me.

  I immediately stopped my steps and asked, “Why are you tailing me?”

  A middle-aged man immediately stepped out from a dark corner. I didn’t know him, but he wore a robe that showed his position as elder in Blackwing Guild. He stopped one step away from me before introducing himself.

  “My name is Toga, Fifth Elder of Blackwing.”

  “So, you are the one who take my seat.”

  “I’m.”

  “And what business do you have with me? Grand Elder and First Elder have agreed to release me from my duty. Now, I have nothing to do with Blackwing.”

  “Indeed, that’s why Grand Elder sends me as his personal courier and not as Blackwing’s representative.”

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  “Does Grand Elder need my help?”

  “Yes.”

  “What kind of help?”

  “Prevent a calamity silently.”

  “Where?”

  “Planet Erra, Galaxy Adrian.”

  “Who is the target?”

  “A little girl named Yunno.” Toga paused for a moment before continuing, “Grand Elder has a vision that in fifty years she will become a walking calamity that destroys a few planets.”

  “What is the shit that triggers her?”

  “When she is ten, her little sister will meet with an unjust death. After that she has an encounter with demonic path.”

  After taking a deep breath I asked, “But this is still a possibility?”

  “Yes, and that’s why Grand Elder want it to be done silently.”

  “I see.” As far as I knew Grand Elder never made a mistake in his prophecy, so I believed him. “I will do it. Give me Planet Erra’s coordinates and other detail regarding the little girl. I will depart after I study it.”

  “Thank you. Grand Elder will always remember this favor.”

  After handing over a memory slip with Grand Elder’s personal seal on it Toga left quietly. Wasting no time I walked to nearby kindergarten. While sitting on a swing, I studied all information I had to know before carrying my last assignment.

  ---

  Yunno and Yui, they were a pair of sister who had nothing that normal kids could call decent life after their parent left them for good. Yunno lost her father one month before her mother gave a birth to Yui. Then, the pair of sister lost their mother three years later.

  Their closest relative was their uncle. He was a simple minded eighteen-year-old young man who gave his best to look after them. However, they lived in household that blatantly exploited them.

  Coincidently, Yunno’s early life was pretty similar to mine. Even her uncle’s given name also Sanno, like mine. Moreover, Grand Elder didn’t give me a clear instruction to kill her. His order was to prevent a possible calamity, which I could translate into a wide range of measure without involving lethal option.

  Well, I would decide the best measure I could take after I met her. Wasting no time, I recited the spell for inter-galaxy teleportation. As a Black Dragon Warrior, my power would be in its peak at night. I easily entered teleportation tunnel, without causing ripple or commotion. I just disappeared as if I was never there.

  The journey through teleportation tunnel was still as same as usual. The tunnel wall was blurry, while in front of me I saw only jet black darkness. Everything was going smoothly and peacefully, if only cracks didn’t suddenly start to form in the tunnel wall.

  Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough time to find out the cause or make a countermeasure. It happened too fast. The teleportation tunnel crumbled in a blink of an eye. I could only close my eyes in resignation as my body scattered.

  I failed my last assignment. Shit killed me on the way.

  *****

  The menu:

  The Great Country of Taiwan

  Affordable delicacies by Simple Cook

  Noodle Dish

  2.70 Monn Chili Garlic Pork Noodles

  2.70 Monn Chili Garlic Shrimp & Squid Noodles

  2.50 Monn Soy Sauce Oyster Noodles

  2.50 Monn Soy Sauce Chicken Noodles

  2.50 Monn Chicken Stir Fried Noodles

  2.50 Monn Squid and Shrimp Stir Fried Noodles

  2.10 Monn/bowl Vegetarian Stir Fried Noodles

  Rice Bowl

  2.00 Monn Mapo Tofu

  2.00 Monn Kung Pao Chicken

  2.00 Monn Kung Pao Squid

  2.00 Monn Squid & Green Chili

  1.65 Monn Chicken and Broccoli

  1.65 Monn Sardine &Tomato

  1.50 Monn Egg and Tomato

  Rice Burger

  1.80 Monn Ginger Pork Burger

  1.80 Monn Chicken Burger

  1.50 Monn Egg & Ham Burger

  Soup

  0.35 Monn Potato Soup

  0.20 Monn Egg Drop Soup

  Others

  0.20 Monn/130 gr Cooked White Rice

  0.08 Monn/small plate Kimchi

  0.08 Monn/3 pcs Spinach Crackers (Garlic, Chili, Seaweed)

  Drinking Snack

  0.90 Monn Chili & Garlic Shrimp

  0.90 Monn Chili & Garlic Squid

  0.90 Monn Chili & Garlic Smelt

  0.90 Monn Chili & Garlic Pork Ribs

  0.90 Monn Oyster Omelet

  0.90 Monn Spicy Anchovy

  0.75 Monn/3 pieces Egg Dumpling

  0.75 Monn/6 pieces Fried Quail Egg

  0.75 Monn/3 pieces Stuffed Fried Tofu

  0.75 Monn/6 pieces Stuffed Steamed Tofu

  Small Plate Snack

  0.20 Monn Chili & Garlic Fried Tofu

  0.20 Monn Chili & Garlic French Fries

  0.10 Monn Potato Chips (Garlic, Chili, Seaweed)

  0.10 Monn Roasted Peanut (Garlic, Chili, Seaweed)

  Hot Beverages

  0.12 Monn/cup Lemon & Ginger

  0.12 Monn/cup Warm Orange

  0.12 Monn/cup Warm Lemon

  0.08 Monn/cup Lemon Tea

  0.08 Monn/cup Ginger Tea

  0.08 Monn/cup Black Tea

  0.05 Monn/cup Warm Water

  Cold Beverages

  0.15 Monn/glass Ice Lemon & Ginger

  0.15 Monn/glass Orange Juice

  0.15 Monn/glass Apple Juice

  0.15 Monn/glass Lemonade

  0.12 Monn/glass Ice Lemon Tea

  0.12 Monn/glass Ice Ginger Tea

  0.10 Monn/glass Ice Tea

  0.05 Monn/glass Ice Water

  *****