THHAAWMF

Chapter 32

Oh, I forgot to mention that one. I must speak now.

"I'll talk later," sent Leather on his way.

Even in the distance, Leather looked at the sulking Reynos and said, "You're alive?" Then don't tell me you're cursed!" He mumbled and stepped away.

Recognizing that he looked like the evil dragon doll, but not thinking that it was a demon itself was a part of how strong Reynos' magic was.

Having driven Leather out, I went behind the bar and locked eyes with Reynos. Reynos glanced back and hid behind me.

"Well, Your Highness. I wanted to use a name that was impressive..."

"It's a really spicy chicken skewer, but I thought it wouldn't be impressive if I just said 'very spicy chicken skewer', so I said Dragon Breath while looking for it. And the Dragon Tail..."

-...

In fact, the menu was named after the evil dragon doll, which was pasted on the menu as a half-joke.

The menu name was given by a government official who saw it and said, "Eating the body of an evil dragon is a sign that humans have defeated the evil dragon," and we went with it, so here we are.

It was a bit much to tell this matter of factly to someone in the form of an evil dragon.

So I explained in plausible terms how the roasted birds came to have these names.

"The dragons are a very strong race, so I put it on so that we would inherit that power and do well in business."

-Ppiiiik...

Reynos, who was listening to me with a face that did not know what I was thinking, cried sadly.

Then he stretched out his arm, so I put my palm on him because I thought he was trying to do what I told him yesterday.

Reynos drew a steady sign.

[ㅠㅠ]

Pointing to his tail, he drew this sign, too.

[ㄴㄴ]

"Yes, Your Highness, we never sell tails. Oh, horns, too."

[ㅇ ㅇ]

It was really rewarding as a teacher to see them use what I taught him in the right places. Next time, I'll have to teach him something else.

Around the time I was clearing up the misunderstanding of the menu name that way.

Reynos tugged at the hem of my skirt. He drew a sign on my palm, pointing to Leather that had been greeting customers for a while.

[ㄴㄴ]

Leather, ㄴㄴ? What does that mean...

After thinking for a moment, I realized the meaning only after Reynos drew a dozen more ㄴㄴ's on my palm.

"Don't get close to him?"

-Piiik.

"Oh, we're not close, just acquaintances. Employer and employee? A master-servant relationship? Hm, yes."

-Ppiiiik.

Reynos sulked in frustration at the word "master-servant," but said no more words.

I changed the subject, trying to shift the grumpy Reynos' attention elsewhere.

"Your highness, do you eat spicy food well?"

-Piiik.

Reynos crossed his arms and made the letter X.