Hansen's Restaurant

【Current Job Evaluation: Grade A】

【Based on current performance, there is a high likelihood of promotion to a Fifth-Rank Official in the future.】

【The empire commends your recent outstanding performance.】

【May you continue to illuminate the path forward for the empire.】

—To: Li An Adolf

Li An looked at the evaluation notice in his hand.

Then...

Without the slightest hesitation, he crumpled it into a ball and tossed it into the trash can.

He fell deep into thought.

Lately... everything seemed to be progressing in the worst possible direction.

It was as if fate itself was forcing him along:

—Forcing him to dedicate his entire life to the empire.

“No.”

Li An shook his head.

Rebellion against fate—that was the path humans were truly meant to walk.

Even if he fell, even if he failed, he was determined to cause an earth-shattering disaster.

Then he would be fired by the empire.

Finally... he would head to the warm southern region of the Kelly Kingdom, open a skewer shop there, and spend his days living a peaceful, easy life.

That was the life he truly wanted.

“We have two tasks today.”

Isha handed a stack of documents to Li An, who had just finished his daily self-encouragement ritual.

This was... the first piece of actual work in a very long time.

Li An took the files, then began reading ravenously like a starved dog licking an empty bowl.

“The first one,” Isha said. “A dispute over the ownership of a vacant plot in the commercial district.”

“The second one: an issue regarding a witch illegally operating a street stall.”

Li An frowned. “Can't we just shut down the illegal stall directly?”

Isha explained, “Department Head, surely you don't think witches are just helpless little girls who get burned at the stake? They possess genuine magic.”

“The informants were terrified of being cursed by the witch.”

“That is why the matter was submitted to our department.”

“...”

Li An looked down at the document, quickly grasping the situation.

The empire's commercial district was always bustling with people.

For merchants, it was prime real estate.

Therefore, every single empty plot of land was exceedingly precious.

Recently, a vacant piece of commercial land had drawn three competitors.

The first was a famous imperial pastry chef who wished to open a trendy dessert shop there.

The second was a ranch owner who operated a massive ranch; he wanted to open a butcher shop to sell high-grade meat directly from his ranch.

The third was a chef from the countryside whose dream was to open a small restaurant.

Isha said, “In addition, there are a few details I should clarify, which might help you make a decision.”

“The pastry chef and the ranch owner both sent gifts, hoping you will give them priority consideration.”

Li An said calmly, “Return them.”

“Understood.”

Isha didn't pry and simply took the gifts away.

Normally, the gifts they received were sent to the orphanage where Irene worked.

But this time... that wouldn't do.

Because the third person had to be chosen.

The country chef, Hansen.

He was a figure from Li An's memories.

In the original story, Hansen had constantly looked for opportunities to enter the imperial capital's commercial district, taking on all kinds of odd jobs and even running up massive debts.

Many years later, he finally opened a small restaurant of his own.

And then... he succeeded.

His cooking exploded in popularity, even earning a spot on the imperial gourmets' list:

“The Empire's Must-Visit Restaurants.”

He became a legend pursued by countless food lovers.

Logically speaking, if Hansen was destined to become a wildly popular chef, Li An—who wanted to escape the empire—should avoid selecting him.

However... there was a continuation to the Hansen incident.

One day, a vast number of imperial residents suddenly fell ill.

Upon investigation, it was discovered that all the patients shared a common denominator: they had all dined at Hansen's restaurant.

The truth was that Hansen, in order to enhance the flavor and addictiveness of his food, had secretly added magic stone powder to his dishes.

As a result, a massive amount of unrefined magic accumulated inside the customers' bodies, ultimately leading to severe illness.

Hansen was executed for this, and the commercial district fell into utter chaos.

The "firecrackers" at the imperial execution grounds rang out through the night.

The "Magic Stone Powder Poisoning Incident" became a massive scandal that shook the entire empire, affecting the lives of countless people.

And an event of this scale... was big enough to force a complete reshuffle of the entire Evaluation Department.

Of course, Li An wasn't cold-hearted enough to harm thousands of innocent people for his own selfish gain.

He intended to control the scale of the incident so that it would endanger only himself without affecting others.

If luck was on his side... this would be more than enough to make Li An lose his position directly and get kicked out of the management layer.

Even if it didn't completely ruin him, it would stick him with a reputation for incompetence, utterly shattering his previous title as a genius official.

Li An had prepared extensively for this opportunity.

He had even rehearsed how to act furious, how to express grief, and how to convey his deep remorse for failing to see a person's true nature.

Perfect. Everything was ready.

“Approve the country chef,” Li An said to the returned Isha.

“Understood.”

Isha didn't question it for a moment and executed the order immediately.

To be honest, Isha was almost incomprehensibly capable as an assistant.

When documents were needed, she would prepare them in advance.

When rest was needed, she would bring tea and snacks.

Sometimes Li An genuinely couldn't understand... how could someone like her become a tyrant who destroyed the empire in the future?

However...

“Has nothing to do with me.”

Li An leaned back in his chair and stretched.

Now, it was officially sanctioned nap time.

He relaxed his body as drowsiness gradually washed over him.

Just then... Viscount Yorick's words suddenly echoed in his mind.

—“The empire needs you.”

Sorry, Viscount Yorick, Li An sighed internally. I'm just a selfish, cowardly person.

Finally, he felt he could sleep peacefully.

However... how things unfolded proved once again that fate loved nothing more than to slap those who dared to resist across the face.

Sure enough, Hansen's restaurant became an instant hit.

His dishes, which reinterpreted regional cuisine, hit the exact spot for the capital's residents.

The crowd of customers grew larger and larger, reaching a point where one couldn't even get a table without booking a week in advance.

“I want to eat at Hansen's restaurant too,” Sushia complained while organizing documents. “But the reservations are already booked through next month.”

“By the way... Section Chief, didn't you approve his permit? Could you ask for a favor?”

Li An glanced at her. “That would be against regulations.”

“Too harsh!” Sushia pouted in dissatisfaction.

Still, thinking carefully... going to Hansen's restaurant for a meal didn't seem like a bad idea.

After all, the side effects of the magic stone powder should be starting to appear by now.

Li An wanted to confirm whether his plan was going smoothly as well.

“If you really want to eat there that badly... I can ask.”

“I knew it!” Sushia's eyes sparkled. “As expected of the Light of the Empire, the Hope of Section Three—Section Chief Li An! I deeply respect you!”

Her praise was ridiculously exaggerated, but Li An couldn't be bothered to pay it any mind.

He wrote a letter and sent it to Hansen's restaurant.

Before long, a reply came back:

【We have been waiting for your arrival. We will surely treat you with the utmost hospitality today.】

“...”

The corner of Li An's mouth twitched.

That evening, before leaving work, Li An stood up and spoke to everyone in Section Three:

“Tonight, anyone who wants to go to Hansen's restaurant for a group dinner, raise your hand.”

Everyone raised their hand at the exact same time.

Including... Isha.

She raised her hand somewhat shyly, which surprised Li An quite a bit.

Li An stared at her with a look that plainly asked, Are you a foodie too?

Isha silently shifted her gaze away.

“...”

“I... would like to try it too,” she whispered softly.

“...”

It seemed that even a future tyrant couldn't maintain her composure in the face of delicious food.

“All right, then.”

...

Hansen's Restaurant.

It truly lived up to being a restaurant named after the chef himself.

Even before tasting the food, the unique atmosphere already exuded a sense of high quality.

The layout was well-thought-out, taking customer flow into account. The decor was neither overly gaudy nor cheap and plain. Everything was just right.

No wonder it would become one of the empire's hottest restaurants in the future.

“Lord Li An! I finally meet you in person!”

The restaurant owner, Hansen, personally came out to greet them.

“I have never forgotten the kindness you showed by recognizing a nobody from the countryside like me.”

Li An smiled slightly. “That was due to your own ability, Boss. I merely did what I was supposed to do.”

“No,” Hansen shook his head. “I looked into it afterward. The other two candidates sent expensive gifts. Only I... had nothing.”

“Looking back now, I was truly foolish at the time.”

“To be able to repay you... I am truly, deeply grateful.”

Saying so, Hansen pulled out a small pouch from his robes. It seemed to contain something valuable, as a golden gleam flashed from the gap.

Li An immediately said, “I accept your goodwill. But rather than material things, I'd prefer to taste your cooking.”

“...”

He had his own principles.

If it was food or daily necessities, he wouldn't refuse.

But money... that easily brought trouble.

Li An only wanted to be fired due to a major mistake. Corruption charges, on the other hand, would get him thrown into an imperial prison or taken straight to the imperial execution grounds.

Hearing those words, Hansen suddenly plopped onto the floor and burst into tears.

“?”

Li An was stunned. Is there really any need to be this sad over me rejecting a gift?

Hansen wiped his tears. “I've spent my entire life cooking. But... running a restaurant isn't just about good culinary skills. Over the years, I've been scammed, mocked, and resentful of a world that refused to recognize me.”

Hansen's voice choked up. “But... Lord Li An, you were the first person to truly recognize my worth. If you want this restaurant, I'll gladly hand it over to you.”

Li An froze. “Really?”

Hansen sobbed, “Actually... that might be a bit difficult after all.”

“...”

Li An was speechless. Then why did you say it just now?

Embarrassed, Hansen led Section Three to the most luxurious private room on the second floor.

“Please allow me to waive tonight's meal fee. Please enjoy yourselves without worry.”

His tone was brimming with confidence—the pride of a master chef.

“As expected, connections really are what matters most,” Sushia said, looking around the private room. “In the future, I'll have something to brag about to everyone.”

If cameras existed in this world, she probably would have taken dozens of photos by now.

On the other side, Isha silently pulled out a chair and motioned for Li An to sit.

“Take notes.”

“...”

“Hmph,” Sushia grumbled discontentedly. “I'm not your assistant!”

Li An silently added her to the top spot of his "Future Layoff List" before taking a seat.

Now, the most important thing... was to confirm whether there was magic stone powder in the food.

If Li An couldn't tell, Isha—who was sensitive to magic—should be able to notice it.

Before long, the appetizer was served.

Without waiting for her superior to taste it first, Sushia picked up her utensils and dug right in.

“This is so good! Chief, you should try some—”

Halfway through her sentence, she suddenly froze.

Her expression turned completely pale.

“Cough...”

“Cough, cough...”

The next second, she began coughing violently.

“Gah!!”

A mouthful of something burst from her lips—thick, viscous black blood.