The Innkeeper

Lex learned forward on the balcony and enjoyed the stunning view. Right below him, the wide river was flowing, its pace fast but not overwhelming or dangerous, and on the other side of the river the city continued.

There were a few small boats on the river, crossing from one side to another or traveling the length of it in either direction. There were kids playing in the water, and old men fishing. There were clouds in the sky, glowing with a unique silver light.

Wherever Lex looked, he only saw beautiful views.

If nothing else, this restaurant had at least picked the perfect location for stellar views. He was tempted to go down and dip his feet in the water with everyone else, but his coupon could only be used in a private room, so he had no choice.

Someone knocked on his door, and then opened. A handsome man, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a strong, rectangular jaw stepped in wearing an excited smile. His central incisors had a gap in them, but for whatever reason, they did not take away from his looks, and instead only served to give him a simple charm.

"Hello sir, I am chef Spong-e. I can't believe you redeemed the cooking coupon from Simple Life - I know how expensive it was supposed to be. I feel honored that you would redeem it. You may not know, but the Simple Life overseer did a great favor for me in exchange for that coupon, so I have been looking forward to the opportunity to pay them back."

"I have also been looking forward to trying your food," Lex said with a smile. "Your reputation clearly precedes you."

"Of course! I am at your disposal today. What would you like to have?"

"I've heard a lot about your burgers, so I have been looking forward to trying them. By the way, don't judge me based on my appearance. The amount of food I can consume is no joke."

"Do not worry! As your personal chef, I will not stop cooking until you are satisfied!"

True to his word, Spong-e exited the room and entered the private kitchen which was adjacent to the private room, and visible due to a glass wall separating them.

Undeterred by the audience, Spong-e immediately turned on his grill and began preparing his various ingredients. Lex watched him cook, something he never expected to find interesting. Yet here he was, enjoying himself.

He was also aware of the small crowd that was gathering outside, though he did not pay much attention to it. Even when, from a distance, another group arrived, Lex only nominally paid attention to it.

At the forefront was a man weaning a green suit and a mean expression. The sight of him seemed to intimidate and excite many people at the same time.

"I can't believe it," said one of the men observing from a distance. "It's Plank Torrin. Whoever messed with the Torrin's is in trouble now."

"I heard the problem was caused because of Spong-e. It's said that Plank Torrin has been trying to poach him for his own restaurant for a long time without success. I guess it was inevitable that they would have problems."

"I heard his restaurant is literally shaped like a bucket. Who would want to work there?"

The man in the green suit heard the words being spoken all around him, but he ignored them all. He just walked until he eventually reached his wife, Karen, who looked extremely upset.

"Karen, are you alright?" he asked, taking her hand and looking her in the eyes.

"I have failed you Plank, I have failed you. Let's just go home. I can not take this anymore."

"It's fine, Karen. You go home and get some rest. I will make sure those who messed with us today will know the consequences of their actions."

The mad woman reluctantly nodded, and was led away by another group. Plank, who was holding in his anger so far, turned and was about to enter the restaurant to cause a scene when someone stepped in front of him.

Lex, who was getting ready to flash his aura again, could not help but raise an eyebrow. He had heard of this man as well.

With bright pink hair and more confidence than anyone else around, the greatest star of Torrinwood, and best friend of Spong-e, Pat Rick.

"I don't think so, Plank," he said, completely uncaring that he was outnumbered a dozen to one. "I think it's about time you give up. Spong-e will never work for you."

At around this time, a bored looking waiter opened the door to Lex's room and brought in the first burger, steam still rising from the patty inside.

"Please enjoy," he said, and placed the burger in front of Lex.

The smell of it was genuinely unexpectedly good, and could not help but remind him of the failure of a cook he had at his own restaurant. For a brief moment, Lex also considered poaching Spong-e, but then pushed the idea away.

Filled with great anticipation, Lex took a bite from the burger - and his mind seemed to explode.

The bun was so incredibly light and fluffy that it felt like he was biting air, yet it had the mildest hint of sweetness packaging the savouriness packed inside of it. The meat was so tender, it gave way as soon as he bit it, and reached the perfect amount of juiciness one would want from a patty. It was not enough to drip or soak the bun, but more enough to deliver a great rush of flavor! The onions were perfectly caramelized so that their crunch texture added to the sensation of the bite, and their flavor blended perfectly in with the meat. The thin slice of lettuce added an air of freshness to the bite so that it was not overwhelming, and the slice of cheese perfectly coated everything.

Lex forgot everything. He forgot all the troubles he had ever experienced, the pressure of looking for the resin, the threat of the system disappearing, his family abandonment issues, and everything else. With this one bite Lex had discovered the answer to the greatest question in the universe.

But before he could enjoy the sensation much longer, his door slammed open, interrupting his experience. Plank barged in.