Chaos Maker

Back to the Inn

"So, kid, what's with the new look?" the middle-aged innkeeper asked, struggling to stifle his laughter.

"Droids don't talk," John replied with a deadpan expression.

Earlier, while walking through an alley, John had unwittingly stepped on a trap. The stone beneath his foot sank, triggering a hidden mechanism. A trapdoor opened, and he was swallowed whole.

A few minutes later, John emerged from the trapdoor, disheveled. His hair dripped with foul-smelling water, his clothes were tattered, and his entire body was splattered with paint.

"Let me guess—you fell into a trap," the innkeeper teased.

John nodded while inspecting his ruined outfit. "The trap was terrifying. It even tore my reinforced clothes—these could withstand a world-ending attack you know."

"Who do you think set it up?"

The innkeeper waved dismissively. "Those are just pranks from the ninja families' kids. They love setting traps in the alleyways. That's why locals avoid them. Only the guards dare to go through there."

"That explains why the trap wasn't lethal," John noted.

"Exactly. But it's still a nuisance sometimes."

After chatting briefly, John headed to his room, took a shower, and collapsed into bed.

Early the next morning…

John wandered the bustling streets, scanning for a good restaurant to grab breakfast.

Suddenly, a familiar sensation pricked at his senses. He stopped in his tracks, turning toward its source.

Before him stood a two-story building with a wooden sign that read: "Fardal Restaurant."

John stepped inside and was greeted by a warm, inviting dining area. Wooden tables and chairs were neatly arranged in endless rows and columns. The layout seemed ordinary, but something felt off.

No matter how hard he focused, the dining area stretched infinitely. The walls and ceiling were impossibly distant, unreachable. Only the wall behind him remained tangible.

John expanded his magical senses, probing the vast expanse. He pushed beyond infinity, into the Eternal Unknown, yet he still couldn't reach the walls or ceiling.

"Type 3… no, maybe Type 4. But the layout's different. It must be Type 1," he murmured, lost in thought.

A beautiful maid appeared, bowing elegantly.

"Good day, sir. Are you planning to dine here?"

"Yes," John replied, snapping out of his thoughts.

The maid gestured for him to follow, leading him to a nearby table. She placed a glass of water in front of him and handed him a thick book. Then, she vanished like a ghost.

Unfazed, John opened the book. Its title read: Menu.

He flipped through the pages at lightning speed, absorbing every detail. But no matter how far he read, the pages never ended. Closing the book, he tried starting from the middle. Again, the pages went on infinitely. He repeated the process from the back of the book but met the same result.

Using his magical senses, he counted the pages. The result: 100 infinities. To read the entire book, one would need to count infinite pages a hundred times.

"An infinite menu," John mused. "Interesting, but not rare."

Such books were common among True Creators, though unheard of in the mortal realm.

After perusing for a while, John called out to order. The maid reappeared instantly as if summoned by his intent.

"I'll have 100 red roasted chickens and a glass of milk."

"Anything else?"

John shook his head. "That's all."

The maid vanished again, returning moments later with his meal, floating gracefully through telekinesis. She carefully set down the enormous platter and vanished once more.

John picked up his knife and fork, devouring the roasted chickens with gusto.

As he ate, he noticed how eerily empty the restaurant was. There were no other customers.

When he finished he called out and the maid appeared, John approached the maid to pay.

"By the way," he asked, "is this place always this empty?"

The maid smiled politely. "Yes, sir."

John stared at her, his eyes narrowing. The maid held his gaze, her smile hiding something beneath its warmth. A tense silence lingered between them.

Finally, John looked away, a knowing smirk on his face. "So that's how it is, huh? I'll see you later." With a casual wave, he exited the restaurant.

The maid smiled broadly and bowed her head.