Go back? There's no going back.

However, after listening to the half-boasting words of the white-haired young man, the blonde beauty in the picture sighed helplessly: "Yes, it's amazing, but... since you have made money, save it yourself. You kids are grown up now and can learn to manage these things by yourselves..."

"That won't work. I have very poor self-control. I can't save money. I can't learn it."

Hearing this, the white-haired young man shook his head repeatedly: "I will only feel at ease if I keep all my money with you."

Kroh remembered clearly that last year, when he had just passed the special training call-up and received the scholarship, his consumption level had been rising like a nouveau riche.

In just half a month, he squandered all his bonus and even went into debt.

Although he has now managed to return to a frugal life, Kro is still terrified when he thinks about his situation at that time.

He was convinced that if he were to start a family with a woman in the future, he would definitely not be the one to manage money.

And, most importantly, with the excuse of helping to save money, he could see her face every time he transferred money.

That... is his spiritual sustenance.

Having no one to rely on since childhood, after being adopted by a stubborn priest in a shabby church outside the royal city, Kro spent a relatively complete childhood with a dozen other friends.

But, eight years ago, with the death of that priest, everything collapsed.

To this day, Kro doesn't dare to think about what would have happened to him if the priest's daughter who came to sign the church demolition documents had not felt any sympathy after seeing them and had chosen to drive them away directly...

The priest's family was not well off, and he even had a very distant relationship with his wife and daughter. At that time, the priest's daughter was still studying in a public school and didn't even have a job.

But even so, after seeing this group of homeless children, she still said nothing and took over the long list of burdens left by her father.

For this reason, she, who had just reached adulthood at that time, even dropped out of school and went to the royal city alone to look for a job that might pay better.

To this day, she has raised all her children healthy.

From then on, Kro had decided that no matter what happened in the future, he would protect her for the rest of his life.

"Anyway, that's all I have to say today. Sorry to bother you..."

After a conversation, although he wanted to look at the other person a few more times, in order not to annoy the other person, Kro took a deep breath and ended the call.

However, just as he stretched out his hand, he suddenly realized that Sister Man in the picture... was not moving.

The entire communication screen seemed to be stuck, but the other party's pair of crystal-clear blue eyes suddenly widened and stared at him...behind him.

"Ok?"

Confused, Kro subconsciously looked back.

Then, he saw Su Wei, who had just finished refilling his cup and was walking past him.

“Wait a minute…Kro? The person who just passed by you…”

After a brief silence, a panicked woman's voice suddenly came from the communication device: "Can you help me point the camera at him? It will only take a moment..."

"Ah? You mean Su Wei?"

Crowe looked confused, and although he didn't quite understand, he quickly did as he was told.

Turning sideways, Kro pointed the camera at his roommate who was looking up and muttering, and smiled awkwardly, as if he had thought of something. "He's the one who made quite a fuss in our training camp yesterday. Do you even know him? How about I call him over?"

"No...no, don't disturb him."

For some reason, Sister Man's panicked voice was rarely heard over the communication line.

"Where...are you guys now?"

She asked in a low voice.

"Ah? I don't know either. This is where the leader brought us."

Kro was stunned, and subconsciously said: "But we will be going back to the training camp soon after eating, do you... want to come over?"

"……Um."

***

A few minutes later.

After finishing the third refill of the large glass of sweet drink, Su Wei, who was full of food, took out a tissue and wiped his mouth.

The white-haired young man sitting next to him also patted his round belly.

The two men stood up one after the other.

"Oh? What did you say?"

However, just as the white-haired young man elegantly took out a toothpick, raised his index finger to pick his teeth, and walked out of the private room, the two were stopped by the waiter who had been waiting at the door.

"Two guests, your total consumption is 128 gold coins and 16 silver coins. Please pay before leaving."

With a professional smile on his face, a man who was suspected to be the restaurant manager, accompanied by two tall and strong waiters, walked up to the two and said this.

"…Hey, are you kidding me? Our leader has already paid the money."

The moment he heard the number, the white-haired young man shuddered instinctively, then stared at the other person in surprise and reminded him, "It was the man with the particularly square face. He gave it to him as soon as he entered the door. My buddies and I saw it with our own eyes."

"Ah, the guest you mentioned has indeed paid."

"That's right..."

"But he only paid for the most basic ingredients at the time."

"……what?"

"Dear guest, please allow me to introduce you. When the three of you entered our restaurant, the square-faced guest ordered our set meal 4."

As if he was already used to the white-haired young man's reaction, the restaurant manager smiled and explained kindly, "Our set menu number 4 is mainly for big eaters. Various dishes are available in unlimited quantities within half an hour, and only a symbolic silver coin will be charged at the end."

At this point, the restaurant manager narrowed his eyes slightly, and his eyes suddenly became sharp: "In this set meal, the tableware usage fee and labor service fee account for a larger proportion of all the expenses, which is 64 gold coins and 8 silver coins per person."

"What... did you say? 64 gold coins and 8 silver coins?!"

Upon hearing this number, the white-haired young man's whole body shook violently, as if he was struck by lightning.

"Wait, wait a minute? Then, what about that guy? He also ate a few bites, and he paid for his own meal..."

Soon, as if he suddenly remembered something, the white-haired young man hurriedly asked.

"Of course, the customer left the store only after settling his bills."

"Oh, by the way, when the guest walked out the front door, he left a message for me to pass on to you two."

The restaurant manager first nodded with a smile.

Then, he cleared his throat and his facial expression changed slightly. For a moment, he looked somewhat similar to the square-faced man.

"You two little bastards, don't you know how much money I gave you yesterday? How dare you come to dinner with me?"

"When I say you two are ugly, I am reminding you that you are just wishful thinking."

After repeating the square-faced man's message in a manner that was 100% or even 90% similar, the restaurant manager regained his professional smile and said, "You three have such a good relationship. That customer would rather spend more than 60 gold coins to play a trick on you two."

"You...you call this a prank?!"

At this point, the white-haired young man, who had understood everything, was trembling all over and his breathing became rapid.

"Okay, that's all for now. Please pay as soon as possible."

Not paying attention to the increasingly agitated white-haired young man, the restaurant manager narrowed his eyes and asked with a fake smile: "You two have been dawdling for so long, don't you have no money?"

"If that's the case, we also provide loan services here, right? Although the interest rate may be a little higher than outside..."

As he said this, the smile on the restaurant manager's face grew even brighter.

He really likes this kind of guests.

Although it only happens once in a while, as long as you can grasp it, the income will be higher than the sales of your store for three whole days...

However, before he could finish his words, just as the restaurant director slightly opened his half-closed eyes and was about to make a threat, suddenly a glimmer of golden light rolled in the air, drew a graceful arc, and was thrown in front of him.

The man subconsciously reached out to catch it, then opened his palm and looked down.

It was a golden round coin.

"Not... a guest? I just said that each person would get 64 gold coins and 8 silver coins..."

Blinking in confusion, the restaurant manager weighed the gold coin in his hand, looked at Su Wei who threw the coin, and reminded him with a smile: "One gold coin is not enough."

"It's okay. Consider this gold coin as your consolation money in the future. Remember to eat something good when you get in."

Su Wei looked calm as he made eye contact with the restaurant manager.

He just raised his hand and waved something that looked like an account book in front of the other person. "I remember the Empire seemed to have increased the sentencing standards for wine and food scams last year. Let me see how many years you can get."

"…Why are our restaurant's account books in your hands?!"

The restaurant director first stared blankly at the strangely familiar notebook in Su Wei's hand for a few seconds, then suddenly came to his senses and his face changed drastically.

"Oh, that's weird. You just said that Lao Fang had paid his own money, but why is there no record of it here?"

As the three people in front of him looked at each other more and more stiffly, Su Wei turned to the latest page of the account book and pointed at the terms recorded on it with a puzzled tone: "The accounts of the group of people who finished eating in the bakery ten minutes ago were clearly recorded, but the transfer records of our team leader thirty minutes ago are completely missing."

"You, you fucking bastard!"

Hearing this, the restaurant manager was startled and ran to Su Wei in two steps to snatch back the account book.

"It's no use snatching it back. I felt something was a little strange when I came in. I took a video of the whole process and uploaded it to the reporting hotline."

Su Wei shrugged calmly and reminded with a smile: "When the military police come over later, they just need to check your collection records during this period, and it will be clear at a glance."

"Okay... okay, okay, I didn't realize that you...are quite cunning, eh?"

However, after hearing Su Wei's words, the restaurant manager fell silent.

After a moment, he suddenly laughed loudly and stared at Su Wei with a somewhat creepy look: "How do you know that your report is useful?"

"...What, brother has connections in the military police?"

Seeing this, Su Wei also realized something and his face froze.

“Ha, ha ha ha.”

"Young man, after all, you are still too young..."

Glancing at the communicator that Su Wei still held in his hand, the restaurant director raised his chubby hand and patted the back of Su Wei's hand. Then he took the communicator from him and turned it off. He smiled meaningfully at Su Wei and said, "Do you know Lady Elsie?"

"Lady Elsie? You're not talking about the maidservant of the First Princess..."

Su Wei was shocked when he suddenly heard an unexpected name from the restaurant manager.

"It seems that you are quite knowledgeable."

The greasy hand patted Su Wei's shoulder. The restaurant director narrowed his eyes again, paced back and forth, and said meaningfully: "She is said to be a personal maid, but who doesn't know that the first princess has only had her by her side from beginning to end?"

"Young man, you have to understand that the cousin of the square-faced gentleman who brought you here today is not only an elite hunter, but also the head of the royal orchestra who works under Lord Elsie. He is a big shot with connections throughout the entire royal city—"

"Is this so amazing?"

Hearing this, Su Wei's pupils trembled violently.

"Of course he is extraordinary. Not only does Lady Elsie remember his name, but he even went to meet the princess yesterday as the band leader..."

As if he was satisfied with Su Wei's reaction at the moment, the restaurant manager chuckled and patted Su Wei on the shoulder. His eyes narrowed into short arcs and he said meaningfully: "So I say, young man, you are still too young."

"If you want to make a living in our royal city, you...can't just be a little clever."

After he finished speaking, the restaurant director's momentum began to rise as he looked at Su Wei, whose momentum had completely weakened.

Although he was nearly a head and a half shorter than Su Wei, he stood with his hands behind his back. With the help of two waiters on his left and right, he looked one meter taller and looked down at Su Wei leisurely.

"..."

The opponent's suddenly majestic aura suppressed Su Wei so much that he couldn't even raise his head.

Swallowing silently, the next second, Su Wei slightly walked around the three people in front of him.

"Is the adult you just mentioned her?"

Pulling over a young girl who had been quietly waiting behind everyone, Su Wei asked the restaurant manager.

"…ah?"

Blinking, the restaurant manager subconsciously looked at the woman next to Su Wei.

A maid dressed in black and white, with smooth flaxen hair that reaches her shoulders, and a beauty that is unforgettable even after just one glimpse from afar...

The whole box suddenly became quiet.

The condescending restaurant manager's expression became completely frozen.

"E-Elsie...sir...?"