DXD: Table for one - Chapter 12 (Patreon)

POV: Merlin

Merlin wiped the blood off his blade with a casual flick, cutting down two more Zhao soldiers as they turned their backs on him.

“Oy! Stop running away already!” he shouted, his voice carrying over the chaos of the battlefield. “Stand your ground and fight, you cowards! At least give me a challenge!”

His words were wasted breath. No matter how loudly he tried to provoke them, the soldiers ignored him.

They didn’t rush recklessly at him or lose their composure; instead, they kept their formation and continued their retreat with rigid discipline.

It was frustrating. Merlin wasn’t some unstoppable monster like Madara Uchiha, the kind of guy who could wipe out the combined armies of the Five Great Shinobi Villages while looking stylish about it. Still, he was terrifying enough for ordinary human soldiers.

That much was obvious from the way they refused to engage him head-on. Whether it was fear or simply the result of their drilled experience, they chose to obey the order to retreat without hesitation.

For Merlin, it made no difference. The result was the same: he couldn’t keep up the wild battle against hundreds of enemies at once. His fun had been cut short.

The change in atmosphere spread quickly. The retreating Zhao weren’t the only ones who had pulled back.

Even among the mountain tribes who had charged into the fray like berserkers, some had slowed down and stopped their slaughter. Something else was happening, something important enough to draw their attention.

Merlin narrowed his eyes and focused on the distance. His senses, sharper than those of any normal human, caught the movement almost immediately.

Then, a grin tugged at his lips.

“Well, that’s some serious Main Character energy right there,” he muttered to himself, almost amused.

While Merlin had been busy carving his way through enemy lines, someone else had been stealing the spotlight.

Shin—the young commander of a thousand men—was stepping into a scene that could only belong to the main character of this world. Somehow he had made his way down from the City Wall, right into the Battlefield.

Merlin was certain of it. Absolutely certain. This was yet another confirmation of his theory: Menchi’s Restaurant wasn’t just a quirky place with good food. It was a hub, a doorway linking together different “fictional” universes.

His own world included. And if they were all connected and he could step into them himself, then were they even fictional anymore? If they existed—if you could bleed, fight, and die in them—didn’t that make them real?

The thought amused him more than it should have.

Take Shin’s situation, for example. How else could anyone explain it?

A thousand-man commander, someone still low in the military hierarchy, at most a mid ranked Officer, being allowed to face off in single combat against an actual Great General. The supposed Commander of this invasion Army.

It didn’t make sense in real warfare. It shouldn’t make sense. And yet, here it was happening right in front of him.

That mountain queen—the hot one leading her massive army—had originally been set to clash against Hou Ken, one Zhao’s so called Three Great Heavens, a group of Great Generals.

The man hadn’t even shown himself properly in battle yet, but the sheer presence he gave off was pure antagonist vibes, straight out of a manga panel.

Instead of fighting him herself, the queen had stepped aside, leaving the stage wide open for Shin.

It was ridiculous. No, it was more than ridiculous—it was textbook manga logic. In what real war did two armies stop their bloody struggle just so their champions could duel in the center of the field?

Soldiers were literally standing still, weapons ready, waiting for the outcome like an audience at some grand spectacle.

Merlin almost wanted to laugh.

“So what happens after this? Duel ends, break’s over, and everyone just goes back to killing each other? Like nothing happened?”

Even funnier, the Zhao army was still retreating, but instead of breaking the tension, the Qin forces just waited politely for the duel to finish.

The whole battlefield had frozen into a strange, theatrical pause—all for the sake of one fight.

If that wasn’t a sign he was standing in the middle of a manga universe, Merlin didn’t know what was.

With the enemy retreating and the battlefield settling down, Merlin finally lowered his blade.

Chasing after the stragglers felt pointless. The soldiers were already broken, and he had no real reason to keep hunting them down. The fight was finished as far as he was concerned.

He stretched his shoulders and let out a short sigh. “Well, that’s that.”

The real show was happening elsewhere anyway. A duel between Shin and Hou Ken—classic protagonist versus final boss setup. Merlin didn’t need to watch the end to know how it would go.

Shin might be younger, less experienced, and completely outmatched on paper, but this was a Shonen-style world. The so-called underdog would pull off some absurd comeback, fueled by guts, determination, and whatever else the universe handed him. It was practically written in the script.

Leaving the battlefield behind, Merlin made his way deeper into the city. From the walls and watchtowers, soldiers and officials were already gathering, watching anxiously as the duel unfolded.

He followed their gazes until he spotted El Sei standing in a high vantage point, overseeing everything with a king’s calmness.

Raising a hand, Merlin called out casually, “Oy, Sei! Looks like it’s over!”

The young king noticed him immediately. He nodded with a mixture of relief and respect. “It really does. I have to thank you, Merlin. Holding the western wall by yourself made a massive difference in this battle. And that’s without even mentioning your magical food.”

Merlin waved his hand as if brushing away the compliment. “The food’s Menchi’s thing, not mine. And you’re welcome, but don’t make it sound like I’m doing this out of kindness. You’re paying me, remember? If I’m not around, just send the gold to the restaurant. Leave it with Menchi, she’ll make sure I get my share.”

He rolled his arm in a loose circle, loosening up the muscles that had gone stiff from the fighting. For him, that little chat was already business as usual.

El Sei, however, frowned slightly, as if something didn’t sit right. “We’ll be holding a grand reward ceremony after the war. You don’t intend to participate? Your contribution to Qin’s survival has been enormous. People should know that.”

Merlin shrugged with a half-smile. “I don’t mind the idea of a reward ceremony, but it’s better for you if I stay out of the spotlight.”

The king tilted his head. “Why do you say that?”

“Well, from what I’ve gathered, you couldn’t properly defend your own capital because of political struggles, right? If I take the stage at your ceremony, I’ll stand out. A foreigner with a major role in saving the kingdom, not to mention the restaurant, which is basically a hidden trump card. Your political opponents would latch onto that instantly. Best to keep my existence under wraps. Pay me quietly, even in small amounts if you have to. That way, nobody questions where the money’s going.” Merlin explained in a level tone, as if it was the most natural conclusion in the world.

El Sei listened carefully, his eyes narrowing in thought. After a pause, he nodded. “I see. That’s… very considerate of you. Thank you for the advice. I’ll follow it. But don’t worry about the gold. I’m paying you and Menchi directly from my personal Treasury. No one else has oversight over that.”

“That works too,” Merlin said with a satisfied nod. His gaze drifted toward the edge of the city, where Menchi’s Restaurant stood out like it had been plucked from another world and dropped in place.

“Well, I’ll leave the ceremonies to you,” he said with a small grin. “Go enjoy your victory. If you need me, you know exactly where to find me.”

With that, he turned on his heel, already heading toward the familiar building that felt more like home than any battlefield ever could.

———

*Ring*

The familiar bell above the door chimed as Merlin stepped into the cool, climate-controlled interior of the modern restaurant. The shift from the scorching streets outside to the refreshing air inside made him pause for a second.

Compared to the dirt floors and drafty wooden houses the common People of Shin’s and El Sei’s world lived in, the polished floorboards beneath his boots felt almost luxurious. He hadn’t realized just how much he missed the comfort of a clean, well-maintained building.

“Oh, you’re back. Done committing war crimes?”

The voice came casually from behind the counter. Menchi was leaning against it, arms crossed, a teasing smile tugging at her lips.

Merlin let out a tired sigh. Of course, she had to start with that. “It’s only a war crime if the world actually has something like international humanitarian laws. And they don’t.”

Menchi raised an eyebrow. “Since you even know about them, your world clearly has rules like that. Which means you broke them.” Her tone was light, but her words carried a little sting.

“The world I’m from doesn’t have anything like that,” Merlin answered honestly. He had never once heard of such laws in the Underworld. He wasn’t even sure if there lived any actual Humans in the Underworld! And it wasn’t like he had ever set foot on his Version of Earth with this body, anyway.

“I see…” Menchi clearly didn’t believe a word of it, her skeptical gaze following him.

He waved her doubt away. “Yeah, yeah. Believe what you want. I did what was necessary. The battlefield was lopsided—mostly civilians, women, children, and the elderly on one side, against a trained army on the other. I just… equalized things. Anyway, enough about that depressing stuff.” Merlin pulled out a chair and sat down. “So, anything happen while I was gone?”

Almost immediately, Menchi slid a glass across the counter. The bubbly drink inside fizzed softly—Mellow Cola, his favorite drink in the Restauran.

He took a sip, the familiar taste spreading across his tongue, and felt that faint strengthening sensation ripple through his body. It wasn’t as strong as the first time, but even now it gave him a small, steady boost.

Training by drinking soda—what kind of crazy system was this restaurant running?

“Not much,” Menchi replied while turning back toward the kitchen. “Argo’s been looking for you, though.”

Merlin leaned back in his chair, watching her disappear behind the swinging doors into her Kitchen.

“Really? What did she need this time?” Merlin muttered, leaning back in his chair. His mind was still half-occupied with the fishing exploit the SAO Guild had discovered recently.

The trick was simple but absurdly effective: cast a line, hook a monster way above their level, and reel it in. As anti-griefing measure, the system automatically slapped a heavy debuff on anything far above the Level of the surrounding Players, dropping its Speed until it was barely a threat while turning it’s Aggro passive.

Once debuffed, even stronger monsters went down without much effort. Just Time and a lot of throwing Knifes. The experience points poured in like a river, far faster than normal grinding.

It was also a loophole that solved a problem most players didn’t even realize existed yet. Experience was not infinite. Each floor of Aincrad only had so much to go around, and if players overhunted an area, monster respawns slowed to a crawl.

Entire zones could become barren, leaving parties fighting over scraps. With fishing, however, Argo’s Guild had stumbled onto a renewable shortcut—one that would keep them a step ahead of the competition. All thanks to this Restaurant.

“Apparently, the frontliners are preparing to tackle the First Floor Boss,” Menchi explained, carrying the message with her usual calm tone. “Argo says they want you nearby. Just in case something goes wrong, and to pull out anyone who gets in over their head.”

Merlin tapped his fingers on the table as he thought it over. “I see… yeah, with their current levels, they should be able to handle that boss without too much trouble. Still, it makes sense. The first raid is always the most dangerous. There is no reason for it to be the same as in the Beta.” He gave a small nod. “Anything else? Did she mention a time?”

“There’s supposed to be a meeting for all raid members in exactly five days,” Menchi answered. She placed a steaming plate in front of him, the rich aroma filling the air. “She said she’d come to get you when the time comes.”

“Five days, huh? Alright. I’ll be here.” Merlin picked up his fork, but Menchi didn’t leave right away.

Instead, she stood there, her expression clouded with hesitation. “Well… there’s something else that’s been bothering me.”

The fork stopped halfway to his mouth. Merlin glanced up at her. “What happened?”

Menchi frowned, lowering her voice slightly. “I don’t know if I’m overthinking things, but it’s about Suzuki and Mikami. You know how they usually stop by every day during their lunch break? It’s been a while since I’ve seen either of them. To be specific… not since they delivered your supplies for the war effort.”

Merlin’s eyes widened a little. “Wait—you mean they haven’t shown up here for an entire week? Not even once?”

She shook her head firmly. “Not a single visit. That’s why I’m worried. You’ve been to both of their homes before, so… I was hoping you could check on them.”

He set his fork down with a quiet clink, then nodded. “Of course. Just let me finish this meal first. Leaving it here would be a waste.”

Menchi gave a small, worried smile, while Merlin turned back to his plate, his mind already shifting gears. Both his Friends going missing at the same time wasn’t something he could ignore.

But no matter how delicious Menchi’s cooking was, Merlin couldn’t fully enjoy it. The thought of Suzuki and Mikami weighed too heavily on his mind.

Each bite tasted duller than the last, and before long he ended up shoveling the food down in a hurry. The plate was clean, but his appetite remained unsatisfied.

The moment he finished, he was already standing in front of the restaurant door. “Alright… Mikami first,” he muttered, trying to decide where to begin. Compared to Suzuki’s world, Mikami’s Tokyo was easier to move around in. It felt like the logical starting point.

He pressed his hand on the door handle, imagining the sight of the Tokyo Tower in the background and crowded streets that should appear beyond it. A quick twist and a pull should’ve been enough.

The door didn’t move.

“Huh?” Merlin froze. He tried again, this time with more force, but the handle only rattled uselessly.

Behind him, Menchi tilted her head, worry flashing across her face. “What’s wrong? Why are you just standing there?”

“The door… it won’t open.” Merlin’s voice dropped into a whisper, as if saying it louder would make the situation real.

Menchi immediately shoved him aside. “What? That doesn’t make sense. Move, let me try!”

She grabbed the handle and yanked hard. Once, twice, three times. The door didn’t budge an inch. Her expression darkened with each pull. Finally, she let go, her shoulders sagging. “No good. It won’t open at all. And if Mikami’s world is cut off…” Her eyes widened. “Don’t tell me Suzuki’s is the same!”

Her sudden panic made Merlin’s stomach twist. “You mean… both worlds are closed?”

Menchi nodded grimly. “Neither of their doors will open anymore.”

“Why though?” Merlin muttered, confusion and unease mixing together. His mind spun through possibilities. Could the connections to other worlds just… vanish? Would it happen to him too if he returned home one day? And if that happened, would the restaurant itself be gone forever?

The thought made his skin crawl.

“…Yeah, no. I’m not going back to my own world anytime soon.” The words slipped out of his mouth before he even realized he’d said them.

Menchi blinked. “Wait, what? Why not?”

Merlin crossed his arms, forcing himself to think it through. “If the connections can collapse without warning, then going back now would be suicide. I am nothing but a Slave there. I could get stuck there permanently. I need to be stronger first.” He spoke calmly, but there was steel behind his words. “Sure, I’ve learned Nen, and I’m a bit stronger because of it, but in my world I’m still at the bottom of the food chain. If I get trapped there, I’m done for. There won’t be much future for me!”

He continued, counting off on his fingers. “Most of my wealth is stored in a bank account here. I’ve got no safe way to keep it back home. And all the modern tech and books we picked up from Suzuki’s world? They’re stored in my room at Heaven’s Arena. If I lose access to the restaurant, I’ll lose everything. Compared to that, not going back home is the lesser risk.”

Menchi let out a long sigh, her shoulders relaxing just slightly. “I get your point. Still… at least try the door to your own world. You were my first customer, remember? If even that one’s gone…”

He understood what she was implying. If there was a Time Limit then his World should have lost connection first.

“Fine, fine.” Merlin rubbed the back of his neck and stepped in front of the door again. His hand lingered on the handle, hesitant. What if it really was gone? He braced himself, then pushed it down.

Before he could even pull, the door suddenly swung outward with force.

*Bang*

“Gah!” The edge smacked him right in the face, and the bell above jingled cheerfully.

*Ring*

Merlin staggered back, holding his nose. “Ow… great timing.”

Through the now-open door, he caught sight of a strange view. On the other side stretched a rundown town, its cracked white buildings surrounded by endless stretches of sand. The blazing sun beat down mercilessly, the air shimmering with heat.

And in the doorway stood a figure staring at him with wide eyes full of wonder, as if they had just seen a miracle.