A Stay-at-home Dad’s Restaurant In An Alternate World Chapter 1 Little Loli In My House
1 Little Loli In My House
"Father… Father…"
A delicate, youthful voice reached Mag Shen’s ears, seemingly calling out to him. His fingers twitched, brushing against something incredibly soft. Driven by a sudden, intense survival instinct, he bolted upright and snapped his eyes open, only to be paralyzed by the sight before him.
Where on earth am I? he wondered.
Was I rescued, or have I transmigrated into another realm?
Mag Shen’s last memory was of attempting to catch king crabs from his private yacht. He had even gone through the trouble of bringing along the head chef of the Imperial Restaurant for the occasion. He never expected that while sitting at the stern, a massive wave would sweep him into the ocean instead of a crab. In the midst of his confusion, he recalled the screams of women and the crashing of water before everything faded into a dark silence.
Upon regaining consciousness, he found himself in a room decorated in a European style, clutching the hand of a silver-haired girl who looked to be about four or five years old.
Before he could utter a single word, a torrent of information surged into his mind, drowning out his physical senses. The sensation was terrifyingly similar to the moment he had drowned.
In his past life, Mag Shen was a renowned "rich second generation," though he preferred the title of a gourmet. He had zero interest in taking over the family firm; his true passion lay in traveling the globe to sample famous delicacies and posting critiques on his microblog. Thanks to his sharp, ruthless reviews and his habit of frequenting every Michelin-starred restaurant he could find, he had amassed tens of millions of followers in just a few short years.
He viewed his critiques as honest and balanced, even if they focused heavily on flaws and used colorful language. Regardless, he was constantly bombarded by thousands of hateful messages telling him he should drown or be forced to work as a chef for his entire next life, which had always annoyed him.
Thinking about it now, that drowning incident… had their curses actually come true? God, could you be any more spiteful? he mused.
His attention was pulled back to the influx of memories. They revealed a different, tragic, yet gripping life. He was now certain he had crossed over to another world and that his soul inhabited the body of a broken knight who could no longer even lift his heavy blade.
These memories and emotions began to merge with his own, leaving him no choice but to accept them.
This was a land of fantasy where dragons, demons, orcs, elves, dwarves, and humans coexisted.
A century ago, the various races of the Norland Continent signed a peace treaty, ending a millennium of interspecies warfare. This allowed every race a period of peace to rebuild within their own territories.
However, a thousand years of blood feud couldn't be erased by a mere document. Small-scale skirmishes persisted, though they were generally confined to border regions as if by a silent pact. No massive wars had broken out since then.
The man Mag Shen now inhabited was named Mag Alex. The Alex Family was a prestigious lineage that had served the continent for centuries, guarding the human borders and never allowing an orc to set foot on their soil.
That changed three centuries ago when an alliance of orcs and demons breached their stronghold. The family was nearly annihilated. From that peak of glory, the Alex Family plummeted, leaving only a few minor branches. By the time of Mag Alex, he was the sole remaining heir.
Yet, Mag Alex had displayed incredible talent from the moment he enlisted. His physical prowess and tactical genius earned him the admiration of his superiors and immense prestige, leading him to become the youngest Griffin Rider in history within a few years. He was the most famous youth in the empire, hailed as the future commander-in-chief and the one who would restore the Alex name.
If not for a dark night three years ago, he would have stood at the very pinnacle of the continent.
That night, a coalition of elves, demons, and human mages ambushed him. They shattered the hands that once gripped a sword, severed his Achilles tendons, and left him with nothing but a one-year-old infant.
The child was his own, fathered with an elven princess. The deep-seated hatred between the races led to him being sold out by his closest comrade, causing his spectacular fall from grace.
His mangled limbs were barely patched up by an old friend, but his days as a swordsman were over. He changed his appearance and took his daughter to Chaos City to start a new life—just a father and child struggling to survive.
Their existence was brutal, and to make things worse, a simple bout of illness had ended the broken knight’s tragic life. He died full of regret, but his passing opened the door for Mag Shen to arrive.
The hero’s miserable end moved Mag Shen deeply. He didn't feel the knight's thirst for revenge, but he felt an overwhelming concern for the daughter’s survival.
Rest easy. I won't go looking for your enemies, but I will look after your little girl. As Mag Shen made this silent vow, the flood of memories ebbed away like a tide, taking the final remnants of the knight's obsession with them.
He was still Mag Shen, but he now possessed all of Mag Alex’s memories and a portion of his feelings.
I suppose I’ll go by the name 'Mag' from now on, he decided.
When he focused on his surroundings again, his vision cleared, though a wave of exhaustion washed over him.
"Are you okay, Father?" The little girl was still holding his hand, her small face tight with anxiety.
Mag’s expression softened. The girl kneeling by his bedside had long, flowing silver hair, striking blue eyes, and the slightly pointed ears she had inherited from her elven mother. Though her linen clothes were worn and faded, she was incredibly precious—the kind of child who made you want to protect her.
This was Mag Alex’s daughter, Amy, and now she was his.
Mag had never been married or had kids in his previous life, so he was clueless about parenting. However, with the inherited memories and the sight of Amy’s worried face, he felt an instinctive bond. The urge to comfort her made his heart throb. Growing up, his own parents were always too busy for him, making him secretly yearn for the warmth of a family.
"I… I’m fine, Amy. Don’t be scared."
He reached out awkwardly to pat her head, his voice sounding rough.
Her hair felt like silk, and the contact sparked a realization—this was his daughter! The unique connection between father and child was intoxicating.
"Yay! I'm so happy you're better." Amy leaned her head into his hand, squinting her eyes like a satisfied kitten and pouting slightly. "But Father, Amy is really hungry. Can you make me something yummy?"
Mag felt his heart melt at her cuteness. He felt like he could give her the moon if she asked, but the mention of cooking gave him a massive headache.
He had eaten the finest meals in the world, but he had never actually used a kitchen knife. He searched his predecessor's memories for recipes, only to find the man's cooking skills so pathetic he didn't even want to try. He was considering taking her out to eat instead.
Suddenly, a robotic, neutral voice echoed in his mind. "God of Cookery Cultivation System, activating!"
Mag was stunned. What? he thought. God of Cookery Cultivation System? Where did this come from? Is this a side effect of the transmigration?
The voice went on, "In your past life, the host carelessly damaged the reputations of many historic restaurants, some over a century old. This created a mountain of resentment from chefs. Consequently, the heavens created this God of Cookery Cultivation System to oversee the host's training in this world, with the goal of turning the host into the God of Cookery. Because the host lacks natural culinary talent, the system will provide missions to assist. Completion brings rewards; failure results in punishment."
Mag sat there in a daze for a long time before the reality set in. Are you kidding me? he screamed internally. I was sent to this world just because my reviews were too mean? And now I have to start over with a God of Cookery Cultivation System to teach me how to cook?
He vividly recalled the most common comment on his blog: I hope you have to be a cook in your next life!
A single thought crossed his mind: Karma really is a bitch…