RRG Artem's Route: Dining Dilemma
Overview
- After eating at a specialty restaurant, you and Artem are asked to pay for an absurdly high service charge.
- Stage Cost: None
- First Clear Rewards: None
- Attribute: Intuition
- Recommended Power: 24984
Guide
- Hover to view spoiler content.
Script
Kylos
You: I wonder what the fried air from the tourism video tastes like ...
You and Artem are still discussing the creative dishes you saw in the gourmet museum after you left.
You: Deep-fried moss, giant catfish noodles, lobster, and cuttlefish stew... they all seem pretty special to me.
Artem: I found a specialty restaurant...
Artem: They are specialized in recreating the dishes in the Gourmet Museum as well as classic Lombardia cuisine.
You: Let's go to that restaurant, shall we?
Your excited voice triggers a smile in Artem's eyes.
Artem: Okay. Let me call a cab.
Specialty Restaurant
Soon, you arrive at the specialty restaurant that Artem mentioned.
The restaurant is clean and the prices are reasonable.
So you order a few more signature dishes to savor the delicacies.
But the good times are interrupted when the bill arrives.
You: No way. Why is it so expensive? Did you make a mistake?
Restaurant Owner: I swear to God, it's the right amount.
Artem: The unit price on the bill is not the same as on the menu.
Restaurant Owner: The price on the menu is just for the dish itself...
Restaurant Owner: But please understand that there are other fees such as service fees, ingredient fees, and cooking fees.
You: You didn't explain these fees to us. We are not going to pay for it.
Restaurant Owner: Oh my god! I guarantee that every cent we charge is reasonable.
You: So it's reasonable to charge a service fee, an ingredients fee, and a labor fee separately?
Restaurant Owner: I can't believe you would ask such a silly question.
Restaurant Owner: If we don't charge them separately, how can we provide proper service to our customers?
You: These charges are clearly designed to scam tourists!
[Debate]
Artem: We've called the police. I suggest you save your excuses for them.
Restaurant Owner: Oh, gosh! I don't know how to talk to you people.
The restaurant owner has clearly run out of things to say, but he still acts arrogantly.
Restaurant Owner: Pay now and get out of my restaurant!
Restaurant Owner: If you come to my restaurant again, I can't promise what I'd do to you.
Just like that, you are kicked out by the restaurant owner.
Luckily the local police arrive in time to stop the chaos.
After some negotiation, the owner is willing to charge according to the menu. You and Artem accept the outcome reluctantly.
You: ...That restaurant owner is awful!
You: (If this happened in Stellis, I would've sued him to bankruptcy!)
Artem: Sorry. I didn't expect the restaurant to be like that...
As soon as Artem finishes, a high-pitched voice of a middle-aged woman cuts in.
???: Poor foreigners. Only you would eat in such a restaurant.
Her words are clearly directed at you. You can't resist walking up to chat with her.
You: Excuse me, do you mind explaining... what you just said?
Local Resident: Oh, I can't believe poor foreigners would ask such a question. I bet you've never been to Lombardia before.
You: ...Indeed, it's my first time here.
Local Resident: What you've been through is perfectly ordinary, as ordinary as the apple jam my neighbor Susanna makes.
You: (This analogy...)
You: Excuse me, can you be more specific?
Local Resident: Oh! I can't believe it, you don't know anything.
Local Resident: Fine. I am kind enough to explain this to you.
You: Is that restaurant... only frequented by tourists?
Local Resident: It was popular among us locals ten years ago.
Local Resident: Sadly... its prices have become so expensive as more tourists come to visit.
Local Resident: Lord knows I used to love their squab pie.
You: That means... the prices at the restaurant used to be more reasonable?
Local Resident: Oh, of course. I miss those days.
Local Resident: Cheap and delicious food without all the service charge nonsense.
You: (Wow? This restaurant was once that kind of place?)
Artem: Did the owner of the restaurant change?
You: (That makes sense... The change in ownership may have lead to the price increases.)
Local Resident: Never, I swear to God.
Local Resident: Sigh, he is just being greedy. He wants to make more money. That's why he keeps raising prices.
Local Resident: A lot of tourists don't mind spending more money, which has encouraged him.
Local Resident: The outrageous thing is that some double their prices when they deal with tourists.
Local Resident: Those guys! Their hearts are as dark as squid noodle soup!
You: ...
You: (I hate to admit it, but it looks like we got hustled...)
Local Resident: Oh my God. I can't believe I wasted so much time on you...
Local Resident: My dear Randy is still waiting for me to try his apple pies.
Although you don't know who Randy is, this lady clearly doesn't want to continue the conversation anymore.
You: Sorry for taking up your time.
After the conversation, you and Artem stroll along the busy streets of Kylos.
You have both gone silent. You feel something oppressed in your hearts...
You feel heavy and anxious. You've lost the excitement for the trip.
Restaurant Owner: I swear to God that I'm already accommodating you with all my kindness. Young lady, you should stop.
You: You should stop!
You: (Dang... let me think how I should refute him!)
Summary
Character(s)
Debate Details
- Enemy Name: Immoral Owner
- Turn Limit: 15 turns
Wave 1
Logic
Intuition
Intuition
Wave 2
Empathy
Intuition
Wave 3
Intuition
Player Counterarguments
These phrases are triggered when a player uses a card. The phrase depends on the attribute of the card selected.
You are suspected of fraud. I've reported this to the authorities.
I refuse to pay because the additional costs weren't explained beforehand.
As an attorney, I'm obligated to stop your illegal actions!
If the service fees are unreasonable, the customer has the right to refuse.
Lombardia's service charge standards are not just for show!
Asking for an extra 50% service fee is straight up robbery!
Conduct crooked business and you'll reap what you sow!