Chapter 98

"Tonight, it's permissible to indulge a little, isn't it?"

As he made his way through the crowd of people in the spring twilight, Marco checked his wallet in his pocket. The weight of it was due to today's unexpectedly successful business. The wagon full of woolen goods he had brought to the ancient city had sold like hotcakes. The size of the profit naturally brought a smile to his face. Marco, though small and sometimes mistaken for being young, was a seasoned traveling merchant. Even for him, such good fortune was rare.

Currently, a grand spring market was being held in the ancient city. This grand market, unlike the usual ones, was a special event to celebrate the marriage of Emperor Konrad V to Empress Celestine. Marco, who had gone to the Eastern Kingdom to purchase woolen goods, happened to hear about the grand market and was able to stop by the ancient city. Whether it was divine providence or mere chance, it seemed that this would allow him to make even larger transactions in the future.

Given that it was a grand celebratory market, the origins of the traveling merchants he encountered on the streets were varied. They came not only from the empire but also from the Eastern Kingdom, the Holy Kingdom, and even the rare Federation Kingdom. The customer to whom Marco sold his woolen goods had told him in broken Imperial language that he had come from the Federation Kingdom, having crossed the sea.

"Well, which shop should I challenge today..."

As a traveling merchant, Marco had one particular pleasure: wine and appetizers. Frugal traveling merchants often ate at inns, where the food was usually the same mundane bread, soup, and cheese.

So Marco looked for a tavern. In a large city like the ancient one, there was bound to be at least one unique establishment. If the place he chose was good, that was fine; if it was bad, it would make for a good story. For Marco, choosing a shop was a kind of game, a test of his discernment and luck. He strolled through the ancient city at twilight, looking at the signs and atmospheres of the taverns. The lights spilling from the windows and the cheerful voices raised his expectations.

"...What a unique place."

Before Marco stood a tavern with a distinctly foreign atmosphere. It seemed as if a single shop had been plucked from a fairy tale land and embedded in the ancient city's street. The name of the shop was unreadable, written in characters he had never seen before. Marco chuckled, thinking that if the sign was going to be there, it might as well be readable. Perhaps the owner lacked business sense, or perhaps he didn't need to boast his name to attract customers. The building, made of plaster and wood, was unmistakable.

Would he be able to enjoy good food here? The sun had not yet set, but Marco's stomach was approaching its limit. He could look for other shops on the current <Stable Inn> street, but from a quick glance, none seemed as interesting as this one. Alright, he decided, and gently pulled open the glass door.

"Welcome!" "Welcome..."

The bustling interior of the shop was packed. Marco found a corner at the counter and squeezed in. His first impression was positive. A lively shop was rarely a disappointment. A shop that served bad food couldn't thrive.

Looking around the shop, Marco couldn't help but smile. The menu on the wall listed dishes he had never heard of. This was promising. He naturally wanted to enjoy good wine and appetizers, but something rare would be even better. This shop seemed to offer just that. It would surely serve him something he had never tasted before.

"What would you like to order?"

A black-haired waitress brought a small dish called Otoshi and smiled at Marco.

"Well, I'd like a glass of ale, but if you have something unique, I'd prefer that. And if you have any rare appetizers, I'll take those too."

"Very well, sir."

With a bright smile, the waitress relayed his order to the chef. From the names, the chef was called Taisho, and the waitress was called Shino. These were unfamiliar names in this area. Despite the small size of the shop, it had a large staff: two men and three women, one of whom was still a girl. They all seemed busy, indicating a thriving business.

While waiting for his drink and appetizers, Marco tried the Otoshi. It was a dish of white fish, lightly fried and topped with a smooth sauce. One bite made him exclaim in delight.

The texture was excellent. The crispy parts, the sauce-coated parts, and the tender white fish all combined beautifully. The sauce was well-seasoned, enhancing the mild flavor of the fish. It was a taste that made him smile. The dish was intricately prepared, and the size was just right for a few bites, making it tempting to order more.

Most of the other customers seemed to be ale drinkers. The brand served here was called Triaeznam. It was an unfamiliar name, but there was probably a brewery nearby. Small-scale breweries that couldn't properly barrel their ale couldn't transport it, so it was usually consumed locally. It wasn't surprising that there were ales even merchants hadn't heard of. Marco had always wanted to try the famous lager.

The mugs being clinked in a toast were made of glass. The transparent mugs, filled with golden ale, were beautiful. From what he could see, they were well-shaped and likely expensive. He regretted not ordering ale himself. Why did the things others were eating and drinking always seem so appealing?

Watching a regular customer, who looked like a craftsman, drink his ale with relish made Marco's throat ache. However, since he had come this far, it was important to stick to his original plan. Today, he had decided to try something rare, which was why he had entered this shop. From the looks of it, all the dishes the other customers were eating seemed delicious.

As he rubbed his hands in anticipation, the waitress from earlier brought a small woven basket containing something unusual. It was chestnuts. However, these chestnuts, still in their spiky shells, were darker than the ones Marco knew. Moreover, the season was wrong. Chestnuts were best in autumn, not spring.

"Thank you for waiting. This is uni."