Episode 5

“We’re planning to use the old building that was previously used by the guards.”

“But that’s not being used now, right?”

Hildeba blinked at my point.

“That’s true, but there aren’t many places that can accommodate ten people at once. Otherwise, they’d have to be spread out, and that’s not acceptable.”

“I see…”

Hildeba adjusted her glasses and stared at me intently.

“Why?”

“What if we let them stay at my inn?”

“Huh…? But I believe the guards use government buildings and wouldn’t bring extra money…”

“Don’t worry about that. I won’t charge them.”

“You’d provide the Inn for free?”

“And provide meals too.”

Hildeba looked at me as if I were truly strange.

Her expression seemed to ask what I stood to gain by being so generous.

“That wouldn’t cause any major problems, would it?”

“But providing conveniences to the guards privately is a bit…”

Hildeba’s concern wasn’t unfounded.

A civilian like me feeding and housing the guards for free could be seen as bribery or offering illegal hospitality.

In fact, a more experienced Administrator could overlook such a trivial matter, but Hildeba was a newly appointed young Administrator.

It would be difficult for her to exercise such flexibility easily.

I decided to help her out a bit.

“Then do this: have the city cover the costs to prepare a private inn.”

“What…?”

“The guards are coming to help our city, right? We’re just showing a bit of goodwill, within legal boundaries.”

“Hmm…”

But Hildeba was still in thought.

I sensed her hesitation.

She was reluctant to spend their already limited budget on something avoidable.

She seemed tight-fisted, but that’s how an Administrator should be for the city to function properly.

So, there’s another way.

I rummaged through my pockets and took out a pouch.

“Oh, and while I’m here, please take this.”

Hildeba accepted the pouch with a puzzled look.

The Administrator was startled when she opened the pouch.

Inside was some of the change I had received from Mr. Mollo yesterday.

It was change from breaking an Abyss gold coin, so it was quite a substantial amount.

Hildeba roughly counted the change, seemingly calculating.

“Why are you giving this to me?”

“It’s a donation. The city needs to thrive for my Inn to thrive too.”

Hildeba looked at me for a moment before bringing out a receipt form.

We each signed two copies of the receipt and kept one each.

“Thank you for the donation. I’ll use it wisely.”

“Of course.”

“Then, when the guards arrive, I’ll send them to your Inn.”

“Understood. I’ll go and make the preparations.”

As I was about to leave the Hall, Hildeba called out to me.

“Excuse me, Mr. Bertrand.”

I turned around to see Hildeba adjusting her glasses and asking,

“But why are you doing this all of a sudden? Isn’t this a losing deal for you, Mr. Bertrand?”

“Think about it. Will the guards just report the presence or absence of Golruks after their search?”

Hildeba listened silently.

“Then wouldn’t it be better for them to have a warm meal in a cozy inn room rather than eating rations in an abandoned barracks?”

“You’re thinking far ahead.”

“As I mentioned earlier, the city needs to do well for the inn to do well.”

When I returned to the inn, Kali was sitting solemnly on the short steps leading up to the entrance.

While I was away, Kali had been guarding the entrance of the inn.

“Kali!”

At my voice, Kali barked and ran towards me.

Kali wagged her tail and circled around me.

I scratched her back and went into the inn.

I first went upstairs to check the rooms where the guards would stay.

There were no major issues with the single room for the squad leader and the shared room for the squad members, so I went back downstairs.

I went to the storeroom and brought out the necessary ingredients.

There are two dishes to serve for dinner.

One is a lamb tomato stew with bread and boiled potatoes.

The other is a course meal: starting with appetizers, moving on to the main course, and ending with dessert.

The reason for separating the menus is to treat the commander with respect.

It’s a military rule that officers and soldiers don’t dine at the same table.

This rule must be applied even to a squad of about ten people.

I hung a large cauldron over the fire in the hearth and started heating it.

The first thing to prepare is the stew, which needs to simmer for a long time.

I chopped various ingredients, seasoned them with salt and pepper, and sautéed them with butter.

Once sautéed, I added clean water enough to cover the ingredients, added spices, and brought it to a boil.

I tasted the broth with a spoon, and the seasoning was just right.

As far as I know, the guards’ provisions are poor.

They get old bread and moldy cheese every day…

So the guards buy their own ingredients and spices to cook additional meals.

So the menu I’ve prepared now will make them quite happy.

I can boil the potatoes closer to dinner, and there’s nothing urgent about the officer’s menu either.

However, I should prepare the onion soup, which will be the appetizer for the officer’s meal, in advance.

I thinly sliced onions, put them in a pot with butter, sautéed them until brown, then added water, wine, and a bit of flour, letting it simmer for a long time.

Like the stew, the longer it simmers, the better it tastes, so I kept it on low heat.

With the large cauldron and pot on the hearth, it was full.

While stirring the stew occasionally to prevent it from burning and preparing the hall for guests, the sun began to set.

I heard Kali barking furiously outside.

When I opened the door and went out, the guards getting off the roofless wagon were backing away from Kali.

“Hey! Get away! Get away!”

“Kali! Come here!”

At my command, Kali stuck her tongue out and obediently turned towards me as if nothing had happened.

“Phew… That dog is fierce.”

“She must be fierce because she’s a hunting dog. Come in, everyone. You’ve had a long journey.”

All the guards were wearing iron armor and helmets.

Although it wasn’t the expensive full-body kind, it was still heavier than usual.

“Where is the squad leader?”

With everyone in the same outfit, it was hard to distinguish who the squad leader was.

“I am the squad leader.”

Just then, a soft voice was heard from behind the guards.

A small-framed guard came towards me, leading the reins of a horse.

He was so pale and delicate for a soldier that he looked like a girl in ill-fitting armor.

“Hello, Squad Leader. I’m Bertrand, the innkeeper.”

“I’m Sergeant Ilian.”

Even his voice was so thin that it was easy to mistake him for a girl.

“Thank you for coming all this way for our city. Please enjoy a delicious meal and a comfortable bed at the Crossroads Troll Inn tonight to relieve your travel fatigue.”

Ilian seemed intimidated by my smooth greeting and replied in a timid voice, thanking me.

“Give me the reins. I’ll put them in the stable. Lead your squad into the hall. I’ve prepared tables for you.”

Ilian handed me the reins and looked back at the squad members.

“At… Attention…!”

But his voice was too soft to catch the attention of the raucous squad members.

The Sergeant shouted again.

“Pay attention…!”

Only then did a few squad members look this way.

“Uh… Everyone, go inside… Go…”

“Hey! Get in there!”

Before Sergeant Ilian could finish, the squad members took it upon themselves to rush into the inn.

Ilian glanced at me with an embarrassed expression.

Pretending not to notice, I pointed to the wagon.

“Could you have one of your squad members bring over the horses from there?”

“Oh, yes? Uh…”

The sergeant twisted awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

Why is he like that…

As I opened the stable door and was putting the Sergeant’s horse inside, I saw him struggling alone to remove the harness from the wagon.

I quickly ran over and took over what the Sergeant was doing.

“Why are you doing this yourself? Why not have your subordinates do it?”

“Ah… I thought the squad members might be tired…”

“Give it to me and go inside. I’ve set up a separate table for you with a partition, so you can sit there.”

“Oh… Yes.”

I put the two horses from the wagon into the stable and hurried back to the hall.

The three four-person tables in the hall were all occupied.

I had set them up for three people per table.

But Sergeant Ilian was sitting alone at a table that should have been empty next to the soldiers.

The Sergeant was sitting alone, looking down at the patterns on the table’s surface.

He had taken his helmet off, and his short blonde hair fell despondently.

In the bright light, the Sergeant really did resemble a girl.

His skin was so clear that it seemed like the wine would show through as it passed down his throat.

His eyelashes were so long they could hold three matchsticks.

His narrow shoulders and slender neck did not fit the image of an officer responsible for the city’s security.

He was in stark contrast to the rough and noisy soldiers.