Chapter 6
#6. Northern MSG (5)
Half a month later.
A group appeared in Haven.
All five were on horseback, their faces hidden by robes that hinted at non-ordinary status with glimpses of metal armor beneath. Especially, the horses they rode exuded an aura that even a layman would call noble steeds.
‘Top-tier mercenaries or knights!’
The guard at the city gate tensed and signaled them to stop.
“Halt!”
The five pulled their reins, slowing down.
“Where do you hail from and for what purpose…?”
As the group approached after stopping, the guards asked sternly yet politely.
“We’re here on business in the Magic Realm.”
In response, the leading man revealed something from his cloak and coldly replied.
“H-High City?!”
What the man showed was the insignia marking him as a knight of Lenslet.
“Honor!”
Upon seeing this, the originally rigid soldier snapped to even sharper attention and saluted.
“P-Pass!”
Thus, the five knights entered Haven.
“Hurry and report to the captain!”
Behind, the sound of a soldier urgently sending someone to inform their superior could be heard.
If these were knights from Lenslet, both the captain of the guard and the mayor needed to know.
“Do you plan to meet the mayor of Haven and the head of the guard?”
From behind the group, one knight asked another higher-ranking knight beside him.
“No. We won’t be staying long.”
Shaking his head in response to the question, the higher-ranked figure under the deep hood had a smaller stature compared to the surrounding knights, and the voice was female.
“Still, I’m famished after riding so long.”
Instead, the superior rubbed her stomach and muttered.
“Shall we eat first at Polly’s Inn?”
At this comment, the knight questioned again.
“No, I’ve already considered somewhere else.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Recently received a letter from Polly praising Jack’s Inn highly.”
“Polly? But if she runs an inn while praising another, what’s her plan?”
“The letter requested eating there but staying at her inn since Jack’s Inn isn’t large enough to accommodate our five horses.”
“Truly, Polly is honest and values honor.”
“It seems so.”
‘How delicious can it possibly be?’
“If Polly praised it so much, it must really be good…’
The four knights from High City merely followed her decision but couldn’t help feeling curious.
“Let’s go to Polly’s Inn first to stable the horses.”
“Understood. Still, I doubt any food surpasses Polly’s cooking.”
“Not likely. Since Polly recommended it, it should be at least comparable. Let’s unpack and eat quickly.”
The empty-stomached five hurried toward Polly’s Inn on horseback.
“Hmm…?”
On the way, they spotted an unusual scene.
In front of a normal-looking inn, people were lined up in a long queue.
“Line up! Line up!”
A teenage boy was organizing the line into three distinct categories: one for people in shabby clothes holding bowls and spoons, another for those dressed plainly, and a third for well-dressed individuals.
“Takeout line! Ten people please enter!”
Then, a man presumed to be the innkeeper emerged, allowing the queued people inside. The man had a bandaged arm.
With his call, the shabbily dressed people entered the inn.
Within seconds, they came out with full bowls of stew, looking cheerful.
“Guard and bureaucrats this way!”
It was striking how soldiers and bureaucrats cut the line and went straight inside without waiting.
“So this must be the inn Polly mentioned.”
The five knights from Lenslet widened their eyes at a scene more bizarre than what the letter described.
From the Northern Duchy, also known as High Castle, the five knights observed Jack’s Inn bustling with people before leaving the area temporarily.
They needed to stable their horses first.
“It’s lunchtime, yet it’s eerily quiet.”
Moving to Polly’s Inn, the largest and most luxurious inn in Haven, the five knights glanced around the unusually vacant inn during mealtime, tilting their heads in confusion.
“It’s because everyone’s eating at Jack’s Inn, sirs.”
A polite response came from a staff member at Polly’s Inn.
“Aah… I saw it on the way.”
“These days, Haven goes crazy during meal times.”
“Could it really be that good? Earlier, the smell of stew seemed unique.”
“I tried it once; never have I tasted such delicious stew.”
Answering the knight’s query, the staff member looked dazed, drool forming at the corner of his mouth.
“Where’s Polly, the innkeeper? Where’d she go?”
“Probably lining up at Jack’s Inn herself. She’s completely hooked lately.”
“Even though it’s a competitor’s inn?”
“She says she’s researching techniques, so she eats there daily.”
This absurd situation left the five knights from Lenslet dumbfounded.
“Could it really be that good?”
“Incredible. When it comes to cooking, Polly doesn’t lose to anyone anywhere.”
“Just how amazing can stew be?”
“Maybe too much salt?”
“If it’s so tasty, isn’t it expensive?”
Curiosity began to arise.
“Tell us more.”
Throwing two coins to the staff member, the knight requested further details.
“On the way, we noticed people dressed variously standing in lines.”
“That’s right. The food at Jack’s Inn isn’t overly pricey. A bowl of stew costs about 2 copper pieces.”
“One bowl of stew for 2 copper pieces? Isn’t that cheap?”
“After tasting it, you’ll definitely feel 2 copper pieces is a bargain. It’s entirely different from other stews!”
“…?”
As the staff member continued, a thought crossed the knights’ minds.
“Could it be… some kind of spice?”
“Definitely! The scent we passed earlier wasn’t ordinary stew.”
Spices. Ingredients magically obtained from the Eastern Continent through the Empire, all the way to the North. Powder as precious as gold, traded equally for its weight in gold.
Recently, the obsession of all nobles across the continent, including the Empire.
“If spices were added to the stew, such reactions would make sense.”
One knight nodded, recalling the spice-laden stew he ate last year on his birthday.
“You’re making sense. Spices are something we only use sparingly on special occasions—how could they add it to a 2-copper stew?”
“Besides, getting spices in the North these days is harder than picking stars from the sky.”
Though spices were always rare, they recently became even scarcer due to the Empire unilaterally raising prices.
Nowadays, even nobles tremble when eating spiced food, let alone the Duke Ariana.
Adding spices to a 2-copper stew? It defied common sense.
“Oh! If you takeout with your own bowl, they give a 1-copper discount.”
“Takeout?”
“Moreover, Haven’s soldiers and bureaucrats get one free bowl while on duty.”
“…?”
As the staff member added more details, the knights stared wide-eyed in surprise.
Continuing toward the astonished knights, the staff member explained,
“And the Eastern spices you just mentioned might not apply. Our boss, who’s been living practically at Jack’s Inn studying secrets, said they mainly use common weeds and roots.”
“Can weeds and roots create such flavor?”
“But the kitchen requests from the chef Arad, who works there, are all for various weeds.”
“Arad?”
“Yes. He suddenly appeared in Haven one day. Originally a healer, but he cooks exceptionally well.”
“A healer earning money as a chef…?”
“His cooking skills are great, but the key lies in Arad Salt.”
“Arad Salt?”
“Yes. Something akin to spices… no, better. One of Chef Arad’s secret recipes. Even our boss has been living at Jack’s Inn for days trying to uncover the secret of Arad Salt.”
“Hmm…”
The more the staff member explained, the more suspicious the knights felt about this Arad fellow.
“That Arad guy seems fishy.”
“Could he be a Dark Wizard?”
“Maybe Arad Salt is like opium, bewitching people?”
“Perhaps Polly’s letter was actually a distress signal?”
Curiosity and questions naturally turned into suspicion and caution.
“…”
The sole woman among the group, and the highest-ranking among them, silently listened to the knights and staff without comment.
The five knights from Lenslet arrived at Jack’s Inn.
Despite lunchtime having passed, the line in front of the inn remained, though shorter than before.
“There’s no need for us to wait in line!”
“We’re on official duty!”
Since they’d heard soldiers and bureaucrats don’t need to line up and can enjoy free stew, there was no point in waiting.
“Knights! Knights from Lenslet!”
“High Castle! Make way!”
Titles like ‘knight’ exist for moments like this.
Even if they were traveling incognito through the North,
Unless it was a top-secret mission, revealing their identity when necessary was practical.
“Wow, what brings the castle knights here?”
“Huh?! Knights from High Castle…?”
“Didn’t hear anything about knights coming from the main fortress?”
The mayors and officials dining first slightly furrowed their brows as they looked at the five knights entering the inn.
“They don’t seem to be imposters…”
“Who are they? Their faces are obscured, so it’s hard to tell…”
At that moment, Polly, who was dining with the mayor, recognized the knights and whispered something into the mayor’s ear.
“Wha? …Gulp!”
The mayor’s face instantly paled upon hearing Polly’s explanation.
‘Shush!’
One knight gave a cold gesture, and Polly along with the mayor and officials quickly nodded in agreement.
“Who is this chef named Arad?”
Preventing potential chaos, the five knights then asked the inn staff and owner.
“Is there some issue…?”
Concernedly, Jack, the inn owner, questioned back.
‘Hmm? Is there a problem?’
The knights from the main fortress seemed to hold higher authority than anticipated.
Witnessing the mayor and officials frozen stiff made the tension impossible to ignore.
“Well, we should try the food first. We’ll place an order.”
“Ah, yes! What would you like to order?”
“Five bowls of stew first, please.”
“Understood.”
There were no available seats in the inn, but when the five knights entered, some of the people who hadn’t left despite the presence of the mayor and officials quietly vacated their spots.
Seemingly, they had something to hide.
The knights simply memorized the faces of those quietly leaving but didn’t chase after them.
Instead, they took the now-empty seats.
“Here… here… stew… is served.”
As soon as they sat, a young boy, presumably the innkeeper’s son, brought out the stew.
“Phew…!”
“What kind of aroma is this…!”
“Never smelled something this fragrant and savory before.”
The knights, seeing the stew placed right in front of them, were startled by the unfamiliar, delectable aroma.
It was as if the scent they had faintly caught outside was now condensed and intensified, swirling in their hungry minds.
“The contents of the stew look incredibly… appetizing.”
“It looks better than the stew we have at the main fortress.”
“Everyone, stay alert! Just in case, wrap yourselves in mana!”
Taking a deep breath, the knights each lifted their first spoonful.
“…”
Even the silent knight raised her own mana before taking a bite of the stew.
“?!”
“!!”
And there, all five involuntarily trembled where they stood.
Their tense eyes softened into a dreamy haze almost instantly.
“…”
Glug.
The mayor, officials, innkeeper, and other patrons watched anxiously as this unfolded.
