CH.82 Lunch at Boar’s Lounge
<span style="font-weight:400">I held Alice’s hand as we walked into the Boar’s lounge. The building wasrge. Perhaps it’s evenrger than the Watchman manor. Well it was certainly taller, having three storeys and all. The manor only had two, after all. But I think in the area viewed from above, the manor is slightlyrger. So perhaps the livable space is the same or close to the same.
<span style="font-weight:400">We walked into a dining room filled with tables. With a nce, I counted at least fifteen tables. That’s a lot. I think all of them are four seater tables though. Unless there is a separate room forrge parties.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Wee.” A hostess standing behind a counter weed us. “Are you here to eat or to stay?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Just to eat.” I answered.
<span style="font-weight:400">“That fine. Do you have a table you like? We have space.” She told us.
<span style="font-weight:400">She was right. Only one of the tables had some guests. A group of three was sitting there. I’m notpletely sure about them, but they might be adventurers, but I’ve never seen them before at the guild or outside either, so I’m really not sure. I guess they could just be travelers. Or perhaps adventurers escorting a merchant or something.
<span style="font-weight:400">I took us to a nice table that had a small window next to it. It didn’t point to the main square, but to one of the main streets that took off from it. The table was… well decent. It was a simple wooden table, but nothing like the smooth and (almost) shiny table of the Watchman manor. It’s a little like a table that was designed for outside use in my old world. Sturdy, but not as nice as an inside table. I guess someone would call it ‘used’ or ‘worn’. Not to the point where I was afraid of getting splinters, but worn all the same. A little time with some sandpaper or something, and a coat of varnish and it would be nice and smooth again.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Would you like the cheap, intermediate or the expensive menu?” The hostess asked after we sat down.
<span style="font-weight:400">… What? I just choose between the three options? Isn’t there a menu or something?
<span style="font-weight:400">“Can you exin the difference? Other than the cost.” I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, the amount of food and the meat are different. At the moment, we have some delicious bison meat for the expensive menu. It was hunted by Prime Rib, so its taste is guaranteed.” She was making a sales pitch.
<span style="font-weight:400">Bison hunted by Prime Rib? Is it the one I hunted then? I had some of it at the Watchman manor and it was really good. So I guess this inn bought a lot of it. But what about the wyvern meat? Do people not eat it? Or perhaps it''s too much for an inn like this.
<span style="font-weight:400">“For the intermediate set, we have some of the best boar cuts. And for the cheap one, well it has some of the less liked boar cuts.” She told us. “The cheap one costs three copper per person, the intermediate is eight copper per person and the expensive one isrge silver per person. But the expensive onees with drinks and a dessert.”
<span style="font-weight:400">I guess arge silver is like 25 copper, so it might be a lot for normal people. But I just made like 40 gold today.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What do you think, Alice? We can get any you want.” I offered.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Then let’s just get the expensive one.” She said back.
<span style="font-weight:400">“So two expensive meals. That will be tworge silver.” The hostess caught on and said.
<span style="font-weight:400">I dug in my fanny pack and got out the tworge silver coins. “Here.” I said as I handed them over.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Thank you. Now, what drinks would you like?” She asked. “Mead, ale, wine?”
<span style="font-weight:400">I looked at Alice. I’m not sure how used she is to alcohol. I could easily go for some mead if I was solo, or actually some wine might be good as well.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Alice, are you fine with an alcoholic drink?” I asked her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“...I … I would prefer one without alcohol.” She answered.
<span style="font-weight:400">“We do have apple cider if you want something that is easier to drink.” She offered. “As well as berry juice, if you prefer that.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... just the juice.” Alice said quietly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes miss. And you sir?” The hostess asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’ll have some watered down mead.” I told her. I haven’t had mead in a while, so I’ll go with that, but I asked them to water it down just in case. Mead can be strong, depending on where you get it from. I can always just get something else if I don’t like the first thing I buy. If I can make 100 gold coins per fanny pack… Well that’s a lot of money, so paying for two drinks won’t bankrupt me.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes sir. I’ll bring you your appetizers and drinks in just a second.” She said, but asked onest thing before leaving. “Would you prefer potatoes or rice?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Again, I looked at Alice, letting her choose.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Potatoes.” She answered.
<span style="font-weight:400">The hostess looked at me and I nodded for confirmation.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Potatoes it is.” She said as she walked into what I assume to be the kitchen.
<hr>
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m sorry.” Alice said to me as the hostess left.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Why? You have nothing to be sorry about.” I told her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I asked you to buy the expensive meal and I can’t even order alcohol with it. I feel like I’m wasting your money.” She admitted.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Is that what you are worried about? It’s fine. I honestly would worry more if you had something alcoholic. I have no idea how well you could hold it down.” I told her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“...thank you.” She said, holding her head down.
<span style="font-weight:400">Just a bitter, the hostess came back with our drinks and a small basket.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Here are your drinks and some of our garlic bread as an appetizer.” She said as she ced the basket and the drinks on the table.
<span style="font-weight:400">Hmm.. Garlic bread. I’ve never had garlic bread, just garlic baguette. Not that I have any idea what the difference is. Well I know what bread is and what a baguette is, so I guess that’s the difference.
<span style="font-weight:400">I took a piece of the garlic bread and checked it out. It honestly looks almost like a baguette, but the crust is a little thinner and softer. A long bread sliced with garlic butter, or something like that.
<span style="font-weight:400">I looked as Alice picked up a piece of bread as well. I guess there is nothing more to it than to eat. … Actually, I guess I should give a quick prayer to the system beforehand. I’ve been trying to keep it up, but I think I’ve forgotten at least once or twice.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh mighty system, bless my food.” I said before I bit into the bread.
<span style="font-weight:400">Opposite to me, Alice also took a bite of her bread.
<span style="font-weight:400">… it’s good. Not mind blowing, but good. It’s definitely better than the frozen garlic baguettes I bought from the supermarket. I guess this is an appetizer, so it shouldn’t be mind blowing anyway.
<span style="font-weight:400">“It’s good.” Alice said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah, I agree.” I answered.
<hr>
<span style="font-weight:400">After enjoying some of the bread and having a sip of our drinks, they were fine, our mains came in. A nicely sized cut of meat for both of us, with some mashed potatoes and boiled vegetables on the side. There was also a pitcher with some sauce in it, that we were instructed to pour onto the food as we saw fit. I like that it is separate, as this way I can taste just the base food and then get some sauce on it.
<span style="font-weight:400">I cut a piece of the steak and put it in my mouth. … It’s good, but I think the one I had at the manor was slightly better. I also quickly tried the vegetables and the mashed potatoes, but again they were just under the quality from Alice’s home. They must have an amazing chef.
<span style="font-weight:400">I took up the sauce pitcher and poured some sauce onto my te, covering about half of my steak and veggies in the sauce. Alice looked like she also wanted some, so after confirming it, I poured some for her as well.
<span style="font-weight:400">Now, round two.
<span style="font-weight:400">…
<span style="font-weight:400">“Mmmm.” I heard Alice enjoying the bite with the sauce a lot more.
<span style="font-weight:400">And I would have to agree. This sauce is amazing. Itplements the meat perfectly. It’s so good. I can definitely see why people say this ce has the best food in town. With the sauce, it might even be better than what I’ve been served at the Watchman manor.
<hr>
<span style="font-weight:400">We enjoyed the rest of our mains and for dessert we were presented with something that seemed simr to pudding. And some tea.
<span style="font-weight:400">During our meal, two things happened.
<span style="font-weight:400">One. A lot more people showed up at the inn and they were now enjoying their meals. I didn’t recognize many of them, but I did spot the owner of Bakpanying in. I guess he might be having a celebration meal. Or perhaps he just is a regr here.
<span style="font-weight:400">Two. It’s gotten a lot darker outside. It’s not raining, yet, but the sky ispletely overcast.
<span style="font-weight:400">As we were finishing out desserts, the first raindrops began to fall.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh no.” Alice said as she realized. “We didn’t make it back in time.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“It’s going to be fine.” I told her. Luckily, I came up with a n to avoid the rain during our meal.
<span style="font-weight:400">“But we will get wet.” Aliceined.
<span style="font-weight:400">“As I said, it will be fine.” I told her. “I have a n to get you back home,pletely dry.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I see. Then should we go?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. Let’s go.” I responded.
<span style="font-weight:400">We said our goodbyes to the hostess and moved to leave the inn. Now, execute operation anti-rain. Or operation umbre. Or… Who cares. Mission: Get Alice home without a drop of rain hitting her. Sadly, the system didn’t agree with me and didn’t turn it into an actual mission.