CH 13

After I left Macbeth and the others, I looked around for an inn, but they were all full and kept rejecting me, but I was able to get a lonely inn a little far from the downtown area. Now I’m killing time by visiting the food stalls on the main street until the appointed time.

“Hey, kid! Is this your first time in the capital? Don’t wander around too much or you’ll accidentally bump into someone.”

As I was wandering from place to place, attracted by the delicious smell, an old man at a food stall spoke to me in a light tone.

“I was so busy looking at all the delicious-looking food lined up everywhere!”

“Hahahahaha! You can find a lot of competition in the royal capital, and all but the best ones will go out of business!”

The old man laughed out loud.

There were various food stalls lined up around the area, including skewers and fried foods. Behind the stalls, there were large tables and chairs lined up, and even though it was daytime, there were people eating food from the stalls and drinking, making a lot of noise.

“What do you sell, old man?”

“Me? I’m selling fried chicken, but we’re out of it today! It’s the princess’s birthday! Gahahaha!”

Deep fried chicken with a crispy batter that overflows with juices when you bite into it. It was my favorite fried food in my previous life.

Damn……I wanted to eat……

“Oh, come on, kid, don’t be so squeamish, there are still other stalls doing the same thing.”

“Do the other stalls have fried chicken?”

“No, they don’t…….”

“Yes, they do…….”

An awkward air passed between us. Then, as if he had made up his mind, the old man opened his mouth.

“All right! I’ll make fried chicken for you!”

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Yeah. A man must keep his word!”

“Whoo-hoo!”

Now I can eat fried chicken! Thank you, old man!

“But there’s a condition!”

“Condition?”

“Ah! The fried food I’m going to make for you is left over from when those who are always good to me come to visit.”

“Are you sure you want to give that to me?”

“Yeah. I don’t know if he’ll come. But if he does show up today, I’m sorry, but you’ll have to apologize with me.”

I see, you left it for the regulars, didn’t you? If I can get fried chicken just by apologizing, I’ll bow down as much as I can.

“All right! Then I’ll just sit in that chair over there and wait.”

I handed the old man the money and sat down. Ah. It’s been years since I’ve had fried chicken. I’m looking forward to it so much.

As I was pining for the fried chicken I hadn’t seen yet, I heard a girl’s high-pitched voice.

“Why are you here today?”

“Hey, you’re talking too loud!”

Suddenly, I saw that the old man was struggling with a small girl who was wearing a hood. I wondered what he was doing and the old man beckoned me to him.

“Hey, kid, come here for a minute!”

I went to the old man as he called me and was stared at by the hooded girl’s beautiful blue eyes.

“Sorry kid, but one of my regulars is here, and today is the only day she really wants to eat, so she won’t leave. I’m going to have to give her some fried chicken soon, so talk to her and decide what you want to do.”

The old man said and walked into the stall.

“You’re the kid who wants to eat fried chicken! I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to back off for today.”

Who is this uppity kid? I’m 26 plus 13, 39, not a kid.

“No, I’m sorry, but I can’t back out. I don’t know when I’ll be able to eat again after today.”

“Why not? You do this almost every day, why don’t you come back some other day? I want to eat today!”

“Stop barking at me, little girl.”

“I’m not barking!”

She started growling. It’s kind of a Chihuahua-like thing, isn’t it?

“All right. Then let’s split it in half.”

“No, I had it all set aside for me! Why should I give you half of it?”

Damn it, I’m serious. After that, the conversation continued on a parallel track.