Taka was thrilled to receive the warm welcome. Even though the young shopkeeper looked shady, the chef was great. So, it was time for him to try the food of the spice garden.
Spice Garden, the name symbolises Alex's future ambition. He not only wanted to sell food, but also the spices he would make from the farm. This was just a trick he was using to popularise his brand.
If the food in the spice garden was good, the spice they would sell would be good too.
This was the idea that Alex was trying to implant in the customer's mind.
"Get me the best dish you have."
"Ok, sir. We are selling grilled and deep-fried chicken marinated in our special spice mix. A serving of deep-fried chicken will be two pieces, half a chicken. And a serving of grilled chicken would have four pieces, a full chicken. Both combined would cost 3 silver coins. This week we are having an opening week promotion, so the price is half of the normal. Should I confirm your order?"
After notifying the price and details about the dishes, Alex waited for Taka's reply.
'People in the cities were generally richer. They wouldn't mind paying 3 silver coins for a chicken, would they?' Alex thought while waiting for Taka's response.
While Alex was having an internal monologue, Taka was thinking his own thing. He was a merchant himself and had a general understanding of the price of different commodities in the market. Yet, he was amazed by the price set by Alex.
The price was too low, even if it was an opening week promotion, the price was too low.
'Just the raw chickens would cost 1.5 silver coins. And the spices would cost more than the chicken. Yet the shopkeeper is selling it cheaply. How can it make sense from a business perspective? He was selling the product while making a loss. This was preposterous.'
'Unless he was using low-cost subpar ingredients.' Taka thought.
'Can a food that smells this good be made out of subpar ingredients?'
"Ok, bring the dishes."
Alex smiled upon hearing it. He quickly went to the kitchen and served the chicken neatly on a wooden tray. He placed a small cup of mayonnaise near it. And a little bit of neatly cut cucumber and carrots were used as a garnish. And to finalise the plating, he put a folded flatbread next to it.
The plating was complete.
—--------
While that was happening? A group of people were walking through the open market. They wore delicate white and blue clothes.
The servants surrounded the two princesses of their tribe, protecting them from any unforeseen circumstances. And the duo at the centre were the princesses of the ice phoenix tribe.
"Sister Laya, are we going to the ice pavilion?"
"No, we are trying to find a merchant called Taka."
"But you said we would go there today." Meena, the younger sister complained.
She was hoping to eat something delicious today, and yet again, her wish for delicious food was trampled.
And while walking through the shops, the duo finally saw Taka.
He was sitting in front of a stall with teary eyes. His head was raised high to force the tears back. He didn't want to embarrass himself.
And next to him, they could see a familiar figure.
"The hidden master!" The brat, Meena exclaimed. She was thrilled to encounter him again.
"Sister, let's go there." After saying that, she dashed towards the stall with shining eyes.
Laya followed suit.
—------
"I am ashamed of myself. Please don't mind my tears, they are tears of happiness." Taka said wiping away the teardrops.
'The food is too tasty. Even with all the spice, I want to tear into it and eat everything.' Munching on a piece of chicken, he said.
'Giving them some vegetables and flatbread was a nice choice. I thought people here liked spicy food. I should decrease the spiciness on the next batch.' Alex decided after seeing the teary-eyed Taka.
"Can I get one more serving?"
"Of course, you can. How about two more servings?"
"That would be great." Taka happily agreed.
Other people who noticed the first customer having a blissful experience wanted to eat at the stall. But before they could, a group of people wearing blue and white clothes occupied all the seats.
After that, no one dared to approach the food stall.
Alex who returned with two more servings was greeted by this. And among them, he saw the bubbly little kid waving at him.
'Ah! Damn it.' With a forced smile, he thought.
"Sir, hidden master." The kid respectfully called him, when Alex went towards them with the food.
"Do you know the princesses? Mr Shopkeeper." Taka curiously asked.
'No wonder the food tastes delicious. They have connections with rulers of the region. Among the nine great tribes, the ice phoenix tribe plays a great role that cannot be replaced. And due to that, the relationships they have are vast. To think that this unassuming stall had connections with them. I have a lot more to learn. And to think that this young man is a hidden master. Thank god that I didn't offend him.' Taka thought while admonishing himself.
Not realising the gravity of the misunderstanding the pipsqueak has caused. Alex plated the dishes calmly.
"Sir, try it."
The smell was tantalizing. And curious glances came from the group of ice phoenix tribe.
Before anyone could think, A tray disappeared and appeared before Meena. Anything delicious should be eaten. The simple-minded girl grabbed and ate the food.
The servants panicked seeing this. They had yet to taste it. What if it was poisoned?
Nervously, they gazed at Laya. Hoping to reign in the problem child. But all her attention was directed towards Taka.
Seeing Taka eat the food without a problem, she was not particularly worried about her sister being poisoned. Taka was a strong warrior from the void fish tribe, one of the nine great tribes. He is also one of the leaders of the greatest merchant unions on the whole central continent.
If he is eating the food without worry, it was worthy enough for them to eat.
"Sir, Taka. We are here to ask…"
"Let's talk after eating the food. I know why you are here." Before Laya could complete her words, Taka said.
"Yes, sister! Try this! This is so tasty. Even in our home, we can't get something so tasty." Rubbing off a moustache made out of mayonnaise, Meena said. Her cute face blushed red while her eyes swiftly scanned the surroundings for more food.
Taka, who saw this was happy to see a fellow foodie.
While Laya was monotonous and boring. Her sister Meena was bubbly and quirky. They had contrasting personalities, yet they had one thing similar. Their eyes were devoid of guile.
"Haah!" With a long sigh, Laya finally looked at Alex. It was not every day that you see a strange person like him.
He was young, younger than herself. Yet he had the bearing of an adult.
Although fifteen years of age was considered adult in this world. Not everyone had the bearing of an adult when they reached fifteen. But this odd kid was somehow different.
When considering the fact that Meena recognized this person as a hidden master. It made her even more curious. After all, Meena was a special kid.
Due to her high affinity with the ice phoenix, A spirit guardian that dances between life and death, birth and rebirth. She could vaguely feel the life and death of a person. And Alex was someone who was deemed special by a person like that.
You could imagine the doubts Laya had. The kid was not strong, mysterious or special. He was just a common pedlar. How can he be special?
"Sister, eat this!" Rolling a piece of meat inside a flatbread and dipping it in mayonnaise. Meena forced it into her sister's mouth.
The unprepared Laya was not able to stop it. And juicy meat and delicious savoury mayonnaise exploded in her mouth. The food was infinitely better than any food she had ever eaten.
'Maybe, he is special.' Laya thought.