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  Chapter 9: Stir-Fried Ice Cream

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  “Right, it’s all firmed—herbs and wild boar meat are collected. The quest is plete.”

  The receptionist at the guild tapped on her instrument, marking the quest status as finished for Aris and her panions.

  “Ah, about the wild boar...”

  Elyssa began reting the strange occurrehey had entered while hunting.

  “...Very well, we shall take care of that. If any issues arise, we’ll issue an annou.”

  ...

  “What shall we do now?”

  “Thanks to little Veridith, what we initially expected to take a whole day is now done in under half. As for the remaining time, it wouldn’t be worthwhile to take on another quest, so let’s enjoy some free time instead.”

  “Then... goodnight...”

  As soon as Marlyno annouhe free time, Mira colpsed into a deep sleep.

  “Oi, Mira! If you want to sleep, head back to the inn!”

  Suddenly remembering something, Marlyno grabbed Mira.

  “Ah! You just arrived here, and you haven’t got a pce to stay, have you? How about I take Mira bad help yister at the inn?”

  “No problem.”

  Aris and the rest of the group, besides her, had no immediate pns to leave the town, so a pce to rest was necessary. With Marlyno volunteering, they readily agreed.

  “The innkeeper is quite friendly to adventurers, as she was once saved by one.”

  After a brief walk, they arrived at an inn not far from the Adventurers’ Guild.

  To maximise effi uaking quests, adveypically form or join parties. As their groups grow, many opt to purchase a small house or plot of nd as a base.

  As for why the renowned ‘Eclipse’ team, known throughout this town, still resided in an inn, it primarily stemmed from their insuffit numbers. It was simply not cost-effective to buy a pce for just a handful of members.

  “However, with new members joining soon, it seems it’s time to address that matter.”

  “...Your words make me feel rather lonely.”

  At that moment, a middle-aged woman stepped out.

  “You all look like new adventurers, right? Then you’ve e to the right pce; I’m quite friendly to novice adventurers.”

  “Ah, good evening, nddy. These are adventurers we’ve just met, and sihey don’t have a pce to stay, I’ve brought them along.”

  Marlyno expihe situation, and the innkeeper grabbed a piece of paper and a pen.

  “Hmm... We don’t have any four-person rooms left. Would you prefer two double rooms or one for each of you?”

  “...Two double rooms will do.”

  After a brief discussion, Aris and her panions decided on two double rooms, as this arra would be more eical and safer.

  “Here’s the fee.”

  “Thank you. Here are the keys; just follow the numbers oo find your corresponding rooms.”

  The innkeeper handed over two sets of keys to the eldest-looking among them, Farkonia.

  The lodging fee was covered using the rewards from their ret quest to gather materials. As most of the herbs had been collected by Veridith, the bulk of the payment had goo Aris aeam.

  “Now that we’re registered, we’ll head up first. You take a look around town.”

  Marlyno pulled the seemingly half-asleep Mira along with Sisi as they asded the stairs.

  “...So where shall we go ?”

  “Just wander around?”

  “Then...”

  In the end, they split into two groups: Misako and Farkonia in one, while Aris, Veridith, and Pupu formed the other.

  “Let’s check over there.”

  Misako pointed in a certain dire before walking off with Farkonia.

  “...Where do you want to go?”

  Aris turo Veridith and asked.

  “Hmm... I’d like to see what food they have here.”

  Veridith recalled the delectable meals she had savored after Aris had fallen unscious and the dragon kin had moved to the bck demoory. Those meals were far superior to simply dev aire pig or relying solely on magical energy for sustenance.

  Moreover, it was said that the food of the bck demon race drew upon knowledge from other worlds. Thus, Veridith was eager to discover what external cuisine, mixed with that fn culture, would be like.

  After all, she was still a young dragon, barely ieens.

  With Veridith brimming with excitement, Aris led her and Pupu to the nearby street.

  At a ghe street was lined with an array of food stalls. Uhe shops in the bck demoories, which were often enclosed, these stalls formed the essence of the street itself.

  “Skewers, fried bites, grilled treats, and more... Why do they all seem so simir?”

  As Veridith observed the repetitive fare, her initial excitement began to wao disappoi.

  Although, as a dragon, she had a pent for meat, there were exceptions; what she craved now was something sweet, not another salty, aromatic dish.

  “In that case, how about that one?”

  Notig Veridith’s dismay, Aris sed the area and poio a stall that stood out.

  “What’s that?”

  “Oh, it’s a little er, is it? This is something called ‘Stir-Fried Ice Cream,’ and it’s simply delicious!”

  The burly man, muscles rippling all over, wielded a spatu as he introduced his creation.

  “‘Stir-Fried Ice Cream’? you really fry ice?”

  Veridith couldn’t help but envision ice blocks tossed into a hot pan, sprinkled with chilli and garlic, then fried vigorously.

  “Ah, it’s quite on for first-timers to think that. Since you look young, I’ll let you try a few on the house.”

  The vendor presented a cup of rolled-up ice cream, handing it to Veridith.

  “Um... ahm.”

  Veridith examihe ‘fried ice’ before popping it into her mouth.

  “Wow! It’s so cold!”

  In an instant, a refreshing chill filled her mouth, apanied by a wave of sweetness.

  Having just traversed the steamy area dominated by skewered foods, this newfound delight was immensely revitalising, making her feel wonderfully cool.

  “Ha-ha! What do you think? This is a new fvor prototype, and you’re the first to try it.”

  “...I want more!”

  Rec from the initial icy sweetness, Veridith promptly requested additional servings.

  “Um, that’ll cost yht?”

  Reag into her pouch, Veridith produced a and pced it oall’s ter.

  “Oh! This little one knows the score! Thank you!”

  The vendor’s eyes widened as he realized she had pced a gold on the ter!

  “Copper... just a copper will do! Quick, put that away!”

  “Um... I think I don’t have any copper...”

  She had obtaihis gold after selling a particurly uher herb upourning to the Adventurers’ Guild.

  “...Are you some noble who has escaped?”

  Each portion of his food only cost about seven copper s, and one gold was equivalent to ten thousand copper s!

  “I have some copper s.”

  In this situation, Aris pulled out several copper s.

  “Ah... thank you for your patronage!”

  The vendor quickly accepted the money and hastily prepared more ‘Stir-Fried Ice Cream’ for Veridith and Aris.

  “...I thought the amount I paid would only cover one serving.”

  “No worries; sider it a treat! It’s not every day you enter a kid who casually pulls out a gold . I wouldn’t want to create any trouble. A little extra food to make a good impression is worth it!”