On a good day, the Marsh Wolf Tavern was busy enough. Of the 20 some-odd tables, half would be filled. Tonight, it was a madhouse. Even from outside the walls, Theo could hear the raucous crowds inside. Those who couldn’t fit within stood on the cobbled streets outside, shoveling food in their mouths from copper plates.
“Food must be pretty good for this,” Tresk said, snorting a laugh. “Think we can get a table?”
Theo approached the door, poking his head inside. Xam caught his attention immediately, flailing her arms through the air then gesturing at his favorite table, near the bag window. Whatever ambling path the alchemist took to the tavern was enough of a diversion for Aarok to find his way here, sitting at that table with Luras. Both of them had sheepish grinds on their faces.
“I didn’t know if you’d come,” Xam said, straightening her apron nervously. “You have the table of honor, of course.”
“Thanks,” Theo said, smiling.
“Woah,” Tresk said, coming in behind him. “You’re gonna need a bigger tavern.”
Xam simply smiled at that, gesturing toward the table. Theo and Tresk took a seat, setting into the noisy environment. Luras had already propped the window open.
“She wouldn’t let us eat until you got here,” Aarok said.
“And I’m starving,” Luras said.
Tresk pulled herself half-way up onto the table, leaning in. “How many ways can you prepare wolf meat, anyway?”
“I’d eat it raw, if not for the parasites,” Luras said.
Theo spotted Azrug moving through the tables, delivering food to the patrons. The alchemist smiled, noticing the look of concern on the shopkeeper’s face. His sister pulled him into helping, but he wouldn’t stand for that long. His heart was in the shop.
“We should have brought the wizard,” Tresk said. “I like him.”
Theo let out a sigh. Xol’sa was clearly an introvert by nature. A big event like this would be too much for him. It was better to invite the wizard to something more manageable, like an intimate meal at the Newt and Demon. No sooner did the thought arise than did Xam bring 4 shallow bowls. She dropped them off at the table and departed as quickly as she came, running off to serve another customer.
“Soup?” Tresk said, grimacing. “All this for more soup?”
Theo picked up his copper spoon and dunked it in the murky, yellowed liquid and brought it to his lips. There was more flavor in this than her perpetual soup. Puddles of grease danced on the top of the liquid as small, round balls bobbed up and down. The base of the soup was delicious, coming in strong with herbs and savory broth. The floating balls were dumplings. Bread stuffed with wolf meat and herbs that danced on his tongue, complimenting the broth perfectly. Without a word, the entire group finished their bowls of soup.
A system message jumped into his vision.
[Cook’s Banquet!] You’ve consumed the first of three meals from a cook’s banquet (Wolf Meat Zee Dumpling Soup). Eat the other two courses to gain a buff.
“A banquet?” Tresk asked, laughing.
“Alright, now this is interesting,” Luras said, craning his neck to see what the others were eating. “Looks like the main course is a steak with vegetables.”
“The last course is a desert,” Luras said, standing to spot the other patrons. “I can smell fruit from here.”
Theo’s eyes went wide. The fruit in this world seemed scarce. There were a few types of berries in the swamp, but they were hard to find. The alchemist’s mind went to Xam and how she sourced all this food. He recalled when Fenian gave her the core as a gift, likely costing him almost nothing, but he must have sold her food.
“I need to get the ranch running,” Theo said.
“Next up,” Azrug said, coming in with a mock-smile. “Char grilled wolf steak with [Water Leeks]. Other side of the river.”
“What?” Tresk asked.
“I was going to ask where she got the [Water Leeks],” Theo said, laughing.
“Of course you were,” Azrug said, grinning. “Bye.”
He darted off before Theo could say another word, scooping up a tray from behind the bar to serve another group.
The group didn’t say another word, they simply grabbed their utensils and dug in. The steak was very similar to the Karatan steak Xam had cooked in the past, but better. There wasn’t any salt to speak of, or butter, just the natural flavors of the wolf steak and a smoky charred finish. But it was just better. The flavors were more intense, and they lingered on his tongue for longer. The little green things, which were apparently leeks, had a flavor all their own. It was somewhere between a [Swamp Onion] and raw vegetation, but it paired amazingly well with the steak. Tresk let out an audible sigh of satisfaction, patting her belly when she finished her food.
Another prompt came from the system.
[Cook’s Banquet!] You’ve consumed the second of three meals from a cook’s banquet (Char grilled wolf steak with water leeks). Eat the last course to gain a buff.
“Oh, that was good,” Luras said, leaning back in his chair. “How much does that core improve her cooking?”
Theo finished the last piece of his steak, letting out a contented sigh. He didn’t think the core had much to do with it, not at her current level. Something else pushed her to improve her cooking, even if the core helped. She just needed that spark to get going, to pull her out of that slump.
“I’m sure the core helps,” Aarok said. “But she’s inspired. That goes a long way for someone like her.”
“Well, we’re coming every night if she does this again,” Tresk said. She withdrew some [Monster Cores] from her inventory and looked around. “I’m gonna make this place bigger.”
“Tresk, wait,” Aarok said, holding up a steadying hand, but it was too late. The Marshling had jumped from her seat and was jamming cores into the wall like it was a mote port on the [Glassware Artifice].
“It’s only level 1!” Tresk shouted, dodging away from Aarok’s powerful grasp. She jammed faster.
“Who is upgrading my tavern?” Xam shouted.
Tresk let out a shrill laugh, vanishing from sight as the Half-Ogre woman stomped over.
“Wasn’t me,” Theo said, holding up his hands.
“There’s another one! I can barely see—there are too many prompts,” Xam said. Another cackle from Tresk. “Gods, I’m going to have to expand this place. Hold on.”
There wasn’t enough time to heed her warnings. The floor rocked under their feet as the tavern expanded in every direction. People fell from their chairs, hitting the ground and issuing a series of laughs. When the dust had settled, Tresk stood atop their table in a victorious pose.
“Can’t say Tresk never did anything for ya,” she said, grinning. “The first 10 levels are basically free.”
The floor space of the Marsh Wolf Tavern had nearly doubled. Those that were cast from their chairs righted themselves, casting their eyes over the place with a mix of confusion and delight.
“Now I need to pick upgrades,” Xam said, crestfallen.
“You can minimize those,” Aarok said, averting his gaze from the woman.
“Yes, I suppose I can,” Xam said, pressing her finger into her chin. “At least there’s more space.”
Tresk returned to her seat as the Half-Ogre woman moved away, back to her new bubbly self.
“What’s up with people in this town not upgrading their stuff?” Theo asked.
“It’s a theme,” Luras said.
“Well, now there’s more room,” Tresk said. “Thanks to me. You’re welcome.”
“Thank you, Tresk,” Theo said.
“You should have done it at a different time, though,” Aarok said, looking over the new interior with a smile. “It is nice, though.”
The group shifted their discussion to smaller topics as they waited for the last course. This one took far longer than the others, likely because of the sudden change in the interior. Azrug eventually came to set down the plates, steam rising off the desert. It looked like an apple had been sliced and arranged in a circle around the copper plate, baked and dressed with a glaze. The group dug in.
For a desert, the dish had a tamed sweetness that wasn’t overpowering. It was gentle, and the heat of being baked helped it tremendously. The glaze on top was slightly sweet, as though it were an underdeveloped syrup. Theo suspected it was derived from the cypress trees, but he couldn’t be sure. Eating food didn’t always bring up the property discovery prompt.
They finished the meal in silence, everyone eagerly awaiting the system’s prompt as they licked their plates clean.
[Food Buff!] You’ve consumed a completed Cook’s Banquet.
You require 1 hour less of rest to become fully rested.
After resting, you will gain the following effect:
+1 to all 3 random stats.
The effect might seem minor, but it had big implications. Theo assumed that Xam was below level 10 with her new core, and it was likely a common quality core at that. Once she upgraded it and got some levels, the effects would be absurd. This drove his mind harder into the ranch, forcing him to realize how amazing it would be to have a constant supply of [Cook’s Banquets] in the future.
“Who knew the power of food would be this strong?” Tresk said.
“This is big,” Theo said, nodding in agreement. “Think about how powerful this is going to be.”
Theo spotted Xam marching over with a smile on her face. “Well?” she asked.
“It was absurdly delicious,” Theo said, grinning. The rest of the group joined in agreement. “How much do we owe you?”
“Ah, well,” Xam said, blushing. “The cores should cover the cost of the meal.”
“Nonsense,” Aarok said.
“How do you put a price on a buff like that?” Luras asked.
Azrug appeared without warning, sneaking up behind Xam. “I’m glad you asked. Somewhere near 50 copper, I think. If you’re matching it to the cost of our attribute potions, anyway.”
“I’m assuming this is a special occasion,” Theo said, withdrawing 4 silver from his inventory. He slid it across the table to Xam. “Charge a silver for the banquet. I’ll cover the cost of anyone who can’t afford it tonight.”
Xam took the money hesitantly. More blush spread across her cheeks. “Thank you.”
“Most days she’s going to offer affordable meals,” Azrug said. “Even if the perpetual stew will be amazing because of her core, she’s going to fix it at a low price. Going back to the single copper stew meals so people don’t go hungry anymore.”
“Then you sell the banquets at a premium,” Luras said, nodding. “Yeah, that’s a great idea.”
Theo leaned back in his chair, remembering the hungry look in the children’s eyes when they arrived. He considered himself broke, at the moment, but he could still easily afford to pay for the entire town’s meals 20 times over at 1 silver apiece.
“You need to hang a sign, Xam,” Theo said, leveling his gaze at her. “Free meals for anyone who can’t afford it. No questions asked.”
“That’s not very good business,” Azrug said, grinning. The smile washed away when he saw his joke didn’t land. “But I support it. Just making a joke.”
“I’ll cover it,” Xam said. “You get that ranch running, offer me some deals. That’s all I ask.”
Theo smiled. That was one less problem off his mind. When he arrived at Broken Tusk, people were working poverty wages. They could afford a single meal a day, leaving nothing for rent or other expenses. With him covering everyone’s rent if they couldn’t pay, and Xam covering their meals, everyone in Broken Tusk was guaranteed a comfortable life. But he knew they wouldn’t settle for that, not from what he’d seen so far. They’d strive to be better than they were with that layer of comfort. They’d push hard and become the best versions of themselves, like the Half-Ogre woman had.
The idea of social support networks was strange, at first. Most people’s instincts might be to hold onto all their wealth. But Theo’s thoughts on the matter weren’t entirely unselfish. A strong workforce was what he needed, not a pile of gold. It was impossible for him to do everything himself, even if he wanted to. There wasn’t enough time in the day, and he didn’t have enough core slots. Besides that idea, there was the issue of cores conflicting with each other.
Theo and his group walked outside, making room for others in the newly expanded tavern. The sun still clung to the horizon in the west, painting the swamp with streaks of orange and purple. Xol’sa’s portal, near the monolith in the center of town, flickered for a moment before extinguishing itself.
“How is that portal working, anyway?” Theo asked.
“Adventurers have complained it makes them dizzy for a while,” Aarok said.
“Beats trudging through the swamp to get to the dungeon,” Luras said.
“That reminds me,” Theo said, looking around to make sure the crowd was far enough away. “We’ll have to worry about the other dungeons soon. If the wizard’s theory is correct.”
“There’s always more to worry about,” Luras said.
Theo turned on the spot to get a look at Xam’s newly enlarged building. It was considerably bigger. The cogs were falling into place quickly, and he needed to be ready to react at a moment’s notice. With his friends by his side, he doubted it would be an issue. The alchemist didn’t want to look away from the truth anymore. He wanted to stare whatever this destiny was right in the eyes, unblinking and unflinching.
“I have to wonder,” Theo said. “What is Broken Tusk? What are we building here? A safe place for people? A mercantile empire? An army?”
“All of those options,” Tresk said, slapping Theo on the back. “We’re building everything. You name it, we’re building it.”
“Everything at once,” Aarok said with a chuckle. “That sounds about right.”
“Theo,” a voice came from afar. Gridgen trotted over with his son on his hip, grinning. “You sent me more workers.”
“I believe I promised that,” Theo said.
“Of course you did,” Gridgen said. “I just didn’t expect them so quickly.”
“Any monsters show up?” Tresk asked.
“In Dead Dog? No,” Gridgen said, waving her off. “It’s been really calm. I just had a question—you said we’d get a wage, but I didn’t know how that was supposed to happen.”
Technically, the system should know to deposit the money into Gridgen’s inventory, if he had one. Theo wasn’t sure what would happen if the man didn’t have one.
“Well, do you have any copper on you?” Theo asked.
“Well, a few. I mean, I have 20 of those nuggets in my dimensional bag,” Gridgen said, fumbling into a sack with his free hand.
Theo held out his hands, cupping them to receive the nuggets. They went back and forth a few times before the total amount was transferred, a message opping into both of their vision.
[Item Delivered] You’ve received an item bound to the contract [Dead Dog Mine].
Automatically calculating value based on best information…
Best information received from [Azrug Slug’s] mercantile cores…
Additional information received from recent sales conducted by [Throk]...
[Copper Nugget] price set to 1c per 10 units.
Gridgen dug into his bag, withdrawing 2 copper that had magically appeared. Likewise, 2 copper had vanished from Theo’s inventory.
“Hopefully you’ve mined more than that,” Theo said, laughing.
“A lot more,” Gridgen said. “Hundreds of nuggets, and we just figured out what we were doing.”
Theo withdrew a silver coin from his inventory, splitting it into 100 copper and dropping it into the man’s bag. “This should get you started. So you can roll out some wages.”
“Thanks, Theo,” Gridgen said. “Good to know the contract works, anyway.”
The man departed, moving strangely with the extra weight sitting on his hip. The child seemed happy enough about the event, giggling as they went.
“I still need someone to smelt the ore,” Theo said.
“You’ll find someone,” Luras said. “You always find someone.”
“Alright. Come on, alchemist. We need to get to bed,” Tresk said, pulling Theo by the arm. “You always get cranky if you don’t have enough sleep.”
Theo felt himself being tugged away by the Marshling, waving sheepishly at Aarok and Luras as he went. He managed a weak “bye” before he was out of range. Trudging down the path, the alchemist felt something strange wash through his body, like a hot wind blowing through his cores. As soon as it came, it went, leaving him feeling unnerved.
With a stomach full of food and a mind full of hope, sleep came easy that night. The moment Theo’s head hit his soft pillow he was out, even before Tresk’s loud snores could fill the room.