"Hey, Robdy. What are you doing for lunch? I’ll treat you, if you like."
"Master Dozuru is!? What on earth happened, sir? Did you hit your head or something!?"
"Watch it, or I’ll actually deck you, you brat."
I was genuinely worried about him, yet for some reason, he landed a solid blow right in my ribs. Seriously, the Master is far too quick with his hands. He probably thought he was being gentle, but a Dwarf’s "gentle" is plenty heavy for a Commoner like me. A strangled wheeze escaped my throat.
Master Dozuru is one of the masters at the workshop where I’m employed. Rumor has it his metalworking skills are the best in the shop, but he’s even more famous for being a stingy bastard. And that Master was offering to treat me? It was only natural to doubt his sanity. So, I wasn't the one in the wrong here.
"What’s with that look? You don't want a free meal?"
"No, that’s not it at all, sir! I’m coming with you!"
"Good grief, just say that from the start."
That being said, free food is a powerful lure. I’d heard the masters earn wages that aren't even comparable to us low-ranking errand boys, so he was bound to feed me something delicious. I couldn't let a chance like that slip by.
Once I smoothed things over with a forced laugh, the Master reluctantly lowered his guard.
"Where are we headed, sir?"
"Hmm? Oh, a new eatery opened up just ahead. We’re going there."
"Huh?"
The place the Master led me to was on the outskirts of town. There was very little foot traffic; no matter how you looked at it, the location was ill-suited for a restaurant. I’d heard that in areas like this, the protection money paid to the Bandelt Group was lower, but most places failed and went bust immediately. It made sense—no foot traffic meant no profit.
Contrary to my expectations, however, the street was bustling. Many of the people walking by were rubbing their bellies with looks of pure satisfaction. Could they all really be customers coming from that one eatery?
While I was pondering this, a unique aroma drifted toward us.
"What is that smell?"
"Smells good, doesn't it? Just the scent alone makes me hungry."
To be honest, I didn’t know if I’d call it "good" or not. It was a scent I’d never encountered before. But seeing Master Dozuru’s face go completely slack with anticipation, my own expectations naturally rose.
In Albiroda, eating something truly tasty usually cost an exorbitant amount of money. Rumor had it Master Dozuru spent his entire salary on booze and food. For the Master to have this expression on his face... it was impossible not to get excited.
The restaurant we were looking for was an unexpectedly grand building. The exterior was simple, but it was a solid stone construction. There were only a handful of such buildings in all of Albiroda.
"I can hardly believe they say this place was built in a single night," the Master muttered.
I thought I might have misheard him, but before I could ask, he hurried inside. I scrambled to follow.
"Whoa, look at all these people, sir."
That was my first impression. The shop was spacious, yet it was so packed that it felt cramped. It was an unbelievable sight for a restaurant on the edge of town.
"That’s just proof of how good it is. Don't worry. I’m a regular, so my seat is already secured."
The Master headed for the counter with practiced steps. Two seats at the very end were indeed vacant. If he really had a reserved spot, just how often was he coming here?
"Oh, Dozuru-san. Brought a newcomer with you today, I see."
"Yeah. Give me the usual."
"You got it. Coming right up."
The man behind the counter seemed to be an acquaintance of Master Dozuru. He was incredibly casual with him. It seemed the Master really was a regular. Even so...
"Don't they have a menu here, sir? I haven't even ordered anything yet."
"Huh? Don't worry about it. I already took care of it for you."
"If you say so..."
Since he was treating me, I couldn't exactly complain, but I felt like something was slightly off. As I sat there, the man in the seat next to me spoke up.
"You don't know? At this place, if a new customer orders a specific menu item, it’s free. On top of that, the person who introduced the newcomer gets their own meal for half-price. It’s a hell of a deal. That’s why this old guy brings someone new nearly every day!"
The man let out a boisterous "Gahaha!" laugh. Suddenly, the whole situation made sense.
The reason nobody asked for my order was because it had already been decided—I was having the "specific menu item" that made the meal free. And the Master was getting his meal at half-price as a reward for dragging me along.
It made perfect sense now. It was exactly the kind of stingy behavior I expected from Master Dozuru.
"What? You got something to say!?"
"No, not at all, sir! Honestly, I’m just relieved you haven't changed!"
When I flashed a smile at the glaring Master, he smacked me again for some reason.
"Thanks for waiting! For Dozuru-san, the Big Katsu Curry! And for our new guest, the Special Clean Grain Curry!"
"Oh, here it is!"
"That was fast, sir."
The food arrived with surprising speed.
Although they shared the name "curry," the Master’s dish and mine looked completely different. Mine was a mysterious, greenish soup, while the Master had some sort of strange ingredient smothered in a thick, yellowish sauce. To be honest, neither looked particularly appetizing. However, the aroma was overwhelming. It definitely triggered an intense hunger.
"Clean Green Curry, huh? Sounds like a pun, sir. I get the 'green' part, but what’s the 'clean' for?"
I could see that "green" referred to the color of the soup. But what about the "clean"? Even when I asked, the Master just sat there smirking.
"You’ll understand once you eat it."
That look told me there was a catch, but he clearly wasn't going to explain.
I gave up on questioning him and picked up a spoon. I scooped up a bit of the soup and timidly took a sip. In that instant, a punch of spiciness followed by a mellow sweetness exploded in my mouth. It was a shocking flavor, unlike anything I had ever tasted.
But the flavor wasn't even the most shocking part. The moment I swallowed, a wave of refreshment washed over my body. I felt as invigorated as if I’d just stepped out of a bath. More than that, even my grease-stained clothes were suddenly spotless. Just what on earth was going on?