On my way to the market, as I reached the door, I turned and asked Lady Churl, "Can I pick you up anything while I'm out? I can get you a coffee."

"Blech. Drink all the mud water you want."

"Mud water? I'll have you know, coffee is about the finest drink ever invented."

"You can keep your black soup. Eh, mushrooms'd be nice."

"I'll see what I can find."

At The Whistling Kettle, I asked Milo to double up on my drink. While inside the shop, I bought a bag of black tea and some dried hibiscus, as well as a small bag of dried mushrooms for Lady Churl. Milo asked again about working at the tavern. I wished I had enough money to hire him today. I could use the extra help.

"Milo. Where does the shop get these little paper sacks?" I held up a bag holding the tea and asked him when he slid my purchases across the counter.

"The owner purchases them from a paper supplier, but I don't know much more. We have hundreds in the back."

"Can I buy some from you? Say, two dozen?"

"Ah. You can have them, Mr. Varix. I'll get you the supplier's name if you'll need to buy more."

"Thank you, Milo."

On the way back, I took a longer route and walked by The Gem Emporium. The door and windows had curtains drawn. I considered knocking but realized I didn't know if Seraphina lived at the shop. I learned that many shop owners had rooms up top or in the back of their buildings. There followed some internal hemming and hawing, but I returned to the tavern.

My last stop was the bakery a few shops down from the tavern. I purchased a dozen freshly baked biscuits.

As soon as I was inside, I started boiling a pot of water on the stove. Lady Churl had thoughtfully stoked the fire within. She had created a couple of piles of vegetables, chopping and dicing vegetables into two piles with the exception of the onions. I chuckled at the untouched bulbs.

Another large pot went on the stove to start the mirepoix while I diced up a pile of onions, garnering a look of disgust from Churl.

"You like rats, but not onions."

"S'nothin wrong with rats. Just stringy is all." She grinned. "Onions is pungent."

"I'll take your word for it, Lady Churl."

I didn't get into her love of mushrooms. As soon as I'd deposited the bag in front of her, she'd clapped before getting down a mug and placing a healthy amount inside. When the water was boiling, she carefully ladled in a scoop of boiling water and swirled it around. The mushrooms slowly inflated as they soaked up the hot water. Lady Churl held the cup under her nose and inhaled the earthy aroma.

"The last time I tried shroom tea, I tripped balls," I told her.

"Not sure as ta what that means, boss. Don't sound fun."

"It was at the time."

Lady churl offered me her mug.

"I'm good." I laughed.

While I waited for the pans to heat up, I made some homemade buttermilk by slicing a lemon in half and squeezing a few teaspoons of juice into a bowl of fresh milk. After sitting for about ten minutes, I gave it a stir. Curds were already forming. I put my chicken breasts in the liquid and placed the bowl in the refrigerator to marinate the chicken.

We headed outside, and I looked around, wondering what Urzan and Moktar were up to. I hadn't seen them in a few days, which might have been for the best. I was happy to have the orcs hanging around, "guarding" the place, but they ate a lot of food and, frankly, scared more than a few of the neighbors.

I expanded the fire pit and rearranged the stones that had propped up the cauldron to hold two pots. In the smaller of the two, I filled it with lard, animal fats, and a generous amount of olive oil. As I prepped a fire pit underneath, Lady Churl watched with interest.

"What's all this for, then?" she asked, gesturing at the pot.

"We're going to fry up some chicken later," I explained, covering the pot with a lid. "But first, let's get the other pot ready for the stove."

Back inside, I decided to whip up a quick breakfast scramble for us. While waiting for a cast iron pan to warm up, I put a small handful of tea leaves in the pot with the now boiling water, and added some hibiscus. After about fifteen minutes, I pulled the pot and set it aside, allowing the tea to further steep.

As I was cooking, a feline face appeared. The cat hopped up on the counter, eyeing me curiously.

"Well, hello there," I said softly, reaching out to pet the cat. It sniffed my hand, then rubbed against it, apparently finding me acceptable.

"Mind if I pick you up?"

Lifting it into the air, I looked underneath and said, "Look at that. You're a boy. Are you a good boy? Knowing cats, probably not."

To my surprise, it purred contentedly in my arms.

The cat jumped down and padded across the counter with feline grace. I scooped out some of my scrambled eggs, brushed off the veggies, and put them on a small plate for him.

"Spoilin' that cat already?" Lady Churl teased.

I shrugged. "He's part of the team now, isn't he? He needs a name."

The cat sniffed the eggs, and ate a bite. He devoured every scrap, so I gave him a little more.

"Eggs," Lady Churl suggested.

"Eh?"

"Name him Eggs."

I laughed at the suggestion.

"We can do better than that."

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Lady Churl shrugged.

The cat finished his meal, licked his paws, and hopped down from the counter. He sauntered out of the room and darted up the stairs, probably off to find fresh prey. I shook my head, amused by his feline antics.

Turning my attention back to the stove, I tested the large pan and found it was good and hot. I added a generous scoop of lard to the pan. It sizzled and melted. When the lard was hot enough, I tossed in the chopped onions, carrots, and celery.

As the vegetables cooked, I seasoned them with salt and pepper. The aroma of the sauteeing mirepoix filled the kitchen.

Next, I chopped up a dozen chicken breasts and added the meat to the pan. The chicken sizzled as it hit the lard and veggies. I added a handful of flour to the pan to make a roux. I stirred the mixture until the flour was no longer visible, coating the chicken and vegetables in a light, golden layer.

To enhance the flavor, I added a healthy amount of sage and thyme and plenty of salt and pepper.

Lady Churl peeked over my shoulder, her curiosity piqued. "What's this you're makin', boss?" she asked, sniffing the air appreciatively.

"It's a chicken stew," I replied, stirring the mixture. "But it's also an early version of a Chicken Pot Pie dish. I'll be testing the waters today."

"Testin' for what 'xactly?"

"It's an expression that means I'm trying something new on a small scale. If it sells, we'll make it in larger batches."

"Gonna spice it up?"

"Only with black pepper."

I reached for the chicken broth I had been preparing and storing in the fridge. I added a generous amount and stirred. Once the broth was incorporated, I covered the pan and lowered the temperature so the stew could simmer and thicken.

I went back outside to check on the fire. The sun shone down through wisps of clouds, and I guessed it was about seventy degrees out. It was absolutely idyllic.

I spotted Doan walking by at the end of the street. "Doan!" I called out, waving my hand to get his attention.

Doan turned, his face lighting up with a smile as he recognized me. He made his way over, his eyes widening as he took in the food wagon. "Varix, my friend! What's all this?" he asked, gesturing to the setup.

"Just a little something I'm trying out," I replied with a grin. "It's a food wagon. I'll be serving a fresh lunch later today. People can walk up, buy a meal, and take it with them, or eat outside. Care to lend a hand? I could use some help moving this large table outside."

"Ah. An innovative idea. What's on the menu?"

"Spicy fried chicken sandwiches and chicken stew in a biscuit. I found some big biscuits over at the bakers." I nodded in the direction of the shop. "I'll cut a large hole in the center, fill it with stew, and put the top back on. The thick gravy will soak into the bread."

"That sounds a delight."

"I hope people will try it. The funds are going to help pay for more renovations on the tavern."

"Well, now. That sounds like a fine idea, and I'm always happy to assist." He followed me inside, where Lady Churl was bustling about in the kitchen. "Good morning, Lady Churl," Doan greeted her warmly.

Lady Churl looked up from her work and flashed a toothy smile. "Mornin', Doan! Nice ta see ya back in 'ere."

When I first introduced Doan to Lady Churl, he had been a bit wary, his distrust of goblins deeply ingrained. It wasn't that long ago that they had been enemies. But his attitude had shifted over time as he’d gotten to know her better.

We set the table in place and went back for some chairs. As we arranged them around the table, Doan stretched his arms above his head. "I can't stay long, unfortunately," he said apologetically. "I just stepped out of the forge to stretch my legs a bit. But thanks to helping you, I think my entire body got a good stretch!" He chuckled.

I laughed along with him. "Well, I'm glad I could provide a full-body workout for you," I teased. "Thanks for your help, Doan. It means a lot."

Doan clapped me on the shoulder. "Anytime, my friend. I'll stop by later to see how your new venture is going." With a final wave, he headed back towards the forge.

A few nervous hours later, we opened up for business.

The area outside the tavern had been converted to an outdoor seating area with six chairs and my largest usable table. A pile of clean plates sat with silverware. I also had some bags on hand so people could have food to go.

There was a pitcher filled with ice that Lady Churl had chipped off a block, and it was filled with the tea I'd made earlier.

I fried a chicken breast and tossed it in my homemade hot sauce when it was ready. Thanks to the newly smoked hot peppers I'd ground up and added, the sauce had an extra kick.

I split a bun and placed the sandwich on a plate with a side of sauce I'd come up with for dipping. The dairy vendor had made a vat of yogurt, so I’d purchased some, then combined it with dill, a little buttermilk, garlic, salt, and pepper to make an almost ranch dressing.

Then I waited.

I stood out in front of the tavern with a plate of cut-up chicken sandwiches. "Come and get it!" I called out to the passersby. "Fresh, hot, spicy chicken sandwiches and stew in a biscuit! Perfect for lunch or to save for later!"

I felt a bit like a medieval Costco employee, offering samples to entice potential customers. But despite my best efforts, no one seemed interested. They walked by, barely glancing at the food or the outdoor seating area I had set up.

An hour passed, and my frustration grew. I couldn't understand why no one was even taking a sample. I had even mentioned the convenience of the bags for bringing food to go, but still, no takers.

Just as I was about to give up and pack it in, I spotted a welcome sight. Doan, Ragna, Mira, and Caden walked up the road as a group, their eyes set on The Shadow's Respite. I waved, and they waved back.

"Varix! This looks amazing!" Mira exclaimed as they arrived.

I grinned. "Thanks, Mira. I was about to give up. I haven't had a single customer yet."

"Well, this is something new. It might not take off right away, but I like what you're doing here," Ragna interjected as she looked over the setup. She took a spicy chicken sandwich sample and popped it in her mouth, chewed, and her eyes lit up. "I'll take one of those!"

"It's true," Mira added. "Keep at it. The people here might be slow to adapt to this, but they'll come around. Your food is excellent. If you keep your prices fair, I have a feeling this will take off."

I blew out a breath and closed my eyes. Sometimes, all it takes is some encouraging words to make you feel like you're on top of the world.

"Thank you both. It means a lot."

As I happily fixed their meals, I noticed Shellen making her way over. My smile widened. "Hey, Shell. Can I interest you in a sandwich or some stew?"

Shell stopped to plant a kiss on Caden's cheek. He looked up, blushed, and then smiled broadly at his girlfriend.

Shellen turned to me and said, "It smells wonderful Varix. Tell me about lunch?"

I went over the menu, and she opted for the pot pie. As I poured the stew into the biscuit, Shellen's mouth dropped open. "That looks incredible."

"I hope you like it."

My friends took their food and found seats at the table or stood nearby, digging in with gusto. As they ate and chatted, I caught passersby taking notice. They slowed their pace, curiosity piqued by the sight of people enjoying the food.

A few brave souls approached and asked about the menu. I eagerly offered them samples, and their faces lit up as they tasted the spicy chicken and stew.

Before I knew it, I was out of chicken breasts and had no more marinating. When I broke the news, there was an audible note of disappointment. I apologized and promised I would have more tomorrow.

As the money came in, I kept a basic count, and before I knew it, I had turned a pretty decent profit for a few hours of work. Now, all I needed to do was streamline the operation and keep customers returning.

I served stew until it was almost gone. As I worked to meet the demand, I couldn't help but overhear snippets of conversation about the food. They liked it and chatted about the blend of flavors.

I caught Doan's eye across the table, and he gave me a thumbs-up and a proud smile. This was so exciting. My idea was going to pay off!

I was so lost in thought that I nearly missed someone approaching the tavern. Looking up, I felt my face break into a gentle smile. I rounded the wagon and briskly walked to the end of my impromptu picnic area.

"Hello, Seraphina," I greeted her.

I was nearly struck speechless by her appearance. She wore a forest green tunic cinched at the waist with a delicate golden belt, form-fitting leather breeches, and soft leather boots. Her long, raven-black hair cascaded over her shoulders in loose waves. I'm not going to lie. She was a vision.

She clasped her hands together and said, "Hello, Varix. Did you save me some lunch?"