Archer woke up early today and he planned to eat outside for a change. It was his first time walking outside his house and the fresh air lightened up his mood. Indeed, he just knew for the first time that he was currently living inside a secluded village called Krabby Kraft. According to the legends, the first man, or being, that discovered this small area was a talking crab who was called Krabby Kraft, hence the name of the village.

It all started with a single house, and he started inviting his crabby mates to visit him. They all did go to his home and they enjoyed the simplicity and beauty of the surroundings, fixing their ideas to create their houses in this place as well. One thing led to another, and it became a crabby community. But terror set in, the humans invaded their village because unbeknownst to the crabs, the ground that they were stepping on was full of malachite ores. All the crabs were annihilated except for one, Krabby Kraft. He went missing and rumors start to spread about his possible vengeance. But people disregarded it, knowing that they were weak creatures who did not know anything except to make bubbles on their mouths. Up to this day, the villagers never changed its name, until it was finally accepted and recorded by the Kingdom of Atasia, thereby making it official.

"An incredible story about a crab and his crap." Archer approached an old house with a 'Mug' signage posted on its front wall. "Surely this is a tavern, right?"

Slowly, he pushed the door open and saw a middle-aged man happily arranging his bottles on each shelf. He was about to call him when the man turned around, his expression rather weird.

"Hello and good morning, sir. Do you offer breakfast here?"

"Yes! Of course, heh! Sit down and make yourself comfortable." Melek got out of the counter and offered the menu list to him. "Choose whatever you like. We offer the best among the rest. The good among the food. The...the...cheapest among the..."

"How about pest?" Archer suggested as he took hold of the menu.

"Yeah. The cheapest among the pest...wait does not sound right at all."

"Don't take it too hard, man. Anyway, can you tell me what's this so-called Special Dish?"

Melek grinned and puffed up his chest. "Well, that's the specialty of my dearest. You should check it out because it smells just like...just like..."

Archer returned the menu to him. "Don't worry. I can judge it myself once the food is before me. Please do get me this special dish."

"An order of Special Dish coming up!" Melek walked toward the kitchen and told Erica about Archer's order. It took only a minute for him to prepare the dish and the platter was set on the table. "Happy eating."

The spicy aroma invaded Archer's nose, making him hungrier. He could not wait anymore and started digging in. After a few mouthfuls, he looked at Melek and gave him a thumbs-up. "Good food."

"Hah! Of course, that's my wife's cooking, you know?" Melek sat down on the other empty chair and stared at the pillow on Archer's back. He could not resist any longer and he blurted out, "What's the pillow for?"

Archer stopped chewing. "Well, this is a memento of a special someone. I can't afford to leave it so I carry it with me."

"Oh." Melek then shifted his gaze upward, and asked, "Isn't that a clothing used for beds?"

"Oh, this." Archer nodded his head and ate a few mouthfuls before continuing, "It is also a memento of a special someone. And I can't afford to leave it so I carry it with me."

Melek stared at the two sticks. "Don't tell me that they are mementos as well?"

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Archer shook his head. "It's my weapon. Can't you tell that I'm a wandering bard just by looking at me?"

"No. I've never seen a bard that uses two sticks as his choice of instrument. Can you play a tune with that?"

"I play drums."

"Oh, then where is your drum?"

"Anything that I can hit with my stick, then that is my drum." Archer finished the last morsel of poultry inside the bowl and burped. "Wow, this is satisfying, man."

Melek smiled in satisfaction. "Of course, that's my wife's cooking. Nothing can beat that."

Archer took out the money from his pocket and gave it to Melek. "Here's the payment for a job well done. I would surely eat here the next time I visit Krabby Kraft."

"Thank you, great customer." Melek grabbed the money and hid it inside his inner robe. Satisfied, he offered a handshake and said, "I'm Melek."

"The Wandering Bard, Archer." Archer greeted him back as he accepted the friendly gesture. "Anyway, do you know where the Mercenary guild is?"

Melek had a reminiscing look for a few seconds, his hands trembled slightly for a few seconds, then it became normal once again. "Why? Are you a mercenary as well?"

Archer noticed the change in Melek's expression but he did not expose him, and answered, "I'm not a mercenary but I want to become one." 

"I see." Melek went back to the counter and took a blank paper from the drawer and wrote something on it. When he was done, he approached Archer and gave him the paper. "Here. Take this. Just present it to anyone working inside the Mercenary Guild and they will accept you right away. This is in payment for your appreciation of my wife's cooking."

Archer grabbed the note and hid it inside his pocket without reading it first. "Thanks for the help. Don't mind me asking but are you a mercenary?"

Melek nodded his head first, then shook it right after. "Ex-mercenary."

"Swordsman?"

"Axeman."

"Oh..." Archer was about to ask him another question when he heard a creaking sound. He looked behind him, and sure enough, there were visitors: a female in a skimpy dress, with a long V-line, almost exposing her cleavages, and a short freckled-faced man with a dagger on his belt. 

"Hey, garbage! Give me a drink for me and my partner here. Anyway, come here, Eloisa. Make yourself comfortable."

"Yes, Hart." Eloisa looked around the tavern and snorted. "So this is how the champion earns his money nowadays. Poor thing."

"Well, a customer's a customer no matter if it's a rat or a bitch." Melek returned to the counter and started wiping the bottles. "Just tell us your order so you can start eating and leave right away. Don't wanna let my tavern stink early morning."

Hart unsheathed his dagger and pointed it at Melek. "Fuck you! You are the rat!"

Eloisa extended her hands, her palms blazing in red. "You talk one more time and I will show you who's the real bitch here."

Melek sneered. "Oh? Isn't it obvious who's the real bitch? As if nobody knows that you fucked most of the members of the Mercenary Guild, you whore..."

Eloisa put her hands together, forming a huge ball of fire before her, and shoved it forward. The temperature inside the tavern went up a notch as the fireball zoomed toward Melek.

Hart threw the dagger, which had a tint of green along its sharp tip, which flew faster than the fireball. His target was the same - Melek.

Melek simply shrugged his shoulders as he summoned his battleax and swatted the dagger like a fly. He followed it up with a single thrust, hitting the fireball, which was bounced back to where Eloisa and Hart was. "You better make sure that you don't damage anything here or I will tell your boss what you are doing behind his back."

Eloisa's eyes widened and looked behind her. "Hart, do something to quench the fireball!"

Hart looked around and saw Archer standing quietly as if watching their battle as entertainment. "Why not use a spell to guide the fireball on that guy?"

Eloisa nodded and extended her hands sideways, and gushes of wind, like a hurricane, covered her body. As soon as the fireball hit her spell, she clenched her fists and the rapid winds surrounded the fireball. She then guided it by pushing it forward, this time, towards Archer.

Archer was still checking the System Page when he noticed the huge greenish fireball moving closer to him. He could just dodge it but if he moved, Melek's tavern would be destroyed. Since he knew that he had an indestructible body, he opened his arms and hugged the fireball, blasting him backward. Luckily, the pillow acted as a cushion and eliminated the impact, thereby protecting the wall. Clouds of smokes were everywhere.

Melek's eyes narrowed in a slit when he saw Archer being hit by a spell. "Archer! Are you okay?!"

Eloisa snorted. "Do you think that person is still alive, stupid?"

"You killed an innocent person!"

Hart rolled his eyes. "As if he is an important person. It's his fault for being weak."

"But he is my precious customer, shithead!"

"Hey! What's happening here?!" Erica exited the kitchen and noticed that the place was chaotic, and looked around until she found her husband standing behind the counter. "Dear, are you okay?"

Before Melek could reply, he heard a familiar voice, saying, "Is it my turn this time?"