When Trinket tried to join in on a group hug, Violet and Daire returned to their usual selves. Trinket lathered Daire's face in slobber and Violet made a quick retreat, not wanting to take a bad breath bath.

"Alright, Trinket, thank you-Thank You, my wounds are all better-"

Trinket put his tongue in Daire's open mouth.

"GAH! Trinket. Ick. I told you to stop that!"

Daire was wiping his tongue with his hand while slithering backward under the cart to escape.

Violet was laughing now. Doubled over and unable to maintain flight, emotions running through a whirlwind.

"Trinket! No! Bad boy. No! Don't come any closer. N-"

Trinket grabbed Daire's leg with his paws and dragged the mess of a man out, continuing his licking service.

Violet was rolling on the ground now, different kinds of tears forming in her eyes.

An order came from Daire.

"Trinket. Sit."

Trinket sat.

"Roll over."

Trinket rolled over.

"Roll over."

Trinket rolled the other way.

"Roll over."

Again.

This happened a few more times. Both black bear and pixie rolling on the ground getting caked in dirt. Until Trinket caught on that there was no purpose to this other than to keep him busy.

Blowing a raspberry, Trinket huffed and walked back to guard the entrance.

Violet managed to stop cackling and schooled herself.

Daire was looking at Violet with a stupid grin.

Both normal again.

=

Daire was experiencing significantly less pain and could even move his arm to some extent. The stitches in his other arm were still there, irritated but otherwise fine. He decided to simply get on with his day. If he decided to call it quits and laid down for sleep, he would never rise.

"Hey Violet, can you go out and find a good spot to set up a stall? I am going to make some finishing touches on the grill. Don't worry, no more Fire magic. Never again."

Violet looked askew at first but then nodded.

"Alright, is anywhere fine? What kind of spot should I look for?"

"Try to find a spot on the main thoroughfare where a lot of people will pass by on their way home. Since we don't need any paperwork or license in this town, we will just set up shop. Oh, and if that spot happens to be within sight of the rat vendor, all the better!"

Daire grinned maliciously, scheming.

He felt something tickle him at the idea of completely running that guy out of business. He was a joke of a cook. Daire was pretty sure the man had shady ties. Where could he keep finding rats to cook? Did he run a rat farm? There were no sewers, so that meant the man was catching the rats in alleys by hand. Or he was supplied.

"Is the dinner rush bigger than the lunch rush?"

"Always.

"Then I'll hurry to find a good spot; see you in a flash."

Daire thanked her as she flew off.

Standing up, taking a moment to not vomit due to vertigo, he moved back to his grill. The iron was stitched together in a mostly uniform waffle pattern. Daire just needed to raise it over a fire.

Efficiently casting Earth magic, lifting the grill, creating a hollow box underneath. Nothing fancy, just three walls of compact dirt and a floor. It had enough space for a small fire. He made an identical box with the same dimensions next to it to use as a counter, register, and storage.

Daire made tiny gyroscope rollers on the corners to act as wheels. They could move on their own or be moved with magic if need be.

Taking some spare wood, he made several dozen skewers and toothpicks. He refined them down using earth magic and maintained a rigid structure so they won't snap easily. He also carved a cutting board and a crude spoon.

Magic has so many utilities.

Taking a final moment to write Violet Spark Trading in calligraphy on the stall's front, he felt Violet's presence again. She arrived in a small flash of electric light as she said.

"I was able to find a spot near a cross street. The rat guy won't be nearby, but I thought you'd prefer a better business avenue."

Daire blinked.

"That is amazing! I just finished up, so lets head over before the spot is stolen."

=

Daire and Violet were moving to their ideal location with Trinket towing the cart behind them. Daire would mainly cook, Violet would act as a crier/register, and Trinket took the role of bodyguard to warn runners. If someone failed to pay for their food, they would become food.

Daire would stop it, obviously, but the threat was there.

Right now, he was explaining how money worked to Violet.

"Coppers are the lowest currency. 1 copper will get you a single ingredient such as a carrot or a potato. 20 coppers are the average daily income of the working class. This varies slightly from carpenter to stonemason, to laborer, but is generally accurate. Of course, if someone practices their trade for a long time and isn't on the bottom rung, this doesn't apply."

"The next denomination is a Silver. 100 coppers are equal to 1 silver. Simple. Someone can usually buy a decent outfit or a nice piece of furniture with a silver. The average worker can earn a silver after a workweek."

Daire observed Violet for traces of smoke coming out of her ears.

"You following so far?"

Violet nodded. At full attention.

Smiling.

"Stop me if you have a question."

Daire continued the lecture.

"Gold is the next denomination and the most iconic. 100 silvers are equal to 1 gold coin. Gold is used in most businesses, restaurants, trade agreements, and so on. Adventurers are usually paid in gold when completing jobs. We'll visit the Adventurers Branch tomorrow to see about a proper tour."

"Lastly, a Platinum is unique. It represents 1000 gold coins. It is seldom used except in the purchase of magical items of large trade agreements. You can't use just any platinum either; it has to be imprinted with the Kingdom's crest. Most normal men will never live to see platinum."

"As for the rules of our cart... Let's say we do not accept gold or platinum. We will sell our food in mostly uniform measurements for 20 coppers a meal. They do not get their meal unless they pay first. If they have a problem, they can talk to Trinket."

Trinket mooed.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

"Also, no more than three meals per person. We can make exceptions if they explain extraordinary extenuating circumstances, but we want to be strict with this rule. It would be bad to run out of rabbits too soon."

Daire watched Violet taking all this in, trying to commit it all to memory. She had her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth in a cute manner.

"On top of acting as a register, you need to act as a crier, attracting attention to the cart. Make sure the customers line up on your side to pay, then move to line up on my side to receive their meals. Keeping them in line is paramount to not getting robbed, starting fights, or worse. Use Trinket or show off a bit of magic to keep them in line."

"I will prepare the meat, cut it, and cook it. I may need your help to season it. If you can do a fly-by, sprinkling a few ingredients, that would help. But only if you are not overwhelmed by other tasks."

Violet was holding her head now. Swirling.

Daire laughed.

"Don't worry too much. Once we start, you will get the hang of things. I will be right next to you, helping the entire way. Let's start with our meals first. I promised you a new dish, didn't I?"

Violet's eyes sparkled.

"Ooooh. What is it? You still have skewers, so is it not a kebab? Are you sure it's different?"

"Don't worry, even if it looks a little similar, it will taste magical."

"You said you wouldn't use Fire magic."

"Not that kind of magical. It was a pun. I mean that it will taste heavenly."

"Oh. Okay then. I can't wait!"

Reaching the spot Violet was leading them to, Daire noticed it was at an intersection just off the center Bazar, on the south side of town. Milton's south side appeared more residential than the others, so this was one of the best spots Violet could have picked.

Happy he had such good company, he set the stall up in position and had Trinket wheel the cart behind them. Trinket maneuvered out of the driving position and laid down in their area, yawning.

Getting to work, Daire grabbed two rabbits out of the top hatch. He belatedly realized he should have made a prep area apart from the counter. Using magic in the open was risky in his mind, so he used the back of the cart as a prep area for now.

Twisted their necks, he ended their lives painlessly. Daire had quickly gotten used to this. Just like a chicken...

Daire lit a normal fire with normal flint and steel.

Flinching when it lit, he backed away and addressed Violet.

"Keep an eye on the heat for me for now; make sure it doesn't suddenly go out."

"No problem."

Violet nodded gravely.

Skinning was also quick, not necessarily professional, but adequate. Draining the blood into one of the now-empty barrels, he got rid of all the foul, intestine, and liver. They could be cooked, but they just made things more complicated right now.

Chopping the rabbits up into sections, he sported them into a bowl in the market.

He mixed a few unique herbs along with garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Adding salt and an olive oil substitute, smushing it together, adding a dash of honey and a squeeze of lemon... This made it more tangy than spicy.

Combining the mixture with his rabbit pieces, they became coated in a glaze.

Daire placed the legs and shoulders near the end of the grill first. Deciding to maximize his time as people started to come out for dinner, he butchered a couple more rabbits and started draining them.

Absently thinking wishing the grill was larger, Daire placed the other prepared pieces while going back to cut the drained rabbits to bits.

"Violet, can you sprinkle some of that pepper on top of each of the pieces? Not a lot, just a pinch."

=

Violet had been staring the whole time, drooling as the meat sizzled and the unique scent wafted through the air, hypnotizing her. She was able to register Daire's request and grabbed several grains of pepper in her hands. The pepper itself was a completely foreign scent that intrigued her. Sprinkling grains of pepper on each piece of meat, it almost seemed like the sound of the sizzling picked up. The small pops and crackles as the glaze and meat cooked were extremely satisfying.

Completely enthralled, forgetting her main jobs.

After watching Daire prepare more ingredients, cut more rabbits, place them on the grill, and so on, Violet couldn't help but feel like they needed a larger grill.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Trinket on his feet, pointed like a dart, eyeing the food, unblinking.

Daire finished cooking.

=

For doing a completely amateur job, completing some steps in the wrong order, using substitute ingredients, and operating a grill for the first time ever... Daire was incredibly proud. He was beaming from ear to ear as he looked at Violet, completely transfixed on the meal he was making. He could see a handful of passerby's slow down and look at his stall.

They all stopped in unison as Violet was served a grilled rabbit skewer.

Violet held her Violet-sized portion reverently, and after a drawn-out gulp, she bit.

Juices sprayed, some liquid running down her chin. Her lips were stained with the glaze, and she chewed with her eyes closed, letting out a tiny moan.

The highest praise he could be given.

Daire noticed a few people come up to the stall. With Violet still transfixed in her meal, he decided to help the first few customers.

His first customer was a normal looking man with a shaved head. He walked up, led by his nose, and stared at the meat for a moment. Daire spoke up first.

"Hello, would you like some grilled rabbit? It's 20 coppers for a skewer."

The man looked up, his eyes bugging out a bit. 20 coppers were probably the entirety of what he made today. Despite this, Daire could already see the conclusion to the internal argument held in the man's head.

"I'll take one... please."

The man was gazing longingly at the meat sizzling in front of him.

"That'll be twenty coppers first; then I will grab a serving for you."

That man looked back up at Daire, hurt by this notion but quickly dug the coppers out and counted them over to Daire. When they were all received, Daire speared both a shoulder, a leg and a smaller cube for his first paying customer.

"Here you are. You can keep the skewer when done."

Oblivious to the words, the worker took his meal and immediately dug in right then and there. He chewed like a savage animal, but there was a blissful expression on his face and tears forming in his eyes.

There is no way it's that good...

Or so Daire thought. But to a starving worker who hasn't tasted true meat in over a month, this brand new dish was heaven sent—all for only a day's salary.

Daire noticed Violet emerge from her meal, licking her fingers. Her expression was difficult for Daire to look at, as it wasn't something he normally saw on a lady. Instead, he was tending to the meat, flipping them and making sure they were cooked evenly.

"Looks like we have more customers Violet, can you handle it?"

=

Violet was somewhere between nirvana and eternal bliss. This meat. This sauce This taste! The way it melted in her mouth. Popped and crackled. The juices running down her chin and sticking to her lips. The way it slid down her throat and warmed her belly.

Violet shivered.

"-can you handle it?"

Coming out of the euphoria, she heard the end of Daire's question. Looking around, she saw Daire cooking, a man standing nearby digging into his meal with tears rolling down his face, and three other people in line. Two men were looking at the man with tears. The woman in front was looking down at her with wide eyes. She was a burly woman, but her voice was soft.

"Was... Was it really that good for you?"

The woman looked down at her with a strange passion in her eyes.

Violet's face couldn't be redder as she wiped her lips and cleaned her appearance in less than a second. Clearing her throat.

"Yes. It was good. If you would like a skewer, that will be twenty coppers, please."

The woman slapped twenty coppers on the table. Violet counted and directed her towards the other line, shooing the crying man aside with small controlled shocks. She took the orders of the other two men. One didn't have enough money on him at the moment. He tried begging at first but quickly ran off when Trinket started growling.

Violet moved the coins down under the table. It was slightly difficult as they were a little large for her, but she was quick about it. Several people were walking by, staring at the crying men and the woman who ran off with her skewer.

Violet realized this was the advertising bit Daire mentioned.

Flying up into the air, slightly above average eye level, Violet used some of her mana to make herself glow a light azure color.

"Violet Spark Trading is selling grilled rabbits for 20 coppers a meal! First come, first serve. You may have a maximum of three meals. Come and enjoy while it is hot!"

"A fairy?"

"Only twenty coppers for meat?"

"Why are those men crying?"

"Did you see that woman run off with a perverted look on her face?"

There was a slight chatter as several people started discussing the intoxicating smells and the customers' odd reactions. Many came up and decided to try it, while a few could only walk away with a defeated expression. Many more workers decided to pay their day's salary for a single meal. Two individuals came back for seconds and one rotund man who paid for three meals using a silver. He had actually complained that he would spend another silver for more meat but was adamantly rejected.

The one customer who ran off earlier actually came back, borrowing money from someone.

Daire was having trouble keeping up with demand. The meat took a while to cook, and he could only field so much of it. Preparing more rabbits, sauce, and glaze took time. His injured arms were bothering him and he was slowing down. The pain was starting to set in again. Distracting.

At one point, ten people were waiting for their food. They didn't move a step, though. They saw that nearly all the men walked away crying tears of joy. They also watched with mixed expressions as they saw the second woman customer of the day not run away with her meal. She ate it on the spot, succumbing to the same instincts that took over Violet earlier. Luckily, Violet noticed before the woman really embarrassed herself, having Trinket trot in front of her to block the view. Daire took this opportunity to treat Trinket with his well-deserved meal.

After witnessing the female customer letting out moans of pleasure, a group of four women who were walking by approached the counter in a trance. Paying for three meals each.

Violet could hear them whisper to each other.

"Have you ever heard that from another woman?"

"I don't think I've ever made that sound before."

"My husband can't get a peep out of me."

Violet was slightly worried about the crazed look in their eyes.

After this, Daire cut off sales. The reactions worried him, but his main reasons were that he would either run completely out of energy, rabbits, ingredients, or time. The sun was gone, and the only lights in the street were that of the grill fire, the shimmering azure-colored Violet, some soft glows from inside family abodes, and suffused moonlight flickering past cloud cover.

After the last group of women bid a hasty retreat to enjoy their meals in a more private location, Daire cut off the fire. Sitting back onto the ground. His arms hanging limply at his sides.

They worked non-stop for around five hours. Daire never stopped to eat his own meal. One large piece of meat remained on the grill, still warm.

Violet watched as Daire tiredly grabbed the meal at took a bite.

He perked up slightly. Rejuvenated. Daire dug into the delicious meal. Violet licked her lips, wishing she could have another one. Or several.

When Daire was done, he fidgeted around for a while, uncomfortable. Turning to Violet, he spoke for the first time in hours.

"Do you remember that gnome we bought from and how his gnome's rule stated that we had to buy those extra herbs?

"The one before the nice tangerine lady?"

"Yeah."

"What about him."

Daire felt at his wrist, feeling his blood pressure.

"I think he punked us."

"What do you mean punked?"

Violet was puzzled.

"I am pretty sure those orange leaves he sold us are a type of aphrodisiac. They seem to be stronger on women too. What an evil little gnome..."

Violet's faced turned red. The electric glow that illuminated her abruptly went out.