The restaurant we decided to eat at was a well established locale that was family owned for generations: The Golden Hare. Luckily, being the son of the Duke has some privileges in the duchy such as getting a table for everyone in a secluded area. The owner himself came out to greet us and take our orders which was a pleasant surprise for someone who had only every gone to average restaurants in his previous life. The owner skillfully noted down all of our orders before leaving us to prepare the food.
"Master Ray on behalf of the knights, we would like to thank you once again for your consideration of us."
"As I said before Reiia, you are all my people which means that we should get to know each other in preparation for the future. Now, let's move onto more pleasant things like this restaurant! Ana, do you know anything about The Golden Hare?" I looked expectantly at her since she usually had all sorts of information in her head.
"Well, now that you mention it, I do know a bit about its history. The restaurant got its name from an old fairy tale famous in the region back when forests were abundant and animals still roamed the land. As the story goes, there used to be a golden hare that was treated as a local deity due to the miracles it would bring to the villagers. Whenever it would appear, the harvests would be plentiful and the village would prosper. The villagers would offer gifts to a shrine dedicated to the golden hare and hold festivals in its honor. This continued for years until eventually the golden hare disappeared, never to return again."
I looked at Ana with amazement. I had not heard of this story before from EoR, and it further reinforced the idea that this world has a huge amount of lore that I don't know about. My knowledge of this world barely even scratches the surface of what it really contains. While I was thinking this, the knights talked with Ana about the story and were having a merry time.
After laughing and talking for a bit, the food finally arrived with a procession of waiters bringing us various delicacies. The aroma emanating from the dishes had me constantly swallowing my saliva, and the same could be said for the others whose eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets. There were various pieces of meat, poultry, fresh artisanal bread, vibrant vegetables, and even a thick porridge like substance. The waiters politely bowed after placing all the items and filling our drinks before excusing themselves.
"Time to dig in everyone, I hope this small feast is to your liking!"
I raised my glass as I said this and everyone cheered before digging into the wonderful dishes placed before us. Man oh man, this food was the most delicious stuff I've had in my entire life. The bold flavors and the freshness of it all made me want to cry. People would think that the culinary world would be far behind Earth's but they couldn't be further from the truth. Almost no one spoke while we gorged ourselves on the food. The few words that did come up were either praise for the cooks or to pass something on the table.
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It took us a bit to finish everything, but everyone had a smile on their face as they discussed the delicious meal we just had. I had prepared the money in advance so we could get a move on, but when the owner showed up he refused my money.
"Master Ray, your wellbeing and presence at our establishment is payment enough. We are just pleased that your party enjoyed the food."
He was smiling the entire time but not paying didn't sit well with me.
"I appreciate the gesture, but it would be unfair of me to not pay for this delicious meal and amazing service. If you won't accept my money for the food, then use this money for the workers instead. They deserve a reward for the hospitality they provided us. I hope to visit the Golden Hare again in the near future."
I handed the owner the money as I said this and began walking out. The servers that had seen me do this all thanked me and bowed as we left the restaurant. I was in a jovial mood because of all that had happened so far and wanted to explore as much of Granbell as possible before we departed to Ludisveil.
"Let's go to the flower field next everyone! I heard it's a famous landmark in the Culipa empire that attracts couples from around the continent with its majestic landscapes and romantic scenery."
Reiia and Ana looked at me with an odd expression at my destination but shrugged their shoulders as they guided us to the flower field. Growing up, my mother had raised various flowers and plants in our garden. I'd occasionally help whenever I was free, and came to appreciate their beauty and meanings. Tulips were our favorite flower and we had been planning a trip together to visit the Netherlands... As I thought about my mother, a wave a sadness came over me, almost stopping me in my tracks. Ever since I had gotten to this world and taken on the role of Ray Glouse, I had barely thought about the people I had left behind back on Earth. Just thinking about the friends and family that I couldn't talk to made my eyes start watering. I quickly wiped them before the others could see me in this state. I had to resolve myself, there were too many things I needed to get done before the start of the main story and I needed to compartmentalize these memories of home.
We arrived at the flower fields while I was lost in thought, but quickly regained my composure as the vast fields of flowers entered my vision. I truly looked like a country bumpkin with my reaction, and I could hear a couple of snorts and giggles from my party. The myriad of colors that were on display painted a natural rainbow across the landscape.
"Ray, welcome to one of the beauties of the continent: the Rainbow Fields!" Ana excitedly announced this while walking down a neatly kept path.
The variety of flowers was astonishing, and the marble columns located throughout the fields contained a magic orb that regulated the temperature and humidity for them to thrive. There were tourists everywhere out in the fields also enjoying the romantic atmosphere while tour guides walked around explaining the history of the fields.
I explored the fields and even had one of the guides explain to me the history briefly as the others grabbed some snacks nearby. The Rainbow Fields were made by Roland Glouse, one of my ancestors, as a gift to his future wife Isabella of Pulina. It was an arranged marriage to make peace between the two empires, but Roland had fallen head over heels for Isabella during their first meeting. He had learned that Isabella was an admirer of flowers, and thus had ordered its construction to win her heart. It ended up working, and the two were inseparable as the story goes.
The more I learn and explore this world, the deeper in love with it I fall. The smile on my face didn't disappear even as we headed back to the inn to end the day. Tomorrow we would be going to Ludisveil, and my timer for my missions should be almost complete. I was excited to visit another location, and had trouble falling asleep because of the excitement.