Apolo and Homero continued talking about their lives for a few more hours. On one hand, Homero wanted to make the most of the reunion and farewell with his older brother, while Apolo was curious about the outside world beyond the castle walls. Consequently, the conversation naturally extended well into the evening.
Since Apolo's family had already organized a reception party in honor of Homero for the next day, he reluctantly bid farewell to Apolo and began his journey back to the castle. On the other hand, Apolo met up with some trader friends of his younger brother's and, following Homero's instructions, informed them that he would be joining their caravan from now on.
As expected, the traders accepted Apolo's demand, though with a forced politeness, and informed him that the caravan would be departing before nightfall.
With little time or desire to explore the village, Apolo decided to settle into his carriage, trusting that his two carriage drivers would naturally handle all the mundane issues that could arise due to his lack of experience and willingness. And indeed, that's exactly what happened!
Fortunately for Apolo's survival, the drivers had been warned in advance by his mother and were prepared to deal with a myriad of problems from now on. However, for these two drivers, this was practically a unique opportunity: stepping up from mere servants to the butlers of a magician was a massive leap in their career.
The first mundane issue that arose for the drivers was managing Apolo's meals. Both drivers knew this was a sensitive subject, given that their young master hardly ate anything. So, the two drivers gathered at the entrance of a tavern to discuss the first significant challenge in their new lives.
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—Did you bring the list of things our master eats, Mateo?— asked the belongings carriage driver, an old man with white hair. As his hair color suggested, he had ample experience as a servant and had served Apolo's family for nearly 60 years. This had earned him the absolute trust of the family's head, which was why he was given this opportunity.
—Yes, father— Mateo replied, showing a little black notebook. Mateo, in contrast, was the driver of the carriage in which Apolo traveled. He was much younger, around 30 years old, with bright blonde hair.
—Alright, try to read out some dishes. Most likely, the tavern keeper, like the majority of commoners, can't read, so you'll need to explain it to them— said Orrin, Mateo's father, with some expectation. In the empire, trades were inherited from father to son, so it was logical for Orrin to ensure his son inherited the important position of becoming a magician's butler, thereby securing a better future for him. Thus, the old man had made sure his son would be the driver of the carriage in which Apolo traveled.
—Ch-chicken s-soup?— Mateo read, somewhat hesitatingly. While his father had taught him to read, he didn't have many chances to practice.
—Very well, we have more than enough money. Go into the tavern and demand that they cook that dish immediately— Orrin instructed, handing a black card to his son.
—"Demand" it? Shouldn't I "ask" for it?— Mateo asked hesitantly, while accepting the card, which served as a form of payment. The card only stored the empire's true currency: "Crystals". These crystals were crystal-like stones similar to gems but with special properties very useful to almost all noble families, making them quite valuable and used as a medium of exchange. Since the crystals were rather large, they weren't usually used directly, and wealthy individuals used some object to store them, similar to the black card Mateo had just received.
—Yes, "demand" it. Remember, we're operating under the name of a noble family. Anyway, pay the food bill to the innkeeper; that way, we ensure it's well-prepared— Orrin calmly explained as he walked off to watch over the carriages.