Erion couldn’t say that the party was not receptive. Just as they presented themselves, Rasla grabbed a chair from another table and put it by her side.

“Come, let us know you a little more and enjoy the incoming spider food. Do you drink ale?”

Timidly, he sat between her and the taciturn Cavalier, seemingly more focused on his thoughts than what happened around him. While the Rasla and Harry seemed somewhat interested in their possible new cook, the other two mostly cared about their drinks and a strange book in Anda’s case.

“Your name’s Erion, right? And you’re a cook… Where did you learn it?” Harry asked with a grin.

“Mostly by myself. I lived in an orphanage where… well, we kids didn’t get much attention from the caretakers making us look for each other, then I worked in some restaurants and had an experience at Hightail Academy...” Erion answered.

“So you have quite a career.” The Warlock smirked “As a dishwater, I presume.”

Anda, without losing focus in her words, heavily stepped on Harry’s foot.

“Ow! It’s just a joke!”

She quickly glanced at him.

“Uh, sorry, Erion.”

The youngster smiled.

“Haha, no problem. I thought it was funny.”

“Yeah...” Harry looked at the Assassin before continuing the conversation. “So… What do you mean by an ‘experience’ at the Academy?”

“I dropped out of it… I guess it just wasn’t for me.”

“Dropped out?! And you want to be a cook for a party like us?!”

Rasla, finishing a big mug of ale, reentered the conversation.

“Oh, come on, don’t be petty. These kind of schools are for stuff like chefs working in fancy restaurants. It was probably the right thing to do if he does want to be a field chef.” She hesitated for a second. “You want it, right?”

He nodded.

“I guess I didn’t know at first, but as time passed I realized what I actually wanted… what I needed to do.”

Silently, they reflected.

And as a thunder, breaking the silence, Wagil opened the kitchen’s door while carrying an enormous cauldron filled with soup and one or two protuberant spider legs. The smell was foul, much like anything else cooked there, and the taste could be anything; someone had to be a pioneer.

“Here it is, my friends, one of my best! It has been some time since the last spider stew but I believe I still got the timing for the poison to wear off… And I see that Erion here is getting along, did he ask you anything yet?”

“Yeah, yeah, old man. He’s coming for us for a little test and we’ll see if he’s good enough, now pour this hideous juice in my plate.”

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The tavern owner growled, trading it for his usual smile right after. Like the other three in the party, he simply ignored Harry’s antics for most of the time.

“I guess we’ve got our last one to be served! Now give me your plate, Rasta.”

Even after he gave everyone a generous amount, the cauldron was still pretty much full for the patron orders. Erion was quite happy with his portion since it contained a particularly fat piece of leg. The five sighed in relief after the first bite proved to not be of terrible taste and texture.

In fact, for the first time, Erion heard Anda saying something:

“Pretty good.”

As Wagil himself expected, a shared meal was a nice way for basic bonding between his (possibly) former apprentice and the apprentice’s (possibly) future party. And they were not afraid to ask for more while refueling their conversation about all the crazy stuff served in The Good Troll’s history. Harry demonstrated actual sympathy when Erion admitted to be able to cook most of them.

“This is good news if you’re in fact going to be our cook! Maybe you can start thinking about a recipe for our upcoming trip!”

The young chef sipped his ale.

“About that… Can I get some info about my test mission? I probably won’t much involved in it but I’d like to know some more.”

Rasla then answered.

“I understand your preoccupation.” Swallowing some of the spider’s hair that were stuck on her teeth, she continued. “Well... It’s nothing special – in fact, it’s one of Wagil’s requests.”

“Which one?” Wagil, until then apart from the conversation, asked while focused on picking up glasses from empty tables.

“Oh, the wolf one. From Aseena.”

“Ah, very nice… A fiery wolf lost in the woods. I can almost smell the smoked fillet and deep fried tail… Don’t even think in cooking a single part of it, Erion!”

“Me?! Never! Haha...” Roasted wolf heart was off the trip’s menu.

“Good, good… And be sure to preserve the meat well! I don’t have enough fingers to count how many spoiled food these four brought me!”

“Hey, old man, you can pay for any food-gathering party in the market, it’s you who insist in contracting us!” Harry said, spilling soup on his pants.

“Bah, shut up and go pick up my wolf meat. I doubt the guilds will let him stay there for too much time – I heard there was a big fire last week, you could see it from Mardewalls, Larick said.”

“We’re planning on leaving today, time won’t be an issue.” Rasla finished her third bowl while Erion almost spitted his second.

“Today?!”

“Yeah, right after this meal, actually.”

“Shit! I should’ve already started packing! There are so much utensils...”

Without too much of a warning, Erion dashed to his room, frenetically putting his travel baggage inside a backpack and a few bags attachable to a belt.

Meanwhile, the group kept eating and drinking for a while, talking to a rather unoccupied Wagil.

“He’s a good kid, Wag. I’d invite him to join on the go but we’re yet to see how he behaves in a tense situation. Being a field cook is more than preparing some meals and hiding in the camp until the turmoil is over.”

“Believe me, he’s more determined than it seems. Specially when it refers to his passion.”

“We’ll see, we’ll see...”

“I just hope his food is alright.” Harry complemented.

After a few minutes and extra spider soup bowls, Erion went down the stairs in full traveling gear. Smiling, he asked:

“Shall we go?”

Even Anda smiled under her wraps.

“If you’re ready, why not? But first, let’s buy you a sword.”

Rasla said, getting up from the chair and casting a great shadow over the severely smaller cook-in-training.