True to Azure’s words, they arrived in a village the next day, on track with Lusya’s schedule. It remained to be seen if that would hold, but, for now, Azure’s sudden addition had offered no delays. Lusya was still skeptical. One day did not make a pattern.

There was a palpable difference in atmosphere from the last town, for reasons not at all mysterious. People stared, but it was more in the way they had elsewhere. Curious, perhaps even confused, but not suspicious or hostile. Many eyes also stayed glued to Azure rather than Lusya or Ariya.

Even the voices were different. The hushed murmurs passing from person to person were awed and reverent, rather than fearful and accusatory. Of course, all that had nothing to do with any minor differences between the two villages and everything to do with Azure.

Lusya did not care much about the villagers’s opinions, but it was true that having them take a more favorable view could have its benefits. It could make them more cooperative if Lusya’s group needed to ask for information for whatever reason, and it could even lead to more favorable prices. With that considered, Azure’s presence was a net benefit so far.

Azure took the lead as they walked. Lusya had implicitly agreed to accompany Azure on her intended route through the valley, so it was natural for her to take charge. That said, this village was one Lusya had intended to pass through. There was only so much their routes could differ here, and Azure being so close to Lusya and Ariya had suggested she had been going to the same place at the time.

“Wow, I’m starving,” Azure said. Outside of the occasional smile as someone passed, she didn’t seem to acknowledge all the attention she was getting. Lusya supposed she had little choice but to ignore it. If Azure even just greeted everyone gawking, it would slow her down immensely, and, much as for Lusya and Ariya, it was likely this way in most rural areas to some extent. “Is anyone else really hungry?”

“Me!” Ariya replied with an excited hop.

“I am hungry, though not exceptionally so,” Lusya said.

“Let’s go get us a hot meal, then,” Azure said. “Speaking of which, good job on the cooking, Lusya. It was much better than I was expecting. Or I could make. It was so good I forgot to thank you before.”

“It is appreciated,” Lusya said.

She would not deny her skills had improved, and she did not dislike having access to tastier meals now, but the skill was a functional one to her. It had been acquired to mollify Ariya. Lusya was satisfied she had improved as much as she had, but she did not think she would have ever missed cooking ability had she not been forced to learn.

Azure chuckled, though Lusya did not know what about her response had been humorous, and dropped the topic. She looked around until she found a man standing outside a house, looking around. He did not seem to be doing much of anything other than humming a tune to himself. Perhaps he was waiting for someone or lost in thought.

“Excuse me,” she said.

The man jumped and shouted as though she had materialized from thin air in front of him. Their approach had not been stealthy, and Azure’s uniform was anything but. He looked her over and his eyes widened before he lowered into a clumsy bow, with his hand over the right side of his chest rather than his heart. The western bow used by the Sacred Knights was also the standard in this area, but the common folk did not often bow, so it was not surprising that he did not know how.

“How can I help you, Lady Knight?” he asked.

“Would you mind pointing me toward the inn?” she replied. “My companions and I are tired and hungry.”

The man nodded, almost eager. “Of course. Turn right at the second road that way, go straight for about two minutes, and it’s on the left.”

“Thank you.”

“Oh, it’s my pleasure, Lady Knight,” he said with a smile. “I hope all of you enjoy what we have to offer. Thank you for all you do.”

“I don’t need any thanks, but you’re welcome,” Azure replied. She turned back toward Lusya and Ariya. “Well, let’s go, then.”

She started walking without waiting for any agreement, though Lusya followed anyway, hand-in-hand with Ariya.

“Wow, that was completely different from before,” Ariya said. She threw a look back at the man that transitioned from a pensive frown to an irritated scowl to a cheerful grin.

Azure looked back at her and raised an eyebrow. “What was it like before?”

Ariya recounted their treatment in the last village. She played up the hostility of the villagers more than a little, describing them as hurling insults nonstop and their glares as murderous. Lusya corrected these inaccuracies as they came up, drawing a chuckle from Azure each time.

“That must have been hard,” she said when Ariya finished. “People can be nasty about things they don’t understand.”

“Yeah,” Ariya said with a nod. “They’re mean.”

“I guess we can consider that another perk of traveling with me.” Azure smirked, much more smug than Lusya felt the content of the conversation thus far warranted. “I’ll make sure nobody is mean to either of you.”

“I do not care if others are ‘mean’ to me,” Lusya said. “But you may do as you wish.”

Azure’s smirk evolved into an even smugger grin. “Trust me, I will.”

They arrived at the inn moments later. It was a stark contrast to the last one, inside and out. The sign outside was clean and good as new. The inn’s name, the World Cuisine Inn—an interesting choice of name—was painted on the sign along with a stylized depiction of a chef happily preparing a meal, all in vibrant colors and fresh paint, no blemishes or damage in sight. Likewise, the facade of the building itself didn’t show any signs of wear or tear. It might have been in the best shape of any building in the village.

The inside was much the same, everything was clean and well-maintained. As far as Lusya could tell, nothing was visibly damaged.

There were three other parties present. One was still eating, while the others sat around tables stacked with empty plates and cups, conversing. A man Lusya assumed was the innkeeper stood behind the counter, seemingly observing his customers. He was of average height and build with pale blond hair. There wasn’t much remarkable about him.

Azure approached the counter and paid for two rooms. Lusya was not familiar with how the Sacred Knights were paid, but it was no surprise that money was not a concern for a Paladin. Regardless of her actual pay, it was a distinct possibility that she had been supplied with ample funds specifically for this trip.

“Thank you for your patronage, Lady Knight,” the innkeeper said with needless gravity for someone using his inn. “Sit wherever you’d like, and take as long as you need to decide what you want.”

He waved toward the board with various dishes written on it, a rudimentary menu. Compared to everything else, it was rather primitive in appearance. However, the wood was colored lightly enough and the writing large enough that it was easy to read, and there were quite a few options.

“Thank you,” Azure replied. “Let’s find a table, girls.”

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Despite the inclusive nature of the suggestion, she immediately strode to a nearby table and sat down on her own. Lusya had no objection to the choice, so she said nothing about it. If anything, it was a good choice. The table was positioned so that all of them would have an easy time reading the menu without moving. Perhaps all the tables should have been like that, but that did not seem to be the case.

Many of the other patrons felt the need to point out Lusya’s group to each other. There were quite a few of them, all things considered. Almost every seat was occupied. Lusya estimated that over ten percent of the village’s population was in this building, though some of the other patrons may have also been travelers. For once, it was someone other than Lusya herself that they were most fixated on, that being Azure. They stared, pointed, and muttered to each other. After a couple minutes however, most seemed to lose interest and return to their own business.

“Oh, apple pie!” Ariya said, pointing at the menu. It was listed rather prominently with a small picture surrounded by a heart next to the text. The innkeeper must have been rather proud of his recipe. “I’m getting that.”

“Have you ever had apple pie?” Lusya asked.

“A couple times. It’s delicious.”

“It sure is,” Azure said.

“The point is moot,” Lusya said. “It is a dessert.”

Ariya crossed her arms with a huff. “So? Who said I can’t have dessert for dinner?”

“I did,” Lusya said. “Along with whoever decided the basic nutritional requirements for human children.”

“Whoever that guy is, I hate him,” Ariya said, pouting.

Hate was a strong word. True hatred would have sparked a stronger Malice reaction. Lusya was not sure Ariya was capable of such a sentiment. Ariya had even expressed sympathy for the bandits who had enslaved her.

“One slice for dessert is fine, right?” Azure asked. “For each of us, of course.”

Ariya latched onto those words, staring at Lusya with wide eyes and hands folded as if in prayer.

“I suppose that can be allowed,” Lusya said.

“Yay!” Ariya said, pumping a fist. “You’re definitely the second-best, Azure!”

Azure sighed. “I know you mean that as a compliment, but it sure doesn’t sound like one.”

Ariya tilted her head, but a wench approached the table before Ariya could speak. “Lady Knight, have you and your companions decided what you’ll be eating?”

“I have,” Azure said. “I’ll have the half roast chicken. And some ale, please.”

“Of course,” the wench said, before looking at Ariya and Lusya. “Anyone else?”

Ariya frowned at the menu for a moment, humming in thought. “What’s schnitzel?”

“Breaded meat, essentially,” Azure said.

“That sounds good,” she said. She giggled. “Plus, it’s a funny word. I’ll have that.”

The wench smiled, then turned to Lusya. “And you, miss?”

“The beef and potato hash,” Lusya said. It was an arbitrary decision, based on the first thing her eyes had settled on on the menu.

“Excellent,” the wench said. “I will bring that out as soon as it is ready.”

With that, she left. Azure frowned at Lusya, and Lusya tilted her head to blink twice.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Why did you order that?” Azure asked.

“It seemed reasonably appealing,” Lusya replied.

Azure’s frown became a scowl. “But was it the best thing? Really?”

Lusya shook her head. “I did not read closely enough to know. I selected the first satisfactory dish I saw. My food preferences are not strong.”

“That’s what Lusya always does when there’s a menu,” Ariya added. “Sometimes she just asks for whatever’s most popular or something.”

Azure pursed her lips. “That’s no good. You were never a picky eater, true, but that’s no reason not to eat what you like when you have the option.”

Lusya skimmed over the menu again. “There is nothing I feel strongly enough about to make a meaningful decision.”

Azure smiled. “I guess we’ll have to see about that, then, won’t we?”

Lusya blinked again, unsure what that was supposed to mean. She had made her opinion known. What else was there to see about? Azure looked at the menu once more, then leaned back in her chair and waited with a smug smile.

The wench returned a moment later with the various dishes, as well as some bread, water, and Azure’s drink. Azure took a sip of her drink and let out a contented sigh.

“Ah, wine is great and all, but there’s just something about cheap ale,” she said before turning her attention to the wench. “Excuse me, but I couldn’t help but notice you had southern-styled pasta on the menu. Quite unusual out here, I’m sure.”

Indeed, it was, though Lusya wasn’t sure what point Azure was making. A big city might have a variety of cuisines, but even then, it was limited by the ability to transport and preserve ingredients. In rural areas, there were the same factors, plus fewer people likely to care to try. As a result, local cuisine tended to dominate, and they were well north of where pasta was popular. That said, there wasn’t much reason it couldn’t have been found here. Ingredients like flour, milk, and tomatoes could be found in plenty of places, and there were ways to preserve them over at least some distance.

This inn did have quite a few dishes that were not typical of such an establishment, though. The menu was quite large and varied, and it went a long way to explaining the inn’s name, although it was more Ysuge’s cuisine than world cuisine. While there were options from all corners of the continent, Lusya did not see anything from other continents, nor anything she did not recognize.

“Oh, yes, it is,” the wench said. “Especially with the damage from the war down there. This is the first time in over a year we’ve been able to offer it, since Mister Wurth insists on using their ingredients.” She looked around, then leaned in and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “See, he’s from somewhere else in the valley. He doesn’t like us to talk about it, but he’s something of a master chef. Studied all around Ysuge with his brother before they came back to start this place. The brother left over some disagreement, but I don’t know all the details. You didn’t hear any of this from me, mind you. He doesn’t like me spreading it around.”

From context, Lusya guessed that Mister Wurth was the innkeeper. She also noted that despite admitting that her employer did not want her to share that information, the wench was quite quick to do so unprompted. Lusya was beginning to suspect that very few people in the world understood the point of a secret.

“It seems there’s more to this place than meets the eye,” Azure said. “In that case, can I trouble you for a plate of that? Don’t skimp on the sauce.”

“It’s no trouble at all, Lady Knight.”

The wench smiled and retreated to the kitchen, and Lusya and the others started their food. Ariya squealed with delight as she chewed her first bite, and Azure gave a more subdued hum of content as she dug into her half a chicken. Lusya’s choice was adequate. It was well-done, but it was a rather simple dish. It did not deviate from her expectations or stand out among similar meals she had eaten. And that was fine. Lusya was not selective with her food, nor did she think enjoying food was particularly important as some did. Eating was a survival activity, not a leisure one. It was not repulsive, so it was fine.

“Don’t eat too much of that, now,” Azure said, waving a fork. “I guarantee you’ll want to save room for your new dinner.”

Lusya doubted she would have a strong opinion on the matter. Still, she was curious what had Azure so confident, and so, she followed Azure’s instructions, only taking a few bites before the wench returned with the pasta.

“Here you are, Lady Knight.”

“Oh, that’s actually for her,” Azure said, pointing to Lusya. “She’s a little shy, so I ordered for her.”

That was a complete lie, but Lusya saw no reason to correct it.

The wench put the plate in front of Lusya and, after confirming that nobody else needed anything at the moment, returned to the kitchen.

Lusya examined the new dish. It was a heap of long, thin cylindrical noodles, topped with a pale red sauce. The chef had taken Azure’s words to heart. There wasn’t an inch of the dish without sauce on it. Some excess had even gathered below the noodles, almost enough to resemble a broth. There were also chunks of sausage mixed in. They, too, were soaked in the sauce. If there had been any more sauce, it might have been unclear what the dish was underneath it all.

“Go on,” Azure prompted. “Try it.”

Lusya gathered some noodles around her fork, speared a sausage, and took a bite. Without hesitating, she went for another one. It was good. The creamy tomato sauce struck an excellent balance of sweet and savory, the sausage had exceptional seasoning, and the noodles were cooked perfectly.

“Well?” Azure asked, before taking a swig of ale.

“It tastes good,” Lusya said. “Better than the other dish. However, I do not believe my methodology was wrong. The difference is not so great that I would have been dissatisfied with the hash.”

Azure waved a hand dismissively. “You’re just saying that to contradict me. It’s not like it would take that much extra effort to order something you like.”

“That is not my motivation,” Lusya replied. “But I suppose you are correct. However, given we will not be here again, I am unsure I will be able to apply it.”

Azure shrugged. “You can do it anywhere. And if there’s really nothing you like more than anything else, then you can fall back on your way.”

Lusya swallowed another bite. “That is viable.”

“Of course it is,” Azure said. “I wouldn’t have suggested it if it wasn’t.” She smiled. “You always liked pasta. And sauce. The more sauce, the better.”

“I see,” Lusya said. She would not deny she enjoyed those things, though she had never seen it as a powerful preference. Still, there was nothing wrong about what Azure had said. Especially about the sauce. There was something indescribably satisfying about a bite dripping with sauce.

“At least you’re not as messy an eater as you used to be,” Azure went on. “Seven-year-old you would have been wearing half of that by now.”

“Is that so?”

“It is.”

Lusya did not remember enough to argue, so she accepted that and went back to eating.

“You know,” Azure said, “you’ve danced around it, but I think you ought to go ahead and admit that I was right.”

“That’s just how Lusya talks,” Ariya said.

“Well, that’s no good. You have to say what you mean, or people might misunderstand you.”

“I have not had that problem,” Lusya said.

“Lusya.” Azure grinned. “I’m not going to stop.”

Lusya blinked. “You were right.”