The servant led them up a couple of open stairs, built with thick and lacquered slabs cut from ancient trees, keeping the original outline of the trunk. Seth had to admit, this was a nice idea. The design didn't lose its connection to nature, without looking crude or gimmicky.
On the second floor were fewer, but bigger tables. The second floor had some seats that allowed one to look down at the streets. Most people seated here wore expensive-looking robes and were engaged in more serious talks over their meals. The atmosphere here was calmer than on the first floor.
Many of the conversations were about the Shadow Ghost Cult, a nearby sect that influenced this area. It had mysteriously vanished, and their base had become a domain of death from which nobody returned.
A related topic was the rumors of sects vanishing across the southern region, being replaced by giant trees and the suspected perpetrator, Minas Mar. It seemed like their efforts to spread the rumors of the events had even reached the secular part of the province.
Other snippets Seth picked up as they ascended the stairs seemed like idle talk about the consequences of the system. Monsters attacking travelers and foreign invaders are robbing caravans.
Trade routes had become more dangerous, and the random portals allowing dangerous creatures or invaders to enter were a considerable danger to the ordinary people.
Seth had heard about these changes from Master Mountain. Apart from established danger zones and monster domains, the secular world of the Xi Guang Province used to be safe, apart from the occasional beast or evil cultivator appearing.
After the Voracious Cloud Continent was connected to the Pathworks, they experienced the same changes as Urth. At least they already had established forces and a supernatural power system. Based on the things he picked up, it became more of an inconvenience after the first shock, unless it was a very rural area.
His attention returned to their group as they reached the end of the stairs. The third floor was the highest floor of the restaurant, and the smallest. The difference to the other floors became apparent the moment the three entered. There were no walls. Wooden pillars carried the roof, giving them a 360° panoramic view over Konan.
Only low balustrades, and currently wide open, lattice windows, got in the way of the view. The third floor resembled a pavilion, one like the one Seth had seen earlier, on top of a roof more than an actual third floor.
Although Seth still preferred the skyline of a modern megacity, the view of this foreign fantasy-style city was quite pleasing. It really gave him vacation vibes. On this top floor, there were only 9 tables, arranged in a circle along the open walls.
Three of these tables were already occupied. They were all beside each other, implying that it was the favored direction with the best view. The occupants were another step up from the wealthy-looking guests on the second floor.
They were cultivators.
Seth judged them based on their superior looks, as nobody on the floor looked even close to average. Their robes were closer to color-coded attire, like a uniform, despite clearly being made from high-quality and expensive materials. And- All of them had some sort of weapon with them.
"Please take this table. It has the best view available," the server explained, leading them to a table in line with the other three already occupied ones. The cultivators next to them were joyfully drinking rice wine with snacks, apparently they had already finished their meal.
There were no menu cards, so Seth relied on Mina and Fin to order dishes. Although the two struggled a little with the poetic names, drawing some interest and amusement from their table neighbors, they managed to order their meal, and the server ran off.
They didn't talk, simply enjoying the view. However, as they looked, Seth couldn't ignore the talk that was going on at the neighboring table. There were three men, sharing drinks and eating snacks, jovially talking among each other.
"You were right, the booze here is good, still, it's a shame what happened at The Five-Savoring Flavors. I really liked their 9 Moons Peach Wine," a cultivator in a red robe lamented, after downing a tiny cup of clear liquor.
"Right, truly a shame. I used to enjoy their deep-fried Goldhog Slices," another man in green robes said, audibly salivating at the thought of the dish.
"What happened at The Five-Savoring Flavors?" the fairy brute from their table suddenly asked the men. It seemed like Seth was not the only one who was listening in on their conversation. The blacksmith was also curious.
"I guess you are new in Konan, if you haven't heard about it yet. Chef Lao Ban has refused to enter the kitchen ever since his family's Book of all Flavors was stolen, an ancestral recipe collection. They say it was robbed from his estate at night." Whether he was just an amicable person, the alcohol, or the fact that he was asked by an attractive lady, the cultivator answered readily
"Is there any clue on who did it?" Fin asked, her voice had become dreadfully calm. She had been hit the hardest by the fact that the restaurant they were looking forward to was closed.
"Not really, they say it must have been a grand thief, as there were no signs of breaking in or a search. They knew exactly what they were looking for and where it was," one of the man's compatriots answered, his words slightly slurred.
"Hmm, that's a shame, but thank you for the answer," the fairy thanked them for the information.
"I'm the grateful one. Talking to a beautiful fairy is always a pleasure," the man in red robes complimented her leisurely. Having finished her conversation, Fin turned to the two of them,
determination in her eyes.
~You heard him, we have to find the thief, or we can't visit The Five-Savoring Flavors - she shared her inference telepathically through the
~Fin, we are on our honeymoon. Do we really have to get involved in this?- Seth asked her back. The blacksmith just wanted to relax and have a good time sightseeing and window shopping. Missing out on one restaurant wasn't that big of a deal for him; however, Fin look said that is was a big deal for her.
~Listen, Mina and I put a lot of effort into planning our journey, and I will not allow some stupid theft to get in the way of our plans. We will have a meal at The Five-Savoring Flavors before we depart,- she insisted.
~ She's right. We should deal with this quickly and get the plan back on track,- Mina surprisingly agreed with her. Maybe he had underestimated the effort they had put into the planning of their journey and the importance it had for them.
Seeing the two agree, the blacksmith was not going to disagree with his wives. It wasn't like looking for a thief was a big deal.
~Alright, I guess it's decided what we are going to do this afternoon.- The bard agreed with a chuckle. A little crime scene investigation would be interesting in its own way.
~ First, we will have to find out where this chef lives, so we can go and take a look-
He was interrupted by several servants carrying heavy trays of food ascending the stairs and approaching their table. Apparently, their food was ready. Their table was filled with roasted animals, exotic soup dishes, dumplings, buns, seafood... Dishes that looked familiar and tasty, and others that looked exotic and mouthwatering.
~Let's enjoy the meal first and talk about this afterward?- he suggested, as his mouth started salivating.
"Food is served. Please enjoy the meal, esteemed guests," the servant announced with a big smile once their table was close to buckling under the load.