"Have you heard of the new place that just opened up?"
"The Sweet Paw Pantry?"
"Yeah. I love their sweets. Have you tried it?"
"Too rich for my taste."
"They can't help it. Too many people showed up one time, and now they've increased the prices just to get breathing room. I heard they're opening a new store though."
"If the prices stay the same, I'm not going. A silver coin for a piece of sweet bread is insane."
"The quality is worth the price, trust me."
"I'll stick to my black bread and dried meat, thanks. They only cost 10 copper coins for a full meal."
"Suit yourself. I'm going back as soon as we're done with today's quest."
"You're burning through your pay again."
"I can't help it. I have a sweet tooth."
Ariel smiled as she listened in on the chatter at the Adventurers Guild while making her way out. She wasn't here for a quest like the rest, but to pick up on gossip among the middle class of society, people who could afford the finer things in life and had a relatively stable income. As for those below that line, they had already left for greener pastures. The capital wasn't a place for the poor to thrive, and those who remained usually had an agenda.
Based on the gossip, the restaurant Kit was managing was doing quite well among those with a sweet tooth, but it was too expensive for those in poverty and too cheap for the nobility. That would change once Elyra finished her menu, though, as the quality of the food would far surpass anything currently conjured by Kit.
She made her way to the commercial district, past the busy crowds, wide tree trunks, muddy ground, and thick roots, until she reached a particular tree with a line circling around its first floor.
Inside, the space opened into a large cafeteria-style dining hall with a forest ambiance, rows of tables and chairs stretching across the floor. Servers in tidy uniforms moved quickly between them carrying trays of food and drinks, while a counter along one side handled direct orders, packaged meals for travel, and ready-made sweets and dishes to go. The room was busy but orderly, filled with the constant sound of orders being called out, coins exchanged, and plates set down.
There was a distinct lack of the sweet, warm smell expected of a bakery. Instead, the air carried a mix of unfamiliar aromas that matched the equally strange names written across the menu, dishes like roasted miso butter corn, soy-glazed pork buns, matcha cream pastries, and peppered dried meat skewers. Some sounded delicious at first glance, while others left customers wondering who would ever want to eat them.
More surprising was the sheer variety on offer. From shrimp tempura rice bowls to cinnamon-anise sweet bread, garlic udon, and fruit-filled mochi, the selection seemed far too extensive for a single restaurant, yet there was still a steady line of customers waiting to get in.
Circling to the back, Ariel entered and found herself in a kitchen filled with young orphans, slaves, and servers in professional-looking suits. They were opening packaging, plating the food, passing it over Lilia's heating or cooling device, and serving it to customers through a constantly swinging door.
She found it odd that the kitchen wasn't really a kitchen at all, but an assembly line similar to Bastion's forge. Still, what did she know about Earth's food culture anyway? For all she knew, their food always came in packaging like this before being plated and served. Apparently, they didn't even have adventurers there, at most just a concept for fantasy and fiction.
"Ariel! There you are! So, what did you find out?" Kit asked as package after package was summoned onto the table while coins vanished in exchange.
"The food is too expensive for most. Those who have already eaten here before are excited for a second location. Bakeries everywhere are in danger of losing business because of you. There have been a few assassins who've been asked to kill you, but seeing as you're a Rank 1 warrior, they're hesitating. Nobles apparently have it out for you as well, but they can't do anything because of Bastion backing you," Ariel listed one after another.
"Bakeries are still losing business even with these prices? If I increase it any more, there won't be anyone who will come and buy anything. How am I supposed to pay Bastion off at this rate?"
"Given how full the shop is, you can't really complain. Besides, this is just one location. Aren't you planning on opening them all over the kingdom once you have the capital?"
"I get it, I get it! I'll increase the price again," Kit said with a sigh. "What about those assassination requests? Why would anyone want me dead out of the blue?"
"The poorer bakeries considered pooling their money to hire a Rank 1 assassin to have you killed, but no one was willing to take the job, and they were too poor to afford a Rank 2 assassin. As for the nobles, no one was happy about you flaunting Daisy and cuddling her in public. A lot of those who were intimidated by Bastion didn't appreciate that she was handed off to a nobody. Just be thankful you took his deal, which included ensuring your protection."
"Ahaha… aha… hahhh," Kit sighed.
He had been a little too excited when the restaurant first opened, and given Daisy's noble mannerisms, rumors had inevitably spread and drawn the attention of the nobility. When they learned that the powerful and wealthy merchant had not married her himself but instead offered her hand to his manager, many were likely outraged. Still, they could do little about it without considering how a Rank 2 knight would react, so for now they could only watch from the sidelines.
As for the reason Kit was forced to keep his prices higher than the quality would normally justify, beyond avoiding angering local bakeries, it was to prevent destabilizing the kingdom's economy and instead foster a food culture. It was too easy for him to drive other food businesses out of the kingdom by undercutting their prices. The result would be widespread closures, farmers losing their livelihoods, and entire supply chains collapsing. To avoid this, as Bastion ordered, Kit kept prices elevated, limiting his market impact while encouraging people to develop a taste for more variety of food. It was apparently an effort to avoid the Walmart Effect.
"Anyway," Ariel said as she made her way out. "You're doing quite well for the most part. Just try to avoid showing your face in public and you should be fine for now."
"What do you mean, for now? Ariel. Ariel!"
Ariel left, exiting through the back before making her way up the tree via rope ladders and reaching the third floor, where the boutique was located. As she entered, she was greeted by a rather curious mix of people.
There were prostitutes, adventurers, nobles, slaves, and all manner of women lining up in order without complaint. None of them dared to use violence to get what they wanted due to the bodyguard's intimidating stature, and none of the nobles dared to make a fuss either given his complete lack of fear toward threats. As such, none of them objected to standing alongside prostitutes and slaves. All were welcome in this shop so long as they had the coin to pay.
"Busy day?" Ariel asked Lilia as she passed.
"It's been getting worse by the day," Lilia said with a sigh as she placed the products handed over by a noblewoman into a handwoven basket before returning the change. "Care to help out?"
"Sure, just let me go report to Bastion before I help you."
"Yey! You're the best, Ariel!"
"You know it!" Ariel said as she climbed the wooden staircase to the fourth floor before making her way to Bastion's forge.
Once she entered, she was smacked by the immense heat radiated by the exceptionally large piece of metal Bastion was hammering. It was another of his Earth weapons, although strangely enough, it looked like a rather large chest plate.
"I've got the restock from the merchants ready," Ariel said. "The prices increased again since they weren't expecting to be able to sell out so fast, and they want in on the profits."
"Get Baron Feliswyn to smack them around a little when you deposit his share of the transaction," Bastion answered without looking away.
"It hasn't gotten to that point yet, but I'll be sure to point him in the right direction when the time comes."
"How's Kit's place doing?"
"A little too well. He'll need to raise the price again to lower the number of customers and force the other restaurants to innovate."
"That's good. Any trouble guarding the place?"
"Not with the types of customers that come in."
"Alright, keep me posted."
"Sure thing."
As Ariel left, Bastion considered their next move regarding the plan to spread Earth's food culture. Things were going well, but they could be going better. He needed the other stores to start copying Kit's products to truly spread it among the people. More importantly, now was about the right time to open Elyra's restaurant. The only problem was that she still wasn't ready even after a full month.
At least, that was the case until he received a telepathic message from her that evening.
'Master, I'm ready.'
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