Chương 182: Chapter 177 - Cook off

Alric was halfway down the stairs when he heard Denner's voice carrying through the common room.

"Miss Seren, it's not that at all. We don't need anything except the meat, we have our own people. If needed, we can do this without the meat at all."

"It is all of that, Denner, Alric is only giving the beer. The adventurers are doing the rest, you need to speak to them." Seren replied. Alric could hear the slightly strained edge in her voice. He went down the last few steps, glancing around the common room. He saw Seren talking to both Denner and Berrin. They were standing at the hearth that had been lit for Alric that morning, just a few hours ago, he had met with Pavise there.

Denner stood to one side, hands limp, shoulders drooping in a way that suggested he was auditioning for the role of 'Disappointment' in a local play. Berrin hovered behind, clutching his beret like it might escape, nodding along and occasionally pointing at Denner, as if to confirm his continued existence.

"Then send a message to Pavise," Seren said. She raised both hands and rolled her eyes.

"Mister Alric gave it all to him to organize. I can't tell him who to allow and not."

"But Mister Alric knows us," Denner said, tilting his head further. Alric approached and cleared his throat. Seren glanced over, her shoulders dropping in the universal sign for 'oh good, now it's your problem.' The two innkeepers turned to Alric and immediately found the ceiling fascinating.

"Is… there a problem?" Alric asked the pair. He'd stayed at Berrin's inn when he first arrived in the city, back when he was still fairly certain he'd wandered into a particularly grubby nightmare. Berrin's family had welcomed him with the kind of warmth usually reserved for stray dogs and people who look like they might tip well. The memory managed to sneak a small smile onto his face, despite his better judgment.

"OH, thank goodness. You are planning a big gathering for the adventurers, Mister Alric?" Denner said, tilting his head.

"Well, more like a party, its also…" Alric began"A huge party if the rumors are true." Denner continued, "With food being prepared by the inns."

"Some inns," Berrin said, pointing to Denner. Denner nodded and pointed back.

"Some inns." Alric waited, deploying Calvern's ancient technique of letting silence do the work. They waited back, clearly graduates of the same school.

"And… so? What's the issue?" Alric asked, tilting his head. Denner's mouth did a good fish impression, opening and closing before he eventually spoke, "The issue? We weren't asked."

"Oh?" Alric glanced at Berrin, who shook his head.

"So then, cook?" Alric said, glancing at Seren. Seren shook her head.

"Master Pavise is arranging the food, Mister Alric."

"But do we care who cooks it?" Alric asked, raising a brow.

"Well, no, but the guild needs to agree. You made it their problem after all." Seren frowned at him. Alric nodded but frowned. He turned back to the pair.

"Why… does this matter though? You want to serve food to adventurers getting drunk in a field?" Alric asked, shifting his weight onto his other leg. Denner and Berrin both stared at Alric for a long moment.

"Two hundred adventurers? And all your soldiers? Seventy of them." Denner explained, his hands getting wider and wider.

"How do you know all these numbers?" Alric asked, tilting his head so far he risked a sudden and dangerous outbreak of empathy. Denner's mouth opened and closed again. Alric looked across at Seren, who seemed deeply interested in the hearth. Berrin coughed into his fist.

"We have our sources, Mister Alric, people talk after a few drinks. Think of it, Mister Alric, winters are people coming in a few at a time. You have three hundred, many not knowing where to overwinter. We can show them what we cook." Denner explained and patted his belly.

"The seventy soldiers, though." Berrin pointed to Alric. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Denner nodded quickly and pointed at Alric.

"Your seventy soldiers have been at a fort before this. They don't know the city, don't know where to go for drinks." Alric rubbed his neck. He hadn't considered the soldiers. They tended to wander around in small packs, presumably sniffing out taverns by instinct.

"So, you think your food will get them coming to you?" Alric asked, glancing up; he didn't consider the soldiers to make food much of a priority.

"Well, food is just one thing," Berrin added, glancing over at Denner.

"What?" Alric asked, glancing between all of them. Berrin coughed into his fist again; Seren turned, pointed at something on the other side of the room, and left entirely. Alric watched her go, his eyes widening. He shook his head slightly before turning back to Denner.

"So… you want to use this… to advertise your inn?" Alric asked.

"Yes, yes! So many people. If we have great food, people will remember." Denner explained, holding up a finger again. So, I wanted to throw a party and now just assembled all the innkeepers' customers in one field. I can see why this matters.

"Well, as Seren explained, it's not up to me, the guild is paying some cooks for…" Alric shrugged and held out a hand.

"We are happy to do this for free, everyone is Mister Alric. The chance is too good to pass up." Denner explained, nodding. Berrin pointed at Denner again and nodded along. Alric frowned and looked down at the floor. When Pavise mentioned hiring innkeepers, I'd pictured vats of stew and maybe a roast pig, not the opening rounds of the Great Culinary Games.

"When did you guys get so serious about food?" Alric asked, looking up at Berrin.

"You said it a time ago, Mister Alric, when you said we all had the same beer, Denner taught me a few things." Berrin explained with a nod, "I'd like it if you came by sometime to try?" Alric nodded, "I just might, but look, Seren is right. The best thing I can do is give you a letter to give to Pavise, but it's up to him." Alric explained, holding out a hand.

"That's fine, Mister Alric, we will take it," Denner said, nodding eagerly. Alric glanced around and saw Seren approaching again, blushing slightly.

"I will draft it for you, Mister Alric," Seren said, moving to the bar. She made a follow-me gesture to Denner, who went after her.

"You really want to compete, don't you?" Alric asked once Denner was out of earshot.

"I can understand why Denner looks like someone just stole money from him, but you once said you never wanted to compete?" Berrin glanced at Denner.

"Well, they did nearly steal money from him. Dancing Gale and Miller's nap are ones that left the guild with us when we did, but the competition has been fierce." Alric waited; finally, Berrin shrugged.

"They always snub me; this has lit a fire under me. I just want to beat them, just once." Berrin brought his shoulders up as he spoke.

"How are things at the White Dove?" Alric asked, turning back to Berrin.

"It's going well, my kids still talk about you, and the guards tell people it's where you stayed," Berrin said with a grin.

"I'm hardly that…" Alric started before he also brought his shoulders up.

"What do you want to cook for this thing?"

"Denner and I got a big menu, we can figure something out." He said, glancing after Denner.

"My suggestion would be to stuff a pig with herbs, push some butter with herbs in it under the skin, and roast it low and slow over a fire." Alric suggested with a wave, "People like good food, but they also like spectacle."

"What herbs though?" Berrin asked, tilting his head.

"Stuff the inside with rosemary, some sage, but do the whole pig, let people see it from far, smell it too. Get that skin nice and crisp." Alric explained; he could feel himself salivating just thinking about it. Berrin nodded slowly, "Any other advice, Mister Alric?" he asked. Alric looked down at the floor and considered the white dove. A small, well-run family inn was less about atmosphere than it was about warm hospitality.

There'd be plenty of women looking for a quiet inn that didn't double as a men's locker room, I suspect. There'd even be people who don't drink.

"Get good tea. It's going to be cold, and not everyone drinks." Alric said, rubbing his chin, "It's a bit late now, but a fruit juice if you can get it." Berrin frowned, looking down at the floor.

"Look, most of the places are trying to get people drunk or making food to go with the beer," Alric explained, turning both hands upward.

"You don't need to beat them at that, also the White Dove just isn't like that."

"No, I suppose you're right, Mister Alric," Berrin said, his shoulders drooping.

"So make the tea a bit of a spectacle, keep a huge pot, maybe a few, warm some milk, honey if you can get it. Give people something nice to hold while they stand by a fire." Alric explained, bringing his hands together. Berrin's eyes went wide before he started blinking rapidly; he very quickly leaned back and stared at the floor.

"I think I'll do just that, thank you, Mister Alric." Alric shrugged.

"Not everyone wants sixteen tankards of beer. I bet a lot of the women will want somewhere quieter. Have Ruth serve them tea, let people see you as family. That seems smarter to me." He raised both hands as he spoke. Berrin nodded and had a wide grin.

"I'm still doing the pig though," Berrin said, which got a grin from Alric. Alric was considering if there was anything else when Denner and Seren returned; Denner was waving the page to dry but looking much more relaxed now.

"If that's all, you may want to get that to Pavise quickly before you get a bad spot for a fire or something," Alric said with a shrug. Both innkeepers nodded, thanked him, said their goodbyes, and nearly ran out the door.

"When… did this?" Alric asked Seren, who had also just watched them leave.

"This happens with you a lot, Mister Alric, but… I don't know either. Just another Alric-ism." She said with a shrug.

"A what?" Alric blurted, turning toward her. Seren just shrugged; she opened her mouth to reply before she frowned. The door opened, letting in a blast of cool air. Alric turned toward it, surprised to see Mara walk through the common room. That was unusual, but what was alarming was seeing Father Tarrow following her. Alric exchanged a glance with Seren, both wide-eyed.

"I'll get the midwife," Seren said, already heading for the door. Alric didn't respond; he was already following where Tarrow and Mara had gone. Alric spotted Tarrow standing just outside the door to Mara's apartments; he tried to steady his breathing as he approached. Tarrow saw him and smiled.

"Please tell me everything is alright?" Alric began. Tarrow just nodded and smiled, "Everything is alright, small scare is all."