"I have some money I received in advance for the match. And I've got some savings too. How much do you need, dwarf?"
Nia said to Dram, pulling out a bulging leather pouch from the inner pocket of armor.
"Hmm… where do I even start with this… You know that Bareil steel is rare and tougher than any other steel, right, customer?"
"…I knew that."
"Anyway, that's why sharpening this blade requires not just any whetstone, but one made from the teeth of an lesser dragon. Of course, our forge has a whetstone made from lesser dragon teeth, so I'm not saying we can't do the job."
Dram said, stroking his beard with one hand while running the other over Nia's sword resting on the workbench. After taking a short breath, he uttered the words that customers—whether at a shop, workshop, or forge—never like to hear.
"It's gonna cost a bit… The blade's not in terrible shape as it is, so you could keep using it as is. But the leather grip could use a replacement. What do you think?"
"How much for both, Dram?"
"Oho! Both, you say… Well, eight gold coins would cover sharpening the blade and wrapping the hilt with manticore leather."
"Here's eight gold coins. How long will it take, Dram?"
Nia said, placing eight gold coins on the workbench. The sight of Nia pulling out such a hefty sum from the pouch without a moment's hesitation for weapon maintenance left Dram visibly flustered. But only for a moment. He quickly extended his thick hand, snatching the eight gleaming gold coins and tucking them into the pouch at his waist.
"Haha! Thank you, Droko customer. It won't take too long, but if you haven't had breakfast yet, I'll have the work done by the time you finish eating and come back."
Dram said to Nia with a wide grin, his beard twitching with the motion.
"That'd be great. I want to swing my sword a bit before the match and head to the arena."
"I'll make it happen. Got a place in mind to eat, customer?"
"Nope. If a chubby dwarf like you has a restaurant to recommend, I'll grab a bite there while you work on my sword."
"Ahem! I'll have you know I'm considered quite nimble among dwarves. Hmm… If I were to recommend a place, head to the Kisha merchants' district in the southwest. Look for a restaurant called 'Kisha's Sheep'—it's got a big wagon parked out front. It's a sizable wagon, so it's probably stationed at the edge of the market. Come this way, I'll point you in the right direction."
Dram stepped toward the street, beckoning Nia with a wave.
"Head down that road, and when you see an alley on your right, take it. Keep going until you spot Niomira's shoe workshop. Look for a sign in the common tongue with a picture of a long-necked boot. If you ask Niomira, the workshop's owner, for directions, she'll guide you well."
"Hmm… I'll check it out. Take good care of my sword, then."
Nia waved goodbye to Dram and started walking in the direction he indicated.
"(This feels a bit worrying…)" Dram called out in his gruff voice as Nia's figure grew smaller in the distance.
"Just ask for directions! Don't let Niomira talk you into buying unnecessary boots or anything! Tell her Dram will buy her five drinks later, and she'll point you the right way without fuss."
"Now then, time to get to work! Where did I put that whetstone…?"
Dram muttered, scratching his head as he walked toward his wagon parked behind the forge.
—Moooung~~—
As its master approached, Mooloomook let out a low bellow to greet him.
"Hm? No, I'm not here to feed you, you rascal. I need to find the dragon-tooth whetstone in the wagon. Didn't you just eat that hay mixed with beans earlier…?"
Dram approached Mooloomook, spreading his fingers like a comb to stroke the creature's fur.
"I'll grab a sack of corn from a nearby shop to mix with your dinner, so behave yourself for now. We got a big job from a little red-scaled Droko customer today."
*****
In the southwestern Kisha merchants' district of the grand market, countless tattered cloths hung overhead, just like in the other streets. From early morning, merchants roamed the streets carrying incense burners, filling the air with the sweet yet spicy scent of cinnamon and the refreshing aroma of Kisha's fragrant wood, mingling like morning mist through the streets and alleys.
Cutting through the thick, fragrant haze, a red-scaled Droko walked briskly. With each step, Nia parted the swirling smoke, which clung to her body like sticky tendrils as she hurried forward.
Though she had reached the Kisha merchants' district after getting directions from Niomira's shoe workshop, as Dram had instructed, Nia had lingered there listening to talk of shoes and leather. Now, her stomach growled loudly, signaling its hunger with sharp pangs.
"Where is it? Where is it?!"
Clutching her growling stomach with one hand, Nia scanned her surroundings, searching for the restaurant called 'Kisha's Sheep' as she passed several wagons, following Niomira's directions.
The savory aroma of grilled meat and the sweet scent of fruit nearly drew her toward another restaurant, but she resisted the temptation, turning Nia's steps and continuing to look around.
"I'm looking for a restaurant called Kisha's Sheep. Which way is it?!"
Giving up on finding it alone, Nia called out to a passerby carrying a long pole with an incense burner dangling at the end, emitting curls of smoke.
"Hm? Oh, Kisha's Sheep? It's at the end of the road leading to the outskirts."
The man with the incense pole responded to Nia's voice, pointing in the direction she needed to go.
After thanking him, Nia quickened her pace, cutting through the fragrant mist to press forward.
She passed stalls with signs bearing names like Ropiro's carpets, Kumutumu's beans and spices, and Dumurpa's pottery. Beyond signs featuring camels, palm trees, intricate patterned rugs, helmets, and curved swords, she finally spotted a sign for 'Kisha's Sheep' after passing a few more wagon stalls.
The restaurant's wagon was several times larger than the typical ones she'd seen in the great market. Inside, people carried large burlap sacks of ingredients over their shoulders, while others moved baskets filled with vegetables. Dozens of tables were spread out beneath a canopy shielding them from the sun, ready to welcome customers, catching Nia's eye.
As Nia approached the sprawling tables, the sound of knives chopping vegetables on cutting boards and the clatter of cookware over flames reached her ears. Mixed in were the voices of restaurant workers calling out to each other as they prepared food.
"Need some help over here!"
"We need more onions and beans prepped!"
"Cut it thinner than that."
"On my way!, I'm coming!"
"Where's the incense guy?"
"Here's your soup order."
Though most of the seats were empty, a handful of early-morning customers were scattered across the tables, starting their day amidst the lively chatter of the cooks and waitstaff.
"Welcome, customer. Please, take a seat here."
A server approached Nia, stroking his mustache with a smile and gesturing toward a seat.
He wore the traditional attire of the southern desert kingdom of Kisha, called a 'Kidashi'—a single long rectangular cloth wrapped multiple times around the shoulders. Designed to double as a blanket for the cold desert nights, the cloth was draped over his shoulders and neck several times, with the excess trailing long behind his back.
"What would you like to order?"
As Nia sat at the table he indicated, the server wiped the surface with a cloth tucked at his waist and asked.
"Hmm… I want the tastiest meat dish at Kisha's Sheep."
"Meat dish, huh… It might take a bit, but how about trying our 'Hoomsha'?"
"Hoomsha? What's that?"
"Hmm… How do I explain this? It's a dish with a long cooking process. It's a lamb dish, of course, and since we're a traditional Kisha restaurant, that part goes without saying."
The server pulled a backless chair from the table, casually sitting across from Nia as he continued.
"First, we cut off the lamb's head and legs, leaving just the body. We slit the belly to remove the innards, then place a fist-sized, fire-heated stone inside. Along with that, we stuff the belly with chickpeas, butter beans, lion's head beans, potatoes, pumpkins, eggplants, onions, and carrots, all seasoned together, then sew it back up. The outside is coated with a mix of pepper, cumin, salt, and Nailra flower petals. It's placed in a huge pot, covered, and cooked over a fire, heated from both inside and out.
"When you cut open the cooked lamb's belly, the vegetable and meat juices flow out. Dip some thin, oven-baked bread into that broth, and the flavor is… well, there's no way to describe it other than absolutely divine. And if the broth is that good, I won't even bother describing the meat. Haha!"
As he described Hoomsha, the server's throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, clearly imagining the dish's flavor.
"Then I'll order three portions of that Hoomsha, the bread that goes well with it, and a drink."
"Three portions? Do you have companions joining you?"
"No, I'm eating it all myself. I've got a match at the arena today. Gotta eat way more than usual."
"Oho… Then your victory in today's match is guaranteed. Hoomsha was originally a dish offered to warriors heading to battle, wishing them victory. You'll definitely win."
The server stood, assuring Nia that since Hoomsha was popular in the morning, it wouldn't take too long to prepare. He walked off toward the kitchen.
Shortly after, he returned with a cup of herb-infused water, saying it would help wake her stomach before the meal, then headed back to the kitchen where the food was being prepared.