Chapter 42: Dragon Breath Roasted Skewer

Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Dragon Breath Roasted Skewer

"Judging by that capable getup, you must be a powerful Adventurer."

"You can’t come to Rose Town without a map."

"I’ve got the latest edition of the *Roses Town Guidebook* right here. Only 20 copper nails!"

"It lists all the cheapest inns, most affordable taverns, and tastiest local delicacies in town..."

"The locations of the weapon shops and Potion stores are marked crystal clear!"

He leaned in, lowered his voice, and gave Hesia a suggestive wink, flashing a knowing smile that said, ’You know what I mean.’

"And most importantly... it also points out where the ’nightingales’ sing the sweetest songs, and where their prices are the most reasonable!"

"Guaranteed to help you find the most... thorough relaxation after a tough adventure!"

Hesia’s curiosity was piqued. He reached out to take it for a look.

The vendor, however, snapped his wrist back, pulling the booklet away.

The message was clear: no money, no peeking.

’Twenty copper nails?’

Hesia mentally weighed the Golden Shield and bag of Silver Scales he had just acquired. It didn’t seem too expensive, and he was just about to pull out his money.

Just then, Bruce gave his pant leg a gentle tug.

"Grrr..."

Hesia felt a gentle tug on his pant leg. He looked down to see Bruce staring up at him with disapproving brown eyes, even shaking his head slightly.

He instantly came to his senses.

’I almost fell for it!’

’I just earned a "huge sum" of money and was already getting carried away.’

’Back in Print, 20 copper nails would have been enough for me and Bruce to scrape by for several days!’

’How could I let myself get scammed by such a shoddy map, obviously meant to rip off newcomers?’

Hesia pulled his hand back and gave an apologetic smile. Then, leading Bruce, he walked off to the west without a second glance.

The vendor watched him go and muttered under his breath, "Another short-lived fool with dreams of being an Adventurer."

...

The street known to locals as Rose Avenue hardly lived up to its grand name.

It was just wide enough for two carriages to squeeze past each other, and only with careful maneuvering from their drivers.

Years of foot traffic and wagon wheels had worn the paving stones as smooth as river pebbles, which now gleamed with a soft luster under the autumn sun.

Both sides of the road were packed with all sorts of local vendors. The air, full of life, rang with the constant rise and fall of hawking and haggling.

It was the first time in Bruce’s doggy life he had ever seen such a bustling sight.

His furry head swiveled left and right like a top, his eyes curiously taking in the passersby.

A few members of the Sub-human Races, some with pointed ears, others with furry tails, successfully caught his attention.

He wondered if he was related to them.

’If so, why are they people, and I’m a dog?’

Fortunately, a fragrant aroma cut short his doggy-life’s philosophical quandary.

A potent mix of charred and exotic spicy aromas cut through the complex tapestry of street smells, landing a direct hit on Bruce’s powerful olfactory nerves.

Saliva began to pool in his doggy maw. As if ensnared by some wicked mind-control Magic, he was drawn toward the source of the scent.

Of course, the overbearing aroma also stirred the hunger in Hesia’s belly.

It was a roadside meat skewer stall.

It wasn’t just that man and dog were both starving; it was also because the vendor was shouting, "Come, come! Yakxi’s Dragon Breath Roasted Skewer, ya! Get a fragrant Dragon Breath Roasted Skewer!"

’Dragon meat?’

Hesia’s first reaction was disbelief. Dragons were creatures of legend, after all.

’Cooked with Dragon Breath?’

’That idea seemed even more absurd.’

His curiosity piqued and his stomach Gugu-ing in agreement, he followed Bruce toward the smoke-wreathed stall.

On a simple charcoal brazier rested more than a dozen skewers of massive chunks of meat.

The meat sizzled as the fat rendered, its surface a tempting golden-brown. A deep red, powdered spice was sprinkled generously over the top. When licked by the flames, it would occasionally POP, sending out a tiny spark or two. It really did have the look of a spouting "Dragon Breath."

The skewer-slinger was a sturdy man in a greasy apron. Seeing Hesia approach, he called out enthusiastically, "Ayy, friend! New here, ya? An Adventurer Ba Langzi? Come try my skewers, ya! Yakxi’s Dragon Breath Roasted Skewer, very good! Twenty copper nails a skewer! You eat one, you want another, ya!"

Hesia pointed at the sizzling skewers. "Where does the Dragon Breath come from?"

The skewer-slinger chuckled, skillfully turning the meat. "Aha, my friend, this you don’t know, ya?~"

"We’re roasting fresh rock goat kid! And we sprinkle it with ’Red Dragon’s Fury’ chili powder, ya!"

"This chili powder, it sparks when it gets hot! It’s fiery, very satisfying, ya!"

"After you eat, you take a breath, and the heat comes right out your nose, just like a Red Dragon breathing fire, ya! Want to give it a try?"

Hesia was speechless.

’So that’s the kind of Dragon Breath he means.’

’Same idea as how sweetbreads aren’t sweet, and head cheese isn’t cheese. Same principle.’

’And that accent... I feel like I’ve heard it somewhere before.’

"Whine..."

His pant leg was tugged gently again.

Hesia looked down. Drool was already dripping from Bruce’s mouth onto the paving stones, his tail wagged furiously, and his eyes were fixed on Hesia with a look of utter desperation.

’So much for that,’ Hesia thought wryly. ’My furry little financial advisor has defected to the other side.’

Hesia eyed the amount of meat on the skewers and started to haggle, mimicking the vendor’s accent, "Boss, a little cheaper, ya? This price is a little high, ya?"

The skewer-slinger gave him a look that said ’You’re such an amateur.’ "Ayy! Friend, don’t underestimate it! My goat kids are butchered same-day, very fresh! This ’Red Dragon’s Fury’ chili, it’s more expensive than the mutton, ya! People say you can only find it at the foot of mountains where fire dragons live, ya!"

’Near a fire dragon’s lair?’

Hesia knew it was just a sales pitch.

Still, he really wanted to try it.

’Since the chili is the expensive part, I’ll just get one without it.’

’Besides, a dog like Bruce can’t eat anything this spicy anyway.’

"Thirty copper nails for two," he said, holding up three fingers. "One without the chili."

The skewer-slinger hesitated. He could see how badly the dog wanted it.

But the master was the one with the money. He finally slapped his thigh. "Alright, alright! For a new friend, a special price for you, ya! Come back again next time!"

In a moment, two cooked skewers were handed over.

Hesia slid the un-spiced meat off its skewer and onto the ground for Bruce, keeping the one covered in the Red Dragon’s Fury chili for himself.

Man and dog stood by the roadside, feasting heartily and soothing their empty stomachs.

The rock goat meat was roasted to crispy perfection on the outside and was tender and juicy on the inside, with a satisfyingly chewy texture.

Hesia took a bite. The fiery, spicy flavor instantly exploded on his taste buds. Just as the skewer-slinger had described, a burning sensation shot straight up into his sinuses, forcing him to suck in a few sharp breaths of cool air. He felt like he could actually breathe smoke!

"Incredible!"

「At the mouth of a nearby alley.」

A scantily clad woman with an alluring figure noticed Hesia.

She first noted that the young man was handsome, despite his simple clothes.

He was eating a skewer of meat himself, sure, but he had fed another entire skewer to the dog at his feet.

’Tsk, so generous even to a dog. He must be loaded...’

’These despicable outsiders are all the same. They dress like refugees so no one can tell they’re carrying Golden Shields.’

’Just watch me wrap this country bumpkin around my little finger.’

Just as Hesia finished his skewer and started walking again with Bruce, passing by the mouth of the alley.

Seizing the moment, she suddenly stumbled out from the alley’s shadows with a soft "Oh!" and fell toward Hesia.