Chapter 98: The Honour of Food
"Eh…" Thy stumbled "I an, wait what? This is rare fish you know?"
"Well, yeah, everything looks nice, even the fish looks nice, but the sll is so overpowering, and it mixes horribly" said Kat crinkling her face.
Everyone else included the people in the stands looked at Kat like she'd gone mad. They couldn't understand what she was talking about.
"I'll take it then" said Jack with zero hesitation
"Sure you can have a piece if you drop the orb" said Thy.
Jack's face instantly fell as he grumbled "Damn traitor. How could you do this"
*So that was his temptation? Why? I don't even fell hungry, and the scents are much too strong, why would…* Kat noticed that everyone else looked like they'd swallowed a bag of lemons upon hearing that they'd need to drop the orbs.
*Wait am I crazy?* Indeed Kat was. It had been so ti since breakfast and it was just past lunch ti for the day, not to ntion unlike Kat the others were using at least a minimal amount of energy to keep the orb in their hands.
Thy then turned to the stands, splitting into four so that he could be facing them all at once. "What about you all? Those watching in the stands? You've got no orb to drop so you've got free reign"
Not even a mont later Jeff, the God Crusher with the wheel for a shield spoke up "Ye! Send it up here!"
"Sure thing" said Thy "Anything you want in particular?"
"Send a bit of everything" said John
Thy nodded at this and created a number of small plates and that hovered around him, then with a snap a large table appeared in the God Crusher's booth. It kept on the, with one leg being held up by a barrel and the other had boards nailed to the table legs to keep them in one piece.
Thy then ard itself with a conductor's baton and started to wave their hands towards music nobody could hear. Except the plates, which imdiately sprung to action sliding under steaks and over apples, grabbing bits and pieces of food as they went. They collected everything in but a few monts and headed towards the God Crushers… after making a short detour of course.
Each plate slowed considerably and circled around Jack three tis, making sure to get extra close to his nose as each dish passed. After the third plate Jack started trying to bite them with his teeth but the plates would dodge expertly every ti he got close.
"Now you're the damned traitors!" yelled Jack "How could you do this?"
"Jack…" said Jeff solemnly "It's free food, how could we turn this down? What's rule number one"
Jack gritted his teeth in defiance not wanting to answer the question, as he looked towards his brother Josh.
"Don't look at Jack, Jeff has the right of it. What's rule number one" said Josh looking at least a little repentant.
Jack still unwilling to say the words glanced at the rest of the God Crushers for salvation but found none. Sighing like a man on his last breath he said "Any free food offered for a job must be eaten and appreciated"
"Right" said the Thys as they clapped their hands to get everyone else's attention "Anyone else interested?"
"Wait no hold on" yelled Skye, so that she could be heard "Before that, why is your first rule to accept free food? How is that a good rule for any self-respecting adventurer"
The God Crushers turned dark eyes towards Skye who shivered slightly under the intensity of their gaze. "Excuse , Ma'am, but we work closely with the community, take on small aningful jobs, and sotis the only way we can get payed is a hocooked al, often tis by folks so poor the best they can offer you is dry bread and muddy water
"And still those folks will offer you the last they had, because they understand the danger and appreciate the work. We will never decline such kindness. Everyone from nobles to commoners understand the importance of a good al" said Jeff.
"Why would you take such an offer then? If they are truly so hard up" asked Skye as a thud sounding next to her. Turning her gaze to the sound she found a dagger sticking into the wall next to her head.
Kress leaned out over the edge and glared at Skye "They give you what they can, and you accept that, because they'd never forgive themselves otherwise. Peasants aren't so foolish lot who give their last al away for trivial things.
"When you get offered a al, the best that can be provided, you accept that, because they show such sincerity with that one action. They are telling you that the job you have done ans so much to them, that they'd risk starvation to thank you.
"And just because you accept it, you don't be a fool about it. You offer them a al in return if you can. You build trust that way, understanding too. A community lives or dies off it's stomach and perhaps you're a bit to well off to understand that"
Skye looked rather pacified as she returned to her seat. Nodding slightly in understanding but not in true comprehension.
*I wonder if I've ever considered sothing like that. Gramps has always kept fed, but I think I can still understand. Back when I was younger, we didn't always have enough blankets co winter, so the younger kids all jumped in one bed. It was a bunch of fun, but we knew why it had to be done.*
*And I've seen how careful Gramps is preparing food, for soone who doesn't seem phased by anything he always made sure we were fed well and on ti, that was sothing he never compromised on.*
As Kat's eyes wandered across the contestants, she noticed that Dusk's mask had a faint shine to it. Wait a minute. Kat put a bit of energy into her eyes to get a better look. *Oh he is, ha, Dusk froze his mask to he isn't breathing the sll in through his nose.* Kat tried and failed at not laughing at the sight.
"You find sothing funny about what I said demon?" asked Kress holding a dagger towards Kat.
"Ah, no Kress, sorry. I was laughing because Dusk chose to freeze his masks rather than sll the food" said Kat.
Kress continued to glare at Kat before looking towards Thy and saying "Send a plate of your best"
"Certainly" said Thy as he gathered up so alcohol and one of the steaks. Thy once again conducted the procession to loop past Kat three tis, but she really wasn't phased at all by this.
Nixilei looked at Kress in distaste and said to Kat "You can tell him off if you want, this is your event and he's trying to cause complications during your participation"
"Nah, it's fine, you can all order sothing if you want" said Kat
As they were speaking, Thy was taking more dishes out to replace the ones sent off to the booths ensuring the table stayed fully stocked at all tis. Nixilei looked to Gareth for confirmation who just shrugged.
Nixilei examined Kat closely, looking for a sign of annoyance or discomfort, trying to be a bit subtle about it, but failing. "Look Nix, it's fine. Order sothing for everyone, I don't really need to eat three als a day anymore, and I just don't care for food that much, especially if I'm not hungry.
"I an, this all sure looks impressive" said Kat as she raised the orb up to gesture at the table "And I can appreciate the ti and effort it took to make and prepare dishes of this calibre, but it just doesn't get to like it does the others"
Kat heard Lynn mumbling sothing along the line of, "Desolate winds, demons and their demon powers" but chose to ignore it.
Nixilei bit her lip unsure but eventually seed to accept the answer after the third steak passed by Kat's face without her so much as blinking. "Fine, can I get one of every fruit for myself and a large bowl of that salad nearest to Lynn for Green thanks?"
Nixilei then gestured for Gareth to step forward and order but he seed glued to Green's side for the mont, not wanting to stand and leave her, or shout and wake her.
"Fine" Nixilei snapper her fingers and a green spell circle lit up before encasing Green in a soft glow. "There now she can't here you yelling are going to order?"
"Sure… Thy, just, uh, I'll take a recomndation" said Gareth
"Of course, sir, I'd recomnd the Canyon Peppered, Vexbrute Steak, that has been tenderized to perfection, or alternatively Bocriogella Salad mixed with Sugio Vumice, and topped with Southern Island Galangal if you aren't one for at in your als" said Thy.
"I'll take the salad for now thanks, sothing light to keep prepped for the competition" said Gareth
Thy shrugged "Suit yourself"
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