Chapter 497: Aldina (1/2)
Zero didn't know who the cook was but Old Gary certainly was a very proud innkeeper when Zero praised the food served.
”Bet you didn't think a poor and rundown inn with no customers like mine would have top tier food, did you? How is it? Is it better than the pretentious and overpriced restaurants on the eastern side?”
Zero took another sip of the tomato soup and closed his eyes in concentration. Truen laughed inwardly. He didn't have to be so serious about analysing the food. It was a lot easier humouring the old man. While they didn't know who the cook was, it was obvious that the old man was proud of them enough to want to brag.
”I must admit, it tastes good. I haven't eaten food from the eastern district from the city because this is my first time here and I've only arrived earlier today but if I had to compare this with the royal chefs in Magnus Hilda, it is a very close fight. I can't believe they thought about adding pumpkin to make the taste lighter and less sour. It's a genius idea! Tell me, who is this talented cook?”
Old Gary blushed a little and rubbed his nose shyly to cover his embarrassment. His moustache couldn't help but twitch at the smile he tried to hide. Truen heard the light pitter-patter of feet coming before he saw them.
Old Gary was about to brag about the cook when a small light-haired child around eight or nine came jumping over the railing from the stairs and kicking the old general in the head. It didn't seem to be the first time it happened because Old Gary dodged it quickly and caught the twerp by her leg.
The kid had fair skin, freckles on her face, short ash brown hair that looked like it was chopped roughly by a sword and stubborn dark green eyes. She struggled upside down as the innkeeper laughed. The brown beret she wore had fallen onto the dusty floor earlier but the kid refused to give up and tried to kick him. Zero noted how she wore checkered trousers held by suspenders over her crisp white shirt and if he wasn't paying much attention, he would have mistaken her as a boy.
”There you are! I thought I said to take a bath and change into something befitting of a lady before you greeted the guests?”
Zero cringed at the sound of the kick connecting with the old general's jaw. He finally let her go and the kid fell onto the floor but not before doing a somersault to right herself. With a coolness to her, she picked her fallen beret and dusted it before adjusting it on her head, looking like a very quick-witted lad in that getup.
”So you're the guests that grandpa talked about? What are you doing in the western district?” the girl asked and Old Gary fumed.
”Aldina! Your manners!”
Aldina ignored her grandfather and Zero smiled nervously when she leaned in close to him and frowned. Truen's stance changed to one of caution when Aldina went too close to Zero. Then, the girl pulled back and looked at the soup.