Chapter Text
After emerging from the dungeon's rubble, the citizens of The Island hailed Laios and his party as their king, bestowing upon him various titles at the celebratory feast: Demon King, Dragon Slayer, even Vegetable-Armored. Despite the Golden Kingdom's push for him to assume the throne, Laios wanted nothing to do with the drudgery of castle life, political squabbles between races, and the looming prospect of an arranged marriage.
He swiftly handed the kingdom over to Kabru, the only man eager for such responsibilities. And most surprising of all, the handsome blue-eyed adventurer (to the horror and shock of the island, other kingdoms, and even the whole world) declared the monarchy of The Island as defunct. In the aftermath of a kingdom rendered obsolete, a new and uncertain future emerged…
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Two years had passed since Kabru’s declaration. The cunning man now served as governor for The Island, no doubt enjoying the daily life of a politician. However, for most others, life had remained unchanged, save for the slow introduction of monster cuisine to markets, street vendors, and restaurants.
However, your life had remained largely unchanged. For the past few years, though, business certainly had been booming. While you had always served many sleep-deprived customers coffee and tea, ever since Laios Touden and his party emerged from the dungeon (and the world almost ended) adventurers from around the world had flocked to The Island in hopes of exploring the dungeon even further.
Rumors spread of the curse he bore, one that drove away monsters from his presence. Suddenly, the dungeon was more accessible than ever to the common folk. One didn’t need a whole party and endless supplies to explore.
Not that it really concerned you.
You were perfectly content with days filled with the rich aroma of espresso and the earthy scent of dried tea leaves. On this particular day you were feeling slightly bored.
You surveyed the empty room as you stifled a yawn. Small wooden tables were dispersed throughout the shop, and colorful tapestries hung on the brick wall. Sundays were always slow, as people of all races chose this as their day of rest. Most shops on your quiet cobblestone street were closed today, anyway, save for a few restaurants and the cafe.
After brewing a fresh pot of coffee, you wiped your hands on the front of your apron, lost in thought. What would you have for dinner tonight? There was half a loaf of a crusty baguette in your pantry, and you had bought tomatoes from the bustling market yesterday, but that wouldn’t constitute a meal. Maybe after your shift, you could make your way over to the one grocer open on Sundays, but he was on the other side of town…
Lost in thought, musing about your supper, you stared out one of the many stained glass windows in the shop, projecting warm, multicolored light throughout the room. You lazily gazed around the cafe, content with being lost in thought…
The sound of the jingling bell accompanied by the unmistakable creak of the door being opened interrupted your thoughts- a customer was coming in! You peered towards the wooden entrance, but saw no one. A half-foot or gnome, maybe? Where did they go?
“Hey (name)!”
You jumped backwards and crashed into the wooden counter behind you. Ouch, your back…
A slight flush spread across your cheeks as you looked upward. Broad chest, wide shoulders, and sandy-colored hair…Laios Touden, of course. He usually came in several times a week, always in the morning. Seeing him on a Sunday was rare, however.
“Hey man,” you said weakly, trying to put on an air of nonchalance. You balled your fists in the pockets of your apron, not appreciating how your palms were sweating. “How’s it going, what can I get for you today?”
The man in front of you didn't notice your startled reaction to his presence, or graciously chose to say nothing about it. He screwed up his face, seemingly deep in thought, peering up at the menu chalkboard behind you.
“I’m doing good!” he said. “And umm….just a double espresso? The beans from Utaya.”
Grateful to have a task, you whirled around, busying yourself with grabbing your favorite mug. Laios usually was a breath of fresh air in your work day, always eager to chat- though his favorite topic was definitely monsters. It was wonderful, being able to talk to someone about anything and everything.
While carefully grinding the beans, you asked, “So what’s new in your world? Still doing culinary research?”
Making his way towards the end of the counter, Laios pulled back one of the stools, scraping on the stone floor. He sat down and awkwardly scooted back towards the counter. Your heart annoyingly did a little jump- he never sat at the counter. Mostly he just chatted for a bit and went on his merry way. Sometimes he came with his friend, Marcille. You liked her a lot, especially after learning she was a fellow The Daltian Clan fanatic.
“Yeah” he nodded. “Most folks are still really repulsed by eating any part of a monster, even if it's arguably more ethical than farming livestock or something.”
He sighed, resting his chin on his hand. “But there’s definitely a niche market. The orcs, at least, don’t have as many hang-ups as tallmen and elves do. Even some of the dwarves would at least try treasure bugs.”
You nodded, removing the small copper pot from the flame you had been nursing, steam curling into the air. You poured the drink from a considerable height, creating an arc as it landed in the mug. Laios did a fake-fancy clap, and made a chef’s kiss motion.
“Multo bene” he said, picking up the mug from the counter, laughing. You had considered directly handing the mug to him, but after embarrassing yourself before, you decided to chicken out. You turned back towards the counter, wiping down the surface with a wet cloth.
“Oh wow…this is amazing” he said. “Seriously (name), the stuff you do with coffee beans is unreal. Whenever I try to make it at home, it’s just not the same.”
You were glad to be facing away from him, because your ears burned at the sound of his praise. You tried to brush off his compliment.
“Thanks” you hesitated. “But it’s my job. You could make it too, if you had to every day.”
He shook his head. “No way. I’ve been to the other cafes on the island, and even a couple on the Western Continent once. What you do-” he gestured vaguely to you and the counter-”is special.”
You felt a slight pang of guilt, hoping you weren’t brushing him off. “Okay, then, thank you. I mean it.”
You glanced into his eyes, a warm light brown. He smiled softly at you, eyes crinkling.
Well, you would definitely be replaying this moment over and over in your head over the course of the day.
Eager to change the topic, you grasped at straws, asking, “What was the thing you were talking about before…treasure bugs? I’ve heard of them, obviously, but I didn’t know they had any culinary use.”
His face lit up and he nodded vigorously. Maybe it was the caffeine, but more likely, it was his excitement about monsters. He began to speak animatedly.
“Okay, so you know how adventurers find treasure bugs in dungeons, right? Well, they’re often mixed in with real treasure, but who cares about jewels and stuff? You can tell ‘cause the legs will stick out. Some of them look like a pearl necklace, or a flat coin, but you can actually cook them and eat them. They’re absolutely delicious. I know, eating bugs might be gross to some people, but actually they’re a delicacy elsewhere, and some cultures even eat bugs as a staple of their diet- rich in protein, did you know?”
He sounded out of breath. “Sorry, that was a lot.”
“Not at all. But you’re definitely making me curious. I’ll have to try them sometime.”
Just then, a dwarf walked in and gruffly ordered an herbal tea. While the leaves were steeping, you smiled to yourself and glanced at the man at the end of the counter. He peered into his mug, holding it with both hands. You almost laughed, it was a funny sight, seeing someone with such a physical presence curled up, holding a tiny espresso mug.
As the door once again jingled as the dwarf walked out of the shop, Laios interjected.
“Oh!” He started. “Next weekend’s the first night market. All sorts of merchants and vendors from around the world will come to the harbor and sell exotic goods. It was kind of a logistical nightmare, but I’m glad Kabru and Marcille were there to help bring it all together. Anyway- antiques, potions, and of course food.” He leaned over the counter, towards you, eyebrows raised. “And probably tea leaves and stuff. You should totally go.”
You blinked, unsure of the idea. The way Laios was friends with the governor of all people, made you feel kind of small. Plus, big crowds and loud noises honestly sounded like a nightmare. But, the prospect of experimenting with new teas and coffee beans was equally, if not more, appealing. You nodded. “I’ll have to check it out. Maybe on Friday?”
“Mm, no can do, meeting with some farmers that day. How ‘bout Saturday night?” he asked.
“Oh like, with you?” God, that probably sounded rude. You were just surprised.
This was a friendly invitation from one of your best customers, a customer who had helped orchestrate the whole night market. Of course he wanted to drum up as much business as possible. You were in the industry, sort of.
Sliding his empty mug towards you on the counter, Laios chuckled.
“Seriously (name), people tell me that I’m dense. We were just talking about trying treasure bugs, and this is a perfect opportunity. I know you’ll love it! We haven’t hung out outside of work before. Plus, you can meet some of my friends, too. You’re a super cool person, I want to get to know you better.”
You felt a wave of heat wash over you at his words. Once again balling your sweaty fists into your apron pocket, you gulped. “Oh, uh, my bad. Then, let’s do it! Does meeting at the square at 6 work for you?”
You already knew you’d spend all day with your stomach in a twist. You hated that he did this to you.
“Sounds good. And this is for you.” He counted gold coins in his pocket and slid them over the counter towards you. You never let him pay, though. Before you could protest, Laios stood up abruptly, knocking over the stool with a loud clang. He hurriedly put the stool back in place.
Real smooth, he thought.
As he rushed out of the cafe, ears burning, Laios called over his shoulder. “See you Saturday!”
He had been working up the nerve to ask you to hang out, and this was a perfect excuse. The last thing he wanted to be was some creepy customer always hanging around, unwanted, as Marcille had explained to him. Laios hoped he wasn’t offputting. It would not have been the first time.
As he walked down the sleepy cobblestone street, excitement bubbled inside him. You guys could finally hang out!