I ate the meal slowly and finished it in about twenty minutes.
“Incredible. How did all that fit inside such a small body?”
“Erik chewed everything properly, remember? He broke it into small enough pieces to fit in his stomach. Still, most people’s jaws would get tired halfway through…”
“Someone once told me to eat with gratitude for the ingredients. Until then, I’d eaten only to fill my stomach. Once I began eating slowly and savoring every bite, I somehow became able to eat large amounts.”
A traveler who visited the village told me that when I was six. His words stuck with me, and from then on I began treating meals with proper respect.
I still didn’t understand why that had made me a big eater. It wasn’t as though my stomach had grown larger, and I became hungry again at about the same time as anyone else. I’d simply developed a technique for eating a great deal.
“Huh. I’ve never heard that before, but it’s good advice. All right, I’m putting it into practice too!”
“You can’t do it. You always eat so quickly that you choke.”
“That’s why I’m going to start practicing!”
“You idiotic apprentices, stop arguing! We’re at the table, so keep it down!”
Frank scolded them. The two employees glared at each other, said, “Hmph,” and turned away.
I intended to remain and help clean up, but Frank said my work was done. He gave me one more silver coin as an additional reward.
“I heard how popular the diner was at lunch and went to see what was happening. It appears everything ended safely.”
After Frank filled in the completion report, I returned to the Adventurers’ Guild that evening.
Unlike in the morning or at noon, the hall was filled with adventurers returning from outside the city. Some were stained with blood—whether their own or something else’s, I couldn’t tell. There were female adventurers in flamboyant outfits and parties celebrating completed requests over lavish meals.
Among that varied crowd, I joined the short line at Reina’s counter. When my turn came a few minutes later, I handed her the report, and she greeted me with those words.
“Another additional reward?”
“They gave it to me because I worked hard. I didn’t do anything improper, you know.”
“I know. I told you I went to see the diner, didn’t I? It’s one of my favorite places. Their food tasted better than usual today because of you, didn’t it?”
“Well, yes. Frank and the others said the same thing.”
Reina smiled faintly, as she had that morning.
“Erik, will you be stopping for the day?”
“That’s the plan. I earned more than expected, so I’ll rest instead of pushing myself.”
“Good. If you overwork yourself and fall ill, you won’t be able to earn anything.”
She nodded as she spoke.
Until noon, she hadn’t addressed me by name, but now she did. I didn’t know how she decided what to call people, but she must have acknowledged me in some way.
Thinking about that, I left the counter and the guildhall.
“The sun has completely set.”
I’d worked all day. Frank’s enormous meal still sat heavily in my stomach, but I longed for the inn’s food and quickened my pace a little on the way back.
“Welcome back, Erik. How was your first day as an adventurer?”
“…It was fun. Everyone I met was kind, and I’ve started to like the capital.”
“That’s wonderful. Did Reina deal with you properly?”
“She did. She even called me by name at the end.”
Amanda stared in surprise.
“Reina remembered your name on the first day? Then she must have acknowledged you as an adventurer.”
Amanda smiled at the news.
Since it was already dinnertime, I continued to the dining hall. Dinner was a meat sandwich and bean soup. Anna brought it to my table, and after thanking her, I began to eat.
“Erik, you underwent the ceremony and then came here, right?” Anna asked.
“Yes. I left the village immediately after the ceremony and came to the capital. If I planned to work as an adventurer, a large city offered better opportunities.”
“Then you’re ten years old. That’s amazing. Even at fifteen, I can barely imagine deciding to leave my parents.”
“I’d planned it for a long time. Children in remote villages and those in prosperous cities think differently. In villages, many younger sons and daughters consider leaving home to earn a living.”
Others in my village had thought about leaving too. I was simply the only one who departed immediately after the ceremony.
“Hmm… Well, if you’re ever in trouble, ask your big sister Anna! I’m good at arithmetic, you know!”
“Good at arithmetic? That’s bold talk from someone removed from bookkeeping duty,” Amanda said.
“Mom! You didn’t have to tell him that!”
Anna protested angrily. Watching them, I thought they seemed like a close mother and daughter as I continued eating.
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