As soon as the two of them entered the restaurant, the rich scent of spices hit them. Fors followed the aroma and spotted an open grill set up near the entrance. Large chunks of meat, coated in fat, cumin, and pepper, sizzled and curled in the intense heat, their surfaces turning an appetizing charred black that made her mouth water.
They actually grill meat right by the door. Wouldn't that scare off the gentlemen and ladies from Loen? You'd never see anything like this in Backlund... Fors muttered inwardly.
Naturally, neither she nor Xio was an aristocratic young lady, and neither minded this rough-and-ready approach. They walked around the enormous grill into the dining hall and found the restaurant almost full at dinnertime. Only the long table in the corner had a few seats left, beside a man wearing a classical top hat and black robes.
We'll probably have to share a table if we want to eat... Fors frowned, considering simply finding somewhere else with Xio, but another waft of grilled meat from the entrance left her unable to make up her mind.
Just then, Xio took the initiative and walked over, sitting near the man. She patted the tabletop a few times without quite touching it and looked toward Fors, as though saying, "Come on."
Having traveled many times, Fors had no qualms about sharing a table with strangers. It was Xio's reaction she had been concerned about. Seeing that her friend didn't mind, she stopped hesitating and sat opposite her. Instinctively, she glanced at the man whose back had seemed rather mysterious, only to discover that his features were entirely ordinary, even difficult to remember. He offered no reaction to their joining his table.
"Hello. Do you mind if we eat here?"
Out of politeness, Fors greeted