Orc and Lute

The Half-Orc Grimm turned around and laughed, "Ha! Interesting! Usually, I'm the one chasing people for payment. It's rare to find someone as proactive as you.

Alright, since you look like a decent kid, unlike those deadbeats who like to skip out on their bills. My homemade brew is 20 Copper Nails, and the ribs are 88 Copper Nails. Let's round it up to 1 Silver Scale. Toss it on the counter!"

He Xi watched Grimm's movements as he carved the meat.

"This portion is very generous."

He placed a Silver Scale on the counter, then found a seat near the fireplace.

He first checked his points.

[Race: Half-Orc]
[Analysis Points: 5]
[Trait Extraction: Requires 20 Analysis Points]

Good, the target wasn't too high.

He took a sip of the Orcish liquor. A fiery line burned from his throat to his stomach, then transformed into a warm current.

"My name is Galen," he said to Grimm, who was busy carving the roasted meat. "Boss, your tavern is really well-decorated. But, why did you choose the name 'Orc and Lute'?"

[Half-Orc · Grimm's Favorability towards you has increased, Analysis Points +5]

Grimm sliced off a large piece of rib, saying without looking up, "Just call me Grimm. 'Orc and Lute,' huh..."

His voice paused, as if lost in a distant memory.

"Speaking of which, it's been a long time since anyone asked about that."

He placed the roasted meat on a huge wooden cutting board and skillfully began to carve it with a small knife.

"My mother was an Orc warrior from the Skullcrusher Tribe. One rainy night, she rescued a human Bard who could play music and speak softly. And then... there was me."

"But," Grimm's tone held a hint of mockery, "I never met that damned Bard. The guy probably ran off with his lute before my mother's pregnancy even showed. So, honestly, I've never had a good impression of those damn Bards."

As he spoke, He Xi's gaze flickered to the empty small stage in a corner of the tavern. A lonely three-legged wooden stool sat on the stage; it was clearly meant for a Bard.

As if noticing He Xi's gaze, Grimm added in time, "But my mother... she never forgot that silver-tongued scoundrel until the day she died. When I was little, she'd often sharpen her battle axe and tell me how the first time she heard him play the lute, it sounded like spring water dripping on stones, and how the stories he told about the outside world were more interesting than our tribal legends."

"Later, conflicts broke out between the tribes, and she died in battle. I became an orphan, drifted into becoming an Adventurer, and scraped by on the edge of a knife. After adventuring for long enough, and with my parts still mostly intact, I used my savings to open this place in town."

Grimm's voice lowered. "Although I hate that irresponsible Bard from the bottom of my heart, I miss my mother dearly. So, I came up with this name, 'Orc and Lute,' as a memorial."

He shrugged helplessly. "Maybe the name is a bit misleading? Some customers come in because of the word 'Lute,' wanting to hear some soft little tunes. What can I do? For business, I have to hire Bards to perform regularly."

He Xi's gaze lingered on the empty small stage, lost in thought.

He hadn't expected the burly and forthright Half-Orc tavern owner to harbor such delicate and even melancholic emotions.

His mother's love story with the Bard was also quite... unique.

Bards sowing their wild oats and leaving behind offspring was a common stereotype He Xi held about the profession. While the partner was an Orc woman, this combination was indeed unusual.

But perhaps for that Bard, he was pursuing some kind of art or romance that transcended racial boundaries?

He Xi couldn't understand.

At this moment, he noticed what appeared to be dark red stains on the floorboards of the stage, looking like dried blood.

Grimm followed his gaze, and his single eye immediately flared with anger. He said gruffly, "I told you I don't like these guys. The last scoundrel who came here, his playing wasn't great, but his guts were big enough. He always liked to grope around and harass my only waitress!"

He pointed at the stains. "I caught him red-handed and beat him up badly. That blood was from him! Now, that Bard hasn't dared to show his face for days, and my waitress hasn't come to work either!"

"Then some customer told me they saw him and her walking hand-in-hand down the street. Zog ga (Orcish slang)! Unbelievable!"

As he spoke, his hands didn't stop.

He brushed a thick, dark brown sauce over the carved beef ribs, then placed them on a pre-heated smooth stone slab next to the fireplace.

Accompanied by a large piece of bread with a crisp, charred crust, and a carving knife, the meal was pushed in front of He Xi.

"Perhaps... I should cross out the second rule," he muttered to himself.

Then, he placed the two stripped ribs on the floor by He Xi's feet.

He Xi watched Bruce's tail wag so fast it was almost a blur of excitement, and couldn't help but think, "If Boss Grimm could see favorability notifications, Bruce would probably be flooding his screen right now."

Picking up the knife, He Xi began to savor the lavish dinner worth one Silver Scale.

Honestly, as a meal, the price far exceeded his living standards in Plint.

During those days, he mostly cooked for himself.

He could cook before he transmigrated, but after arriving in this otherworld, he hadn't been able to make anything decent.

There were many reasons: the ingredients in this world were vastly different from Earth's, he didn't recognize many spices and seasonings, and most importantly—his funds were extremely limited, he could barely afford meat.

In Plint, his daily life consisted of gnawing on black bread that could double as bricks, occasionally having a bowl of bland bean soup, and considering a few pieces of extremely salty cured fish as an improvement to his diet.

He put a piece of cut meat into his mouth.

The skin was roasted to a fragrant crisp, and the juices inside burst in his mouth.

The Cracked Hoof Bull meat had a texture similar to beef, but seemed richer in fat, with a peculiar wild aroma as he chewed.

And Grimm's specially-made sauce was the soul of the dish!

With He Xi's experience as a transmigrator chef, he could tell there was definitely the fragrant char of garlic and the mellow richness of some kind of alcohol in it, but there was also a flavor with a hint of spice and complex aroma that he really couldn't identify.

Grimm watched him eat heartily, stuffing his mouth with meat without pretense, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his single eye. He teased, "Looks like you're really hungry, kid. Your eating style has a bit of our Orc flair."

He Xi's mouth was full of meat, and he mumbled indistinctly, "It's... too good to eat!

[Half-Orc Grimm's Favorability towards you increased, Analysis Points +4]