The group paused in front of the statue for a moment, then continued on.
The village inn was easy to find. It stood right beside the square and was the only inn in the entire village.
It was a small, two-story building with a faded wooden sign hanging outside. The sign simply read "Dragon Village Inn," and nothing more.
Xia You pushed open the inn's front door first. Inside was a modest hall with several neatly arranged wooden tables. An elderly woman sat behind the counter, knitting a sweater with reading glasses perched on her nose.
Hearing the door open, she looked up with a kindly smile.
"Guests?" She set down her knitting and slowly stood up, speaking at an unhurried pace. "Are you looking for rooms?"
Xia You nodded. "Do you have any available?"
"Of course." The old woman smiled. "Not many people come at this time of year, so the rooms are all empty. Have you eaten? If not, I have some stew ready. I can serve you some."
"Sorry for the trouble, then."
The old woman first fumbled around for a few keys and handed them to Xia You, Cheryl, and Makomo. Then she pointed upstairs, indicating that they could head up themselves, while she went over to the fireplace. A few embers still burned inside, and a large pot sat over them, bubbling away.
The moment Xia You had opened the door, he had smelled the enticing aroma of food. Needless to say, it came from that pot.
Sure enough, as she lifted the lid, a steaming, savory aroma instantly filled the hall.
At an inn like this, whether it was breakfast, lunch, or dinner, it was not a matter of ordering whatever you wanted and having it made for you. You ate whatever they had.