Parting Ways

Karan looked at the chef, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "But why are you telling me all this?"
The chef smirked slightly. "I'm just making you aware, my friend. The sack you sold me for 140 silver? In the Royal City, you could've easily gotten 250 to 300 silver for it."
Karan frowned. "So you're saying I should cancel our deal and take the sack straight to the Royal City?"
The chef chuckled, shaking his head. "You can try, but you’d end up with more loss than profit. Entry tax alone is 20 silver per person, and on top of that, there’s a tax of 1 silver per kilogram for whatever goods you're carrying. But…" He leaned in, his voice dropping slightly. "I can help with that."
Karan’s curiosity deepened. "How?"
"We both need silver. You need it for your license, and I need it to expand this restaurant. Now, the tax rules I just mentioned? They apply to regular people. But if a registered merchant like me enters the city, the entry tax drops to 15 silver per person, and the goods tax is only 1 silver per 5 kilograms. That means more profit and fewer expenses. What do you think of my plan?"
Karan crossed his arms. "The idea sounds good, but catching boars isn’t as easy as you make it seem. It took us almost five hours to catch two, and carrying them here was exhausting. This plan is a failure." He paused, his eyes narrowing. "Wait… was this the plan you were going to tell us tomorrow?"
The chef grinned. "Yes, but I’ve made a few adjustments. This isn’t the original version."
Karan sighed. "That one’s probably just as useless. I don’t want to hear it."
"Come on, just listen—for the sake of our friendship. If you still don’t like it, we’ll drop it."
Karan rolled his eyes but nodded. "Fine. Tell me."
The chef’s expression turned serious. "You know that different kingdoms, forests, rivers, and oceans have their own unique beasts. But don’t think for a second that we lack them here. Uthol Forest is filled with its own special creatures. Compared to Vaska or Etrea, it might not seem extraordinary, but against places like Icelail, Aclen, or Peclen, Uthol is rich in vegetation."
Karan raised an eyebrow. "Wait… those are all different kingdoms, aren’t they?"
"Exactly. And because of our land’s good vegetation, both our beasts and crops are of the highest quality." The chef's eyes gleamed with excitement.
Karan sighed. "Get to the point."
The chef smirked. "You think boar is the only beast people love to eat?"
Karan glanced at him sideways.
"If that’s the case, then why do you only have boar on your menu?"
"Because no one here can afford expensive meals. Most of the adventurers here come from lowland villages. You won’t find high-ranking adventurers in this town—those types are in the Royal Capital, Royal Cities, or even the Royal Palace. And believe me, their lifestyle is royal in every sense—sleeping, eating, drinking, everything. Here, I serve boar meat as a main dish, and the restaurant is packed. But in the Royal City?" He chuckled. "No matter how fresh or delicious it is, boar will only be served as a starter."
Karan’s mind began working. Now this is interesting. A faster and better way to earn silver… I just have to see when and how this plan will unfold.
After helping out at the restaurant for another hour, exhaustion took over. Karan fell asleep at the same table where he had been sitting. The restaurant staff closed up for the night, enjoying a successful day’s earnings before eating and resting.
By the time Karan woke up, it was early morning. The restaurant was already bustling with activity.
The chef greeted him with a grin. "Good morning, Mr. Businessman."
Karan yawned. "Good morning, Mr. Chef… Looks like I fell asleep here last night."
"You did. But I didn’t mind at all. In fact, I should be thanking you for all the help yesterday."
Karan stretched. "It was nothing. Anyway, I should get going."
The chef raised an eyebrow. "Leaving so early? Where to?"
Before Karan could answer, Luke approached. "He’s got a quest to complete—the one about the sage."
The chef nodded. "Ah, right. That one."
Luke pointed toward a door. "There’s a bathroom over there. Freshen up first, then we’ll leave."
Karan took his advice. After washing up, he returned to find Luke sitting with a group of adventurers, deep in conversation.
Karan frowned. "What’s going on?"
Luke grinned. "Hey, you’re back. Meet these guys—they’re adventurers. They just completed their quest and are heading out again this evening."
Karan remained unimpressed. "So?"
Luke leaned forward. "They invited us to join them. Any loot we find will be shared equally. This is a great opportunity."
Karan frowned. "How can we even join them? I don’t have a license, and they’re all adventurers."
One of the adventurers spoke up. "We know a secret way out of the border. No one will stop us. And whatever your quest is, we’ll help you complete it too."
Another adventurer added, "This is a solid offer, but we don’t have all day. Think fast."
Karan shook his head. "I don’t make decisions on impulse. And I’m not interested. I have my own plans."
Luke looked conflicted. "But we don’t have proper equipment. We won’t be able to hunt strong beasts alone. Being in a party would give us an advantage."
"My answer is still no."
Luke sighed and turned to the adventurers. "Alright. I’m going with them. You do your quest on your own."
He’ll have no choice but to join us eventually, Luke thought. He won’t be able to complete the quest alone.
Karan remained calm. "It’s fine. You also need to buy equipment. I have 150 silver, and we still need to collect some from Rory. Use this to get yourself proper gear." He handed a bundle of silver to Luke.
Luke hesitated. "But you need it too."
Karan smiled slightly. "I kept 60 silver for myself. You take the rest."
Luke sighed. "So you’re really not coming?"
"No."
Luke reluctantly took the silver. Then, after a moment, he pulled out 10 silver and handed it back to Karan.
The chef called out. "Your breakfast is ready."
Karan and Luke ate, while the other adventurers left for the guild to register new quests.
After finishing his meal, Luke spoke again. "You still have time to change your mind."
Karan smirked. "Yeah. And so do you."
Luke shook his head. "Look, I love my home and village. I can’t waste time. If I do, it’ll only make things worse for us. That’s why I have to do this. But if you come with me, we’ll both be better off."
Karan nodded. "I get it. That’s why I’m telling you—you go. I’ll focus on finding the sage. And even if I fail, I’ll just save up silver for my license."
Luke stood up. "Alright. I’ll try to be back by Monday. Then we can go to the Royal Capital together. I’ve never seen it before, and this will be a good excuse to visit."
Karan chuckled. "Sounds good. I’ll wait for you."
With a serious and somber tone, Luke said, "If I don’t make it, don’t wait too long. Just go.”
Karan nodded. "Got it. Take care of yourself."
Luke smiled. "See you soon."
As Luke left with the adventurers, Karan sat at his table, sipping his drink.
The chef leaned against the counter. "So, your friend’s gone a different way."
Karan nodded. "Yeah. Everyone has their own problems. And in the end, we all have to deal with them alone."
With that, he stood up and walked out, ready to carve his own path forward.