Chapter 3: Work

The girl looked at him and said: "Eh what?"

"I said: can you give me food for free in exchange for some work, because I don't have money."

"Do you think we're giving stuff away for free? We need to earn money here."

"That's why I asked if you could give it to me in exchange for some work I can do."

The girl looked at him badly and said: "Wait here while I go ask the owner. And DON'T TRY TO STEAL ANYTHING!"

"Alright."

So the girl went into the kitchen.

About three minutes later, a massive and elderly woman came out of the kitchen. In her hand she had a ladle that was still dripping with the sauce she had cooked. From her appearance, more than a cook she seemed like a wrestler who had crushed numerous heads with those muscles, and with a rather hoarse voice she pointed the ladle at him.

"Hey young man, are you the one who asked for free food?"

"Yes, I want it."

The old woman analyzed Hiroshi with her eyes.

"From your clothes you don't seem like someone who needs it, and besides you have strange clothes, never seen before."

"These are common in my hometown. I'm not from here, I arrived just today and while I was arriving, some thieves robbed me and didn't leave me anything except my identification card because it was useless to them."

The old woman thought for a while.

"Alright, I'll give you the food, but first you have to help me until the customers leave. Until then you won't get anything."

The thing was a bit difficult since the tavern was full, but the hunger was irresistible.

"Alright, I'm ready."

"Ok then, Rania, tell him what he has to do and give him an apron to wear so he doesn't dirty his clothes."

The girl said: "Alright."

"Hey you, come with me."

"Alright."

So the girl took him with her and gave him an apron.

"What do I have to do?" asked Hiroshi.

"Nothing much: take orders, bring food, clean where it's dirty, take the plates that aren't needed and things like that. The work isn't difficult but you have to be fast. You can do it with a little effort."

"I'll try with all my will to do it."

"Alright, then start working."

So Hiroshi took the notepad in hand and went to ask for orders.

A table called him. There were four bearded gnomes sitting there, immersed in alcohol, who didn't have properly functioning senses.

Rania, with an expression that showed she didn't want to go to that table herself, sent Hiroshi to them.

"Yes gentlemen, what would you like?"

"Beeerghhhha!"

"I can't understand, can you repeat?"

"Beeerghhhhaaaaaaa!!!"

"BEER? Gentlemen, I think another beer will be bad for your health. You're not in the most suitable condition."

But the gnomes didn't listen to him and wanted the beer anyway, so Hiroshi brought them their order.

Then he went to another table to ask for their orders.

Then he took the already used plates, brought food, gave drinks, cleaned the tables and everything else, with speed without stopping.

"THAT BOY IS WORKING REALLY WELL!" said the old woman.

"Yes, he's simultaneously cleaning the tables, collecting the plates and serving the food."

Then the old woman shouted towards Rania: "HEY YOU WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? GO QUICKLY TO WASH THE DISHES!"

"Alright, stay calm aunt."

About three hours passed like this.

Night had fallen, the moon was in full sky and Hiroshi's hunger was at its maximum point.

"Ma'am, the customers have left. I cleaned all the tables, collected all the plates and cutlery."

"Yes, I saw. Now sit down and I'll give you something to eat," said the old woman.

"Thank you."

So Hiroshi sat at a table and started waiting.

After a while Rania came to sit next to him with a large mug of beer in her hand. She threw herself on the chair that was in front of Hiroshi; when she sat down, some drops fell from her full mug of beer onto Hiroshi's face. He wiped the drops with his hand and asked: "What do you want?"

"Nothing, I have to eat too."

"Alright, then why here? You can sit on the other side."

"I don't want to dirty the other table, so I'm sitting here. Do you have problems if I sit here?"

"No."

Rania took another drink of beer.

"Hey, do you want some beer too?" asked Rania.

"No thank you, I'm fine like this."

Ten minutes passed.

Rania, already drunk, approached with her alcoholic breath in front of Hiroshi's face and asked: "Why don't you want to taste it? It's very good, the best you've ever tasted."

"No thank you, I don't want to end up the same way as you."

"Why so formal? It doesn't seem like I'm older than you. Besides I seem smaller than you."

Thank GOD the old woman spoke at that moment, thus interrupting the unwanted conversation between Hiroshi and Rania: "Hey Rania, why are you bothering him?"

"I'm not botherin' him."

"Ok, then come here and get the food I've already prepared."

So the old woman and Rania brought the food to the table.

In the food there were two chicken legs - at least Hiroshi thought they were chicken - then a soup of a mix of who knows what, and mashed potatoes. The smell was of potatoes.

"Do you want anything else boy? And what do you want to drink?" asked the old woman.

"No thank you, I'm fine like this. And to drink give me some ice water."

"Water? Don't you want anything else?"

"No thank you, I'm fine like this."

"But why are you sooo booooriiing? You only drink water?" asked Rania.

"Yes, ice water."

"And why?"

"Because ice water keeps my mind active. By cooling the body, it helps regulate internal temperature, reduces mental fatigue and makes me feel more lucid. When I drink cold water, I can think better, stay focused and make more logical decisions. It's my fuel to stay present, even when everything around gets confusing."

"You knooow, you're booooring."

"Ok."

So he started eating.

Hiroshi started with the supposed chicken. The first bite confirmed that the meat was cooked, tender and infiltrated with fat. Salt was present in moderate quantities. The bodily reaction was stable. No rejection, no negative reaction.

He tasted the mashed potatoes: smooth consistency, adequate temperature, neutral taste. The taste receptors identified a slight buttery component, perhaps animal-based.

Finally the soup. The texture was viscous, not entirely homogeneous. A pungent aftertaste suggested the presence of an unknown spice or perhaps a side effect of the cooking process.

While Hiroshi ate his food, Rania had thrown herself completely into alcohol.

"So, how was the food?" asked the old woman.

"It was good and rich in nutrients, thank you."

"Ah ok, I'm glad you liked it. And look at this girl who gets drunk every night."

"What's her name? Do only you two manage this tavern that's quite big?"

"My name is Eldorra and she's my niece Rania. Yes, we only manage the two of us because since there are so many taverns here in the city, people go everywhere, so there's no need to hire more people."

"Alright."

After dinner, Hiroshi got up and went to look at the starry sky outside.

Now what do I do? Where do I go?

Then at some point old Eldorra noticed him and said: "Don't you know where to go?"

"Yes, exactly, I don't know."

"Do you have any relatives here?"

"No, I'm alone."

"Why did you come here, from your hometown, here to Zyndra?"

"For better living conditions."

The old woman took a breath of air: "Everyone is looking for better living conditions."

"So boy, what's your name?"

"Hiroshi, Hiroshi Nakamura."

Drunk Rania said: "Hiiiirooooshiiii, what a strange name, heheh."

"Hey! Rania, get up quickly!" said the old woman.

"So, if you don't have anywhere to go, I'll let you sleep here in the hall. Our rooms are upstairs, on the first floor."

"Why this kindness? I'm a stranger to you."

"This hall is empty anyway, I'll give you a mattress, you put it down and sleep. It doesn't change much for me and besides I keep the money. Apart from cutlery and plates I don't think there's anything, and I don't think a thief would steal these things."

"So, if it's not a problem for you, I courteously ask to be able to spend the night here."

"Then I'll bring you the mattress."

"Does Rania also stay with you?" asked Hiroshi.

"Yes, she stays with me. Her parents live in the village but she wanted to come here."

Hiroshi didn't want to ask why, so he remained silent.

"Alright."

"Well, I'll bring you the mattress and sheets here, but I recommend: wake up before the sun rises because I have to open the tavern."

"Alright, don't worry. Thank you very much for helping me."

So the old woman brought everything downstairs to the hall, and once she had arranged everything, she took drunk Rania and went upstairs.

Hiroshi saw how the old woman carried her niece, without effort. Even with that age and white hair, old Eldorra wasn't having difficulty carrying a person.

After a few minutes it became dark everywhere.

Tomorrow morning what do I do? I can't stay here forever. But where do I go and what do I do? I have no idea, but right now I don't think it's useful to think about this stuff because it won't get me anywhere.

So he closed his eyes and went to sleep.

…

…

..

.

Only a couple of hours were left until sunrise when at some point very light footsteps started entering the tavern.