The Necessity of Leisure (1)
The market, and even the trading post, were managing to run somehow.
There were bound to be minor squabbles and incidents, but—
‘This is acceptable.’
The Northerners were inherently rough to the core. For such people to gather in one place and talk about money, having only this much commotion was nothing short of a miracle.
“Still, just in case, tell the soldiers not to let their guard down.”
“Yes, sir.”
Aiden had no intention of coddling those who insisted on living as if laws didn't exist.
‘If you commit a crime, you pay the price.’
Because of this, soldiers were constantly patrolling around the market and the trading post. Since everyone’s sense of altruism seemed to spontaneously manifest in the presence of Northern soldiers who were a head taller than the average person, order was being maintained.
“Excuse me, Administrative Officer?”
“What is it?”
“Didn’t the head chef and the kitchen staff get dispatched to the market again today?”
“They did.”
Unfortunately, as it was only the second market held, the government’s intervention was essential to fill the food zone, and the head chef had to be drafted once again.
The silver lining was that thanks to the decent profits from the last market, the kitchen staff had received bonuses and were all looking forward to this assignment.
“Then, for our lunch today…”
“The head chef said he’d bring us sandwiches later.”
“Again?”
“What’s wrong with sandwiches? They’re delicious.”
“No matter how delicious they are, it’s been ten days! Aren’t you sick of them?”
“You don’t look the type, but you’re quite picky about your food, aren’t you?”
“Don’t you think it’s a bit strange that you haven’t said a word while eating the same food for ten days?”
“Hmph.”
However, Jamie seemed quite dissatisfied with this.
“I have plenty of money! I’ll treat you, so can’t we eat something else today?”
“Food is just meant to fill your stomach, what’s the…”
“That is an insult to food!”
“Good grief…”
“Come on, just this once.”
“Do you have something else in mind?”
In any case, there was no reason to refuse when he pushed this hard. Aiden was the type of person who could eat spicy stir-fried pork for a whole month without complaint, so he didn’t see what the big deal was about ten days of sandwiches. However, thinking that a drop in his adjutant’s work efficiency was definitely a problem, he nodded.
“Hehe! I took a look around earlier, and there’s a place selling seafood stew and meatballs! They had beer, too!”
“No more than two glasses of beer.”
“Who could be satisfied with two glasses? Even the kids wouldn’t bother if they were only allowed two!”
“Don’t you think the fact that kids are drinking beer is the problem here?”
“What’s wrong with beer? It’s used as a digestive aid, too.”
“That’s exactly what’s wrong with it. Ugh.”
He hadn’t dared to touch it yet, but someday, he would have to address this nonsensical medical situation as well.
‘There’s a mountain of work to do.’
Thinking about the endless pile of tasks made Aiden’s lips twitch. As expected, thinking about work was the best.
“Five servings coming up!”
“Oooooh!”
The middle-aged owner, who hadn’t lost his smile despite the sweat pouring down his face and the constant stream of customers, set the food down. Jamie, who had been waiting while tapping his feet, sniffed the air like a wild boar, looking as if he were about to bury his face in the plate.
“I heard from the others working at the castle that this was incredibly popular at the last market!”
“Is that so?”
“They said it was neck-and-neck with the sandwiches our head chef makes for the top spot!”
“It’s that good?”
This was unexpected. The head chef’s skill was already legendary, spreading beyond the Lord’s castle to the neighboring villages.
It was enough to pique the interest of even Aiden, who had little interest in food.
Slurp.
“…Hmm?”
“How is it? Not bad, right?”
Aiden thought to himself. There was a reason it was popular.
‘It’s incredibly stimulating.’
He had expected something mild like a clear fish soup since they called it seafood stew, but it felt more like a spicy fish stew packed with chili peppers.
“But there’s some kind of scent.”
“Ah, that? It’s probably mustard greens and juniper berry powder.”
“Mustard greens? Juniper berries?”
Mustard would be used for making mustard, but what on earth were juniper berries?
As Aiden tilted his head, Kalisa unexpectedly chimed in.
“When you salt meat, adding juniper berry powder prevents it from spoiling easily. It has a refreshing scent, so Northerners like it.”
“Oh.”
“Three more beers here!”
“Yes, coming right up!”
As if waiting for the explanation to end, Jamie ordered more beer.
“Enjoy your meal! This is on the house!”
The owner certainly had a knack for business. He had brought out a few slices of thinly shaved smoked meat, and the other customers who had been glancing at their table started placing additional orders one after another.
“Since this is our first company dinner, why don’t we have a toast?”
At that moment, a word that should never have left Jamie’s lips made its appearance.
“Ugh…”
Aiden shuddered at the mention of a "company dinner," scratching his arms as if he had goosebumps all over.
“Don’t you ever let me hear that word again.”
“Yes? Which one? Company dinner?”
“Ugh.”
“Do you dislike company dinners, Administrative Officer?”
“Is there anyone who actually likes them?”
“I like them?”
“Why?”
“Why, you ask? Well…”
Jamie blinked, looking as if he had never even considered such a thought.
“Kalisa, what about you?”
“I like company dinners, too.”
“…Liar.”
“Why would I lie about something like that?”
Aiden was rendered speechless. A world that actually enjoyed company dinners existed? That was impossible!
‘Do these guys not know what a company dinner really is?’
How else could they be like this?
“Come on, come on. Stop that and give us a toast! It’s the first meeting of the Lord’s castle leadership, so let’s make it grand…”
“Stop.”
Please, let’s not go that far.
Aiden seriously wondered if this was what PTSD felt like.
“Ah, you don’t like toasts? Then I’ll do it instead!”
Jamie reached a strange conclusion on his own, then jumped up from his seat, raised his beer mug, and shouted.
“Today’s toast is: Donkey!”
Suddenly, people from all around responded, raising whatever they could hold—be it beer mugs or meat skewers.
Most of them didn’t seem to be from their castle, but they had glanced around and decided to join in. Jamie seemed to know that, but he shouted the lead-in at the top of his lungs anyway.
“To the precious meeting between you and me!”
“To!”
“Wooooo!”
Ah, damn it.
Is this workplace harassment?
Aiden genuinely wanted to clock out.
A while later.
The instruction to drink no more than two glasses of beer was, naturally, ignored.
“Hahahaha!”
“Take my glass too, sir!”
“Oh, nice! You take one too, it’s on me! Hahahaha!”
Jamie had become a fish in water, roaming all over the food zone.
“What on earth is this?”
“Haha! You’ve worked hard so far, let’s work a little harder! Oh… yes? Were you talking to me, Administrative Officer?”
Kalisa was also patting the shoulders of the former merchant workers and current commercial development staff who had gathered around, repeatedly offering them drinks and food.
He hadn’t expected much from Jamie, but he thought Kalisa would be different. Looking closely, it seemed only their appearances differed; inside, they were exactly the same.
“…Forget it, go back to playing.”
“Yes!”
It was supposed to be a leadership dinner—a dinner for three people—so how did it end up like this?
Aiden found it impossible to understand the situation. He could understand those who liked company dinners; he had seen them in his past life, which was why this evil custom never disappeared. But—
‘Are there actually people who are so envious of company dinners that they sneak their way in?’
Is this even a possible development?
“Here, here. Have some of this too.”
Just then, the head chef and kitchen staff, who had been selling sandwiches nearby, made something and passed it to their table.
“We’ll join you soon!”
“Yes?”
No, there’s really no need for that.
A familiar kitchen worker winked as he set down a plate of unidentifiable grilled meat.
His expression said he was dying to join the dinner right now, but since customers were still lining up, he was asking them to wait just a little longer.
“Hahahaha!”
“Please, calm down and sit for a second.”
“Yes? But it’s a company dinner…”
“Do you really have to lose your mind just to have a company dinner?”
I’m the one losing my mind, you idiot.
Aiden barely managed to swallow his words and succeeded in dragging the unhinged Jamie back to his seat.
“Please, understand them, Administrative Officer. Where else is there to have fun in the North? There aren’t any special events or festivals, so there’s no time to play other than moments like this.”
Kalisa, who had quietly come over to sit, added.
“That’s true, and it’s also true that Northerners are particularly high-spirited.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. In other regions, there isn’t really a culture of eating and drinking together in restaurants or on the streets like this.”
“Oh? Then where do people gather? People gather in the South, too, don’t they?”
Jamie asked back, looking as if he didn’t understand Kalisa’s words.
“Well, gatherings are held at private social parties.”
“Ah… parties.”
Jamie shrugged his shoulders.
“Kalisa, have you ever been to a party?”
“Of course.”
“Must be nice. I’ve never been to one.”
Jamie scratched the back of his head.
‘Wasn’t he supposed to be the second-in-command of the North in his own way?’
Aiden, who had been listening to their conversation, began to organize his thoughts.
There wasn’t really a party culture in the North. It was only natural. Even if you wanted to set something up grandly to have fun, there was nothing to set up. Furthermore, it wasn’t a neighborhood where special festivals or events took place.
‘So that’s why everyone was waiting for a company dinner like this.’
Because some people absolutely needed time to relax and play like this.
To Aiden, they were a type of human he couldn’t understand. Wasn’t working much more fun and rewarding? Why spend that time on unproductive play, drinking, and chatting about useless personal matters?
Well, regardless, he had no intention of ignoring a real phenomenon just because he couldn’t understand it.
“So everyone was just waiting for a company dinner?”
“Well, you could say that. Still, the workers at the Lord’s castle used to have a company dinner about once a season. But this spring, not yet… Hehehe.”
It seemed everyone had been reading the room since Aiden took office. That made sense; work had been pouring in since he arrived, so it would have been difficult for anyone to bring up the idea of a dinner.
“I have no choice, then.”
Aiden let out a deep sigh.
They had been waiting for this day, so how could he heartlessly tell them to go home after just one round?
Clink.
“It’s the first company dinner, so pay with this.”
Aiden pulled a pouch from his pocket. He had brought it out just in case there was something to buy at the market, so this worked out well.
“You can use it all, but don’t cause any trouble. The moment I hear that someone caused trouble, company dinners are banned.”
“Oh, Administrative Officer!”
“And tomorrow, if anyone is late, I won’t let it slide.”
“Of course!”
“Then, have a good time.”
“You’re not staying with us?”
“Wouldn’t you be more comfortable without me?”
A virtue of a boss is exactly this: give them the wallet and vacate the seat.
‘I’ll go back and get some work done. Hehe!’
Just as he turned around looking cool—
“Aren’t we one? We live together and we die together!”
“What are you talking about, let go!”
“No way! Everyone, grab the Administrative Officer!”
“Wooooo!”
“Don’t grab my leg! Ah, my wrist! My wrist is twisted! Ah, come on!”
Northerners had an unnecessarily high level of unity.