The Night Market and Grandma Vivian's Skewers
"What are you talking about?"
"The thing behind you."
At Eli's jab of his chin, Quinn turned around — but all he saw was Bjorn, Eli's escort knight, standing there.
"Why did everyone bring a whole entourage? Weren't we supposed to hang out just the four of us today?"
"An entourage?"
"Yeah, and this is a full-scale migration. Who could possibly enjoy the sights lugging all that around?"
"Oh, so that's what you meant."
Only then did Quinn understand what Eli was getting at, and he added, utterly unbothered, "Isn't it obvious? How else would I come to a place like this without escort knights?"
"What?"
"At the Academy, we may be fellow students, but my status is entirely different from yours. If you didn't realize that, then you shouldn't have invited me along in the first place."
"Wow, they say the pot calls the kettle black, but listen to this guy talk. I didn't expect an apology for trampling all over my feelings, but this is going too far, isn't it? I even set aside my part-time job to come here!"
"Who asked you to?"
Quinn replied coldly to the flabbergasted Eli's face. "If you don't like it, you can leave right now."
"Qu-Quinn!"
Quinn turned to go without a moment's hesitation, and Bayul rushed forward and grabbed him. "Where do you think you're going, Quinn! Rai's just a little uncomfortable, that's all. With a big group, it's harder to get around — and I did bring quite a few people with me…"
"That's right, please don't go! Our young master has been dying to see the night market! If you leave, it'll obviously ruin the mood, and then he won't even get to see the market before we head home. No, that won't do!"
Rita seized Quinn's wrist.
"I'm confident I can trail along quiet as a shadow, like I'm not even here! Sir Ian barely says a word anyway — he probably won't even notice I'm here once we get moving. And as for Des over there, use him as your porter however you like. He said it himself — he's strong and great at carrying heavy things. Right?"
Bob, bob.
The head of the enormous teddy bear costume bobbed up and down with Des's movements.
"See? He barely talks, either. He really won't be any trouble, so just overlook it for today. Okay?"
"I'd like you to let go of my hand first."
"Oh! Sorry about that!"
Rita snatched her hand away at Quinn's remark, visibly startled.
"And you should be saying that to this person, not to me."
"Right — I just blurted it out without thinking because I was afraid our young master might get left behind…"
"Hey, guys! Four years, has it been? Why do you look even better out here than usual!"
Had there ever been a moment when Aidan's presence was so desperately needed? Watching Aidan materialize like a phantom at the exact moment he was needed most, Bayul nearly let out a whoop of joy.
"But why is everyone standing here? Weren't we meeting at the clock tower?"
"Why are you over here, then?"
"I was passing by and spotted you, obviously. What were you doing here? Something fun going on?"
"Where were you? I didn't see you anywhere."
"What's that supposed to mean, out of nowhere? I'm right here."
Aidan peered behind himself, following Eli's smirking gaze. "You wouldn't have come alone, either. Where's your escort knight hiding?"
"No, really, I came alone."
"Huh? You came alone?"
"Yep."
Eli faltered for a beat at the unexpected answer, but he quickly recovered. "They've thrown you to the wolves, huh. So you're not the eldest son after all."
"What was that? Speak up."
Eli's muttering was swallowed by the noise around them. Perhaps because of the night market, the plaza was far more crowded than when they had first set foot in it, buzzing and raucous with people.
"Whatever — let's get out of here first. Any later and I think even we'll have trouble pushing through."
It was Eli's roundabout way of saying yes. As if to say he'd let this one slide, he raked a glare over Bayul and Quinn one more time before taking the lead and setting off.
How long had they been walking by then?
Around the time the night market's entrance came dimly into view, Rita — who had sworn to stay quiet as if she didn't exist — suddenly leaned in and whispered a question. Truthfully, she'd been curious from the moment the group had met, but she'd held her tongue because of what she'd already said. Only when they reached their destination and Logan was nowhere to be seen did she finally ask.
"Um, young master? Isn't Lord Logan coming?"
"Yeah, Rita. Logan couldn't make it today."
"Why not?"
"Sounds like there's some business at home."
"I see…"
Disappointment spread across Rita's face. Wasn't she the one who had been happier than anyone in the world at the two friends' reunion? She'd been looking forward to seeing them together, and now it stung.
"I'll invite him over to the house sometime. So don't be too sad about it."
"Really? When? Next week, right away… oh!"
Her voice shot up before she could stop it. Rita hastily clapped a hand over her mouth and ducked behind Bayul.
"Rita, you don't have to go this far. It's fine."
"Still…"
"See, everyone's too busy sightseeing to notice us. Rai was just a little on edge because the group got bigger than he expected. You're fine — enjoy yourself."
"Really? It's really okay?"
"Of course. Just don't wander too far away. It could be dangerous."
"I don't even know the streets, so of course I won't go far! Don't worry about that!"
Only then did Rita's expression brighten, as if a weight had lifted. The face that had been tense just moments before now belonged to a curious sixteen-year-old girl.
"Let's start over there!"
The place Rita ran to, wearing the happiest smile in the world, was a shop selling all kinds of skewers. From the night market's entrance onward, the smell of grilling skewers had been positively tormenting — there was no way they could simply walk past.
Aidan and Eli were already in line, waiting their turn. Drawn by the same aroma, a sizable crowd had already packed the front of the stall.
"Bayul! Quinn! Hurry up and get over here! If you've come to the night market, you absolutely have to eat this!"
"Oh, you know this place?"
"It's a shop opened by someone who used to work at our estate before retiring. Her cooking is so unbelievable that the place was an instant hit from day one. The secret to these skewers is the sauce ratio — supposedly not her sons, her daughters, her daughter-in-law, or even her grandchildren know it. She says she'll only tell the one heir who takes over the shop!"
"What if she passes away before then?"
"Don't worry about that. Vivian won't so much as blink at a hundred."
"Vivian?"
"It's written up there."
Following Aidan's pointing finger, Bayul saw a small wooden signboard dangling from a cord: Vivian's Skewers.
"If Vivian were out, we could eat for free, but she's nowhere in sight. Ah, there goes my precious money."
"Not your precious money — my money, surely."
Anyone with a conscience wouldn't come empty-handed, but Eli hadn't expected anything anyway. He could tell without looking that he, Bayul, or Quinn would end up footing today's bill.
"Oh my! Well, if it isn't our baby young master!"
Their turn had finally come. While they were earnestly studying the menu and deliberating over which skewers to order, a white-haired old woman suddenly straightened up from behind the counter.
"Ah, Vivian! I thought you weren't here!"
"Not here, he says. I was crouched down basting the skewers, young man. Did you come with friends?"
"Yeah! I've been bragging about you to them, so you'd better make it good!"
"Naturally! Anything for our baby young master and his friends — it has to be done right! You'll want the shrimp and the squid, won't you?"
"Obviously. That's always been the best."
"Let me see now. One, two, three… four? Five?"
"No, eight people in all. A bit much, huh?"
"Oh dear! Bring ten or twenty and I still won't flinch — just come see my face often! This is the first time since you enrolled at the Academy, you know that?"
"Is it?"
"It is! I was just about to come find you myself!"
"Heh, sorry, sorry. I've been busy studying. I'll come often from now on. Can I bring my friends again?"
"Of course you can! I'll tell the young ones down below, so come by anytime, even when I'm not around. Understood? Now wait just a moment — I'll whip these right up for you!"
Vivian, who must have been quite the beauty in her youth, gave the impression of a kind, warm-hearted grandmother from next door. But her transformation was instantaneous.
"Eight shrimp!"
At her command, barked like a drill sergeant's order, the staff sprang into motion. Their movements were swift and precise. Each handled their own task at blistering speed without ever encroaching on another's station — craftsmanship worthy of a true master. A single skewer took barely a minute from start to finish.
The skewers sizzled on the grill, wafting a spicy, smoky fragrance. The power of connections was a remarkable thing. From sheer size alone, these skewers were in a different league from the ones that had been handed to the other customers. The thick, golden batter and the sauce slathered on in generous strokes were enough to whet the appetite just from looking.
"Wait, are we seriously not paying for these?"
As Bayul hesitated, skewer in hand, Aidan mumbled around a mouthful. "Whad did I jush say? Ead up, Bayul."
"Still, it's food she's selling. Eating it for free feels wrong…"
"Because you won't eat, Rita can't eat either. This is torture, you know."
"…Fine. Sorry."
Only after noticing Rita, who was holding her skewer and smacking her lips without taking a bite, did Bayul decide that good was good and bit into the shrimp.
"…Whoa!"
The taste was nothing like what he'd imagined, and when Bayul's eyes went round, Aidan smirked and gave a smug little shrug. "Told you, didn't I?"
"Yeah — it's chewy and springy and soft all at once. It's incredible."
"The squid's a whole different story. You probably won't find anything like it anywhere else!"
"I can see why people line up for this."
"If it tasted like this, I could eat ten."
He wasn't joking. The skewers — made by carefully filleting and shaping the shrimp and squid, coating them in batter, brushing on Vivian's secret sauce, and grilling them over charcoal — were delicious in their own right, but the low price meant they were easy on the wallets of penniless students and poor commoners alike.
"Vivian, you're the best!"
When Aidan raised a thumbs-up, Vivian's face bloomed into a beaming smile. "Nothing makes me happier than watching you enjoy my cooking, young master. Shall I make you one more of each?"
"No, this is plenty. We should save room to try other things."
"Your friend there doesn't seem to agree, though."
"Huh? What friend?"
Aidan turned his head and jolted in shock. A huge teddy bear had appeared out of nowhere right in front of him. Des.
"One more."
He held out an empty skewer stick and ordered with utter confidence.
"Whoa, you finished one already?"
Aidan wasn't the only one — everyone still had more than half a skewer left in hand. When the young man looked at him in astonishment, Bayul spoke up on his behalf, almost apologetically. "The thing is, his appetite is… a bit out of the ordinary…"
"Ahh, I see. That's all right, Bayul."
When Bayul made an apologetic face, Aidan waved it off and turned back to Vivian. "Then Vivian, one more for him, please."
"Hee hee, coming right up!"
She made the skewer with not a hint of displeasure, pouring her care into it — a sight that was almost touching.
"How about you, Quinn?"
Come to think of it, Quinn had been quiet. This was the man who wouldn't so much as touch anything that wasn't a properly prepared multi-course meal. More than that, he was the prince of the Mermaid Kingdom. The sight of a foreigner with fin ears tearing into a street skewer was fascinating, yet strangely surreal.
"…Not bad."