Dragon Flame Tavern

Nami washed her hands thoroughly and reverently activated the ten-draw gacha.

[You have obtained: Tinned Fruit ★×10, Carrot Seeds ☆×10, Silver Coins ×2, Potato Seeds ☆×10, Copper Coins ×50, Tavern Decoration - Wheat Field Frame ☆×1, Copper Coins ×73, Vending Machine ★★★×1, Plant Nutrient Solution ★×100, Chocolate Bars ★×5]

[Seed Shop has unlocked purchasing rights for carrot and potato seeds!]

A vending machine? Such a thing was actually in the prize pool? Nami excitedly dragged it out, only for her smile to freeze on her face.

She frowned and asked, "Where are the goods inside?"

The system trembled: [Your reward is the vending machine...]

"So where are the goods?" Nami pressed.

[50 achievement points to refresh the stock once~]

Nami looked at her achievement points, which had returned to single digits, and promptly shoved the vending machine back into her inventory.

As if she'd let it trick her out of her achievement points!

Russen was crouched by the door, tinkering with something. Nami planted two potatoes and waited for them to ripen whilst checking her professional skill proficiency.

[Chef (Secondary Profession)

Level: 1 (40/100)

Skill: Cook's Intuition (You have a faint understanding of cooking)]

Whether she prepared a simple lettuce salad or made complex boiled fish, each dish only gave five proficiency points. Nami was considering whether to grind professional proficiency with simple cold dishes—after all, the food could be sent to the Slime Recycling House to be converted into nutrient solution. Just then, the leaves of the potato sprouts showed signs of yellowing. Nami deftly pulled up the potato seedlings, tugging up a string of potatoes connected to the root system. She looked at the soil in the bathtub and struck like lightning, digging out the few potatoes that hadn't left the soil with the stem.

Hearing Russen talking to someone else, Nami looked up towards the door. A customer? A blonde girl carrying a basket walked in. Nami felt she looked familiar but couldn't recall where she'd seen her.

Russen discreetly mouthed from behind: "Lilith, Mayor Rosa's daughter."

Nami gave him an appreciative look. She hadn't expected Russen to be so well-acquainted with the town's residents.

Lilith spoke in a soft voice: "Miss Nami, I'd like to purchase some vegetables."

Nami politely declined: "I'm terribly sorry, but we only sell finished food items here." Selling raw materials would only provide a meagre income with no experience or achievement points. Nami had no intention of opening a vegetable shop for the time being.

Lilith furrowed her brow in confusion. The Dragon Flame Tavern had never had such a rule before—the entire town purchased vegetables from here.

But this didn't stump her. Lilith tilted her head: "May I request specific flavours for the dishes?"

"Certainly."

After receiving an affirmative answer, Lilith flashed a cheeky smile: "I need a lettuce salad without the salad, peeled raw potatoes, and chopped onions."

[You have received an order: Lettuce Salad (Recommended retail price: 70 copper coins), Chopped Onions (Recommended retail price: 85 copper coins), Peeled Potatoes (Recommended retail price: 50 copper coins). Please complete the order promptly!]

Nami smiled as well and immediately set to work. As long as she could fool the system, she didn't care what she actually made.

Lilith paid two silver coins for the food, packed the vegetables into her little basket, politely bid farewell to Nami, and left.

On the road, she encountered two women heading in the same direction and stopped to greet them: "Aunt Hannah, Aunt Kayla."

Hannah was short with pale blonde hair and a plump figure that made her appear very kindly, reminiscent of clouds in sunshine. She glanced at Lilith's basket and gave the tall, thin, red-haired woman beside her—Kayla—an "I told you so" expression.

"The Dragon Flame Tavern would continue selling vegetables even with a new owner."

Kayla wore a hat so large it looked rather comical, tilting to one side with her movements. She steadied the brim with one hand and peered into Lilith's basket, nodding with satisfaction: "This lettuce is so plump and green—even better than what the previous owner grew."

Seeing the peeled potatoes and chopped onions that Lilith had deliberately displayed, the two women were delighted: "They even help prepare the ingredients!"

The two rushed excitedly to the tavern, and poor Russen, who was crouched by the door, had to move aside once again.

They hesitated between Nami and Russen, seemingly unable to tell who was the new owner of the Dragon Flame Tavern. Nami took the initiative to greet them: "Good evening, ladies. What can I get for you?"

Both women began pulling items from their bags—they'd brought gifts for Nami. Hannah smiled warmly: "There aren't many residents in town, so we'll all be neighbours from now on."

Kayla was more direct: "My smoked meat is the finest in town."

Nami was flattered and quickly grabbed two tins of fruit to give them, not forgetting to demonstrate how to open them. "Hook your finger here and pull gently."

After exchanging gifts, Hannah and Kayla ordered similar food to Lilith and departed arm-in-arm, beaming with joy.

Nami watched them leave. It was getting late, and there probably wouldn't be any more customers today. The Dragon Flame Tavern's first day of business concluded with remarkable results: 7 silver coins and 35 copper coins in revenue, 210 tavern experience points, and 38 achievement points.

She opened the paper bag Hannah had brought. Inside lay an enormous loaf of bread that looked somewhat familiar.

Nami asked Russen: "Is rye bread quite popular here?"

Russen's eyes flashed with confusion. When he realised Nami was referring to "Hannah's white bread," he immediately shook his head, though he seemed to think of something and hesitantly nodded.

Nami smiled knowingly. Her hand tilted, and the bread slipped from her grasp, landing on the cooking counter with a loud thud.

She handed the bread to Russen, instructing: "When I'm not in the tavern, you can use this for self-defence."

Russen obediently took it: "Hannah's bakery... is rather special."

"You've been there before?"

Russen nodded: "Once, which is how I know Miss Hannah." Thinking of how Hannah couldn't tell who the tavern owner was, he quickly added: "The bakery does very well, so she certainly wouldn't remember me."

Nami pressed further: "Good business? Are all the loaves like this?"

Russen: "Yes, which is why I only went once."

Nami: Now I'm even more confident about running a tavern!

Hannah yanked off Kayla's wobbling hat and asked: "Why were you wearing that peculiar hat today? You looked like a floor lamp."

Kayla, whose vision had been obscured by the hat, nearly stumbled. After steadying herself, she looked at Hannah. Two fluffy, upright ears popped out of her red hair, tilting bashfully to either side: "I was afraid of frightening the new owner."

Hannah considered this seriously: "Red-haired werewolves aren't uncommon, but I've never seen a girl with pink hair. Miss Nami shouldn't be frightened by you."

Kayla had a sudden realisation and broke into a grin: "That's right! I'm the one who got a fright! However does someone have pink hair?"