Legacy of the Tarot (Laoyon)

Rudolf the Trader (General Food Merchant), Talia the Spice Merchant (Exotic Ingredients)

The streets of Driftwood Path bustled with life, carrying the rich aroma of roasted meats, spiced stews, and freshly baked bread. It was a food lover's paradise, and Arden inhaled deeply, his eyes practically glowing.

"This," he declared, spreading his arms wide as if embracing the market itself, "is the single most important stop of our entire journey."

Leigh pinched the bridge of her nose. "Here we go."

Dominic smirked. "Let's hear it. I assume you have a philosophy to justify whatever chaos you're about to unleash on our gold reserves."

Arden turned to them with the serious gaze of a sage imparting wisdom. "Food is the foundation of strength. A warrior's power does not come from his fists, but from the nourishment fueling his very soul."

Selva chuckled. "That was almost poetic. Almost."

"Almost?" Arden clutched his chest dramatically. "How dare you undermine the sacred bond between man and his meal?"

Leigh gave him a flat stare. "You just want to spend ridiculous amounts of money on premium meats."

"I will not dignify that with a response," Arden huffed, already striding toward the largest stall in sight.

At the heart of Driftwood Path, a booming voice greeted them before they even reached the stand.

"Ah-ha! Welcome, welcome, travelers! You've come to the right place if you seek the finest food in all of Laoyon!"

They turned to see Rudolf the Trader, a towering man with a thick beard and an even thicker apron. His muscular arms folded over his chest as he surveyed them with the sharp gaze of a man who had spent his entire life around merchants and bargaining warriors.

Arden's grin widened. A fellow enthusiast. This is going to be fun.

Before Arden could begin his shopping spree, Rudolf leaned forward, lowering his voice.

"You three… You're the ones who slew that cursed beast, aren't you?"

Leigh straightened. "You've heard?"

"Heard?" Rudolf let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "Lad, the whole city is talking about it. That monster tormented us for years."

Talia, the Spice Merchant, approached from the next stall, brushing dark curls over her shoulder. "It wasn't just the crops it destroyed," she murmured. "That wyvern's presence cursed the land. Every season, it would return, burning fields, stealing livestock, and leaving behind scorched earth that couldn't grow anything for months."

Leigh's expression softened, sympathy welling up as she thought of the struggling farmers. She recalled Mang Tano, his wife, and the devoted workers of the Valverde Estate, their unwavering dedication to the land a stark contrast to the hardships Veyne's farmers had endured.

She exhaled softly and murmured, "No farmer deserves to suffer like this… They work the hardest, yet they're always the first to feel the weight of disaster."

Rudolf nodded grimly. "Many farmers abandoned their land. The ones who stayed barely made enough to keep their families alive. We had to import food at ridiculous costs just to survive." His gaze lifted to them, sincerity shining in his eyes. "And now… it's finally over. You've given Veyne a future again."

For once, Arden didn't have a quick response. The weight of their actions settled over them like a quiet, heavy realization.

Dominic smirked, crossing his arms. "So, what I'm hearing is… Arden should get a hero's discount?"

Arden perked up immediately. "No! No, not exactly!" His face flushed, caught off guard by the suggestion.

Rudolf barked a laugh. "Hah! You wish, kid. But tell you what—I'll throw in something special for you lot."

Talia smirked, folding her arms. "Oh no, don't encourage him. He'll empty his pockets here either way."

Leigh sighed. "She gets it."

Arden's eyes gleamed as he scanned the market stalls. "Alright, let's get to business."

Rudolf rubbed his hands together, eager to make a sale. "What's your preference, lad? Tender venison? Marbled beef? Aged boar steak?"

Arden grinned. "Yes."

Leigh groaned.

By the time they were done, Arden had enough premium meat to host a festival.

Premium Cut Meat—4,000 Gold. Arden placed a hand on Leigh's shoulder with utmost seriousness. "Quality matters, Leigh. Quality."

A Gourmet Cooking Kit—3,500 Gold. He nodded to himself as he inspected the contents. "This will elevate our survival meals to restaurant quality."

A Mysterious Spice Pouch—2,000 Gold. Talia smirked as she handed him the pouch. "Use wisely, traveler."

Leigh pinched the bridge of her nose, inhaling sharply. "Arden. What. The. Hell."

Arden held up a finger, as if lecturing a child. "Leigh. Have you ever tasted a meal that touched your very soul?"

"I swear, if you—"

"Food," he continued, completely ignoring her, "is an art. A craft. A means to transcend the mere act of survival."

Dominic sighed, handing a few coins over to Talia for some mana-restoring dried berries. "And now we've lost him completely."

Leigh, determined to counterbalance Arden's madness, picked up a selection of essentials. "For long travels," she muttered. "Since we won't be eating gourmet steaks every night." She handed over 1,500 gold for dried fruits and preserved goods, casting a pointed glance at Arden, who was still admiring his expensive meat selection.

Next, she browsed through a collection of finely wrapped leaves and herbs, finally settling on tea leaves and herbal infusions for 1,200 gold. She wouldn't admit it, but she secretly enjoyed tea. It was calming, and after spending every waking moment dealing with Arden and Dominic, she needed all the calm she could get.

Meanwhile, Dominic added his own purchases to the mix. He handed over 1,700 gold for mana-restoring dried berries, nodding in satisfaction. "If I ever run low on energy, this will help." Then, as an afterthought, he tossed in 800 gold for emergency rations and smirked. "Because someone has to be responsible."

Leigh tallied up the final total, and the longer she stared at the numbers, the more her patience frayed.

Arden, sensing an impending lecture, quickly stepped forward, both hands raised as if negotiating peace. "Alright, alright, before you say anything, I need you to understand the depth of what I've just done."

Leigh's stare slowly lifted from the bill to him. "Arden," she said, voice dangerously calm, "you spent over nine thousand gold. On food."

Arden placed a hand over his chest, as if wounded by her words. "On life."

Leigh's eye twitched.

Dominic flipped a gold coin between his fingers, watching Arden with pure amusement. "Oh no, he's gone full food scholar again."

Selva was practically wheezing with laughter at this point.

Leigh counted the final tally, her fingers tightening around the parchment as she read the numbers. She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes for a brief moment as if summoning all the patience in the world.

Arden, however, remained blissfully unaware, stretching his arms with satisfaction. "Ahh, nothing beats the feeling of a well-stocked supply. We're set for the road ahead!"

Leigh slowly opened her eyes. "Arden, you spent 9,500 gold."

Arden, ever unfazed, waved a hand. "A worthy investment."

Dominic leaned in slightly, smirking. "It's not an investment if you eat it."

Selva chuckled, shaking her head. "I hope you don't regret this when you're out of gold before the next town."

Arden scoffed. "Please. Do I look like the kind of guy who regrets his choices?"

Leigh raised an eyebrow, flipping the notepad to reveal his updated balance. "Well, considering you've gone from 33,950 to 24,450 gold, I'd say future-you will have a lot to regret."

Arden froze for a second, his grin faltering slightly. "Wait… that much?" He snatched the notepad from her hands, scanning the numbers as if they'd magically change.

Dominic, still looking smug, held up his own balance. "Meanwhile, I spent 2,500 gold and still have 32,300 left. Right Miss Valverde?"

Leigh, tucking away her receipts with a satisfied nod, added, "And I spent only 2,700, leaving me with 34,200 gold. In case you were wondering, that means I'm still the most responsible."

Arden's expression twisted between panic and denial as he rechecked his calculations. "Wait, wait, wait. How did I—when did I—" He looked up at the sheer amount of bags being packed for him. "…Oh."

Dominic grinned. "And there it is."

Selva burst into laughter. "Oh, this is too good."

Leigh sighed, shaking her head. "Let's just move on before Arden decides to buy a personal chef to go with his ridiculous stockpile."

Arden, looking mildly betrayed by his own impulse spending, sighed. "Too late for refunds?"

Rudolf barked a laugh. "A merchant of Veyne never gives refunds."

Arden groaned, stuffing the parchment into his pocket. "Fine. But if we run out of money later, Dominic's covering our food."

Dominic smirked. "Oh no. You feast, you pay."

Arden muttered something under his breath as he slung his purchases over his shoulder, already plotting how to justify this later.

As they left Driftwood Path, Arden patted his leather backpack with satisfaction, completely ignoring Leigh's disapproving stare.

"I don't regret a single coin," he declared.

Leigh shook her head. "You're impossible."

Dominic smirked. "Oh no, this was exactly what I expected."

Selva chuckled, walking alongside them. "You three are the most entertaining adventurers I've ever met."

Arden grinned. "And we haven't even hit the next shop yet."

Leigh groaned.