Zarkrion Volcanius, the ancient ancestral dragon who had adopted a human form to move among mortals, made a decision that was unusual for him: instead of staying away, he decided to venture into the village that opened up at the end of the path, right at the entrance to what seemed like a large civilized region.
From afar, cities and villages had been just points of light on the horizon, but now, as he walked through its streets, he could see them up close. Stone and wood houses, red-tiled roofs, modest towers rising above the low walls, cobblestone streets full of life. The midday sun illuminated everything with warm light, and the air was filled with everyday sounds.
Though he walked among the crowd, Zarkrion felt like a shadow out of place. People passed by him, chatting, carrying baskets, laughing. Merchants shouted their offers from the stalls lined up on both sides of the main street.
"Fresh apples, sweet as honey, picked this morning!"
"Silver and gold jewelry, necklaces that bring good luck!"
"Swords forged by the best blacksmiths in the valley, sharp as a wolf's claw!"
"Medicinal plants, healing roots, leaves for pain and sleep!"
They sold everything: fabrics, weapons, fruits, herbs, tools, wooden toys for children. The market was a whirlwind of colors and voices.
However, Zarkrion noticed the obvious right away: people moved away from him. Not blatantly, but enough. A step to the side, a quick glance and then eyes to the ground, a barely audible whisper. They looked at him with evident fear, though no one screamed or fled in panic. They kept their distance, as if his mere presence was a contained threat.
Zarkrion sighed, uncomfortable, and murmured to himself:
"Obviously… how could they not fear me? I'm a dragon in human form."
He walked a good while longer, observing everything attentively, looking for something that would give him a clue as to where he was. The village seemed completely normal: well-kept houses, children playing in the squares, dogs barking, chickens pecking in the backyards.
But something caught his attention powerfully: he saw no tavern, no restaurant, no place where hot food was served. Not a single sign with a beer mug, no smoke coming from a chimney with the smell of stew.
Zarkrion frowned and said in a low voice:
"Did they forget to build restaurants?"
"Well, anyway, that's the least of my concerns right now. The only thing I want is to get back to Fariella."
He looked around for a clear exit, some sign indicating a path to the outside, but nothing. The streets stretched in all directions, but none seemed to lead back to the forest he had come through.
"But I can't find any exit…" he murmured. "It's like I traveled to another dimension without noticing anything."
He was right to suspect it. Arriving at a place like this by crossing such an ominous foggy forest wasn't normal. However, the idea of going back into that white, oppressive mist gave him a shiver. It was much better to stay in this village, even if temporarily.
The problem was that he couldn't ask for help. Every time he tried to approach someone, the reaction was the same: fear and flight.
He approached a young woman selling apples at a stall. She saw him coming and visibly tensed.
"Excuse me, miss," Zarkrion said in a calm voice, trying to sound as kind as possible. "Could you tell me where the adventurers' guild is around here?"
The girl trembled, clutching her baskets full of red apples. Her eyes were wide open.
"I… I'm sorry," she stammered. "I'm not an adventurer… so I don't know anything…"
And she ran off, dropping an apple that rolled on the ground.
*FUSHHH.*
Zarkrion stared at the empty space where the girl had been.
"Thanks a lot for running away… I guess," he said with irony and resignation.
Minutes later, he tried again with a young man sitting on a bench, sharpening a small dagger.
"Excuse me, young man," Zarkrion started. "Could you tell me where…"
The boy jumped up, pale as a corpse, raising his hands.
"Easy, bro! Don't do anything to me! Take my money, it's all I have!"
Quickly, he pulled out a small leather pouch and tossed it to Zarkrion, who caught it out of pure reflex.
The young man ran off without looking back.
Zarkrion looked at the pouch in his hand, confused.
"But… I didn't ask you for money."
He sighed and put the pouch away.
"Whatever. He's gone now."
He sat on the same bench where the boy had been and rested his elbows on his knees.
"And that's how my situation is right now," he said in a low voice, almost laughing at the absurdity.
Then his stomach growled loudly. He touched it, remembering that a lot of time had passed without eating. When he decided to gather firewood to prepare dinner for Fariella, he hadn't eaten anything then either. And now, here he was, hungry in a village with no places to buy prepared food.
He looked at the little coin pouch the young man had thrown him.
"At least I have some money to buy ingredients."
But he looked around again.
"No restaurant, no tavern… What kind of village has no taverns? I don't even see anyone cooking."
He stood up, thoughtful.
"How do they manage to eat, then?"
Then something occurred to him and a small smile appeared on his face.
"Anyway… I don't need a restaurant or a tavern to eat. Why would I? I can cook myself."
He visibly cheered up and started going from stall to stall, buying what he needed. The vendors, though clearly intimidated by his dark appearance and imposing presence, sold to him anyway.
At the fish stall:
"Give me four fish, please."
The vendor swallowed.
"Right away, sir!"
At the vegetable stall:
"Give me some carrots, a couple of radishes, and cabbages, please."
The elderly lady attending trembled slightly as she handed everything over, avoiding looking directly at his shadowed face and his eyes that seemed like embers.
Zarkrion walked with two bags in his hands, satisfied.
"Now… what dish should I cook with these ingredients?"
He looked for a spot somewhat away from the main street. There were some people, but not the crowd from the center. He sat in a small clearing between houses, where there was an old bench and enough space.
He noticed that several people were watching him from afar, curious and cautious. Their stares were piercing, but he tried to ignore them and focus on his own thing.
He took out the firewood he had gathered earlier and kept in his infinite inventory. He arranged it quickly in a circle of stones.
"Damn…" he said suddenly. "I forgot I left all my cooking utensils with Fariella. No way. I should have stored them in the infinite inventory and not in the backpack."
He thought for a second.
"Whatever. At least I have my trusty and faithful frying pan with me."
He took out his favorite frying pan, large and heavy, the one he had used for a long time. He took a dry branch from the bench, rubbed it quickly to generate a spark, and lit the fire easily.
He put oil in the pan. He sliced the carrots, radishes, and cabbage into thin rounds. He gutted the fish, cleaned them with water from his canteen, added lemon, a bit of salt, and coated them in flour.
He put them in the hot oil. At the same time, he sautéed the vegetables. The sizzling filled the air.
The people watching from afar grew in number. Some approached a little, curious. No one said anything, but everyone watched.
Zarkrion looked up, uncomfortable.
"Why are they staring at me so much? Is it the first time they've seen someone cooking outdoors?"
He focused again. The fish were browning perfectly, the vegetables taking on a vibrant, bright color.
Suddenly, a system notification resonated in his mind:
[Congratulations – You have cooked: Fried Fish with Vegetables]
[Flavor Quality: SSS+]
Zarkrion smiled faintly.
"I had completely forgotten… My talent rank increases the quality and flavor of any food I prepare."
At that moment, the aroma spread like an irresistible wave. It was deep, rich, warm, with notes of fresh lemon, natural spices, and the perfect crispiness of fried fish. The mouths of everyone nearby began to water. Some children approached closer, other adults swallowed audibly.
Zarkrion removed everything from the pan to a large bowl he had found among his things and sat down.
"Time to enjoy it properly."
He tried the first bite. He closed his eyes for a second.
"So good… it tastes way too good."
He continued eating calmly, savoring each piece, when he felt a presence behind him. He turned slowly.
A petite elderly woman, with a cane and a small empty plate in her hand, was looking at him with kind but cautious eyes.
"Excuse me, dear young man…" she said with a trembling but warm voice. "I see your food looks very good. Could you give me a small portion, please?"
Zarkrion looked at her surprised. She was the first person all day who approached him without running away. And she did it politely, without visible fear.
He smiled for the first time with a sincere, warm smile that completely softened his intimidating face.
"No problem," he replied gently. "Come, join me."