Luke then prepared dinner with Nyx's help. He had already thought of preparing a different menu for each guest, using ingredients and spices from this world, combined with ingredients from Earth.
He bought pork and beef from his food storage, then stripped them from their bones. The pork he seasoned with smoked chili and coarse salt, and let it sit for a while until the flavor seeped in.
The beef he boiled for a long time with onions, carrots, and earthy spices. As for the leftover bones, he boiled them with mushrooms, which he would later strain finely.
Then Luke washed forest yams and wild turnips, then roasted them. Made steamed cave greens, then sautéed cave mushrooms, black tubers, and bitter leaves with seed oil and mineral salt for the drow.
For the lizardman, he made warm spiced water, hot water mixed with dried ginger and a few flakes of mild chili. As for the dwarf, he directly bought a dark beer from storage labeled Blackstone Ale, and chilled it in cold water, according to the instructions on the label.
Cold water with soaked bitter leaves and fragrant roots he made for the drow. And lastly for the slime, he also directly bought a bottle labeled Chilled Spring Water with Trace Mana.
None of this was cheap. Luke had spent more on this single meal than he had spent on supplies for an entire week.
But tonight wasn't about profit margins, tonight was a celebration, showing gratitude to his first real guests. This was the first test for him as an innkeeper who served monsters, whether they would be satisfied with all his services.
He and Nyx worked together to arrange everything. The roasted pork, still steaming, was sliced thickly, served with a garnish of roasted root vegetables around it.
The long simmered beef, tender for Gralk, the sautéed vegetables for Millie, and lastly, the strained mushroom bone broth for Slick.
And lastly, fresh bread that Luke had baked that morning accompanied everything. He sliced it thickly, then served it with yellow and creamy butter.
The two of them brought and served it to the guests who were already seated at two separate tables. Thorin and Slick at one table, Gralk and Millie at the other, near the fireplace.
The four guests widened their eyes, staring at all the dishes that Luke and Nyx had placed on the table, looking confused. Nyx, standing behind Luke, giggled softly.
"What's all this for?" Thorin asked in bewilderment, while picking up the bottle of Blackstone Ale, reading the label, then sniffing the beer through the glass, looking eager to taste it. "This seems way too fancy for five silver."
Luke smiled and replied, "Consider it a celebration because you're our first guests."
But the real reason wasn't just that. He only wanted these four guests to spread the words about this inn.
"You're celebrating by giving us expensive food?" asked Millie, slightly skeptical. "That's not a sound business strategy."
"Maybe not," Luke admitted. "You four are the reason we're growing as you came and spread the word about this inn. So this is my way of saying thank you."
"You're a strange human, Luke. But I respect this," said Gralk, who had already grabbed his glass and plate impatiently.
"Strange is what we do best here," replied Luke with a polite laugh. "Now please, eat before it gets cold."
Without waiting to be told twice, they immediately dug into their meals. Thorin, sipping his beer, immediately lit up and clicked his tongue in delight.
"How did you get this? This is real Blackstone, and this brew doesn't leave the mountain. It's sacred to my clan," the dwarf asked curiously.
But Luke was confused by the question. He had simply picked the beer he thought the dwarf might like. "The Inn has access to the best," Luke replied cautiously. "We stock what our guests might need."
Thorin laughed heartily, then raised his beer mug. "To Arx Inn and the strange human who runs it. May your fires never dim."
"May your fires never dim," the others echoed. Even Slick made that gurgling sound.
Then they ate heartily. Luke and Nyx went back inside the kitchen, and ate their own portion of dinner.
"You did good," said Nyx softly. "They'll remember this forever."
"That's the plan," replied Luke with a smirk. "They'll spread even more good words about this inn, and eventually, word of mouth will spread."
The four guests finally finished their meal, satisfied. Thorin even bought another bottle of Blackstone Ale and paid twenty silver without hesitation.
Millie asked about the recipe for the cave greens, while Gralk just sat there contentedly. Slick gave a nod to Luke, which Nyx immediately translated, "He says thank you."
Luke nodded back to Slick earnestly. "You're welcome. Thanks also to all of you for trusting us with your stay."
—
The next morning, Luke immediately prepared breakfast for the guests, also for himself and Nyx. He was now getting used to this routine, which he found calming over the past few days, even if it was just waking up, cleaning, maintaining the inn and its bookkeeping, and taking care of the guests.
Nyx came down from the second floor, having finished cleaning the upper corridor and checking the empty rooms to make sure they were always ready for guests. She then helped Luke arrange plates and serving bowls on the kitchen table, while saying cheerfully, "I'm going to practice inventory management. The ledgers needs~"
She stopped her sentence abruptly, and her head immediately turned toward the inn's entrance, looking tense.
Luke, who happened to be facing her, noticed immediately.
"Few people are coming, Humans. And I think they're hostile," she said tensely.
Luke felt tense too. "The hunters?"
He immediately went to the window and peeked through the glass panes. Then he saw three people appear on the forest path heading toward the inn. They wore mismatched armor and each carried weapons. Two carried crossbows, and one had a sword.
"Shit," Luke muttered, then shouted to Nyx. "Nyx, go hide. Arx, be ready."
But Nyx didn't move from where she stood, instead standing next to Luke with her wings slightly spread.
"I don't want to hide."
"Nyx…"
"No," she said firmly, slightly glaring at Luke. "I'm staff. This is my inn too."
But there was no more time to argue, because the sound of the front door being pounded was already heard.