“That’s truly amazing!”
Robert, the owner of the Rose Inn sitting across from me, clicked his tongue in admiration.
“The bedding as soft as clouds, the chamomile tea and oil that calm the mind and body—the guests’ reactions are incredible!”
“You’re too kind.”
“Especially the sleep package you suggested last time—it’s a huge hit, I tell you?”
Robert, who rarely showed excitement, seemed overjoyed as he bounced around like this.
“Thanks to you hanging the herb shop promotions in the Rose Inn, our sales have increased too, you know?”
Guests who used the Rose Inn experienced the effects and stopped by the herb shop to buy other products as well.
Promotions and tied sales were happening simultaneously.
It was beneficial for the inn and for me.
“I sent the loan repayment through the bank. Thanks for letting me use it well.”
“Don’t mention it. We’ve profited a lot thanks to you, Mr. Fabir.”
I presented the gift I’d brought in front of Robert.
“I felt bad coming empty-handed, so I brought this as a token of appreciation.”
“Why go to such trouble….”
“Go ahead and open it.”
When he opened the wooden box, the gotgam were neatly lined up.
“It’s gotgam. Dried persimmons.”
“Gotgam? Drying fruit like this is fascinating.”
Robert seemed unfamiliar with dried fruit. Usually, fruits were preserved as jams or canned rather than dried like this.
Bernard reached for the gotgam.
“I thought it would be tough like jerky, but it’s much softer than I expected?”
“The inside is even more moist and tender. Try biting into it a little. I’m sure you’ll like it.”
Robert bit into the gotgam with his front teeth.
Munch munch.
His jaw moved slowly, then his eyes widened.
“…This! It’s chewy like jelly and sweet! I’ve never had a dessert like this before!”
Jelly was a luxury snack only available in the royal capital.
But I could confidently say gotgam was just as delicious.
“To think drying fruit could produce this flavor—amazing! Where on earth did you find this?”
Robert smiled nonstop while eating the gotgam. It seemed he quite liked it.
“From an Eastern country. There are so many delicious and fascinating foods there. That’s why my heart races every time I visit.”
“Ah! So this is a snack from the Eastern country. Can I really accept such a luxurious treat?”
“It’s my sincere gesture, so please take it comfortably.”
Suddenly, Robert’s eyes sparkled.
“…If you don’t mind, could I buy more gotgam?”
“Gotgam?”
Robert clasped his hands and pleaded earnestly.
“Please. Won’t you sell me some gotgam?”
For Robert, a born merchant, to beg like this meant the gotgam was worth that much.
I felt happy at the good response, and since he’d helped me a lot, it seemed fine to grant this request.
And it would be beneficial for me in the long run.
Just in time, the fruits on the persimmon tree were ripening bountifully.
“Alright. Tell me the quantity you need, and I’ll try to accommodate as much as possible.”
“Really? Thank you so much!”
Robert’s voice was a bit elevated. Was buying gotgam that exciting?
Well, whatever. Seeing him happy made me feel proud for some reason.
***
Robert boarded the carriage heading to the royal capital.
Clatter clatter.
The carriage wheels rolled over the well-paved stone road.
The streets of the royal capital visible through the window were well-organized.
Massive walls and densely packed houses.
The roads bustled with crowds, and carriages moved incessantly.
The kingdom’s capital, the royal capital.
The administrative hub and the economic center where all logistics converged.
“We’ve arrived.”
Robert straightened his clothes after getting off the carriage.
There was an important event here today.
It was the award ceremony for the “Kingdom Inn Evaluation Festival” hosted by the kingdom’s tourism association.
Every autumn, evaluators made surprise visits for secret assessments, and the ceremony was held during harvest season.
Robert thought as he looked at the invitation.
Who among all those guests was the evaluator?
Still, since I prepared thoroughly this year, I can have some expectations.
Murmur murmur.
Entering the venue, many people were already there, holding a small banquet.
Most gathered here were inn operators from the kingdom.
Some were from fairly renowned families in the royal capital.
Not only that, but newspaper reporters and tourism association staff were present too—an important gathering.
“Robert.”
As he entered the banquet hall, someone called out to him.
Robert’s brow twitched at the familiar voice.
He’d run into someone he didn’t want to see at the banquet.
Robert greeted awkwardly.
“Ropal. Long time no see.”
Ropal was Robert’s distant cousin.
From a prestigious family that had run inns for generations, Ropal currently operated a quite successful inn in the royal capital.
“It must have been tough coming from that remote frontier.”
Ropal smirked and mocked.
“It’s hard to see your face since you’re in the frontier. It would have been nice to meet often if you were in the royal capital. Isn’t it hard adjusting after visiting the royal capital after so long?”
Robert’s cheekbones twitched. Every word was frontier this, frontier that.
“By the way, you know, in the royal capital these days, patterned ties are in fashion rather than solid ones.”
“…Is that so?”
“Anyway, I have to go now. The awards are about to start. Can’t have the awardee missing from the ceremony, right?”
Ropal patted Robert’s shoulder and left.
“…”
Robert glared at Ropal’s back.
He hated how he belittled the Rose Inn as a small frontier inn while acting superior.
It was all thanks to being born into a good family. He inherited the inn without lifting a finger.
“Endure it….”
Robert tightened his loosened tie. He couldn’t show a disheveled appearance at an important event.
He couldn’t ruin a good opportunity to promote the Rose Inn’s dignity.
“Everyone, please direct your attention here.”
Soon, the event proceeded on the stage.
“I offer deep thanks to all the distinguished guests gathered here. Our tourism association, leading the kingdom’s tourism industry, offers this occasion and more to all of you….”
After the tourism association president’s greeting, he raised a glass.
It was the toast signaling the start of the full banquet.
“Now, the most important and glorious time has come. I’m excited to see which inns will receive the honor this year.”
To receive the “Excellent Inn Award,” one had to pass rigorous evaluations, including basic cleanliness, services and decorations satisfying noble tastes, and more.
Nevertheless, this award with deep history and prestige was an unparalleled promotional tool for inns, so kingdom inns made painstaking efforts to win it.
“Now, we will announce the five excellent inns that have earned the honor in this evaluation.”
The emcee cleared his throat.
“Galaxy Inn, Dragon’s Nest Inn.”
Applause erupted as each inn was called.
They were inns with previous wins, so the reaction was as expected.
“Fairy’s Rest, Crystal Inn.”
As inns continued to be named.
“And… Huh?”
With the last inn remaining, the emcee tilted his head and muttered to himself.
“…Please wait a moment.”
The emcee double-checked with a staff member, perhaps for a notation error.
“Sorry for the interruption. Then, finally….”
Ropal adjusted his tie and clothes as if his award was obvious.
He prepared to wave his hand.
“…Rose Inn!”
Ropal froze in place.
Murmur murmur.
“Rose Inn? Is there an inn like that near the royal capital?”
“I don’t know? First time hearing of it?”
Sensing the commotion, the emcee hurriedly said,
“A big round of applause for all the winners who have earned the honor of excellent inns this year.”
Applause came a beat late.
Amid the clapping, puzzled expressions appeared.
“Thank you.”
It was his first award honor, but Robert was surprisingly calm.
In a way, it was a natural result.
He’d done his utmost to make the Rose Inn the best, and as a result, it became the most popular inn in Alburton.
Moreover, he had something he trusted in, so his confidence was higher than ever.
“Th-this can’t be….”
On the other hand, Ropal was the one panicking.
“Congratulations to all the winners. Finally, enjoy the remaining banquet with the music.”
With the band’s performance starting, conversations naturally flowed.
Robert also moved among the people, greeting them.
“Hello? I’m Robert, operator of the Rose Inn.”
“So you’re the one running the Rose Inn? Congratulations on the award. Excuse me, but I’ve never heard of it—could you introduce it?”
“Of course. Our Rose Inn is—”
Suddenly.
Ropal interrupted and answered instead.
“A shabby inn in the frontier.”
“Ropal, what are you doing?”
“That’s what I want to say.”
Not only rudely interrupting, Ropal twisted his face instead.
“How could you win? How on earth!”
“You’re too excited right now. Calm down and let’s talk outside.”
“Do I look like I can calm down? A frontier inn like yours stole the award that my royal capital inn should have gotten!”
At Ropal’s shout, the music stopped abruptly.
Murmur murmur.
“Looks like a fight broke out?”
“Isn’t that Ropal from the Tulip Inn?”
“Why is he angry?”
“He got the award stolen?”
“He has reason to be mad—snatched by some unheard-of inn.”
Some pitied Ropal.
The Tulip Inn had won for three consecutive years—a historic inn.
It was one of the strong candidates this year too, and Ropal himself had no doubts.
“Yeah! You must have pulled some strings! What trick did you pull?”
“Trick?”
“This doesn’t make sense! An inn that’s never been mentioned in the royal capital suddenly wins? You think that adds up?”
Whisper whisper.
Before long, an atmosphere agreeing with Ropal formed in the banquet hall.