The largest inn in Haven, Polly’s Inn, typically hosted wealthy merchants, high-ranking adventurers, and elite mercenaries.

On the other hand, officials and knights from the High Castle generally stayed at the mayor’s mansion or the homes of Haven’s affluent citizens.

“Sir Balzac, if the Grand Duchess had planned to visit, you should have informed us beforehand…”

“If I informed you, how would this qualify as a covert inspection?”

“Even so, it feels inappropriate for the Grand Duchess to stay at an inn like this. Please allow us to host her properly even now.”

“‘An inn like this’? Polly would be offended to hear that.”

The conversation between Balzac, the high-ranking knight second only to Arina, and Haven’s mayor was carried on in hushed tones.

“Of course, I acknowledge that Polly’s Inn has large rooms and excellent facilities. But it’s a place for adventurers, mercenaries, and merchants. Too many eyes are watching. And most importantly…”

The mayor lowered his voice further.

“This inn hosts a significant number of imperial adventurers.”

“In turn, we ensure that no one knows the Grand Duchess is in Haven.”

“……!”

“It’s fine. We’ll only be staying in Haven for about four days. Maybe a bit longer because of Arad’s Salt, but no more than five.”

“But…”

“Don’t trouble yourself, Mayor. We’ve made similar visits before.”

“Y-you’ve done this before?”

“Of course. Covert inspections must be done periodically and consistently.”

“……!”

“By the way, I feel a bit disappointed.”

“W-what do you mean?”

“If you knew about Arad’s Salt, you should have reported it immediately. You’re aware of how the Empire has been stirring up trouble with spices recently, aren’t you?”

“Well… that is…”

The mayor’s face grew even paler as Balzac pressed him.

“I-I was about to report it soon.”

“Ah, is that so?”

“Please believe me!”

“I’ll believe you if you tell me the truth.”

“Well… I was waiting to see if Polly and the other chefs in Haven could figure out the recipe for Arad’s Salt first. If the Grand Duchess found out, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy Arad’s Stew in Haven anymore.”

“If that was your intent, I understand. I’ll let it slide this time.”

“Thank you!”

Relieved, the mayor wiped his sweat-soaked face with a handkerchief and quickly changed the subject.

“So, what brings you here on such a covert visit?”

“We have business in the Abyss.”

While their visit was prompted by Polly’s letter, Balzac opted for a white lie to avoid straining the relationship between Polly and the mayor.

“Is the Grand Duchess planning to hunt monsters? Or has a dungeon from the Golden Era been discovered in the Abyss?”

“Neither. And forgive me, but I can’t share the details yet.”

In truth, there was no solid reason to visit the Abyss, and Balzac had no intention of venturing there either.

“If the Grand Duchess and you, Sir Balzac, are personally involved, it must be a significant matter. Shouldn’t Haven prepare accordingly?”

“Rest assured, Haven will not be affected. And as I mentioned, we’ve done this for leisure before.”

“Hm…”

“There’s no need to worry. Both the Grand Duchess and I are well aware of how diligently you manage Haven.”

“Y-you think so?”

“I’ve confirmed there’s no toll collection here and that land taxes don’t exceed 20%. Everything else appears to be in order. Well done.”

“Whew…”

“For this reason, the fact that the Grand Duchess and I are here must remain strictly confidential.”

‘Now that we’re here, perhaps we could spend some time enjoying the Abyss.’

Balzac thought to himself, considering suggesting the idea to the Grand Duchess.

“If rumors spread before we leave Haven, I’ll know it’s because of someone in this room.”

“Of course, we’ll maintain absolute secrecy!”

“From now on, don’t refer to the Grand Duchess as ‘Your Highness.’ I’ll also go by the name Dominic, not Balzac.”

“Understood…”

Despite their agreement, the mayor and officials were bewildered by the situation. They couldn’t fathom why someone as high-ranking as the Grand Duchess would travel incognito like this.

“By the way, what do you know about this Arad Jin? I heard he suddenly appeared in Haven.”

“I’ve spoken with him a few times while dining at Jack’s Inn. From what I’ve gathered, his ancestors fled the Eastern Continent during the Age of Barbarism to escape the orcs.”

“I know that much. I’m asking about his life before he arrived in Haven.”

“They say he wandered the continent as an adventurer.”

“An adventurer? I’ve never heard of an adventurer named Arad Jin.”

“He was reportedly a mid-tier D-rank adventurer.”

“D-rank? Then he’s unlikely to be an imperial adventurer. Yet, he’s said to be a skilled healer and an exceptional cook?”

“Apparently, his combat skills were so poor that he mainly did odd jobs in adventurer parties. Eventually, he found his way to the North by chance.”

“Hmm…”

Balzac furrowed his brows at the mayor’s explanation.

‘Poor combat skills?’

He recalled watching Arad cook at Jack’s Inn earlier.

With the dexterity he had displayed, Balzac was confident that Arad could have reached at least the level of a mid-tier knight had he trained with a sword.

“That’s suspicious.”

“Suspicious? But in Haven, a past like Arad’s isn’t considered unusual.”

“That’s considered normal?”

“Yes. It only seems unusual because of Arad’s Salt.”

“Well… Haven does host many adventurers from the Empire. Considering that, I suppose…”

Their conversation was interrupted.

“Her Highness is arriving.”

The voice came from Polly, the innkeeper who had informally appointed himself as the Grand Duchess’s attendant. His voice carried softly from the entrance.

The knights, mayor, and officials all stood at once.

“Please, remain seated. And Polly, remember, I’m officially at the High Castle right now. Don’t call me ‘Your Highness.’ The same applies to all of you. From now on, refer to me as Ilia, a common knight of the High Castle.”

The Grand Duchess spoke as she entered and took her prepared seat. Her pale blue hair was damp, likely from a recent wash.

Despite having seen her face before, the mayor and officials momentarily held their breath at her breathtaking beauty.

“During this covert visit, it seems I’ve stumbled upon an extraordinary talent.”

Naturally, Arad Jin became the topic of conversation as Arina Rune Renslet began to speak.

“That’s correct. The food seasoned with Arad’s Salt was far superior to anything seasoned with common spices.”

“Given our trade deficit with the Empire over spices, Arad’s Salt could turn the tide immediately.”

The mayor, officials, and even the knights nodded in agreement with Arina’s statement.

‘Exactly! Take him to the High Castle immediately!’

Behind the door, Polly silently cheered.

“We must bring the cook, Arad Jin, to the High Castle.”

“We also need to uncover the secret recipe for Arad’s Salt.”

“All things in the North belong to Your Highness. You only need to command, and it will be done.”

One by one, the mayor, officials, and knights voiced their opinions.

These knights weren’t just skilled in swordsmanship but also possessed a basic understanding of various academic disciplines, making them versatile operatives.

Their knowledge of the economic and diplomatic value of Arad’s Salt was clear.

‘Yes! Yes!’

Every suggestion they made aligned perfectly with Polly’s own desires.

“No, that won’t do. The North belongs not only to me but also to my people.”

Arina shook her head, rejecting all their suggestions.

‘Ah…!’

Polly felt as though the sky was falling.

“In that case… Your Highness, allow me to attempt replicating the recipe. I’ve already identified most of the ingredients in Arad’s Salt. With further experimentation, I can produce something similar.”

Unable to contain himself, Polly interjected.

“If I succeed, Arad Jin could still be brought to the High Castle for other purposes, while I distribute Arad’s Salt throughout the North with Haven’s merchants.”

Despite Polly’s bold interruption, no one in the room showed displeasure.

“That would also be dishonorable.”

Arina dismissed the idea.

“The North will benefit greatly from Arad’s Salt, making it a debt of gratitude. And in the North, debts must be repaid—that is our principle.”

“T-that’s…”

Polly squirmed in frustration, feeling cornered.

“Hmm…”

After rejecting every suggestion, Arina paused in thought.

“Here’s what we’ll do.”

Finally, she reached a decision.

++++

 

How to join the High Castle knights' party.

What help I could offer to the Grand Duchess and her knights once I joined.

And whether I could prevent the original tragedy of history.

These thoughts kept me awake through a restless night until morning arrived.

“Finally, I’ve removed the bandages.”

“It’s all thanks to you, Arad. If it had been any other quack healer, they probably would’ve just amputated my arm without a second thought.”

That morning held special significance in many ways.

“By the way, Lenon also mentioned his injuries have completely healed.”

“He stopped by just the other day to thank me personally—and even boosted our sales while he was here.”

“Did he now?”

Jack’s face was bright as he flexed his arm and hand freely after removing the bandages.

“Starting today, I’ll be helping out in the kitchen again.”

The moment the bandages were off, Jack wasted no time announcing his intention to assist with the inn’s operations.

“Go ahead.”

I nodded immediately, fully understanding his unspoken meaning.

Jack was certain that I wouldn’t be staying at this inn for much longer.

And his instincts were spot on.

“If you have any questions along the way, ask me immediately.”

I said it casually, as if in passing.

“Arad… thank you!”

Jack’s expression was even brighter than when he realized his wounds had healed.

Beyond the unique flavor of Arad’s Salt, my cooking skill was maxed out, making me a chef worth apprenticing under.

That I had given him permission to learn from me was enough to make him genuinely happy.

“Then let’s start with ingredient preparation.”

“Of course. Tom! You handle cleaning.”

“Yes, sir!”

Just as we were about to begin another day at Jack’s Inn, we were interrupted.

“Are you open for business?”

Our first customers arrived early in the morning—earlier than even our overnight guests.

And these weren’t just any ordinary patrons but the most distinguished individuals in the city.

“The mayor and the knights from yesterday,” I remarked, bowing politely alongside Jack as we greeted them.

“We were just about to open, but it’ll take some time for the stew to be ready.”

In response, the mayor of Haven, looking unusually solemn, cleared his throat and spoke in a loud voice:

“Ahem! Arad Jin, healer and chef of Jack’s Inn, receive the Grand Duchess’s letter!”

The unexpected, grandiose nature of his announcement left me stunned for several seconds.

“A letter from the Grand Duchess?”

I finally asked, incredulous, as I prepared breakfast.

If it was a summons, fine—but a letter?

My eyes instinctively turned to one of the five knights.

The female knight, whom I suspected to be the Grand Duchess herself, stood quietly in the corner with her face still concealed.

“In the name of the High Castle.”

Drawing on my Etiquette skill, I knelt and respectfully accepted the letter from the mayor’s hands.

“Read it here and provide an immediate response.”

The mayor gave his next instruction the moment I took the letter.

Feeling the weight of the situation and glancing once more at the female knight, who was likely still under the impression her identity was undiscovered, I unfolded the letter and began to read.