The North was infamous for its abundance of monsters. While it was true that monsters plagued all borderlands of the Empire, the North was uniquely overrun with particularly fierce and powerful creatures.

Even though two centuries had passed since the end of the Age of Savagery, when the Allied Races and the Monster Legion vanished, and even though most of Arcadia now found war with fellow humans more common than battles against monsters, the North remained entrenched in a war against savagery.

The Abyss, filled with ancient dungeons from the Golden Age, served as a sanctuary for these monsters. Despite the transition from the Age of Savagery to the Silver Age, the Abyss’s enigmatic energies and the rich deposits of mana stones buried across the North gave rise to an ever-evolving ecosystem of rare and powerful monsters.

Of course, rarity meant profit. And with high prices came the understanding that these monsters were far stronger than their common counterparts.

As a result, adventurers, mercenaries, and treasure hunters from across the continent—especially the Empire—continued to flock to the North’s Abyss, lured by the promise of fortune.

“Hah… Hah… Ancestors, please save this humble descendant!”

Trevis, a C-rank adventurer born in the North, stumbled through the vast expanse of the Abyss, barely holding himself upright.

“Tr-Trevis… Wait… Wait for us!”

Trailing behind him were his party members—adventurers and mercenaries struggling to keep up.

“I’m so hungry… I’m so hungry I feel dizzy…”

“Stew… I want some warm Arad Stew… Forget 2 copper, I’d pay a whole silver coin for it!”

“Damn it, my injured arm has gone completely numb! Could it be… do I have to cut it off? Ancestors, please, I’ll honor you with offerings from now on!”

The party consisted of four members. It hadn’t started that way, though; originally, they had been a group of seven, including porters.

The murderous aura emitted by the monsters was overwhelming. In the face of such an aura, ordinary horses stood no chance—only rare and immensely expensive special-grade mounts could withstand it. In the North, such mounts were a luxury reserved for noble knights or the wealthiest aristocrats.

This scarcity meant that most adventurers in the Abyss traveled on foot, often relying on low-ranking adventurers hired as porters to carry supplies. Ordinary horses couldn’t survive even brief exposure to the Abyss’s malevolent energy.

Unfortunately for Trevis’s party, their porters had been the first to fall.

“They attacked the rear where the porters were… Damn it!”

Now, the porters were gone—devoured by monsters a week ago when the party ventured deeper into the Abyss. Along with them, most of the party’s food, water, and medicine had been lost.

What remained of the group was in a miserable state. Their rations were gone, their wounds untreated, and their weapons in disrepair. Even with pouches jingling with silver coins and backpacks stuffed with rare monster materials worth their weight in gold, they were starving and wretched.

Trevis clenched his teeth, forcing himself to keep walking. His thoughts swirled with determination.

We can’t collapse here. If we can just sell these materials… we could open a small shop in a place like Haven!

But the rest of the party, consumed by despair, didn’t share his optimism.

This is the end.
If a monster or bandit finds us in this state, we’re finished.
Even if we reach Haven, we’ll be broken shells of ourselves.
I just want to lie down here and never get up again…

Then, something extraordinary happened.

“Huh…?”

Trevis, who had been leading the group, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

“Ancestors, have mercy… Am I hallucinating now? I must have reached my limit…” he murmured weakly.

In the distance, he saw a golden carriage gliding across the Abyss.

Thankfully, the golden carriage wasn’t a mirage or a figment of his imagination.

“A carriage… in the Abyss?”
“Ancestors, is this real?”
“Is it plated with gold? What kind of wealthy merchant could afford such a thing?”

The sight of the carriage was so surreal that it made them question reality itself.

The closer the carriage came, the stranger it seemed. The horses pulling it looked ordinary, which only added to the absurdity.

“Normal horses? In the Abyss? That’s impossible…”

As the golden carriage approached, its driver—a young man with black hair and striking features—called out to them.

“Greetings! Are you all well?”

Trevis and his party froze in disbelief. The man’s handsome, confident demeanor made him look like someone completely out of place in the Abyss.

“G-Greetings! Are you… a mage?” Trevis asked hesitantly, bowing his head in respect. His party followed suit, lowering their gazes.

“Welcome to Arad’s Golden Carriage, travelers. You are incredibly lucky to meet me in this vast Abyss,” the man said with a bright smile, introducing himself as Arad.

“…Wait, Arad? As in… Arad Stew?” one of the party members suddenly exclaimed.

They quickly realized where they had heard the name before. All of them had tasted the famous Arad Stew back in Haven—a dish so delicious that they had promised to eat their fill of it, and more expensive meals, once they safely returned.

“Are you truly Arad, the chef from Jack’s Inn?”

The group stared at him in shock, unable to reconcile the legendary chef with the man standing before them in the Abyss.

He’s not an ordinary person, after all!
Could he be a reclusive Grand Mage?
That youthful appearance must be an illusion spell!
Cooking and healing must just be his hobbies!

Their earlier suspicions about Arad’s extraordinary nature now seemed completely justified.

“You guessed it. I’m that Arad,” he replied with a grin.

Arad noticed their growing curiosity and the faint desperation in their eyes, and a sly smile crossed his face.

“You all look like you’re in need of supplies. Arad’s Golden Carriage offers food, drinks, healing, weapon maintenance, and more. Of course… it’s a bit pricey,” he said, his tone teasing.

The adventurers exchanged glances. It was clear now: this golden carriage was a mobile supply depot.

“Expensive? How expensive?”
“What kind of food and drinks do you have?” they asked, swallowing their saliva, their interest piqued.

“You look thirsty,” Arad remarked, hopping down from the driver’s seat.

“Sometimes, showing is better than telling,” he said as he opened the carriage’s rear door and pulled out a large oak barrel.

From the barrel, he poured a golden liquid into a cup.

“Here’s a refreshing drink,” Arad said casually.

Gurgle, gurgle. The familiar scent and golden hue filled the air.

“Beer!” Trevis’s party gasped, their minds momentarily overwhelmed by the sight of the frothy beverage.

“How much? How much for a cup?” they blurted out, their self-control eroding.

After a week of surviving on snow for hydration and going without proper food, the sight of a cold beer was almost hypnotic. Each of them instinctively reached for their coin pouches, rattling with both copper and silver coins.

“Thirty copper a cup,” Arad declared firmly after a quick glance at their pockets.

“W-What?”
“Thirty?!”

Trevis and his party froze, their hands halfway to their pouches. In town, beer cost only 2–3 copper per cup. Even considering the Abyss’s difficulties, charging ten times the normal price seemed outrageous.

“If you don’t have money, I also accept monster materials in trade,” Arad added with a shrug.

“But… that’s too expensive!” Trevis protested, eyeing the man nervously.

Is it really worth it to pay so much? he wondered, glancing at the tantalizing cup.

Despite his complaints, the temptation of beer so close at hand made his resolve waver.

Should I just take it by force?

The thought crept into his mind. After all, adventurers—especially those from the North—were half-rogue by nature. His companions seemed to share similar thoughts.

He’s alone.
Even if he’s a mage, a surprise attack might work.
And if there’s more food and water inside the carriage…

Their imaginations began to run wild with greed.

“Of course, the price is a bit steep, but it can’t be helped,” Arad said suddenly, interrupting their train of thought.

“Think about it. I’m running a business here, alone, in the Abyss. It’s troublesome, to say the least.”

His calm, knowing tone carried a weight that made them hesitate.

Trevis’s group suddenly realized how unnaturally quiet it was around them. Even the monsters avoided the area.

Could he be so powerful that monsters steer clear?
What if he’s an S-rank adventurer supported by an imperial guild?

Their hesitation deepened, and they began to second-guess their rash ideas.

Let’s just pay. Think of it as the cost of staying alive.

One by one, they made up their minds.

Trevis was the first to act. “I’ll pay! And I’d like food and healing as well!”

“Beer, food, and healing, hmm? Judging by your condition, all that will be 1 silver and 50 copper,” Arad said without missing a beat.

“Y-Yes… I’ll pay,” Trevis stammered, pulling out the coins and handing them over.

“You made the right choice. Food will be ready shortly. Those needing healing should remove their bandages and wait,” Arad instructed.

The others quickly followed suit, producing their silver coins and eagerly handing them to Arad.

Not long after:

“This… this is heaven.”
“Thank you, ancestors.”
“I spent 2 silver because of my injuries, but it was worth it. At least I saved my arm!”
“Money? Once we sell these monster parts in town, we’ll make it back easily.”

Trevis’s party lounged in front of the golden carriage, sipping their beer with blissful expressions. Clean, fresh bandages now adorned their previously infected wounds. Though none of them were healing experts, they could feel their injuries mending.

“Arad’s healing skills are no joke,” one of them remarked.
“Well, of course—he’s a mage. Healing magic would be second nature to him.”
“That red potion he used… can’t we buy some of it? It looks so effective.”

“Alright, your meal is ready,” Arad announced, stepping forward with trays in both hands. On them was an unfamiliar but enticing spread of food.

“What’s that smell…”
“Wow…”

The food looked and smelled divine, far exceeding their expectations.

“It was worth every coin.”

Having braced themselves for something akin to Arad Stew, they were stunned to see an entirely new dish before them.

“What is this dish called?” one of them asked, practically drooling.

“These,” Arad replied with a grin, “are hamburgers and fries.”