allendalepharm Chapter 88 Enjoy a Good Meal
Chapter 88 Enjoy a Good Meal
"Oh, by the way, Rom also said... Boss lady, your cooking is pretty good? Do you have a menu?"
Luo Lan walked to a square table by the window and sat down. The morning sun shone on her, warm and comforting.
The proprietress casually pulled out a parchment menu from under the bar and handed it over; the edges of the paper were covered with old grease and dried wine stains.
Luo Lan used her fingertips to part the menu and glanced at it a few times:
"I'd like some ham and eggs, a big piece of good fried steak, all the side dishes, and a generous amount of sauce."
The proprietress's eyebrows immediately shot up, and she placed her hands on her thick waist:
"This will cost a lot of money, sir."
Not satisfied with this incredibly calorie-laden breakfast, Luo Lan gestured with her hand in the air, forming an exaggerated shape like a large wooden cup.
"I know. Also, another large glass of ice-cold beer, please."
The proprietress repeated the menu, carefully examining the customer in front of her who was unusually extravagant in his spending:
"Ham and eggs, fried steak, all side dishes... and an ice-cold beer?"
After receiving Luo Lan's nod of approval, the proprietress's smile immediately took on a touch of business acumen and efficiency.
"No problem. As long as you pay enough, I can fatten you up until you're round!"
A moment later, a clanging and banging noise came from the kitchen.
After waiting a while, the oilcloth curtain of the kitchen was suddenly lifted, and the orc proprietress came out carrying a rough pottery tray that was about the size of a washbasin.
The heavy ceramic plate slammed onto the wooden table in front of Luo Lan with a loud bang, making the tabletop tremble.
On the plate were two pieces of fried beef steak, thicker than bricks, with a crispy crust formed on the outside from the hot oil, sizzling and steaming.
Next to the steak were piles of ham slices like a small mountain, and five or six runny fried eggs with golden-brown edges.
A large spoonful of thick, orc-style sauce is poured directly over the mountain of meat, dripping down the edges of the crispy steak.
The perfect heat of the steak infuses the air with the powerful aroma of black pepper, crushed spices, and fat.
A platter of various vegetables and fruits, garnished throughout, is both refreshing and appetizing.
"Uh-huh……"
Luo Lan grabbed the iron fork and wooden-handled knife on the table, cut off a large piece of steak with fat and tendons, and stuffed it into her mouth to enjoy it.
When Rom chatted with Rolan earlier, he was indeed not exaggerating.
The orc proprietress's cooking skills are truly exceptional. The sauce for this orc specialty dish has a strong, spicy flavor that goes straight to your nose, yet it perfectly masks the gamey smell of the meat.
Compared to this, the "mushroom stew" that Luo Lan had carefully cooked in the Rift Ruins, which he thought was incredibly delicious at the time, now seemed like nothing more than pot rind compared to this.
Without stopping chewing, Luo Lan began to eat in large mouthfuls.
The frequency of eating increased, with the fork moving back and forth between the plate and the mouth almost without stopping.
Luo Lan's current body has a stomach that is constantly filled with potent stomach acid mixed with [acidic fluid lv.5].
These chunks of meat and ham, mixed with spicy sauce, immediately put the stomach lining to work its magic as soon as they hit the stomach.
Relying on its expertise in [organic extraction], the nutrients in food residue are efficiently extracted and then rapidly converted into abundant biomass energy through [high-speed metabolism], replenishing Luo Lan's physical strength depleted from days of travel.
With the combination of various specializations and skills, the speed at which the mountain of flesh in front of Luo Lan was reduced was astonishing.
The orc proprietress then came over, carrying a large wooden cup with a handle that could hold at least a liter.
A fine layer of water droplets clung to the glass, and the ale inside was covered with chilled white foam.
"Eat it while it's hot."
The proprietress slammed the large wooden cup heavily on the corner of the table and pulled up a chair to sit down.
"This ice-cold beer is on me. In this run-down place, it's rare to find an outsider willing to order something like this so early in the morning."
The proprietress's gaze fell on the ceramic plate on the dining table.
In just a few minutes, the mountain of flesh that would have made two strong, adult men burst had been swept away by Luo Lan like a whirlwind.
The proprietress subconsciously wiped her hands on her apron, her face showing undisguised astonishment:
"Young man, you have quite the appetite."
The proprietress leaned closer to observe Luo Lan's eating movements:
"You ravenous glutton, you're almost as big as the trolls back in my hometown, the Wilderness, who are over two people tall."
Luo Lan's mouth was full of meat, so she couldn't reply. She could only give the proprietress a thumbs-up.
Then, Luo Lan grabbed the large wooden cup, tilted his head back, and gulped down a large mouthful of the chilled ale.
The cool liquid flowed down my throat, washing away the remaining heat and spiciness from my esophagus.
He put down the cup and burped.
"Hiccup~ This is so delicious, landlady. I'll have this every day while I'm staying here."
Given Luo Lan's enormous appetite, this should have been a very profitable business.
Upon hearing this, the proprietress frowned and shook her head.
"Eating like this every day? That probably won't work."
Luo Lan, busy eating, looked up:
"Huh? Why?"
The proprietress tapped her hand on the table and sighed:
"Sigh, I don't know what's gotten into us lately. A bored 'prankster thief' has come to the village. He's raided a lot of people's cellars, including all the vegetables and fruits I keep in my kitchen storage room. They've all been stolen. Without any side dishes, I won't be able to make the kind of food you just ate for many more meals."
"A prankster thief?"
Luo Lan asked in confusion.
The proprietress pursed her thick lips:
"Yes, it's a prank. That thief only steals the cheapest vegetables and fruits. Every time he steals something, he leaves behind a few pieces of paper. They're covered in scribbles, like the doodles of a kid who's just learned to hold a pen. It's not just stealing, it's clearly provoking everyone's temper."
Luo Lan wiped her mouth:
"Could it have been done by some naughty kid from the village?"
The proprietress shook her head decisively:
"There are only a handful of kids in the village now. Even if you gave them ten lives, they wouldn't dare to rummage through the warehouse in the middle of the night. If they were caught, the adults in the village would tie them up, hang them up, spank them until their bottoms were swollen, and leave them to rot in the most conspicuous place in the village for a few days."
Luo Lan listened to the landlady speak in such a casual tone, yet it sounded like she was uttering some terrifying words to discipline the child. She couldn't help but silently lament the difficult upbringing of this child from another world.
Then, Luo Lan recalled the seasoned warrior who seemed incredibly experienced last night:
"What about Rom? Asking a Gold-rank transcendent to guard the warehouse should make catching this petty thief easy, right?"
Mentioning Rom's name softened the proprietress's eyes slightly, and she gave a sneer:
"Ha, that damned Rom, all he does is fight with that broken iron sword, nothing else goes on in his head... I sent him to keep watch at the warehouse a long time ago. He ended up feeding mosquitoes all night and didn't even catch a glimpse of the thief."
Luo Lan's interest was piqued by this:
"After I finish eating, could I go check out your warehouse, boss lady?"
The proprietress waved her hand, answering decisively:
"Sure. If you can really catch that thief, I'll waive all your food expenses for the next few days!"
Upon hearing this, Luo Lan swung her fork even faster.