"548, 549, 550..." the children started counting the reward money as soon as the doors closed behind them.

"When have you two become such gangsters? Glavas asked. His mind still couldn't wrap around the fact that the two children have managed to indirectly blackmail a promised reward out of the receptionist.

[When you're promised money and they don't give it to you, sometimes, you just gotta get it in a different way,] Surdi signed and returned the bag to Alma.

"Well... I guess you've got a point there. Still, you shouldn't be doing this too often. And especially not in bigger towns like this. What if that guy reports us now? Have you thought of that?" the hunter scolded them.

"We can always set the desk on fire." Alma shrugged.

"And what exactly would that resolve?"

"I don't know. But he'd know our threats are to be taken seriously. It would teach him a lesson."

Glavas rubbed the root of his nose with two fingers. "Okay, new rule. Before you do this, you run it by me, okay? If we're gonna stir up some trouble, we need to be united at least. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" Both children saluted unanimously.

"So, you've done the counting? Is there everything?"

"Yup! All the money we were promised!" Alma called out and triumphantly raised the hand with the pouch high above her head.

A passerby thief didn't have to think twice about his choice. Wrestling the money out of the child's hands could cause quite the commotion, which was something he did not desire. But now that she held the bag up high like that, all he would need was one quick scoop and the loot would be his. Grinning and full of anticipation, the thief broke into a sharp sprint, he pushed Glavas aside, getting no stronger reaction from him than a confused "huh?". Once the short elf was out of his way, the scoundrel grabbed the pouch. He could already see it. The food he was going to purchase for this, the nights to be spent in a brothel, the new cloak he'd had his eyes on for quite a while now. He could see the riches, the spending, the... sky? Something yanked his arm backward, holding it so firmly it felt as if he'd slammed it in the door. However, while the appendage stayed behind, the rest of the body continued running. Any person at least barely knowledgeable in the field of physics would know that only one of two options would happen in such a scenario. Either the hand would be set free, or the body would stop. Those who know Alma would be able to reduce these options to only one. The thief's legs flew through the air as his back hit the floor. Suddenly, all the wind got knocked out of his lungs, leaving him gasping on the floor.

"Alma! Let him be," Glavas reprimanded her.

"But he tried to steal it!"

"I know, but look at the poor guy." The hunter gestured over the man who was now squirming on the ground, holding his right arm and wheezing for air. "Come on now, take a deep breath, buddy. You are alive, no worries," he assured the stranger as he helped him sit up and collect himself. It took a while before the man finally caught his lost air.

"What the fuck happened?" he asked, unsure if the past minute was real or just the product of his wild imagination.

"You tried to rob the wrong person," Glavas lectured him.

"Are you with the guards?"

"No no, we're just tourists. If you're worried about going behind bars, then you can rest easy. I'm not one to write an official report or something. But I hope you've learned your lesson."

"Yeah yeah, I know. I shouldn't steal."

"Nah, steal whatever you want. It's your choice. But pick your targets carefully. Travelers like us? We tend to be armed and ready. Not the best idea to jump us like that. So consider yourself lucky. Could've been way worse." Glavas helped the man up on his feet. "Listen, take a day off, okay? Get some rest. I'm sure society will be happy to have one less thief to worry about for today," he gave him a pat on the back and then headed off. He had no intentions to deal with robbers and bandits more than it was necessary.

[Why didn't you report that guy?]

"You don't know why he steals. Maybe he has a good reason. Besides, going to a guard, getting redirected to their central, reporting it, filing the documents... Ehk! I know a million better ways to spend my noon."

[Such as?]

Glavas smirked at the children. "Such as taking you two to that fancy restaurant I told you about?"

Surdi's eyes practically exploded out of his head and glimmered with a spark of enthusiasm while his stomach let out an excited croak. If Alma wasn't lacking a pair of normal human eyeballs, hers would do the same.

"Wait, so you're actually taking us to the... what's it called again? Dragon Snorting Feathers?" Alma pushed her way into the conversation.

"Snoring Featherdrake! For the love of gods, don't just guess the name once we are there. And I do mean that generally. Even if you want to order, just point to it in the menu. I'd like to avoid last week's faux-pa."

"It was just an innocent mistake."

"There was nothing innocent about it. The difference between saying Forked Squid and Focked Squid is quite obvious. And you know what it sounded like. Look, either read the names properly or let me read them, okay? The place is really special and puts great attention to manners."

[Since when do you care about manners? When the waitress in that pub asked you if you'd like another round, you just burped as a response. Gross.]

"That was an accident and I apologized for it. Besides, that was a pub. This? This is a renowned restaurant. Original Featherdrake cuisine with authentic preparation style. You need a reservation to that place."

[A what cuisine? Articulate better!]

[Featherdrake,] Alma spelled out the name for him.

[A Featherdrake? Never heard a thing about what Featherdrakes eat. I mean, how different can it be from what normal drakes and dragons eat?]

"Heh, just wait until you see the Floating Kitchen technique. The preparation itself is done in front of you using air magic and it is considered a spectacle."

Alma and Surdi exchanged confused expressions. Neither of them knew what to expect from such a place, but Glavas making a reservation was a surefire sign of quality. The elf rarely respected reservations and preferred not to waste time waiting for a seat when he was right there and then. If something made him actually schedule such a visit, it must've been more than worth the money.

The high expectations were quickly cut short when the trio arrived at a building that looked like anything but a highly-ranking restaurant. While the street was filled with all sorts of large banners, each advertising their respective nonsense with names like: "Popel's Panels, Crestopher" and maybe the slightly less confusing: "Backs and Packs", the restaurant opted for a completely different form of promotion. Namely, practically no promotion at all. Above a seemingly unimportant pair of wooden doors hung a small sheet of fabric with a large black circle painted on it as if by a single stroke of a massive brush. In the center of it was then embroidered a simplistic orange fish. The place was unknown, unattractive, and for those merely passing by, also completely nameless.

"Wait, this makes no sense," Alma spoke up when they were just about to enter. "You made the reservation? But we've just completed the job. There was no way of knowing when exactly we would be done."

"Wasn't there?" the hunter smirked at her.

[You knew we'd make it in time? What are you? A seer?]

"Kids, I've been doing this for over eighty years. You start to see time a bit differently once you're as experienced as me." He winked at them and continued inside.

Once the doors closed and the sun stopped interfering, the interior lighting finally had the opportunity to set up the mood. Numerous colorful lamps illuminated the hallway, creating a dark yet cozy feeling. Moments later, from a long curtain at the end of the corridor, a creature of light blue color emerged. Its long, serpent-like body was a combination of scales at the bottom and feathers at the top. Its head was clearly that of a dragon, but instead of horns, the drake's head was covered in feathers, which even formed into the shapes of facial hair, making it seem as if this particular individual had a goatee. Although the featherdrake had a pair of humanoid arms, except with only four fingers, it lacked even the slightest sign of legs. Instead, it almost seemed as if it was swimming through the air itself.

"Soru Glavas?" the woman asked.

"Yes, that is me. I should have a reservation."

"Your name is Soru?" Alma asked, prompting a smile from the waitress, who quickly covered it with her hand.

"That means Mr. in their language," the hunter sighed. "It's an honorific. Soru for a man, Sora for a woman, Sorii for the rest."

"They are sorry for the rest?" Alma joked, upon which she received a piercing gaze from the elf.

"Sorii! The 'ee' sound is softer and longer," Glavas growled. "Apologies, Sora, they are quite... inexperienced when it comes to culture."

"No worries. We are used to it. Please, go inside and have a seat. We are happy to welcome you to our humble establishment," the drake replied and did something that confused the children even more. Her long body twirled upwards to her head, creating a vertical circle. Without a sound, she then closed her eyes and spun around, eventually returning to her starting position again.

"Umm... is that the spectacle or..." the girl carefully whispered to the Glavas.

"No, that is their form of greeting. Just like humans shake hands or dragons bow, they spin."

[Do we have to spin too?] Surdi signed and looked at his tail, which would under no circumstances be able to reach all the way to his head.

"Haha, no, of course not. For us, the formal greeting is just briefly tilting the head back." The hunter demonstrated the custom and then waited for the children to do the same before they all finally entered the main room beyond the curtain.

"Please, have a seat. Chef Tuguo will be with you shortly," the woman pointed them to a series of five seats placed around a massive desk, which was sitting right next to the door to the kitchen.

"This is the only place to sit?" Alma asked after she scanned the room. The walls were dark and the lighting faint, with only the exception of one strong, magical light, illuminating the only table in the tiny room.

"Yes. This place is highly exclusive. The chef prepares the meal personally and always for one set of customers only.

The children were in awe. They'd never heard of such a different style of a restaurant, and the atmosphere was surely a spectacle of its own. On one hand, it made them feel uncomfortable, due to all the darkness, but the wooden furniture and soft lighting balanced that out with a feeling similar to a cozy lakeside cabin.

[So, when the chef comes, should I look up or bow. You said dragons bow, right? Does that include draconids like me or only the four-legged dragons?] Surdi asked once they were all seated and waiting.

"You are visiting him, so his custom should be upheld. But... why do you seem so unsure about bowing? All dragons do that. Have you not seen your parents do it?"

"Eh! Cultural nonsense, am I right, Surdi?" Alma poked the suddenly absent-minded dragon.

"Well, I wouldn't say..."

"Welcome, my dear guests," the voice of chef Tuguo interrupted their conversation. They all briefly moved their heads up and the orange featherdrake returned the gesture with a quick spin. "Alright, I have a few items on today's menu. What's it gonna be?"