Duke Tao

In the evening after doing his work, on the ground floor, Kaito was sitting on a chair beside the window.

At a distance of two meters on his left side, two men sitting together talking to each other.

"Did you hear that Duke Tao is coming to our Rifor Town?"

"What? Really! But why?"

"I don't know the detail."

"I know, yesterday I heard that one of the government officials from Rifor Town died." A man sitting next to them said.

"But when he was coming h–"

He stooped in the middle as he saw ten men coming inside from the main door of the restaurant. All of them were wielding a wand with a silver handle blue shining magical core in the middle and a brown shaft in their right hand.

After coming inside the restaurant, they divided into groups of five and stood at both sides of the door making a path in the middle. Soon a middle-aged man without any wand in his hand came inside, all ten men standing left and right of him bowed their heads as soon as he entered the restaurant.

From the way of his clothing anyone could tell he was not an ordinary person, there was a golden ring on most of his fingers. Thin cloth made with gold and cotton around his waist. In one word he looks as if he has enough money to take a bath in water made of liquid gold.

"So, this is the famous restaurant in Rifor Town?" The middle-aged man said while entering the restaurant.

"Yes, my lord." The man on his right said.

When Chang saw this middle-aged man inside the restaurant. He ran to him, "What a great day today is! I can't believe that Duke Tao himself is coming to our restaurant."

"See I told you that Duke Tao is coming to Rifor Town." A man near Kaito said.

"Yes, but I can't believe he would come here. It looks like this restaurant is so popular that even Duke Tao came here."

Kaito kept sitting while staring outside the window. He knows that it was none of his business who came to the restaurant as his only work was cooking there.

"Duke Tao, let me show you the way to the first floor. It will be quiet there." Old Man Chang said.

Following Chang, Duke Tao went to the first floor. Soon after him all of his guards also went there. Duke Tao sat on one table along with him; only one guard member sat while another sat on the other table.

"So, what good in your restaurant?" Duke Tao asked.

"Not anything particular, I believe anything you want to eat will feel different from other places."

"Is that so?" He continued, "Then come with any dishes made up with chicken. Also, tell me how long it will take you."

"Don't worry Duke Tao, I will not take more than fifty minutes."

After that Chang went to Kaito, "Your resting time is over boy, time to work. I will go to the market and bring a chicken you prepared to prepare anything good out of it."

"What? I didn't even rest for ten minutes."

"You can rest later, now you have to prepare good food for Duke Tao. If you are able to impress him with your food, you can get a few gold coins from him as a gift. So, just go back to work." After saying Chang left for the market.

Kaito went to the kitchen and started to cut down the ingredients he planned to use while cooking such as ginger, garlic, turmeric, etc. After cutting it he put the water to boil. Soon Chang came with chicken, it was already clean and cut into small pieces. Kaito put the chicken pieces into the boiled water.

Thirty minutes later Kaito finished cooking. Chang asked a few waiters to take the food on the first floor. They distributed the bowls, whose top was covered with plates, and top there were spoons, to Duke Tao and all of his guards.

At first, Duke Tao lifted the plate covering the top of the bowl, and the spicy and delicious steam came out of it. The bowl was filled with chicken soup. Not only the scent coming out was delicious and making him eat but as it was decorated in green and red color it also increased his hunger to eat.

Moving his head, Duke Tao gave a signal to the guard in front of him to eat the chicken soup. Whenever Duke Tao eats outside of his house, one of his guards eats the food only to check if it is okay for Duke Tao to eat,

As nothing happened to him, Duke Tao also started to eat the chicken soup. After that, the rest of the guards started to drink the soup and eat the chicken. It was so tasty that it didn't even take ten minutes to finish the chicken soup.

After eating Duke Tao took a long breath and then asked Chang, "Who cooked this?"

"Why? Was there any problem with it?"

"Why are you asking instead of answering my question? Tell me who cooked it, no no don't tell me just bring that person to me."

"But a-"

"I'm not requesting you, it's an order. So bring that person to me quickly."

Chang felt like he was getting a deja vu. Without asking further he went to Kaito and asked him to come on the first floor.

"Now what? Did I cook wrong again?"

"I don't know boy, we will know after you meet Duke Tao."

As both of them didn't have the power to ignore Duke Tao's order, Kaito went to the first floor.

"Here Duke Tao, I bring the one who cooked for you."

"Are you saying this young boy cooked the food I just ate?"

"Yes.."

"Did you really cook the food I ate?"

"Yes, Duke Toa. If I made any mistake, please forgive me." He said respectfully, bowing down his head.

"What are you saying? I didn't call you because you made a mistake." He continued, "Your food tasted so good, even my personal chef can't make food like this." He moved two golden rings out of his hand, "Here keep these golden rings as your reward for making such delicious food for me."

"No, no Duke Tao. I can't take these rings, it is my job to cook for anyone who comes here."

"Take it, there is nothing wrong with taking if one is willing to give you something as a reward."

Kaito lifted his head, "Thanks for complimenting and giving such a precious reward to Duke Tao." He spoke.

"What do you say about working in my house as a chef? I will give more than this restaurant gives you."

"I appreciate your kindness, Duke Tao. But I have to reject it for some reason."

"Well, then I can't say anything." He continued, "I really enjoyed your food, it would have been great if you agreed to my offer."

Kaito didn't say anything, and soon Duke Tao along with his guards left the restaurant.

"Yoo, boy you are really lucky today. Getting golden rings, I wished it was me in your place." Chang continued, "It was good that he gave you the reward, but can he ask you to come work for him."

"I have nothing to say to Old Man Chang, let's get back to work."

Outside the restaurant, before Duke Tao went inside his horse cart, he whispered something to one of his guards' ears.