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Food was essential for the human body, Durin understood that much. That wasn’t the difficult part.
People’s palattes was where the real struggle began.
It all started when he visited the Forest of Blessings in Simulanka. He wanted to show his new body to everyone who hasn’t seen him in Nod Krai. To celebrate, the citizens prepared their signiture ink tonic. When he was still a dragon, Durin had no problem drinking it. His new friends however obstained, nervously giving different reasons. Hat Guy and Albedo were the only ones who actually tried it.
So he thought there would be no problem even if he had a new body. But as soon as he took a sip, it was as if acid dropped on his tongue. The ink tasted so bitter and not even like alcohol bitter, more like a strange spoilled bitterness. It didn’t help that the tonic was higly viscus, given it was ink.
Durin coughed and spluttered, starteling some of the origami animals. He quickly apologized, saying it might be the side effect of the spell that made his nody. He ended up having just water.
Albedo then explained to him that there are certain things humans cannot eat, because they are poisonous and indigestible for then, and others obstain for personal reasons. He noted it might be due to medical issues, like allergies or problems with the person’s digestive track. Then he went on saying some people are just picky eaters and don’t want to eat certain foods because they don’t taste good for them.
It all made Durin’s head spin. How was he suppose to know if he couldn’t drink the tonic because he physically wasn’t able to or because he just didn’t like how it tasted after he became human?
“But… you drank the tonic just fine! How come it was no problem for you?” Durin questioned him with puzzled expression.
Albedo frowned and leaned on his work desk, eyeing the notes he made after Durin’s transformation. “That’s because I’m not like you. Considering nobody else wanted to drink it, it’s most likely you’re senses are more akin to a regular human’s rather than an alchemical creations.”
More akin to a regular human’s…
That’s what he wanted. To become human. So why did that answer left him so unsatisfied?
“So where would this fall into? It’s not an allergy, right? Since nobody but you and Hat Guy drank it, then it’s one of those foods that are like poison—“ Durin paled. “Wait, am I gonna die?!”
He clutched his lavender hair and his wings defensively wrapped around him, pathetically trying to keep away an enemy who already breatched the walls.
Albedo sighed. “I doubt it could cause a serious issue. There is no need to worry. What did you do after you drank it?”
“I spit it out and drank some water.” Durin scratched his cheek awkwardly, feeling ashamed for his outburst.
“You did the right thing. Even if I don’t personally believe this drink could bring you any harm, your actions were what you should do when encountering actual poisons you might consume.”
“Oh, uh- good to know.” Durin nodded. “So what’s something humans can eat?”
“Plenty of things. We might be here for few days if I tried to list all of them.” Albedo said with an amused smile. “It might be better if you take a look for yourself. You can go to Good Hunter and check out the menu.”
“Yeah okay. Um, what do you like to eat? Just out of curiosity.” Durin asked.
Albedo thought for a moment, like he was deciding between different options. “I would have to say desserts. I am quite fond of the energy boost you get after eating something sweet. However there are a type spider living around the roots of ancients trees. With a little seasoning, they can make for quite a treat.”
“Spi…ders?” Durin was left confused again. “And humans can eat… those?”
Albedo nodded. “I believe there is nothing toxic about them, so they’re safe for consumption.”
So Durin couldn’t drink ink but he could eat spiders no problem? Life was so unfair sometimes.
…
Durin followed his brother’s advice and visited the Good Hunter. There he got into a chat with the cavalry captain. He off-handedly mentioned his dilema, while trying to decide what to order. Kaeya suggested if he wants the largest variety of foods and tastes, he should go to Sumeru. Durin figured it had some merit to it. If he wanted to have his questions answered, the nation of wisdom should be the best place to go to, right?
It also gave him an excuse to see Hat Guy again.
After he confirmed with Albedo it was okay for him to leave, he soared through the sky towards the Great Tree of Sumeru. Delivering messages during his time in Nod Krai helped him preserve his energy, so he could fly for long periods of time without needing to take a break.
Humidity and loud sounds of tucans welcomed him at the gates. Durin managed to arrive early in the morning, so there weren’t that many people out and about. He liked those times, it gave him a chance to explore the city without worrying if it seemed strange to other people.
If the best place to learn about what kinds of foods people eat are restaurants then I should find one here, Durin thought. Thankfully he remembered Hat Guy telling him about one in the city. His nose eneded up being his guide, as he followed the smell of meat towards a small building called Lambad’s Tavern. The smell was way different than the meat at Good hunters. The spiciness was almost enough to make Durin sneeze, but he held it in.
He sat down at one of the tables. There weren’t many people around, so most of the sound came from a man telling a story for anyone who would listen.
“So what will it be?” A large man dressed in green with a strong smell of coffee and herbs hanging over him appeared and asked Durin.
“Uhh- I don’t know. Anything that’s eatible?” Durin said with a shrug.
The man held back a laugh. “Say, you don’t look like you’re from around here. How about I make you some of our specials?”
“Yes, absolutely, thank you!” Durin nodded with relieved face. The man nodded back and went into a kitchen.
He eventually settled in a comfortable position, when he heard the door open again. Durin figured it was just some patrons leaving, but he still looked. He was glad he did, because the complete opposite. A familiar face entered the tavern.
“Good day to you Lambad, could I order two Shawarma Wraps and three coffees to go, please?” Nilou’s serenic voice carried through the tavern, making some other people take notice of her arrival.
“Sure thing! It’ll be done right away.” Lambad answered.
“Thank you very much!” Nilou beamed. “But there’s no rush. Take your time.”
“Fairy Nilou!” Durin rushed towards the dancer.
Nilou turned around, confused for a moment before her raidient smile returned and the two of them met in hug. “Durin! It’s been so long! What are you doing in Sumeru?”
“Just visiting. I wanted to learn about different kinds of foods and someone I know reccomended I try Sumeru. He said you have the best kinds of food.” Durin explained plainly. He didn’t see the point in lying to Nilou, since she knew of his origins. Although he never shared the details of the ritual that turned him human, mostly because he didn’t want to worry her.
Nilou giggled. “I do agree we have excellent food in Sumeru, although I might be a little biased. I never really went outside the city, so I haven’t had many oppurtunities to try different dishes.” She told with a bashful expression. “So does that mean you’re eating out here? Hey, how about we catch up while you eat? I’d love to hear what you’ve been up to since Simulanka.”
“Oh absolutely!” Durin nodded and they retrieved to his table.
Durin then told her about what had happened in Nod Krai - Rerir, the phantoms, the festival. Nilou looked like she was intently listening to a fantastical, although Durin could notice a shadow of worry with how her brows knitted everytime he mentioned the fight.
“So much has happened to you and we didn’t know about any of it.” Nilou said, with a penintent tone of voice. She looked down at the table. “It makes you realise how easily truth can be hidden from the world.”
Durin frowned. He didn’t intent to make Nilou sad by telling her about what happened. “I don’t think anyone wanted to hide the truth from you. It’s just that everyone was working hard to stop the enemy before they became a problem.”
Nilou looked back at Durin, one of her brows raised. She then gave him a half smile and rested her chin on her hand. “Reminds me of a time not too long ago.” She said, as if she was reminiscing about times long passed, despite saying otherwise.
“What happened?” Durin asked, his tail slightly wagging at the prospect of a story.
Nilou opened her mouth to speak, but then three large plates were placed on the table. “Your order, sir.”
“Thank you.” Durin nodded politely.
“Could I ask for a glass of water, please?” Nilou requested. “I would like to stay and chat with him for a while.”
“No problem!” The tavern keeper replied and soon left.
“You’re not going to order anything?” Durin asked, looking between the steaming plates and Nilou.
She shook her head. “Well I technically did, but that wasn’t for me. I don’t usually get food from restaurants. I have to keep in mind what I eat, being a dancer and all that. So it’s usually just easier to make myself.” She explained.
“Oh, do dancers have specific food only they can eat?” Maybe that’s why he couldn’t drink the tonic, even though it wasn’t poinsonous? Because he wasn’t the right type for it.
“Not really.” Nilou shrugged. “But dancers, or anyone really, can sometimes go on a diet. Which means they restrict or eat more of certain food that helps them with whatever they need their body to do. If I eat too carelessly, I might not have the energy to dance like I do now.”
“So what do you normally eat?” Durin asked.
“Ah you know, fruits and veggies. But it really depends on the day. I make sure to drink plenty or water first and foremost.” Nilou smiled.
“And what’s your favourite food?”
“Oh I love sweets! Have you tried some from Sumeru? If not, we should stop by one of the stores and buy some. Or I learned a great recipe for Padisarah Pudding. I can make you one if you want.” Nilou offered.
So she likes sweets too, Durin thought. Albedo also said he liked sweet food and Durin remembered getting candy from Columbina on Moon prayer night. He didn’t think of it much during that time, just that it was a nice gesture. But maybe there was more to it? Maybe “human tastes” leaned more to sweet food. It would make things easier, but Durin didn’t know how to feel about it. It felt wrong to restrict himself to only a one type of food for the sake of fitting in with a group.
Nilou pulled him out of his thoughts by sliding one of the plates towards him, with some black soft dish that smelled like roasted nuts. “But they say variety is a spice of life. I think it’s good that you’re trying different things before deciding. Not a lot of people are that open minded.”
He took a bite. It wasn’t sweet, but he still liked it.
…
Durin has gotten used to the stares of the Academiya students. When he was a storybook dragon, it was welcomed. He was just glad others weren’t running away from him anymore. Now however, it was less so. He felt like he didn’t belong.
“I don’t see where the issue is.” Hat Guy, who was leaning against the railing in front of the building, narrowed his eyes, although it was clear he wasn’t angry or annoyed, just puzzled. “You wrote in your letters that you don’t like alcohol, so you don’t drink it. Just do the same with the ink.”
“I can’t!” Durin protested. “It’s not the same. I actually liked drinking the tonic, but now I don’t. I just want to know if there’s a difference between the food I could eat as a dragon and the one I can eat now. What if I want to eat something I could before but can’t now and won’t know until it’s too late?”
“You’re no going to eat poison.” He told him with a tired tone. “Give yourself some credit. You can tell what’s dangerous and what’s not, you’ve proven that multiple times.”
“But that was because there was always someone with me- Albedo, the Grandmaster, Alice, you. I might not realise the danger once I’m alone.”
“Then just pull from the knowledge you gained during those times.” Hat Guy told him matter of factly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Maybe it was. Durin’s worries sometimes clouded his judgement. “How do you think humans figured out how to make so many different kinds of food? It was by taking knowledge other humans discovered over centuries.”
“But I’m not human… not entirely, I mean.” Durin replied sheepishly, fidgeting with his hands. His tail wrapped around his leg defensively. “I can’t go on human experience alone.”
Hat Guy sighed. “You’re right. So what do you plan to do?”
“I’ve been just trying different food and seeing how it tastes.” Durin admitted. “Also, I asked other people what their favourite food is. Albedo and Nilou both said they like sweet food.”
“That checks out. Your brother does seem the type of person, who would like to change the flavour just to make it easier to stomach and Nilou, she…” He stopped himself and looked at the high branches of the Great Tree. Durin looked at the same direction, all he could see were green leaves dancing in the wind. “I guess her opinions have some merit to it.”
Durin turned back to his friend. “What about you? What do you like?”
“I mostly drink tea, although the coffee in Sumeru can bring me the flavour I’m looking for ten-fold, so I started to alternate between the two.”
“Oh Nilou ordered some coffee in the tavern, but it wasn’t for her though.” Durin replied. “I guess it’s popular here. Back in Mondstadt I only ever seen Master Jean drink it.”
“It’s really good.” He said with a grin. “You should try it, if you haven’t already.”
Durin grinned from ear to ear with excitment. “Okay!”
They went to get two cups and sat outside on a bench. Once Durin concluded the drink cooled down enough, he took a sip and instantly wanted to spit it out. It reminded him of the ink tonic, though not as viscus and Durin found it much easier to hold it down. Even then it didn’t stop him from making a disgusted grimace, letting out a whine of displeasure. He then could hear soft laughter coming from Hat Guy.
“People drink this?!” Durin asked with disbelief. The same one he had when Albedo told him about the spiders, but back then he was able to hide it. “Like every day?”
“Some of them.” Hat Guy admitted with an amused smile, taking a sip of his own drink with no problem.
“No wonder you had no problem drinking the tonic! You probably developed an immunity by drinking coffee! Maybe if I drink enough of this, I can drink the tonic again.”
“I could drink that stuff because I’m not human.” He corrected him with a harsh tone, all his amusement vanished in a blink of an eye. “I’m a puppet, remember? That means I can tolarate more flavours than regular humans.”
“But I’m not a regular human either.” Durin slumped from dissapointment. “So how come I can’t tolarate different flavours like you do?”
“Because you might be more regular than you think.” Hat Guy flicked him on the forehead. “I told you to give yourself some credit. You wanted to be like everyone else, so you could fit in. You fought hard for that wish and it came true. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be sacrifices in return, no matter how trivial they might be.”
Durin set the cup aside. He didn’t want to taste any more bitterness.
Hat Guy watched him sulk like a kicked puppy for a few moments, before taking a deep breath and going on: “Sometimes it hurts. It makes you feel like it wasn’t worth it. But then the unpleasentness goes away and show its advantages. That’s why some people manage to stick with it. The long term effects are more worth it for them than the brief pain.” He paused and glanced Durin’s horns, then at the wings which were slowly unfurling to hide him. It was an unpractical habit of his. “This isn’t really about food, is it?”
“Of course it is.” Durin mumbled in a pathetic attempt to argue.
Hat Guy hummed and took another sip of his coffee. “You know, you don’t have to restrict yourself to the tastes of others. You can always just make your own flavours.”
Durin lifted his head to look at him. “I can?”
“Obviously. Humans didn’t spend perfecting the art of cooking just for you disregard it,” Hat Guy shrugged. “In fact, there are certain people who don’t follow any culinary rules and drown their food in so much seasoning without a second thought, so you can barely tell what the dish was suppose to be in the first place.”
To Durin it felt like he was talking about someone specific based on the fondness in his smile.
“How do I do it? Make my own flavours I mean.” Durin asked sheepishly, it was probably a dumb question.
Hat Guy finished his coffee and stood up. “I can teach you to make some simple dishes. Then the rest is up to you.”
…
They bought a few cook books, just so Durin can eventually take them home and try the recipes himself. He noticed there weren’t any of the dishes he ate at the tavern. Hat Guy explained that he picked recipes which he could make with ingredients easily accessible in Mondstadt.
Durin’s first attemps at cooking ended up… burnt.
He burnt the eggs, the meat and the bread. The only thing he didn’t manage to burn was the fruit. They ended up with a pot full of what looked like charcoal. It tasted nothing like the cake the dragon had in the tavern though. Hat Guy told Durin to rest, while he cleaned up. So he admitted defeat and went to lay down on the couch.
After a long time Hat Guy returned and set something on the table. Durin turned around and saw a bowl filled with rice swimming in what smelled like tea with one of the pieces of the left-over fruit sitting on top.
“What’s this?” Durin looked at his friend, puzzled. “We didn’t make that.”
“Just something I used to make.” Hat Guy replied and sat next to the dragon. “Go on, don’t let it go to waste.”
Durin took bite. It tasted bitter, but not in an unpleasant way. It felt almost comforting. He ended up finishing the bowl in a matter of minutes. The dish, despite its simplicity, made him feel rejuvinated and warm again.
“You’re first attempts won’t be pretty, that’s just how things are. But with practice, you’ll eventually get to a point where it will be enough.”
“Thanks Hat Guy, I think I want to keep trying new flavours, but I also want to give cooking another try.”
“Suit yourself.” Hat Guy picked up one of the books and flipped through it. “Most of these are from Fontaine. So if you want to try good food, that’s your best bet. It looks they know what they’re doing.”
Durin suddenly perked up. “That means I can also visit King Navia!” He exclaimed with exciment.
“Sure, we can take a detour.” Hat Guy shrugged.
“We?” Durin questioned.
“You think I would just let you fly over the sea by yourself? You’ve never been to Fontaine. Half the Mondstadt will have my head if you do something stupid in the city and get yourself arrested.” He berated the dragon, but Durin knew he was just trying to look out for him. “Besides, an aquintences of mine has a work partner there. He mentioned he wanted to send her a letter regarding some flora information. It will be faster if I just deliver it to her.”
“Thank you, Hat Guy.” Durin smiled. His friend just scoffed and exited the room, leaving Durin with an empty bowl smelling like fruit and tea and a bowl filled with charcoal.
Their trip to Fontaine took less time than Durin’s solo journey to Sumeru, mostly because Hat Guy was the one taking care of navigating and supplies. Once they arrived at Romaratime Harbor, they took the aquabus just so Durin could rest his wings a little. The dragon happily listened to the anecdotes provided by their Melusine quide. Durin asked her about local specialities and the guide admitted that Melusines have competely different palettes from humans because of their unique sense. Durin was amazed and wanted to try some Melusine food anyway, just so he knew what it tasted like. But Hat Guy talked him out of it.
When they finally got to Court of Fontaine, Durin was staring in awe at every corner. The city reminded him a little of Nod Krai with all the machinery everywhere, but somehow bigger. As he was twirling around, taking in the view, he felt someone knock into him. He fully expected to fall on his face given he didn’t expect it, but his tail got cought on something fluffy which send both Durin and the unknown person swirling around as if they got cought in a whirlpool.
When they both fell to the ground with an ‘oomf’, Durin finally got to see who he collided with. His gaze travelled from the two tails wrapped around his to the blond messy hair a giant bow on top.
“Nroew… Sorry about that, I was in a rush-“
“Kirara!” Durin beamed. “What are you doing here?”
Kirara perked up at the sound of her name. “Oh, it’s the little dragon! But not so ‘little’ and not so ‘dragon’ anymore I guess.” She eyed him up and down. “I’m just finishing a delivery. What about you? Don’t you live in Mondstadt now?”
She picked up her fallen parcel, while Durin scrambled to stand up. They both dusted small pieces of dirt before continuing conversation.
“I’m just visiting. I’ve been wanting to try out new foods lately and Hat Guy suggested I try Fontaine.” Durin explained and pointed towards his friend, who was standing few steps behind him.
Kirara tilted her head to get a better look at Hat Guy. She blinked a few times before turning back to Durin. “Oh that’s the grumpy guy from Simulanka. So he’s your guard now?”
“Oh nonono, nothing like that!” Durin waved his hands in flustered manner. “He’s still my friend. He just came along because he wanted to deliver a letter on his friend’s behalf.”
Hat Guy narrowed his eyes in annoyance and looked like he was about to say something, when Kirara appeared right next to him with wide eyes and her tails swinging like crazy.
“I have competition now?!” She gasped and looked at the letter in his hand. “Word of advice, buddy. Next time leave the delivery to the professionals.”
“Shut up. It’s not like you’ll loose your job over one piece of paper.” Hat Guy pushed the nekomata away, who let out a low growl in response. “You can deliver the reply back to Sumeru for all I care.”
“Where are you taking your delivery?” Durin asked.
“Hotel Debort.” Kirara answered simply, turning her attention back to the dragon.
“Could we come with you? It sounds like a place that would have good food.” Durin replied a little sheepishly. He looked between Kirara and Hat Guy, trying to get at one of their approvals.
“Sure! If you’re looking for food, there’s a good place to look.” Kirara gave him a toothy grin, swaying her tails happily. “It’s reeal facy though. So I never ate there.”
“Where do you normally eat?” Durin asked as they walked, Kirara next to him and Hat Guy trailing behind.
“Mostly just catch my own stuff or I get street food with my paycheck. Anything I can eat on the move, y’know?”
“So… what’s your favourite?”
“I love Sashimi platter! It’s soo good. Not as good as Granny’s cooking but good enough.” She licked her lips and Durin could notice there was more pep in her step. “All of those fish on one plate is a total paradise!”
“Fish… I have a friend who loves grilled fish.” Durin thought for a moment. Klee would always be the happiest when they got to “hunt” fish. Durin had even a chance to grill some of them for her and he had to admit he loved the taste. Maybe cooking was really a way to go, when it came to finding out the repect taste for himself. But Durin didn’t want to cook more pots of charcoal before he could eat any of it.
“Grilled, fried, raw… I don’t really care which one it is. As long as it’s fresh fish, I’m happy.” She purred.
“Raw? But isn’t eating raw meat dangerous?” Durin raised an eyebrow.
Kirara chuckled. “Maybe, but a nekomata’s stomach is much stronger than regular’s person.”
“Oh I see.” So Kirara had could stomach different things, like Albedo and Hat Guy. Or did she have different palette like the Melusines? Durin had to admit it was a little confusing.
They chatted for a while, before they finally got to Hotel Debort.
“And here we are!” Kirara gestured to the building. “If you don’t like any of the fancy food there, you should let me treat you to some Inazuman snacks. They’re the best!”
“I would love that, thank you!” Durin smiled.
…
Once they got inside, Durin was hit with a wave of amazement again. Kirara quickly went to make her delivery, while the dragon was gawking at the robots churning chocolate.
“Well that’s all from me right now.” Kirara said, still eyeing the letter Hat Guy was holding. “Guess we could order something. My ship will take a while before it arrives.”
“Durin? Kirara? I knew I recognised you!” A familiar voice called and suddenly the two of them were pulled into a warm hug by their tall blond friend. Hat Guy managed to escape her grasp by sliding away with his anemo power. “It’s so good to see you!”
“Navia!” They both exclaimed.
“It so good to see you both.” Navia gave them one tight sqeeze before pulling away. “What brings you to Fontaine?”
“The usual.” Kirara shrugged.
“I wanted to try out Fontaine food. Me and Hat Guy tried cooking some, but didn’t end up making anything good. So we decided to take the trip to try it.” Durin explained, a little emberrased to admit his failure at cooking.
Navia beamed. “That’s wonderful! Good thing I found you when I did. Not only I know the best dishes our nation has to offer, but I can also cook most of them! So I have plenty of tips to pass on.”
“Oh really?!” Durin’s eyes widened.
“That’s right. Now let me order you some Fontaine’s specialities.” She announced as she left with a wink.
Hat Guy then turned to Durin. “I’m gonna leave you in her hands and deliver this letter. I should be back in an hour or so.” He told him and Durin nodded.
“Where are you taking that letter?” Kirara sneaked behind him, trying to get a peek at the envelope.
She got pushed away. Hat Guy then let out a scoff: “To someone called Emilie. She runs a perfume shop, so go bother her if you want a job.” Then with a nod towards Durin he left.
After the door closed, Navia returned to the group. “They’ll be done in a minte. Let me show you to our table- hey, where’s Hat Guy?”
“He said he didn’t want to eat, so he went to deliver the letter. He said he’ll be done in an hour or so.” Durin explained.
“Oh, well that’s okay! No point in forcing someone to feast when they don’t want to. I just wish I got the chance to tell him farewell before he left. But if he’s coming back, I guess I’ll get the chance after all.” Navia clapped her hands, still keeping up her peppy tone.
She seated them on the second floor around a large table with soft chairs. Both Durin and Kirara sunk into them, relaxing in the velvet.
Navia giggled. “Hotel Debort made sure everything is high quality. Oh! Our drinks are here!”
A waiter carrying a tray of four glasses filled with sizzling drinks placed it on the table, putting it in front of each of the members. When one was left, he looked to Navia.
“Our friend had an emergency, you can take it away.” Navia told him. The waiter nodded and left.
“What is this?” Durin asked, both him and Kirara looking quizzically at the glasses.
“It’s Fonta! Our most popular drink.” Navia presented proudly. “Come on! Try it.”
Both of them took a sip. Durin’s face lit up, while Kirara grimmaced, her tails wagging with aggitation.
“It’s very sweet.” Durin said. It tasted like juice, but different somehow. He remembered having something similiar in the tavern before, but not as strong as this.
Kirara frowned. “Tastes like soap,” she complained. “Too many bubbles for me.”
Navia placed a hand over her mouth from suprise. “Oh no, do you want me to get you tea then? We have a good Romaretime tea, if you want.”
“Just water is fine. It’s what I’m use to.” Kirara responded and stuck out her tongue, as if she was trying to let the aftertaste drip out of her mouth on its own.
“Alright, no problem!” Navia nodded cheerfully.
Once the waiters came with the dishes, Navia ordered a glass of water for Kirara. The staff slowly started arranging plates on the table, covering it completely. Durin and Kirara stared at the feast with mouths wide open.
“Dig in! All yours for the taking.” Navia mused and spread her arms to show they were free to take anything they wanted.
Kirara quickly grabbed one of the barbecue ribs and gobbled it up, almost breaking the bone. “It’s no fish but it’s still good.” She hummed in delight, her tails making a circling motion.
“If you want fish I can order you some Poissonchant Pie.” Navia offered.
“Yes please!”
Durin slowly took one slice of the baguette with a strong scent. He took a bite. It was crisp and warm on his tongue. It tasted so delightful Durin ate the whole slice in two bites.
“I take it you like it?” Navia asked. Durin nodded. “That’s great! You should try the Raugout then. But use utensils. You don’t want make a mess.”
She slid the bowl of Ragout towards him, while Durin took the utensils the staff gave them. He looked into the bowl. It looked kind of like a stew. Durin took few bites and hummed. He looked up and saw Navia’s patient smile. “It reminds me a little bit of Goulash we make when we travel to Dragonspine.”
“That’s interesting. I should try it if I ever visit Mondstadt.” Navia told him.
They ate everything Navia ordered, then she ordered a few more dishes and they ate some more. By the end Kirara and Durin laid on couches as if they just fought the hardest battle of their lives, while Navia watched them with an amused smile and a tea in hand.
In his daze, Durin noticed someone walking up the stairs. That unmistakeble hat! “Hat Guy!” He suddenly exclaimed and pushed himself up. Navia turned around and smiled at student’s arrival.
“What happened to you?” Hat Guy glaced between Durin and Kirara with a raised eyebrow.
“Navia treated us to so many good dishes. You should’ve been here. They were all so delicious!” Durin told him excitedly.
Hat Guy looked at the table, seeing some left over plates the staff didn’t have time to take out. Then his eyes turned to Navia. “How much did it cost?”
Durin froze. He didn’t think about money at all! He took some with him when he left Mondstadt, but he spend so much of it on the books and ingredients that he wasn’t sure if it was enougn to cover everything they ate and drank.
“Oh don’t worry about it.” Navia waved her hand dismissively.
Hat Guy pulled out a small pouch half filled with Mora. “This should be enough to cover at least Durin’s portion.”
He handed it to Navia, who tried to give it back. “No, Hat Guy- it’s fine really!”
“Just take it,” Hat Guy sighed. “It’s not just for the food, but for taking care of Durin. I’m not a fan of having depts.”
“Well okay, if it puts your mind at ease.” Navia smiled and tucked away the pouch with Mora. “It’s a shame though. You haven’t got to try any Fontainian specialities, have you? How about I make you some macarons?”
“No thanks, I don’t like sweets.” Hat Guy told her.
“Okay…” Navia replied with a pout.
…
Once they returned to Mondstadt, Durin told Albedo and Klee about everything they’ve done. Klee was excited to hear about their travels, while Albedo had a quiet look of relief. He was glad Durin looked much happier. He offered to make dinner for them, since he assumed Durin would be tired from the journey back home. The trip back was a little easier, since Navia offered to get a boat that would take them to Dormant Port and after that they flew to Mondstadt, but all the travelling still took a toll on the dragon.
Klee didn’t join them, saying she already ate. Albedo presented Durin and Hat Guy with two plates of Sunshine Sprat, a dish he was very well-versed at.
Durin started eating and slowly started picking out the green parts. He wasn’t sure why, but after eating all sorts of different dishes, having just plain vegetables felt a little too bland.
Hat Guy was the first one to notice, or at least the first one to point it out. “Why are you putting away the greens? They’re not poisonus.”
“I know! But…” Durin fidgeted in his seat. “Um… Navia said we shouldn’t force someone to eat if they don’t want.”
As he finished, a loud growl came from his stomach and echoded through the room, as if loudly objecting to his excuse.
“Uh-huh…” Hat Guy raised an eyebrow. “And you don’t want to eat.”
Durin’s eyes darted around the room, trying to find another reason he would avoid eating the vegetables. One that would sway Hat Guy and not hurt Albedo’s feelings. “I’m on a diet?”
Hat Guy stared at him, unconvinced. Even Albedo paused, looking confused.
“What kind?” Hat Guy asked skeptically.
“Uh- the meat kind?” Durin replied nervously.
Hat Guy let out an exasperated sigh. “Eat those vegetables, or I’m gonna hide all your story books.”
“What?! You can’t do that! Where would you even hide them?” Durin asked, shocked at his friend’s threat.
“Somewhere I know you won’t look.” Hat Guy replied simply.
Durin frowned.
He finally understood people’s palattes and felt like he had one of his own, but at what cost?