The moment Frey laid eyes on the fried chicken wings on the plate, her mouth dropped open. Just the fragrance that the chicken was giving off made her stomach growled.
"...This," She starred at the food in front of her. Her mouth was wide open, drooling. "I can eat this right...?"
"Go on ahead," Shinto nodded his head. Although he had his fill, seeing the chicken wings made him hungry again. He couldn't help but feel a sudden crave for the same dish as well, however, since he had his meal already, he didn't want to interrupt Frey's meal.
"Time to dig in! Thank you for the food!" Without a moments notice, Frey held up one of the chicken wings as she began to chow it down.
The sizzled red sauce on the chicken alongside the juice from the meat made for a perfect well-balanced combination of spiciness and sweetness, thus enhancing the taste of the chicken.
"Oh my god!" After taking a bite from the chicken wings, she continued to eat it without stopping. "This... It's so good!"
One by one, the chicken wings on the plate slowly dwindled until there was only one left.
"Mmm!" Savouring and enjoying the taste of the food, Frey was about to take the last piece as she stopped. Quickly, she turned towards Shinto, "This is too good to eat alone! Master! You should try some too!"
"Ah? No, it's okay," Shinto shook his head. "I've already had my fill. You can have the last piece."
"Eh?! Are you sure? You might regret it later!"
"Really, it's okay."
"You sure?!"
"Yes, I'm sure."
"A-Alright then..." Frey hesitantly turned back towards the plate as she began to eat the last piece.
"Aha! I'm so glad you're enjoying your meal." Seeing the scene in front of him, Greld laughed heartily.
"Of course! I haven't tasted anything as delicious like this before!" Frey said. "Why don't people come here? You should have way more customers!"
"I wish I had more customers... But it's just not possible."
"Huh, why isn't it possible? You have the skills! You can easily gather customers!"
"Well... As you can see from the emptiness of this place, no one comes to my tavern. Even when I try to get others to come, they just don't come here."
"Eh really?! Even if you advertise?" Frey asked.
"Nope... It didn't work."
"What? Do they not know the taste of good food?!" Frey pouted.
"No matter what I tried, nothing worked out." Greld sighed.
"Why didn't they worked?" Shinto asked after listening in on their conversation.
"Ah... When I came to advertise, they just shunned me away, so I couldn't do anything."
"Why would they shun you away?" Frey asked.
"I don't know... The people said that I was going to poison them if they ate here..." Greld replied.
"Huh?! What kind of reason is that?!"
"...That's just utter bull..." Shinto said.
"Yeah..." Greld picked up the plate which now had many bones on it. "I don't know what the nobles have been going on and saying around town, but I have done nothing of that sort."
"Do these people just believe whatever the nobles say?" Frey frowned. "They can't seriously believe that right...?"
"Apparently they do if what he said was true..." Shinto said. "Where's the credit even coming from?"
"Baseless rumours that were spread across the entire town by the nobles... I'm not so sure why people keep believing such a thing, but they do," Greld said.
"If it's baseless, can't you just prove it by cooking in front of everyone and then giving your food to them?" Frey suggested.
"Ah?" Greld blinked at the thought.
"I mean... Can't you just make a live cooking show or something and then show the townsfolk that you're cooking is delicious and that you have no intentions of poisoning them?"
"Huh... Maybe that could work?" Listening in on Frey's suggestion, Shinto gave his thought.
"Right? If Mr Greld just makes a live cooking show or something, then all the rumours would be gone just like that!"
"...Would people even come to watch it? Won't they just turn away or maybe the nobles would try to do something against me..."
"What do the nobles have against you even?" Frey raised her brow.
"...Well, they fear I might report it to the Lord Fieda who governs the northern part of the kingdom."
"Lord, who now?" Frey blinked at the mention of the name.
"Lord Fieda. She's the one who is in-charged of the things that go on in the northern part of the kingdom. The ones in charge of governing the order of the town are the barons," Shinto explained. As a person who had gone through many quests that moved the story view of the game, he knew the important figures in the kingdom.
"Oh! Then why not report it to the barons then? Won't this work the same as trying to report to Fieda?"
"No, that won't work," Greld helplessly shook his head. "Unlike Lord Fieda who would help me in this situation, the baron would turn a blind eye. I assume his in cahoots with the nobles that are against me."
"Hm... Then, if you fear the nobles might be after you, can't we just safeguard you? We'll do our best to protect you against the nobles while you cook! Heck, we'll even help advertise it for you!"
"F-Frey?" Shinto looked at Frey in hurry.
"You will help right, master? If this is successful, Greld would have customers again!" Her eyes lit with passion.
"Sigh, you... But, the problem of the rent still remains right?"
"Then we'll just pay it!"
"..." Shinto starred at Frey helplessly. "You think this will work?"
"Mhm! I'm sure of it!"
"...Where's this confidence even coming from?"
"I'm the daughter of a restaurant owner, so I'm a hundred percent sure that this will work!"
"...Will you two really help me with this?" Greld asked.
"Of course!" Frey nodded her head.
Letting out a sigh, Shinto could only helplessly nod his head. "I guess, we can do it."
[ From the suggestions that you have given to Greld, the details of the quest will now be changed. ]