"Why haven't you guys started eating yet?" When Jake returned to the small restaurant where Brenton and the others were sitting, there were dishes laid out on the table. However, no one had touched their chopsticks. Instead, their eyes were fixed on the dishes, and some were even salivating.
"We were waiting for you to come back, Captain," Brenton said, swallowing heavily and finally tearing his gaze away from the dishes to look at Jake.
"We couldn't start without you, Captain," Adrian added.
"I told you to start without me. You didn't have to wait," Jake said as he took his seat, although he felt a warm feeling inside.
"But Captain, you're treating us, and you're our leader. How could we eat without you?" Brenton said. "Now that you're finally back, we can start."
"Go ahead and eat," Jake chuckled.
Almost simultaneously, everyone at the table except Jake picked up their chopsticks and started eating. In no time, every mouth was full of food.
Seeing this, Jake smiled and called out behind him, "Waiter, could you come here for a moment?"
"Of course, what can I do for you?" The waiter hurried over, wearing a polite smile.
"Bring a few more of your specialty dishes and two pitchers of alcohol," Jake said.
"Captain, we have enough food," Adrian quickly interjected, though his words were a bit muffled since his mouth was full.
"It's okay. I said I'd let you all eat your fill, so eat to your heart's content," Jake said. Although he didn't have much money on him, he could afford to treat them. When Brenton and the others had placed their orders earlier, they hadn't dared to order too much. Jake added a few more dishes, allowing everyone to enjoy a hearty meal. After the march, they wouldn't have such an opportunity again.
"Also, everyone can have a bit of alcohol, but don't drink too much, got it?" Jake cautioned.
The prospect of having some alcohol brightened Brenton and the others' eyes. Alcohol was a luxury. Even for those who could afford their basic needs, alcohol was still considered a luxury.
Soon, the waiter brought the food and alcohol. Brenton was quick to pour a glass of wine for Jake before pouring for the others.
"It smells so good," Adrian said as he picked up the wine glass, sniffing it with a look of bliss. The others wore similar expressions. Jake found their reactions quite amusing.
Taking a small sip, Jake found the wine a bit pungent and bitter, not particularly enjoyable. However, he realized that the alcohol content was probably similar to beer on Earth.
"Old Village Chief taught me brewing skills before. If I get the chance, I could brew some alcohol. Seeing Brenton and the others craving alcohol like this, I believe it would sell well once I brew it. They're clearly longing for alcohol," Jake thought to himself.
Furthermore, Jake could look up brewing recipes online and combine them with his advanced brewing skill. He believed that the alcohol he brewed would be much better than what was available here.
The wine that Jake didn't think much of became nectar in Brenton and the others' mouths. Each of them only took small sips, savoring the taste for a long time. The meal took over an hour to finish. When it was time to settle the bill, it cost Jake five gold coins, leaving Brenton and the others astounded.
"Captain, where are we going now?" After leaving the restaurant, Adrian asked Jake.
Looking at the group, Jake replied, "We're going to the blacksmith shop."
"Why are we going to the blacksmith shop?" Brenton asked. Having worked as an apprentice at the blacksmith shop for many years, he was particularly sensitive to this place.
"Of course, to get weapons for you," Jake said. "We're setting out tomorrow. Do you all have weapons?"
Jake's words made the others blush. In this team, only Jake had a weapon. Everyone else was unarmed. If they encountered danger, they wouldn't have any means of defense except running away.
"But weapons are expensive," Brenton said. Having worked as an apprentice at the blacksmith shop for so long, he knew that weapons were not cheap. Otherwise, they wouldn't be unprepared like this.
"Who said I'm buying them?" Jake said. "I'm going to craft them for you!"
"Captain, can you really forge weapons?" Brenton asked in surprise.
"You'll see when we get there," Jake said.
In reality, Jake had five gold coins in his pocket, so he could afford to buy weapons. However, the weapons he could afford would be of poor quality, likely to break after a few strikes.
Jake himself was a skilled blacksmith, and he had iron blocks he brought with him. Crafting the weapons himself would be a better option. The group quickly arrived at the blacksmith shop. When Jake had tried to sell the monster claws earlier, he had been to this place. He knew the location, and he also knew that they could borrow the equipment here, for a fee, of course.
After giving a gold coin to the owner of the blacksmith shop, the owner readily loaned Jake and the group the equipment inside the forge. He even gave them some discarded iron materials. To Jake, who had plenty of high-quality iron blocks, these iron materials weren't very valuable. What he valued was the equipment available.
"Brenton, you work the bellows," Jake instructed Brenton. Among the group, Brenton had the most robust build and also had experience as an apprentice at the blacksmith shop. He was the most suitable person to operate the bellows.
"Sure thing!" Brenton agreed and quickly got the bellows blowing with a hearty whooshing sound.
Jake took out an iron block and began forging. During his time in Hermit village, Jake had forged weapons multiple times. Therefore, he was familiar with the process. Everything went smoothly.
The group watched silently from the side, refraining from speaking to avoid disturbing Jake. They were amazed and impressed by Jake's blacksmithing skills. In this era, becoming an apprentice to a blacksmith or a physician was very strict, with some professions only passed down to one's own descendants.
Learning weapon forging was difficult for ordinary people. For instance, Brenton, despite working at the blacksmith shop for many years, hadn't managed to learn forging because the blacksmith shop's owner never taught him. Just watching was not enough. However, based on Jake's actions, he was clearly skilled at forging, which greatly impressed everyone.
"Captain is so amazing, he can do everything," they marveled.
Brenton was particularly moved by this because he realized that Jake's forging skills were even more proficient than those of the blacksmith shop owner who had been forging for decades.
"Captain is really a monster," Brenton muttered to himself. However, being able to follow such a powerful captain was undoubtedly a good thing for them.