The morning after his first real battle in the Amber District, Kaito woke with aching muscles and the scent of firewood still clinging to his clothes.
It had been a victory—a hard-earned, sweat-drenched, adrenaline-fueled victory.
But it wasn't over.
If he wanted to stay on top, he needed to build something lasting. A single good night didn't make a business—it made a spark. He needed to turn it into a fire that couldn't be put out.
As Kaito made his way to the market, he mentally ran through his next steps.
Last night had been profitable—more than profitable.
Earned: 62 crowns & 4 gold coins from a mix of regular customers and nobles.
Spent: Nearly all of his ingredients.
That was the trade-off. If he wanted to keep momentum, he needed to restock and expand.
Sylvia was already waiting at his stall, flipping a dagger between her fingers, her usual half-smirk in place.
"You look like you got hit by a wagon," she remarked.
Kaito rolled his shoulders. "Feels like it too."
"Worth it?"
He grinned. "Absolutely."
She tilted her head, watching him. "So what's next, chef?"
Kaito set down his pack, eyes sharp. "We go bigger."
Before buying more ingredients, Kaito needed new recipes.
He couldn't just rely on dumplings, grilled fish, and skewers forever—not when he had a rival actively adjusting to his style.
He found a quiet corner of the market and pulled out his notebook—one of the few things he had brought from his apartment. Flipping past old scribbles and ideas, he began sketching out potential dishes.
1) Smoked Drakewing Stew
Base: A deep, smoky broth made with drakewing bones, rich in natural oils.
Protein: Shredded griffboar meat, slow-cooked until fall-apart tender.
Flavor layers: A touch of fermented emberfruit, bringing depth and acidity.
Toppings: Roasted moon-thyme, fresh sky onions, and crushed smokewood bark.
2) Fire-Seared Flatbread with Sunroot Hummus
Dough: A mix of sky flour and starfire oil, seared on hot stone.
Spread: Sunroot puree, whipped into a creamy hummus-like texture.
Finishing Touch: Thinly sliced charred whisperleaf and a drizzle of nightberry glaze.
3) Ember-Chili Glazed Ribs
Meat: Thick griffboar ribs, marinated in soy sauce, emberfruit paste, and crushed fire-peppers.
Cooking Process: Slow-smoked, then char-seared over open flames.
Glaze: A sticky reduction of nightberry and honey, thickened into a lacquered coat.
He tapped his pen against the paper, narrowing his focus.
Complex enough to be unique, simple enough to serve fast.
These dishes could set him apart from not just Rogan, but every other vendor in the district.
With his shopping list ready, Kaito moved fast through the morning markets.
He haggled with a butcher for the best cuts of griffboar ribs.
He bartered with an alchemist, securing a vial of concentrated smokewood essence, which could infuse meats with a richer, more intense charred flavor.
He traded a few dumplings for starfire oil—the vendor recognizing his reputation from last night and eager to sample his cooking.
Every step was an investment, every choice a move toward something greater.
By the time he returned to his stall, his pack was heavy with ingredients, and his mind was alight with possibilities.
As Kaito set up, Mira approached, arms crossed.
"You've made an impression," she said, scanning his station.
"I hope that's a good thing," Kaito replied, slicing through a fresh batch of sunroot.
"It is." Mira leaned against the counter. "But now that you're not just some nameless traveler cooking in a corner, you need an identity."
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Identity?"
"A name, kid. Your stall needs a name."
He paused.
She was right. He had been so focused on food, ingredients, and strategy that he hadn't considered branding.
Names held power. They weren't just titles—they were promises.
Kaito looked down at his dishes, at the fire-seared meats, the smoky flavors, the layered complexity of his style.
Then it clicked.
"Ember & Spice."
Mira's eyebrows lifted slightly. "Not bad."
Sylvia nodded. "Sounds fitting. You do like setting things on fire."
Kaito smirked. "Then it's official."
He turned to the crowd, the morning rush beginning to gather, and called out—
"Welcome to Ember & Spice! Let's get cooking!"
The first orders rolled in.
Kaito started with the Drakewing Stew—the rich broth simmering over low heat, the scent pulling in curious onlookers. He layered the toppings, garnishing with fresh herbs.
A merchant took the first bite.
Silence.
Then a low hum of approval as the heat, the depth, the complexity hit all at once.
A gold coin clinked onto the counter.
Next came the flatbread, charred just right, the creamy sunroot hummus spread generously over its surface. The contrast between the crispy dough and smooth puree was addictive.
A noblewoman took a bite.
She blinked, then immediately ordered another.
Then came the ribs—slow-smoked, the glaze glistening under the lantern lights, the first bite a perfect combination of sweet, spicy, smoky, and charred caramelization.
A pair of adventurers nearly fought over the last plate.
Sylvia smirked. "Well, you definitely have them hooked."
Kaito wiped his brow, grinning despite the sweat. "Good. Because I'm just getting started."
But just as the momentum built, something unexpected happened.
A familiar voice called out from a few stalls away.
"Oi, Ember Boy!"
Kaito turned to see Rogan leaning against his own stall, arms crossed.
But instead of his usual dumplings, Rogan's counter was lined with racks of slow-roasted meat, coated in a deep, ruby-red glaze.
The smell of charred honey and spice filled the air, dangerously close to Kaito's own ribs.
Sylvia frowned. "Did he just—"
Kaito chuckled. "Of course he did."
Rogan grinned. "You're not the only one who can evolve, kid."
And just like that, the battle of Ember & Spice and Rogan's Kitchen had entered its next phase.
The competition was far from over.
The market around them seemed to pulse with energy as the competition between Kaito's Ember & Spice and Rogan's Kitchen took shape. The two food stalls, now in direct rivalry, had captured the attention of the entire Amber District.
Kaito's heart raced as Rogan casually prepared his next dish—a spicy honey-glazed rib that smelled like smoked caramelized goodness, enticing even those who had just eaten. He didn't have to look around to know that the crowd was dividing.
Sylvia leaned closer to Kaito, eyes narrowed. "He's using your playbook—glazed ribs, heavy on the charred sweetness."
Kaito didn't respond immediately. His gaze stayed locked on Rogan, who was busy plating his ribs with a flourish, a grin plastered across his face as customers lined up in front of his stall.
"Let him try," Kaito finally said, cracking his knuckles. "We're not done yet."
Kaito didn't have time to sit back and let the competition get to him. He had already carved his niche in the market, but now it was time to push the boundaries even further. If Rogan was going to come at him with glazed ribs, then he needed to take the flavor profile to a level that Rogan could never reach—something more complex, more unique.
The grill sizzled as Kaito set to work, firing up the pan with renewed focus. He had a vision in mind.
Dish #1: Dragonfire Ribs
Kaito reached for his new spice stash—the fermented emberfruit paste he had recently obtained. This would be the base of his new glaze. He mixed it with a touch of fire-pepper flakes for a deep, slow burn that would linger on the tongue.
Next, he added sunroot syrup for a contrast in sweetness, blending it into the paste to create a tangy, spicy, sweet glaze that would coat the meat without overwhelming it.
He grabbed the griffboar ribs, seasoned them with a touch of ember salt and whisperleaf, then set them on the grill. The smoke billowed, and the ribs sizzled. Kaito brushed them generously with the glaze, watching it caramelize perfectly as the flames gently kissed the surface of the meat.
He didn't stop there. He knew that visual appeal was just as important as taste—people ate with their eyes first. Kaito drizzled more of the glaze over the ribs once they were plated, allowing it to drip and glisten in the lamplight. He garnished with a handful of crushed whisperleaf for a burst of color, and the dish was complete.
Dish #2: Emberfruit and Fennel Slaw
To balance the richness of the ribs, Kaito created a fresh side dish—sun-fennel combined with a tangy emberfruit slaw, tossed lightly in nightberry vinegar. The refreshing flavors would complement the smoky richness of the meat, and the crunch would provide the perfect contrast to the tender ribs.
As the first plate of Dragonfire Ribs hit the counter, Kaito knew he had taken things to the next level. The rich, fiery aroma of the glaze mingled with the scents of caramelized fat and roasted wood, drawing immediate attention from the growing crowd.
He watched closely as the first customer took a bite—a burly merchant in a leather vest, who had just finished off a portion of Rogan's glazed ribs.
The man chewed slowly, his expression unreadable.
Then, his eyes widened. He took another bite, faster this time.
"This…" he muttered, barely looking up from his plate. "This is different."
Kaito's heart raced. Did it work?
The merchant finished the plate in near silence, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He looked at Kaito, and then, with a smile, he placed three gold coins on the counter.
"That's worth every coin."
Kaito couldn't hide his grin.
He had done it. He had created something new, something that separated his food from the rest. The Dragonfire Ribs had hit exactly the way he hoped.
Rogan was watching from the edge of the crowd, his gaze darkening as Kaito continued to serve plate after plate of perfectly grilled, caramelized ribs.
"Not bad, kid," Rogan said, walking over. "But you can't just fire everything up and expect people to fall for it. There's **more to food than just heat."
Kaito stepped aside to let another customer through. "You're still talking about glaze and sweetness. I'm talking about depth. Heat is part of the experience, not the whole show."
Rogan chuckled. "Fair enough. But this district's mine, kid. You can try and make your mark, but I'm the one who built the crowd here."
Kaito smiled, wiping his brow. "Not for long."
As the hours passed, the battle between stalls intensified. Rogan's ribs continued to sell, but the crowd began to gather in front of Kaito's stall in greater numbers. The word had spread fast.
When a local food critic—known for his acclaimed reviews in Lysmar's food magazines—approached, Kaito's stomach tightened.
The critic was a tall man, dressed in fine leather with a pencil-thin mustache, his eyes scanning every dish with the practiced eye of someone who had tasted it all. He wasn't looking for flavor alone. He was **looking for something to set him apart—something that would inspire his next review.
He stepped up to the counter, his gaze landing on Kaito's Dragonfire Ribs. "The seasoning is… intriguing," he said. "You've balanced heat well. But… what's this?"
He gestured at the sunroot syrup glaze.
Kaito took a deep breath, then explained. "It's emberfruit, with sunroot syrup and a touch of fire-pepper for heat. The balance between the sweetness, smoke, and tangy fruitiness is what makes the dish stand out."
The critic nodded thoughtfully, taking a bite of the ribs.
Silence.
The crowd waited in anticipation.
Finally, the critic exhaled, his lips curving into a smile. "I see… interesting. Unique. A pleasant surprise."
He handed Kaito a small silver coin, the symbol of Lysmar's official food critic award. "You're not just cooking food, you're creating an experience. A new twist on old flavors."
The crowd erupted into applause.
The critic walked away, leaving Kaito standing in the midst of a booming market, the sound of clinking coins ringing in his ears.
Sylvia walked up, her eyes gleaming with approval. "You did it. That's what they all wanted—the next big thing."
Kaito looked out over the crowd, his heart still racing. But this time, it wasn't from fear or uncertainty. It was the feeling of arrival—the feeling that he was finally finding his place.
"Yeah," he said softly, "this is just the beginning."
And with that, Kaito knew one thing for certain: he had set the flame, and it was spreading faster than he could have imagined.
The Amber District wasn't just his challenge anymore. It was his domain.