Miakami would very much like to ask about such a bizzare name, but discussing such matter further would be rude in front of the good food that’s just arrive.

Right now, they’re inside the only restaurant which provide a meeting-cum-dining room, and the best restaurant in Everwinter, Cat Tail.
Though, just like the inn, it wasn’t much a competition inside the small country.

A bowl of mashed potato with melting goat cheese, whole roasted snow rabbit, herb-simmered fish called Pari and mushroom soup has appeared!

[Oooooh! A real food! Gone the day I ate that disgusting pickled fish, rubber jerky and poisonous potatoes! And most importantly, It’s FREE!]
Unconsciously tears formed on the corner of his eye.

“…. Why’re you so moved, Miakami-san? It’s just food?”
“Uuugh, shut up, Let’s eat!”
“….Let’s eat”
Charis doesn’t understand why the person who once ruled a city’s economy would cry seeing this much of foods, in fact, compared to a normal dish outside Everwinter, this would be lacking in quality and quantity.

The reason is surprisingly simple.
Miakami is broke.

His beloved emergency fund are safely in his good friend, Merchant Dane’s hand, and as he flee in a hurry from Habanera, he only brings along what he can carry with his hands.

Along the way, as he can be tracked if he take requests from any legal guilds, he refrained from doing works.
And since no vendor wants to purchase suspicious ‘gud-tasting-powder’ with no backing from guilds, what’s left for him in those days (without forging a new identity) is to be a mercenary, banditry or thievery, and none of them has a stable income and riddled with high risks.

Incidentally, though Everwinter also has guilds. It’s only for appearance sake as they has no contact to the main HQ or to anywhere in particular.

And so, Adventurer Miakami has evolved into Primitive Miakami, eating what he can find and wearing what he can stitches, while forging ahead, fleeing from pursuers.
Until he arrive in Everwinter finally he reverts back and became Adventurer Miakami.

“By the way, what are sprinkling at your food Miakami-san?”
While Miakami still basked in his past suffering, Charis asked about what he has done unconsciously.

“Oh this? You want some? It’s called chili, the one I threw at you before”
Hearing that Charis squints.
It seems the burning sensation on her eyes, nose and mouth has left a slight trauma for her.
But curiosity eventually prevails.

“Let me try some too!”
“…Eh, sure”
Readily agree, from his hand red powder formed and trinkled down on a empty plate

“Don’t add too much alright? If you’re sweating in this cold temperature you will be sick in no time”
“Sweat? Even if I want to I can’t— Hot! Water!”
“….that’s like half a pinch, how weak are you….?”
While watching the young lady frantically glugging water, he decided that it’s a good time to talk about his ability.
[Well, the cat’s already out of the bag after all, might as well tell them] he thought with a bitter smile.

“I’ll explain as an apology for before. As you can see, I can make this with my mana. It’s my {Ability}”

In Filia, there exist magics and abilities.
In short, magic are casted using contract with spirits or demons, and abilities are used by using one’s own mana.

While anyone lucky enough to meet/summon and cooperate with spirits can use magic, ability users are born with a special organ which produces mana, and their number are only one in thousands.

Incidentally, there are research on how human can utilize the ‘outside mana’ just like spirits and demons, but that’s a story for another time.

“I can produce spices that I previously know, as long as my mana can manage. Sadly I can’t produce spice blends…”
This limitation greatly frustate him, as most of his uncle’s story he learnt are blends and mixes such as Masala or artifcial ones such as MSG.
“Oh, and weirdly, I can’t make salt or sugar…”
This limitation is the one he was confused the most, but it is what it is.

“I see, well ability to make such stimulation of taste are already great in my opinion”
Before he knew it, the girl has already accustomed by the chili and eating with great relish.
The stone-faced guard also wear a softer look compared to before.

[Will you take a look at that, the ice king’s weakness is in his tongue!]
Feeling satisfied by their responses, he continues to eat with a bright expression.

Though the food take a large part, for the first time in a while, Miakami dine with other people beside himself, and that…. Greatly enhance the food more than what he can produces.