Zax Village (1)
We bought food souvenirs for five hundred people and some crafts from three different villages, then arrived at Zax Village, which was near Zex Town.
This place was known for its poultry farming, and it was home to Hans, the man behind the Cocotte Fried Crust that took first place in the street stall division.
When we visited Hans’s house, he wasn’t home.
A neighbor told us that Hans was usually away during the day, helping at his family’s home.
They gave us directions, and we found ourselves at a Cocotte poultry farm.
A young woman came out to the entrance, startled by our sudden visit, and hurried off to call him.
When Hans came running back, he was covered head to toe in blood—so this time, we were the ones startled.
Apparently, he’d been in the middle of butchering Cocottes.
Realizing our eyes were fixed on his bloody appearance, Hans quickly blurted, “I’ll take a quick shower!” and ran off again.
“Please forgive my son for his rudeness,” said a woman who seemed to be his mother, inviting us into the house.
We waited in what looked like the living room until Hans returned, droplets of water still clinging to his hair.
“It’s fine, we came without setting a specific date, after all. Sorry for interrupting your work.”
“No, it’s alright. I’ve already prepared five hundred portions of Cocotte Fried Crust.”
“Hasn’t any merchant tried to come to you, Hans?”
“At first, a few wanted me to secretly sell them the new dish, but they stopped coming.”
I see. Even though it’s close to Zex Town, it’s still a bit far for a day trip by carriage. They must have given up.
“When it comes to setting up your stall in the new district, do you have any requests or concerns?”
“The paper we use for wrapping the Cocotte Fried Crust gets greasy when it’s straw paper. But the other kinds are too expensive or wasteful.”
“That’s been a common problem. I think we’ve found a suitable alternative.”
“Really?”
“I can’t give details yet—I still need to talk with the supplier to see if they can make enough and at what wholesale price.”
Hans looked relieved and happy. “That was the biggest issue, so I’m really glad to hear that.”
It’s a shared concern for anyone who uses a lot of oil.
“Anything else?”
“Well… since we need large amounts of oil, I’m worried about a possible price increase.”
Ah, right—oil production! I completely forgot about that.
Do we even produce any in my domain? If not, I’ll need to request it from another.
I told him I’d look into the oil situation. Then I asked if his family also handled Cocotte breeding.
He said they’d put a male Cocotte in with the flock, but the females showed no interest in incubating eggs, leaving them unattended—no real change from before.
“Do the females ever approach the male?”
“No. I’ve seen the males either fighting or playing—I’m not sure which—but they butt heads or kick at each other’s rumps with their feet.”
Maybe I should investigate Cocotte nesting behavior in the Great Forest.
Then Hans said, “I have a favor to ask,” and explained that he wanted to open a shop and leave the street stall to two boys.
At the stall, they’d fry the Cocotte Fried Crust that Hans had prepped beforehand.
“Are those boys relatives of yours?”
“No, they’re orphans who volunteered and asked if they could do it.”
Apparently, he’d already had them fry some under his supervision. “Don’t worry, I checked the flavor myself,” he added.
If I approved, he’d draw up a contract.
When I asked how it all started, Hans said the boys had their own booth at the exhibition but realized their dishes wouldn’t sell well in the new district.
So, after thinking it through, they approached Hans with an idea.
They told him that once they saved enough money and earned his trust, they wanted to open their own shop someday, either in the capital or in Eminara.
“Their passion and sincerity made me think I could let them try,” Hans said.
Cocotte Fried Crust is the perfect dish for eating on the go—it would probably sell like crazy at a stall.
If there’s also a shop, the customers would naturally split between the two, easing the crowding in the plaza.
And since Hans is the one preparing everything, the taste would stay consistent.
If the boys are practicing under his guidance, the difference in frying technique shouldn’t be too noticeable.
They’d buy supplies from Hans and give him one-third of their profits.
Wait a minute—isn’t that basically a franchise system?
They’d sell at the same price, and since Hans supplies everything, he’d know exactly how much they earn.
That means his one-third cut would be guaranteed.
The boys must have done their math and realized they’d still make plenty even after paying him that share.
And once they gained his trust, they might even get the recipe and open their own shop—that’d give them every reason to work hard.
Whoever came up with this idea is pretty sharp.
Honestly, I’d love to scout him for my family’s trading company or the administrative office.
“Would it be alright if I met those boys?”
What do you think about this chapter?
