4.5 - First Representatif

Dourk Tavern, Walluo City

0810, 26 Jun 2025

During the last week, Dourk Tavern visitors have increased rapidly and are still increasing. The visitors initially captivated by Amur Beer, then becoming captivated by the various new menus offered by Dourk Tavern.

Since two days ago, nobles at Walluo Castle even started sending their servants to buy various new menus at Dourk Tavern.

The supply of spices and other commodities from Amethyst Merchant has made the quality and variety of menus at Dourk Tavern multiply. For example, steaks and roasts at Dourk Tavern now were served with a dozen different sauces made using a wide variety of wine as a base.

Large chunks of boneless canned salmon also sell well when lightly grilled and served with a fruit wine sauce.

Once every three days Old Dourk will also bring in smoked meat, sausage, cheese, bacon, butter, yogurt, bread, pasta, and other staples that Amethyst Merchant produces locally in Magwurt City.

The three types of bread that are best-selling at Dourk Tavern are soft white bread that can be enjoyed with fruit jams, meats, cheeses, or a variety of cooking.  The bread is dry and tough but goes great with soups, as well as round bread that is a little firm but is perfect when served as a sandwich with a lettuce and meat filling.

In the Amstell Continent, the commoner could only consume black bread which was hard like wooden blocks. So when consuming it, it must be thinly sliced ​​if it is not served with soup.

That's why, it was understandable that the new kind of bread Dourk Tavern had served, instantly became a favorite menu for Walluo City residents.

The candied fruit, perry, and cider offered by Dourk Tavern also sold well even though they were immediately served as they were with ice cubes, without any additional touch.

To this moment, Old Dourk is still amazed every time he looks at the ice cube machine and the solar panel that powers it. This magic mechanism made Dourk Tavern the only shop in Walluo City that was able to provide ice cubes.

Nothing beats the allure of a cold beer when you're exhausted after a hard day's work.  Because of that, the popularity of Amur Beer at Dourk Tavern has increased dramatically. Moreover, Dourk Tavern also received an additional supply of Lada Whiskey, which like other Amethyst Merchant products, has premium quality at affordable prices.

However, on the advice of LtC. Slane, Old Dourk has to impose a rule that each customer can only order alcoholic drinks for a maximum of two servings. That way only visitors who intend to fill their stomachs will visit Dourk Tavern.

Meanwhile, people who want to relax and chat while drinking will go to the bar, considering that Dourk Tavern's capacity is not much even though the expansion has been made.

Of course, this does not affect Dourk Tavern's profits because Amur Beer and Lada Whiskey are now the main menus in almost every bar in Walluo City.

Initially only small bars took Amur Beer from Old Dourk. However, after the middle and upper-class bars realized that they could not possibly reproduce Amur Beer anytime soon, they ended up taking Amur Beer as well. Although they were secretly still trying to reproduce the new beer.

When Old Dourk expressed his concern over Amur Beer's plagiarism, LtC. Slane casually asked him to stay focused on Dourk Tavern and ignore everything else.  Without many words, Old Dourk carried out this advice.

Old Dourk also has to increase the price of Amur Beer at his shop to 10 coins/glass because he sells Amur Beer to bar owners for 8 coins/glass, so the bar owners can get adequate customers and there is no unnecessary competition.

Ironically, Old Dourk is not aware that at this time he already has the earning potential equivalent of a middle-class noble who has very fertile fields.

Of course since the beginning, Lieutenant Colonel Slane has predicted that the two-income channels owned by Old Dourk will provide massive income.

The first line of income is Amur Beer.

Of the 400,000 residents of the Kandez Region, 320,000 thousand of them are over the age of 15 who are legally allowed to buy alcoholic drinks. If it is assumed that residents who can buy alcoholic drinks need 5 liters of beer every month, the total monthly demand for beer will be 1,600,000 liters or the equivalent of 32,000 barrels of 50 liters.

From this amount, so far Dourk Tavern has received a share of 14,500 barrels, and it will continue to increase because not all residents in the Kandez Region know Amur Beer. Besides, individual alcohol consumption per month must be more than 5 liters.

The second income channel is cooking which Old Dourk made himself.

On the Amstell Continent to open a diner requires three things. Cooking skills, access to ingredients, and access to spices.

Old Dourk has excellent skills, with access to cheap and readily available staples from farmers in the south of Walluo City.  Even so, the profits he got were very small, because the prices of herbs and spices were very expensive.

As a cook with deep skill and a clean heart, Old Dourk would not be willing to sell half-flavored food, so he did not hesitate to use spices adequately.

This made Old Dourk's food popular and well-selling, but he had to keep his profits as small as possible so that his cooking was affordable, considering that the spices he used took up a quota of 80% of the menu price he sold.

If the food ingredients he uses take up a 15% quota of the menu price, then he only gets about 5% profit, even then he doesn't count the manpower and skills used.

However, the supply of spices and commodities from Amethyst Merchant only takes up a 52% quota of the menu price he offers. This means he will get an increase in profits even though he does not increase the prices.

Also, by supplying more varied herbs and spices than those monopolized by the nobles, it was only a matter of time before Old Dourk's skill returned to its peak, or would even develop further.

Lieutenant Colonel Slane looked at every corner of the Dourk Tavern which was being cleaned by Old Dourk's wife and two daughters before speaking.

"As long as you don't enter the spices market that the aristocrats have monopolized on, I'm sure you'll be fine."

Old Dourk smiled cheerfully before saying.

"Don't worry, I'm not stupid enough to draw their attention."

Lieutenant Colonel Slane nodded in satisfaction before asking.

"What about Sturk?"

"Now he can help me with the preparations, so my wife is demoted to become a washer and helps my two daughters clean."

Old Dourk glanced at his wife for a moment before continuing.

"But she doesn't complain because the cleaning items supplied by Amethyst Merchant greatly facilitate her job."

Lieutenant Colonel Slane gave a small smile before holding out two clocks in front of Old Dourk, who immediately became dumbfounded.

As a cook who had lived in Walluo Castle, Old Dourk understood the concept of time.  He also knew that the only clock in Walluo Castle was the size of two wardrobes with the price of a medium-sized field. As for clocks that are slightly smaller in size, the price can be up to two or three times.

Meanwhile, the two clocks offered by Lieutenant Colonel Slane are only 30x30 cm in size, with elegant shapes and colors with the words 'Amethyst Merchant' in the middle.

While staring at the dumbfounded Old Dourk, Lieutenant Colonel Slane said.

"A small gift from Amethyst Merchant, one for the kitchen and one for the shop."

"It's no small gift. I can't accept it."

"Feel free, this is Amethyst Merchant's way of appreciating business associates."

Lieutenant Colonel Slane smiled slightly before continuing.

"This afternoon I'm going back to Magwurt City. If you need to talk to me, come to the Joker Trading Post, the personnel there will put you in touch with me."

Old Dourk took a deep breath before saying.

"You have such a kind heart, may the gods who live in heaven always be with you."

Lieutenant Colonel Slane realized the gods that Old Dourk meant were just figments, but he did not reject Old Dourk's good intentions.

"I pray they'll be with you too, and thank you for the breakfast."

Lieutenant Colonel Slane then left Dourk Tavern with his bodyguards, and of course with Captain Rumus.

As the group from Magwurt City reached the city gates, Captain Rumus could no longer hold back the restlessness in his heart.

"Ser Slane, I'm sorry if I'm presumptuous, but I think Amethyst Merchant deserves a bigger partner."

"Captain, don't worry too much about it, because our mission in Walluo City has been accomplished very well."

The aim of Operation Koi Fish was a promotion, not finding big partners, and the promotions through Dourk Tavern gave very positive results because Walluo City residents did not show negative sentiment towards Amur Beer, Lada Whiskey, or other Amethyst Merchant products.

LtC. Slane didn't even need to ward off the negative rumors that were being spread by the merchants from the North Coalition.  This is a great success according to him.

Of course, it wasn't because the residents of Walluo City trusts Amethyst Merchant's products, but because they believed in Old Dourk who had a good heart, and would never harm his customers no matter how much profit Amethyst Merchant offered him.

With a cheerful heart, Lieutenant Colonel  Slane then left Walluo City.

*****

If you like this work, please support the author by reading it in:

https://m.webnovel.com/book/tf-amethyst_1837096770541120

Thank you.