The woman looked at Laniakea, smiled, and said, "That was quite the fast change of opinion. I didn't expect that—was my offer that convincing?"
"Absolutely," Laniakea answered. He looked down at the piece of paper offering two gold coins a week, knowing that nothing could convince him to refuse. If he worked there for even a single week, the orphanage could be sustained for almost three months.
I'll work there for maybe a few months and then go back, he thought to himself, holding back a grin. If I send a gold coin over each week and save the rest, I could easily retire. Many people never even see a gold coin in their whole life because it's too dangerous to save that much money.
"My lady, when do we depart?" Laniakea asked—though it wasn't really a question; he would have followed her right that second if she had asked.
"We depart tomorrow, so say your goodbyes to the people you need to."
Laniakea looked at the tavern owner, silently asking for permission to go.
"Yeah, just leave," the owner grunted.
Laniakea made his way home, ready to tell the good news to the others at the orphanage. When he arrived, he headed straight for the kitchen to prepare something grand. He moved with quiet efficiency, the heat from the stone hearth warming the room. He started with the rabbit stew, stirring the thick broth in a heavy iron pot. It had been simmering for hours with root vegetables and herbs until the meat was tender enough to fall away from the bone.
On the prep table, he handled the rest of the meal. For the fish, he heated a flat iron pan over the grate with a knob of lard. Once it was bubbling, he laid in the seasoned fillets, watching the edges turn opaque. He flipped them once until the skin was crisp and the flesh flaked easily. Next came the chicken: two salted breasts roasting slowly in an earthenware dish near the edge of the fire until the skin browned and the juices ran clear.
Laniakea used a sharp steel knife to check the meat, then moved everything onto large wooden trenchers. He ladled the stew, tucked the sautéed fish to one side, and sliced the chicken into thick pieces. He repeated this until there was enough for everyone. Finally, he set the table and called the household to eat.
Everyone sat down, looking at the feast in wonder. "Um, Lan? Is today special, or why did you make all of this?" one of the children asked.
"Yes, I am also curious," the Sister added.
"You guys know I work in the kitchen at the tavern," Laniakea said excitedly. "Well, a noble was impressed by my cooking and decided to hire me. I made this because I'm leaving tomorrow."
"Lan, you should have discussed this with me or the Father first," the Sister exclaimed, her expression concerned. "What could have possibly convinced you to suddenly leave like this? You're only a child."
"Two gold coins a week," he said, holding up two fingers.
The Sister went quiet, realizing nothing would change his mind. "Just be careful."
"Don't worry. When haven't I been?"
They finished their meal and went about their day, except for one person. "Hey, Lan... are you really leaving tomorrow? Why can't you stay?" Jessica asked with a sad expression.
Laniakea placed his hand on her head; he was already much taller than her. "The pay is really good, and don't worry—I won't stay long. I'll return once I have enough money and then we can play a lot, okay?"
"Can't I come with you?"
"I'm sorry, but you can't," he answered softly. Jessica nodded, deciding not to push further.
"But Lan, who's going to cook for us while you're gone?"
"Don't worry, I left a cookbook in the kitchen. Just ask Sister to read it for you and you can all cook together. I'm going to rest now; I still want to say goodbye to the people at the tavern kitchen in the morning, alright."
Laniakea went to his room and lay down. He had a hard time falling asleep because he had eaten too much and his heart was racing with excitement. Eventually, he settled into a deep, comfortable rest. When he woke, he felt as refreshed as if he had slept for three days. He got ready and headed for the door, but on his way out, he found Jessica waiting for him.
"I—I just wanted to say goodbye properly, because I couldn't yesterday," she said with an embarrassed smile.
Laniakea gave her a big hug, then turned and began his journey.