There can't be a Harvest Moon in the RimWorld.

I reluctantly picked up a small pumpkin and went to the stove to start another round of processing.

"Choose a task: Cook simple food."

After the order was given, the pumpkin's thick skin could not escape being completely cut away; it was cleaned up in a flash of the knife. With another chop, even the pumpkin seeds inside were separated clearly.

"Splash splash splash..."

With the sound of a pot of water boiling and food being added to it, a standard, simple meal was placed on the dining table.

"I shouldn't have let you into the kitchen in the first place."

The owner of Dart muttered something, but his hands were quick. He had already washed all the side dishes, cut them into small pieces on the cutting board, mixed them with the special sauce, and arranged them on a plate.

To his right, a steak was grilled to a light golden brown, with tiny drops of blood seeping from the tender meat. It was flipped over and grilled on the hot plate, filling the whole room with the aroma of charred steak.

Sebala drank two glasses and then began to idly watch from the bar, his thick fingers tapping the table.

Suddenly, a delicious aroma wafted out from behind the kitchen curtain, whetting his appetite. He immediately called for the owner to bring it up.

Mr. Dart frowned as he looked at the old man who had gotten himself completely drunk in less than five minutes after entering the room.

"If you had eaten even a couple of bites of food, you wouldn't be this drunk."

As I walked out carrying my plate, I almost blurted out, "I'll take care of my yellow urine, but the diabetic should step down so he doesn't get a taste of the benefits."

Those chaotic dreams are really toxic!

Completely oblivious, Sebala picked up the plate, cut off a piece of steak, stuffed it into his mouth, and began to chew vigorously, making satisfied whimpering sounds, appearing exceptionally happy.

At that moment, he saw the unidentified paste-like substance on my plate and burst out laughing.

"Young man, as an elder, I still want to pass on some life experience to you."

The old man spoke slowly and deliberately, almost as if he were wearing glasses to emphasize his extensive knowledge and world-weary demeanor.

"A master is a teacher, you understand? The boss's skills are superb. Instead of making this kind of messy cooking, you should calm down and ask him for advice."

A glint flashed in Mr. Dart's eyes, but he kept it hidden and continued.

“Marcus, Sebala is right. You’re still not convinced when I say this isn’t good? Then let Sebala give you his opinion and convince you.”

The boss gave me a wink and pushed my plate in front of Sebala.

In a sudden flash of inspiration, I put on an arrogant and haughty demeanor and said, "My food is the best, no arguments allowed. Once you take a bite, you'll want a second. I'd bet my ranch on it!"

Sebala, his head buried in his plate, burst into laughter upon hearing this, and said with great gusto.

"Then I, old Sebala, will bet my blacksmith shop! From now on, all your orders will be free! I guarantee I won't be able to eat a single bite!"

Dart's serious face began to soften a little, but he still tried his best to hold back, watching as Sebala took a spoon, bit into the paste in my simple food, and nonchalantly stuffed it into his mouth.

To be honest, simple food is absolutely a disaster in the culinary world. Even I couldn't figure out the difference in texture between making it with potatoes and pumpkin; they were completely different. But...

"Huffing and puffing..."

Before Sebala could even take the spoonful out of his mouth, his throat suddenly began to twitch, as if a little mouse was struggling to burrow in.

His hand, as if acting on its own, scooped up another large mouthful, quickly put it in his mouth, and swallowed it all down in a slurping motion.

Fortunately, the food was already broken down; otherwise, just one bite would have required a trip to the hospital to treat an esophageal blockage.

Sebala stared blankly at the empty plate in front of him, his hand holding the spoon trembling slightly in mid-air, revealing that his inner self was not as calm as it appeared.

"How...how can I not control my hands!" Sebala thought to herself, her mind a complete mess.

But when it came to his lips, another sentence came out.

Is there any food left?

…………

After giving up and eating three simple meals, Sebala finally came out of his existential crisis and said with a serious expression.

"Young man, come work at my blacksmith shop! You can help me operate the bellows and cook, and this shop will be yours in return!"

Boss Dart snorted and said disdainfully.

"Who wants your shabby blacksmith shop? Marcus will become a great cook in some ways!"

The two of them, completely disregarding my feelings, engaged in a heated argument when suddenly a man's slightly sarcastic voice came from outside the shop.

"Let me see which young man is so popular!"

Outside the house, a middle-aged man with gray hair and a slightly mischievous expression walked in.

"Dick, are you here for a drink too?"

Sebala raised his glass and asked.

Dick, the owner of the winery, clearly didn't get along with Mr. Dart. He glanced at him and said...

"I heard so much noise next door and thought something serious had happened. Is this young man the one the mayor recommended to work for me?"

He glanced at me, a judgmental look in his eyes, and said.

"Judging from his physique, he might not be able to handle the work at the winery."

Sebala was a little unconvinced and wanted to retort, but suddenly he saw Boss Dart wink at him. He, who had just been tricked, suddenly realized what was going on and fell silent.

Mr. Dick, thinking he had won, gave Mr. Dart a smug look.

Unexpectedly, Mr. Dart did not back down and put on a show of trying his best to argue.

"It's just carrying wine, why can't Marcus do it if you can do it?"

"With your build, God bless your spine so it won't be crushed into a horseshoe."

Mr. Dick had been suffering from back pain these past few days and needed a helper to handle the miscellaneous tasks at the winery. He was a little embarrassed when he heard this, but he tried to remain calm.

“I bet this young man can’t do this job.”

“I bet he can!” Mr. Dart said angrily. “If I lose, I’ll only sell your wine from now on!”

“Hahaha.” Boss Dick let out a dry, emotionless laugh, and said decisively, “If he can lift any one of the barrels in the cellar, I’ll give it to him for free!”

Mr. Dick's large cellar is filled with original barrels of wine, with volumes of 100 liters, 150 liters, and 225 liters. Smaller bottlings under 50 liters are stored at home, ready for sale at any time.

The smallest barrels weigh at least 100 kilograms, not to mention the larger ones of 150 kilograms and 225 kilograms. This young man, with his slender frame, is already quite impressive just being able to move them…

"Boss, where do you think would be a good place to put this wine barrel?"

Five minutes later, I walked out of the wine cellar carrying a huge 225-liter barrel on my back.

Ten minutes later, the cellar was filled with barrels of all sizes. I asked Mr. Dick, who was now pale as a ghost, without batting an eye.

"Boss, do you need any more people? I'm eating very little!"

Chapter 14 This is my lifelong request

In the end, Mr. Dart only kept one barrel of wine as a substitute for the few bourbons the tavern had, and also as punishment for Dick's insolence.

It's clear that the people present have a good relationship with each other.

After all, Dart is cunning, Sebala is brainless, and Dick is foul-mouthed. None of the three seem like good guys, and they seem to be birds of a feather.

And so the party turned into...

"Marcus, come work at my winery, I'll pay you double! Hourly rate!" After a couple of drinks, Dick, his face flushed and breathing heavily, joined in the commotion.

Unexpectedly, he is a winery owner, yet he is also an alcoholic.

Or perhaps it is precisely because he is the owner of the winery that he has the means to become a drunkard?

Upon hearing this, Sebala slammed his fist on the table and started yelling.

"Shut up! Marcus has already agreed to work at my blacksmith's shop, and no one can take him away!"

"You're talking nonsense! The young man never agreed to your request. You're just dreaming!"

"You bastard! Say one more word and I'll plant you in your vineyard!"

Seeing that the two sides were about to start arguing and about to come to blows, Mr. Dart, feeling sorry for his table and wine glasses, quickly stepped in to smooth things over.

“Listen to me, Marcus is perfect as a chef,” the boss mediated, but those words…

"Yes, yes...you said it..."

At first, the two drunkards, who had drunk too much, looked like they were talking a reasonable game, nodding and smiling. After a while, they suddenly realized what was going on.

"What a load of rubbish! Why is he a chef?!"

The two men focused their firepower on the boss and yelled at him.

Seeing that things were getting out of control, the boss came over and said to me, who was standing there dumbfounded.

"Marcus, you should go back first. These two are prone to acting crazy when they're drunk. They'll calm down when you're not around."

"But boss, can you handle this all by yourself?"

Boss Dart nodded with a confident expression, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Absolutely no problem."

"Just secretly dilute the wine with water and it will be cured."

You're really something, boss!

…………

As I walked out of the chaotic tavern, I could still hear a mournful sound in the distance.

Imagine two drunkards slurping down a glass of wine diluted with water, only to have to pay the price of the wine in the end.

"Boss Dart isn't as kind as I thought."

I sighed, recalling how the boss had skillfully ripped off those two drunkards earlier that day, and deeply felt that experience truly matters.

I'm still too naive!

I gave myself a simple and honest assessment, which made my conscience a little better, and I was about to return to the farm to continue my daily work.

But then I thought, wait a minute!

My hoe and the tools I promised are still in the tavern and I haven't brought them out yet!

"..." After pondering for a while, I decided to wander around Mineral Town for a bit and then go to the tavern later to retrieve what was rightfully mine.