Chapter 179: Marquessa’s Key
It was morning and a timid autumn sun peeked from behind a cloudy sky over the Marquessian town square, where the townsfolk were quickly gathering by the front of the city hall.
The murmuring and gossiping filled the air. News tended to spread fast in the city of Marquessa, even more so when it involved something that impacted the lives of so many of its citizens.
After the successful assault on Damask Manor the night before, Captain Leander wasted no time getting word to the mayor and bringing some of his men over with carriages to take the mangoes back to their rightful owners.
The good workers of Marquessa wasted no time getting to work once the good news arrived.
Fruit sellers were setting up their stalls before dawn was even a twinkle in the horizon, eager to make up for lost business that harvest season.
The owners of inns, taverns, restaurants, tea houses, food stands, and every other possible establishment that sold mango-related foods—which was nearly all of them in Marquessa—were already hard at work in their kitchens by the time their share of the recovered fruits reached their doors.
And inside the bakeries across town, ovens were hot, doughs were already kneaded, and bakers were anxiously awaiting the arrival of the city’s main delicacy, so that they could turn them into many other forms of culinary delight.
The heart of Marquessa was beating strong again, and its stomach roared for its mangoes.
Balthazar stood around by the side of the city hall, occasionally peeking over the corner at the increasingly larger crowd gathering in the town square, and looking for any signs of the mayor.