After every great victory comes a well-deserved rest.
With that thought in mind, the group headed back inside the tavern now that the Shushu was gone for good.
They had fought hard, and at times, their enemy had seemed impossible to defeat.
But together, they had overcome the odds and saved the town from total destruction.
It was a moment to celebrate.
Yugo, however, hung back.
He wanted a better look at the red-haired young man who had materialized right where the creature had fallen.
The stranger lay unconscious in the dirt, his features peaceful and completely devoid of the malice you’d expect from someone bound to such a terrible monster.
I can’t just leave him here, Yugo thought.
We don’t even know what really happened.
Grunting with effort, he hoisted the stranger by the arms and tried to drag him toward the tavern, but the young man was far heavier than he looked.
Yugo barely managed a few feet before realizing he wasn’t going to get very far on his own.
“Hey!” he called out.
“Sorry to interrupt, but it looks like you guys forgot about the weird guy who popped up after we beat the monster.
Can someone help me carry him inside?
We can’t just leave him out here.”
“I’ve got him,” Eva replied.
But, before she could reach the boy, Ruel put a hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t trouble yourself, little lady.
I might look like a frail old man, but I haven’t lost my strength just yet.”
Eva nodded, far too exhausted from the fight to argue.
Frankly, she was more than happy to let someone else do the heavy lifting.
But, as she turned back toward the tavern doors, a sudden realization made her stop in her tracks.
Wait a minute…
She cast a suspicious glance over her shoulder at Ruel.
Since when does an Enutrof do favors for someone without asking for something in return?
“Just so you know, I’m not tipping you for this!” she called out before walking away.
Ruel froze and blinked in bewilderment.
“I do the girl a favor, and this is the thanks I get…” he grumbled under his breath.
“Kids these days have no respect.”
Still, it was too late to back out now.
Once he had a look at Yugo’s exhausted face, the Enutrof just didn’t have the heart to leave the kid hanging.
Working together, they hauled the unconscious stranger up to the first floor of the tavern, carefully stepping over the debris left behind by the battle.
Az, the little Tofu, fluttered just above their heads, chirping merrily as if to cheer them on.
To Ruel, the bird’s upbeat singing was anything but motivating.
“If you’re so thrilled about it, why don’t you carry him yourself?” he muttered.
With considerable effort, they managed to get the unconscious young man into a spare room at the tavern and lay him carefully on the bed.
At last, they had a moment to catch their breath and rest.
Meanwhile, on the ground floor, Amalia, Eva, and Alibert stepped through the door and froze at the sight of the place.
The tavern was a complete wreck, with broken tables, overturned chairs, shattered glass, and rubble strewn across the floor.
Alibert pressed a hand to his forehead.
This was far worse than he expected.
“By Enutrof…”
The mere thought of the repair costs sent a sharp ache down his back.
So many years of hard work poured into this tavern, and now…
How long will it take to fix all this?
How much is it going to cost?
Seeing the anguish on the innkeeper’s face, Amalia felt a pang of sympathy.
She couldn’t just stand there and do nothing.
As she thought of what to do, a brilliant idea reached her mind.
Yes…
that might work.
“Don’t worry, sir.
I can help!” she declared.
“With my magic, I’ll have your tavern looking as good as new!”
Before the innkeeper could answer, Amalia placed her hand on the floor and channeled her life-force through the building.
In an instant, roots and vines sprouted from the rubble, weaving rapidly across the walls and ceiling to seal every fractured beam and crack.
But she didn’t stop there.
With an artist’s grace, she coaxed the living wood to shape itself into new tables and chairs, each one featuring elegant, natural designs.
For a finishing touch, she made vibrant flowers bloom across the room, filling the restored tavern with bright colors and a sweet, fragrant scent.
Alibert was shocked at the transformation, unable to utter a single word.
His tavern, which had been in ruins just moments ago, had been reborn into something unique and beautiful.
He discreetly wiped a tear from his eye before giving them a sincere smile.
“I can’t thank you enough for this…” His voice cracked with emotion.
“You can stay here as long as you like, young ladies.
Amalia returned his smile, feeling a comforting warmth in her chest that she hadn’t experienced in a while.
After so many perils and misadventures, something had finally gone right on their journey.
“It’s just what adventurers do.
Help people who need it.
Isn’t that right, Eva?”
Eva, who’d been watching her in silence, let out a soft laugh.
“Enjoy the moment, Amalia.
You’ve earned it.”
But she’d barely sat down to relax when her stomach let out a loud, demanding growl.
With everything that had happened, she had completely forgotten to eat.
Alibert, always quick to catch on, shook his head with an amused smile.
“You two look like you haven’t a good meal in days.
But you’re in luck.
This tavern serves the best food in the county.
So then, what can I get you?”
Meanwhile, in the room upstairs, Yugo and Ruel studied the unconscious young man in silence.
Now that they could get a proper look at him, the old Enutrof immediately recognized his race.
He was an Iop, member of a people famous for both their immense strength and legendary stupidity.
As he searched through the young man’s belongings, Ruel discovered a very strange dagger.
While it seemed like a normal blade, it had an eye carved into its hilt that faintly stirred as if it were alive.
Yugo felt a chill just looking at it.
“Hey…
What’s the deal with that creepy dagger?” the boy asked.
“Something about it gives me a really bad feeling.”
Ruel clicked his tongue and examined it more closely.
“Good eye, kid,” he remarked, turning the weapon between his fingers.
“This is no ordinary dagger.
It’s got a demon sealed inside it.
A Shushu.
Just like the one we fought.”
“Why would anyone do something like that?”
“Because cursed weapons grant immense power to anyone with a will strong enough to bend the demon inside them.
Looks like this Iop couldn’t manage it, and…
well, you saw the result.”
Yugo swallowed hard and turned back to the unconscious young man.
“And…
how many cursed weapons are there in the world?”
Ruel snorted as if he’d rather not answer, but eventually gave a dismissive shrug.
“More than I’d like.
Long ago, there was an order of Iop knights who sealed countless Shushus into weapons to harness their power.
The idea sounded great…
until those weapons started falling into the wrong hands.
Typical Iops, you know,” he chuckled.
“They never think past the first swing.”
Yugo still had more questions, but before he could say anything Ruel got up and headed to the door.
“Alright, enough talk for now.
Your father was generous enough to offer us free food…
and I’m not the one to pass up an opportunity like that.
I’ll tell you more stories later, kid.”
Yugo nodded and bounded down the stairs full of excitement.
Now that he finally had a break after the battle, he wanted to know more about the strange pair of girls who’d just shown up in his village.
Taking advantage of the boy’s absence, Ruel stayed a moment longer and looked at the cursed dagger with fascination and greed.
What a gorgeous weapon, he thought as he slid a finger along the carved handle.
I could sell this for a fortune on the black market.
After all, clearly its owner couldn’t handle it, and with all the commotion nobody will notice it’s gone.
The mere thought of the Kamas he could gain lit his face up with a wide, toothy grin.
Without wasting a moment, he tucked the dagger into his bag and headed downstairs as if nothing happened, ready to enjoy his old friend Alibert’s delicious cooking without spending a single Kama.
On the ground floor, Amalia and Evangelyne stared at the dishes Alibert had just set on their table.
The innkeeper did not lie: the food before them was some of the best they’d ever seen.
And, for them, that was saying a lot.
Eva didn’t wait a second before sinking her teeth into her Gobble chop.
The moment the first bite melted in her mouth, an indescribable sensation coursed through her body.
It was, without a doubt, the most delicious thing she had ever tasted.
Her mind went blank at the sheer bliss of it, and before she knew it she was already taking another bite out of it.
She wouldn’t stop until the plate was empty.
Amalia experienced the same bliss, though in her case, Alibert had been thoughtful enough to serve her a Mushroom soup out of respect for her Sadida nature.
She brought the spoon to her lips, and instantly, an earthy, comforting flavor filled her as if every sip was charged with the essence of the forest. New chapters come out on g.com first.
Both were still finishing their meals when a cheerful voice broke in.
“Hiya!” Yugo exclaimed.
“Looks like you’re enjoying my dad’s cooking.
It’s the best in the county!
Actually, scratch that.
It’s probably the best in the whole world!”
Eva, her cheeks still stuffed, could barely manage a reply.
“No argument here!” she mumbled enthusiastically before swallowing.
Then, she turned to Alibert.
“How do you do it?
What kind of spell did you use to make it this good?”
The tavern keeper let out a hearty laugh and tapped his chest.
“Love, little miss.
That’s the one ingredient you can’t buy or sell.”
A few minutes later, the plates lay empty, and the two girls leaned back in their chairs with satisfaction.
Now that their hunger had been dealt with, they just felt like taking a break.
Yugo slid into the seat across from them, too curious to hold back.
“So…
With everything that happened, I didn’t get the chance to ask,” the boy began, “but you two have ‘adventurer’ written all over you.
What brings you to our village?”
Amalia, spirits high after the meal, sat up straight and got ready to explain her tale.
“Well, you see, it all started when we…”
But before she could continue, Evangelyne smoothly cut her off.
“We’ve been adventurers for ages,” Evangelyne said quickly, letting out a forced laugh.
“You know…
traveling around, fighting evil.
The usual stuff.”
The tension in her voice didn’t escape Ruel, who’d just arrived in the dining area and watched the scene with the sharp eye of a veteran adventurer.
Hmm…
these girls are hiding something, he thought, stroking his beard carefully.
And if there was one thing that bugged the old Enutrof, it was being left out of a good deal…
or a good secret.
Seizing the opportunity, he pulled up a chair and joined the conversation with his trademark smile.
“So you’re adventurers, huh?” he said with feigned indifference, though his eyes never stopped analyzing their every move.
“Then you won’t mind sharing some of your grand exploits.
Nothing interests an old man more than a good story.”
Yugo lit up with excitement at the suggestion.
“Yes, please!
I bet you’ve fought tons of evil monsters and traveled through exotic lands, haven’t you?”
Evangelyne tensed further, desperately searching for an answer that wouldn’t blow their cover.
But, before she could react, Amalia took the lead and puffed her chest with pride.
“Well, we haven’t exactly been traveling for that long,” she admitted, but quickly went back to her confident tone.
“But that doesn’t mean we haven’t had amazing adventures!
Just the other day, we ran into a gang of dangerous bandits terrorizing a nearby village.
Naturally, we taught them a lesson they’ll never forget!
Right, Eva?
Thanks to us, the whole countryside was freed from their reign of terror.”
Evangelyne nodded with a nervous smile.
Well…
that’s a stretch, she thought anxiously, but at least it sounds convincing.
Yugo, completely absorbed in the tale, leaned forward, his eyes shining with admiration.
“Incredible!
How tough were these bandits?”
Amalia raised a finger to her chin, pretending to calculate an answer.
“I’d say there were about…
a hundred.” She paused for dramatic effect.
“All of them armed to the teeth and ready to kill.”
The boy’s excitement spurred her on even more.
Being admired felt intoxicating.
“But they were no match for us,” she continued with growing enthusiasm.
“Eva and I are incredibly powerful adventurers, you see.”
Suddenly, before she could continue, a deep voice interrupter her tale.
“Yeah, sure,” it said mockingly.
“And I’m a flying Gobble that breathes fire.”
In an instant, the entire group turned toward Ruel.