Chapter 91 - Oak Tavern

Many days later.The snow flew heavily.

Feather-like snowflakes fell ceaselessly, filling every corner of the view with a pure white landscape. The entire world had quieted down.

Occasionally, fierce winds would rise, carrying large clumps of snow towards the pedestrians on the road, provoking a string of curses followed by the sound of chattering teeth.

Ten miles south of the Royal Capital of the Jade Kingdom, there was a small town called Oak Town. In this town stood an inn, the Oak Inn, which served as a resting and lodging place for those traveling to or from the Royal Capital. In such weather, business was booming.

Nightfall came, and the snow grew heavier, the wind tighter, making the whole world seem as if it were shivering from the cold. Inside the Oak Inn, just a wall apart, the flames in the fireplace roared, sending waves of heat to warm everyone inside.

The ground floor of the inn was a tavern with dozens of tables, more than half of which were already occupied. There were blacksmiths from the town, civilians warming up, passing merchants, and mercenary teams that were clearly not to be trifled with.

A four-person mercenary team was sitting at a table close to the fireplace—three men and one woman:

With his back to the fireplace sat Mura, the captain of the Mercenary Team, clad in Chain Armor, his face marked with the passage of time. Though he was only in his fifties, due to excessive toil and poor nutrition, his hair was half white, making him appear more like a man in his sixties. His strength was not necessarily the greatest in the Mercenary Team, but his rich experience and composure in the face of adversity made him the core of the group. At that moment, he slowly tore bread, softened it in the soup before him, and sent it to his mouth, chewing with a blank expression as if it were medicine.

To the left of Mura sat a burly man as large as a bear named Zack. His muscles bulged explosively from beneath his Iron Armor, his face reddened by the reflection from the fireplace. He was currently munching on a fat chicken, gulping it down after a hearty chew before raising the cup of Malt Wine on the table and downing it in one go.

The person to the right of Mura seemed to pale in comparison to Zack, being a good half head shorter and somewhat skinny, he was named Cole. At that moment, he was gnawing on a greasy chicken leg, glancing slyly around while nibbling, eyeing the Money Bags of the surrounding people. Previously a thief due to his unstable income, he ultimately chose to join the Mercenary Team. But given the chance, he wouldn’t mind reverting to his old trade for some extra profit.

On the last side of the table, sitting opposite Mura, was a woman, a very young and pretty woman, but also one who did not seem easy to provoke, named Danis. She was tall and wore form-fitting armor, her golden hair cascading behind her like gold, her lips as if they were Flames in the act of burning, her eyes occasionally revealing a hint of seduction.

With a leg powerfully crossed over the other, she sat at an angle in her seat, appearing somewhat lazy. She didn’t eat anything, just holding a cup of Malt Wine in her hand, watching the people around her with interest.

Unlike Cole, Danis did not look at other people’s Money Bags but assessed each person’s face and build. Now and then, she would nod in appreciation, smacking her lips, or shake her head, blatantly exhibiting a look of disgust. The people around her were somewhat angered by her gaze, but seeing that the mercenaries were not to be messed with, they eventually bowed their heads and pretended as if they saw nothing. This elicited a burst of light laughter from Danis.

“Hehe, a bunch of cowards.”

As the captain, Mura frowned and couldn’t help but remind her, “Danis, don’t go too far. We don’t want any trouble.”

“Take it easy, Uncle Mura,” Danis replied, her lips curving up as she looked at Mura. “I know my limits. I know who to provoke and who to steer clear of. I won’t cause any trouble for the Mercenary Team; you just relax.”

Mu Ke let out a sigh and did not respond, but shook his head and lowered it to continue eating, looking as if he had no desire to say more.

Danis turned to look at Cole and asked with a smile, “Cole, do you think I’m right?”

“Uh? Uh, right, of course right,” Cole said, his tone somewhat perfunctory as his gaze lingered more on the money bags of the people around him. After a moment of disappointment, he withdrew his gaze and muttered under his breath, “A bunch of paupers.”

Danis then turned to look at Zack, who was like a big bear, and asked aloud, “Zack, do you think I’m right?”

“I… gulp!” Zack swallowed the food in his mouth, staring straight at Danis as he said, “Right… of course right, everything you say is right, Danis!”

“Giggle, giggle.” Danis laughed. Her laughter sounded like tinkling silver bells in Zack’s ears, incredibly pleasing, especially the last sentence that made his whole spine tingle, as if a current had passed through it, “Fool.”

Zack’s whole body shivered, and his face flushed bright red in an instant; he stared at Danis for a long while, unable to speak. After what seemed like summoning great courage, he finally called out, “I… I’m not a fool, I… I just like you.”

“Giggle, giggle.” Danis laughed again, playfully tapping Zack with her hand, looking very happy, but not taking it to heart at all, “Fool, don’t be silly. What use is your liking for me? Are you hoping I would marry you?”

“I…”

“Do you have money? Status? A large inheritance to claim?” Danis kept asking with a smile, but the seriousness in her eyes felt like needles to Zack, leaving him mumbling, unable to say a word.

“Zack, be realistic,” Danis said, “I’m not going to marry you. You can’t expect me to marry you, to keep washing your clothes, cooking your meals, having children, and then live a life of sorrow like a peasant woman, can you?”

“I…”

“I’m going to marry into nobility,” Danis said, as if telling Zack and reminding herself, very determinedly, “I must marry a Noble, even a Small Noble will do, but I absolutely cannot marry a Civilian. Anyway, I’ve had enough of civilian life, not eating well, not sleeping well, it’s really terrible…”

Before Danis could finish, the door of the inn was suddenly pushed open. The wind from outside, carrying snow, rushed into the hall of the Oak Inn, making all the patrons shiver and frown as they looked toward the newcomer. Danis also stopped talking and looked over, then she saw a young man entering, dressed as if he were a Noble, followed by… a little maid?

Hmm, it must be a little maid.

Danis watched for a while and made up her mind.

Because the Noble youth had the little girl behind him carrying the luggage instead of himself, although the luggage did not seem to be very heavy.

But a Noble with a little maid, in Oak Town, was rather strange, wasn’t it? Are Noble youths so bold now, going out without a Guard? Aren’t they afraid of catching the eye of someone with intent and having some unpleasant things happen?

Danis couldn’t help but frown.