Chapter 364: Free Lodging with a Meal
Chapter 364: Free Lodging with a Meal
The inn's hostess was the innkeeper's daughter, a young girl around twelve or thirteen years old. After bringing the food, she left.
Lin Sai sat for a while, changed his drink, and then quietly moved his plate to a different spot. With many adventurers coming and going, his actions went unnoticed.
Lin Sai approached a group of men and women deep in discussion. Even without him initiating the conversation, he naturally blended into their talk after some time.
At the table next to Lin Sai, a middle-aged man with a bushy beard was proudly smiling, waving his wooden wine glass dramatically. "Hey, hey, hey! I've heard some different news!"
"It seems that Forlz from the north of the city, something related to this happened, and he didn't go missing. Tonight, some Awakened are gathering to find him and ask about the situation."
As the bearded man's words landed, someone behind Lin Sai raised their glass. "Look at what you're saying, this might just be another rumor."
"The abnormality in the forest just settled a week ago, and look at the chaos in town. Everyone was cooped up for more than a month, but now? The most impatient ones have already left, and these problems are only appearing now. There must be a deeper reason for this!"
A companion next to the girl asked, "Nana, what reason do you think could cause this?"
"Everyone is preparing to travel, so who has the time to stir up such trouble? As for something more recent... it could only be the civil war in Nine Bays City."
Could the civil war in Nine Bays City affect Echo Valley Town?
This thought emerged in the minds of everyone in the inn, and the discussion shifted.
Just then, the man behind Lin Sai had a sudden idea and boldly shared his speculation with those around him. "What if the events in Nine Bays City are related to Black Mountain?"
"That's where a Dragon Beast died! A Stage Seven one!"
"The person who killed it should be in the Forest Courtyard now. Maybe this series of events was triggered by their arrival."
Someone in the inn immediately refuted, "That's not right. I heard that Dragon Beast died from a failed advancement!"
Bang! The bearded man next to Lin Sai slammed his glass on the table. "Who would believe that nonsense?"
"That beast was still years away from a successful advancement. It definitely didn't die naturally."
The man behind Lin Sai also sighed, "Killing a Stage Seven Dragon Beast... a dragon-slaying hero."
"In my lifetime, I've only heard of such feats in legends. I never thought it would happen so close by, in the neighboring world."
Someone from another table also exclaimed, "Yes, it takes many years to produce a hero who can slay such a world-threatening beast!"
"..."
"If I were that kind of person, what would I be feeling now?"
"..."
"Stop dreaming!"
"..."
The atmosphere in the tavern changed, and the conversation naturally shifted to Black Mountain.
The Forest Courtyard was adjacent to the Black Mountain world, and the Dragon Beast had indeed been a significant concern for everyone for a long time.
Half a year had passed since then.
The news that should have spread had now been thoroughly disseminated.
This tangible dragon-slaying feat was even more awe-inspiring than the search for treasures in the forest, leaving people with a sense of wonder.
In another half a year, there might even be poets composing songs to commemorate the event.
"..."
Among the crowd, only Lin Sai felt a bit embarrassed.
How did these adventurers end up on this topic?
"Can't we have a proper discussion about intelligence in the inn? There's no need to talk about this..."
Lin Sai's face turned red.
He bowed his head and began to seriously tackle his dinner.
The food provided by the inn seemed quite decent.
Crunch—
Lindsey took a bite of the main course, and his eyes lit up.
The environment of the Forest Courtyard didn't allow for large-scale cultivation of grains, and ordinary families didn't have flour-based foods. The staple here was a yellow banana-like plant heart called Yellow Banana Stem.
Its taste was refreshing and sweet, and when bitten into, a white viscous liquid would seep out.
"Hmm..."
"It tastes pretty good?"
Lindsey wiped his mouth.
The Yellow Banana Stem tasted good, but the juice tended to stick to the corners of the mouth.
On the wooden tray provided by the inn, there was only a small knife as cutlery, and the side dish was a piece of Blue Tail Catfish meat.
Lindsey cut into the fish and took a bite.
Perhaps because there were too many customers, the fish wasn't perfectly prepared, and it still had a hint of fishiness.
However, when paired with the forest's specialty, the berry dipping sauce, the sour and sweet flavors balanced out, making the entire dish palatable and even somewhat delicious.
After eating a few bites of the Yellow Banana Stem and fish, Lindsey picked up the beverage beside him.
The innkeeper's wife had wanted to offer him fruit-flavored beer, but Lindsey strictly refused alcoholic drinks, so she replaced it with a glass of locally produced berry juice.
Lindsey raised the glass and took a whiff.
The fresh juice was cloudy, with even some fruit pulp and skin residue, but the fruity aroma that wafted from it was sweet and fragrant.
Lindsey immediately took a gulp.
"Phew—Why is it so sour!"
Lindsey felt his shoulders cringe as the sourness seemed to seep through his back.
The juice was incredibly sour; even his high Constitution of 60 points made his scalp tingle, and saliva began to flow profusely in his mouth.
"Haha—"
Lindsey's reaction immediately drew laughter from the bearded man sitting across from him.
He patted Lindsey's shoulder and introduced himself in a friendly manner:
"Bro, this is Red Snakeberry juice. It's rare to see someone drink it like this!"
The man next to him was also drawn to the conversation.
However, unlike the bearded man, he was more interested in Lindsey's appearance:
"Hey, friend, are you new to the inn? I haven't seen you around before."
Lindsey quickly made up an excuse:
"The forest's anomaly trapped me in the woods. I barely managed to wait out the anomaly and return to town."
Such experiences were not uncommon.
Hearing Lindsey's reply, the man who had asked the question immediately consoled him:
"It's okay as long as you're back."
"This time, I don't know how many people will die, but you're one of the lucky ones!"
Lindsey smiled awkwardly:
"Indeed, I've always been lucky."
After a brief explanation, Lindsey casually steered the conversation:
"By the way, I heard that something happened in the northern part of town. Could you tell me more about it?"
The man across from him immediately became enthusiastic and began to elaborate:
"Hey, you've come to the right person.
"I know this matter better than anyone. It was last night..."
"..."
Lindsey spent two hours in the inn's front hall.
He made a few new friends and learned about the incident in the northern part of town.
As evening approached, the rain in Echo Valley also began to ease, and a light drizzle started to fall on the streets.
However, as Lindsey walked from the inn's front hall to the back guest rooms, he was met with a rather makeshift sight—a temporary shelter hastily constructed with wooden planks.
He pushed open the loose door.
Looking inside, he saw that the room was even leaking slightly.
There were two wooden basins on the ground, collecting the dripping water.
"..."
"No wonder it's only two silver coins for room and board."
This sight was also within expectations.
But seeing such a cheap guest room, Lindsey couldn't help but scratch his head:
"How about I don't rest tonight?"
"I'll go directly to the northern part of the town and see for myself what they mean by disappearances and treasures..."
(End of Chapter)
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