To commemorate the birth of their team, Po Kong insisted that they had to have a proper feast for dinner today.
Thus, the group returned to the same restaurant they had visited before. When the owner saw them arrive, his expression became exceptionally vivid.
He had only just finished refurbishing his wrecked shop; the plaster on the walls wasn't even fully dry yet. Why were these people back? Surely they weren't here for another all-out brawl?
Despite his apprehension, the owner still welcomed them in with a smile, though it looked somewhat stiff no matter how one viewed it.
“Little Star, Little Shadow, Little Crescent~ To celebrate the successful completion of our first commission, cheers!” Once a table full of delicacies was served, Po Kong raised his glass and spoke with a beaming smile.
“Mm... Cheers... Wait a second? What on earth is ‘Little Shadow’?”
Xia Duo had just raised her glass when she sensed something was off. She looked at Po Kong across the table with a face full of confusion.
Sitting beside Po Kong, Starlight replied expressionlessly, “If I’m not mistaken, those must be the nicknames he came up with for you two. He’s always called me ‘Little Star,’ right? You two are just getting the same treatment. According to him, friends should address each other with more intimacy.”
Upon hearing this, Xia Duo immediately wore an expression of disgust, followed by a murderous glare directed at Po Kong.
“If you’re going to give us nicknames, could you at least pick something that sounds decent? And why do all three of us have ‘Little’ in front? I don't agree to this!”
Although Xia Duo’s gaze made Po Kong’s scalp tingle, he still had no intention of changing his way of addressing them.
“Little Shadow, is your focus really on the word ‘Little’? I think it sounds quite nice. I spent a long time thinking of these names, and I don't want to change them!” Po Kong insisted stubbornly.
Seeing the fire practically spitting from Xia Duo’s blue eyes, Starlight quickly stood up to pull back the excited Po Kong and suggested in a low voice:
“Po Kong is very stiff-headed; once he makes up his mind, it’s hard to change... Why don't you two find another way to settle this? For now, how about we eat first?”
“No! I won't accept it! I’m going to duel this bastard Po Kong! The loser has to be obedient!”
Xia Duo shouted indignantly, her voice rising an octave and causing the surrounding patrons to turn and look their way.
“Stop making a scene, Sister. If you keep this up, the owner is going to kick us out...”
Moen glanced at the gazes drawn by the commotion and the restaurant owner, who looked like he was about to cry, then gently tugged on Xia Duo’s sleeve and spoke softly.
“Tsk...! Fine, I’ll let you off this once!”
Thinking back to what happened a few days ago, Xia Duo ground her teeth in displeasure. She finally sat down and seemed to vent her frustration on the delicacies on the table, beginning to eat heartily.
Starlight and Moen, finally breathing a sigh of relief, shared a knowing smile and clinked their glasses together.
Neither of them was particularly interested in alcohol; their glasses were filled with ordinary fruit juice.
Po Kong was different; he had a special fondness for high-proof spirits. As the topic shifted, Xia Duo’s mood improved considerably, and the atmosphere at the table gradually became lively.
However, since she couldn't fight him, Xia Duo seemed to challenge him in drinking instead. As glass after glass of hard liquor went down, both of them became exceptionally rowdy.
Several hours later, Po Kong and Xia Duo were both slumped over the table, still muttering incessantly.
Given their physical constitutions, it should have been very difficult for them to get drunk. However, they couldn't withstand such sheer volume, and combined with their good moods, the two had actually polished off a third of the shop’s alcohol stock.
“Thank you for your patronage. That will be fifty-two gold coins and seventy-five silver coins. I’ll give you a discount—fifty gold coins even.”
When it came time to pay, Starlight looked at the owner in exasperation and honestly counted out the coins from his pocket.
He hadn't expected one meal to cost so much. Last time, dinner with Laxi and that large group had only cost a dozen or so gold coins. If he hadn't had some savings in his pocket, they might have actually had to stay and wash dishes.
“Sigh~ Now I have to figure out how to get these two back. Alcohol really is a troublesome thing!”
Starlight sighed, then summoned a gentle Breeze to envelop the two drunks.
With the help of magic, Moen easily carried her sister on her back, while Starlight vengefully let Po Kong float beside him, leading him back to the inn like a balloon.
After tossing the alcohol-reeking Po Kong back onto his bed, Starlight went out onto the balcony. After seeing no one was around, he leaped up onto the roof and found a flat spot to sit down.
Under the night sky, a gentle night wind brushed past, dispelling the summer heat and bringing a touch of coolness to the night in Violet City. It touched Starlight’s cheek softly and refreshingly, making him feel relaxed and happy.
Starlight looked up at the vast starry sky. Countless stars twinkled in the darkness, hanging quietly in the heavens. Together with the bright moon, they illuminated the peaceful night, granting him a strange sense of peace and relaxation.
The sight before him couldn't help but remind him of that old tree at the mouth of the valley. In the past, whenever he had free time, he would always climb to the treetops and quietly immerse himself in the beauty of the night sky.
When he thought about it, not long ago he was still living in a deserted valley with his master. Now, he was already starting to adapt to the life of an adventurer and had even made several friends.
Though he didn't know what his future would hold, at least for now, he felt that this life wasn't bad. At that thought, a slight smile appeared on his face.
Just as he was soaking in this rare urban tranquility, a gentle and light voice suddenly came from behind him.
“So you’re here. It’s so late; aren't you planning to rest yet?”
Starlight turned his head and felt a faint floral fragrance waft toward him. Moen had arrived behind him at some point, smiling down at him.
“Mm... It might be because I slept for two days, so I can't quite fall asleep yet. Plus, the room is full of the smell of alcohol; I thought it’d be better to come out for some air. By the way, how is Xia Duo? Can't you sleep either, Moen?”
Facing the girl’s flower-like smile, Starlight didn't panic as he had before, but instead answered softly.
“Sister is already asleep~ I usually have the habit of meditating at night, so I don't go to sleep that early. I heard a sound on the roof just now and came up out of curiosity. I thought it was just a naughty cat, but it seems I’ve disturbed you~”
Moen blinked, her smile widening. She walked forward gracefully. Starlight felt a faint floral scent drift by as Moen sat down side-by-side with him.
Rate on N.U.
