“Gulp—”
A dwarf took a huge swig of beer, his eyes wide as he looked at Lin Gui.
“You mean for only seven copper coins, we can also send letters to Copperhammer and the others?”
Lin Gui nodded. “Yes.”
He then deftly pulled out an envelope and a pen from his waist pack and asked, “Would you like to write one now?”
Just then...
Wooooo—!!!
A sharp, ear-piercing alarm suddenly ripped through the clamor of the tavern, echoing loudly from the tunnel outside!
The sound had a harsh, metallic grating quality to it.
It repeated rapidly, making everyone's eardrums ache.
Almost the instant the alarm sounded, the atmosphere in the tavern shifted drastically.
The shock and curiosity on the dwarves' faces from the poster vanished in an instant.
It was replaced by a cold, practiced solemnity.
The dwarves who had been drinking heartily just moments ago set down their mugs without a second thought.
With swift and coordinated movements, they grabbed their battle axes, hammers, and shields leaning in the corners.
They quickly buckled on their armor.
A dwarf with a full, bushy beard strode over to Lin Gui.
Looking at the human, he asked, “The leader said you're Copperhammer's friend? Is that true? Do you know his identity?!”
Outside, the alarm continued to wail shrilly.
It was mixed with the distant clanging of metal and faint, muffled roars.
The entire Shield City seemed to transform into a war machine starting up in an instant, entering a state of highly efficient combat readiness.
Lin Gui replied calmly, “I brought him news of his brothers in New Covenant City and Caran City. So he was quite friendly to me. As for his identity, of course I know.”
After a brief hesitation, Lin Gui looked at Theia beside him and said, “But even so, what of it? Should someone bear the burden of a non-existent crime simply because of their race? I have always scoffed at such notions.”
The dwarf nodded in satisfaction, then pressed further with a sharp gaze, “Then, have you ever had a drink with Copperhammer?”
Recalling the weird-tasting so-called “private reserve” that Copperhammer had kicked out from under his bed that night, Lin Gui's expression turned a bit strange.
“I have. But the alcohol he hoarded... uh, it tasted awful.”
Lin Gui didn't drink often, but that brew was indeed terrible.
Upon hearing this, the dwarf actually burst into a hearty laugh.
He jumped up and slapped Lin Gui hard on the shoulder.
“Well said!”
“That fellow is only a real man when it comes to drinking! But his damn brewing skills are truly an embarrassment to the Stoneheart Clan!”
Laughing loudly, he patted Lin Gui's shoulder hard once more.
Then he turned around, his face instantly turning solemn as he shouldered his battle axe and rushed out the door.
The other dwarves also cast brief, friendly glances at Lin Gui.
Then, their robust figures joined the surging torrent of preparation in the tunnel outside.
In the blink of an eye, the boisterous tavern became completely empty.
Only Leader Grom, Lin Gui, Theia, and Eve remained.
Theia looked at Grom curiously. “Aren't you going?”
Grom plopped back down onto a bench.
He picked up a mug and swirled it, his tone a bit lazy.
“Those bastards crawling up from the seabed try to break down Shield City's gates almost every single day.”
“If I went out to fight every single time, when would I ever get any rest?”
“So today is your day off?” Theia asked.
Grom nodded.
“Exactly!”
“And it's the perfect chance to show you some proper hospitality on behalf of that bastard Copperhammer!”
With that, he nimbly vaulted over the bar.
From behind it, he lugged out an exceptionally heavy oak barrel.
The only reason he had to get it himself was because the sturdy female dwarf bartender who usually worked behind the counter had already charged out to join the battle, carrying a massive double-bitted battle axe.
Grom slammed the barrel onto the table with a heavy thud.
Then, he pulled out several enormous wooden mugs, placing them one by one in front of Lin Gui, Theia, and Eve.
Each mug was nearly as large as four clenched fists put together.
Looking at the colossal container before him, the corner of Lin Gui's mouth twitched slightly, a bitter expression on his face.
He didn't really drink much.
Yet, for some reason, almost every male he got along with—whether it was Copperhammer, Grom in front of him, or that bunch of men from the Spark Revolution—seemed to be a heavy drinker.
In this fantasy world where entertainment was scarce, alcohol seemed to have become the default social currency.
And he understood the drinking culture here all too well.
Once a glass was filled, unless a close relative had passed away, there was absolutely no leaving the table halfway through.
Just as he was fretting over his mug, a fair, slender hand reached over.
Holding an equally massive ladle, she carefully topped off the space in Lin Gui's mug where the foam had subsided, filling it to the very brim once more.
Lin Gui turned his head in confusion.
Wait, why was someone scooping away the foam to add more alcohol to his mug?!
And why was it her of all people?
He saw Theia grinning sheepishly at him, her eyes darting around.
“Ahem,” she cleared her throat, pretending to be serious. “How could this little bit of alcohol be enough?”
“You... you still have to drink with me!”
With that, she poured a shallow layer of golden liquid into her own mug.
Then she leaned over, bypassing Lin Gui, and looked at Eve, who was sitting quietly to the side.
“Eve! Do you want a cup too?”
Eve offered a gentle smile.
Her gaze flickered between the mug and Lin Gui as she spoke softly, “Sure. But please pour only a little for me. It is my first time drinking.”
The addition of the two girls made Grom even more delighted, and he burst into a hearty laugh.
“Great! Splendid!”
As the drinks flowed, the atmosphere at the table quickly grew lively.
Grom was already talkative by nature.
With a few cups in his system, he completely opened up.
He went from sharing all sorts of jokes Copperhammer had caused back in the clan to expressing the helplessness of the Stoneheart Clan's forced departure.
He even thumped his chest, showing understanding and sympathy for Theia's half-demon heritage.
“What does bloodline matter?! A true bloodline is proven through one's own actions!”
These words clearly struck a chord with Theia.
Her emotions were already running high, and now she downed cup after cup.
It was as if she wanted to use the alcohol to wash away the grievances and loneliness that had accumulated in her heart for so long.
She loudly cursed her painful past of wandering.
She wept as she recounted the various forms of discrimination she had faced and the baseless accusations she had endured.
As she drank, she did not forget to pour alcohol for Lin Gui.
Every time she got emotional, she would repeatedly urge Lin Gui to drink up.
Then, under Lin Gui's resentful gaze, she would fill his cup to the brim again.
Throughout the entire drinking session, Lin Gui spoke the least, yet he was forced to drink the most.
He wondered if it was just his imagination.
Compared to Grom's orderly “you drink one, I drink one” style, Theia seemed... even more eager to get him drunk than Grom was.
Her frequency and excuses for offering toasts made even the alcohol-loving Grom marvel in wonder, prompting him to join the “battlefield” with even greater enthusiasm.
Lin Gui recalled the scene back in the Carter Royal Capital where Theia and Elvia had teamed up to slip him aphrodisiac powder.
The corner of his mouth couldn't help but twitch slightly.
With Theia being so proactive in trying to get him drunk...
Could she be planning to... play her old tricks again?
Not long after this thought crossed his mind...
Thud!
Lin Gui felt the world spin before his eyes, his head growing incredibly heavy.
Ultimately, he collapsed onto the cold wooden table with a dull thud.
The rough and crisp voices of Grom and Theia playing drinking games still buzzed and echoed in his ears.
In his daze, he felt himself being picked up and carried on a slender yet strong back.
After a bumpy ride, he was gently laid down on a soft, narrow bed.
He kept his breathing steady, pretending to still be fast asleep.
Although he had been forced to drink a lot, Lin Gui had actually spilled most of it onto his clothes.
Even so, he was still incredibly drunk, but he managed to keep his mind somewhat clear.
He felt the mattress beside him sink slightly as someone climbed up.
A light, unique, and sweet fragrance of a young girl slowly drew closer, lingering at the tip of his nose.
Lin Gui knew he couldn't keep pretending anymore.
He abruptly opened his still-hazy eyes.
He had intended to question her: “Theia, what are you doing coming to my room instead of sleeping in the middle of the night?”
However, what met his gaze was not the cunning emerald eyes he had expected.
Instead, it was a pair of deep, mysterious eyes that resembled violet whirlpools.
An exquisitely beautiful, ethereal face with a light, airy smile was staring down at him from a very close distance.
It wasn't Theia.
It was actually...
The Holy Saintess, Eve.
Rate on N.U.
