Chapter 18: Haian

Just as Xia Nan had seen in various films, anime, and novels in his past life, the owner of the White Tit Tavern was a middle-aged man with a handlebar mustache, focused intently on polishing a glass. Having seen countless adventurers, the owner naturally didn’t spare a second glance for Xia Nan’s youthful appearance. Even when Xia Nan walked straight up and sat at the bar, the owner merely raised his eyelids.

“Lodging is one silver coin per night, correct?” Xia Nan confirmed, referencing the information in the Adventurer’s Handbook.

The man nodded slightly.

“What about a long-term stay? Is there a discount?” drawing on experience from his previous life, Xia Nan followed up.

“That depends on how long you stay.”

Hearing this, he nodded and didn’t ask further. The White Tit Tavern’s price of one silver coin per night was relatively cheap in town; any lower, and there would be no guarantees regarding comfort or safety. Although there were discounts for long-term rentals, if he intended to delve deeper into the adventurer’s path, such temporary housing lacked a sense of belonging, and there were inherent risks regarding storage and daily living.

Xia Nan was actually more inclined toward buying a property of his own in town eventually. Of course, that was contingent on having a good understanding of the local environment and sufficient funds.

“Maybe I should find some real estate agents to talk to when I get the chance?” he mused internally.

Meanwhile, urged on by the hunger in his stomach, Xia Nan looked at the menu hanging on the wall.

“Set meal number 3, please.”

The price was two silver coins, the daily wage of a manual laborer. It included a large portion of tender, fragrant stewed meat, a bowl of rich and savory mushroom soup, several slices of white bread with butter and cheese, and a large mug of crisp, delicious ale. As a meal, it was a bit pricey, but for Xia Nan, who had just finished a dangerous journey and pocketed a “huge sum,” it was the perfect way to soothe body and mind.

Honestly, it tasted great. The stewed meat was savory and flavorful, and the mushroom soup was exceptionally fresh and sweet. Dipping the bread into the soup to let the flavor soak into the crust, then pairing it with a small piece of soft, salty-sweet cheese—even for Xia Nan, who had grown up eating countless delicacies in modern society, the meal was impressive. Of course, it was also possible that after chewing on dry meat and flatbread for days in the forest, everything tasted exquisite right now.

With food in his belly, his body felt warm and nourished. Sitting at the bar, Xia Nan scanned the tavern. It was somewhat unexpected; despite being in an other-worldly Western fantasy setting, since he had arrived, he hadn’t seen many sentient beings of other races. Probably only one or two out of every ten people. Most were gnomes or halflings; he hadn’t seen a single one of the dwarves or elves that were always active on the silver screen in his past life…

Xia Nan’s gaze suddenly paused.

“Well, I see one now.”

At a rectangular wooden table near the window, four figures were sitting, each distinct:

A graceful, pretty blonde girl in her early twenties, arms crossed over her chest, leg crossed over the other, looking quite uninterested; beside her, a lavishly dressed, plump man with an affected posture was fawning over her, trying to win her favor.

But the one who drew Xia Nan’s attention was the fourth person, sitting alone on one side of the wooden table: a tall man.

His shoulder-length silver hair—a sign of elven blood—was neatly tied back. His features were delicate and soft, his skin fair, and his eyes were the silver-gray characteristic of elves. However, a closer look revealed that his ears were pointed but not as long as traditional elves, and his frame was leaner than a normal human’s but not as wispy as a full-blooded elf.

“So, probably a half-elf?” Xia Nan guessed, using the meager knowledge of this other world he possessed. “Carrying a longbow on his back fits my traditional impression of elven profession choices. But, is this group of four a squad?”

“Wait! Four?”

He suddenly realized he had missed something. Like a TV remote sitting right in front of you that you can’t find, or a phone you’re holding while searching for it, once he noticed something was wrong, the final person he had subconsciously ignored came into his view.

It was a middle-aged man wearing tight, practical clothing with a completely unremarkable face. Compared to the other three, he had no notable features, appearing simply like a passerby sitting at the same table. It was precisely because of this that when Xia Nan realized the discrepancy, his heart skipped a beat. He glanced quickly at the cloth-wrapped short dagger at the man’s waist, then withdrew his gaze as if struck by a lightning bolt.

“Wood, what’s wrong?”

Haian tightened the slightly loose ponytail at the back of his head. Seeing his bodyguard’s odd behavior, he couldn’t help but ask.

“Nothing, young master.” Wood frowned, glanced toward a certain direction of the bar, watched for a moment, then turned his head back to reply.

“You don’t need to be so tense. Although we are near the Mist Forest, this is Riverbend Town. With so many adventurers coming and going, there won’t be any danger.”

Hearing this, a trace of helplessness appeared on Wood’s otherwise expressionless face. “Young master, it’s exactly because this place is full of adventurers that we should be even more careful.”

Haian understood what his bodyguard meant, but perhaps due to his respect for the man’s strength, or perhaps because of his own personality, he just smiled and replied: “Relax, the Adventurer’s Association is right next door. Who would be bold enough to cause trouble here?”

“Instead of worrying about that, why not take this time to discuss our plans?”

To this, the bodyguard Wood frowned even deeper. “Young master, although I’ve said it countless times, I must remind you again. The Mist Forest is extremely dangerous!”

“Even for me, if I go deep in, I’m not guaranteed a safe exit. You…”

“Alright, alright.” The silver-haired half-elf waved his hand; though he didn’t look impatient, he cut the man off, joking, “Then I shall reiterate: our target this time is on the outer periphery of the Mist Forest, the periphery!”

“Fine.” Wood had actually compromised in his heart long ago, or he wouldn’t have allowed the young master to come here. “But there is one thing you must agree to.”

“Tell me.”

“We need to add a few more people to our team.”

Following the bodyguard’s gaze, the half-elf looked at the two people opposite him, a look of agreement appearing on his face.

“You’re right.”
(End of Chapter)