Ch. 23 - Farewells and Toasts
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"What do you mean?"
"Every year, a distinguished spellcaster arrives at the town alongside Lord Merle's merchant caravan. At that time, they use magic to bless the starberries, ensuring they wouldn't rot during transport."
Catherine reminded him:
"If you're planning to use spells to pass off inferior goods as premium ones, you'd better be careful."
"When the time comes, I'll try to attract their attention and keep Kuru from being too conspicuous."
As a sustained first-level spell, maintaining the illusion required the caster to stay nearby at all times and maintain concentration.
If anyone noticed, there would inevitably be a risk of exposure.
But if he could deliberately draw people's attention through performance, then the plan would still be relatively optimistic overall.
Those ordinary starberries would ultimately be hidden at the bottom of the 'Starshine' berries. Unless someone spilled the beans about the starberry theft, no one would specifically dig through the berries at the bottom.
"If you already have a plan, then I wish you good luck tomorrow."
Catherine said sincerely,
"As for right now, it's time to enjoy good food—"
They went downstairs together. In the tavern hall, at the familiar long tables, Anbi had deliberately sat several tables away from Black Snake and Stonecrusher, positioning herself diagonally across from them.
Her eyes were red and swollen—she had clearly been crying not long ago.
Children care deeply about their dignity, which was why Catherine had insisted that Tang Qi retreat.
He couldn't guess what had happened, and maintained enough sense not to pry.
As for the two mercenaries, the bloodstains on them had been washed clean.
Seemingly to celebrate the festival, Black Snake had even changed into a silk-textured shirt and tied a small braid at the back of his head. The slovenly middle-aged man in his forties looked considerably more presentable because of it.
Catherine placed the prepared food in front of him with a loud "bang," her face expressionless.
"Hey, hey, we only get to celebrate a festival once in a while. Can't you be a little nicer to me?"
Black Snake laughed teasingly.
"What kind of nice attitude do freeloaders deserve?" Catherine didn't even spare him a glance.
"I never said I wouldn't pay!"
"But this meal is my treat."
Black Snake froze for a moment, then exchanged a glance with Stonecrusher:
"Getting to freeload in front of Catherine—now that's a real profit for us, isn't it?"
Having shared some adventuring camaraderie with them, Tang Qi greeted Stonecrusher but didn't know for a moment where to sit.
Fortunately, Anbi waved him over, calling him to her side and apologizing in a small voice:
"Tang Qi-gege, Anbi might have to break her promise."
"Oh?"
"That glass of starberry wine I promised you... you won't get to drink it."
Afraid Tang Qi would be disappointed or angry, she hastily explained what had happened earlier.
"I'm so sorry you didn't get to drink Anbi's first glass of wine!"
Only then did Tang Qi realize the reason for her tears. Instead, he felt he'd found some material and shook his head:
"We can't just look at appearances, can we?
Your first glass of wine—I've already tasted it.
It's a bit bitter, but the aftertaste should be sweet.
If we were to give it a name, perhaps it should be called—
'Lesson'?"
Catherine also arrived at that moment carrying food. Hearing these words, she locked eyes with Anbi, and they both blinked simultaneously.
After a long moment, the wolf-eared little girl's beast-like pupils regained their luster, and she said thoughtfully:
"That's right! 'Lesson'... Anbi will remember this lesson for the rest of her life!"
Catherine let out a sigh of relief:
"Thank goodness for you. Otherwise, I'd still be trying to figure out how to comfort her into eating dinner."
Tang Qi's gaze fell upon the dining table:
"Fried pork cutlet, mashed potatoes, and fried ham... You wouldn't normally eat these things, would you?"
"We only get to indulge like this once a year."
Catherine gracefully sat down across from Tang Qi, taking the necklace from around her neck and placing it in her palm.
It was a silver ring set with a ruby, hanging from a thin cord. The gemstone gleamed with a wine-red luster—
"As dazzling as your hair," Tang Qi praised instinctively.
"Bang—"
The sound of someone slapping the table rang in his ears. Turning his head, Tang Qi found himself drenched in cold sweat under Black Snake's hostile gaze.
But probably remembering that Tang Qi would still be useful tomorrow, he only issued a warning with his eyes.
Catherine glanced at Black Snake and sighed, then spoke up to ease Tang Qi's embarrassment:
"Then perhaps I should thank my mother for passing everything down to me.
Come, let us pray to Gragas, hoping that next year will also bring blessings of fine wine and a bountiful harvest."
Seeing Anbi place her palm on the ring, Tang Qi and Kuru followed suit.
"Do you have to hold that stick even while eating?"
Tang Qi noticed Kuru clutching his staff, seemingly never letting it go, and couldn't help but ask curiously.
Kuru shook his staff and said firmly:
"Companion!"
Everyone has their own little quirks.
Kobolds are people too.
After a brief prayer, Catherine scooped up some mashed potatoes from the table with a spoon. It was topped with a layer of deep purple starberry sauce, tasting sweet and sour yet smooth:
"By the way, perhaps we should discuss your future earnings from performing at the tavern?"
Tang Qi bit into a piece of pork cutlet. In the crispy "crunch," the rich meaty aroma spread from his lips and teeth. He could barely distinguish between the juices and his own saliva:
"About that, I'm afraid I need to apologize."
"Mm-hmm?"
"Actually, I originally planned to perform at the tavern to earn some living expenses, so that someday in the future, I could pay a passing merchant caravan to take me through Dawnmist Forest."
The pork cutlet was a bit too delicious. Tang Qi noticed Kuru beside him, who seemed unaccustomed to using a knife and fork, clutching his staff while extending his slender claws to shovel food into his mouth.
"However, I've already obtained some funds. If all goes well, tomorrow I'll try my best to hitch a ride with the merchant caravan and go with them to Longgold City."
"Tang Qi-gege is leaving?"
Anbi hadn't expected the parting to come so quickly.
But Tang Qi knew that if he wanted to record more stories, he could never settle down in one place.
Seeing the little girl's mood drop, Catherine promptly changed the subject:
"Anbi, partings are for better reunions.
Perhaps someday in the future, we'll hear the name 'Tang Qi' from others' mouths or in his journals again?"
"Will gege write Anbi into his book?"
He seemed to have already written her in.
But Tang Qi didn't mind promising:
"Of course. I'll work hard to let everyone across the continent know that in the Golden Oak tavern, there's an adorable and well-behaved little girl, and a shrewd and beautiful proprietress."
The kobold suddenly looked up. "Kuru!"
"Alright, and a talking 'wise' kobold."
"Then I'll be counting on you to become famous soon and bring more income to the tavern."
Catherine raised her glass of starberry wine,
"Let us toast to the future 'legendary bard Tang Qi'!"
Black Snake and Stonecrusher observed everything without participating.
But the atmosphere over there seemed to have infected them as well.
Now, they both raised their glasses and clinked them together.
......
"Cheers!"
In the student dormitory of Wandering Song Academy, several poets who were dead drunk and sprawled in various twisted positions around the room once again drained the ale in their hands.
Geya Yuexi quietly covered her face and let out a tiny burp, confirming that no one had noticed her lapse before displaying her bright smile to her friends again.
The competition for official teaching assistant positions at the academy had always been fierce.
Building good relationships with classmates to win their votes was also a crucial element.
So Geya set aside time every week to participate in social activities at the academy.
Her alcohol tolerance was decent. Even now, drinking until late into the night, she could still maintain her clarity.
But the others seemed to have already lost that dignity—
"Damn it! I just wanted to write about a commoner hero who, after losing his family, apprentices himself to learn martial arts, eventually takes revenge on a dragon, and saves the nation—a legendary ballad. Why was it rejected on the grounds that 'the protagonist isn't Terran nobility'? Do commoners only deserve to be saved by others?"
"Me too—I clearly wanted to write about a young nobleman who loses himself in wine and pleasure, then falls from grace when his family loses power, hits rock bottom, and finally redeems himself.
The reason my manuscript was rejected was actually 'you mustn't smear the nobility'!?
For crying out loud, I even wrote him redeeming himself in the end just to pass the review!"
"And me! I—"
Someone also stood up indignantly, slapping the table, then—
"Bleargh!"
Threw up.