The interior of the bar was nothing like the noisy chaos one might expect. Behind the counter, a vinyl record spun slowly on an old turntable, filling the room with soft piano music.
There weren't many people inside. At a glance, none of them looked like the type who would appreciate this kind of melody.
A muscular bald man with thick arms folded across his chest.
A gloomy fellow with a trimmed mustache.
Another man idly scraping two daggers together, deep in thought.
Hardly the atmosphere of a respectable establishment.
Ignoring the stares from the surrounding sorcerers, Luo Yu walked straight to the counter, pulled out a chair, and sat down. He looked at the middle-aged man in a black suit behind the bar, his slicked-back hair gleaming under the lights as he polished a glass.
"Whiskey. On the rocks."
The polishing stopped.
"We don't serve minors here," the man said calmly.
Luo Yu smiled faintly. "But this isn't an ordinary bar, is it? If you serve sorcerers, age shouldn't matter much. Besides, who told you I'm a minor?"
He had carved his way across The Lands Between for years. Five or six at the very least. Time had blurred during his journey as a Tarnished, empowered by Runes and constant growth.
If he appeared young now, that was merely the result of becoming a Tarnished and repeatedly strengthening himself through Runes.
As soon as he finished speaking, several men stood up and surrounded him.
"Kid, not bad. You found this place. You a sorcerer too? What grade?"
"Being able to locate a concealed bar like this means you've got some ability. But this isn't somewhere rookies wander into."
"Oh? And you've even got a doll on your shoulder."
One of them reached toward Ranni.
Ah.
Luo Yu had indeed forgotten—when he dismissed Torrent and removed the concealment spell, Ranni's invisibility vanished along with it.
Still, he didn't move.
Ranni, who had remained silent until now, slowly turned her eyes.
In the next instant, an overwhelming pressure exploded outward, engulfing the entire bar.
Every person inside froze.
Under that crushing presence, they stared at the small doll as though beholding something unspeakably terrifying.
The man who had reached out trembled, unable to move. "W-What is that? A cursed spirit? A special grade?!"
Ranni glanced at him coldly.
A shockwave burst forth.
The man was hurled backward, smashing through the wall and flying out into the street.
"Special grade? Do not compare me to such insects, mortal."
He had committed every mistake possible in mere seconds—enough to provoke even Ranni, who normally preferred not to act.
Though bound to a small doll, her soul remained that of a demigod. She could still wield a portion of her power.
Luo Yu lightly tapped her head with a finger.
"That's enough. Withdraw the pressure. Don't forget why we came."
At his words, Ranni restrained her aura.
The oppressive force vanished.
The sorcerers inside gasped for breath, some collapsing to the floor, others slumped over tables in shock.
The bar owner, however, had been shielded by Luo Yu's quiet intervention.
Luo Yu looked at the middle-aged man and smiled.
"That should suffice. I'm not here to cause trouble. I just needed a place that can connect me to sorcerers. I happened to find this one."
The man swallowed, no longer daring to underestimate him. After casting a cautious glance at Ranni, he asked, "What do you want to know?"
"First," Luo Yu said calmly, "the whiskey. On the rocks."
The man moved faster than he ever had in his life, retrieving the most expensive bottle in the bar and pouring it over ice.
Luo Yu lifted the glass, inhaled its aroma, nodded with satisfaction, and took a sip.
"Now," he continued, "how do independent sorcerers take on commissions? I'm a bit short on money."
Someone at your level is short on money?
The bartender suppressed the thought. He took out a piece of paper, wrote down a website, and slid it across the counter.
"Download the app from this address. You can register and accept jobs involving cursed spirits and cursed objects. There's also a marketplace for trading cursed items and weapons."
"An app, huh? Convenient."
Luo Yu pocketed the paper and finished his whiskey in one smooth motion.
"Does the marketplace accept gold?"
"Yes… it does."
"Good. Then we have no problem."
He took out his wallet and placed two thousand yen on the counter.
"As for the broken wall, I apologize. Charge the repair to the man who flew through it. He should wake up soon."
With that, Luo Yu stood and left under everyone's stunned gazes.
Outside, he summoned Torrent without hesitation. Ignoring the sorcerers' astonishment, he mounted up and rode away.
On the way back, Ranni spoke softly.
"My king, forgive me. I could not restrain myself."
Luo Yu chuckled.
"It's nothing. Even if you hadn't acted, I would have dealt with them. Still, I'm surprised—you used so little force. At your level, someone like that should have died instantly."
Even a mere projection of her aura would have been more than enough to obliterate a low-grade sorcerer.
Ranni answered evenly, "This is no longer The Lands Between. You yourself said we should exercise restraint in this world. A minor punishment was sufficient."
"As expected of my princess. Truly merciful."
"My king… you are not mocking me, are you?"
"Of course not. I am always sincere."
As he spoke, the Carian Regal Scepter appeared in his hand.
Two Night Comets shot forward in rapid succession, piercing through two low-grade cursed spirits attempting to ambush him. They disintegrated instantly.
"They're still popping up even after I've cleared so many recently," Luo Yu muttered. "Looks like cursed spirits continue forming here regardless."
Watching the two curses crumble into dust, he paused.
Unlike in The Lands Between, no Runes flowed into him. No spoils dropped. No strengthening followed.
So if he wanted to level up further… he would have to rely on the Runes he had already stored.
What a waste.
Still, with his current strength, self-preservation was not an issue. The Runes could remain untouched for now.
After returning home, Luo Yu took a shower, then carried Ranni back to the bedroom and lay down on the bed.