"Order, order!"
Tsubaki was fired up the moment she sat down, waving a hand grandly.
"Lunova! Bring the menu!"
"Y-Yes..."
Lunova held the menu, trying her best to turn her body sideways, not wanting Shakti to see her full face. Her movements were so awkward they looked like she was suffering from hemiplegia.
"Bring us all your signature dishes!"
"Roasted meat! Stews! And Mia's special fruit wine!"
"All in the largest portions!"
"And also!"
"For these two little fellows..."
Tsubaki pointed at the Black Bear lying on the floor.
"Prepare a few barrels of your best mead! And two large pork chops!"
"Groarrr——!"
The Fierce Person seemed to understand, immediately raising its head and letting out an excited low roar.
"Yes, yes..."
Lunova noted the order while backing away swiftly, wishing she could vanish into thin air.
Meanwhile,
Chloe wasn't idle either.
Carrying a large tray of bread and appetizers, she floated over like a ghost.
She tried to make a run for it the moment she put the plates down.
"Um..."
Suddenly,
a cool voice rang out.
"Wait a moment."
"Meow?!"
Chloe's fur stood on end instantly, and she stiffly turned around.
Shakti was looking at her, her brow slightly furrowed.
"We need... some juice."
"This child is probably not of drinking age."
Having said that,
Shakti pointed at Hanazake Warabi.
Before Hanazake Warabi could hurriedly clarify her age,
"Ah... Y-Yes, meow!"
Upon hearing this, Chloe immediately nodded repeatedly.
"I'll go get it right away! Right away, meow!"
With that, she darted off faster than a rabbit.
Watching this scene,
Shakti felt somewhat baffled.
"The waitstaff in this tavern..."
"Why do they feel a bit strange?"
"They're probably just shy."
Heimdall held back a laugh and casually brushed it off.
...
Soon,
fine wine and delicious dishes flowed onto the table like a stream.
The table was instantly piled high with fragrant roasted meat, golden crispy bread, and rich stews.
"Cheers——!"
Everyone raised their glasses and clinked them together.
Amidst the crisp clinking sounds, the atmosphere instantly reached a high point.
"To our first great victory!"
"Cheers——!"
Tsubaki shouted loudly.
Glasses clinked together, emitting clear, ringing sounds.
From this point on,
the party atmosphere was completely in full swing.
"So good! So good!"
Hestia was ravenous, holding a chicken leg in her left hand and a piece of bread in her right.
"This roasted meat tastes amazing!"
"Heimdall, you eat too!"
While eating, Hestia didn't forget to stuff food into Heimdall's hands.
Then,
the next second,
"Crash!"
A sharp sound shattered the cheerful atmosphere.
A figure carrying a tray of drinks stumbled on their feet.
Several glasses of fruit wine instantly tipped over and spilled.
Although none splashed onto the customers, it still made a mess on the floor.
"Ah..."
The figure flusteredly tried to clean up.
"I'm sorry! I'm truly very sorry!"
Everyone turned to look.
It was a girl with pale gray long hair, wearing a white apron.
— Syr Flova.
At this moment,
she was squatting on the floor picking up the broken pieces, a hint of panic on her face.
"Syr?"
"What happened?"
Mia, behind the counter, frowned upon seeing this.
From a while ago,
she had noticed Syr seemed distracted, her gaze drifting almost imperceptibly towards that large long table.
"You're not in your right state."
"Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"
Mia walked over and pulled Syr up by the arm.
"N-No..."
Syr lowered her head, her eyes somewhat evasive.
"Maybe... I just didn't sleep well last night. I feel a bit dizzy..."
Saying this,
Syr gently pressed her temples, her fragile appearance making it hard for anyone to scold her further.
"I was wondering... if I could ask to leave early?"
"I'd like to go back and rest for a while..."
"..."
Mia stared at her for a moment.
Although her intuition told her things weren't that simple,
seeing Syr's genuinely out-of-sorts state, she finally waved a hand.
"Alright, alright."
"If you're not feeling well, don't cause trouble here."
"Go lie down quickly."
"Let Lunova clean up this mess."
"Thank you, Mother Mia..."
Syr let out a sigh of relief as if a weight had been lifted.
She stood up, brushing the dust off her skirt.
Then,
in the very moment she turned to head towards the back kitchen passageway,
as if unintentionally glancing back,
her gaze swept over the crowd, quickly darting a glance towards the long table where Heimdall was seated.
She saw him turning his head to speak with Hestia across the table, completely unaware of the commotion here.
It seemed
she hadn't caught his attention.
Thinking this, the slight tension in her shoulders finally eased a bit.
And so.
A flicker of lingering fear flashed in her eyes.
She did not linger any longer.
Quickening her pace, she disappeared behind the curtain leading to the kitchen.
...
"Honestly."
"Every single one of them is so troublesome."
Mia muttered, watching Syr's departing figure, before walking back behind the counter.
Only the green-haired elven ice beauty in the tavern noticed the fluctuation in her gaze just before she left.
"..."
-------------------------------
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