Chapter 79, Side Story: A Mysterious Gathering

Translator: Barnnn

 

The inn known as Sage’s Table was one of the most popular lodgings for adventurers.

It had always been a favored spot, but lately, the place had grown even busier. The reason: A steady stream of new dishes that had become the talk of the town. It wasn’t just adventurers anymore — locals and travelers alike came seeking a taste.

 

By nightfall, most adventurers had retired to their rooms, resting up for another day of Dungeon exploration.

Yet, at one particular table, five men remained, their conversation animated.

 

“Man… Ize was adorable today.”

“Yeah. She was going at that boar hotpot like her life depended on it.”

“The way her face melted the moment she tasted it… Ahh, I wish she’d look at me like that.”

“Hey, keep your pervy thoughts in check.”

“Oh, come on. You guys were thinking it too. She was just as cute munching on those Milk Toad skewers. If you could forget it was actually a toad, that angle… that expression… man, it was lethal. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind if she’d–”

 

“–If she’d what?”

 

A voice like silk wrapped around a blade cut through the conversation, freezing the men in place.

Behind them stood Odelya, a C-rank adventurer. Her hands were casually resting on the last man’s shoulder. Next to her, Elene, another C-rank, was smiling sweetly — a stark contrast to the palpable menace in her eyes.

 

“Oh my,” Elene chuckled. “Odelya, don’t waste time with questions. Scum like this doesn’t deserve a hearing. Better to dispose of them immediately, don’t you think?”

“I dunno… Wouldn’t going straight to violence set a bad example for the others?” Odelya asked.

“Oh, I’m sure they’d get the message. Right, you guys?”

 

The man beneath Odelya’s hands barely managed to stifle a whimper as her grip dug into his shoulders. The other four, though still petrified, began nodding frantically in agreement with Elene’s words, desperate to display their loyalty.

Elene’s eyes narrowed with cruel satisfaction as she scanned their panicked faces.

 

In a singsong voice, she continued, “You know… I do appreciate that you recognize how adorable Ize is. It’s good to see her charms properly acknowledged.”

“Exactly. Hal says we’re ‘kindred spirits,’ you know? We share the same devotion — to love and cherish Ize equally.”

 

Despite the pain lancing through his shoulders, the man could feel Odelya’s voice dripping with genuine adoration.

Around the table, the other men’s faces slackened with a dazed reverence as they mentally conjured images of Ize’s bright, innocent smile.

 

“BUT,” Elene’s voice suddenly dropped an octave, “we have no use for pests.”

“None at all,” Odelya murmured darkly.

 

The man beneath her hands was shaking now. His shoulders groaned audibly under the pressure. He was moments away from passing out when, at last, he cracked.

 

“Aaahhh! I-I’m sorry! I’m so, so sorry!” he howled, snot and tears streaming down his face.

 

Elene tilted her head and feigned consideration. “Hmm… Do you think he’s truly sorry, Odelya?”

“Hard to say,” Odelya replied, flexing her fingers. “Should we have Miss Etta ban him from the inn?”

“Well? What do you think, guys?”

 

Her eyes slid over to the other four men, her expression as sweet as ever. The others, sweat dripping down their temples, knew they couldn’t abandon the man — not if they wanted to call themselves his friends. Steeling themselves, they bowed their heads and spoke as one.

 

“We — we’ll reform him!”

“We’re all non-pervy fans of Ize, we swear!”

“Please! Just take away his boar hotpot privileges or something!”

“Yes! That — that seems fair! No boar hotpot for him!”

Elene smiled demurely, glancing at Odelya. “Hmm. What do you think? Seems reasonable, right? To deprive him of the taste of Ize’s homeland as punishment.”

“Right. And no braised pork either,” Odelya added. “That stuff brings her face to mind with every bite — it would be a fitting loss.”

“Oh! That one’s divine! When she eats it, her eyes practically glow. But the boar hotpot — it makes her go all soft and melty…”

“Yes! Exactly, Miss Elene!” one of the men chimed in, glowing with joy at finding a kindred spirit. “I knew I wasn’t the only one who could tell the difference!”

Elene’s lips curved into a pleased smile. “Oh my, you noticed it too? What a discerning eye you have.” She glanced at Odelya, eyes sparkling.

 

“A fellow connoisseur!”

“This is great! Come on, you two, take a seat!”

 

As if the previous tension had never existed, the men eagerly pushed chairs aside and cleared the table to welcome the two women. The impromptu fan club gathering was now in full swing.

 

◆

 

“So, you two were the ones who prepared Ize’s Coming-Of-Age Ceremony, right?” one of the men asked.

“Hal asked us to,” Odelya said with a shrug. “He’s a total doter when it comes to her.”

 

The men all nodded in solemn understanding.

 

“Of course. Hal, pulling the strings behind the scenes like that… damn. Respect.”

“And the fact that he chose you two… speaks to his sharp eye. Very discerning.”

“Oh,” Elene cooed, “didn’t you know? He told me he doesn’t use his Appraisal skill on people unless they’re obvious criminals. He approached us purely on instinct.”

“Whoa…” one of the men murmured in awe. “That guy… what a gentleman. Damn it. I have no choice. I have to recognize him as Ize’s brother.”

“Uh… he IS literally her brother, you know,” another pointed out.

“Which reminds me, Hal did say he heard about us from Miss Etta… We’ll have to thank her for putting in the good word.”

“Yup! The innkeeper’s observation’s stronger than Appraisal! AND she’s a super awesome cook!”

 

Laughing, Odelya speared a vegetable roll with her fork and popped it into her mouth. The dish was a simple one — thinly sliced Orc meat wrapped around vegetables, served with an array of sauces. It had become a hit with adventurers and civilians alike. The garlic-chili paste gave it a fiery kick, while the mayonnaise — crafted from a recipe left behind by a legendary Sage — added a rich, tangy contrast. Together, the combination was exquisite.

While something more filling would be better for adventurers after a session of Dungeon exploration, it was a perfect snack to go with after-dinner drinks.

 

“Ahh… I wish you guys’d seen her that day,” one of the men sighed. “She looked like some kind of legendary fairy, walking through the streets — and her blushing face, man…”

“Yeah, I should’ve been there,” another grumbled. “I was stuck in the Dungeon. If I’d known it was her ceremony, I’d have come back.”

Elene’s lips curved into a mischievous smile. “Oh? Would you like to know when she’ll be going out with us next?”

“Hey, Elene,” Odelya chided.

“What? I want her to be seen properly! She’ll be dazzling again next time,” Elene declared proudly.

“Oh, for the love of the Goddess… Fine. Anyone have any hairstyle requests?”

“Me! Me!” one of the men shouted, hand shooting into the air.

Odelya pointed a carrot stick at him. “Go ahead.”

“That one! The little buns she wore once, on either side of her head!”

“Oh, because her hair wasn’t long enough for proper twin tails,” Odelya recalled, smirking.

Another man raised his hand. “I liked the braid on one side. The complexity makes it look different depending on the angle.”

“Ah…” Elene nodded. “I like it too — it gave her this playful, mischievous vibe, but also showed her growing maturity.”

“Hmm,” Odelya mused. “Right. That one was totally popular.”

 

Recalling Ize’s previous hairstyles, Odelya considered what she should style next — it had to suit Ize, and if possible, she wanted it to not overlap with what she’d done before.

Just then, Elene’s eyes sparkled as she spotted someone descending the staircase.

 

“Well, well. Look who it is,” she said.

“Oh, yeah… sometimes he talks to the innkeeper about food,” one man said casually.

“Yeah, but when it goes on too long, Fieda comes to collect him,” another chimed in.

“Speaking of Fieda, there’s one time he had to confront a pervert, and that worried Ize quite a bit. It’s kind of cute,” the first man added, grinning.

“You know, I actually helped her down the stairs once — Fieda was busy, so I filled in for him,” another man spoke up.

“Really? Did you also talk to her directly?”

“Heh, yeah, I sure did.”

 

The man who had spoken proudly about talking to Ize raised his glass and took a drink.

 

“Hal! Wanna join us after you’re done?” Odelya called from across the room, and Hal, who had been talking with Etta, waved one hand in acknowledgment while continuing the conversation.

 

“He’s got that refined air about him, doesn’t he?” one man mused.

“Yeah, and he doesn’t even shout back,” another added.

“I was talking with Ivern once, and Hal joined us for a bit. That guy’s sharp, you know.”

“Really? What makes you say that?”

“Ivern’s a mage, right? We were talking about control training, and in no time, Hal got the hang of it. He even made a little whirlwind in his hand.”

“Seriously? That’s some impressive control. Wait, isn’t Hal’s magic supposed to be water?”

“Ah, crap!” One of the men slapped his mouth in realization, looking around nervously.

“Uh-oh, looks like you let that slip,” Elene teased.

“Man, he’s a Triple…” one man muttered, impressed.

“Both of them are incredible,” another sighed, feeling defeated.

 

At that point, Hal wrapped up his discussion with Etta and approached the table, holding a bowl in his hands.

 

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Odelya,” he said. “It’s rare to see you drinking with anyone other than your party.”

“Heh, they’re fellow fans!” Odelya replied with a mischievous grin.

“Fans? …Of Ize?” Hal raised an eyebrow, scanning the men around him.

 

While Hal didn’t mind others being fans, he was known for his strict judgment when it came to fan clubs. The men straightened up, suddenly aware of his scrutiny.

Hal stopped his gaze on one of the men and squinted as though searching his memory.

 

“…Ah, you’re the one who helped Ize down the stairs before. She was really grateful. Thank you.”

“Ah, yeah… she looked really pale, waiting in front of the stairs. I was worried, so I thought I’d help,” the man stammered.

“She’s still a bit nervous with the stairs, so I’m glad she didn’t try to go down alone.”

“So she hasn’t gotten better?”

“Well, actually, she’s gotten much better. The shorter flights aren’t as hard anymore.”

“The way she had to hold hands with you at first was cute, though,” one of the men mused.

“Yeah, and that relieved look whenever she made it down was cute too.”

 

Hal couldn’t help but smile — albeit dryly — in agreement, despite the teasing.

 

“After the Coming-Of-Age Ceremony, she’s been able to be more honest with herself. It’s thanks to Elene and Odelya,” Hal explained.

“Really? That’s good to hear,” Odelya replied, her tone warm.

“It’s not easy for her to open up completely. She’s still stubborn.”

“Must be the sibling thing,” Elene remarked.

“Yeah, I can’t show any weakness in front of my brother, either,” Odelya added.

“I know — we’ve been on our own since leaving home. It makes sense she wants to be strong. But… I just want her to relax a bit. Is it selfish to think that?”

“I can understand where you’re coming from, at least,” Elene said.

“Yeah, of course,” Odelya nodded in agreement. “But the Coming-Of-Age Ceremony was a good starting point, right?”

“Yes, it was.”

“We’ve all noticed Ize is much more relaxed since then. She’s been smiling more too,” one of the men remarked.

“That’s good to know,” Hal said, releasing a relieved sigh.

 

He proceeded to set his bowl down gently on the table.

 

“Hey, what’s that?” one of the men asked. “New menu?”

“Not really — just something extra I had Miss Etta try making. It’s boiled eggs soaked in the broth from the braised pork,” Hal explained.

“Sounds delicious.”

“It turned out well. There’s not a lot, but you can cut it and share.”

“Whoa! You sure?”

“All right, let’s dig in!” another adventurer cheered.

“Hell, this is practically a new menu!”

 

Everyone stared at the brownish boiled eggs suspiciously before taking a bite.

 

“Wait, is it really a boiled egg?” one adventurer asked.

“Yeah, it is.”

“It’s sweet… but it’s good!”

“Definitely tastes like the braised pork broth.”

“It’d go great with something strong, like spicy alcohol.”

“Wow, I could eat a whole bowl of these!”

“We need to get the innkeeper to serve these regularly!”

 

Hal smiled broadly as he explained the dish further.

 

“You can still make it even if you dilute the leftover broth a bit, so it’s easier to enjoy the flavor than the braised pork. If you soak chunks of cheese, it tastes great too, and it’s even easier to make than boiled eggs. Miss Etta liked it, so it should definitely be on the menu soon.”

 

Afterward, Hal excused himself, saying he needed to check on Ize before she got too worried, and headed up the stairs. The adventurers watched him go before whispering among themselves.

 

“So he’s also behind the innkeeper’s great food, huh?”

“Hard to believe he’s only fifteen. He’s so reliable.”

“Ize still looks like she’s twelve. The contrast is adorable.”

“Wait, Hal’s fifteen too?”

“Yeah, he said he had his Coming-Of-Age Ceremony last August, so he’s still fifteen. Why?”

“Ize is fifteen too, right?”

“Yeah, I guess she is.”

“Wait, that means… they’re the same age?”

“Huh?”

“Does this mean…?”

“Maybe we shouldn’t bring it up,” one adventurer said, realizing the awkwardness of the situation.

“Yeah, good idea,” another agreed.

“I think Hal’s life is probably more complicated than we realize,” one man observed.

“We’ll keep an eye on them, and offer any help we can,” another adventurer vowed.

 

The adventurers nodded in agreement, but then the two women spoke… plunging them into despair.

 

“Hold your horses, guys — I heard Hal and Ize are planning to leave Jasted in a month,” Elene said.

“Yeah, now that Ize’s had her Coming-Of-Age Ceremony, they’ll be moving after winter passes,” Odelya added.

“”Wait, what!?”” the adventurers chorused in shock.

 

That day, many adventurers were left heartbroken at the Sage’s Table.

Odelya and Elene were surprised to see so many men drowning their sorrows in drink, but the innkeeper was unfazed. She’d watched over adventurers for decades, after all — she’d seen it all before. With her keen observation, she must have noticed all of Ize’s hidden fans, too.