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A typical wooden house where elves might dwell.

Arms Town was noisy, but it had a pastoral vibe.

However, what was happening inside was far from anything pastoral.

Arms Town was the closest village to the masculine Armsport.

Due to its location, it was also the second place in the territory to have an anti-fairy barrier installed.

Yes. The fairy ‘prevention’ barrier.

It was merely a prevention, not an expulsion.

Just like Catherine and Shen mentioned earlier.

Fairies, the size of an arm’s length, were flying about, easily crossing over the wooden fence that surrounded the village.

“Four! Five! Six! Seven! Oh no, I missed!”

“Hey, everyone! Sweep the powder off the floor!”

“Dammit! This blasted fly is making it impossible to even open the windows! What a hassle!”

It was certainly not a pastoral scene.

Fairies were scurrying here and there, shooting bright lights, and if they got caught up in a weapon swung by an adventurer or a household item, they would shatter, leaving only their material behind to disappear.

Fairies were being massacred.

Due to their uniquely cute, human-like appearance, Karem, who was a bit hesitant from afar, redirected his gaze to the two people.

“So, have you made up?”

A tall figure with a fake mustache sticking out from under his robe and a shorter person beneath him. Flora was clinging to Gordon.

“Huh, well. Somehow, we managed to smooth things over.”

“How did you resolve the argument, then?”

When asked curiously, Gordon shrugged his shoulders with a heavy sigh.

His thoughts were shortsighted.

‘If it weren’t for that damned paperwork…’

Of course, Gordon was in the highest position in the territory, so he could delegate tasks below him, but as previously mentioned, being at the top meant he had to verify every single document himself for approval.

Caught in the trap he had set, a week had passed, and having hit his limit from annoyance, Gordon had gone for a bit of leisure, momentarily forgetting Flora.

Though it was a night expected to hold both anticipation and fear, that was for later.

“Anyway, that’s how it went down. So, what brings you out? Sightseeing?”

There was nothing to be done about what had already happened. Gordon, pulling Flora closer, asked Karem.

“Yes. I heard this is the largest among Bersengetto-style Village Forests? I didn’t want to miss it.”

“If you’re shocked by just the village forest, just wait until you see the city forest there. I’d love to show it to you.”

“I’ve heard of it, but is it really that amazing?”

“More than amazing.”

As Gordon nodded, the fake mustache quivered, making it hard to concentrate.

“Is that mustache really necessary? It looks like it wouldn’t disguise anything.”

“Humans tend to be surprisingly indifferent to others, you know. Besides, I can’t really describe how to explain a true city forest.”

What nonsense. Karem gave him a dubious look as Catherine lightly flicked her fingers.

“Look around the village now.”

Following Catherine’s words, Karem took another good look at Arms Town.

A living wooden house that was shorter than expected.

Lush branches and leaves that partially obscured the sky.

Thanks to that, people were enjoying a vivid atmosphere.

“Ki-sha-a-a-aah!”

“Ugh! These little buggers are biting! Ack! Ack! Argh! Stupid bright lights!”

“Oops! Hmm, they fly quite far. Did I hit something wrong?”

Giggle? Giggle!?

“Here, here! Delicious apples! If you come in… gotcha!!!”

People hunting and massacring fairies.

“It’s a festivity of ghosts blinded by greed.”

“It’s rare for ordinary townsfolk to have a chance to make a big buck, so it makes sense. But look up. Yes. Imagine a forest ten times larger than this village forest, densely packed and several stories higher than Armsport.”

At those words, Karem shut his eyes, gazing not at the ground but at the thick canopy of the village forest that obscured the sky.

Until now, all the trees he had seen were typically one floor, maybe two or three at most.

If Catherine’s description was to be believed, they would reach at least ten floors.

Thinking of the urban living environment of the Bersengetto elves…

‘…An apartment?’

Karem trembled and quickly denied the thought that had just popped into his mind.

No way was an apartment too far-fetched.

That scene had none of those romantic images.

Yet still, no matter how he thought about it, he could only picture an apartment, which was excruciating.

The concrete jungle, one of a few in his past life.

An apartment grad that would leave modernism’s masters in awe.

Having lived a lifetime in the Republic of Seoul, Karem found it hard to imagine anything beyond that.

“Burn, burn! My imagination….!”

Noticing this, Flora made a worried chirp.

“Porong…♬ Porong. Porong?”

“Nothing to worry about. Occasionally, he pulls up bad memories like that.”

It must have been a memory from his past life that had resurfaced. As Catherine explained that, Flora looked a bit unsure. Was it really okay to relax?

Clap!

“Alright, lunchtime is approaching. Hungry people!”

Whether with Flora or alone, Gordon strode forth confidently.

“Sir Stark. It seems all the shops in Arms Town are closed. May I ask where you’re going?”

“The only place that can operate normally even in such circumstances.”

“I’m asking where that might be.”

“Can’t guess? The inn. The inn.”

A crisis is an opportunity.

Originally, inns, where outsiders were their main customers, were actually celebrating.

For them, the current situation was quite a delight.

From the recent turmoil caused by the Grizzly Beaver to the present.

Innkeepers lived in a rollercoaster of highs and lows.

The territory was devastated by monsters, leaving the inns’ foundation stripped bare. They couldn’t see a single path of survival.

Suddenly, the recently appointed baron started rebuilding with the duke’s support.

Out of nowhere, an elf, their resident wizard, arrived, swiftly constructing buildings made of living wood.

The tree spirit, said to be created by the baroness, began to expel monsters around the village and help with village affairs.

Thanks to the chaos in the territory, sourcing materials and commissions was plentiful, and they began to do business with the adventurers and merchants who came by, then just as it seemed to stall after the unheard and unseen calamity called Twinkle Tide, it was now flooded with customers.

A genuine blessing after a drought.

No, a torrential downpour after a drought.

Thanks to that, even now, with Twinkle Tide having somewhat settled down due to the greed-blinded low-level adventurers and merchants, the inns were bustling with guests.

“Oh, guests have arrived.”

“Do you have individual rooms?”

“Just head upstairs!”

Upon entering the inn simply named Arms Town Inn, the innkeeper said. Gordon’s group was promptly guided to the largest room there.

“It looks oddly familiar.”

To Karem, Gordon’s actions felt incredibly natural.

“Is this your regular spot?”

“If regular, then it might be somewhat regular.”

He merely plopped down on the table, but the atmosphere and energy made it feel just like home.

“When I get fed up with the annoying noble life, I secretly come out to eat, drink, and play, and this is the inn I always drop by on my way back.”

“Hmm. Is that so?”

Meanwhile, high above flirting with him, Flora nibbled at Gordon’s shoulder as he gently patted her head. His actions did not look noble at all.

“Those gazes directed at this lord baron are rather irreverent.”

“They are irreverent, indeed.”

“Are you admitting it!?”

“No, not really. I just think I now understand why Catherine doesn’t change her titles.”

Hearing that, Gordon, who had been glaring with narrowed eyes, quickly broke into a sly smile.

“The one being irreverent this time is you.”

“Indeed. Calling you ‘sir’ or ‘sister’ feels much more natural.”

Gordon nodded with a sleepy grin.

“Sir Stark?”

“Mary, what’s up?”

“If you persist in maintaining that sinister expression, I must warn you that danger may be approaching your vicinity.”

With that, Mary gestured to the side. Sharp icicles were revving up like drills on Catherine’s hand.

“Oho! Madam Mage, with Flora right here, don’t do anything dangerous!”

“Hmph. What, do you think I’d miss?”

“What if even a fragment flies off!”

“Considering you’re a swordmaster, there’s no way you can’t dodge that. You’ll be just fine.”

Catherine stared at Gordon intently, her fingers wiggling. Coldness gathered around the icicle, causing the number of icicles to multiply gradually.

“Well, Catherine. The food should be coming out soon. Let’s save the punishment for later.”

“Hey, I solved the honorific issue for you, and right now—”

“Since you provoked me, this is your fault.”

Anyway, it seemed Catherine didn’t particularly disagree with Karem’s words. Her face relaxed as she removed the icicles.

“But Sir Stark. Is it really fine to just sit idly like this?”

Mary stood up as she was diligently folding the napkin that Gordon had carelessly tossed aside, glancing down at the table.

“What’s wrong?”

“You haven’t ordered any dishes yet, have you?”

“Oh, it’s fine. It’s fine.”

Saying that, Gordon gently stroked Flora’s head, who had removed her hood.

“I’m a regular here, so it’s no problem. They bring out the same items since I order the same thing every time.”

“But unlike when you come alone, right now—”

“Don’t worry. I’ll just ask for one of everything on the menu anyway. If I eat a little less, it’s all good.”

Was he saying he would order the entire menu? Karem was flabbergasted.

“You’ve ordered everything on the menu and ate it all by yourself?!”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Well…”

There’s nothing wrong with it. Without a doubt, that guy is a swordmaster.

Thinking about how much he usually ate, if he really decided to eat, he could easily devour every dish at the inn at least once and still walk out like it was nothing.

Knock, knock, knock—

“Ahem. Excuse me, guests. There are quite a few orders, so I will be bringing them out one by one.”

Seeing Flora, the flustered innkeeper quickly regained composure and started bringing out the dishes.

And on the wide table in the spacious room that seemed the best in the inn, a variety of dishes began to fill up. To Karem’s surprise, they smelled more appetizing than expected.

“Smells good, doesn’t it?”

“I heard the head chef here is from Servianus, right? Seems that’s why the taste is on par with a well-rated inner castle inn. Plus, he’s studying your recipes that you made and sprinkled, after all.”

Indeed, it was worth Gordon coming all this way.

Most importantly, the dishes.

Until he ordered improvements in Euphorpa, there were no tomatoes in Servianus cuisine.

Thus, the original Servianus dishes did not contain tomatoes.

So, they were filled with a sense of familiarity yet strangeness.

However, the dishes now crowding the table were different.

What could be called a salad was merely a Caprese salad.

This was truly Seophone-esque.

Other than that, there were lasagna, eggplant parmigiana, a pot full of spaghetti with ragu sauce and mushroom cream, a dish of chicken and rabbit cooked in unknown tomato sauce, and four types of pizza plus a small mountain of calzone, among others.

Originally, Servianus cuisine didn’t contain tomatoes, but now that it did, it was practically Italian cuisine itself.

As the group’s eyes filled with astonishment, filled with delight at seeing such exotic dishes in a village inn, Gordon finally clapped his hands.

“Buon appetito.”

“Porong~♬”

Flora mimicked Gordon, who was awkwardly trying to speak Servianus alongside her.

 

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