Chapter 50: Primordial Feast

Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Primordial Feast

Grim let out a hearty laugh. "Haha! If you like it, eat up! Dip the bread in the sauce while it’s hot. Once the bread gets soggy from the juices, it won’t have the same bite."

Hesia did as he was told, breaking off a piece of bread and dipping it generously into the thick sauce before putting it in his mouth.

"Grim, this sauce is incredible. You used wine and garlic in it, right?"

"You’ve got a good palate, kid." Grim seemed a bit surprised, but he didn’t try to hide anything. "That’s right. I use thorn-fruit peppers, a specialty from the South Road, wild garlic, and some fine dark beer."

Hesia swallowed the bread in his mouth and joked, "You’re just telling me like that? Once I learn how to make it myself, I won’t have to come here to eat anymore."

Grim waved his hand magnanimously. "What does that matter! Food and fine wine are meant to be appreciated. If you really like it, I’ll give you a small jar of the sauce when you leave! When you’re out adventuring and grilling your own meat, just a little smear will take the flavor to a whole new level!"

Hesia praised him sincerely, "Grim, you’re not just a great cook, you’re a straightforward and generous friend!"

Grim snorted and turned back to wiping the seemingly endless supply of cups, but Hesia could see the tusks at the corners of his mouth curve upward in a subtle smile.

[Affinity with Half-Beastman Grim has increased. Decryption Points +4]

The portion of Split Hoof Beef ribs was astonishing. Even though Hesia had been starving all day and had even given a large piece to the eagerly watching Bruce, there was still a lot of meat left on the stone slab.

He asked Grim for a few large, thick leaves, carefully wrapped up the leftover roasted meat, and bought another portion of bread to serve as his rations for the next day.

He rubbed his slightly bulging stomach. This feeling of a full, greasy belly and warmth spreading through his body... it had been far too long.

This young body was still developing; it had been eating too little and too poorly before.

’Looks like I’ll have to eat more nutritious Demon Flesh from now on. Maybe my Attributes will increase a bit more.’

Letting Bruce take the half-gnawed rib bone in his mouth, the man and his dog prepared to leave.

As he approached the bar, Hesia saw Grim pick up a quill, seemingly about to cross out the second rule on the parchment.

He stopped and said, "Grim, I think... you don’t have to get rid of that rule."

Grim’s hand, holding the quill, paused in mid-air.

Hesia continued, "There’s nothing wrong with protecting your employees. Maintaining order in the tavern is the owner’s responsibility. As for those two ending up together, that was their own choice and destiny. You don’t have to let it trouble you or make you change your principles, right?"

"However," he said, pointing to the blackened bloodstain on the stage floor, "maybe next time you could be a little... gentler? After all, not all Minstrels are scumbags, right?"

Grim was silent for a moment before finally putting down the quill. He said gruffly, "You’re right, kid. Rules are rules, and they need to be upheld. I was just overthinking it. Thanks, Galen."

[Affinity with Half-Beastman Grim has increased. Decryption Points +3]

Hesia smiled. "Well then, goodbye for now, Grim. If I get the chance, I’ll definitely be back to try your other signature dishes!"

"You’re welcome anytime! Try the Stone-jawed Lizard Meat Pie next time!"

...

After leaving "Beastmen and the Lute," Hesia found a reasonably priced inn in a nearby alley—its sign depicted a crouching Stone Toad.

The bed was hard, and the room was small.

But the price was fair, only 80 copper nails for a night.

It even came with a free hot bath.

For Hesia, who had been on the move all day, this was more important than anything.

Lying on the creaky bed, Hesia began to plan.

’Maybe after this commission is done and I get paid, I should think about renting a place?’ Hesia thought as he drew a hot bath. ’Staying in inns all the time isn’t a long-term solution. I’ll have to see if there’s some kind of agency in town...’

He shook his head, pushing these stray thoughts aside.

Right now, there were more important things to do.

With a sense of anticipation, he opened the interface in his mind.

[Race: Half-Beastman]

[Decryption Points: 21]

[Term Extraction: Requires 20 Decryption Points]

’It’s enough!’

"Extract Term!"

[You have consumed 20 Decryption Points and extracted the Term—Primordial Feast—from the Half-Beastman.]

[Primordial Feast]: A gluttonous feast of courage and luck! After consuming the flesh and blood of a Demon (raw or cooked), you will randomly gain a buff based on the Demon’s characteristics for a certain period. However, there is also a small chance of getting an upset stomach due to indigestion, resulting in a random debuff.

Hesia’s eyes lit up instantly!

"What a great Term!"

The effect of this Term was extremely practical, especially for him.

He happened to have [Refined Gold Gastrointestinal Tract] on hand.

This meant he could be almost completely immune to the "upset stomach" debuff, effectively turning [Primordial Feast] into a reliable source of random buffs!

However, he could only equip two Terms at the moment, so he had to make a choice.

[Earth Affinity] was the foundation of his power; he relied on it for both combat and restoring Magic Power, so it usually had to be equipped at all times.

But this didn’t stump Hesia.

As a veteran gamer, his mind immediately started whirring with possibilities.

’I can just swap out [Earth Affinity] before eating Demon Flesh and temporarily equip [Primordial Feast] and [Refined Gold Gastrointestinal Tract], my two meal-specific Terms.’

’After I’m done eating, once the effect of [Primordial Feast] has triggered and stabilized as a buff, I can just swap [Refined Gold Gastrointestinal Tract] back to [Earth Affinity]!’

’This is basically exploiting a bug... no, wait, how can you call using the game’s mechanics a bug?!’

’If it’s in the game, it’s fair play!’

Thinking of this, he immediately prepared to try it out.

Although he had already finished eating, in theory, as long as the beef was still digesting in his stomach, equipping the Term now should still trigger the effect.

No sooner said than done.

He first unequipped [Earth Affinity], then equipped both [Refined Gold Gastrointestinal Tract] and [Primordial Feast] at the same time.

The moment he finished equipping [Primordial Feast], Hesia immediately felt a strange surge of energy from his stomach.

At the same time, [Refined Gold Gastrointestinal Tract] acted like a sturdy floodgate, completely blocking the faintest trace of negative energy that might have caused "indigestion."

It was as if the Split Hoof Beef he had just eaten was reactivated, some latent power being drawn out and infused into his entire body.

He could even feel his muscles swelling slightly and his stamina becoming more abundant.

Confirming that the buff had taken stable effect, Hesia nodded in satisfaction and quickly swapped [Refined Gold Gastrointestinal Tract] back to the immovable [Earth Affinity].

After doing all this, he immediately opened his personal panel to confirm.

[Name: Hesia Atmesia]

[Race: Human]

[Level: 9]

[Profession: None]

[Physique: 10+2]

[Power: 6+2]

[Agility: 7]

[Wisdom: 12]

[Will: 10]

[Charm: 16]

[Skills:

Earth Spike Technique Level 2 (6/20)

Light Technique]

[Status:

Salamakis’s Contract: Your Bloodline Power will be extracted in 2 days.

Mora’s Blessing: You have received the blessing of a Rock Vein Speaker, Physique +4 permanently. This buff ignores all curses or weakening effects.

Split Hoof Beef Buff: Physique +2, Power +2, remaining duration: 5 hours 58 minutes.]

[Equipped Terms: Earth Affinity, Primordial Feast]

[Available Terms: Territory Odor Mark, Blushing Trait, Refined Gold Gastrointestinal Tract, Bloodline Solidification]

’It worked!’