Chapter 216 – The Winking Cat and Unexpected Reunion

Chapter 216

The Winking Cat and Unexpected Reunion

Date : Day 21 of Frostfall 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.

The Freedom Party watched Shining Force leave the guild, led by their energetic leader, Fits Walder.

Once the party disappeared through the guild's heavy wooden doors, Hyoren turned back toward the counter. He ignored the murmurs from the adventurers around them and walked up to the counter.

The familiar sight of the guild clerk greeted him.

Behind the counter, the blonde-haired, bespectacled Sherly was already waiting. 

“Freedom Party! Did you clear the third floor already? Or were there more complications like last time?”

She quickly raised both hands.

“But please leave the complications for Senior Ina, okay? I don't want to break down again.”

Hyoren smiled wryly as he approached the counter.

“No, Sherly.”

He rested both arms on the wooden counter.

“We haven't cleared the third floor yet. I'll tell Ina the details later. But basically, the floor is just too enormous, and the monster spawn rate is too high. It's not possible for us to clear it within a single scheduled dive.”

He shook his head slightly.

“We only mapped forty-seven percent after nine days. And the monster density is even higher than the first floor.”

Several adventurers nearby couldn't help reacting.

“Did you hear that?”

“The third floor is giving even the Freedom Party trouble?”

“A massive floor with a higher spawn rate than the first floor... My party already struggled on the first floor.”

“Is this dungeon really Bronze-tier?”

Sherly cleared her throat loudly.

“Ahem!”

The surrounding murmurs immediately died down.

Sherly nodded as she looked back at Hyoren.

“I see... So that's how things are.”

She shifted some papers on her counter.

“I think you already know this because Senior Ina told you, but this Akela Dungeon doesn't really fit the Adventurer's Guild's established classification.”

She sighed.

“It should be Bronze-tier. But after everything we've learned, we think it's actually closer to Silver-tier.”

Arianna nodded.

“I believe my Esteemed Mother once mentioned that she requested specialists from the Central Guild to determine the dungeon's true classification.”

Hyoren tapped his chin.

“Right... I think Ina mentioned that too.”

He smiled wryly.

“But the request was rejected, wasn't it?”

He shook his head.

“One day, Ina kept complaining about it after she came back from work.”

Sherly nodded.

“Sadly, that's true.”

She adjusted her glasses.

“The official answer from the Central Guild was, ‘We will consider this request, but our personnel are limited. Expect delay on when your request are going to be accepted.’”

Sherly sighed again.

“But that was really just their polite way of saying, ‘We're busy. Deal with it yourselves!’”

Her eyes suddenly brightened behind her glasses.

“That's why we at the guild can only rely on the Freedom Party to scout this dungeon!”

She leaned slightly forward.

“All the information you've provided has been incredibly helpful to the adventurers in Akela. Everything Fits said was right. And it's not only the adventurers who are grateful.”

She placed a hand against her chest.

“We at the Adventurer's Guild are grateful too.”

Sherly then bowed.

“On behalf of the Adventurer's Guild, I sincerely thank the Freedom Party.”

Hyoren immediately raised both hands.

“Sherly, please raise your head.”

He looked slightly flustered.

“We've already received enough compensation from Guild Master Fiona.”

Arianna and Jackey exchanged stunned glances. Neither of them had expected Sherly to react so dramatically.

Sherly slowly raised her head and adjusted her glasses.

“Okay, then...”

Her professional expression returned.

“How about you report your Dungeon Exploration Quest?”

She picked up her writing tool.

“Your kill tally and your loot.”

Hyoren smiled. He was glad it was finally their official business instead of talking about Freedom Party’s achievement.

“Alright, Sherly. We'll report the result of our dungeon diving.”

He took out the Guild Cards belonging to the four members of the Freedom Party and handed them to her.

Sherly accepted the cards and placed them onto the familiar processing magic tool. She carefully checked the Dungeon Exploration Quest recorded on each card.

Her eyes gradually widened. Then she smiled wryly.

“I expected you guys to have killed a lot of goblins.”

She looked at the numbers again.

“But actually killing 4,600 goblins in just nine days...”

Sherly slowly looked back at the Freedom Party.

“So it really was true. The third floor really does spawn that many monsters.”

Hyoren nodded.

“Exactly, Sherly.”

He gestured toward the Guild Cards.

“I'll report the details of the floor to Ina later. But that's the gist of it.”

Jackey crossed his arms and nodded energetically. His tabby cat tail spiraled behind him.

“Yeah! I love the third floor! So many goblins to whack!”

Hyoren chuckled.

“Of course you do.”

He then turned toward Elise.

“Elise, please hand over the loot.”

Elise nodded.

She opened her Storage Bag. One after another, the loot came out. Magic Stones rolled across the counter and into the counting magic tool.

Sherly's eyebrows twitched as she watched the sheer amount of Magic Stones pile up. There were so many that the sight was almost ridiculous. Still, after working with the Freedom Party for so long, she had become somewhat accustomed to their absurdity.

“So... only Magic Stones?”

Elise poured out the last of them before nodding.

“Yeah. Unlike the second floor, where we got some good weapon drops, the monsters on the third floor only dropped crude weapons.”

She shrugged.

“We didn't bother picking those up.”

Sherly nodded professionally.

“Alright. Only Magic Stones, then. Give me a moment.”

She operated the counting magic tool. The device emitted a faint glow as it processed the enormous pile.

Finally, she looked up.

“4,600 Magic Stones from Level 14 monsters. Your total earnings are... 64,400,000 Kres.”

Jackey's golden eyes widened.

“How much money is that?! How many skewers could we buy with that?

Hyoren chuckled.

“That's a lot of money, Jackey. You could buy skewers until your stomach couldn't take it anymore. I think.”

Everyone laughed.

Arianna clasped her hands.

“But our party expenses keep increasing, so we'll only be able to pocket a small amount of it in the end. Ohoho.”

Elise tucked a strand of silver hair behind her ear.

“That's right.”

She began counting the expenses off on her fingers.

“Our manor upkeep costs a lot of money. Upgrading and running the heating magic tools isn't cheap.”

She raised another finger.

“And Ina and I decided to buy quite a lot of new furniture recently. Sofas for us to relax. Better stoves to cook. Rugs and carpets…”

She sighed.

“Our party's running costs are also high. Armor repairs. Weapon repairs. Potions and supplies. As the party treasurer, I was starting to worry whether our finances would last until the end of winter.”

She smiled.

“But with this much income, Ina and I won't have to worry about that anymore. Fufufu.”

Jackey nodded enthusiastically.

“I see. I never think about that.”

Hyoren smiled.

“Now you know.”

Everyone laughed again.

Sherly quickly began operating the processing magic tool.

“Alright. I've updated your party account.”

Sherly handed the Guild Cards back.

Hyoren accepted his card and checked the balance.

Party Balance : 65,413,000 Kres

He nodded quietly.

Before this dungeon dive, they had only had around one million Kres in their party account. Elise had been right. The Freedom Party's finances had taken a significant step forward.

Hyoren put the Guild Card away. A quiet sense of satisfaction settled inside him. 

He smiled.

“Thank you, Sherly.”

Sherly's professional smile had completely returned.

She gave him a slight bow.

“My pleasure. Good luck on your next dive.”

Hyoren turned toward his party members.

“Ready to go home, everyone?”

“Yes, Hyoren.”

“Certainly, Leader.”

“Let's go! Big Bro!”

The Freedom Party thanked Sherly one more time before leaving the guild building together.

***

The wooden door closed behind them with a soft click.

Outside, they rejoined the steady flow of adventurers and merchants moving through Dungeon Town. The Silver Luna had already begun its descent across the evening sky, casting a pale silver light over the town. Soft snowflakes drifted down around them, settling gently on their cloaks and shoulders.

The Freedom Party felt satisfied.

They hadn't conquered the third floor yet. But they knew it was only a matter of time. They would come back. And when they did, they would conquer it.

For now, though, they were tired.

Hyoren tightened his cloak as the cold evening air touched his body. He looked toward the bustling streets of Dungeon Town.

He turned toward the road leading back to Akela, beyond the newly constructed gate bearing the sign of Akela Dungeon Town.

“Alright. Let's head back.”

Elise nodded quietly.

“Let's go.”

Arianna and Jackey nodded as well.

The Freedom Party was exhausted.

All four of them wanted nothing more than to return home and rest properly.

But before they could take even a few steps—a familiar voice came from behind them.

“Hey! Freedom Party! Hey, Hyoren! Talk about good timing! Gyahaha!”

Hyoren immediately recognized the voice.

He turned around. A stocky dwarf with a wide grin was waving at them—Stonebreaker’s Jigor. The leader of one of Akela's veteran parties, Unbreakable Will.

Standing beside him was his wife and the party's healer, Vani Wight. The human woman wore an immaculate white priestly robe. A veil covered her hair while leaving her face visible.

They were alone. Their scout, Cathy, and their mage, Dennis, were nowhere to be seen.

Vani smiled warmly.

“Good afternoon, Freedom Party.”

Hyoren smiled when he saw the two of them.

“Hello, Jigor. Vani. Long time no see.”

He glanced between them.

“And good timing? Do you need something from us? What can we help you with?”

Elise smiled too.

“Hey, Jigor. Vani.”

Arianna gave a small curtsy.

“Good afternoon, Sir Jigor. Lady Vani.”

Jackey simply grinned.

“Heya!”

Jigor laughed and stepped forward, offering Hyoren his hand. Hyoren shook it.

Jigor looked over the Freedom Party.

“Did you guys just come back from the dungeon?”

He examined their tired faces, relaxed postures, and the obvious signs that they had just finished a long dungeon dive.

His grin softened slightly.

“Actually, I have a small favor to ask.”

He scratched his beard. The metallic rings on his beard clinked slightly.

“But if you guys are too tired, then forget about it. We can talk another time.”

Hyoren furrowed his eyebrows. Jigor was their friend. If there was something he could reasonably help with, he wanted to hear him out.

“We just finished our dungeon dive, Jigor.”

He glanced at his companions.

“But what's the favor? We can decide whether it's too much for us after we hear it.”

Elise nodded.

“Hyoren's right. At least let us hear what you need first.”

Jigor exchanged a glance with Vani. His wife gave him a small nod.

He turned back toward them.

“To tell you the truth, we wanted your opinion about our strategy for clearing the Floor Two Guardian.”

His expression became more serious.

“We already reviewed the report you released. But hearing a few words from someone who actually fought through it would definitely help.”

Vani smiled.

“Could we discuss it at a nearby tavern?”

She gestured toward the bustling Dungeon Town.

“It's our treat.”

Jackey immediately raised his fist.

“A treat?”

His golden eyes lit up.

“Let's go! I'm hungry too!”

Hyoren smiled wryly.

“So that's the favor.”

He glanced toward Elise and Arianna. Both women nodded. They didn't seem opposed to the idea. And there was certainly no need to ask Jackey. His answer had already been obvious.

Hyoren looked back toward the stocky dwarf and his wife.

“Alright. We'd be glad to help our friends.”

Jigor's face immediately lit up.

“Really? Thank you! We're grateful!”

He turned and gestured for them to follow.

“Then let's go to our favorite tavern here in the new Dungeon Town. It won't lose to the best ones in Akela. Gyahaha!”

Jackey practically bounced in place. His tabby cat tail spiraled with excitement.

“Good tavern! That means booze!  And food! Yes!”

Arianna smiled.

“Some good food would certainly be appreciated after an exhausting dive. Ohoho...”

Elise simply nodded.

“With the carriage service, we can return to Akela without much effort. So spending a little time eating first doesn't sound like a bad idea.”

Hyoren nodded.

“Alright, Jigor. Lead us to this famous tavern of yours.”

Jigor laughed loudly.

“Gyahaha! Follow me, then!”

The Freedom Party followed Jigor and Vani.

Together, the two parties began weaving through the crowds of Dungeon Town as snow continued to fall softly around them.

***

They passed many newly constructed buildings as they made their way through Dungeon Town.

There was the Merchant Guild, several weapon shops, supply stores, and various other businesses that had begun appearing as the town continued to grow. Street vendors could also be found here and there, calling out to passing adventurers and customers.

Eventually, they reached the area that was clearly meant for adventurers. Inns, bars, taverns, and even brothels lined the streets. The atmosphere was livelier here, with adventurers coming and going between establishments after returning from the dungeon.

Jigor ignored all of them.

He continued walking until they reached the very end of the area, where the buildings became noticeably more sparse. There were still plenty of prepared plots of land scattered around, clearly waiting for construction to begin. But for now, only a few buildings stood in this quieter section.

One of them was a cozy, one-story wooden building.

A wooden sign hung above its entrance. It depicted a cartoonish black cat winking mischievously. Written beneath it were the words “The Winking Cat.”

Jigor gestured toward the tavern with a grin.

“This is The Winking Cat! Not many adventurers come here because the price is on the pricey side. But the food and booze are really great! The owner even said the beer is specially brewed herself!”

Vani smiled beside him.

“And because of the price, it is also a good place for us to gather. Not many people come here, so we can relax and talk peacefully.”

Hyoren nodded as he looked over the small tavern.

“It seems to be a good place indeed.”

Stonebreaker's Jigor then led everyone inside.

The interior was a typical tavern, with wooden tables and chairs arranged throughout the room and a counter near the back. However, just as Jigor had said, there weren't many adventurers inside. Unlike the louder and more boisterous bars and taverns they had passed earlier, The Winking Cat was relatively peaceful.

Hyoren looked around.

The adventurers who did come here also seemed noticeably better off. Their armor was clearly high quality, their weapons well maintained and shining under the tavern's lighting. These were adventurers who had earned enough money to spend more on their meals and drinks—and apparently enough to value a little peace and quiet as well.

Before Hyoren could look around any further, the woman behind the counter noticed them.

She was a young cat-clan beastkin woman wearing a waitress outfit. Her short, messy black hair framed her face, while a pair of black cat ears twitched the moment she noticed the new customers.

She immediately greeted them with a cheerful smile.

“Welcome to The Winking Cat! Enjoy your stay!”

Jigor raised his voice.

“Diana! Six beers, please! And your daily special too!”

The owner and barkeeper, Diana, quickly nodded.

“Okay, Jigor. Have a seat and wait a bit!”

She then headed toward the kitchen to prepare their order.

Jigor led everyone toward a corner of the tavern.

“Okay, let's sit.”

Not long after, Diana returned carrying six tankards of beer along with a plate of roasted nuts for them to snack on.

“Here are your beers! Today's daily special is Mad Cow Steak! So it'll take a bit of time, okay?”

Stonebreaker's Jigor nodded.

“Thanks, Diana!”

The barkeeper returned to the kitchen to prepare their food.

Jigor took a sip of his beer before looking toward Hyoren.

“Okay. We don't want to occupy your time too much, so let's go straight to the point.”

Hyoren nodded.

He lifted his tankard and took a sip. The beer was chilled and surprisingly easy to drink.

His eyes widened slightly.

It was really good… And this taste…

For some reason, the taste reminded him of a certain famous canned beer from Japan that he used to drink frequently before he died. It had been over three months since then. Yet the familiar taste suddenly brought back a strange sense of nostalgia.

Hyoren took another sip, savoring the flavor.

Seeing his reaction, Jigor laughed.

“Gyahaha! From that look, you also like this beer?”

Hyoren put down his tankard and gave him a wry smile.

“Actually... yes.”

Jackey immediately raised his tankard.

“Yes! This is good booze! The barkeeper isn't only cute, but she also makes great booze!”

Everyone laughed.

Arianna, who had been sipping her beer gracefully, also nodded.

“This is actually quite good. It does not lose to the many alcoholic beverages nobles usually drink.”

Elise smiled as she took another sip.

“It tastes good indeed. I could drink this any day.”

She glanced toward the kitchen, where Diana was busy preparing their food.

“Sadly, it's homebrew, so we couldn't stock it.”

Vani nodded.

“That's right. We once wanted to stock it as well, since my husband loves this beer. But Diana said it was her ancestor's recipe, so she sadly couldn't share it easily.”

Jigor nodded knowingly.

“That's why we became regulars!”

Hyoren smiled.

“I think I want to become a regular too.”

Jackey nodded enthusiastically.

“Good booze after the dungeon! It's good!”

Elise tucked a strand of silver hair behind her pointed ear.

“Fufu. It might be good too, celebrating our progress before we go back to Akela.”

Arianna silently agreed as well. She seemed to be enjoying the alcohol too.

Jigor laughed.

“Okay, okay. Enough about that. Let's continue our talk?”

Hyoren nodded.

***

Jigor put down his tankard and leaned back slightly.

“Anyway, when we first saw that Floor Two Guardian, I'll be honest... we almost gave up.”

He gave Hyoren a grin.

“Then we heard about the strategy you used to beat it. We got our hands on your report and went through the whole thing.”

Jigor shook his head with an impressed laugh.

“Honestly, that report was incredible. You think about things completely differently from most adventurers.”

He scratched his beard.

“Maybe a military general would think that way, but adventurers? Not really. We usually just figure out what we can beat and go beat it. If something's too strong, we run. Then we either train until we're strong enough to try again... or decide it's not worth the trouble.”

Hyoren smiled wryly.

“I just happen to have some experience fighting armies, so I applied what I knew here.”

That wasn't exactly a lie. He didn't need to explain that his experience came mostly from games. He had played plenty of strategy games before he died. Choke points, ambushes, pincer attacks—concepts like those weren't difficult to apply to a dungeon.

Hyoren took another sip of his beer.

“So, what do you need from me?”

Jigor's expression became a little more serious.

“First, we wanted to properly thank you. We never really got the chance to do that.”

Hyoren was about to wave it off, but Jigor raised his hand.

“Yeah, yeah. I know what you're going to say. You were just sharing information and all that.”

He chuckled.

“But that's not all.”

Jigor crossed his arms.

“We followed your advice and started using the monster room on Floor One as training for the Guardian. We rotate it with Shining Force since the room only appears once a week.”

He pointed at himself with his thumb.

“Next week is our turn again, so we figured we'd get some advice before then.”

Hyoren's eyebrows rose.

“You only rotate it with Shining Force?”

Jigor nodded.

“Yeah.”

Hyoren tilted his head slightly.

“What about Merry Go Round? Hilde's party?”

Jigor's expression changed slightly.

“They already left Akela.”

Hyoren blinked.

“They left?”

The others looked surprised as well.

Hyoren leaned forward.

“That's unexpected. When we met them, they seemed pretty strong and experienced. They even cleared the Floor One Guardian.”

Jigor nodded.

“Yeah, they were.”

He stroked his braided beard, the little metal rings woven through it giving a soft clinking sound.

“I actually talked to Hilde before they left. Turns out they were never really dungeon divers in the first place.”

He shrugged.

“They're wandering adventurers. They just heard about this newly opened dungeon when they arrived at Akela. They then decided to dive into the dungeon out of curiosity.”

Jigor took another sip.

“They cleared the first floor, got what they wanted, and decided it was time to move on.”

Hyoren nodded slowly.

“I see. I guess everyone has their own reasons.”

He took another sip before returning to the subject.

“Anyway, how did your training go? You cleared the monster room, right?”

Jigor's expression immediately became more complicated.

“We did.”

He paused.

“But...”

Vani gently picked up the conversation.

“It was difficult.”

She shook her head, her veil swaying softly.

“You told us that the monster room on Floor One would be good training for fighting an army in a choke point.”

She gave a small, helpless smile.

“We understood that before going in. We just didn't expect the training itself to overwhelm us.”

Jigor sighed.

“Our party's pretty balanced, but when I compare us to your Freedom Party... we're missing two important things.”

He raised one finger.

“First is Dennis. His Fire Magic has already reached the maximum level, so he's got access to advanced spells. He can even use several explosion-type spells.”

Jigor frowned.

“The problem is, those spells eat through his Aethell. Once he's used them, he needs some time before he can cast again.”

He raised a second finger.

“And that's where our second problem comes in.”

Jigor pointed toward Jackey.

“You've got Jackey.”

Jackey, who had been happily eating roasted peanuts, looked up when he heard his name. But as he realized they didn't need him, he was back eating again.

Jigor continued.

“He can stay beside you on the frontline and keep fighting while you're dealing with the main pressure.”

He then pointed toward himself.

“But I've only got me.”

Jigor laughed bitterly.

“So whenever Dennis needs time to recover his Aethell, I have to handle the frontline by myself. If I can't thin the goblins fast enough, more and more slip past me and reach our three backliners.”

He shook his head.

“I've always been proud of being a tank who can hold anything back.”

Jigor lifted his tankard again.

“But those numbers...”

He took a drink.

“Gyahaha. Even I had to admit that was a bit much.”

Hyoren nodded.

“I get it.”

He thought for a moment.

“So basically, you need to solve the AOE problem and find another person who can hold the frontline.”

Jigor pointed at Hyoren.

“Exactly. That's why you're the one we came to.”

Hyoren raised an eyebrow.

“For Dennis, though, you said you've already solved the problem?”

Jigor nodded.

“We bought a bunch of Magic Potions, and we also found some accessories that can increase his Aethell. So we're pretty confident we can manage his casting downtime now.”

He paused and took another sip.

“But the frontline problem is harder to solve.”

Vani nodded.

“And that's where the new member comes in.”

She smiled softly.

“We've decided it's finally time to increase our roster.”

Hyoren listened quietly.

“Thanks to the news about how profitable Akela Dungeon is, a lot of new adventurers have been coming here. We've spoken to quite a few of them.”

She glanced toward Jigor.

“After narrowing them down, we finally found one person we're considering.”

Jigor leaned forward slightly.

“We want your opinion on them.”

Hyoren looked at him.

“What kind of opinion?”

Jigor grinned.

“The kind that tells us whether we're making a mistake or not… We want to know if this person is actually capable of helping us against the Floor Two Guardian.”

He gestured toward Jackey.

“The role we're looking to fill is basically the same role Jackey has in your party.”

Jigor smiled.

“So... I want your honest opinion.”

Hyoren glanced toward Jackey.

The cat-clan beastkin was still happily munching on roasted peanuts, seemingly completely unconcerned with the conversation happening around him.

Hyoren then looked back at Jigor.

“I see.”

He nodded.

“Well, if you value my opinion that much, I'd be happy to help.”

Elise nodded as well, though her expression showed some concern.

“There's one thing I'm wondering about.”

Vani looked toward her.

Elise continued.

“You've been together for more than five years, haven't you? Just the four of you.”

Vani nodded slightly.

“Yeah, Elise.”

Elise tapped her chin.

“Are you sure you're comfortable adding someone now?”

She tilted her head slightly.

“Can you trust this person? And more importantly, can the five of you actually work together?”

Vani smiled.

“We've already talked about that.”

She glanced at Jigor.

“And we came to the same conclusion. We need another member.”

Her smile became a little wry.

“Otherwise, we'll probably be stuck on Floor Two forever.”

Jigor laughed.

“Don't worry about us.”

He stroked his braided beard.

“We've been adventurers for years. We know how to judge people.”

His expression became confident.

“And I think this person is trustworthy enough. We've talked to them, watched how they act, and gotten a feel for their character.”

He pointed toward Hyoren.

“We just want you to take a look at their abilities.”

Hyoren nodded.

“If that's all you need, then we'll gladly help.”

Elise nodded.

Arianna also gave a quiet nod, clearly agreeing.

Jackey swallowed his mouthful of peanuts and raised his hand.

“Yeah! I'm curious about this person too!”

Jigor laughed.

“Good! Then it's settled.”

***

Their order soon arrived.

Diana came over carrying a large tray.

“Here’s your order! Six daily specials! Mad Cow Steak!”

She placed the six plates on the table one after another. The steaks were still sizzling, the smell of freshly cooked meat filling the air.

Jigor looked at the plate in front of him and grinned.

“Thanks, Diana! Smells good as usual.”

Diana winked while clutching the tray against her chest. Her black cat ears twitched playfully.

“Please enjoy!”

She then returned to the counter.

Jigor gestured toward the food.

“Let's eat first while we wait. The promised time is coming soon, so let's fill our bellies first. Gyahaha!”

Everyone laughed.

They picked up their utensils and began eating.

The steak looked excellent. It was covered with mushroom sauce and served with several condiments on the side. The meat was cooked medium-rare, just the way Hyoren liked it.

He cut off a piece and took a bite. His eyes widened slightly.

Wow... this is delicious.

The flavor was rich, and the meat was tender. It wasn't losing to Vina's cooking or even the restaurants back in Akela.

Hyoren slowly savored the taste.

Jigor was right…

He had already made his decision.

We're definitely becoming regulars here…

He looked around the table.

Everyone seemed to be enjoying the food.

Jackey was practically wolfing down his steak, repeatedly declaring how delicious it was between bites.

“This is delicious! This is delicious!!”

Elise's mood seemed particularly good as she happily placed another chunk of meat into her mouth.

Arianna was eating quietly, her noble etiquette preventing her from showing too much enthusiasm. But even she was clearly enjoying the steak.

Jigor watched the Freedom Party with an amused expression.

“It's good, right? Gyahaha!”

Everyone immediately agreed.

“Yeah!”

“This is really good.”

“Indeed.”

Hyoren nodded.

“We're definitely coming back here.”

Jigor laughed.

“See! I told you! Gyahaha.”

For a while, the conversation stopped.

The only sounds heard around their table were the clinking of forks and knives and the occasional satisfied murmur. They simply enjoyed their meal.

Eventually, the last pieces of steak disappeared. One by one, the final forks and knives were placed down.

Then—the tavern door suddenly swung open with a loud bang.

Everyone looked toward the entrance.

A woman stepped inside.

She quickly looked around the tavern before spotting Jigor and Vani. Her face immediately brightened. She energetically hurried toward them, waving as she approached.

“I'm sorry I'm late! I was arguing with that stupid shop because they were clearly marking up the price!”

Jigor and Vani looked toward her. So did everyone else.

But the moment the newcomer got close enough to see Jackey clearly, she suddenly stopped in her tracks. Her eyes widened. She slowly raised a finger and pointed toward him.

“Is that you, Jackey? What are you doing here?”

Jackey, who had been patting his stomach after the meal, suddenly straightened. His golden eyes widened as well. He pointed back at her.

“Killa? What are you doing here?”

The tavern suddenly went silent. Everyone looked between the two of them.

Jackey and Killa continued pointing at each other, both wearing expressions of genuine surprise. They clearly knew each other. And judging by their reactions—neither of them had expected to see the other here.