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It was dinner time in the city, so the dining hall of The Gourmand’s Indulgence, which was filled with restaurants renting the space, was crowded with people looking for food. One could find food from all over the continent there, and some restaurants focused on drinks as well, which essentially turned them into bars.
Mira had returned to Sentopolly wanting to ask for help with transporting the two Chimera Clauzen members she had captured, and now she was on the same floor as all those hungry adventurers looking for a bar.
(Ohh, this place looks kinda like one.)
There were a lot of sample snacks on the display window, as well as multiple labels of liquor bottles. Mira had the impression that it had to be a rather important place from the way it looked, so she quickly walked inside.
「Welcome! Table for one?」
A worker with a very energetic voice greeted Mira, followed by the rest of the staff greeting her in a similar way like an echo. That gave Mira the impression that this was an experienced establishment, though she had not gone there as a client.
「Ah, sorry I’m just looking for someone. Could I take a look around inside?」
She said with a slightly awkward voice.
「Sure, look around as much as you wish.」
The worker agreed with a bright smile. There were tables arranged just after the entrance, and further back there was a spot with cushions on a soft floor for those who preferred sitting on the floor. The staff even taught her the best route to check every table.
Mira thanked them and followed their indications, looking throughout the establishment. There were even more workers there who greeted her as she passed by, and the clients were all conversing amiably as well. In a few words, there was a bit of a party, a bit of a bar, and just happiness all around there.
「It seems they aren’t here. Sorry for taking your time.」
Having checked every table, Mira returned to the entrance, told that to the worker and left. As she left, there was an energetic 「Come back soon!」 behind her. Hearing that Mira’s mood improved slightly as she began looking for another bar.
The next one she checked was rather lively, boisterous even. There was a large group of men that were completely drunk, making one wonder how early they had started drinking. Not wanting to get too close to them, Mira asked the staff if she could look for someone and began searching from a distance. In short, that place could be described with adventurers, alcohol, and drunkards.
Looking further inside the place, she saw that there was something like a ring in the far end, where two men who looked like adventurers were punching each other. Apparently the establishment allowed fights as long as they happened inside there.
On top of that, most of the staff were excellent Saints, so they could take care of any injured, and they even sold drinks with healing effects, so it was surprisingly safe, while also increasing profits considerably and giving the establishment a curious theme.
Mira checked their menu and saw there were many drinks with the Healing prefix, and at a considerable markup. Those had been prepared with special additives that gave them healing properties. After commending the management for focusing so much on adventurer clients, Mira left the place as soon as she found the people she was looking for were not there.
The third place she visited looked like a laid-back pub, entirely illuminated by indirect lighting. Like earlier, Mira said she was looking for someone before searching the establishment.
There was a man sitting alone with his drink, a couple cuddling together, another man who kindly greeted a woman who just arrived, and yet another who was still waiting for someone. There was essentially no conflict or fights there, just calm conversations.
It really was a calm establishment, bringing to mind words like mature, refined, or 「a gift from the gentleman over there.」
Some of the people there tried starting a conversation with Mira as well, but she refused all, explaining she was looking for someone. However, she noticed some of those people were women as well, making her realize that her impression of Fricca being a rare specimen might have been mistaken.
That was mostly the kind of pub where men and women would gather at night trying to socialize. Just in case she still searched through it, but she did not find anyone she knew.
A female warrior who looked extremely outgoing was waving her hand towards Mira, with a smile that resembled that of Fricca and the maids in Arkite’s castle, so Mira quickly waved back as her lip cramped into a forced smile and fled the establishment.
The fourth establishment focused on food grilled on skewers, with an interior design modeled strongly after traditional Japanese architecture. Tatami mats, izakaya, and hidden in an alley, were all words that came to mind seeing it. Like a secret spot few people knew in a city. Though it was filled with customers, and it was not hidden at all.
Already used to it, Mira told the front clerk she was looking for someone and entered. The sizzling of food could be heard coming from the kitchen, and many of the clients she could see were eating skewers of pork and negi. The pieces of meat were large, and they had a satisfying texture when bitten into.
There were many others with skewers of shrimp, squid, and other shellfish. Considering the many variations one could prepare with those ingredients, it was no surprise that the menu had more than a hundred items. There were a few special items too, like cake or ice cream.
Seeing all that made her want to sit down and eat as well, an impulse she had to force herself to resist. Pulling back tears, she looked away from the skewers and searched.
「Ohh, so this is where you’ve been!」
Halfway through the fourth establishment she looked through, Mira finally found the person she had been looking for.
「Hm? Oh, hello Mira. You were looking for me?」
Near the end of the place, Mira found Arlon sitting on a table, a large mug on one hand and the other helping him devour a pile of skewers.
「Yes, I have a couple of things I’d like to discuss.」
「I see… should we go back to the room then?」
Mira looked around carefully as she spoke, which told Arlon enough, so he nodded and downed the remaining beer in a single chug.
He stood up, while Mira’s eyes remained fixated on the mountain of skewers. Arlon then went to a nearby waiter and asked for his remaining skewers to be wrapped up, while also ordering a bottle to drink later. He picked everything up and headed to the room where he was staying.
Mira had a wide smile as she followed behind him.
In the room on the fifth floor, Mira happily ate skewers while updating Arlon in the latest developments. She told him of the Graveyard of War Memorials, the connection with the Melville Trading Corporation, the alchemist Johann, the materials used to make black mist stones, and anything that was important while omitting small details.
She also mentioned the black market auction she found out about, Isaac from Chimera Clauzen who she held captive outside the city, and the Deserter Hunter.
To finish, she reported on the situation of Sentopolly’s government according to Isaac.
