Chapter 162: Monster Meat

Marielle stopped the car at the end of a long market street before pulling the handbrake.

"Alright, you two. We can get out now."

Amon opened the door and stepped outside with Seraphina following closely behind him.

The moment his feet touched the street, Amon looked around with interest. ’This place is really lit.’

The entire street was illuminated by countless lamps hanging from buildings, shops, and wooden poles along the road.

Warm yellow and golden light covered almost everything, giving the market a lively atmosphere despite the darkness that had settled over the rest of the city.

People crowded the streets, moving between restaurants, food stalls, clothing shops, and various stores selling strange items from different parts of the kingdom.

Marielle stepped out of the car and smiled as she looked around. "This area is called Southboon."

Amon raised an eyebrow. "Is this place special?"

Marielle nodded. "Very much so. This is where most of the upper-middle-class people come to spend their evenings."

She gestured toward the crowded street before leading them deeper into the market.

"This entire area is mainly owned by the Janard Family."

Amon’s eyebrows rose slightly. ’The Janard Family...’

They were one of the most influential royalist families in the kingdom.

’Why would a family so loyal to the royal family invest so heavily into a market like this?’

Before Amon could ask, Marielle continued explaining.

"Southboon was originally established as a place for free trade many years ago." She spread her arms dramatically. "But these days, it’s famous for one thing."

She paused before laughing loudly. "The best food from all over the world!"

Amon smiled slightly. Marielle suddenly looked between the two of them.

"Have either of you ever eaten monster meat?"

Amon and Seraphina blinked.

"Monster meat?" Amon frowned slightly.

"Isn’t that impossible? Monsters usually disintegrate after they’re killed inside a dungeon."

Marielle smiled as if she was waiting for him to say that.

"You’re correct." She raised one finger. "But there is another way."

Amon became interested.

Marielle continued walking as she explained. "Some monsters can be captured alive and taken outside the dungeon before they die. After that, certain species can be bred in the outside world."

Amon’s eyes widened slightly. "So that’s how they--"

Seraphina suddenly leaned closer to his ear. "Like how you would breed me?"

Amon’s lips twitched. He slowly turned his head toward her.

Marielle, who had heard the comment, suddenly stopped walking for half a second.

Seraphina immediately looked completely innocent.

Her large blue eyes blinked innocently as though she had said absolutely nothing strange.

Marielle eventually cleared her throat.

"Anyway..." She continued walking.

"Monster meat can be surprisingly delicious. Some species are considered delicacies, and the taste can be completely different from ordinary meat."

Amon glanced at Seraphina.

She was still wearing an innocent expression. ’She’s getting more shameless.’

They eventually arrived at a large restaurant packed with customers.

The place was much louder than the surrounding shops.

The sounds of conversations mixing with the clattering of plates and the sizzling of meat from the open kitchen.

Several chefs were working behind a long counter, preparing dishes while mana-powered cooking equipment released bursts of heat and steam.

Marielle seemed to be a regular here.

One of the staff members immediately recognized her and quietly approached.

"This way, Lady Marielle."

She guided the three of them toward a table deeper inside the restaurant.

Amon pulled out the chairs for the two women before taking his own seat.

Once everyone was settled, Amon looked toward Marielle. "The monster we’re eating isn’t humanoid, right?"

Marielle stared at him before she shook her head.

"Only sick perverts would enjoy eating something like that." Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"You’re not one of those people who enjoys cannibalism, are you?"

Amon immediately shook his head. "Of course not. I would never eat a person."

Seraphina suddenly made an awkward cough. "Cough."

Amon and Marielle both looked toward her.

Seraphina quickly buried her face behind the menu.

"...What?"

Amon stared at her suspiciously. ’Why did that cough sound so deliberate?’

He decided not to question it as his attention returned to Marielle. "Do you know much about elves?"

Marielle blinked. "Elves?"

She looked at him for a moment before a strange expression appeared on her face.

"Don’t tell me you’re one of those guys obsessed with elves."

Amon frowned. "No."

Seraphina immediately came to his defense.

"He isn’t like that." She lowered her menu slightly. "I’d actually like to know more about elves too."

Marielle looked between the two of them.

Her expression gradually became more curious. "I do know quite a lot about elves for a human."

Amon leaned forward slightly.

"Could you tell us more about them someday?" He paused for a moment. "Especially about the Thousand-Year War."

Marielle’s expression became even more complicated.

Her playful smile disappeared as she stared at him with renewed interest. "How do you know about the Thousand-Year War?"

Amon smiled. "I’ll tell you once you tell me the whole story."

Marielle narrowed her eyes slightly. "You know how to negotiate."

Amon shrugged. "I learned from you big sister."

Marielle was about to respond when a waitress approached their table.

She smiled politely. "Have you decided what you’d like to order?"

Amon glanced toward Marielle. "I’ll eat whatever she orders for me."

Seraphina nodded. "Same."

Marielle looked at the two of them before picking up the menu. "Alright. Leave it to me."

She began scanning through the various dishes.

Amon leaned back in his chair and casually watched the two women.

Until his nose twitched slightly. ’...Blood?’

A faint metallic smell had entered his senses. It wasn’t the smell of raw meat or blood being prepared in the kitchen.

This was different and much more stronger.

Amon slowly turned his head.

Two men were walking along the street only a few meters away from the restaurant entrance.

At first glance, there was nothing particularly strange about them.

They looked like ordinary travelers wearing dark clothing but something about their presence immediately made Amon uncomfortable.

’Why do they smell like that?’ He focused on them.

The sensation of blood surrounding their bodies was so strong that it almost seemed as though their bodies were filled with it.

Amon’s eyes narrowed. ’That’s not normal.’

His gaze sharpened as the Truthseeker’s Eyes activated.

The world seemed to change for a brief moment. A faint red light covered both men.

Amon’s expression became serious. ’Red...’

He didn’t know exactly they were but his instincts told him that whatever he was seeing wasn’t normal.

He glanced toward Marielle and Seraphina. Neither of them seemed to have noticed anything.

Amon stood up slowly.

Marielle looked up from the menu.

"Where are you going?"

Amon smiled casually. "I’ll be back in a minute."

Seraphina looked at him curiously. "Where?"

"I just need to check something."

Without waiting for another question, Amon turned around.

He stepped out of the restaurant and onto the busy street. The two men were already moving farther away.

Amon narrowed his eyes and followed after them.

His footsteps remained calm and measured as he moved through the crowd, keeping enough distance that they wouldn’t immediately notice him.

’That ability...’ Amon’s eyes remained fixed on the two figures ahead. ’Am I feeling like this because of Moonlit Senses?’

He didn’t know yet but he intended to find out.