Chapter 495 - 494: Another Yule Festival

Colin pointed to the white-bearded Dwarf standing beside him. "Isn't Dorn here too?"

"You have to understand, I'm a very busy man for a handsome Dwarf, Colin my boy." Sensing Ale's doubtful gaze, Dorn quickly stroked his beard. "Can't you see? My beard is a rare style!"

"Alright, enough of that. I need to get back and rest. I've been exhausted lately." Colin waved his hand. "See you at the Yule Festival. Oh, and bring some of your beer."

Donkexes crossed his arms. "I hear it's not very polite to ask someone to bring a specific food to the Yule Festival, Colin my boy."

"Fine. In that case, I guess you'll be bringing dwarven beer, won't you?" Colin said, then waved and led Ale out of the sewers, heading toward their apartment.

Halfway there, Ale asked, "Colin, did you guys always used to celebrate the Yule Festival together?"

"We celebrated last year's Yule Festival together," Colin said, recalling. "Come to think of it, I think that was right before I met you in Snow Deer Valley."

"Oh, really?" Ale sounded a little disappointed. Then she added, "I really hope the Yule Festival comes soon."

"I'm looking forward to it, too," Colin said with a yawn. "So much happened last year. It's exhausting just thinking about it."

"I'll do my best to help," Ale said, clenching her fist.

Colin said with a helpless sigh, "I'm not complaining that you aren't helpful. In fact, you've all done more than enough."

As they were talking, he suddenly noticed a familiar figure up ahead. He looked closer—wasn't that Edwin in the linen shirt?

Just as Colin was looking at him, Edwin turned around.

The Paladin was holding a half-empty sack. He smiled, waved at Colin, and walked over. "You're finally back. That was quite a long trip."

"It certainly was. We're planning to rest for a few days before escorting that group of Dwarves into the Undercity... There haven't been any particularly urgent missions for the Field Staff lately, have there?" Colin asked, feeling a little guilty.

'He'd been so busy with his own affairs for the past few months, he'd barely paid any attention to the Field Staff's missions.'

"The Weston Clan and those Dwarves are potential allies. It's nothing to worry about."

Edwin said with a smile, "We've been really busy lately, too. If it weren't for the Yule Festival, I'd probably still be sitting in my office right now. I actually want to work, but Asvir forced me to take a holiday, so now I don't even know what to do with myself."

'Morel would probably lose his mind if he heard that.'

As he thought this, Colin asked, "So what are you up to right now?"

Edwin held up his sack. "Checking on the progress of urbanizing the slums, and seeing if there are any starving refugees while I'm at it."

"It seems the winter disaster in the north has already begun, but Albert should be prepared for it this year. At any rate, it shouldn't be any worse than usual." Colin then asked, "Are you free on Yule Festival day? We're having a party at the Black Heart Tavern."

"Oh, really?" Edwin thought for a moment. "Alright, I'll be there in the morning."

They chatted for a bit longer as they walked before parting ways.

Colin and Ale returned to their apartment and started resting to recover from the fatigue of their journey.

「A few days later.」

Lying in bed, Colin opened his eyes and glanced at the snow outside his window.

Perhaps their recent journey had been too exhausting. He, Kase, and the others had taken a proper rest for a few days instead of their usual daily practice.

During this time, Ale had been dragging him to the library every day to read books on culture, history, monster lore, and things like that.

'Although it was mentally taxing, there wasn't much else for entertainment in this world, so he just treated it like reading a world-setting book.'

Colin got up and pushed his door open. "I heard the breakfast delivery people are on holiday today. Let's just skip breakfast and head straight over."

"Okay, we'll go together," Ale said, pushing her door open and poking her head out.

After the two of them got ready, they went downstairs to gather Kase and the others, then headed out to the street to buy things to bring.

Colin bought some stewed vegetables, Kase bought some roasted meat and beer, Orelia brought a large cake, and Ale found some rather expensive candies that looked as beautiful as gemstones.

The group arrived at the Black Heart Tavern, bags in hand.

Just like last year, the tavern was closed for the day. Inside, the waitresses and Old Black Heart were busy adding ingredients to a stew pot—mostly fresh beef and radishes, from the looks of it.

Old Black Heart was also holding a small, locked wooden box, which contained an assortment of spices.

Seeing them arrive, Old Black Heart boasted loudly, "You're here! This is all fresh beef shank. Cost me a pretty penny!"

"Looks like you've made good money in the city lately," Colin said as he, Kase, and the others sat down at the long table by the fireplace, placing their food on it.

They had just sat down when there was another stir at the main entrance.

They turned to look and saw Bob, who was holding a small bag.

"Another year has passed, ladies and gentlemen," he muttered as he sat down across from Colin.

"Long time no see, Bob," Colin asked. "What did you bring?"

"Some distilled spirits. The kind the Pirates up north love to drink." As he spoke, Bob pulled several glass bottles from his bag. "Some people supposedly call it the 'water of life.' This is good stuff. What did you all bring?"

Colin and the others then unpacked the food they had brought and laid it out on the table, and the group began to eat and chat.

The City Guard they had fought Carrion Insects with, the Guard who used to stand post at the Horn Castle gate and chat with Colin only to get scolded for it... As time passed, friends of Old Black Heart and acquaintances of Colin's group trickled in one after another, and the main hall slowly grew more lively.

Everyone clamored for the party to tell the story of their Dragon Slaying adventure. Colin could hardly refuse, so he began to recount the tale in a casual, off-and-on manner.

At some point, Kiran the cleaner and his wife stopped by to say hello, leaving a meat-filled pie before they departed.

Just as Kase was getting impatient and thinking about going down to the sewers to drag Dorn out, the Dwarves finally made their tardy arrival.

Donkexes and Langgrin had both come. The three Dwarves each carried a beer barrel as short and stout as themselves, filled with their own private brews.

'What surprised Colin was that, according to them, each Dwarf's brewing recipe was slightly different, like a secret family recipe. But after taking a couple of sips, he couldn't taste any difference. He wondered if Dwarves could perceive flavors that humans couldn't.'

Around noon, the tavern door was pushed open.

Edwin appeared in the doorway, an apologetic look on his face.