Chapter 36: The Ale Assault Incident

Chapter 36: Chapter 36: The Ale Assault Incident

Lorin, led by the Guard Captain, took a small piece of Sulfur Crystal from the warehouse and immediately left the Government Affairs Hall. It was a pale yellow, transparent crystal that looked similar to amber. It felt slightly greasy to the touch and emitted a pungent smell of rotten eggs. Nathan had thoughtfully given him a metal box to store the Sulfur Crystal to prevent it from combusting. Stuffing the item into his backpack, Lorin walked along the riverbank toward the tavern.

As he walked, he recalled the contents of the report. In the worst-case scenario, a fifteen-foot-long body was almost the size of a small car. His Magic was quite effective against smaller enemies, but against such a behemoth, he felt somewhat clueless on where to begin. He figured that even if the Rock-dwelling Salamander stood perfectly still, he would have to expend a tremendous amount of effort—not to mention that it would run away if it couldn’t win. He realized he still lacked a powerful means of attack.

Moreover, there was one very important detail that Nathan’s report had failed to mention. Lorin stopped in his tracks and turned his head to look at the Black Water River. Although its flow had slowed down due to decreased precipitation in the winter, the water was freezing cold. They absolutely could not go into the water to fight it. Therefore, luring the beast ashore was a necessity. Since it was a carnivore, perhaps they could slaughter some animals somewhere along the riverbank, set up traps, and lie in ambush nearby. Lorin suddenly felt that a hunt held a glimmer of feasibility, though there were still many details to iron out. Furthermore, he hadn’t even met Grand Duke Kaspar’s three subordinates yet. If they turned out to be incompetent fools, thinking so much would just be a waste of time. He figured he should first see what Pip had found out. Maybe Mr. Tom had Fire Oil Grass for sale?

"PHEW." He exhaled a long breath and stopped letting his imagination run wild.

The aroma of malt mixed with the cold winter wind brushed against Lorin’s face. He looked up, only just realizing he had unknowingly arrived in front of the tavern.

"CREAK."

Pushing open the tavern doors, a cacophony of voices instantly hit him. The place was already quite crowded for the afternoon, giving it a lively atmosphere. Lorin scanned the room and quickly spotted Pip sitting by the bar, chatting with Hiv while gnawing on a roasted fish.

"How do you maintain this beard of yours? How many years have you been growing it?" Pip sat on a high stool—well, high for him—with his two short legs dangling and swinging in the air.

"I don’t remember," Hiv replied.

"Pip doesn’t believe that. You definitely remember. When Pip’s father was growing out his beard, he looked in the mirror every single day. Even if it grew half an inch, he had to show it off to mother."

"What’s there to show off about that?"

"Father’s beard wasn’t as thick as mother’s, so he was a bit disgruntled and insisted on growing it out." GLUG GLUG GLUG. The short fellow chugged a mouthful of ale, casually uttering such a shocking statement.

"W-what?" Hiv’s eyes widened.

"His mother is a Dwarf." Lorin walked over with a smile. The tavern was very warm, so he took off his coat and backpack, hanging them over the back of a chair. "A cup of Dwarf-brewed ale and a bowl of meat stew. Please ask Aunt Martha to add extra chili powder for me." He suddenly wanted to taste what Dwarf liquor was like.

"No wonder." Hiv raised an eyebrow. He then grabbed a mug and poured a full glass of ale from the barrel behind the bar.

"THUMP."

The mug was set down in front of him. The liquid inside was as black as cola, bubbling with light brown froth.

"Drink slowly. Dwarf ale is very strong," Hiv kindly warned.

Refusing to believe it, Lorin picked up the mug and took a sip. Thick bubbles burst around his lips, and he felt as if the ale had just punched him in the face.

"COUGH COUGH... Not bad," he spoke stubbornly. The liquor tasted like traditional herbal medicine mixed with roasted wheat and carbon dioxide. Fortunately, it was ice-cold; at room temperature, it would probably be even harder to swallow.

"Pip has good news." The short fellow clinked glasses with him. "Mr. Tom said there are hot springs in the Mist Forest, and there might be Fire Oil Grass growing around them."

Hot springs in the Mist Forest? That was somewhat possible. Lorin remembered that some hot springs could even be heated to a boiling point by geothermal energy. Furthermore, areas with lush vegetation had an abundant water supply, making them highly favorable for plant growth. The problem was that the Mist Forest itself was shrouded in a thin layer of fog year-round. It would be difficult for them to rely on the steam from a hot spring to find it. Moreover, there were quite a few Demons in the Mist Forest. They had been attacked previously just passing by the outskirts; God knows what they would encounter if they went deep inside.

"Did he give a specific location?" Lorin asked, taking another sip of the ale. Once he got used to the bitterness, it actually wasn’t too bad; the malt aroma was quite mellow and rich.

Pip painstakingly picked a fish bone out of his teeth, then nodded. He pulled out a piece of rough paper and handed it over, saying, "Mr. Tom drew a map with the approximate location. He also said he’s willing to buy this herb. Five Gold Coins for a fresh stalk."

"Let me see." Lorin took the map. Looking at it, he saw only a giant circle—which seemingly represented the Mist Forest—and two crosses. One cross was outside the circle, and the other was inside. He recalled the direction of the Mist Forest and roughly understood: one cross represented Shallow Beach Town, while the other marked the location of the hot springs.

This map was as crude as they come.

Fortunately, judging solely from the drawing, the hot spring wasn’t located too deep into the Mist Forest. However, given such a scribbled sketch, Tom most likely only had a vague impression of the spot.

"It’s worth a try, though." Lorin pondered for a couple of seconds before sharing the information he had gathered from Nathan with the two of them. He also took out the iron box.

Hiv opened the iron box, took a glance, and quickly snapped it shut. "The stuff is fine. Just be careful when you store it—don’t burn my damn tavern down," he warned.

"Yeah, yeah..." Lorin carefully set the box aside.

"What are you guys thinking of doing?" Hiv asked.

"Pip thinks we can go search the Mist Forest first. After all, those Professionals haven’t arrived yet. It won’t be too late to reconsider if we can’t find it."

"BURP." The short fellow let out a loud belch and leaned back comfortably against his chair.

Lorin’s bean and meat stew had just been served. He scooped up a spoonful and brought it to his mouth; the addition of the chili powder made the flavor much richer.

"I think so too," he mumbled with a mouthful of food.

Although both options carried risks, the most important factor was that hunting the Rock-dwelling Salamander guaranteed a battle, and the consequences would be both unavoidable and unpredictable. Entering the forest to search for herbs was different, however; some risks could be entirely avoided.

"We still need to make some preparations," Lorin added. "Let’s see what other herbs we can gather along the way. That way, even if we don’t find it, the trip won’t be a total waste."

Hearing this, Hiv nodded in approval and praised, "A meticulous plan."

After finishing their lunch, the two of them dropped their belongings off in their second-floor room. Then, they headed out once more, making their way to Tom’s grocery store.