Sian stood outside the entrance to the hotel tavern, watching people enter through the open doors. Even from outside, he could hear a bard playing cheerful music. The tavern looked charming, humble, and pleasant from the outside.
Although Illianna had done practically everything with clay modified by her skill, it looked as though it was built with sandstone blocks.
Trying to see what was going on inside, Sian looked through the windows next to the entrance. There was a massive amount of people that made the place lively. Without further ado, Sian decided to enter and passed through the wooden door.
Immediately, he was greeted by the smell of alcohol and the smile of a waitress. The bartender was busy with orders, but still managed to welcome Sian with a friendly wave. It was as engaging inside as it was outside.
Sian was engulfed by the buzz of people, the various tables in the place were full of people drinking and eating. The noise was loud and deafening, but the lighting of the wooden chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and the torches on the central pillar ensured a cozy atmosphere.
Mercenaries and merchants formed small groups and gathered at the tables and chairs inside the hall, talking loudly about what seemed to be their adventures.
The temptation of free food during the hotel inauguration had far exceeded Sian's expectations. He watched the waitresses walking frantically back and forth while serving the tables.
Of course, the free meal was limited to only a few types of available food, but it was still a tempting offer. Despite the free food, drinks were not included, and still, many people held glasses of wine or beer in their hands, shouting and talking without reservation.
Feeling the excitement in the air, Sian continued to observe the place, and as he scanned the hall, he noticed that the number of beastkins was few, almost none. But this was understandable due to the discrimination they suffered in the kingdom of Poutis, and therefore, he was not surprised.
Having observed enough, Sian headed to a table in the corner where he found Charlotte accompanied by Winston, her butler, and Elena, her personal maid.
It was not common for Sian to see Elena accompanying Charlotte, since in previous times he had encountered her, Charlotte had always snuck out. The reason Winston was always with her was that he knew she always escaped, and so he accompanied her.
To not draw attention to herself, Charlotte was dressed modestly, with a cloth over her hair. Besides Charlotte, there were also Maria and two people whom Sian hadn't seen in a very, very long time. They were his childhood friends, Tod and Bazo. Sian's reunion with them was a surprise arranged by Charlotte.
Since it was a reunion, Charlotte didn't stay long and said goodbye shortly after Sian arrived. According to her words, she needed to meet some people and play her role as a noble, socializing.
As this was the area created for the peasants, the people there were not the best dressed. As the owner of the place, Sian could easily reserve a room for them in the restaurant, but since it was his friends' preference, they stayed there.
As for Fran, who also hadn't seen them for as long as Sian, although she also wanted to reunite with her friends, she is a person of firm and stubborn personality. She insisted that she would meet them after finishing her work in the kitchen.
"It's hard to believe that we were able to reunite after so long," said Bazo, looking admirably at Sian.
Tod, with a relieved and joyful expression, said, "I thought you were dead."
Hearing this, Sian replied with a smile, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
Tod had an impressive and well-defined physique, while Bazo had a more average body and a slightly bulging belly.
Sian was sitting next to Bazo, while Tod was next to Maria.
"Here's your order."
A red-haired girl with braided hair over her shoulders placed some drinks on the table and left to attend to another. This young woman was none other than Emma, who was wearing a waitress uniform.
Due to the light magic boost that Sian had given her before the opening, Emma was quite confident and hadn't stuttered once so far.
"You have a lot of pretty girls around here," said Bazo, not taking his eyes off Emma. "That ginger girl with freckles on her face is beautiful."
"Ahem," Sian cleared his throat, "she's taken."
"Ah, sorry, I didn't know," Bazo apologized, "but I have to say, you're a lucky guy, she's really cute."
Maria looked at Bazo with a disgusted expression and said, "Is that all you think about, women and beer? That's all that matters to you?"
"Of course not, you forgot about food," Bazo replied. "Food, beer, and women, those three things are the foundation of life."
Although Sian partly agreed with Bazo internally, upon seeing Maria's irritated expression, he remained silent.
"You need to grow up, Bazo." Maria shook her head disapprovingly and looked at Tod. "That's why I don't want you hanging out with him. You'll end up being contaminated sooner or later."
Stopping her reprimand of Bazo, Maria looked at Emma serving the crowded tables and then at Sian.
"I didn't know Emma had become your woman," Maria said. "She seems so different from the shy little girl I knew."
"Well, that's a long story, but I can say she's a really hardworking girl." Sian replied as he took the orange juice he was served and took a sip.
"You should be drinking beer with us to celebrate the reunion," Bazo said to Sian.
"I prefer juice," Sian replied. "Most alcoholic drinks taste horrible."
"I agree," said Maria, taking a sip of her juice. "Besides, too much beer makes your belly grow and look like Bazo's."
"A protruding belly is a charm, the girls love it," Bazo retorted.
"If you pay for them, of course, they'll like it," Maria gave him a sharp look.
"I work hard for it," Bazo shrugged. "We've been to many places while exterminating monsters, it's stressful. I don't know what Tod sees in you to resist the temptation of so many beauties in the brothels out there."
"You two, no fighting," Tod held Maria's hand as he saw the bulging vein in her temple.
Trying to change the subject, Tod commented as he looked at the crowded hall, "With the free food offer, there are a lot of people here."
"True," Bazo agreed, and then asked Sian, "Isn't this a loss for you?"
"They are only the cheapest dishes that are sold at a low cost, so it's not really something that can be considered a loss," Sian explained.
"Sian, you've always had a good heart since you were a child," Tod praised. "Now that you're a nobleman, of course, you would help the less fortunate."
The truth is, if it were up to Sian, everyone would be paying for anything they ordered. But upon hearing these words from someone who was like an older brother to him when he was young, Sian just smiled and said nothing.
The free food during the inauguration was Illianna's idea, not only the food, but also some rooms, as well as limited access to some leisure areas, became free. She had talked about something called Buzz Marketing, which Sian had no idea what it was.
According to her, this would be positive marketing for the hotel and spread the hotel's name more quickly. After all, if the free accommodations and food were of quality, paying would certainly be better.
Drinking his beer, Tod commented, "But still, for our Sian to be a duke, I'm really surprised. You can't really believe the rumors."
"But not all rumors are lies, you know?" Maria added.
"What?!" Bazo was impressed as he looked at Sian. "So you really turned into a super strong badass who scares even the kingdoms? That's incredible. As your older brother, I'm proud."
While Bazo was admiring Sian, Tod seemed worried and said, "After so many years, people change, but no matter if you veered off a bit, it's good that you're back on track."
"Although sometimes they change for the worse," Maria said, looking at Bazo.
"Come on," Bazo complained. "Now's not the time to criticize me, let's drink!" He whistled and raised his hand, shouting, "More beers here! And no juice."
"Coming right up!" A Cowkin girl responded from afar, this was Milka.
Without taking his eyes off Milka's upper body, Bazo commented, "That busty cowkin is certainly wild, I can tell just by looking at her."
"You can bet on that," Sian agreed.
Shortly after, Milka arrived with the drinks.
"Here you go," she said, serving the drinks one by one and then left.
"Wow!" Bazo exclaimed. "Seeing them from afar is one thing, but up close, those mounds look even more incredible. I'm sure they must be soft. I would die happy if I spent the night with my face between them."
"Well, I can give you the option to die while thinking about them," Sian said, laughing mischievously, and continued, "What do you think?"
With a dry laugh, Bazo replied, "Sorry, little brother, I didn't know she was yours too."
"She wasn't here last time I came," Maria said to Sian. "It seems that if you ignore social positions and your lack of taste for alcoholic beverage, you and Bazo aren't that different."
Deciding to change the subject, Sian turned to Tod. "Tell me about yourself, I heard you have an important position in the marquis' army."
Although he has no noble title, Tod is the captain of the expeditionary force to eliminate monsters and keep their population low so as not to affect crops or small villages. Despite being together for a long time, Tod and Maria still had no children.
While Sian enjoyed the conversation with his friends, with the tavern full of drunkards, it didn't take long for the first incident to happen.