"Three vials of Blue Midnight Cocktail of Haste, a beautiful Violet Wine of Mana, five bottles of regular Healing Potions in assorted colors, and here's a free tonic of Fire Whiskey to help for the long and cold nights of this gentleman." Owen Liddell placed them on the counter and addressed Kaden. "You'll probably need it when you head to the Endless Passes."
Lyra stifled a smile while the other man simply grumbled underneath his breath. The man took out a coin purse to pay him three pieces of gold coin and a silver one. "Here's a tip, you need it more than me because I am not coming back here."
The female Thief rolled her eyes at the statement of her friend, but turned to him. "Thank you, Bartender Owen."
He smiled back and began to clean out some glasses. "Do try not to sell my information though." Most of the people who came here obviously tried to do it. The knowledge of this place could send some Alchemist Association to have some trouble with him, but most important of it all—
It was his relation to Kraelonia Academy and to that of his grandparents.
Owen looked up to see the woman gave him a guilty smile.
Her gaze flickered to the sign post above them. "Hah… rules are rules? The two of us have it read and understood. No word from us, and none from you either."
"Indeed."
Kaden grunted. "I mean, what if we did? Would you be able to track us down—"
It was like lightning. The sound of something shattered echoed in the room as Owen Liddell's shard of broken glass met Kaden's short dagger.
"Haah, I thought bar fights weren't allowed here?" Kaden asked with a grin. "
"Unless authorized—and I am the owner here. So my rules."
Owen Liddell gave him a grin of his own. The man in front of him was good enough to block his speed and pull out a weapon… more than that, Owen couldn't get a proper read on him. Artifacts? Something else? The information available on this guy was not enough compared to that of their so-called Thief Leader.
Whatever the case, it was a good night for him.
Now the bar itself did not turn a great profit from the potions and vials of alcohol he sold them—the people in front of him were interesting enough for his visit. In the other portions of the bar's place, the other men began to stir up. The Axe-Fiend Barbarians downed the last of their speed cocktails and looked at him. "Can we join the fight?"
He briefly glanced at Lyra and shrugged good-naturedly. "Almost feels unfair if you join—"
The chair went flying right at him, and he ducked behind his bar. The wooden chair crashed into the glass shelves… and then dropped right back into the ground. Everything was completely intact and not a single bottle shattered or even moved back from its place.
He gave the befuddled Thief a look. "I already had enough people trying to destroy this place, Miss. You tend to learn after managing the trade—"
Kaden swung from the signpost and kicked him in the chest.
Owen crashed back into the shelves and winced slightly. However, he dodged the next strings of quick cuts from the man and watched Lyra from the corner of his vision meet a Barbarian twice her size.
The rest stayed back in their seats, calling for the train wreck of his server to bring more drinks and even snacks.
"Keep your eyes on me!" Kaden's dagger barely missed his nose.
Owen kicked the man's shin and elbowed him in the gut. He quickly spun back and kept his back to the counter, glad that the Thief was preoccupied. "My apologies, I don't engage in such intimate moments with men. Please, I hope my fist is enough of a companion."
Kaden's talent with the dagger blocked his fist and gave him a deep cut. "Stupid. Don't play with a dagger if you don't want to get cut."
Owen clicked his tongue and reached for his towel. He spun it before he quickly snapped the cloth at the man's hand. "One doesn't bring a knife to a fistfight."
"Why do you even have to fight me?" Kaden asked. He moved out of towel range, but kept his eyes on him and simply had his bloodied dagger up.
"Oh, you're more level-headed than I thought."
"Is it really that surprising?"
Before he could say a word, the sight of a Barbarian crashing into the walls of the bar took his attention. The entire place shook for a moment, but the place did not cave in. Owen Liddell glanced at the Thief, who was glaring at the Barbarian and the rest of his friends.
It was easy to put
She had snagged a yellow drink from one of the tables, drank it all down and threw the glass at the man's face.
It made him chuckle. "Maybe not as surprising as your friend. She's fast."
"What the heck was that drink? You didn't share that one!"
"Oh, the Lionhart one?" Owen eyed the Thief and whistled. "Inspired from the [ Lionheart ] Skill which boosts bravery and strength. This one temporarily boosts the strength of a drinker which I hope can help muster up courage. Still, it's pretty impressive that she threw Edgar down the wall. He's all muscle and extremely heavy."
Lyra rubbed the back of her neck, but made sure the Barbarian stayed down in his place. The man did not get up at all, knocked out completely.
"... Are we cool now?" Kaden asked him warily.
Owen Liddell raised a brow and chuckled. "If this had been a serious fight, the two of you would have already been thrown out into the ditches. Just a brief scuffle—you're good. What item do you have on you to hide your Class?"
"... You can read other people's Classes?" Kaden blinked at him.
"A Bartender needs to know his guests," Owen said and quickly wrapped his towel around his bleeding hand. "But I need a drink of my own—why don't you make me one, Viole."
The server froze in her steps.
—-—-
Author's Note: It's a little tricky finding the best spot to insert chapters like this one. However, here's a chapter at last. Thank you for reading! As of now, perhaps it's better to keep this in your library and wait for it to accumulate chapters. See you guys, around~!