In front of Neo, an enormous table was present, its size probably big enough to accommodate more than twenty people. Though, the reason why Neo froze motionlessly was not because of its ridiculous size, but instead, the things placed on it!
Several pots filled with sizzling soup, large plates with all kinds of meats and side dishes on them, and desserts. The whole table was filled to the brim with heavenly eats, one that would be enough for a single family for a whole month if not more!
While Neo stood in a trance because of the mouthwatering sight in front of him, Sarah halted her steps and bowed gently.
"My Lord, Lady Rose and her guest have arrived."
'Huh?'
Upon hearing the young woman's words, Neo raised a brow before he realized that except for the three of them others were also present in the room ― four people, to be more precise from which two he wasn't familiar with.
Logan, who sat at the very head of the table nodded and as he looked at Rose and Neo he gestured at the empty chairs on his right.
"Good. Come and have a seat. The food is still hot so we shouldn't waste any more time!"
Watching as Rose moved and sat down without any word, Neo had no choice but to do the same, sitting down while watching as everyone on the opposite side stared at him with all kinds of eyes such as wariness, puzzlement, and curiosity.
Once both of them were seated, Logan nodded and with a soft grin grabbed his plate.
"Perfect. Let's eat then!"
Right as those words fell, Stella, Rose, and the other two men beside the former finally averted their gaze from Neo and grabbed their plates, starting to put their meal on them with eyes filled with a deep hunger.
Neo obviously did the same, however, different from the rest he only took only a small amount before starting to dig in.
'Oh heavens... It's frickin' delicious!' Neo hummed with delight and quickly throw more into his mouth.
Everyone ate just like that in silence and with bliss until one of the men Neo didn't know glanced at him and began to speak.
"So, Neo, right? Lord Sanford told me you wished to visit the Fallen Citadel in the north. Is that correct?"
Neo swallowed the food in his mouth and seeing as everyone was looking at him he nodded.
"Huh? Oh... Y-Yeah. That's what I hoped to achieve until learning the truth."
The man, who just asked the question and had a chubby figure as well as a large mustache, raised a brow and asked.
"You have only learned about it now? The Cursed War happened more than three months ago, I'm pretty sure news about it should have already spread throughout the whole region and reached other Shelters and Citadels. No, I'm pretty sure it has reached the ears of those living within the Sanctuary on the south!"
Sanctuary...
After receiving Aurora's shared data, that word was no longer foreign to Neo, and finally understood what it meant. In this world, apart from smaller hideouts known as Shelters and large fortresses, Citadels, people could also find refuge within Sanctuaries, strongholds built in the middle of extreme environments that Monsters had almost zero chance to infiltrate!
And exactly because of that why only those with enough strength and luck could reach, hence it was not an overstatement that only the strongest could live there!
Of course, there was the chance for a few without any outstanding talent or power to be brought there by those who had, but the number of those was just too insignificant to be mentioned...
Glancing at the piece of meat on his plate and then at the man who asked the question, Neo sighed and shook his head.
"I know that as Log... Lord Sanford had already enlightened me about that matter. However, as I have said to him already, I came from a very far away place, one that I doubt any of you know or ever visited before."
The other man, having the completely opposite physique as the other one, laughed softly and spoke;
"I hardly doubt that."
Neo shifted his gaze and hummed quietly as he poked the meat on his plate.
"Is that so? But I could have sworn I have never seen any of your faces around there."
On the side, Stella frowned softly.
"There?"
Neo raised his head and nodded, his index finger pointing toward the sky.
"Yeah, there."
Confusion settled down on everyone's faces which soon turned into realization and utter disbelief.
"Haha! Look at their faces! Only if they would know your words are nothing but big fat lies!" Zen laughed, earning a helpless sigh from Neo.
Naturally, what Zen said was right as his words were nothing more than bullshit. The only reason why he was confident in them believing it was because he knew no one dared to approach the peak of the Hollow Mountain, meaning no one has ever been there before... Or at least that's what he got to learn from the memories Aurora shared with him.
It seemed that was a forbidden area, a place where several dreadful creatures dwelled, Mobsters more horrifying than the two he had already met before!
'Though, I bet they will be still doubtful even after telling them that and have more questions. After all, they already know I'm not a fighter.' Neo added in his heart and shifted his attention to Logan, who just as he thought, was ready to speak.
"Interesting. But if that is the truth, how come you needed my daughter's aid against that fiend? Someone who lived on top of that mountain surely must have encountered dreadful creatures many times and should definitely possess great strength, isn't that right?"
Hearing what Logan said the others nodded and looked at him with growing apprehension. Neo, on the other hand, just smiled and nodded before shaking his head.
"With all due respect, that is only half correct, umm... Sir."
Then, he cut the meat in half and raising it before his face he spoke.
"While it's indeed true that many terrifying horrors lurk on that peak, it doesn't mean I ever needed to fight them. Just simply avoiding them made the trick."
Logan raised a brow.
"...Trick? How? Everyone knows that all Monsters above the Infected Stage develop keen senses, avoiding them while being Infected is nigh impossible."
The rest upon hearing Logan's words nodded once again in agreement, the doubt and especially the confusion in their eyes deepening even more.
Nevertheless, Neo just shrugged and was ready to eat the meat while answering that he had his ways of doing things, but just before he could have done it a great tremor shook the building, causing the fork to fall out of his hand onto the floor to his dismay.
"E-Explosion? What happened?" the chubby man before Neo stiffened and looked out of the window, his face as pale as snow.
Logan was also confused about what was happening, but just as he was ready to stand up the door on the side burst open and a figure appeared, leaning on the frame with heavy breathing.
"M-My Lord... We... We are under attack!"