When Locke was done, the proprietress came out with two plates of food. She first put the food on the table, then went back to the bar counter and took out a thumb-sized candle. After lighting it, the tavern became a little brighter. Suzanne noticed the newly wrapped package on the bar counter and the slightly clean floor. She understood what was going on, and a touched expression appeared on her face. "Come and eat, Sir." She beckoned Locke.
"Ugh... Just because I said to make some, you really did it? Are we having this for dinner? "Locke pointed at the two plates of black paste on the table in surprise. Locke recognised it as mashed potatoes. When he was young, he often ate it when the harvest was bad or when life was difficult.
"This... This is the only food I have here. I'm sorry, Sir, "Suzanne said softly, blushing. She seemed to have thought of something and was about to cry again.
"Forget it, I haven't had mashed potatoes for a long time. I'll just treat it as a aftertaste." Locke quickly changed his words when he saw that the proprietress was about to cry again. To be honest, as a carnivore who could eat meat for every meal, it was really difficult for him to eat roasted potatoes and mashed potatoes with a little salt. He was very curious about what she was going through. If he were to exchange the thumb-sized candle on the table for a delicious meal with meat in the barracks, he would be able to exchange it for a delicious meal with meat. Candles were high-end items, mostly used by nobles. Because of the complicated craftsmanship, they were very expensive. Very few people used them. Even if there were, only rich farmers and merchants with small assets would use some. Yoshk's tent was only lit by oil lamps. As for Locke and the others, they could only rely on torches to play cards to pass the night.
"I'm just curious. You're a pretty famous tavern proprietress. Why do you eat this every meal?" Locke teased the proprietress, who was about to cry. After that, he picked up the plate of mashed potatoes and ate without waiting for her to say anything. He was really hungry. He drank a lot in the afternoon and didn't eat anything. His stomach was burning.
The lady boss wanted to say something, but when she saw Locke's rough eating style, she swallowed her words. Unlike Locke, who had a rough eating style, Suzanne ate with a spoon, spoonful after spoonful, as if she was enjoying something delicious. She was very graceful. Although Suzanne had given him twice as much as her share, he still managed to finish the battle quickly and didn't seem to have had enough.
"You eat so fast..." Suzanne mumbled. "Here, I can't finish it anyway. Help me eat some more." She then pushed half of the food on her plate into his. Indeed, Locke wasn't full yet. He watched as the beautiful lady boss gave him his food, but he didn't say much. He picked up his plate and continued to fight.
She put the last bit of mashed potato on the plate into her mouth and looked up to find that he was already crossing his legs and looking at her with a smile in his eyes. Suzanne couldn't stand the man's gaze anymore. She quickly got up to put away their clean plates and walked to the kitchen.
When Suzanne came back again, the two of them sat on opposite sides of the table and quieted down again. Only the short candle in the middle of the table was still flickering. "Tell me, why is your life so bleak? It shouldn't be like this in your situation." Locke broke the silence and asked first.
Looking at the man who was willing to help her, Suzanne held back the excitement in her heart and told the truth. "Although my tavern can make about 30 Copper Derahls a day, and even 50 Copper Derahls when business is good, the money almost never belongs to me in the end," Suzanne said with her head lowered.
"Robbed by the local gangsters? Like today? "Locke asked.
"Yes..." Suzanne said in a low voice, as if she had remembered something bad again. The beautiful lady boss's face showed a distressing look again.
"How is that possible? Just these gangsters? Don't they know that this tavern serves soldiers in the barracks? Where's your husband? Didn't he hook up with the higher-ups in the barracks? He just needs to talk to them and I believe someone will come and solve your problem for you. "Locke was puzzled and asked in surprise.
"When people are hungry to a certain extent, they don't think too much. These gangsters are poor people who can't survive. Now in this town, only my place and the group of women behind the tavern can receive money." Suzanne explained the reason and added shockingly, "Besides, my husband didn't want me for a long time."
"Huh? Why? " Locke was really curious this time. This beautiful lady boss was actually abandoned by her husband. Did he get kicked in the head by a donkey? He doesn't want such a beautiful wife.
"Ever since he hooked up with your army, he has become the most powerful person in Giza. Everyone in this town and the refugees who fled from other places have to suck up to him. How could he possibly be short of women now?" Suzanne smiled sadly and said, "Now, the group of women behind the tavern who deal with women are all under his control. He doesn't even want me anymore."
"Maybe it's to make it up to me. He gave the tavern to me." Suzanne brushed her hair and continued, "At first, those gangsters were afraid of his reputation and the soldiers who drink here. Later, they became so hungry that they didn't care so much. Every time my tavern was empty, they would come and rob my money. After a few times, they realized that my husband doesn't care about the tavern anymore, and those gangsters are getting more and more insatiable."
"Why don't you ask for help from the soldiers who drink here? If you ask someone like me for help, there should be someone who can help you. After all, we still have to drink here. "Locke asked.
"Even if I can help, it's only for a while. Those gangsters won't let me go in the future..." Suzanne complained sadly, "The ale in the tavern now is all preserved. Because of the robbery and the skyrocketing prices, I haven't brewed new wine for a long time. I guess it will be sold out in less than a week. I might end up like the group of women behind the tavern..." The beautiful lady boss's sad expression was pitiful.
"You want me to protect you all the time, not just teach those gangsters a lesson?" Locke changed the direction of his gaze and asked her while crossing his legs.
The lady boss's sad cheeks turned red when Locke saw through her thoughts. She bit her teeth and nodded slightly.
"Let's not talk about the fact that I'm just a small squad leader with ten men under me. There's training in the camp, and I don't have enough people to stay here to protect you all the time. Besides, I might have to go to war one day. Even if I protect you now, what about after I leave? " Although Locke wanted to help her, it was the truth. Locke wasn't someone who would be easily tempted by beauty. He rationally rejected the beautiful lady boss.
Suzanne's face turned pale when she heard Locke's rejection, and her eyes showed a look of despair. The candle on the table had burned to the bottom, and the weak flame was on the verge of going out. Finally, it went out after burning the last wisp of white smoke, and the tavern fell into darkness again. The moonlight was good tonight, shining in through the gap in the window. The faint moonlight shone on the two of them, and they were like stone statues covered in white wax.
"Woo... Woo... " The beautiful lady boss sobbed softly again. This might be the first time in a year that she cried so much today. She didn't know where her future lay, and she was confused and helpless. Locke was also helpless about this. This was how the world was. There was no love without reason, and no hate without reason. Everyone had their own way of living. He couldn't even guarantee that he could survive the war, let alone take care of someone he didn't know.
"Sigh... I'll get a few people to look after the tavern these few days. You can do your business for a few days, then take the money you earn and go to Bideslane in the occupied area or go to your relatives. " Perhaps he was moved by the lady boss's crying, but Locke decided to help this beautiful woman as much as he could and pointed a way out for her. "That's all I can do." After saying that, Locke got up and prepared to leave. It was getting late, and it was almost time to close the camp.
After hearing Locke's words, the lady boss cried even louder. Tears stained the woman's face, but she still cried, as if she was helpless against the ups and downs of fate.
Locke slowly walked to the door of the tavern. He didn't try to persuade her anymore. She could only cry if she wanted to. Only those who had experienced it would become stronger. The lady boss's crying gradually subsided. Just as Locke walked to the door of the tavern and was about to move the wooden board to leave, a warm body hugged him.
"I can't let you help me for nothing." The lady boss said in a hoarse voice, "I have nothing except this tavern and a few barrels of leftover wine. I can't think of any way to repay you other than myself. " Locke could tell that apart from wanting to repay him, there was also extreme grief in the owner's heart, as if she had given up on herself.
"You don't have to do this, we actually..." Before Locke could finish, a hot tongue blocked his mouth. The beautiful lady boss hugged Locke's strong chest and kissed him wantonly, blocking his words.
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