August watched Meidri, who was standing before him, her eyes vacant and her expression frozen. He couldn't help but feel puzzled—what had happened to her?
Several seconds passed, and still, she made no move or sound.
"Is something wrong, Meidri?"
Curious, August walked over to the peculiar speaker-like object that had caught his attention. Was this some kind of magical tool unique to this world?
"Meidri seems to be in a daze. Is there something I can pass on for you?"
"Oh, it's the little lost traveler. Hello there."
"You know who I am?"
"I heard everything that just happened. I apologize; I didn't mean to eavesdrop."
Listening to the voice from the speaker, August felt a wave of exasperation. She didn't mean to? This woman had to be a sly mastermind—there was no way someone this cunning wasn't entirely aware of what she was doing.
The conversation between August and the speaker seemed to snap Meidri out of her stupor. Her face paled as she regained her senses.
"Madam, I'll get back to work right away."
Without another word, she grabbed August and pulled him out of the room, leaving him bewildered by her sudden urgency.
As soon as they stepped out, Meidri turned and shut the door, making sure to lock it behind them.
"You—leave the Ale & Eats Tavern right now, and don't ever come back."
With that, she rushed downstairs, leaving August more confused than ever. He followed her down the stairs, only to find the tavern bustling with patrons.
Despite the crowd, Meidri seemed to be the only one managing everything, rushing back and forth tirelessly. It was clear she had her hands full.
The tavern was a melting pot of different races; August counted at least seven or eight distinct species among the patrons, including lizardmen, dwarves, werewolves, elves, catgirls, snakepeople, and humans.
It was fascinating to see so many different races coexisting peacefully in this world.
"Hey, are you new here? You look unfamiliar."
A gruff voice broke through August's thoughts. A bearded man was addressing him, sitting at a table with a short, blond-haired elf—another male.
"Yes, I just arrived in town."
"By the looks of you, you're not from around here, are you?"
"That's right, I'm a traveler. I like to explore new places."
"Well, that's impressive."
The man seemed genuinely surprised. In his experience, anyone who could travel freely had to be strong, considering how dangerous this world was, especially the deep forests teeming with powerful monsters.
"Stank, this guy's strong. I can sense a dense aura of mana around him. His power is no joke."
"Really?"
Hearing his companion's words, the man—Stank—looked at August with wide-eyed astonishment.
He had already suspected as much, but August's appearance was so misleading. With his noble bearing, fine clothes made of some unknown material, and an air of refinement, he looked every bit the part of a young aristocrat rather than a seasoned adventurer.
"It's nothing special, just enough strength to protect myself."
"Haha! You're quite the interesting fellow! Since we've met by chance, why not sit down and share a drink with us?"
"Sure," August replied, eager to learn more about this world. If he could gather some useful information, he might finally understand where he had ended up. Since someone was willing to help him out, there was no reason to refuse.
"By the way, what's your name, kid?" Stank asked, leaning in curiously.
"My name is August."
"I'm Stank, and this here is Zel."
"Hello, I'm Zel," the elf chimed in with a polite nod.
"Nice to meet you both," August responded.
August could tell that the two men before him harbored no ill intentions. However, there was something that bothered him: an overwhelming aura of lust emanated from both of them. It was hard to believe that the elf, in particular, was as much of a lecher as Stank.
"August, right? You said you just arrived in this town?"
"Yes, I haven't even found a place to stay yet."
"That's no problem. I can help you find a place to crash for the night," Stank offered with a grin, which was quickly mirrored by Zel. Although their smiles seemed friendly enough, August couldn't shake the feeling that there was something off about them.
"Meidri, another round, please!" Zel called out to the winged woman who was busy cleaning tables nearby.
"Coming right up~" Meidri replied without turning around, clearly accustomed to their requests.
It was obvious that Stank and Zel were regulars here, and they seemed well-acquainted with Meidri. Soon, Meidri approached with a large mug of ale, but when she saw August sitting with them, her expression froze. She hadn't expected him to still be here, let alone sharing a drink with Stank and Zel.
"Meidri, this is our new friend August. He's a traveler—impressive, right?" Stank beamed, completely oblivious to Meidri's moment of shock as he introduced August.
"What are you doing here?" Meidri asked, her voice laced with irritation.
"Stank-san invited me for a drink. Why, is that a problem, Miss Meidri?"
"Ha! As if I care," Meidri huffed, slamming the mug down in front of August with such force that the ale spilled over the edge. Without another word, she spun on her heel and stormed off.
This left Stank and Zel perplexed. Although Meidri was known for her temper, it wasn't like her to be this cold to a stranger. That left them with only one possible explanation: there was some sort of history between her and August.
Being long-time partners, Stank and Zel exchanged a knowing glance. Instantly, they understood each other's thoughts.
"August, do you know Meidri?" Stank asked, his tone carrying a hint of mischief.
"Well, you could say that," August replied, sensing the shift in their demeanor.
"What do you mean 'you could say that'? Spill it—what's the story between you two? We're all ears," Stank pressed eagerly.
"It's nothing much. I just teased her a bit, and she beat me up for it," August confessed.
The moment those words left his mouth, Stank and Zel's eyes lit up in admiration, as if they were looking at a hero.
"August, you actually dared to tease Meidri? You're a legend!"
"Uh, yeah… youthful ignorance, I guess."
"Don't worry, it's not uncommon around here," Stank reassured him with a laugh.
"Really? There are many others?" August asked, a bit surprised.
"No, no. What I mean is that there are many people Meidri has beaten up."
August was left speechless. Still, as he looked at Stank, Zel, and Meidri, there was a nagging sense of familiarity. He just couldn't quite put his finger on it.
"Since it's your first day in town, and I haven't properly welcomed you yet, how about I take you to the Succubus Café tonight? Don't worry, it's on me," Stank suggested with a wink.
In that moment, it all clicked for August—Meidri, Stank, Zel, the Succubus Café—everything suddenly made sense. He finally understood where he was. This was the world of the anime Interspecies Reviewers, a show notorious for its borderline content, which had earned it a sort of legendary status.
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