Chapter 96: Hibachitei!
Hibachitei is one of the numerous bars located on Orario South Street, and it is a place Bete often goes to.
Unlike being on the main road of South Street, Hibachitei is situated on a small alley adjacent to the main avenue.
A signboard hanging on the wall at the entrance of the bar depicts a vivid red honeybee.
The thoroughly brewed bright red mead, resembling a ruby, is the signature feature of this bar.
Its intense burning sensation in the throat and abdomen makes it highly addictive, attracting many regular customers.
Bete brought Luke to this bar.
At the moment, the two of them are sitting in a corner inside the bar.
"Hey, what do you want to drink? The bright red mead of this place is quite good. Since I'm treating, feel free to order anything."
As soon as Bete sat down, he couldn't wait to ask Luke, showing his appreciation for the drinks here.
Unfortunately, Luke is not much of a drinker.
"Just get me a non-alcoholic beverage."
It's not that Luke isn't of legal drinking age; he simply looks young due to his appearance being fixed when he became an agent.
In the main god space, using redemption points allows one to change their physical age.
However, adapting to the body's changes takes time, and it consumes a lot of redemption points.
Therefore, Luke has never made any adjustments and has maintained his youthful appearance.
In this aspect, he is somewhat similar to the pallums of this world.
For example, Finn is already in his thirties, but he still looks like a young boy.
Luke doesn't drink alcohol, not because he dislikes it, but rather he shares a similar viewpoint with Riveria, trying to avoid substances that could affect his state of mind.
"Huh? You don't drink? Are you kidding me? There's actually an adventurer who doesn't drink?"
"Tsk, forget it..."
Hearing that Luke didn't plan to drink, Bete first looked at him in disbelief, and then called the waiter half-heartedly, as if he was disappointed.
"Hey, waiter, a glass of bright red mead and a glass of honey juice."
Having placed the order, Bete leaned back in his chair, bored, and watched the other customers in the bar.
It seemed that he had no interest in talking to Luke anymore. In his eyes, he was just a weakling who liked to inquire about street rumors and couldn't drink.
Seeing Bete's reaction, Luke feels a bit helpless.
However, it is true that among adventurers, those who don't drink are quite rare, except for some women.
This isn't necessarily related to age, as once you receive Falna and become an adventurer, your physical abilities far surpass those of ordinary people.
For adventurers with their exceptional recovery abilities, the damage from alcohol can be easily overlooked.
Moreover, the alcoholic beverages in Orario have unique characteristics, crafted from various materials, offering a rich variety of flavors.
Almost every popular tavern/bar has its unique recipes, such as Mama Mia's specialty fruit wine and the Hibachitei's signature bright red mead.
"Speaking of which, do so many people come to the bar during the day?"
Bete has no intention of paying attention to Luke, but Luke doesn't want the atmosphere to remain awkward.
"Huh? You mean here? Well, basically, bars with distinctive features are like this."
While Bete finds Luke uninteresting, he doesn't completely ignore him, considering that he personally invited him here.
"Because by evening, the adventurers exploring the dungeons have returned, and during that time, popular places like this are usually packed."
"Those ordinary people without strength wouldn't dare to snatch a spot from adventurers."
"So, if they want to taste the specialties of these high-popular places, they have to avoid the peak hours when adventurers are around."
Bete gestures towards the other customers in the bar, signaling Luke to observe carefully.
"Look, there are few adventurers now, and it's mainly craftsmen, merchants, and ordinary residents, right?"
"In the evening, this situation will completely reverse, and it will mostly be adventurers."
Listening to Bete's explanation, Luke looks around at the other customers and nods with realization.
This visit to Hibachitei is Luke's first time sitting inside a bar, excluding the time he was dragged in by Mama Mia.
Riveria is usually the one who leads the team, and the elf royal who never drinks alcohol will obviously not bring Luke and Ais to a place like this.
So Luke doesn't know much about these things.
It didn't take long for the waiter to bring the two drinks Bete ordered.
As soon as the mead was served, Bete couldn't wait to pick it up and take a sip.
Luke also picked up the honey juice in front of him and tasted it.
It tastes good, indeed very delicious.
After trying the beverage, Luke immediately understands why this place is so popular.
The unique honey flavor is completely different from the honey he knows.
If he didn't know the name of the drink, honey juice, he wouldn't believe it contains honey.
A bar that can make even the normal juice so delicious, one can imagine how amazing the signature bright red mead would be.
"By the way, that insignia of yours is from Loki Familia, right? Considering your age and your skills earlier, are you also a Level 2 adventurer? How long have you been at this level?"
Perhaps due to the effects of alcohol, Bete starts another conversation with Luke.
However, his question makes Luke feel a bit awkward.
"No, I'm not Level 2. Currently, I'm still a Level 1 adventurer."
After taking a sip of honey juice, Luke corrects the mistake in Bete's assumption.
"Huh? Level 1? Are you kidding me? Do you expect me to believe that a Level 1 rookie can easily knock out a veteran Level 2 adventurer?"
"Do you think I'm a fool? Or do you think I'm easy to fool?"
Luke's explanation reaches Bete's ears, and his immediate reaction is disbelief.
He thinks Luke must be joking.
How could a Level 1 adventurer easily knock out a Level 2 adventurer with a single blow?
That clean and precise strike, something even Bete, a Level 2 adventurer, couldn't achieve.
Now, Luke is telling him that he's a Level 1 adventurer. Isn't he just trying to fool him?
However, just as Bete was about to get angry, he suddenly recalls the clown emblem on Luke's clothes.
"Loki Familia, newcomer, Level 1... Are you one of those super rookies?"
Luke, who was prepared to deal with Bete's anger, is momentarily stunned when he hears Bete recognizing him.
However, shortly after, he remembers Bete's mocking words from before.
With a slightly mischievous smile, Luke addresses Bete:
"Are there so many weaklings in Orario? Have I become so well-known even before reaching Level 2?"
In this context, Luke seems to be sarcastically questioning the notion that he, as a Level 1 adventurer, could be widely recognized or acknowledged by others in Orario, especially considering the common perception that Level 1 adventurers are relatively weak.
The clown emblem on his clothes might be contributing to his recognition as the super rookie from Loki Familia.
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