Chapter 109
Yak didn't say anything, watching Deedri down a large glass of wine.
He was in the tavern with this guy. He wasn't really sure how to deal with the girl, he just knew that drinking would calm her down.
Moreover, this guy had said that his only requirement for hiring her was to buy her drinks, and he hadn't asked for anything else. So Ark still felt he should pay her a fee.
To be honest, this guy has drunk quite a lot. He's been drinking non-stop since he came in.
"Have something to eat. The safe zone here is quite large, and there are sheep farms inside." Yak looked at her and said, "Have some stir-fried dishes or something; they taste very good."
They weren't the only ones still eating here; behind them were all the members of the Ark caravan. Except for the little spider.
It was eerily quiet there now; these guys were sitting together and had nothing to say. No jokes, no toasts. Everyone was either drinking or eating. Really, just eating and drinking; nothing else.
Because no one had much to say to each other, frankly speaking, they didn't have any deep connections with each other. They were only gathered together now because of Ark.
This relationship is truly awkward, even though everyone just fought side by side. But that's no reason to accept each other. The church's Karl, the demon Lori, the sorcerer Denos, the doll Lady, the mercenary Deedri, the guardians Dark and Gray, the useless undead Ghost Lord, the demon girl Rat who just saw the light of day again, and the merchant Ark.
We're completely incompatible, utterly incompatible. We can't even understand each other; the fact that we're eating at the same table is already excessive. If it weren't for Yak's sake, we'd probably all be in different places by now.
However, halfway through, Deedri couldn't stand the oppressive atmosphere and went to another table to drink by herself. Ark followed her, thinking that this guy might need his help.
"You'd better stay away from me. I'm not in a good mood with you. I'm annoyed right now. If you want me to feel better, go get me some more wine," Dedeline said irritably, glancing at Ark.
Several hours have passed since the battle ended, and everyone in the city knows that the travelers helped a great deal in dealing with that behemoth. So when these travelers suggested having drinks, everyone was happy to offer to treat them.
The reason Apaly didn't come was because Lady killed her after successfully completing the experiment, which led to a series of related events. However, those matters were not Ark and his team's concern; as the city's administrators, they would handle such security issues.
“The little spider is still alive,” Ark said softly. Dedeline paused for a moment, then continued drinking.
How did you know?
“If you observe the flow of magic there, you’ll know that it knows it’s now the enemy, so it left to avoid causing us trouble.” Acton paused and said, “I don’t know if it will come back.”
“It’s best not to come back. What’s so good about this place? There’s always somewhere more suitable for it.” Dedelie said sullenly. “Me too. I’ll leave as soon as I get a big job. Don’t expect you to keep me employed at such a low price.”
“I know, I know. You can ask the Mercenary Association about the place we’re going to next. They might already have a big order.” Ark nodded. “Kadumi, that’s the city we’re going to next.”
“A very big city, that’s unusual. I thought you only ever stayed in small towns. Even when you went to a big city, you’d go to places the church tolerated. It’s rare to see you choose such a troublesome place.” Deedri paused and said, “Why go there? There are better options, aren’t there?”
“Denos has been with me long enough. He’s made enough money and is ready to retire.” Acton paused and said, “That’s his home. He came from there with me, and now I’m sending it back.”
“Don’t talk about this in private, talk to them in front of them.” Dedeline turned to look at the dining table behind her, where everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Ark.
They had all heard what Ark had just said; in fact, Ark himself had no intention of hiding it.
“That’s about it.” Ark stood up and said, “Afterwards, Dedeline and Denos will probably both leave. Denos has been with me since he was a teenager. As a human, he has been severely corrupted. I want to bring him peace before he causes a disaster.”
As he spoke, he looked at Denos.
This guy, unusually, didn't say anything, probably realizing that saying anything wouldn't make much of a difference. So he just sat there drinking. Not fast, just drinking. When he realized Ark was watching him, he nodded.
“Going to that city now is troublesome,” Karl said after a moment’s hesitation. “We can’t go to big cities. Even if it’s protected, it’s still wrong for demons to enter big cities. Besides, Lady is a demon now. There’s no guarantee of safety for her either. We’ll be in mortal danger there.”
“Don’t worry too much, someone is waiting for us there.” Acton paused and said, “I have friends there, and their influence is decent enough. At least they can protect us.”
"Protecting a demon? I'm curious what kind of power could have such authority," Karl said, somewhat displeased. Although his intention was to protect the girl, he was, after all, a priest of the church. Hearing that someone dared to protect a demon still infuriated him. Karl had no liking for such a person who disregarded the church's orders.
“My father has several well-hidden places,” Denos suddenly said. “If he comes out to meet us, our whereabouts will be safe from the moment we enter the city until we leave.”
"That sounds like an enviable statement," Ghost Duke said, seemingly pleased. "It's good that we don't have to hide like rats in the street."
Although no one said it, others agreed with this view.
After all, this group appearing on the street was a real test of the church's patience. Those guys were a bunch of inflexible individuals. If they were truly exposed to the public, they would definitely have to hide.
This rat-like lifestyle is really unpleasant.
Carl didn't say anything more, even though he didn't know who his father was. But since he dared to say it, he must have some basis for it.
It's understandable that I'm still annoyed, since this guy is clearly implying that he has power that rivals the church.
Even when being helped, this feeling is not pleasant.
Denos drank his wine and offered no further explanation.
He'd been away from home for too long, and hadn't been back in ages. He hadn't seen his father in ages, and he needed some alcohol to remind him of him.
Actually, I hadn't really thought about what to do next. After all, the idea of being kicked out by Ark was just a guess on my part. It hadn't been taken seriously at all.
Because I really can't think of anything I can do. If I really can't figure it out, it's best to put it out of my mind for now. I don't want to think about it too much.
However, now that what was originally just a guess has been confirmed, I need to think carefully about what to do next.
The first question is what to do after he goes home. The most likely thing he can do is become a teacher at his father's school. This is a good outcome, and his family would all think so.
So, is it just about continuing to adventure outside? But this time Ark isn't here, and it doesn't seem very interesting to play around outside by myself.
Settling down and starting a family is something that absolutely needs to be put on the agenda, after all, he's already reached this age. Although spending too much time with long-lived creatures can give the illusion that a few decades isn't long, in reality, such a lifespan is impossible for a human being. At his age, he must find a woman to settle down with, otherwise he might have no descendants.
As Denos thought this, he looked up again and saw Ark, who still had that expressionless face. But looking at himself, Ark seemed to have a different feeling.
"I'm sorry," he suddenly said softly, only opening his mouth and moving his lips.
Denos wasn't sure if that was exactly what he said, but since he'd heard it, he figured it was probably true. This guy seemed to be apologizing for letting him leave early.
"It's alright," Denos said. "I should be leaving too."
Yak nodded, and the two stopped talking about it. Everyone understood that it was best not to say anything embarrassing.
Perhaps a long, long time from now, when I have children of my own, I will entrust them to Ark's care. Because that way, Ark can see how vast the world truly is. This not-so-large world should be seen by everyone who lives within it.
Of course, some people might feel that their children should live ordinary, safe, and harmonious lives. This world is dangerous; being able to live peacefully is a great blessing—a happiness that brings peace of mind.
Then, Denos collapsed onto the table. Dedeline, being a member of the Fire Goat clan, could raise her body temperature to turn the water in her body into steam. Also, alcohol wasn't very effective against monsters, which allowed her to drink it continuously.
As an ordinary human being, Denos obviously didn't have the means to improve his condition. So he was already drunk.
Ghost Lord, who is also human, is not drunk. This guy, who doesn't have any special skills, actually has a decent alcohol tolerance. He is now able to walk over and drink with Deedri, holding a large bucket.
There were also those who didn't drink, like Lady and Mouse sitting in the corner. These two had been holding their first drink since they came in, and there was no sign that they had consumed any alcohol.
It's unfortunate that what should have been a celebration banquet turned into a funeral. But we can't blame anyone else; because of Spider-Man, not many people are in a good mood right now.
Everyone has witnessed examples of people being attacked simply because they have become more powerful. Except for a few, everyone empathizes. We are all monsters, and seeing Chrison, another monster, treated that way is unbearable for anyone.
Perhaps the only consolation is that Ark said Spider-Man is still alive. That's the only consolation, and even that might just be wishful thinking. No one knows for sure if it's true; after all, it's just Ark's word.
“Ark,” Lady suddenly said to Ark, who was sitting there and looked up to meet her eyes.
She gestured for them to go outside and talk, and a slight softening appeared on Yak's expressionless face.
But there was no other way, so he got up and followed her out. After all, he did have some things he needed to tell her, and it would have been wrong of him to keep it from her.
Pushing open the door, all was dark outside; after all, it was already night. The sun had set, and beneath its extinguished glow, the world was shrouded in darkness.
Fortunately, this city is one of the few that never sleeps, because of the steam engines and the management of the demons, some lights are still on.
They came out of the tavern without saying a word. After walking a few steps, Lady leaned on the railing.
This is the second floor, and they're on the balcony now. It's a beautifully decorated balcony, and Yake felt a moment of relief when he came out.
Given the environment, he felt relatively comfortable.
"Thank you," Lady said, her first words actually being a thank you.
“Of course.” Yak nodded, not quite understanding why.
His expressive headdress was now in the carriage, so Lady didn't know what Ark's expression was like.
However, having gotten to know Ark fairly well, he could guess that the guy was probably a little flustered. Although his face was expressionless, he was likely not calm at all.
“You gave me a reason to live,” Lady said. “I am a monster now, and as a demon, my existence is a thorn in the side of the church. Besides, I was already planning to die; I was already planning to disappear while I was unconscious. You came into my mental world and told me those things, and that is the reason I live.”
You mean the scenery?
“No, you know. You said you needed me,” Lady said softly. “Aparie told me that you already have a fiancée. I want to know why you insisted on telling me this.”
After a moment of silence, Ark looked at Lady and said, "I do need you, and I don't regret that. But just like I need Denos, it wasn't anything more. I thought about it later and realized that what I said might have been misunderstood. So I wanted to clarify that misunderstanding in this way."
But Lady shook her head, smiled, and looked at Ark with a smile: "But I've misunderstood. All I know is that someone helped me when I was at my most desperate. That person was you."
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