Pfft—
He Xi spat out a mouthful of wine. Luckily, he turned his head just in time and avoided spraying Grimm.
Grimm patted He Xi on the back and roared with laughter. "I know you can hold your liquor, but you don't have to get that excited. You'll choke."
"So, what do you say? Want a serving? We can find somewhere tonight and 'knock, knock, knock'?"
Grimm waggled his eyebrows. He thought he'd been subtle enough, and the elven girl beside them looked young enough that she probably wouldn't understand.
But when he turned around—
?
At some point, Zoya's ear tips had turned pink. She was looking down, tracing the patterns on the table with one finger.
This elven girl, who had devoured all kinds of novels, seemed to know a little too much.
He Xi hurriedly declined. "No, no, that's all right! Another serving of roasted woodland mushrooms, please. The large one!"
"Oh, don't be shy." Grimm tried to persuade him again. "It's fine, I'll treat you. It's just that this 'Knocker' dish is really..."
He Xi's head was about to explode.
He quickly tried to think of a way to steer clear of this deadly topic. His gaze swept over the tavern, and he suddenly noticed the empty little stage not far away.
"Grimm, why isn't that elven bard here to perform today?"
Grimm paused while ladling soup. His back stiffened for a moment, then he let out a long, weary sigh.
"Ah..."
"Don't ask." Grimm set a large, steaming bowl of stew on their table and wiped his hands on his apron. "That elven bard—what was his name again... Right, Laegon."
"He left?"
"He left. With Barin."
The wineglass in He Xi's hand stopped halfway to his mouth.
Barin—the dwarf who used to be an adventurer