Dinner Time

After registering his party's information at the Adventurer Guild and bidding farewell to Hulk, the sky had completely darkened.

He had arrived in Rose Town at noon via Annis's carriage and immediately plunged into the Adventurer Guild, working tirelessly until now.

All he'd eaten that day was a skewer of Dragon's Breath barbecue at noon. His stomach was now completely empty, and he was starving.

Bruce looked at him with a face full of resentment. For him, eating was the most important thing in his dog life; everything else had to make way for it.

He Xi had originally planned to take advantage of the night to explore this strange little town – a favorite pastime of his whenever he arrived in a new city before his transmigration.

But not today.

He didn't have anything he needed to buy for now. He had his water canteen and bedding, and he'd asked Hulk about a rain tarp; the other party would bring it.

"Forget it, I'll fill my stomach first and find a place to stay. Boosting my energy to deal with tomorrow's mission is the real priority."

He didn't return along the main road he'd come on earlier, but instead casually turned into an alley that seemed moderately busy and had decent lighting.

The signs of the shops on either side flickered in and out of view under the dim magic lamps.

"Delicious Rose" – it looked like a restaurant.

"Black Cat Tavern" – a somewhat mysterious tavern?

"Orc and Lute?" – this name successfully caught He Xi's attention.

He stopped, looking curiously at the sign carved from rough wood.

Why would an instrument like the lute, with its typically delicate and melodious sound, be associated with rugged orcs?

"Could the owner be an orc bard?"

This combination was truly bizarre.

But the rich aroma of food wafting from the entrance told him it was indeed a restaurant.

He walked forward and pushed open the heavy oak door.

"Jingle—"

The door panel bumped against the bronze bell behind it, making a clear ringing sound.

The moment he stepped into the tavern, a rich aroma, a mixture of roasted meat, mellow ale, and some strange spices, assailed him.

The hall was spacious yet low-ceilinged. Several blackened tin lanterns hung from the thick beams, casting flickering, dim light.

The walls were unplastered rough stones, with a bit of moss stuffed into the crevices.

Several faded family banners and a giant Cracked Hoof Bull skull decorated the most prominent main wall.

The tables and chairs were made of solid, thick wood. The edges had been smoothed by the arms of countless patrons, while the tabletops were covered in knife marks and deep white rings left by glasses.

The bar was made from a single, huge ancient tree trunk, its surface coated with thick resin, smooth yet uneven.

Behind the bar, wooden shelves lined the entire wall, displaying wine barrels and pottery jars of various sizes. Labels, written in Common and a rough script that He Xi guessed was Orcish, indicated names and prices.

A particularly conspicuous Black Iron barrel had a wooden sign hanging from it, written in red paint: "Grimm's Private Brew – Drinker Assumes All Risks."

To the right of the wall, there was a huge stone fireplace. Half of a skinned and cleaned small Cracked Hoof Bull was slowly rotating on a spit over the fire, its fat dripping into the flames with a "sizzling" sound.

A massive double-bladed battle axe leaned casually by the fireplace.

Placed there, it looked like a handy kitchen utensil, but He Xi had no doubt that it could be grabbed and used as a weapon at any moment.

There weren't many customers in the room.

In a corner, a few elderly adventurers sat together, their armor clanking, seemingly playing some card game.

At another table, two hooded figures sat, silently cutting the meat on their plates with knives.

Another person, in a dark corner wearing a gray robe, was muttering to himself, with small orange-red sparks occasionally popping from his fingertips.

"A fire mage?"

A voice interrupted He Xi's thoughts.

"A new face."

The voice was deep and hoarse, coming from the tall figure behind the bar.

"What are you standing there for? Either come in and find a seat, or go out and close the door, don't let the cold wind in."

A figure nearly two meters tall emerged from the shadows behind the bar.

He had grayish-green skin, thick tusks protruding from his lower lip, a hideous scar across his left eye, and arms covered in ancient war tattoos. He was currently wiping a drinking horn with a rough cloth.

"What can I get for you? Dwarven ale, elven wine, or... a cup of true Orcish spirits?" He grinned, his tusks lifting, "Don't order the honey wine; that stuff is for babies who haven't been weaned yet."

He Xi looked at the innkeeper before him with some surprise.

"A Half-Orc?"

He thought to himself, this explained the origin of the tavern's name.

"Just as you said," He Xi said calmly as he walked to the bar, "a cup of true Orcish spirits."

The Half-Orc innkeeper paused his cup-wiping and scrutinized He Xi's seemingly slender frame with his one eye, "Are you sure?"

He Xi smiled, "Of course."

He wasn't actually a big fan of strong liquor; ordering it was mainly to strike up a conversation with the shop owner, who looked like he had a lot of stories, to build rapport and see if he could extract any traits.

As for the risk of getting drunk? He wasn't worried at all. No matter how advanced the brewing technology in this world was, strong liquor would at most be equivalent to high-proof baijiu from his previous life. Besides, he had the [Adamantine Stomach].

"Do you have anything to eat?"

The Half-Orc owner replied while pouring wine from a Black Iron barrel, "For main courses, we have the signature roasted Cracked Hoof Bull ribs and Stone Jaw meat pie. The stews are sold out today. For snacks, there's dried smoked meat with hard cheese, or roasted woodland giant mushrooms."

"One portion of roasted Cracked Hoof Bull ribs, and then..." He Xi looked at the massive grill, estimating the portion size.

The Half-Orc owner interrupted him, placing the cup emitting a pungent aroma in front of He Xi with a "thud." "Listen to me, kid. Order one portion of ribs first.

One portion of my Cracked Hoof Bull ribs is enough to fill the belly of a warrior who's been starving all day. If you're still hungry after you finish, you can order more."

He Xi picked up the cup radiating a strong alcoholic scent and nodded, "Then one portion of this. And if it's possible, could you give me some extra bones?"

He pointed to Bruce at his feet, who was gazing longingly at the roasting meat by the fireplace. "This guy likes to gnaw on bones."

"No problem." The Half-Orc owner turned and prepared to head towards the fireplace grill.

At this moment, He Xi noticed a yellowed parchment tacked to a corner of the bar, with a few rules written in a messy yet forceful script:

Rules:

1. Pay first. 2. No touching the staff (unless you can beat me). 3. Fights go outside. 4. Debts are paid with teeth.

He quickly called out to the owner, "Wait! Boss, I forgot to ask, how much is it in total?"

As he spoke, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his money pouch.

[Half-Orc · Grimm's Favorability towards you has increased, Analysis Points +5]