"Give me a beer. You're not from around here, are you, boss?"
Kiana wasn't Bronya. While vodka could indeed warm her up, in a place this strange, it was better to stay sober.
If drinking caused trouble, that would be a huge problem.
"No problem."
The owner picked up a clean glass, went over to the barrel beside him, opened the tap... and filled it to the brim.
Handing the beer to Kiana, the owner finally answered her other question.
"My grandfather was Russian. Ever since we moved here, I haven't gone back to visit."
"What brings you to a place like this, miss? It's been years since I last saw an outsider."
The owner studied the girl before him with curiosity. It had been many years since he had seen such a beautiful young woman.
If he weren't so old, he might have been unable to stop himself from pursuing her.
The women here were all crazy.
"No one came here before?"
Kiana held the beer glass in both hands, her sky-blue eyes fixed on the owner.
"Yeah! The last outsiders who came here were an odd expedition team over a decade ago. They ended up here by accident too."
Thinking back, the last outsiders he had seen were that strange expedition team from over a decade ago.
Unfortunately, once they left the town, they were gone.
He hoped the girl before him would not end up the same way. That would be such a waste.
"Could you tell me about this town, boss?" Kiana touched the beer with the tip of her tongue. Only after confirming there was nothing wrong with it did she take a sip. The distinctive flavor was neither particularly pleasant nor unpleasant.
Still, drinking more would indeed help her endure the cold.
"If it