After leaving the Adventurers' Guild, Cui Ciyou stood on the stone steps outside and narrowed his eyes to adjust to the glaring light.
Next door stood a three-story stone building, considerably more refined than the Adventurers' Guild.
Its exterior walls were painted dark brown, and its windows were stained glass.
A wooden sign hung above the door, with several words carved into it in ornate Demonfolk script: "Bountiful Mistress."
The Bountiful Mistress was a tavern.
Calling it a tavern wasn't quite right, though. It was more of a full-service inn.
The establishment also prepared food, offered takeout, and provided lodging.
It wasn't just a place to eat and drink.
When he went to the counter to order, he found that all the Demonfolk inside were humanoid.
The least human-looking among them were the four-armed Asura.
Looks mattered in the service industry.
Behind the counter stood a female Demonfolk-her skin was deep purple, she had a pair of small horns on her forehead, and her eyes were amber. She
wore a clean white shirt and a dark apron, and was wiping a wineglass.
Seeing Cui Ciyou enter, she looked up and gave him a professional smile.
"Welcome. Table for one?"
"One."
Cui Ciyou sat on a tall stool at the bar.
"A mug of ale and a roast meat platter."
"Certainly. Just a moment, please."
The Demonfolk woman turned to prepare his drink. Cui Ciyou took the opportunity to look over the other employees-all humanoid Demonfolk, most with purple or red skin and horns on their foreheads, but their appearances all fell within human standards of beauty.
Clearly, the service industry had standards when it came to looks.
The least human-looking was probably the Asura waiter clearing a table.
He had four arms, holding a cloth, a tray, a glass, and