Jack's Wine

"Snoring. Snoring"

It sounds like someone is sleeping here, and sleeping very soundly, even snoring.

Generally speaking, if people can sleep in here, it means it must be very safe, right?

As people descended, they observed the surrounding architectural layout. Was this a basement or a kitchen? Various cooking utensils were placed on the tables around them, but there were no ingredients. Soup was simmering in front of a roaring stove not far away.

Stewed soup? So that's where the aroma came from. But can this really be called an aroma?

Following the snoring sound, people slowly moved to see a plump, white onion on the ground!

"Onion Knight!" Malu's eyes lit up, but she quickly covered her mouth. She remembered that the knights of Catarina didn't seem to like the title "Onion" that much.

Let's just call him Jack Baldo, it seems a bit too long. Let's just call him Jack! Malu thought to herself.

At this moment, Jack Baldo is sitting cross-legged and sleeping, his back looking more like an onion, and in front of him is something people dream of—a campfire.

It was really tough, but we finally found a campfire.

Instead of waking the Onion Knight, Leon eagerly sat down by the campfire and immediately leveled up his strength.

Finally free of his burdens, he breathed a sigh of relief and had the leisure to observe his surroundings.

This must be the kitchen; it has a very homey feel to it. But why would a campfire be set up in the kitchen?

This bonfire was originally located in the square when I first Irithyll.

However, there's a bonfire in front of a bridge after defeating Wolnir, and another bonfire after crossing the bridge into Irithyll. The two bonfires appearing in such a short distance seem too abstract and don't seem to serve any purpose.

Therefore, Gong Qiying moved the bonfire in the square to the kitchen, which also serves as a connection point. After going out the back door of the kitchen, to the east is the boundless lake below the bridge, and to the west is the road leading to the Irithyll Underground Jail. Both of these roads are original settings in the Yugi and do not need to be changed.

Neither of the two routes is a simple map, so setting up a campfire here is perfectly reasonable.

However...

"Having to defeat four Silver Knights to find this place is just too much of a torture," Leon complained.

He could also choose to jump off the bridge and explore the lake to get here, but the lake also has its own unique challenges.

The waist-deep lake water has a more powerful slowing effect than the Farron Keep, and it's also conductive.

Malu agreed wholeheartedly, and then leveled up her Agility by one level in front of the campfire, officially reaching level sixty.

"Thump!"

The commotion caused by the Smough's Great Hammer, which had been dragged down by the people, finally woke up the Onion Knight.

"Hmm... Hmm?"

He raised his head somewhat blankly, making a sound as if waking from a deep sleep, and met the gazes of everyone.

"Ah"

After getting a clear look at Leon and his companions, the Onion Knight spoke in a friendly tone.

"It's you guys! I never expected to meet you here again, hahaha."

"Thanks to you for helping me find my armor, I am able to continue my journey. I, Jack Baldo of Catarina, thank you once again!"

Onion Knight's hearty laughter, accompanied by his little physical gestures, makes him exceptionally endearing.

His tone was as if he were seeing a long-lost friend, which gave the adventurers a strange feeling, since they had just met the Onion Knight at the Cathedral of the Deep a few days ago.

"Is this the classic chaotic timeline of the dungeon?" Leon wondered to himself. He suddenly felt a pang of curiosity: if he hadn't helped the Onion Knight in the Cathedral of the Deep, would he still see him here? If they did, what would the Onion Knight say? Would the afterimages in the two areas affect each other?

I'll verify it again when I have time.

"Also, this is a small token of my appreciation, please don't refuse it."

The Onion Knight gave people a page containing the "Miracle: White Church Halo," but Leon didn't touch it. Instead, he put it away in his backpack to avoid accidentally learning this "magic."

The White Church Halo

[A halo is thrown out; after tearing through enemies, the halo returns to the caster.]

It is said that in the past, when the gods still wielded great influence, miracles of the Kagyu sect were often accompanied by an aura of glory. Those who cherish the past firmly believe that one day those days will return.

Perhaps it could be given to Delu, since he lacks offensive options.

"Thank you very much." Leon thanked him sincerely, while Malu curiously asked Onion Knight why he was there and why he was asleep.

The campfire crackled and popped, its natural white noise instantly relaxing everyone. Perhaps this is the very meaning of a campfire: a safe place to rest after a hard-fought battle.

"I never thought I'd fall asleep here. Sometimes being too warm isn't a good thing," the Onion Knight said, looking somewhat troubled. His gaze suddenly fell on the stew on the stove.

"By the way, how about we grab a bite? Jack Baldo's special Primal Soup is just starting to cook. It's not bad for Doll, so let's have a toast!"

"But we didn't bring any alcohol," Malu said regretfully.

"I have it, I have it." The Onion Knight patted his chest, looking quite proud, and his enthusiasm was irresistible.

Before long, everyone sat around the campfire, with Jack Baldo's special Primal Soup in the middle. Each person had a bowl in front of them, as well as a cup of "wine" in a small wooden barrel.

Jack's Wine

[A bottle of liquor crafted by Jack Baldo of Catarina, served in a travel-sized barrel-sized glass]

[Can restore vitality and temporarily increase resistance to cold]

Logically speaking, the undead shouldn't be able to appreciate the taste of wine, so it's unclear what kind of effort Jack Baldo put in to enable this. The undead have lived for so long that sometimes they crave fine wine and song.

Drinking with a lingering shadow was a first for everyone.

A warm campfire, steaming stew, and flavorful wine, plus the brave warriors who overcame numerous difficulties to reach this place and get to know each other.

It's strange, even though we haven't known each other for very long, we feel like old friends. Maybe it's because Onion Knight too enthusiastic?

Overall, the feeling was not bad, and it was even a bit intoxicating.

"Boss, I suddenly feel like I've stepped into a legend, like a legendary hero from ancient times," Malu whispered.

Seeing Onion Knight raise his glass, Leon also raised his high, and said to Malu:

"What if we become that person in the future?"

The Onion Knight's impassioned voice rang out:

Let's raise a glass to our reunion today!

May your courage, my sword, and our respective missions be fulfilled.

"Be with the sun!"

"Cheers!"

The wooden barrels clashed with the sound of toasts, causing the liquor to splash and spill.

The atmosphere was so intense that even Malu, who never liked drinking, downed the entire bottle in one gulp.

"So spicy!"

The next second her face turned bright red, she stuck out her tongue and couldn't stop hissing, and hot air was coming out of her head.

It's like drinking a mouthful of lava!

"Ha ha ha ha--"

Everyone laughed, and the atmosphere reached its peak. At this moment, Onion Knight didn't seem like a phantom at all, but a living, breathing person.

Drinking inevitably leads to idle chatter, and people are all recounting their adventures. The Onion Knight is also talking about how, in the Undead Settlement, he once fought alongside an Ashbringer to defeat Flame Demon, or how he befriended an archer giant.

"By the way, do you see that painting in the very center of the hall? That's the legendary Sunlight Princess, Gwyneth. She was a very beautiful goddess, wasn't she? It's said that she used to live in Anor Londo, but now her whereabouts are unknown."

The Onion Knight couldn't say any more information; he had only heard about it, so he changed the subject:

"I don't know if you've noticed, but there's an ancient church somewhere on the west side of this city. It's said that the Dark Moon's oath is inside, but I don't know the specifics. If you're interested, you can go and take a look. I've heard that it's very safe there and might even protect the weak."

Protecting the weak? Leon immediately thought of the little boy trapped in the house.

When Malu asked the Onion Knight again why he had come to Irithyll, he took a swig of wine, pondered for a moment, and then his tone suddenly became serious:

"Did you know that somewhere in this town, there's a deep Underground Jail? It's said that beneath that Underground Jail lies the Profaned Capital, the homeland of the lonely Giant King, Yhorm. I have some connection to him. Promises are always a pain."

Yhorm the Giant King? Oh, I remember now, it's the Sunlight King. His tall and imposing figure left a deep impression on Leon.

Irithyll is truly a place of outstanding people and resources, as it has connections with two Sunlight Kings.

When the Onion Knight spoke of some promise, he fell into deep thought, and as he remained silent, the people gradually fell silent as well.

"Oh, sorry, the atmosphere is a bit heavy."

He immediately snapped out of his daze and resumed his previous tone, saying, "Alright, I'm going to take a nap. We have to do this after the celebration banquet, haha."

People were stunned into silence as the Onion Knight fell asleep at the speed of light.

"Hello?"

Malu tried to push him, but there was no response.

"I'm so envious of his sleep quality."

Delu, who was middle-aged or elderly, couldn't help but sigh.

"It's okay, we can go back to sleep soon."

Leon smiled and tallied up his haul.

A map of several streets in Irithyll, the request of the little boy's afterimage, and scattered monster equipment and items.

The treasure chests contain valuable rewards, the White Church Halo, the Dorupo's Soul, and information about the Profaned Capital and the Dark Moon Covenant.

There was also Jack's Wine. Everyone got two glasses. They drank one glass earlier and now there's one left. They decided to keep it as a keepsake.

It's definitely not because the wine is too strong, absolutely not.

All things considered, they have gained a lot from this trip. If other teams had obtained this much, they would probably have spent a month or two indulging in pleasure before returning to work.

"Today has come to a successful end. There's not much time left. Let's wait for the dungeon to close."

Leon lay down by the campfire, listening to the Onion Knight's snores while staring at the dusty ceiling, and suddenly thought:

"How are the other adventurers doing now? Have any others entered Irithyll?"

"This area looks very challenging now, but the sense of accomplishment after overcoming the difficulties is very strong. I believe others will also have a great experience."

Yes, in fact, other people came in.

However, the user experience cannot be guaranteed.