Hearthfire Bar

The others stared too, their eyes wide with astonishment.

Rain took off his Bull-Horn Helmet, revealing the familiar face beneath.

"My God! It really is you, Rain..." Fabian nearly lost his grip on his dagger.

"It's only been half a month, Rain, but you're practically a different person." Even the steady Grand gave him a second look.

"Heh, maybe I'm having a growth spurt. I've also been doing a lot of strength training with Instructor Humbert lately, so I've changed a bit," Rain said with a smile.

"Strength training with Instructor Humbert? Rain, don't tell me you learned to use a Warhammer from him?"

More than the change in Rain's build, that news stunned everyone.

After all, Humbert, Mill Town's only professional trainer, was quite famous.

Apprentice Warriors who favored the Warhammer came to Mill Town from nearby towns and even Dorn City, hoping for his guidance.

But the Warhammer, his specialty, demanded a great deal of anyone who wanted to learn it.

They had hardly heard of anyone managing to learn Warhammer techniques from Humbert.

Rain's words immediately shifted their attention to that, rather than his build.

"Yeah. I was lucky enough to pass Mentor Humbert's test..." Rain gave them a brief account.

In fact, when Humbert learned that Rain would be heading out on a mission in the next couple of days, he had given him a metal Warhammer. One end was pointed and the other flat. It was a dull gray and looked unremarkable, but it was the very one Rain had used in the practice room.

It was also the Warhammer that felt best in Rain's hands.

As Humbert had put it, he could show Rain the way, but mastering Combat Techniques would take Rain's own effort and constant practice.

And real combat was the best practice of all.

"All right, stop crowding Rain. Let's order first!"

"Rain, you were the hero of our last mission, so you order first. It's my treat." Leia handed him the menu with a smile.

"You go ahead, Captain. It's my first time here." Rain smiled and waved the menu away.

"Then how about trying their signature dish?"

"Signature dish?"

"Mm-hm. Ale-roasted pork ribs! You'll love them."

"Sounds good." Rain nodded.

"Whoa, Captain, you're really splashing out. You weren't this generous with us last time."

"Rain deserves it." Leia shot Chris a look.

"Rain, let me tell you. They use wild boar ribs from the wilderness, marinate them for hours in malt beer brought from Dorn City with onions, garlic, and black pepper, then roast them with honey and olive oil."

"They're absolutely delicious!" Chris gestured as he spoke.

"Are they really that good?" Rain gave Chris a skeptical look.

He had never tried this dish, but he already had a certain idea of what pork ribs tasted like.

"Mm, they really are good," Grand said with a nod.

"Chris tried making them himself once, but his never tasted quite like the ones at Hearthfire Bar. He even asked the owner, who said those were all the ingredients."

Hearing the usually measured Grand say so, Rain was inclined to believe it.

Before long, a waitress brought over a large platter wrapped in foil, and its rich aroma began to spread.

The moment they tore the foil open, a mouthwatering fragrance rushed out.

These weren't individual ribs pulled apart, but a full rack of seven or eight joined together.

The ribs were golden brown and lightly charred. With his Keen Scent, Rain could distinguish every note in their aroma.

Chris hadn't been making it up.

Rain could indeed smell malt beer, onions, garlic, black pepper, honey, and olive oil. But he also caught faint traces of cardamom, cumin, and chili powder.

Could those be the secret ingredients in Hearthfire Bar's seasoning?

No wonder Grand had said Chris could never quite reproduce the flavor.

Without the cardamom, cumin, and chili powder, it was bound to taste different.

Once the signature dish arrived, the mood around the table soon grew lively.

After everyone raised their glasses for the third time, Leia set down her knife and fork, dabbed her red lips with a napkin, and said, "By the way, remember that Boarfolk mission we completed last time?"

"Of course."

"What about it, Captain?" Chris asked, looking at Leia as he stuffed food into his mouth.

"Lord Ramsey told me what happened afterward a couple of days ago."

Leia's words immediately piqued everyone's interest, Rain's included.

Ramsey?

Rain recalled the gentlemanly-looking middle-aged man with the handlebar mustache. He was in charge of the Mill Town branch of the Adventurers' Association.

"A Black Iron Adventurer party investigated the Boarfolk clan in Deadwater Valley. They confirmed that something had changed within the clan."

Surprise showed on everyone's faces.

"Two members of that Black Iron party were badly wounded. According to the reliable intelligence they brought back, two major things have happened in the Stillwater Boarman Clan!"

Leia kept them in suspense no longer and began to explain.

"First, the Stillwater Boarmen's weapons and equipment have improved considerably. We can now be certain that someone—or some organization—is supplying them with weapons."

The others exchanged looks.

Suspecting it during their last mission had been one thing. Having it confirmed was another.

"Second, the High Priest of the Stillwater Boarman Clan is said to have died in an internal conflict. Chieftain Ramsta is in power now, and he's eager to attack."

"He's been consolidating his forces recently."

"So the Boarfolk Warrior we encountered last time wasn't there by chance. He belonged to the faction that supported the High Priest during the conflict, and the chieftain purged and drove him out?"

Rain's eyes flickered as the pieces fell into place.

"Exactly. Lord Ramsey and I think so too, because scattered Boarfolk Warriors have since appeared near several other towns."

Leia glanced at Rain, approval shining in her eyes.

"What happens next?" Grand, who was usually quiet, asked.

"Lord Ramsey has reported it to the Dorn City Council. What comes next is more than Mill Town can handle on its own."

"Is it that serious? Serious enough to report to Dorn City?" Chris asked at once.

"Yes. Perhaps you don't know how large the Stillwater Boarmen's clan is."

"Oh?"

Rain looked curious. The Beginner Monster Compendium printed by Mill Town's Adventurers' Association had said little about the Deadwater Clan, mentioning it only in passing.

After all, even an ordinary Stillwater Boarman had a Challenge Rating of one.

The compendium did not cover the stronger warriors. In fact, they were beyond its scope.

And that was to say nothing of higher-ranking Boarfolk.

"The Stillwater Boarmen may be the weakest of the continent's major Boarfolk clans, but they control the Deadwater Valley area. Their clan numbers over five thousand, including Geomancers and priests with the strength of Intermediate Professionals."

"I've heard Chieftain Ramsta is even stronger than an Advanced Professional!" Leia said, taking a sip of rye beer.

"He's that strong?!" Fabian exclaimed.

Rain was amazed too, though he was more interested in who was supplying weapons to the Stillwater Boarmen.

"Have they confirmed who's supplying them with weapons?"

"No. Whoever it is has been very careful. The distinctive smithing marks that should be on the weapons and armor have all been removed. All they can confirm is that the weapons came from human workshops, not Dwarf craftsmen or any other race."

So they still didn't know who was behind it.

Rain nodded and asked no more.

At his current level, knowing even this much already put him among the well-informed.

As for how matters would ultimately unfold and how they would respond, those were entirely beyond his reach for now.