Volume 1 Chapter 36 The Circumstances Of The Boar’s Trot Inn I ♡
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The tavern, ‘The Boar’s Trot Inn,’ seemed to be bustling as usual.
As Kian slipped through the hanging curtain, he found the interior illuminated by the warm glow of orange lanterns, already packed with patrons.
Adventurers at every table were intoxicated, laughing loudly and chatting with their companions.
Their boisterous voices and the strong smell of alcohol wafted all the way to the entrance.
Given the busy time, the staff appeared to be in a frenzy.
In the kitchen, the shouts of men echoed, while waitresses in short skirts darted between tables, serving drinks and food.
’There’s nowhere to sit!’
(It’s probably because the food here is delicious; there are folks coming just for dinner from other places. They’re likely up in their rooms munching on dried meat.)
However, living in a rented place had its inconveniences.
Kian wished he could save enough money to secure a base of his own.
(With advanced earth magic, I could manipulate the earth to create walls and ceilings. I could just steal magic power from others, and if I learned how, I could build my own house. But then I’d have to consider the location, taxes, and how to manage and maintain the place.)
’That’s a conversation for when you can secure enough food and shelter. Look around this tavern; not a single person here is fighting with weak weapons like clubs or wooden swords.’
(Then tell me where I can find some useful weapons hidden away. Or magic. If I could just use the basic 4 elements like earth or wind, I could start making some extra cash.)
’Ask the high elf buried in the church on the outskirts of town. Anyone could tell you what you’re asking; don’t bother me with such questions.’
The glasses replied curtly.
She was not only proud but also capricious──Kian cursed under his breath as he avoided the tables and made his way to the back stairs.
Sometimes he felt like tossing the glasses into the sewers, but this glasses still had his uses.
For now, he needed to get the location of the equipment rumored to be hidden in the ‘Labyrinth of Roses.’
”Hey, wait a minute!”
As Kian was about to head up the stairs to the second floor, he was suddenly stopped by a waitress from behind.
”What is it?”
”You’re Kian, right? You helped our manager, Robert, from Griffin.”
”Yeah, that’s me.”
”I knew it! Hey, Melissa!”
”Huh? What’s up?”
”Over here, it’s Kian. Tell Esther and the guys in the kitchen that Kian is back.”
”Oh, he’s back! Thanks for helping Manager Robert.”
”Really! If the manager had died, we might have lost our jobs. It’s thanks to you that we can work here at ‘The Boar’s Trot Inn’!”
The two unfamiliar waitresses bowed their heads to him.
Kian felt a bit awkward; he wasn’t used to such treatment.
Until now, he had been called a ‘garbage scavenger’ and looked at with disdain.
”That’s good to hear. Well, I’m going to my room now──.”
”Wait! Oh, here come Esther and the guys! Sorry, but we have to go. You’ll be staying with us for a while, right? We’ll serve you more another time!”
”Thank you so much, Mr. Kian.”
The two waitresses waved goodbye as they were called over by other adventurers.
Just as they left, 2 men and Esther came out of the kitchen.
The two men were dressed as cooks, while Esther wore her usual waitress outfit with white knee-high socks.
Kian recognized the two men; they were the ones who had been with Robert during the quest.
”It’s you! Thanks for helping Robert!”
”Yeah, I can’t believe everything I hear. You took down Griffin all by yourself, right? You’re amazing! Sorry for calling you a ‘garbage scavenger’ before.”
Unlike before, the two men spoke to him in a friendly manner.
It was their way of showing gratitude.
Kian decided to just smile and nod in response.
”Mr. Kian!”
Esther stepped forward, her brown ponytail swaying.
She clasped her hands in front of her large chest and looked up at Kian with glistening eyes.
”Mr. Kian, who helped my dad, is Mr. Kian, right?”
”…That’s right. I lied to you. I’m not a traveler; I’ve been living in this town for over ten years as Kian, the ‘garbage scavenger.’”
”It doesn’t matter what Mr. Kian is called!”
Esther shouted this with a surprisingly strong tone.
Though her voice was somewhat drowned out by the noise of the tavern, it was undoubtedly a heartfelt cry.
Two male cooks nodded in agreement.
”Yeah, I heard from boss how bravely you fought.”
”You charged into the windmill alone to rescue boss, dodging the claws by a hair’s breadth while waiting for the perfect moment to strike, right? And then you faced the Griffin that swooped down from the sky──boom! You split its body in 2 with one blow! It was a thrilling tale, just like the heroic stories told by bards!”
(It’s starting to get a bit exaggerated…)
As Kian’s expression turned serious, Esther stepped closer.
”While other adventurers abandoned my dad, you were the only one who didn’t leave him behind and went to help, right? …Thank you so, so much. I don’t have my mom, and my only family is my dad… I was so close to losing my only relative. I don’t know how to thank you, Mr. Kian. Um, here, this is 5 silver coins for the inn fee. I can’t accept money from my dad’s lifesaver.”
Saying this, she offered a small leather pouch she held in her right hand.
It was the shabby leather pouch Kian had given her before.
It seemed she had kept it untouched.
However, those 5 silver coins were stolen from other adventurers.
She wanted to cleanse the money’s past by giving it to a well-meaning third party, but now that it was being returned, it was a problem.
Kian smiled brightly.
”Whether I’m a lifesaver or not, a deal is a deal. Esther, I can’t accept that.”
”But, but──.”
”If you show that kind of sweet face, there might be others who will try to bring up the past and get free food or lodging. It’s better not to treat me as special. Financial matters should be handled without sentiment.”
Kian’s gentlemanly response caused the waitresses and the two cooks standing beside Esther to gasp in admiration.
Esther hesitated for a moment, then tucked the bag of coins into her apron pocket.
”Then I’ll gladly accept it. I’ll use this to pay for my dad’s treatment and to buy him delicious food during his recovery. …Really, thank you so much.”
In front of the other employees, Esther spoke firmly, but her face was flushed as if she was about to leap into Kian’s arms and kiss him.
Her long eyelashes fluttered, her moist eyes glistened, and her plump lips were slightly wet with saliva.
Kian could almost smell the scent of her infatuation.
’This girl has definitely fallen for you.’
(No wonder she’s a slut. Her heightened sensitivity is probably why she’s been sucking off adventurers all this time. She’s a hopeless romantic, that’s for sure.)
Kian looked down at Esther with a cold gaze.
Under his dominant gaze, Esther trembled.
She covered her exposed cleavage with her hand and let out a wet sigh.
(Well, in a small town like this, opportunities to meet men are limited. I can understand why she’s so aggressive. I’m a generous man, so I can see where she’s coming from.)
’You have no idea.’
For the record, Esther only liked inserting objects into herself during masturbation, and Kian was her first and only love.
He only assumed she was a slut because of her strong pheromones and how easily she gave in to him.
”Essie, your face is red!”
The cook elbowed Esther with a smirk.
”N-No! It’s not like that! It’s just… It’s hot in here.”
Kian turned to the gathered crowd, his eyes scanning each person in turn.
Kian had received their words of gratitude.
Hearing such thanks made him feel that his efforts to help the innkeeper were worth it.
”…Thank you for taking the time during the busy hours. I think I’ll head back to my room and rest now. I might come down in about an hour to see if there are any leftover dishes for sale…”
”Hey, isn’t that Kian!”
In the middle of his words, a familiar deep voice interrupted.
It was Robert.
He was limping out of the kitchen, leaning on a cane, his body wrapped in bandages.
”Hahaha! Yo! I heard from Esther, but I can’t believe you were staying at my inn! I was worried since you hadn’t come back at all!”
”O-Oh, Dad! You shouldn’t be up! You need to rest!”
”Yeah, that’s right, boss. Your back must be hurting, right?”
”Ah, that’s fine! The fluid from the wound stopped this morning! As long as I drink some wine and keep warm, I’ll be fine soon!”
Robert, supported by Esther and the cook, made his way over to Kian with a clattering sound.
The narrow space in front of the stairs was now crowded with the staff of ‘The Boar’s Trot Inn.’
”Kian, thank you so much. Because of you, I didn’t have to make Esther and these guys sad. I can’t repay this debt overnight.”
”That’s true, Dad. You need to stop going far to look for wild ingredients from now on.”
”Well, that’s… related to my cooking theme, you know.”
”Don’t say that again! When I heard you were taken by a Griffin, I thought my heart would stop!”
”S-Sorry. Please forgive me.”
The employees cheered up at the sight of the big man, who looked like a bear with a pitiful expression.
If Robert had been eaten by the Griffin, the atmosphere would have been completely different──literally a funeral.
”Hey, Kian. You’re not planning to just retreat to your room, are you?”
”There’s no space to sit, so I was thinking of doing that.”
”Come on, that won’t do! Come to the main house now! Let’s drink together in my room!”
The bear-like man invited him for some drinking communication.
Kian hesitated for a moment, but considering his limited silver coins, it seemed wise to take advantage of the free meal as much as possible.
”Well then, I’ll take you up on that. Ms. Esther, I’ll be heading over to the main house.”
”Yes! I’ll bring some snacks later!”
Esther nodded with a smile.
Kian exchanged a few more words with the people present before heading out the back door with Robert, making their way toward the Pigfoot family’s main house.
* * *
”Look, this is the ‘Voyage Wine’ that was brought directly from the southwestern port town. I’ll open this one too.”
”Thank you. I’ll have some, Mr. Robert.”
”Hahaha. Go ahead and enjoy it without holding back. This stuff might be something you could never afford even if you saved your entire salary for a lifetime.”
Three hours had passed since they moved to Robert’s bedroom.
On the sturdy oak table where the two sat facing each other, several empty wine bottles were lined up.
Robert, being a former adventurer, had a strong tolerance for alcohol, and Kian had enhanced his metabolism through his ability to manipulate energy, making him resilient to drink as well.
While Kian appeared almost unaffected, Robert’s face was starting to turn red.
Drinking heavily after recovering from an illness was dangerous.
Kian knew he should stop soon, but he had lost track of the right moment.
”Hey, Kian. Are you planning to continue being an adventurer?”
”What do you mean by that?”
”I know you’re strong, and now that we’re having an honest conversation, I can see you respond well. Also, there’s something about you… you seem to have a good upbringing… a city vibe.”
”──────.”
”It’s a drinking occasion. Everyone shows their true nature. That’s why I wanted you to drink. Unlike those other fools, you seem very gentlemanly and capable to me. I honestly can’t believe someone like you is being stifled as a low-ranking adventurer in the Guild. It’s just strange.”
”The Guild gives proper evaluations.”
Kian took a sip from his glass, pretending to be humble as he replied.
Robert shook his head.
”No, that’s not it. You don’t get it. You shouldn’t be in your current position. …Now, it’s fine, but what will you do when you can no longer continue as an adventurer someday?”
’Kufufu, if you absorb life force, the cells in your body will rejuvenate.’
As long as I continue to steal magic power from others, theoretically, there is no end to life.
”It’s still a long way off, and I don’t know. Rather than thinking about that, I’m focused on how to gain money and status.”
”Even when an adventurer’s life ends, life isn’t over for most people. When I think about a second life, I believe that seeking strength alone isn’t the only answer.”
”So, what are you trying to say?”
”If you’re okay with it, you can come work for me anytime. We have plenty of young and beautiful waitresses, so you can just pick a wife from among them. …And when I get too senile to attend those stupid merchant guild meetings, I want you to support Esther by her side.”
The big man, resembling a bear, shrank down and stared at his own hands.
”I still thought I could keep going. I started the shop after retiring from adventuring, and in 17 years, I’ve built it up this much. I had the confidence to do anything. …But this time, I was reminded that I might easily leave this world behind, leaving Esther alone. I don’t know how much longer I can stay by that girl’s side. I’m 61 this year.”
”Sixty-one? That’s quite an age. How old were you when Esther was born?”
”I was probably around 45. …I don’t know the exact date of her birth. Her mother just dropped her off in front of the house later.”
”It sounds like there are complicated circumstances. I won’t ask.”
”I’d appreciate that.”
Just as Robert said this and reached for the wine bottle, the door to the room opened.
”Dad, are you still drinking?”
It was Esther who came in.
It seemed the tavern had finished its service for the day.
She had brought some snacks a few times during the evening, but this time she wasn’t holding anything.
”Mr. Robert, you should lie down soon. You can always have a drinking party later.”
”Yeah, you’re right. Kian, remember my suggestion.”
”…Got it.”
Kian said this and stood up as Robert got up from his seat.
He disappeared to wash his hands, and during that time, Esther and Kian tidied up the empty bottles.
”Did Dad say something to you?”
”When I retire from adventuring, he told me to come work at the tavern.”
”Huh!? So, what did Mr. Kian answer?”
”I said he didn’t know yet, and that I wasn’t planning on switching from being a warrior to a merchant or craftsman anytime soon.”
”Oh, I see…”
”I can just take these bottles to the tavern, right? Let me have them.”
”Oh, sure.”
He picked up the basket filled with empty bottles.
Esther, who was watching nearby, smiled and said, “As expected of a man, you’re so strong.”
”Mr. Robert, you can just wash these bottles in the kitchen and let them dry, right?”
”Huh? Oh, sorry.”
After returning from the bathroom, Robert excused himself and left for his bedroom.
Esther followed behind him with small steps.
”I have to lock up, and I also have to turn off the water…”
”I see.”
”Yes. By the way, Mr. Kian, you sure can hold your liquor. You don’t seem drunk at all…”
”Yeah, I guess.”
”Um, these past few days, you weren’t here because you were on a quest, right?”
”Yes.”
As he shifted his gaze behind him, Esther, who had been following with her head down, suddenly looked up and frantically waved her hands.
”Oh, I’m not prying or anything! I was just really worried that something might have happened to you!”
”…”
The wind blew, and a slightly sweaty scent wafted over from Esther’s direction.
It was the smell of sweat from working all day.
The sweet smell of a woman’s skin mixed with a sour, fermented odor.
It was a bit odd – the unpleasant smell was likely coming from Esther’s crotch.
If he sniffed closely, he could tell it was the diluted scent of a man’s musk that he had smelled up close before.
Despite her cute, beautiful girl appearance, at the end of the day, she was letting off this sweaty smell without having wiped her body.
Kian and Esther stepped into the narrow alley outside the store, and there they started washing the empty bottles.
They filled a large bucket with detergent and scrubbed the bottles.
Esther was crouched across from Kian, washing the bottles with a sponge.
Kian, who was crouching down in the same way, could see just inside her skirt due to the light of the lantern placed nearby.
”Nn… Nn… You drank a lot, didn’t you?”
Normally, she would have crouched down with the miniskirt fabric wrapped around her buttocks and heels, but Esther wasn’t doing that.
She was sitting with her knees slightly together, and from between her boots, a pair of white panties was visible.
The underwear was small and tight.
It was different from the drawers she had worn before.
It was a thong made for beastmen with thick tails.
From Esther’s pure white thong, the thick pubic hair was visible from the side, making it look unkempt.
The sight of the thong and pubic hair peeking out between the white knee-high socks and black pumps was so lewd that it seemed like she was doing it on purpose.
The white fabric was slightly raised in one spot, and beneath it, a vertical slit ran deep into her folds.
From the distance they were facing each other across the tub, the faint scent of her private area mixed with her skin’s fragrance and reached Kian.
”Ah…”
Esther’s brown eyes noticed Kian’s gaze.
She blushed and quickly averted her eyes downward.
Her brown ponytail swayed slightly.
”…”
She tucked her hair behind her ear with her rolled-up sleeves.
Then, pretending to adjust her leg position, she spread her legs even wider.
As if to flaunt her crotch to Kian.
She was crouching with her legs spread wide, as if she was about to pee.
”…”
”…”
Kian silently washed the bottles with a splashing sound.
After rinsing the bottle she was washing, she placed it to the side.
Esther did the same.
While Esther bowed her head, her face flushed red, Kian boldly stared at her panties.
”…”
Esther’s hand suddenly reached under her miniskirt.
She did this while still averting her gaze.
Gently, she shifted the white thong fabric to the side.
* * *
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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