"All of our private rooms are currently occupied, as they often are. I'm sure you don't mind having to use a communal dining room considering this is a walk-in, yes, Master Mezro'nan?" the gnome asked.
"Of courssse. But if a private room becomesss available...?" the lizard alluded.
The gnomish employee shook her head as their group came upon an open archway that lead into a magnificent dining hall. "Sadly, they are fully booked for the next 16 years. On the event of a guest not attending for any reason, pre-reservations have been made and you do not meet the criteria to take claim of one such pre-reservation."
Lone was a bit shocked. 'She's a double-S-ranker but she gets to talk to him like that and he just has to take it based on his expression? That's pretty fuckin' cool. This place must have some serious power behind it. But if that's the case, why is it here and not in, say, a Divine-ruled city or country?'
"I've only ever been here once," Yulia said softly. "It was an experience I will never forget. Some of my siblings frequent this place but it's too expensive for me, personally, given how much my research costs."
"What was it like the one time you did come here?" Lone replied just as softly.
"It was only the Golden Pass City version of the establishment, but it was still the best food I have ever had in my life. Even father says there is no comparison elsewhere on the continent," she answered.
'On the continent? I'd believe her if she said in the city, but the whole continent? Prince Keining must not be too well travelled despite his age,' Lone assumed. 'And what does she mean by 'Golden Pass City version'? Is space magic afoot, maybe? That's fun if so.'
Without missing a beat, their tiny guide dismounted her lectern and led the group through dozens upon dozens of tables, mostly filled with X-rankers. There were close to a hundred employees going about delivering food, serving drinks to tables, chatting with their assigned guests, the whole shebang.
"There's too many X-rankers... I even feel some XX-rankers... Golden Pass City only has one of those, the prince. Space magic. Gotta be space magic. Bet this place is linked to other cities. Did we walk through a teleportation gate or something unknowingly?" Lone asked Soph softly.
She nodded. "I'm pretty sure. The archway that took us from the hallway to this massive room felt spacey. I think?"
Lone noticed many eyes flicker towards them, mostly in curiosity, but there were hints of hostility stemming entirely from the content of their hushed words.
'Yikes. Telepathy only, I guess. Good thing we're in disguises at least. Didn't realise our stop for lunch would lead to so many powerful people suddenly being in the same room as us,' he commented.
Soph donned a downcast look. 'S-Sorry. I just wanted you to have what looked like the best. Everyone left here looking so satisfied... It looked like a normal restaurant with my Mana Sensing. I-I'll get better at telling space magic and concealed enchantments from what's actually normal! There must be differences for me to discover. I'm sure of it!'
Lone would have kissed her if he didn't think he'd get chewed out by a couple dozen X-rankers for being inappropriate. Instead, he held her waist as they walked and he replied, 'That's my Soph. I know you can do it, but remember our bet. You gotta earn that subskill or new effect for Body Manipulation before I get 20 skills out of beginner rank... Best not to distract yourself, right? I mean, I already have a few skills that qualify and there's so much time left...'
'I'm working on it, you big dummy!' she replied with a mental pout.
"Here we are. A table for five with room for six. I'll return shortly with our selection of menus. Would anyone like a complimentary drink to begin your stay?" their gnomish escort now turned personal waitress, it would seem, asked.
Lone witnessed Master Mezro'nan furrow what could be called his brow in surprise. "Would it be too much to asssk for a bottle of Ruodafolai?"
Yulia wasn't reacting beyond general amazement at the room, so she clearly didn't see either the gnome or Master Mezro'nan's requests as being too odd. Why, Lone didn't know.
"Not at all. Do you have a preference on the vintage?" the waitress asked.
The lizard's surprise turned to pure shock as the purple scaled quadruped hesitantly replied, "From the assscensssion of Divine Fractiousss, if posssible."
"Of course. And everybody else?" the gnome asked Lone, Soph, and Breena.
Lone pursed his lips. "Who owns this place?"
"Lord Im- Bob!" Master Mezro'nan hissed in warning for being so rude.
The gnome didn't seem to care, however. Instead, she smiled warmly. "Journey's End is owned by the Deposit Conglomerate. Now, complimentary drinks?"
"Whatever Peter would recommend. I'm sure he knows better what would make our coming meal as amazing as possible, right? If he's unavailable, I'll take the head chef's recommendation," Lone said as he pulled out a chair for Soph and then for Breena before taking his own place at the table.
This was a test of sorts. Peter, or the Undying Teller, had somehow convinced him and Soph to used a soul slot of Lone's to create the unique skill True Contract Magic and to adopt Kyuubi, without any of it seeming overly suspicious or weird.
If this place was owned by that man's employer, Malcolm Deposit, and judging by Master Mezro'nan's shock at the complimentary drink, then it seemed wise to see if he was getting special treatment for some reason. At worst, he'd just get told 'no' or get thrown out for being rude. Lone could live with that if that was what his words would lead to.
Soph nodded. "Same."
"Uh, um, m-me too..." Breena said.
"That sounds ideal to me. I know far too little about food and beverages to judge what I would like. Ah, I do have a preference for fruit juices, however, if that's appropriate," Yulia answered.
"Of course, that's no problem at all. I'll be right back," the gnome replied and then bowed before taking her leave.
Quite a few other tables had observed that interaction with intense interest. Many X-ranked and even some XX-ranked auras had spiked wildly upon hearing Lone utter Peter's name so casually despite him only being a B-ranker. Him not getting thrown out or killed for that was even more shocking to them.
He didn't care about that. The man had asked to be called Peter, not the Undying Teller back at Sir Deposit's auction where he and Soph had obtained their daughter, Kyuubi, so call him Peter he would.
'So we are getting special treatment. This woman didn't even bat an eye at me asking for Peter's recommendation,' Lone noted.
"I am curious, but do ignore me if it's inappropriate to ask, but, um, who is Peter?" Yulia questioned.
'Now the real question is, how did Peter know about my unused soul slots and will I get the chance to meet him and ask?' Lone thought idly as he answered, "He's an acquaintance. I met him way back when. I was an E-ranker at the time in Ranton. Good guy. Weird, but good overall."
'Fucky space and enchantment magic is just like the auction hall back in Ranton. I wonder if Peter or someone else from the conglomerate is keeping tabs on us? What if they always have been? That guy knew about my soul slots and somehow convinced me to use one which is insane. I mean, I don't regret it but we should have questioned it more at the time. No, I would have. Definitely got manipulated somehow. True Contract Magic is incredibly powerful and I wasn't harmed, thankfully. That skill is why Zel hasn't killed me yet. But still... Did Soph noticing this place happen purely by chance, I wonder?' Lone's suspicions felt well-founded this time.
"You are truly connected to the Undying Teller?" Master Mezro'nan asked as he lumbered up onto a specially crafted seat that was clearly made for his species.
"Connected is a strong word, but this treatment is likely due to our prior meeting, so sure. We're not here to talk about that though, are we? You're acting on behalf of the C.A.A. to discuss the actions of the love of my life right now," Lone noted.
Soph blushed and despite her plain disguised face, she still looked absolutely radiant to his eyes.
Before the Restodian Iglaform could reply, their waitress had returned with a platter of drinks in one hand and a platter of exotic looking but delicious smelling snacks on the other.
"One bottle of Ruodafolai from the era of Divine Fractious's ascension for Master Mezro'nan. One pitcher of Salient Night Infusion for Young Miss Sarah. One bowl of Highborn Acorn Syrup and one pint of Shapeshifter's Delight, both for Lady Sam and Lady Samantha. Two tall glasses of Thinker's Fruit Punch for Princessling Yulia Keining."
Needless to say, Soph and Lone alike were surprised that the gnome had essentially brought a drink for the different sides of Sofia to enjoy. Lone also noted that he didn't recognise a single drink she had listed, which was interesting given he had researched the food and beverages of Altros quite extensively thus far in his efforts to improve Cooking Mastery.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
"My apologies, Lord Big Bob, but Peter wasn't quite sure what the perfect recommendation would be for you, though he did try. This is a special shot glass filled to the brim with Thrice Refined Demonic Lava. The glass will refill itself up to five times, giving you six shots. It's got quite the kick, so do be careful," the gnome said before also laying out a bowl of milk next to Lone's oozing orange shot.
"And this is?" he asked, gesturing to the milky substance.
"For the sleepy one, should she wish to grace our establishment with her presence. The bowl may be taken so she can enjoy this Gulfian Milk at a later date," she said, shocking both Lone and Master Mezro'nan this time.
'That's from a Gulfian? Those are demigods... I dunno what their milk can do but it must be special if it's from Peter. He wanted nothing but Kyuubi's safety when we got her, so I wonder what that milk can do?' Lone thought in awe before he put the bowl away in his Dimensional Storage. "Thank you. I'm sure she'll love it. And the snacks?"
"A gift from the head chef. The meal will not be complimentary, but a friend of Peter's is a friend of Journey's End. Your menus," she said, waving her hand.
The centre of the table was filled with a stack of over 30 different menu types. Alongside them, one brass and one copper desk bell had appeared. "I have taken the liberty of enabling as much privacy as can be afforded to a table in the communal dining hall. Your words cannot be heard any longer and your actions will be masked. The brass bell can be pressed to disable the former, the copper for the latter. When you are ready to order, please don't hesitate to call out for me. Take as long as you would like. I am at your service for the duration of your stay here at Journey's End."
And with that, the gnome smiled, bowed, and departed.
"I may have made a missstake agreeing to repay that favour..." Master Mezro'nan hissed in a defeated manner. "I know I am here to dissscusss what happened with Olberic and Lady Vladimirovich, but may I partake in the sssnacksss you were gifted? I can asssure you, no matter how our official busssinesss goesss, I will not hold it againssst you. I am but a conduit for the dissscusssion to avoid emotionsss from tainting it."
Lone picked up a cookie that was shaped like a squid but smelled like heaven. He shoved it in his mouth and began chewing. A moment later, he was closing his eyes in bliss.
Congratulations! As a result of eating food prepared by [Androiv Malaivina] the host has gained 3 points in the [Vitality] stat.
"Absolutely fuckin' not. These give stats? Holy shit. I really need to work on Cooking Mastery. Soph, Breena, half for each of you. I don't care if you get full, force them down your gullets," Lone ordered.
Master Mezro'nan sighed sadly. "I sssussspected asss much. The food here normally givesss temporary ssstat buffsss. Powerful and long lasssting, yesss, but not permanent. Thessse sssnacksss are truly ssspecial."
"At least you've got your special wine. It do something in particular, or does it just taste heavenly?" Lone asked as he picked up his shot glass and sniffed it carefully before almost retching reflexively.
"Thisss particular vintage will increassse my affinity to earth magic by one to six percent. It isss truly a magnificent thing, one I am unworthy of, and one I am beyond appreciative for. Do you know what your drinksss do? I would be happy to explain asss I happen to know given the waitresss wasss kind enough to tell usss their namesss. It isss the leassst I could do for having benefited from your relationssship with the Undying Teller," Master Mezro'nan offered.
'One to six percent? That's a huge amount given the context of Yulia's affinity growth,' Lone thought. "Sure. I'm completely ignorant on why this shit makes me want to vomit."
Breena nodded while Soph looked concerned, "It smells bad? Both of mine smell really tasty."
"It smells like distilled pain, not disgusting," Lone replied.
"I would appreciate an explanation as well," Yulia said.
"Lord Immortusss'sss first then. Demonic Lava isss a delicacy of one of the planesss of hell the sssummonersss of Altrosss have managed to connect to. I know not which one, sssadly, but it isss pure poissson to anyone not of a demonic ssspeciesss outssside of a ssselect few beings like fire-basssed elementalsss. It will, however, if sssuccesssfully ingesssted, make a non-native of the hellsss resssisstant to all formsss of demonic influence. Like my wine, it variesss from perssson to perssson how effective it isss and how dangerousss it isss. A sssingle drop can kill an X-ranker. You have sssix full ssshot glasssesss worth of the ssstuff, and it hasss been refined three timesss to be even purer," Master Mezro'nan explained.
"Had I not ssseen the recording of your fight with Lord Keining, I would have asssumed the Undying Teller wanted to asssasssinate you. I cannot even fathom how harmful ingesssting sssuch a sssubssstance would be when the normal version is ssso lethal to thossse of my rank already. The gainsss will likely be jussst asss amplified," he added.
Soph's eyes filled with concern. She held Lone's hand and said, "Maybe you shouldn't drink it right now? Your soul still isn't fully healed..."
"Your soul is damaged?" Yulia asked in surprise.
"Did something stupid to myself with my aura. I'm almost better now though." Lone picked up the shot glass and stared at the bubbling liquid inside. "I wasn't told I could keep the glass like I was with the bowl of milk, and if it's only physical... As much as I am suspicious of him, I do trust Peter."
And with that, he downed the liquid in one gulp. His throat immediately burned up like he had just swallowed the sun. Lone thrashed about in his chair as he clawed at his Adam's apple as if he was trying to burrow into his own oesophagus to remove the raging inferno he had just consumed.
His skin turned bright red and steam rose from his entire body. His disguise flickered before collapsing entirely, revealing his true appearance before he slammed out of his chair and onto the floor where he rolled around while screaming madly.
"Lone!" Soph panicked and moved to grab Lone but was stopped by Master Mezro'nan who had used a silently casted earth magic spell to encase her entire body except for her head.
"Fool! Touch him and you will likely die. Bessst cassse ssscenario, you will lossse whatever limb you touch him with. Leave him. He did not die immediately and he isss recovering remarkably fassst. No one at thisss table will be free of consssequencesss when consssuming their drinksss, ssso sssit back down and lisssten to my explanationsss asss he worksss through hisss consssequencesss," Master Mezro'nan ordered, showing a sort of sagely wisdom that could only come with millennia of living as an independent mage.
Soph struggled against the earthy constraints and was just about to user her barrier magic to rip herself free, but a coldness overtook her plain foxkin face before she nodded.
Master Mezro'nan squinted his lizard eyes but he relented and undid his magic, allowed it to return to Altros, freeing Sophie.
"She will behave now. Thank you for restraining her. The girl acts before she thinks sometimes. Just like this foolish man of ours," Sophie sighed before the softness returned to her expression along with an embarrassed smile.
"Two sssoulsss, one body?" he asked.
Soph shook her head but didn't let her eyes leave the struggling Lone. "No. It's complicated."
"Asss mossst thingsss are. That explainsss your drinks, however. They both react differently depending on the persssonality of the consssumer," Master Mezro'nan stated. "Ssshapessshifter'sss Delight isss a drink ressserved for the mossst privileged of the different ssspecies that can naturally ssshapessshift. It turnsss the drinker into a blob akin to a ssslime before relying on their thoughtsss, wantsss, hopesss, and pure willpower, to boossst their ability to mould their form at will. While ressserved for the mossst privileged, it isss alssso almossst exclusssively usssed for thossse who cannot control their powersss."
The purple being that looked like a Komodo dragon didn't question why a human would need this substance. He clearly knew better than to do that. "I have heard the processs isss immensely painful, akin to a prolonged attack on the sssoul meant to caussse harm, not to kill. It isss not fatal asss a result. The processs isss also known to permanently enhance the Ssstrength, Dexterity, and Vitality, of the consssumer. The amount variesss basssed on how long they can ssstay consssciousss during the processs."
Soph didn't seem to care much. She was too busy fussing over Lone who was still writhing about madly. Besides, this was clearly Sophie's drink, not hers.
"Asss for Highborn Acorn Sssyrup, it is the sssoftessst of the drinksss we were given. A sssingle sssip can do nothing, or it can ressstore mana, permanently increassse Magical Power, grant random levelsss in magical ssskillsss, increassse magical affinitiesss, trigger magical enlightenment or ssskill enlightenment related to magic, or even grant an entirely new magical affinity or magical ssskill to the drinker. The risk, however, asss already sssaid, is that it could do nothing, wasssting it. The chance of sssomething happening dependsss wholly on the purity of the consssumer. Entirely in a ssspiritual sssense, not a physssical or moral sssense. It isss a dissstilled product of a World Tree, after all," the X-ranker detailed.
Soph's interest has been piqued but she still didn't reply or move her eyes from Lone. "What about the milk?" she asked.
"The Gulfian Milk? It isss guaranteed to evolve the bloodline of a beassst, animal, tamed creature, ssspiritual animal, or monster, who consssumesss it. It forcesss the drinker into a deep sssleep that they may never wake from, however. The chancesss of that worsssen if they have no motivation to do anything complex. A deeper, more powerful bloodline requiresss equally deep and powerful thoughtsss," he explained. "It would benefit even me. I am mossst jealousss of this 'sssleepy one'."
Soph nodded softly but didn't reply.
Seeing this, Master Mez'ronan continued. "Sssalient Night Infusion isss rather sssinisster. It will return the drinker to the deepessst, darkesst moment of their life and force them to repeat it for what feelsss like an endlesss amount of time. The drinker must overcome the moment to essscape, and doing ssso will grant them a ssskill only obtainable from the processs. That isss all I know. The information of the ssskill isss a tightly guarded sssecret. Your drink, child, very well may be the raressst one on the table."
Breena stared deeply into her pitcher filled with a liquid as black and ominous as the Void in Lone's features. She held back a fearful gulp. While she didn't rush into drink her beverage as Lone had, she didn't turn away from it, instead choosing to study it intensely despite her mounting terror of what consuming it would entail.
Master Mezro'nan gave her a look of pity then moved on, "Thinker'sss Fruit Punch, Princesssling Yulia, isss the mossst common drink here but it isss by no meansss ordinary. It will forcefully grant you enlightenment on any sssubject. It cannot fail which isss very remarkable. It isss, however, entirely limited on your own knowledge. You won't have the posssibility of being enlightened with sssomething you do not know. You need the building blocksss for the drink to create a ssstructure for you, ssso to ssspeak. The consssequencesss aren't fatal but they can be quite dangerousss. To induce the enlightened ssstate, the drink will ssseal all of your ssstatsss and ssskillsss for two monthsss."
"This is exactly what I need. They even gave me two servings... Um... waitress, are we allowed to bring these drinks home with us, or must they be consumed here?" Yulia asked.
Appearing near the table, the gnome smiled warmly and said, "The containers as well as the drinks are yours to do with as you will. Even the special shot glass of Mister Immortus's."
Given his disguise had dropped, the woman had addressed Lone by his real name, which wasn't too surprising. She disappeared just as soon as she was done talking.
"That is good to hear," Yulia sighed in relief. "What are the consequences of your wine, Master Mezro'nan?"
"It isss a trade. I mussst offer up an earth magic ssskill I cherisssh for the affinity boost I previously mentioned. I can re-learn the ssskill though, so it isss not that concerning. Centuries of work isss well worth the millennia of effort it would take to earn the affinity boossst myssself," he replied.
Lone crawled back up to his chair, noticeably less red but still burning far too hot for anyone here to touch him. Through gritted teeth, he said, "Not taking another shot for a while. Fuck me. Thanks for the info, man, it's appreciated. Wanna... wanna move on to official talks now? I need time to cool off before we order food anyway."