Once everyone took a seat, the waiter offered a varied selection of drinks and food.

“I'll have the cheese set with crackers and meat, please,” Natasha told him. “Also olives, pickled vegetables, and three bottles of wheat and koli spirit.”

The young man nodded. “Got it, dear customer.”

“What is everyone else having?” The former Russian asked aloud, revealing the large order was for herself.

“Parrus juice,” Hanna spoke up, looking at the waiter. “And I'll have the meal menu, please.”

“Albasini wine, at least a century old,” Bromisnar chimed in. “And a small cheese set.”

“I'll start with a tankard of ale,” Bonte requested. “With olives.”

“Same,” Thelea ordered. “But for my size.”

The waiter smiled and nodded.

“Two bottles of whiskey,” Yolin told him. “And a set of meat.”

“One bottle of whiskey and a set of cheese with crackers for me,” Pokora requested.

Alyssa hummed. “A bottle of your best wine and a selection of fruits.”

“A single glass of Apar'kh wine, please,” Elena spoke up. “And a small cheese set as well.”

“I'll have one Fire and Brimstone,” Lapia decided. “Then a Great Sky Vault after ten minutes. I'll have a set of mixed seafood dumplings with them.”

The waiter nodded. “Fried or boiled?”

“Mh... Boiled,” Lapia replied.

“Certainly,” the young man nodded again. “I'll come back with your order in a few minutes. Please excuse me,” he added and walked out of the room.

Pokora sighed and relaxed on the chair, stretching her legs. Her feet bumped into something and she looked under the table.

Thelea's legs reached all the way to her spot.

“I'm a bit big,” the Goliath pointed out. “I hope it doesn't bother you too much.”

The Archer shook her head. “All good, don't worry,” she assured her.

Thelea nodded and started chatting with the two men next to her.

“So,” Yolin started, turning to Pokora. “Pretty relaxing so far, right?”

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Pokora snorted. “If you call Natasha splitting someone in half, and people intruding on us while showering, relaxing... then yeah.”

The Oni smiled. “True, but I meant the trip here,” she pointed out. “No monsters, no bandits, you know?”

“Can't argue with that,” the Archer chuckled. “It's been oddly calm.”

“Really?” Natasha interjected. “I thought it was normal.”

Yolin nodded. “Well, other than the Giganto Cyclops we haven't seen monsters while traveling,” she considered.

“Maybe that's a bonus of traveling with a Halve,” Pokora suggested, looking at Natasha with an arched eyebrow. “I bet the news of your birth reached bandits and they moved away from this region.”

The Halve nodded with a hum. “Alyssa and Lapia told me the wild was dangerous so I thought we'd come across crazy shit out there.”

“I'm pretty sure monsters just avoid you,” the Archer suggested. “I mean, my trip to Lumin Kingdom wasn't as calm.”

“Really?” Yolin perked up at that. “Did you fight anything during your trip?”

Pokora nodded with a smile, then retold of the many monsters she came across on her way to meet the Halve.

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A while later, and with alcohol in the system.

“I can't believe this,” Natasha complained. “You're telling me there are massive wolves out there stalking Chasers?”

Pokora and Yolin nodded.

“That's why we've set up watch during the nights,” Pokora explained, pouring alcohol in her glass.

“They're as big as Pochi,” Yolin supplied, then drank from her glass.

“I feel like I've been robbed of excitement,” the Halve sighed.

“Not to mention wild felines and foxes,” Pokora chuckled. “There are all kinds of predators out there that attack travelers.”

“The most interesting ones fly,” Yolin chuckled. “Most pick you up, go up, then drop you.”

“No,” Natasha muttered and put a slice of cheese in her mouth. “Fuck those!”

Pokora laughed and drank more.

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“You can't be serious,” Borminsar gasped, looking at Alyssa. “Gionakis is one of the best characters Yinka Plavas has ever written!”

“Come on,” the Luzo sighed and put her glass down. “He's supposed to be this... criminal mastermind, but a child ruins the entire empire he's built?”

The Satyr huffed in disbelief. “A powerful Wizard in the guise of a child,” he pointed out. “Everyone knows Tenaflis was the kid!”

Alyssa shook her head. “That's not made clear at any point, Bormisnar. Sure, Tenaflis is capable of doing that, but there's no evidence of them being the same character. Plus, Gionakis should have seen through the disguise if he was such a mastermind!”

“That's what we call acting,” Bromisnar argued.

“Which is shown to be something Tenaflis can't do to save her skin,” she insisted. “The Pakunter saw through it in the second chapter. A Pakunter, Bromisnar!”

The man frowned. “Well, it was an especially clever and observant Pakunter,” he grumbled, grasping at straws.

Everyone exploded in laughter at that.

Except Natasha. She had no idea what a Pakunter was.

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“So, there I was,” Bonte retold. “Covered in feces from head to toe in order to hide my scent from the Janaxi.”

Everyone shook their heads in disgust.

“But then, one of my companions threw up,” he chuckled. “And the Janaxi jumped at us.”

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The night was relaxing, and everyone seemed to be having a great time.

Bromisnar made sure Bonte didn't go too far with the alcohol, and Thelea helped.

Elena had a total of two glasses of wine, being mindful of her low tolerance.

Hanna, who didn't like alcohol in the first place, drank juice and had no problems in joining the conversations the party had.

A few hours had passed, and it was time to go back to the inn.