Chapter 40: Immersing in Outer Gods, Increasing Happiness
“Young man, your glass is empty. Want another drink?” the dwarf, Dar, asked, his stubby fingers tapping on the counter.
Abyss, engrossed in a notebook, simply nodded without looking up. Dar, not one for idle chatter, turned around and expertly mixed a colorful drink for Abyss, placing it before him.
Leona sat with her legs crossed, leisurely savoring the wine in her glass. Flora, still learning how to drink, took small sips. She didn’t enjoy the taste of alcohol but appreciated the aroma of spices and flowers infused within it.
“Abyss, you’ve been staring at that notebook all day,” Leona complained. “Is it really that interesting?”
“You’ve only read one diary. If you took a look at the notes I’ve been reading, you’d understand. Your ancestor’s research on the monsters was quite thorough,” Abyss said, taking a casual sip of his drink, his eyes fixed on some simple illustrations in the notebook. “He often dreamed of an upside-down man walking on his hands while searching for a solution. So, he recorded his lingering dream memories every morning, detailing the upside-down man’s behavior and personality. This is invaluable information.”
“That was meant for me,” Leona grumbled, taking a large gulp of wine in defiance and letting out a small burp.
Dar was quite fond of these seemingly young patrons. One was a little runt barely taller than him, another a delicate and seemingly fragile girl, and the grey-haired boy always looked pale, as if he had been drained by the two girls—yet, these three unassuming individuals had accounted for eighty percent of his sales from yesterday afternoon to today at noon.
All three had impressive alcohol tolerance. They drank non-stop, their faces never flushing, nor showing the slightest sign of intoxication. Especially the little girl with the silver pigtails, she had consumed almost her weight in wine.
They could drink, they could afford every drink, and they didn’t cause any trouble when drunk, just sitting there quietly, chatting and bickering playfully. What tavern owner wouldn’t like such customers? He’d have to be kicked in the head by a giant.
Leona’s homecoming yesterday morning had gone smoothly. After exploring the basement, Abyss respectfully took all of Star’s research notes on the Outer Gods. Leona couldn’t carry a whole bookshelf of books and scrolls anyway, so she readily handed them over, keeping only a silver necklace she found in the secret room, a memento of her mother, which she wore around her neck.
They never figured out when Leona’s mother had passed away. Except for the hidden basement, the house had been emptied of all personal belongings. According to Western Empire law, if no heir claimed a property within fifty years of the owner’s death, it would be nationalized and auctioned off. Perhaps Leona’s mother had sold everything except the house before she died, leaving it empty—without her only daughter, she must have been very lonely when she passed.
Fortunately, Abyss didn’t detect any lingering spirits in the house, suggesting that Leona’s mother had died peacefully.
From the moment they left the house, Abyss had been eagerly devouring Star’s research notes. The Outer Gods were mysterious and didn’t communicate normally with humans. Star had meticulously recorded every encounter with the upside-down man. When these records reached a certain volume, a qualitative change occurred, and a comprehensive, three-dimensional image of the Outer God emerged. Abyss was ecstatic, clutching the notes like a beloved possession.
Flora was worried that Abyss was becoming too obsessed with these things and would eventually be mentally controlled by the Outer Gods—if Abyss was determined to destroy the world, few could stop him. Although she and Leona were powerful, they were still his followers. Abyss could compel them to do his bidding at any time, but he currently disdained using such methods.
Contrary to Flora’s concerns, Leona was quite optimistic. Since her ancestor had researched the Outer Gods for so many years and remained sane until his death, Abyss would be fine.
“Oh, my heavens, this illustration is as beautiful as a unicorn’s heart… Look…” Abyss said, shoving a drawing in front of Flora and Leona.
It depicted an upside-down human face, but not entirely human—its tongue was forked, like an octopus in its mouth. The eyes had no whites, completely black, and the forehead was much shorter than a human’s. It was both ugly and eerie.
“Beautiful my ass! Put that away!” Leona said, kicking Abyss in the backside.
“Welcome! What can I get you?”
Dar, the dwarf, called out just as the tavern door opened with a gentle push from a delicate, white hand. A slender, graceful figure entered, bringing with her the scent of bilberry and rose.
“Your tavern… has so few customers,” the newcomer said in a soft, youthful female voice, her tone soothing and pleasant.
“Oh, beautiful lady, are you from out of town? There was a murder in my tavern a few years ago, so people are afraid to come here,” Dar said, stepping out from behind the counter, a rare occurrence, to greet the woman. “It’s a quiet time at noon. Whatever you desire, I can mix it for you.”
Abyss looked up from his notes and glanced at the newcomer.
It was clearly a young girl, not yet an adult, with a slender and graceful figure. She wore a grey robe and a grey cloak, her bright emerald green eyes peering from beneath the hood. Her long, silky silver hair was tied in a ponytail, cascading down her back, swaying slightly as she sat down at a table.
“Hmm… I’d like a glass of Eregia Knight,” the girl said after a moment of thought.
“Oh, look at me, my tavern is mostly frequented by commoners. I didn’t think to stock any high-end drinks,” Dar said with a feigned chuckle. “I’m sorry, we don’t have that drink here.”
“Ah… I apologize. Then I’ll have your signature drink,” the girl said, seemingly embarrassed.
“Huh… This person…” Leona muttered softly.
Abyss wasn’t interested in the fragrant girl. His eyes were glued to the notebook. What beauty could compare to the face of an Outer God? Look at those scales around the eyes, simply mesmerizing!
“Excuse me, the gentleman reading, are you from out of town?”
Abyss wanted to continue reading, but the girl, speaking fluent Common Tongue, addressed him.
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