Chapter 103 - Dwarven (1/2)
A dirty, filthy, greasy place. This is how the Lemon Barrel Tavern can be easily described. The facade of the place is shabby, and if it were not for the huge sign there, people could easily mistake it for any old morgue, both by smell and appearance.
The Lemon Barrel Tavern is, besides being a great meeting place for the many young people who attend the Oukiwa Academy, the old place that used to gather the half-wolf gang.
When Luke entered the Tavern, he could almost hear the loud laughter of the gigantic Zack, whose sound was as striking as a Globorc's scream. The place was empty because it was still daylight.
”Arrggh! What's that smell?” As soon as he stepped inside the establishment, Alexis immediately plugged his nostrils because of the intense odor.
There was a large man in a small room behind the counter. Seeing the two half-beasts enter, he stepped out and quickly closed the door. ”Oh, I'm sorry about that. The scrap's collector hasn't come to remove it yet.”
'And that should be so close to where the customers are served?' However, the half-dragon noticed that the counter with seating was right next to it.
The tavern owner looked embarrassed. Despite his long gray hair, this man does not have a beard on his face, and his hair is neatly pinned up. He also has one completely white eye and a scar over this apparently blind eye.
As soon as the man with huge muscles saw the black hood and the worn clothing, he recognized Luke without seeing his face. There was no way to forget a man who had worn the same clothes daily for years.
”Luke? It's you, isn't it?”
The half-wolf removed his hood and revealed his fuzzy ears. Smiling, he stepped closer and joked:
”It's been a while since we've seen each other. You're not going to collect that debt from me, are you?”
”Hahaha! I would never do that!” As he went around the counter to give Luke a tight hug, the man said. They hugged each other tightly and slapped each other on the back a few hard times. ”You're gone, man!”
”I've been working.”
”You? Working? Tell another joke...” The Tavern owner was about to mock the half-wolf but saw that behind him was a beautiful woman, who was even better dressed than some Upper City nobles. ”Wait, is it serious?”
”Yes, except that's a subject for another time. I want to know if you saw Meredith or any of my other friends.”
”Naah! I'd see Matthew around the street a few times, but even his girlfriend, who usually works here at night, said he hasn't been over to her house in over two weeks.
Initially, I reassured her by saying that you really do disappear for a while and usually reappear afterward.
”No, I'm afraid to say that's not it this time... Did you hear about the fire you had in a shed in the harbor? Do you know anything about it?”
”Of course I know... They say that about a fortnight ago a bunch of crazies set fire to it. The City Guards had to run around in desperation to get it put out, and to keep the fire from spreading to other houses. What does that have to do with it?”
”The others and I used to live there, it's been a few years now.”
”Ah... that sucks, man. It must have been hard...”
”It wasn't hard. I just got into town, I was out of town. I just want to find my friends, and then we can start over and find another place.”