Chapter 4 (2/2)

(…)

(For now, I should just get some food. The only thing I’ve had today was that water from the stream in the forest. I’m really hungry.)

As the sun set, some taverns were opening. There was a good smell coming from an entrance, so I went in.

About 90% of the seats were full. I grabbed one of the remaining counter seats like a baseball player sliding to home base, and ordered an unfamiliar meat dish. As I stuffed my face with that, I also got my first experience with the alcohol of another world.

(Not bad.)

The meat was steak-like, and the drink was similar to German beer. Both were the sort of thing I liked.

“Delicious.”

I swiftly attacked the remaining food. I’d spent all day walking, so I was quite hungry. After I’d finished the food, I had the rest of my drink.

(Ah, sweet sweet alcohol. It’s fortunate that alcoholic drinks exist here too.)

I’d finished two mugs.

“Paaahh.” I looked up at the ceiling as I sighed.

(My alcohol tolerance isn’t really that high, so I shouldn’t drink too much.)

(…but one more is probably fine.)

I waved at a waitress to order one more mug. That’s when something hard hit me in the back of the head.

“…ow…”

There was the sound of something hard breaking. Someone had thrown a plate.

(What kind of a place is this?!)

“Recovery, re-recovery…?”

While rubbing the back of my head, I used my recovery magic. The pain immediately stopped, and I turned around.

A brawl was getting started. Two of the scary-looking people I saw in the Adventurer’s Guild building were facing each other. As I watched, they started going at each other like animals.

(What do I do here?)

(……)

I quietly turned back to the right and looked away. I didn’t want to be involved.

“Um, excuse me, could I get another drink?”

I was a little quieter than usual as I addressed the waitress.

“…are you OK? That was an incredible noise before.”

The waitress was concerned about the back of my head.

(What a good person!)

She looked about 15 years old, and was quite pretty, with light brown hair to her shoulders and lovely red-brown eyes. She’d been going around the tavern energetically, and the apron she was wearing suited her well.

“Yes, I’m fine. Can I get another drink? Same kind.”

“You…you’re a really calm person, aren’t you…”

“Not really…”

(I’m just content if I have beer. The fight behind me is not my problem. Not my problem.)

She nodded to indicate that she’d understood my order, and went to get me another drink.

As I was thinking that my drink would be coming soon, something hit me in the back of my head again.

“Agh…”

It was even worse than the first time. I fell onto the counter in front of me, and something hit the floor with a “tonk” noise. It was probably a wooden mug.

“Recov…recovery…”

I did recovery magic in my confusion, and the pain in my head went away again.

“…shit, this is some tavern.”

I glanced behind me, and the same two guys were there.

“Are you, are you OK?”

The waitress had arrived with my drink as the same thing happened again. I was happy about her concern.

“…yeah, somehow.”

“That was pretty loud, though…”

“Don’t worry about it. Can I get my drink?”

“Ah, yes, here you are.”

“Ahh, delicious.”

“…you’re pretty tough. At least, your head is.”

“Not really.”

(Recovery magic really is great. If I didn’t have that, I’d probably be in agony for a few minutes after that.)

“Ahh…”

“Eh?”

Then, the waitress suddenly shrieked, and there was a thump below me. The stool was knocked out from under me, and I fell to the floor.

“Ooooooooo!”

I unconsciously shouted out as I fell.

(What the hell?)

Even as I was still shouting, I was already using my recovery magic yet again.

Once the pain had gone away, I got up again. That’s when I saw what had hit my stool: one of the brawling macho guys was lying on the floor nearby.

“Are, are you OK?”

“…all right, I’m all-ight.”

The macho guy lying on the floor had hit his head hard and was unconscious. The remaining guy was looking at him smugly, and seemed satisfied.

“Um, sir…?”

The waitress was looking at me with concern. I was happy that she was worried about someone like me. My magic had healed my body, but her gaze healed my soul.

“…what is it, asshole? You wanna go too?”

The remaining guy was glaring at me. His face was bright red and he was obviously drunk.

(He must be the kind of guy who drinks until he doesn’t remember what happened the next day.)

(For now, I should check his status.)

name: Otto Mcfare

gender: male

race: human

level: 23

job: swordsman

/

/

(There’s no way I could win.)

(I have high INT but no armor or defense, so I’d be done for in one hit. I wouldn’t even have a chance to use my recovery magic.)

“No, not really…”

I put the stool back up and sat on it again.

“Hah! You scared? This virgin wimp is scared!”

(…well, excuse me for being a virgin.)

(Or rather, why is this guy picking a fight with me too?)

“…sorry.”

(For now, I’ll just apologize and hope he leaves me alone.)

“Hah, this little runt is apologizing!”

After that, his attention seemed to turn away from me.

(Whew. I’m saved.)

Not wanting to be any more involved than I already was, I turned away from him again. Miraculously, my drink on the counter was still safe. I took it and started drinking.

(Ahh, delicious beer. It’s delicious, but somehow…)

I couldn’t enjoy my drink quite as much with a body on the floor near my feet. Behind me, that guy was starting a fight with another man.

I was worried about the mental strain on the waitress.

(That’s about enough drinks for today.)

“Excuse me, I’d like to get the bill.”

“Ah, yes…”

I paid 10 copper coins and left the tavern.