The Innkeeper
chapter-329-30041322

The opal white carriage, pulled by a single Brown feathered Fantasy Lion, stopped directly in front of the tavern. The driver disembarked from the carriage in proper form and stepped in front of the door and opened it. During this entire process he neither looked at the venue nor deigned to study the surrounding crowd. His gaze was strictly focused only on the ground.

From the carriage stepped forth a handsome young man, his fair skin dazzling under the night time sol-light. He had a soft smile on his face, as if he was enjoying life, and eyes full of curiosity.

"My ship just arrived at the dock and I heard say that someone was giving out free drinks," the man said softly, as if to explain his arrival. Yet no one said or did everything, and all eyes were still stuck on him. The man let out a defeated sigh, and shook his head, as if he was all too familiar with such a scene.

"I told you to let me walk here and blend in. Now look, you've caused a scene."

"It is their honor to be in your presence," responded someone from the carriage, his visage strangely hidden from view. "If you are dissatisfied with the reaction, then get back in the carriage and let's leave. These people will not be comfortable with a lord among them."

The young man passed his gaze over the crowd one more time, as if confirming the other man's statement, and indeed everyone had frozen expressions, filled with panic and confusion.

What he did not know was that the person accompanying him was secretly exposing everyone in the tavern to his aura. He was not suppressing anyone, as the signs of that would be easily identified, but just his aura of an immortal was enough to have the whole tavern in fear for days to come. The man's plan worked - almost.

While everyone else was frozen, Lex took out a tray and put a mug and a glass on it. In the mug he poured the cheapest drink in his tavern: Dimmelon juice, and in the glass he poured the most expensive drink he had: Sunset Wine. Of course, it was only the most expensive drink not including the ones in his wine cellar.

Then, Lex picked up the tray and casually walked towards the carriage. In truth, it only seemed it was casual, and in actuality he was under a lot of pressure. But it was only because the immortal was not actually targeting him with the aura that Lex could even think, let alone move. After all, he'd already experienced how the coercion from the Kraven stopped even his thoughts, let alone actions.

"Indeed, there are free drinks, though only for tonight," he said, and brought the tray before the man. "In celebration of the opening of my tavern."

The man was first startled at Lex's demeanor, and then he grinned widely. Without saying a single word he grabbed the mug and chugged it down. He expected that he would have to force himself to drink, for he did not know what to expect from such a… mediocre level establishment. Yet whatever he drank was genuinely amazing, strengthening his resolve.

In a brute life fashion he allowed the drink to spill from the mug down his face, and once he was finished he wiped it clean with a sleeve.

"Well if it's a celebration, then we must also celebrate," the young man declared. "You can go on without me, because I for one cannot turn down my host's hospitality."

The man in the carriage only let out a deep sigh, after which the driver closed the carriage door, got back in his seat and drove it away.

Now free from the aura, the crowd in the tavern had begun to murmur, and they all watched the young man with fear. A good number of them silently slipped away, but most of them remained.

"The name is Pvarti," the young man said with excitement as he looked around the tavern. It was his first time in such a place.

"What was that drink you poured? It was excellent! I dare day even my brother would like it."

"Dimmelon juice. Technically speaking, it's just the juice of the Dimmelon fruit. It just so happens that the fruit is alcoholic in nature, so it needs no fermentation to be served."

In the entire bar only Pvarti and Lex were talking and the rest were watching, at most whispering amongst themselves.

The situation was not ideal, and Lex had only just begun to think of ways to dissolve the awkwardness when a familiar voice yelled across the street.

"BARKEEP POUR THE DRINKS, I'M GETTING MARRIED!"

Before anyone could even wonder who had yelled, a shirtless giant burst in, holding a similarly giant woman in a dress.

Big Ben and his fiance were grinning ear to ear, and paid no heed to the unusual silence in the tavern.

Before Lex could reply, Pvarti grabbed the tray from his hand and brought it to Big Ben.

"Congratulations brother," he said as he gave Big Ben a slap on his back. "Here, have this."

Without thinking Big Ben grabbed the drink, and before Lex could utter a warning, gulled it down in one go.

"Ah that… was for Nascent realm cultivators and above," Lex said, awkwardly.

"What?" Big Ben asked, unsure of what Lex meant. The next moment his eyes rolled up, and he fell back on the floor, unconscious.

The tavern burst into laughter, Ben's fiance included. Before the situation could change again, Lex quickly started passing out drinks again while Rick carried Ben to a room once again. He had poured Sunset Wine intending to pass it to the person in the carriage, but the person never gave Lex the opportunity.

Lex turned to look at Roan and asked him if Ben would be okay. After scratching his head a moment, all he could say was "probably."