Chapter 1363: Chapter 87: Rebuilding the Nation (15)

Gerard Mitchell didn’t like sharing a table with strangers, but after looking around and seeing all other tables were full, he nodded to the blond man.

With permission granted, the blond man nodded in gratitude before sitting diagonally across from Gerard.

However, he didn’t order anything to eat or drink, instead sitting upright, his left hand gently resting on the hilt of his sword, and his gaze shifting between the harpist in the side hall and the other patrons.

In the noisy, disorderly tavern, he seemed out of place.

The plump tavern owner’s wife sashayed over, drawing the attention of the patrons along the way. She threw a flirtatious glance at the handsome blond man and said in a sticky-sweet voice, “Little brother, would you like something?”

“No.” The blond man crossed his arms, turned his gaze aside, and replied expressionlessly, “Thank you.”

“Really nothing?”

The blond man firmly replied, “I need nothing.”

“Alright then.” The owner’s wife looked somewhat disappointed, casting a glance at the counter in the distance — the tavern owner was gripping the oak countertop so hard it almost sweat — then she bent down slightly, purposefully revealing half her bosom, and whispered hotly in the blond man’s ear, “If you need anything, you can always find me.”

The blond man’s cheeks reddened.

The owner’s wife giggled and swayed her ample hips as she went to serve other guests.

It took quite a while for Mr. Old Mitchell to recover from the encounter.

He shook his head self-deprecatingly, laughing as he teased the young man across the table, “Is there a mistress of this tavern? I’ve been coming here for days, and every time it’s the staff serving me.”

“No need to belittle yourself, old sir.” The blond man glanced at the serviceman’s cap on the table and replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, “If you were to give it a try, I don’t think that lady with the excellent appetite would reject a strong Dusack.”

Gerard froze for a moment, his gaze following the blond man’s to his cap.

The old Dusack laughed heartily and turned to call the waiter, “Another cup! A bottle of wine — bring the best one!”

Turning back, Gerard smiled and asked the young man in front of him, “Are you a Dusack too? Then we should share a drink.”

“Thank you for your kind offer, but I’m not a Dusack.” The blond man remained aloof, pressing his lips together and despite feeling somewhat awkward, bluntly replied, “I also don’t have money to buy wine.”

Gerard found the young man before him increasingly intriguing.

The waiter quickly brought over a new cup and wine, and Gerard personally poured the wine, setting it in front of the young man, “Would you allow an old man like me the chance to treat you to a drink?”

The blond man couldn’t refuse such hospitality; he solemnly bowed in thanks, then picked up the large wooden cup and gently sniffed it.

“Too strong?” Gerard apologized, “Wine from the Newly Reclaimed Land, foreigners usually aren’t used to it.”

“No.” The blond man responded nonchalantly, “Not strong enough.”

Gerard laughed silently, unintentionally exuding an elder’s authority, “Young man, don’t boast. Though this tavern looks worn out, its wine is the strongest in Maplestone City.”

“In some places, people can separate extremely pure ‘alcohol’ from the wine. Such a thing can’t even be drunk directly, it has to be diluted with water, otherwise drinking it would be lethal.”

The blond man calmly stated, “Only that level of liquor deserves to be called spirits. Even if naturally fermented wine like this undergoes simple distillation, it still isn’t strong enough.”

After saying this, the blond man drained the tavern owner’s prized brew in one go, then put down the cup with a composed expression.

Gerard couldn’t help but slam the table in praise, laughing heartily, “Finally found someone in Maplestone City to drink with! I really wish I could drink to my heart’s content with you.”

But immediately, Gerard’s mouth drooped again, and he said regretfully and with discouragement, “But I still have to go home tonight and can’t drink too much.”

“That means someone is waiting for you.” Upon hearing this, the blond man’s expression turned a bit desolate, and he sincerely said to the old Dusack, “That’s something to be envious of; I really envy you, old sir.”

“Indeed, it is a great fortune.” Gerard, touched by his words, also lamented.

But he quickly regained his enthusiasm, pouring more wine for the young man and smiling as he said, “But having a few less drinks is no problem, at worst, I’ll just be complained at a bit.”

Gerard curiously asked, “From your accent, are you from the North?”

Exposed once again because of his accent, the blond man couldn’t help but sigh, “Is it that obvious?”

“Not obvious, your Paratu dialect is already very good — better than mine.” Gerard commented with a smile, “But I’m from the North too, hearing you speak feels familiar, so I asked.”

The blond man half-squinted his eyes, scrutinizing the old Dusack, “I’ve heard that thirty years ago, a batch of Dusacks that belonged to the Imperial Guard, were captured by His Excellency Ned Smith, and then they swore allegiance to the Senas Alliance. After the war, they were settled by His Excellency Ned Smith in…”

“Settled in the Newly Reclaimed Land.” Gerard pointed to himself confidently, “Yes, I’m one of them.”

Gerard asked back, “Are you from a military background too?”

The blond man nodded.