Above the entrance, a sign displayed lettering that resembled the word “Tavern.” To gather information, a place like this was ideal.
In these cold climates, people loved their hot drinks, and such taverns were perfect melting pots of travelers and locals alike.
Daniel pushed open the door and stepped inside, with Nina and Sif close behind.
As they entered, the person at the door quickly closed it, sealing off the cold outside. Inside, it was warm, the air filled with the smell of alcohol.
The lively tavern went still for a moment at their entrance. Curious whispers broke out, and many turned to look at them with expressions of curiosity, suspicion, and greed.
Strangers were rare in this frozen region, and even rarer were people who looked like them.
Merchants who traveled through these mountains typically bore the weary look of constant travelers.
But Daniel and his companions were different.
Their presence exuded a refined elegance. Daniel’s bearing was naturally imposing, Sif had a dignified aura from her upbringing under her aunt Claire, a manager at Dragonscale Bank, and Nina, dressed in Sif’s warm clothes, looked around with wide-eyed curiosity, clearly finding the tavern amusing.
To any observer, these people were unmistakably wealthy.
Daniel found a seat and ordered some food and drinks.
As they settled in, the atmosphere gradually returned to normal, and patrons resumed eating, drinking, and talking.
Yet, Daniel noticed that their conversations seemed subtly directed toward him and his companions.
“Big Brother, those people over there look pretty loaded,” one voice murmured.
The bartender brought the food and drinks to their table, and Sif handed him a small piece of mana stone as payment and tip.
The sight of even a small inferior mana stone caught everyone’s attention, and the surrounding gazes intensified with interest.
The bartender gleefully took the mana stone and hurried to the back, where he spoke to the pub keeper.
“Don’t bother them. They’re important people. Let’s mind our business,” the pub keeper said, glancing at Daniel, before returning to his work.
The bartender glanced at his brother in surprise; he’d expected a different reaction. But his brother offered no further explanation.
As the bartender looked around, he noticed a few people who couldn’t sit still. The Wild Dog Gang.
The Wild Dog Gang was a gang of petty criminals known for their thievery. T
ownsfolk looked down on them, and they were tolerated only because of the harsh weather.
On a normal day, people would avoid them.
The gang members exchanged glances, making a decision and rising from their seats, moving toward Daniel’s table with smirks on their faces.
Daniel, of course, had noticed them long before.
Nothing annoyed him more than interruptions while he was eating.
The gang approached, sneering. Daniel’s gaze turned cold, and the gang members felt a wave of pressure descend upon them, freezing them in place.
“Leave. I don’t want to cause a scene,” Daniel’s voice echoed in their ears.
Normally, anyone would recognize this as a warning to back off.
But the Wild Dog Gang was different.
They interpreted Daniel’s words as a sign of weakness, thinking he was bluffing.
They had five or six men on their side, while Daniel seemed alone—he wasn’t counting the two girls as combatants.
“Kid! Let me tell you…” one of the gang members started, but before he could finish, he was gone.
A person-shaped hole appeared in the tavern’s wall, letting in a blast of freezing wind. The icy gusts jolted several patrons from their drunken stupor.
What… just happened?
The pub keeper quickly rushed out and addressed Daniel,
“Honored guest, please don’t mind them… those guys are from the Wild Dog Gang.
They act like that often, and today they foolishly tried to bother you.
Our tavern has nothing to do with it.”
The pub keeper’s words were part flattery, part disclaimer, distancing the tavern from the gang’s behavior.
Daniel looked at him, appreciating the pub keeper’s tact.
“I have a question for you. Answer it honestly.”
“Of course! Please, ask whatever you’d like, honored guest,” the pub keeper replied, his voice shaking slightly, though whether from the cold or from fear was unclear.
Daniel used magic to raise an earthen wall, seamlessly patching the hole in the tavern wall. Then, he conjured a symbol in mana on the table in front of the pub keeper.
“Have you seen this symbol before?” Daniel asked. free𝑤ebnovel.com
Upon seeing the symbol, the pub keeper’s eyes went wide with shock—he clearly recognized it.
“What does it represent?”
“Winterrealm! That’s the symbol of Winterrealm!” he whispered, startled.
He hadn’t expected that Daniel was seeking Winterrealm.
Now it all made sense. Winterrealm was a powerful force within the snowy expanse, so powerful that even knowing of its existence was rare.
“Where is Winterrealm located?”
“It’s… about ten thousand miles north of here. It’s very far,” the pub keeper replied.
Though he knew of Winterrealm’s symbol, he had never been there and knew very little.
“Thank you.” Daniel placed a larger piece of inferior mana stone on the table and rose to leave.
After they exited, the pub keeper let out a breath of relief.
“Big Brother, what was that about? What’s Winterrealm, and who were those people?” the bartender asked, as several patrons leaned in, eager to hear.
The series of events that had just transpired had far exceeded their understanding, leaving them filled with questions. Your journey continues on
“Don’t ask. Just mind your own business.
Sometimes, knowing too much is worse for you. Now, go clear the table,” the pub keeper said, quickly pocketing the mana stone and retreating to the back.
The bartender cleared the table and noticed that barely any food or drink had been touched.
“Guess those big shots didn’t like our food,” he thought, happily tucking into the leftovers himself.
“Headmaster, what was that bear-like symbol?” Nina asked as soon as they got back in the carriage. The symbol Daniel had shown the pub keeper was a fierce-looking bear’s head.
“It’s the reason we’re heading into the snowy mountains this time. Alright, no more questions; we still have a way to go,” Daniel replied, giving an evasive answer.