The atmosphere in the capital was bright and filled with joy. The humans, the ogres, the gonliks, and everyone else mixed and were having a blast while preparing for the capital-wide party to honor Silva.
This was the birthday of their monarch, and they wanted to make it the best they could. In only one month, Silva showed them that they could coexist and also live happy lives.
With the basic amenities and life he had given them, they had all been happy. Most humans that had felt like life would take a sour turn saw Silva enable them to live like nobles.
Meg, Ron, and Riker left the castle unhindered and entered the city, which was buzzing with excitement. They watched as people and beasts moved around, doing different things.
“Is all this because of his birthday?” Riker asked.
“It does look like it,” Ron said.
“It seems he is really loved, to a suspicious amount. For a kingdom that has existed for just a month, what would he have done to actually make them love him this much?” Meg asked.
“Well, that’s what we are about to find out, and the best place to find out anything is the bar,” Riker said.
“Remember, we have to be cautious and make it seem like we are just asking random one or two questions, letting the discussion happily drift toward the direction we want,” Meg said.
“We should go. Ron is getting all pumped up since you mentioned the bar,” Riker said.
“You shouldn’t allow him to drink so much; it ends up putting a toll on your body,” Meg said.
“That is why I let him bear the stress by himself, and I’ll come out after the hangover clears,” Ron said and started walking.
Meg sighed and followed behind with Riker. They strolled through the town, with people greeting them, and the beasts capable of human speech also greeting them.
“For most of them to be able to use human speech, it means they have high intelligence. Well, that makes sense seeing as they are coexisting,” Meg said.
“Doesn’t change anything. They are filthy followers of demons, vile creatures,” Ron said.
“Doesn’t matter, Ron. Until we are able to defeat the top vile creature, we just have to accept them as they are,” Meg said.
They made it to the bar. There were a few people inside, which was abnormal for a bar, but it didn’t matter to the three.
They headed to the counter, where the bartender was a seven-foot-tall Minotaur. They didn’t say anything about that and just came to sit.
“Oh, good morning, guests. What can I get for you lot?” the Minotaur asked.
“Uhm, just give us three beers,” Meg said.
“Alright,” the Minotaur said and went to get their drinks. He served them and was about to turn and leave, but then Meg spoke.
“Your place is a bit empty,” she simply stated.
“Oh, that is to be expected. Today is the King’s birthday.” He carried a rag and a cup and started cleaning it.
Stay tuned with
“From your statement alone, I can tell that you are not from Dark Dragon. If you were, you would have understood the hype behind his birthday.
“Oh, by the way, my name is Lawrence. You see, the king to the people here is not just a figure of rulership; he is the hope of a better world.
“The crazy part is that he doesn’t even know he is. It’s like he is automatically made to make the right decisions. He believes they are selfish decisions, but in all honesty, every one of them has made life better for us,” Lawrence said.
“You speak so highly of him. I can understand since I’ve met him face to face. But for you, what exactly has he done for you?” Meg asked.
Ron and Riker were already gulping down their beers while trying to follow the discussion.
“For me? That’s really simple. I have a family of five, and giving them a good life would entail me hunting other beasts and humans as well for sustenance.
“But rather than let me do that, he offered me a work contract that stated I should choose from one line of work, and so I chose to be a bartender, as that sounded fun to me.
“So I was taken for a two-week class on how to run a bar, equipped with the best knowledge. I and lots of others now have bars at specific locations set by the king.
“He built this shop and let me own it under the contract that he takes thirty percent, and I can keep seventy to run the place and have my profit.
“The place might still belong to the kingdom, but it’s still mine, and he made it possible for me. So I no longer have to swing an axe to have food; I can simply buy what I need,” Lawrence finished explaining.
“Hmm, I have another question. What do you eat for meat? Because it would be weird for you to eat goblin meat with goblins living here,” Meg asked, trying to at least catch him in something.
“Oh, that. There are those who are against the killing of any beast, but they are really few. You see, not every beast is a part of us.
“To us, they are still beasts, or should I say animals. They have no chance of any evolution of intelligence, either due to a biological factor or something else.
“We have pigs, goats, wild bulls, and more. They have no access to evolution, and so they are reared.
“It might seem evil in its own way, but to those that have had to eat each other for years, this is a sweet relief, and we are happy.
“No one can ever be completely good; we all have stains,” Lawrence said and took Ron and Riker’s cups to fill them again.
Meg stayed and watched a bit. This was what humans did—eat beasts and animals they thought were just animals.
And she didn’t regret that. She just felt it would have a different effect on this Minotaur, but it didn’t.