Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Friends with Regen (2)
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"Seems like we've roughly cleaned up with this."
Sweeping the broken glass shards into a bag, I spoke to the owner.
In the restaurant, forced to close early for the day, Fey and I were helping the owner tidy up the disaster of a shop.
"...Thanks for helping clean up. Without any waitstaff, it would've been rough. And I even overcharged you guys."
The owner expressed his gratitude to us for our help.
"Nah, what can I say. We're sort of regulars, right? Isn't that so, Fey?"
"Sigh, Will is way too nice to people for no reason..."
Fey grumbled in disappointment, but I didn't regret it one bit.
'She's saying that because she doesn't know this world is a game.'
Some playwright once said that if you bring a gun into a story, you have to make it fire.
Unlike reality, events in games almost always have a purpose.
In Korea, a drunken brawl at night probably wouldn't affect the next day.
But in a game, that drunkard could turn out to be your job interviewer.
'And this game's genre is slice-of-life healing.'
High chance this incident would connect me with Regen.
Probably, you'd hear about Regen and the owner's past history, and as the player, you'd step in to reconcile them—that had to be the point of this event.
And as a reward, Regen would join your party or something. Classic progression.
So, the follow-up event should trigger any moment now.
"...Come to think of it, you came here to eat, but I couldn't even give you anything. Hold on a sec."
Right on cue, the lizardman owner flicked out his tongue and headed into the kitchen. He returned with a bag stuffed full of the fried snacks and meats he'd been selling.
"Take this at least and eat it on the way. Business tanked today, so it's all leftovers. Eat up casually."
A delicious aroma wafted up from the bag, teasing my stomach.
"Ah, thank you. This is too much—we feel bad now..."
"...Then, could you do me one favor?"
"Pardon?"
Here it comes—the special event.
I kept my expression neutral and asked the owner again.
"Here."
The owner pulled out a single bottle of liquor and handed it to us.
I wasn't an expert on booze, but this looked insanely high-end at a glance.
The bottle itself was premium, and a faint floral scent drifted from the cork—not your average stuff.
"Take this liquor to that bastard Regen. I'll tell you where he might be. If he's not there, you guys just drink it."
"This is...?"
"Eh, it's got a story behind it. Deliver it, and he'll know. For that guy, it's about time he woke up from his dream."
With that, the owner fetched a piece of paper and roughly sketched a map before handing it over.
'Now this is friendship.'
I could clearly see it.
The owner and Regen had to be long-time regulars.
They bickered like crazy, but their feelings for each other were genuine.
"...Hmph."
Fey seemed to be thinking the same; her face softened with subtle admiration as she rubbed her philtrum with her thumb.
"Yes, we'll deliver it."
"We'll make sure to bring it to her!"
What kind of person would refuse such a warm, human event?
Fey and I promptly left the shop to go find Regen.
You killed him you killed him you killed him
That's a trap. Deliver it and you'll never see Regen again
That's like Shunok's empty lunchbox thing.
(Regen emote shouting 'What's the point of living!')
Threshold... gotta live as a cold-hearted bastard for the warm city...
Lmao that shows up super early, no Regen? You're screwed for official adventurer license lololol
"We're here! According to the map, this is where Regen... wow."
Having taken the owner's request, we arrived at Regen's 'secret spot' to deliver the liquor.
"It's really... a sight."
No kidding.
Looking down on the Threshold from a distance, it was locked in twilight even in the dead of night.
At the center of the Threshold was a waterfall plunging into the dungeon's abyss.
When the Nether emerged, a massive river had turned into a waterfall overnight.
The waterfall poured endlessly into the depths. The mist it kicked up scattered the city's lights.
Below were the cheap red glows of mana lamps. Above floated the amber lights of the high-end adventurer district.
The clouds cradled red and yellow hues like a sunset, trapping the city in a veil of natural and man-made twilight.
A true city that never sleeps.
With hell right under its chin, the city lured travelers like a fisherman's lure.
And there,
one pointy-eared woman quietly gazing at the twilight.
"Regen?"
"...You. How'd you get here?"
Regen turned around and asked, puzzled.
"Heh, on an errand."
Click.
I held out the liquor I'd brought for her.
"Brought some liquor. The owner from earlier asked me to deliver it."
"...Ah."
The liquid inside sparkled like a sunset under the nightscape's glow.
"..."
Was she moved? Regen fell silent for a long while.
This was friendship.
"......Yeah, so that's how it is..."
Regen pressed hard on her left eye, covered by a cloth.
From the gap between cloth and skin came an incongruous floral scent.
"Um, if it's not rude... what's your relationship with the owner? Old comrades?"
Fey directed the question at Regen.
"...Before I retired, that bast*rd... no, my guildmates and I used to drink there a ton. I was a regular. Hell, I even officiated that guy's wedding."
Seemed like a seriously deep bond.
"Anyway, thanks for coming all this way. This settles things for today. Oh, and this."
With that, Regen handed us a pouch of money.
"For your trouble. Not much."
"No, we didn't do it for this."
"Just take it. If not, I'll toss it."
She had a prickly personality.
No helping it—I accepted Regen's money pouch.
Pretty heavy for "not much."
"Then, see ya."
Regen turned away from us, signaling no more business.
"Ah... right, you two. Aspiring adventurers, yeah? You won't listen if I tell you not to go, so as a senior, one bit of advice."
She glanced at me as if it just occurred to her,
"Don't pour your heart into people too much. In the end, everyone leaves alone."
She gave a wistful, cynical piece of advice—the kind you'd wear after the world chewed you up and your lover dumped you.
Huh, this wasn't what I'd expected.
Not the kind of advice for a heartwarming moment.
"Now go on."
Shoo.
Regen waved us off casually.
'Huh, that's it?'
I'd gotten the money reward, sure. And if we met again later, we could act somewhat friendly.
'Feels kinda lacking, though.'
Something was missing.
I lingered, hoping for more to happen, but Regen ignored us and rummaged in her bag for a bottle opener.
"She's so... negative."
Apparently, I wasn't the only one feeling off—Fey looked awkward too.
'...'
Should we just head back like this?
'That'd be the right call.'
The quest probably ended here.
Second encounter. The rest of the story would unfold down the line.
So, time to withdraw.
'...'
But,
"Then we should... Huh? Will? Where are you—"
-Thud, thud.
No matter how I thought about it, I couldn't let this slide. This wouldn't do.
-Thwack.
My arm blocked Regen's as she moved to take a swig.
"...What."
Regen looked up at me with a what-the-hell expression.
Yeah, this world was a game.
But it was also reality to me right now.
So, I had some leeway. I could interrupt an NPC with actions not in the script.
"What do you want? You grabbed me—spit it out..."
I had to say it.
If I didn't speak up now, I'd regret it massively.
Deep breath. I opened my mouth.
Conveying my true feelings to Regen.
My true feelings were—
"Just one sip."
"?"
"Can I have just one sip? That liquor looks so damn tasty."
Sampling that stuff that screamed top-shelf at first glance.
"Ah, and I've got side dishes too, right? Drinking without snacks is weird, yeah?"
A luxury I could savor with all five senses, precisely because it wasn't just a game.
"Doesn't good food taste even better when shared?"
As someone who'd made a living traveling and eating, there was no way I could pass up a chance like this!