Chapter 13: Drunken Mule (2)

Chapter 13: Drunken Mule (2)

Dale spoke to the woman who was cursing outright.

You have a foul mouth.

So what? Did you ever feed this foul mouth?

Oh, really?

The crouching red-haired woman shot back crookedly.

It wasnt easy to confront Dale like this.

The woman seemed to have a bold personality or perhaps she had already resigned herself to her fate.

She looked intently at Dale, who was staring at her.

Why are you here?

She asked bluntly.

Matching her poor attitude, Dale responded curtly.

Why else? I came to get a room at the inn.

Well, that makes sense. But its not possible.

Not for a dark knight?

That too. But how can I give you a room in this mess?

She pointed around with her finger.

The chaos was escalating.

Tables and chairs were flying around, and glass shattered on the floor as it was dropped.

The drunkards acted as if destroying the inn was their sole purpose.

It seems like they are all in this together.

These were not just drunkards, but more like a group of hoodlums or mercenaries.

It was typical for such types to express their discontent in this manner.

The woman seemed as if she was fed up with it and buried her head back in her knees.

I might as well just die.

Dale asked.

Is it like this every day?

Cleaning up the broken debris has become a part of my morning routine for quite some time now.

Call the guards.

Do you really think I havent tried that? Do I look like a dumbass?

..

The woman, who had spoken sharply, sighed deeply and apologized.

Im sorry. I took out my frustration on you.

It doesnt matter.

Talking to the guards is useless. They come lazily, take bribes from these bastards, then slink away. Then I end up facing retaliation and getting extorted. But why am I even telling all this to a stranger?

The woman muttered self-deprecatingly and waved her hand.

So, go look elsewhere.

Thats a problem. I came here because I heard youd take in anyone as long as youre paid.

That was my fathers principle. But after he passed away, the place turned into this mess.

So she was the owner, not just a waitress.

Dale looked around for a moment and asked indifferently.

So, in the end, you cant accept me because of these guys?

Yes, well. Could you at least help me clean up?

I will.

Now that you understand Wait, really?

The woman abruptly lifted her head, which she had been burying in her knees. Dale met her gaze and spoke.

Ill clean everything up. In exchange, how about waiving my lodging fees for fifteen days?

Fi-fifteen days is too much. Lets make it ten days. In exchange, Ill provide you with hot water every day.

Dale chuckled. Even in this situation, she was haggling over the price. She was a woman who wouldnt starve anywhere.

But he didnt let her have her way.

Fifteen days. And you provide hot water.

What? Thats even worse. Who makes a deal like this?

Its the price for your insults. If its unfair, become stronger.

Haa.

Although the woman clicked her tongue in disbelief, she eventually nodded her head.

After all, she didnt have many other options.

My name is Dale.

Kayla. Im Kayla, the daughter of Seeger. But youre joking, right? Theres a difference in the number of people

Kayla was a woman ignorant about fighting.

What she didnt know was that there were fights that couldnt be won, regardless of the numbers.

Dale pointed with his index finger towards the back.

Stay back.

Uh. Um. If thats the case Ah. But you cant kill anyone! If you kill someone, the guards wont just stand by. Unless you hide the body too.

That would be a bit troublesome.

Dale, who was about to reach for his warhammer, stopped.

He actually intended to get accustomed to his newly acquired weapon in this fight.

It cant be helped.

There are times when not every fight has to end in death.

Although his dark knight instincts were deeply disappointed, his human side deemed it a fortunate turn of events.

Dale stepped forward.

The drunkards were still causing a commotion. None of them paid any attention to him.

Dale put strength into his knees, which were bent in a kneeling position.

The shaking intensified.

The men panicked and they tried to exert their strength in any way they could.

However, Dale slowly began to rise, lifting the men clinging onto him higher and higher.

Eventually, the mountain crumbled down.

Aaagh!

What kind of strength is this!

After hurling the last man clinging onto him far away, Dale looked around once more. His eyes met those of the dazed leader.

Are you going to leave quietly?

The people glanced at each other, and then, without anyone saying anything, they all bolted towards the exit.

The drunkards who had been causing a commotion until now were swift and orderly in their escape, like a receding tide.

When the inns customers had all but vanished, only Dale and the startled Kayla remained.

Wow, yo-youre quite strong, arent you?

Kayla had not expected Dale to single-handedly deal with everyone so quickly and overwhelmingly.

Even to her who had no experience in fighting, it seemed impressive.

I didnt expect the guys whove been troubling me for months to be dealt with in one fell swoop

Dale dragged one of the few remaining chairs to sit down. The place was a complete mess. It looked like business was off for the day.

Dale asked her.

Do you run the place alone?

Kayla, looking around the messy interior with a sense of despair, opened her mouth.

I used to run it with my father.

It must not be easy doing business with those kinds of people around.

Especially for a young woman who had never learned any fighting skills.

Kayla smiled bitterly.

When my father was alive, things went fairly well. He was a retired mercenary. But after he passed away, it became too much for me to handle alone.

Dale nodded his head. It was a common story, one that could be found anywhere.

Those guys? They seemed to be a gang.

Ah, thats Jimmys gang.

Jimmy?

Yes. Theyre thugs based in the slums, but recently, theyve grown bolder and are looking to expand into the city.

And they chose this place as a stepping stone for that?

Kaylas eyes widened.

Ooh, you catch on quick. Or are you well-versed in these matters?

Not really.

A daughter left alone after her fathers death. An inn located in a secluded area.

Wasnt it a situation that would make anyone drool?

Did they tell you to sell the inn for a cheap price?

That would have been better! No, they told me to marry one of them! I mean, as you can see, I am quite beautiful, arent I?

?

Kayla was shameless. No, she was a woman brimming with self-confidence.

They said I passed as a bride because of my pretty face and big butt well, you know. Their leering was just so creepy.

Dale nodded in agreement.

Certainly. Marrying you would legally grant them ownership of the inn. Not a bad strategy. It reduces the risk of future complications too.

Arent you supposed to be angry with me right now? Why do you sound impressed by the bastards?

Naturally, Kayla rejected Jimmys marriage proposal.

Thats when the harassment began.

Groups of them would come in, drink without paying, cause mayhem, and break the furniture. Theyd frighten other customers and scare them away.

The mental strain was bad enough, but with the inns operations disrupted, her wallet was also suffering.

Thankfully, they didnt physically harm me; perhaps they were wary of the guards. But I was close to being forced to hand over the inn. Thats when

Kayla hesitated, then added,

Thank you.

Then she smiled brightly. Her face showed none of the heartache she must have suffered during this time.

She was a bold woman.

As Kayla tidied up the messy inn, she asked,

Have you eaten yet? I can prepare something light for you.

After some consideration, Dale nodded his head.

Though he didnt need to eat, Dale intentionally didnt skip meals.

Soon, Kayla brought out a soup made from mashed potatoes.

As she set down the tray, Kayla confidently declared,

Try it. I guarantee you wont find it tasteless.

Dale, who couldnt actually taste, chose not to mention this fact.

He unfastened and removed his helmet, revealing his face and the flowing white hair.

Kayla was most surprised by this sight, more than anything she had seen this day.

Oh. Uh.

Something wrong?

Kayla hesitated for a moment.

Then she suddenly straightened her hair, sat down gracefully, and spoke in a dignified tone.

My lord Dale, the sight of you sets my heart aflutter.

What a strange woman.

Kayla was indeed such a woman.