Chapter 15: Seven-Cup Challenge

After sending Mali into the room, the half-elf girl left the inn in a hurry to report to Zhandou Castle.

Although Mali was very curious about the world outside the window, unfortunately, they didn't speak the same language, and he could only honestly wait in the inn for the time being.

Fortunately, he wasn't without anything to do. On the way to the city, he asked the half-elf girl to teach him some simple words and sentences.

The specific method was that he would say it once and let Xia'er repeat it, and then record it with his phone. They were basically related to daily life, such as asking for prices, asking for directions, counting, and some commands that might be used in battle.

He was idle now, so he took out his phone and started self-study.

It was just that Mali didn't expect that he would study for two hours. By the time the phone was almost out of power, he was also a bit tired. After gnawing on half a bar of dark chocolate, he took out that book "Breaking Big Cases from the Start."

He read until the middle of the eighth chapter before Xia'er returned. The half-elf girl's face looked a bit bad, but she still managed to squeeze out a smile, "Sorry, I'm late. Let's go eat carp."

"Did things not go smoothly?" Mali put down the book and asked.

"Uh, not really. Although I couldn't see Lord Belstein—the guards at the castle said he had just left Yingzui City two days ago to head to the capital—General Manager Buliai received me. He told me that the government affairs of Yingzui City are now handled by Lord Belstein's eldest son, Yueruiwen.

"Tomorrow, Lord Yueruiwen will listen to the requests of the subjects at the City Hall, and General Manager Buliai will also arrange for me to be questioned then."

"Is there any problem?"

"Oh, no, no problem. I just didn't expect to have to wait another night." Xia'er waved her hand, then took the initiative to change the subject, "Are you hungry? I'm hungry enough to swallow a cow now."

"Then let's go eat."

The two walked out of the inn and turned left to the tavern next door. Before they even entered the door, they heard the singing drifting out from inside.

A man wearing a soft hat, holding a lute, wearing tight-fitting long stockings and pointed shoes, was stretching his singing voice.

Other drinkers in the tavern used the wooden wine cups in their hands to tap on the table to accompany him, and occasionally someone would join the chorus, filling the air with a lively and happy atmosphere.

Even though it was past mealtime, there were no fewer people here. More than a dozen tables were actually full, and many people were standing and drinking.

Most people carried weapons, looking like adventurers, and some even had blood on their bodies, probably just running here after performing a mission.

Besides drinking and eating, they would also gather together to exchange information or play cards, playing some small games.

Speaking of playing cards, Mali also specially glanced at the card game beside him, finding that they weren't playing poker or leaf cards.

Instead, it was a kind of metal card, only half the size of a palm, with various messy patterns carved on it.

In normal times, the half-elf girl would have been unable to hold back and explained it first, but tonight she was clearly absent-minded, and she hadn't said much since coming out of the inn, and her gaze was also wandering around.

"Are you looking for someone or something?" Mali asked.

"Ah, oh... no, I just want to see where the menu is."

"You want the menu?! Here."

The waitress passing by stuffed a piece of parchment cut into the shape of a carp into Xia'er's hand.

The half-elf girl had a moment of panic, but soon she forced herself to calm down, taking the menu in front of her, "Let me see what's on it... Well, the signature fish jelly and fish balls must come in one portion each, and there are clove-stewed peas, air-dried sausage, and rosemary roasted chicken. Which one do you like?"

"Roasted chicken," Mali said. He had a preliminary understanding of the hygiene situation in this world and really had no confidence in what the cook would stuff into the sausage. If it was a whole chicken, it was at least cleaner.

"Then what about the staple food? What do you want to eat? There are freshly baked white bread today, bacon pea omelet, and venison pie."

"I want to try the bacon pea omelet."

"Received, um... and dessert, how about cream nut cheese? By the way, almost forgot, what do you want to drink?"

"I don't drink alcohol, I'll drink the water I brought myself." Mali raised the thermos in his hand and signaled to the half-elf girl. He didn't know if it was his illusion, but Xia'er looked slightly relieved, and her somewhat pale face recovered a bit of rosy color.

It just so happened that the guests at the table beside them got up and left. Mali sat down smoothly, and Xia'er also sat down opposite him, but the next second the girl seemed to have been bitten on the butt by the stool, and jumped up again, "I'll go return the menu!"

After leaving this sentence, she ran away without waiting for Mali's answer, and didn't stop until she reached the other end of the tavern. She even looked back sneakily, confirming that Mali couldn't see this place before taking out her money bag.

Before leaving the inn, there were a full 8 silver shield coins and 14 copper Krun coins inside, but now she counted, and only 33 copper Krun coins remained, 30 of which were taken back when she cheekily asked the inn landlady to refund the other room when she came back.

Just recalling the scene at that time, the half-elf girl's neck was red, and her toes were curled inward, so embarrassed that she wished she could drill under the floor.

It was mainly because she had clarified that they weren't a married couple not long ago, and she couldn't even find an excuse. She kept her head down the whole time when checking out, not daring to look into the landlady's eyes at all.

Fortunately, the latter didn't ask much and refunded the money very readily.

But even with these 30 copper Krun coins, it still wasn't enough to pay for this meal.

If she subtracted two dishes or changed some of them to cheaper food, she could barely control it within the budget.

However, the half-elf girl had patted her chest when entering the city, saying she would repay Mali's life-saving grace and cover his food and lodging in Yingzui City for these days. It would be too stingy to lower the standard on the first night.

Although Xia'er came from a small village, she also valued promises very much.

So even though her pocket was already empty, she still bit the bullet and ordered a table of big meals, and then... she was dumbfounded.

The waitress passed by her side again at this time and asked, "How is it? Have you decided what to eat?"

"Uh... let me see again." Xia'er hugged the menu to her chest and said in a panic.

"Okay, then take your time to look, call me if you need anything." The waitress said and walked away with a wine glass, leaving the half-elf girl in place to continue scratching her head.

Just at this time, she noticed a line of small print at the bottom of the menu, and her eyes lit up instantly.

When the waitress passed in front of her again, Xia'er took the initiative to reach out and grab her arm, opening her mouth, "I... I want to participate in that?!"

"What?"

"Seven-cup challenge, if successful, it can be free, right!" The half-elf girl's eyes were burning. ===== CHAPTER 16 =====