Kapitel 37: The Banquet!

Chapter 37: The Banquet!

After leaving the Dian Cecht Familia, Shiro was led by Tiona and the others to a gray and dimly lit, single-story building made of stone.

Next to the door hung a badge adorned with the emblem of three hammers.

This was the home of Goibniu Familia, known for their weapon forging, maintenance, and construction.

Pushing open the large door, they found the interior just as dim as the outside.

A gust of hot air greeted them as they entered, and turning their heads, they could see several blacksmiths gathered around a furnace, crafting some sort of equipment.

It seemed like the reception staff, noticing the door being opened, put aside the order papers they were holding and walked towards them.

"Welcome... the Crusher?!" Mid-sentence, the expression of the reception staff changed to one of fear, and their voice became shrill.

"It's Tiona Hiryute! And could you please not call me by that name?" Tiona said, her eyes half-glaring in annoyance.

Meanwhile, hearing the reception staff's scream, the others also turned their gaze toward them and, recognizing Tiona, began shouting as well.

"Help! The Crusher is back!"

"Master—!!!"

Seeing the shop suddenly filled with cries of terror, Shiro, puzzled, pulled one of the blacksmiths closer to ask.

"What did Tiona do to you all? Why are you acting like you've seen a ghost?"

The blacksmith, still not recovered from the shock of the Great Demon Tiona's arrival, cried out after a moment, "She's a demon!!! Do you know how that large double-bladed sword was made??"

Before Shiro could answer, the blacksmith covered his face and continued, "Three days, three days of non-stop work! We used strong steel, several blacksmiths worked tirelessly, hammering for three days straight! That's how we made that terrifyingly large weapon for her!"

"And... actually, I came today to ask you to forge another weapon," Tiona said, as if dropping a bombshell.

"What happened to the previous large double-bladed sword!" The blacksmith next to Shiro, guessing the fate of the previous weapon, shouted angrily at Tiona.

"It melted, ehe."

"No!!!"

In an instant, the blacksmiths scattered like birds and beasts, cries of "master, master" echoing as they fled.

Hearing Tiona's request, the blacksmith beside Shiro's face went from red to white, and he fainted with a flop.

Shiro could only silently pray for the man's well-being.

Ignoring the screaming blacksmiths, Ais walked straight into the inner room, and when she reappeared, the Desperate sword was gone from her waist, replaced by a seemingly even heavier rapier.

After informing the blacksmiths of their weapon needs, Tiona and Shiro, along with the others, left the Goibniu Familia's place amid a fervent farewell, mainly directed at Tiona.

As they walked away, they could still faintly hear words like "Never come back!" and "You're not welcome here!"

Curious, Shiro asked Ais beside him, "Why did you change your sword?"

"My sword needs repairs. And god Goibniu has lent me this one as a replacement."

Although the Desperate sword had the attribute of being indestructible, it would still slowly become dull over time.

The attribute of being indestructible meant it wouldn't break or melt in battle.

However, Shiro suspected this was not absolute; no one had yet been able to break it, but he doubted that the gods, after unsealing their power, couldn't break a mere sword, especially since it was not a divine weapon.

Perhaps even his own abilities could cut it.

After an expedition, holding a grand banquet was a tradition for Loki Familia.

Although it likely started as an excuse for Loki to drink to her heart's content, this activity genuinely helped the members relax.

Therefore, as the captain, Finn continued to uphold this practice.

"Hey, Mama Mia, here we come!"

Loki announced loudly as they pushed open the door to the Hostess of Fertility tavern.

The tavern was filled with adventurers releasing their pent-up emotions over drinks after a day's hard work.

Some banged on tables, mocking each other's embarrassing moments in battle; others, already drunk, mumbled foolishly; and some boasted of their bravery, only to be challenged to a drinking contest by their peers when their stories were debunked.

The lives of different people intertwined within this small tavern was an interesting sight.

"Due to the limited number of seats available, we've arranged for indoor and outdoor seating for everyone. Sorry for the inconvenience," Ryuu, greeting Loki Familia at the door, bowed slightly.

With the interior unable to accommodate everyone, Finn, acknowledging Ryuu's respectful and polite demeanor, decided before entering the tavern to have about half of the group sit in the outdoor seating area.

Meanwhile, Shiro and the remaining members followed Ryuu inside.

The place was packed, making the reserved seats for Finn and their party stand out.

Loki, like most other customers, leered at the staff, which made Shiro question whether her choice of this tavern had more to do with the attractiveness of the staff than the quality of the drinks.

However, they only dared to look; Shiro had seen how a drunk adventurer trying to flirt with a waitress was promptly thrown out of the tavern by Mama Mia herself.

As the Loki Familia entered, the surrounding adventurers' moods changed, and whispers filled the air.

Yet, Tiona seemed accustomed to the reaction and took her seat as if nothing was wrong.

"This expedition was tough on everyone! Today, we feast in your honor. Drink up!"

Taking the lead, Loki raised her glass, and the others followed suit, standing and joining in the toast.

Even Shiro, who had never drunk alcohol in his life, ordered a fruit wine and sipped it slowly.

"Captain, this is specially for you, please enjoy," said Tione, handing Finn a glass of wine.

"Thank you, Tione. But have you been pouring drinks at an unusual pace? What are you planning to do if I get drunk?"

"Haha, that's just an illusion. Another round, come on!"

"Gareth, stop staring and come drink with me!"

"Hmph, let's see who's the real man here."

"Hey, Torajirou, do you know what Raul did before the expedition? Let me tell you, that day…"

"Ah... that's a secret! Please, spare me!"

As the laughter and commotion filled the air, Shiro noticed Ais sitting apart from the festive atmosphere, silently sipping her juice.

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