Chapter 46 | Hidden Misty Forest!
Chapter 46: 46 | Hidden Misty Forest!
[Jk: Why doesn’t James Bond fart in bed]
After the initial wave of gratitude had subsided, the Village Elder escorted Andrew inside the residence.
The interior was larger than it was seen from the outside.
There was a large central room that served as both a meeting hall and a dining area. Wooden tables and chairs were arranged throughout the space, and the smell of roasting meat and fresh bread filled the air.
Andrew was warmly welcomed by the villagers who had already gathered inside. The room was packed with people. They all made space for Andrew, guiding him to a seat of honor at the head of the largest table.
’All I wanted was to sell some items and get some money. How long would this go on for?’
He received the rewards for the mission so why are they not letting him go?
The Village Elder stood up.
"To celebrate the safe return of our children and to honor the hero who made it possible," the Village Elder announced, his voice rising with each word, "the village will hold a grand feast! Let every family contribute their best food, their finest wine, and their warmest spirits. This day, we celebrate!"
A cheer erupted from the crowd, and the atmosphere in the room immediately shifted to joyful celebration.
People began bustling about, bringing in platters of food, jugs of wine, and baskets of fruit. Musicians appeared from no where and started to sing.
As the feast was being prepared, a notification appeared before Andrew’s eyes.
[Mission Available]
↳ Attend the Grand Feast Celebration
↳ Accept the village’s gratitude and share in their joy.
Reward: Title
Penalty: None
Andrew pursed his lips as he read the notification. Normally, he would ignore a mission with no rewards and no penalty.
His time was valuable, and every moment spent not growing stronger was a moment wasted.
But he was quite hungry at the moment. The Magus Bloodline was a consuming bloodline of life and essence, which meant his body required almost ten times the food that a normal person would eat to sustain itself. The constant fighting had drained his energy reserves significantly.
Andrew had not eaten properly in a long time so he happily accepted the mission.
"Of course," he said aloud, responding to the Village Elder’s expectant gaze. "I would be honored to join the celebration."
The feast began with a procession of food that seemed almost endless. Roasted chickens with golden, crispy skin. Steaming bowls of thick vegetable stew. Loaves of fresh bread still warm from the oven. Platters of grilled fish seasoned with herbs from the village garden. Wheels of cheese in various shades of yellow and white. Casks of wine that flowed freely into clay cups. And for the children, there was sweet honey cake and fruit tarts that made their eyes light up with delight.
The players who were standing outside the village, watching through the gaps in the wooden fence, were stunned to see how the villagers treated Andrew like royalty.
He sat at the head of the table, with the Village Elder on his right and the head hunter on his left.
NPC’s volunteered as role of servants as they kept his plate and cup constantly full. Every few minutes, another villager would approach to thank him personally or offer a toast in his honor.
For several hours, Andrew sat with the Village Elder, the Head Hunter, the blacksmith, the apothecary, the alchemist, and many other respected villagers.
They shared food, drank wine, laughed, and exchanged stories. The Village Elder spoke of the village’s history, of how it had been founded three generations ago by a group of settlers who had stumbled upon this fertile valley while fleeing from a monster horde.
The head hunter told his tales of his younger days and the blacksmith spoke of her apprenticeship with a strange old man.
Andrew listened to all of it with genuine interest, asking questions and offering comments when appropriate.
The blacksmith got so drunk and happy she promised him 20% off when he come sit buy weapons.
Andrew didn’t have time to be happy when everyone agreed to do the same.
[Ding! Beginner Village Hero]
[Effect: -20% discount on all purchases in the village.]
Andrew was quite satisfied with it.
"Thank you!" "Thank yoh everyone."
Andrew raised a glass and immediately consumed. The villagers clapped and smiled.
During the feast, another notification suddenly appeared, catching Andrew off guard.
[Reputation Increased]
↳ +20 Reputation
Andrew was stunned. He had already reached the maximum reputation value for Beginner Village—100 points, which he had earned by completing the hidden mission to save the children. According to everything he knew, Beginner Village had a maximum reputation of 100 points. Towns max at 1,000 and cities max at 10,000. There was no way to exceed the cap.
Yet somehow, after earning the complete trust and friendship of the villagers through this feast, his reputation had exceeded the normal limit.
’Extra reputation beyond the cap,’ Andrew mused, filing this information away. ’That means there might be hidden benefits or unlocked opportunities that only become available when you exceed the normal maximum. I need to remember this for other villages and towns.’
While everyone else became increasingly intoxicated, their movements clumsy and their judgment impaired, Andrew remained mostly sober because of his Devouring talent.
Eventually, the head hunter became emotional and his eyes had taken on a distant, sorrowful quality.
Andrew noticed the change and hesitated but he asked. "Is there something wrong?"
The head hunter sighed and stared into his empty cup for a long moment before speaking.
"Ai," he murmured, the sound half-grunt, half-sigh. "It’s about my son."
The atmosphere in the room changed slightly. The Village Elder, the apothecary, the blacksmith, and even the alchemist looked up with concern.
Several of them winked and gave the head hunter subtle signals.
One of them coughed loudly. Another kicked the head hunter gently under the table.
But the head hunter ignored them all.
The alcohol had loosened his tongue and the pain that had been festering inside him for three days was finally spilling over.
"Have you heard of the Hidden Misty Forest?"
[Ans: Cause it will blow his cover...]
[A/N: Massive thanks to Patron Omindragon for the wonderful Inspiration Capsule! 🙏!]