This was an open-air tavern.
In the courtyard at the entrance, several tables and chairs were arranged, with custors laughing and chatting, arms slung over each other's shoulders.
Like the surrounding buildings, the tavern was constructed of stone. The two-story structure wasn't particularly tall, but it extended far back, indicating a sizable establishnt with fashionable decor. It was likely the largest tavern in the area.
The sign above the door read "The Hostess of Fertility"—a rather unique na for a tavern.
A casual glance inside revealed several waitresses, including an elf, a beastkin, and others, all dressed in green uniforms. They bustled back and forth between the front hall and the kitchen, carrying trays.
It was dinner ti, and the tavern was bustling with a steady stream of custors. The staff seed incredibly busy.
Behind the counter, a stout dwarf woman was handing out drinks and dishes to custors. She was probably the owner of the tavern.
It seed all the waitresses here were won.
But why had Freya brought him here?
To eat?
After singing all day, he was indeed quite hungry.
"Wait here for a mont."
Freya instructed him, then tightened her cloak and stepped into the tavern.
Her arrival caught the attention of the owner behind the counter, whose expression imdiately turned serious.
The two exchanged a few whispered words, and soon the owner looked surprised.
Then, the owner stepped out from behind the counter and followed Freya out of the tavern.
Inside, a green-haired elf waitress, two catgirls, and a human girl—all strikingly beautiful—cast curious glances toward the entrance.
"Is this him?"
At the entrance, the owner looked Eiji up and down, letting out a low whistle.
"Not bad-looking!"
The owner's aura was incredibly strong.
She was tall, standing at least two ters, like a small giant. It was hard to associate her with the dwarf race. Her features were ordinary, but her presence was astonishingly powerful.
"This dwarf woman is strong... probably even stronger than Tiona..."
Eiji was inwardly shocked.
As expected of Freya. Even a random tavern she chose had an owner who was at least a first-class adventurer.
Not only that, but the waitresses inside the tavern also gave off an unusual vibe. Each of their gazes carried a sharpness that made Eiji's skin prickle.
A tavern full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.
Eiji quickly assessed the situation.
He was already prepared to run. Although his instincts didn't sense danger, it was better to be cautious. If Freya suddenly changed her mind, he'd be in trouble.
"You want him to work at my tavern?"
The owner turned to Freya, who was still cloaked, her voice low and unimpressed.
"Work?"
Eiji was stunned.
Since when was this part of the plan?
"Exactly."
Freya nodded gracefully, her tone calm and composed, though her expression was hidden.
"Just treat him like any other waitress and train him."
"Hmph, why don't you keep him in your ivory tower?"
The owner crossed her arms, her back straight, exuding an air of indomitable strength. She closed one eye.
"Look at his unsteady steps. He's clearly been drained. If he's so favoured by you, how can you bear to leave him here to suffer?"
The owner had sharp eyes.
She imdiately saw through the fact that Eiji had been thoroughly exhausted by Freya.
Eiji maintained a humble expression.
The power of charm was truly terrifying. He had almost been completely drained.
"Unfortunately, he doesn't listen to ."
Freya let out a sigh of frustration.
If he had listened to her, she would have already taken him back to her familia and pampered him. But he was immune to her charm.
What infuriated her even more was that after spending the entire day singing with her, he had left without hesitation, as if he felt no attachnt to her body whatsoever.
It was hard to believe. Was he even a pervert?
"Anyway, just let him work here."
"Soone who doesn't listen to you...?"
The owner sounded surprised, her gaze shifting slightly as she looked at Eiji.
As a forr mber of the Freya Familia, she knew exactly how powerful Freya's abilities were. For soone to resist her charm was truly unexpected.
Then, faced with Freya's near-commanding request, she furrowed her brows in thought, clearly reluctant.
Her tavern only employed female waitresses.
Although each of them was formidable in their own right, this guy's face was ridiculously handso. It was hard to say whether her staff might develop unnecessary feelings or conflicts because of him.
This guy seed like he'd be a huge headache, but she couldn't ignore Freya's request either.
"Hmm... My tavern only has female staff, and that won't change."
The owner pondered for a mont, then a faint smile appeared on her face.
"If he's willing to cross-dress as a waitress, I'll let him stay."
"?"
Eiji instinctively clenched his legs together, looking at the owner with suspicion.
"Don't even think about it!"
I'm a man of honour! No one can co between and my bro!
"It's not that complicated!"
The owner was montarily stunned, and then her face darkened.
"Just cross-dress. Otherwise, my tavern will be ruined because of you."
"???"
Eiji looked suspiciously at the owner and Freya.
"Did you two team up to ss with ?"
As soon as he arrived, they wanted him to cross-dress.
It was hard not to suspect Freya's intentions!
Weren't you supposed to be a generous goddess? Now you're trying to get back at by making cross-dress?
"Sounds fun!"
Freya's eyes lit up, and she began to persuade him with great interest.
"Think about it. By sacrificing a little bit of dignity, you can gain a charm ability like mine. Isn't that a huge win?"
To gods, cross-dressing was nothing!
Over the billions of years of their existence, they had tried almost everything for entertainnt. Cross-dressing was just a trivial part of it, sothing utterly mundane.
So, Freya didn't see anything wrong with cross-dressing. In fact, she was quite curious to see how devastatingly charming Eiji would look in won's clothing, and whether he could rival her in allure.
Of course, the most important thing was—
This is so satisfying, hahaha!
Freya was inwardly delighted.
If not for maintaining her image, she might have burst out laughing by now.
No, she was already struggling to hold back her laughter...!
"Cross-dressing... charm..."
Eiji took a deep breath, his expression grave.
Cross-dressing was a psychological trauma for him.
As a child, he had been forced by an expired lol! to wear countless sets of won's clothing, and even had photos taken as ntos. Because of that, he was extrely averse to cross-dressing. If you asked him to cross-dress, he'd draw his sword and fight you on the spot.
But charm was an incredibly powerful ability.
Especially according to Freya, it could forcibly alter soone's cognition, brainwash them, and make them obedient, regardless of their strength. It was undeniably terrifying.
So, the question was:
Dignity or power?
Eiji was faced with a difficult choice.
***
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