"If you have a friend, family mber, or relative who's a Dragmin, it's best to warn them to stay hidden for now. If it's already too late and soone close to you has been taken, I'm afraid I don't know where they've been sent. If you have connections in the noble residential area, now would be the ti to use them."
Orion remained silent montarily, his expression grave before finally asking, "And what about the leaders? What are they doing about this issue?"
"I've gathered that the authorities are tight-lipped about the situation. The guards Paradise has stationed to monitor their every move, along with the oversight of the Royal Cave, have left their hands effectively tied."
"They either want to see if they can find a solution or are afraid of giving Paradise the impression that they're plotting a rebellion, risking a complete extermination of the remaining powers—so of which are directly linked to noble families by blood. Regardless of their reasons, it's a sha to see a Grade One Runaway City, on the brink of becoming a Grade Two, reduced to such a state," the bartender replied, exhaling tiredly. She glanced at the untouched plate on the table and frowned.
"Aren't you going to eat?" She had put effort into preparing this al to build a connection with him and wasn't keen on seeing good food go to waste.
Orion hesitated. Although he was eager to taste at for the first ti in this world, he wasn't naive enough to ignore the possibility of being poisoned or drugged. He trusted his formidable body but knew better than to take unnecessary risks.
Noticing his hesitation, the bartender snorted in disbelief. "I can't believe this. You're the one dressed mysteriously, and yet you're suspicious of my food? Even the idiot who broke so tables yesterday ate with no qualms before stumbling out," she said, then suddenly shouted, "Hey everyone, Mr. Mysterious here thinks I might have spiked his al with sothing!"
The bar fell silent once again, just like when Orion first entered. But this ti, the quiet was quickly shattered by a chorus of hearty laughter.
"НААНААНАНА!!"
"Hehehe, I rember accidentally breaking the signboard and thinking the waiters were serving sewer water!!"
"Don't bla him! You can look pretty intimidating at tis!"
The laughter and playful banter filled the room as patrons cheerfully shared their past mishaps and experiences.
Orion smiled, shaking his head as he realized he'd been overly paranoid. He picked up the knife and sliced off a portion of the steak, drizzling it with a bit of sauce before biting.
The mont the savoury steak touched his tongue, it appeared like the world's flavours had converged in an irresistible burst of seasonings, filling him with a satisfying primal sensation. Just when he thought the experience would continue, it vanished, his cheeks instinctively guiding the steak down his throat, leaving behind a delightful aftertaste.
Without hesitation, Orion cut another piece of the steak and savoured it. After being deprived of such delicacies for so long, the reunion was as mouthwatering as he had imagined.
While it didn't quite compare to the exceptional kalna or other fruits he had encountered, having the luxury of choice was a treat.
"It's good, isn't it, Mr. Mysterious?" the bartender asked with a hint of pride in her tone.
Orion nodded, "It's good," he said. "Do you have any idea where the last disappearance occurred?"
The bartender nodded, "It happened in this section of the Lower Ward. That's why my bar is packed to the brim today. So seek revenge for their loved ones who've vanished, while others hope to gather information to track down these criminals. Given the nature of your questions, I'd wager you're here for similar reasons, right?"
Orion shook his head. "No, I'm just here to understand what's going on so I can stop it." A brief, heavy silence followed.
"Hahaha! Wait, you're serious?" The bartender's laughter trailed off as she realized Orion's words were no joke. She was taken aback, swiftly regaining her composure and sighing, "You're quite surprising, Mr. If you hadn't shown up, I would have thought heroes in shining armour were rely a relic of the past."
"But since you're not a god's chosen, I didn't expect you to hold such an ideology. You might find yourself dead sooner than anticipated, and I won't get another chance to obtain more of these extraordinary fruits from you."
Orion remained silent, his gaze briefly settled on his bare wrists.
The bartender sighed in disappointnt, shaking her head. "Since you're set on your course, I'll share what I know about yesterday's disappearance. The next one will be even more severe, affecting the Upper, Middle, and Lower Wards tonight. This confirms my suspicions that the nobles are deeply involved. I have one specific location: the lower left section of the Middle Ward. You'll have to wait and see for the rest, as it's impossible to be everywhere at once."
"Is that all?" Orion asked.
"Yes, that's all," she replied.
"How do you procure such information?" Orion asked curiously.
"I'm afraid I can't disclose that Mr. As the leading information broker in the Trekking Flamingo Runaway City, I'd be out of business if I revealed my sources so easily," the bartender replied, her tone firm.
"How about I supply you with two baskets of this fruit monthly?" Orion suggested. Since he couldn't reveal the existence of his miniature mountain, he couldn't make an upfront
paynt.
The bartender pondered for a mont before shaking her head. "I'm afraid that won't work, Mr. We'll need to find another arrangent. However, I can offer you a share of the fruits' revenue, all the crucial information I can gather monthly, and so personal details as needed."
Orion shook his head "Fifty baskets of this fruit."
"You're making this difficult, Mr. If you have such a substantial amount of these fruits, you must be a noble, right? Shouldn't you be able to procure such information yourself?"
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