The bard fantasized again.

Chapter 23 Cheers to Each Other

"Do you mean?"

“Every year, a distinguished spellcaster will arrive in town with Lord Mel’s caravan. At that time, he will use magic to protect the Star Plum to ensure that it will not rot during transport.”

Catherine reminded her,

"If you're trying to use magic to achieve a substandard effect, be very careful."

"I'll try to draw their attention away from Kuru and not make him too conspicuous."

As a continuous first-circle spell, maintaining the illusion requires the caster to stay nearby and remain focused.

If someone notices it, there's bound to be a risk of being exposed.

However, if the performance can deliberately attract some people's attention, then the overall plan is still optimistic.

Those ordinary star plums will eventually be hidden at the bottom of 'Shining Star'. Unless someone reveals that the star plums were stolen, no one will bother to turn over the plums at the bottom.

"If you already have plans, then I wish you good luck tomorrow."

Catherine said sincerely,

"As for now, it's time to enjoy the food—"

They went downstairs together and sat at the familiar long table in the tavern hall. Anbi deliberately separated the Black Snake and the Stone from several other long tables and sat diagonally opposite each other.

Her eyes were red and swollen, clearly indicating that she had been crying not long ago.

Children are very concerned about their reputation, which is why Catherine insisted that Don Qi back down.

He couldn't guess what had happened, and he kept his distance by not asking any more questions.

As for the two mercenaries, the bloodstains on their bodies had already been washed off.

Seemingly to celebrate the holiday, Black Snake even changed into a silk shirt and styled his hair into a small braid, making the disheveled middle-aged man in his forties look much more presentable.

Catherine placed the prepared food on his table with a "bang" and without expression.

"Hey, it's a rare holiday for me, can't you be a little nicer to me?"

The black snake laughed mockingly.

"What good attitude do you need to eat and drink for free?" Catherine didn't even glance at him.

"I never said I wouldn't pay!"

"But this meal is on me."

The black snake paused for a moment, then exchanged a glance with the rubble:
"We're getting a great deal by eating and drinking for free in front of Catherine!"

Having shared some adventurous experiences, Tang Qi greeted the rubble, but for a moment he didn't know who to sit next to.

Fortunately, Ambition beckoned him to her side and whispered an apology:
"Brother Tang Qi, Anbi might have to break her promise."

"Oh?"

"That glass of plum wine I promised you... I won't be able to drink it."

Fearing that Tang Qi would be disappointed and angry, she quickly explained what had happened.
"I'm so sorry I didn't let you have your first drink of Ambi!"

Tang Qi then realized the reason for her crying, and instead felt he had found material for his story, shaking his head:
"We can't just look at appearances, can we?"
I've already tasted your first glass of wine.

It has a slightly bitter taste, but the aftertaste should be sweet.

If we were to give it a name, perhaps it should be called—

'lesson'?"

Catherine also came over with the food at the right time. Hearing these words, she and Ambly made eye contact and blinked at the same time.

After a while, the wolf-eared girl's beastly eyes brightened, and she said thoughtfully:

“Yes. 'Lesson'... Anbi will remember this lesson for the rest of her life!”

Catherine breathed a sigh of relief:

"Thanks to you, otherwise I would have had to think about how to comfort her and get her to eat."

Tang Qi's gaze then fell on the dining table:
"Fried pork cutlet, mashed potatoes, and pan-fried ham... You probably don't usually eat these things, right?"

"I can only indulge in this one meal a year."

Catherine sat gracefully opposite Tang Qi, took off the necklace from her neck, and placed it in her palm.

It was a silver ring, set with a ruby, hanging on a thin cord; the gemstone had a wine-red luster.

"As dazzling as your hair," Tang Qi exclaimed instinctively.

"boom--"

He heard a slamming sound on the table and turned around. Tang Qi was drenched in sweat from the black snake's unfriendly gaze.

But probably thinking that Tang Qi would still be useful tomorrow, he only gave him a warning look.

Catherine glanced at the black snake, sighed, and then spoke up to ease Tang Qi's embarrassment:
"Then perhaps I should thank my mother for passing on everything she did to me."

Come, let us pray to Gragas, hoping that next year will bring forth the blessings of fine wine and a bountiful harvest.

Seeing Anbi place her hand on the ring, Tang Qi and Kuru followed suit. "Do we have to hold that stick while we eat?"

Tang Qi saw that Kulu was holding onto his staff tightly and seemed determined not to let go, so he couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.

Kuru shook his long staff and said confidently:

"partner!"

Everyone has their own little quirks.

Even a dog-headed man can be considered a person.

After a brief prayer, Catherine scooped up some mashed potatoes from the table with a spoon, topped with a layer of deep purple plum sauce, which was sweet, sour, and smooth.

"By the way, perhaps we should discuss the income from singing at the bar in the future?"

Tang Qi took a bite of a pork chop, and with a crisp "crunch," the rich aroma of meat spread between his lips and teeth. He could hardly distinguish between the juices and the saliva on his tongue.
"I'm afraid I have to apologize for this."

"uh-huh?"

"In fact, my original plan was to sing at a tavern to earn some living expenses, hoping that one day in the future, a passing caravan could take me through the Dawn Forest."

The pork chop was too delicious. Tang Qi saw Kulu beside him, who, seemingly unaccustomed to using a knife and fork, was stuffing the meat into his mouth with his long, slender claws while holding his cane.

"However, I have already obtained some funds. If nothing unexpected happens, I will try my best to hitch a ride with a caravan tomorrow and go with them to Longjin City."

"Is Brother Tang Qi leaving?"

Ambi never expected the separation to come so soon.

But Tang Qi knew that if he wanted to record more stories, he could never stay in one place.

Seeing that the little girl was a bit down, Catherine changed the subject at the right time:
"Ambi, separation is for a better reunion."

Perhaps one day in the future, we will hear the name 'Tang Qi' again from other people's mouths or from his diaries?

"Will my brother write about Ambition in the book?"

It seems he's already written it in.

But Tang Qi didn't mind making the promise:
"Of course, I will try my best to let everyone on the continent know that there is a cute and well-behaved little girl and a shrewd and beautiful proprietress in the Golden Oak Tavern."

The kobold suddenly looked up: "Kuru!"

"Okay, there's also a talking 'wise' kobold."

"Then I'll have to hope you become famous soon and bring more revenue to the tavern."

Catherine raised her glass of plum wine.

"Then let us raise a toast to the future 'legendary poet Tang Qi'!"

The black snake and the rubble watched everything from the sidelines, never getting involved.

But the atmosphere on the other end seemed to have infected them.

Now, they both raised their glasses and clinked them together.

……

"cheers!"

In the student dormitory of "The Ballad of the Bards," several drunken poets, sprawled out in various parts of the room, once again downed their ale in one gulp.

Goya quietly covered her face, let out a soft hiccup, and only after confirming that no one had noticed her lapse in composure did she put on a bright smile for her friends again.

Competition for full-time teaching assistant positions in the college is always fierce.

Building good relationships with classmates to gain their votes is also a crucial step.

Therefore, Goya would set aside time each week to participate in the college's social events.

She has a good alcohol tolerance; even now, late at night, she can still stay sober.

But others seem to have lost that dignity—

"Damn it! I just wanted to write a legendary ballad about an ordinary hero who, after his family was destroyed, became an apprentice and learned martial arts, and finally took revenge on the dragon and saved the country."

Why kill the character just because 'the protagonist isn't a nobleman of Tyranny'? Are commoners only fit to be saved?

"Me too—I originally wanted to write a novel about a young nobleman who indulges in debauchery and loses his way, then falls into a deep abyss due to the decline of his family, and finally redeems himself."

The reason the manuscript was rejected was actually, "It is forbidden to slander the noble lord!"?

Please, I clearly wrote an ending where he redeems himself just to get it approved!

"Me too! Me—"

One person, also feeling aggrieved, slammed his hand on the table, stood up, and then…

"vomit!"

I threw up from drinking.

(End of this chapter)