My inventory is full of monster materials.

Chapter 100 "The Husband's Crime"

Violet Tavern.

The warm glow of the CD player dispelled the chill of the late night, and the lingering scent of alcohol and tobacco in the air added a touch of languor to the entire tavern.

The waitresses, dressed in simple and cool attire, were like butterflies among flowers, busily serving the noisy customers with the ambiance they created.

Beside the bar, a tall, imposing figure in matte gray armor stood out, while next to him sat a delicate woman in a dark, V-neck, form-fitting dress, still exuding charm.

At this moment, although Henry was tall and strong, he was somewhat at a loss when facing women, and his tone of voice was hesitant.

"Margot... Anna has been taken such good care of by you all these years, I really... really thank you."

Margot's eyes were slightly hazy with intoxication as she swirled the wine in her glass.

"It's what I should do."

Henry's voice softened, a smile played on his lips, and his eyes held a hint of reminiscence.

"Anna often told me in her letters that you were like her own mother, taking care of her in every way, and that Hannah would be very happy if she were still here."

Suddenly, Margot turned her head to the side, looking intently at Henry, her fingertips nervously rubbing the rim of the glass.

"Henry, tell me, if I hadn't married old White, would I... have a daughter now?"

Henry fell silent, his lips moved slightly, and finally he said with a self-deprecating laugh.

"But you would bleed to death because your husband couldn't come up with 54 copper coins, and you would never be able to own a tavern of your own."

Margot's eyes were slightly red. She stepped down from behind the bar, slowly bent down, and gently pressed her cheek against Henry's cold armor, her voice as soft as a whisper.

"What if I wanted to?"

66

""

Henry was startled, staring at Margot pressed against his armor, momentarily forgetting to react.

The air in the tavern instantly became warm and inviting, the warm light reflecting off the two figures, and even the surrounding noise seemed to stand still.

bang-

With a loud bang, the tavern door was kicked open, followed by heavy breathing and a faint smell of blood.

The newcomer was a red-haired youth, his upper body bare and covered in scars, with a gleaming metal arm guard on his left arm, a string of wolf fang necklaces around his neck, and a finely forged longsword on his back. He exuded an aura of fierce bravery.

Margot frowned, straightened up, and looked warily at the formidable figure at the door.

Margot had managed to run a tavern in Sergei for so long, so she must have some skill. She immediately prepared to get up and go over to deal with the situation, but Henry grabbed her wrist.

Just then, the red-haired boy looked over and shouted in a rough voice.

"Uncle Henry, you're here so early!"

Brady, without any hesitation, swaggered over and greeted Henry familiarly.

"Let me tell you, the adventurers in Sergei City are really no good. They all talk a big game, but I beat them up in no time!"

"Look here, and here, these are all proof!"

As Brady spoke, he proudly pointed to the several new scars on his chest and back, his tone filled with undisguised boasting.

Henry remained calm, as if he were listening to a subordinate's report.

Before Brady could continue, Henry raised his hand to interrupt him.

"Alright Brady, find a place to sit down. Food and drinks are on me. Mark and the others will be here soon."

"Okay!"

Brady readily agreed, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over Margot, his eyes lighting up as he said with a grin.

"Huh? Is that the tavern owner? She's so beautiful!"

"Go away, don't meddle, go sit over there."

Henry waved his hand, dismissing Brady.

Margot watched the whole scene with sparkling eyes. She never expected that the big, honest man she knew would have such powerful subordinates.

After Brady had walked away, Margot came to her senses, leaned closer to Henry, and spoke with a hint of curiosity in her voice.

"Is he your teammate?"

Henry nodded, a hint of helplessness on his face, and explained.

"Yes, his name is Brady. He's a bit impulsive. You've met his sister Talia before, the one with the red hair who talks a lot of nonsense."

"Oh! I knew it!"

Margot suddenly realized and nodded with a smile.

"No wonder he looked familiar; he looks exactly like his sister."

As Margot spoke, she unconsciously leaned closer to Henry, her voice tinged with a hint of mockery.

"I heard you became the captain of the adventure team, and I thought..."

"I thought they were just a bunch of rotten fish and shrimp?"

Henry smiled and answered first.

"Giggle..."

Margot crossed her arms, laughing heartily, her eyes brimming with charm.

bang-

The tavern door opened again, and a biting cold current rushed in, causing the temperature inside to drop several degrees. The lights at the entrance swayed slightly in the cold wind.

Margot instinctively looked up, her eyes widening instantly, and the smile on her face froze.

A white-haired, blue-eyed boy stood at the entrance, dressed in a blue mage's robe with a shining Mage Guild badge on his chest. He exuded a cool, noble, and extraordinary aura.

Margot was deeply shocked.

A mage?!

Why would someone of this caliber come to a bar in the downtown area?

Shouldn't they all be staying in upscale restaurants in the upper town?

What on earth happened?!

However, at this moment, the blue-eyed boy was already staring straight at them.

Margot suppressed her shock, gritted her teeth, straightened her skirt, and swayed her slender waist as she stepped forward, her voice becoming alluring and pleasant, full of flattery.

"Yo~ Master, what brings you here?"

Margot reached out affectionately to take Mark's arm, her tone becoming increasingly alluring.

"Let's go upstairs. I'll call two girls to keep you company. Elaine and Tiffany are both very sensible; I guarantee they'll satisfy you."

Henry stared in disbelief at Margot's transformation.

What caught Henry's attention even more was the figure at the door, who felt both strange and familiar, and for a moment he didn't go forward to confirm it.

Mark was also in an awkward position.

As soon as he entered the room, he saw Henry flirting with a beautiful woman.

Before long, the woman took the initiative to come closer to him, and he couldn't help but wonder to himself, "Could this have ruined Henry's plans?"

Then, Mark spoke in a calm tone.

"Captain, did I interrupt your conversation?"

"team leader?!"

Margot was struck dumb, staring in shock at the mage before her, then abruptly turning to look at Henry, her face filled with disbelief.

This big oaf actually has a noble mage among his subordinates!

Henry then realized what was happening, scratched the back of his head, and gave a sheepish smile.

"Oh, it really is Mark! I almost didn't recognize him. Uh... this is Margot, the tavern owner. She's always been very welcoming."

"oh."

Mark simply responded with a blank reply, devoid of any further emotion.

But Margot, standing next to her, felt her cheeks burning and felt so ashamed that she wished she could dig a hole in the ground and disappear into it.

Just moments ago, Margot was fawning over Mark in front of Henry, striking all sorts of seductive poses, which was quite embarrassing to think about.

Henry didn't notice Margot's embarrassment; instead, his gaze fell on Mark's mage robe with a hint of curiosity.

"Mark, something seems off about you, and I've never seen you in this outfit before."

Mark looked down at his mage robes and said with a smile.

"Oh, I've already successfully registered as a full-fledged mage with the Mage Guild."

"A fully-fledged mage?!"

Henry's eyes widened instantly, his face filled with shock, and his voice trembled slightly.

"Didn't you say you were just registering as a mage apprentice? How did you suddenly become a full-fledged mage?"

"Yes, I originally went there to register for an apprenticeship."

Mark spoke with an air of nonchalance, as if he were talking about something trivial.

"But since we're here, why not try to break through to a higher class, and maybe we'll succeed by chance?"

Mark's words were disjointed and rambling, but Henry knew there was more to it than met the eye. So he took a deep breath, patted Mark on the shoulder, and said with a touch of emotion.

"I never expected that you, Mark, would get ahead of me and become a professional first."

Mark smiled broadly, his tone relaxed.

"Actually, you're quite fast too."

Henry nodded silently and pointed to the table not far away.

"Brady is there, and the others should be here soon."

"Okay, I'll go first."

Mark nodded and turned to walk towards Brady.

Margot, who had been keeping her head down and blushing, finally raised her head, clenched her little fist, and gently pounded it on Henry's armor, making a loud thud. Her tone was both resentful and slightly coquettish.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner that the mage was your teammate! You made me look so embarrassed just now!"

Henry had no choice but to explain.

"Actually, I almost didn't recognize him either. It's only been a day since I last saw him, but he has changed so much."