Chapter Thirty-Three

In his room at the Wheat Manor, Muichiro was surrounded by an array of items, each carrying its own significance.

His room, though intended for rest and privacy, had evolved into a space brimming with the items of his dungeon dives and acquisitions Moon had left for him.

Even with his own room, he still ended up sleeping with Demeter, so he left this room as a storage area.

Amid the eclectic mix of possessions were chests laden with valis, an assortment of weapons hanging from the walls, training dummies that had felt the impact of his sword, and a desk that he had fashioned himself to accommodate his needs.

Seated at his desk, Muichiro's attention was fixed on five intriguing books that lay before him.

Their aged appearance, golden-tinted covers, and inscriptions in an unfamiliar script puzzled him.

These volumes were gifts from Moon, each bound in the hide of a creature of unknown origin.

Despite his inability to decipher the contents, he held onto them as Moon had instructed to.

Moon's enigmatic words echoed in his mind—these books could only be read when the time was right and when he truly needed them.

The elusive nature of their purpose intrigued Muichiro, and he had learned to trust Moon's wisdom, believing that their significance would become clear in due time.

As such, he chose to keep them close, securely tucked away within his belongings.

He didn't believe anyone in the Manor would steal them, but as Moon once said, never say never, so he would always keep these books on his person instead of in a secret location.

*Grrrruuuuugl*

A low Gurgling sound escaped Muichiro's stomach indicating that his body wanted sustenance, and who was he to deny his body such?

But Muichiro didn't want any of the food at the manor, instead, he wanted to eat out today, and at first, he thought of going to the Jagamarukun stall, but instead, he decided to visit the Hostess of Fertility.

Exiting his room, Muichiro embarked on his next errand, venturing out to enjoy a meal and visit the Hostess of Fertility.

Walking along the street, Muichiro decided to take a longer route, so he could explore more of the city.

Yet, as he walked along the grey cobble stone path, something caught his keen senses—an unusual disturbance emanating from the back of the pub.

Curiosity piqued, and he followed his instincts.

Arriving at the rear of the establishment, Muichiro's eyes narrowed as he observed the wreckage.

The rooftop had collapsed, and the walls bore the marks of a violent encounter. His heightened senses alerted him to the faint but unmistakable scent of blood, overlaying the air like an ominous shroud.

Additionally, sword slashes etched into the splintered wood told a story of struggle and conflict.

With a mix of caution, Muichiro stepped closer, his gaze sharp and analytical. He surveyed the scene, his eyes tracing the patterns of the destruction.

His instincts were on high alert, ready to respond to any threat that might linger.

But after letting out his senses, he saw nothing that should be of concern, there were no bodies, nor any struggle in the vicinity of the pub.

'It seems that whatever happened here was dealt with already, was it an attack on the pub, who would do such a stupid thing, especially with that high-level adventurer as the owner? Could it be an attack on one of the waitresses maybe...' Muichiro pondered, tilting his head to the side.

As he stood amid the wreckage, the weight of Moon's guidance, and his own experiences, told him that he should investigate, but on the other hand this had nothing to do with him.

Plus, from what he felt the girls were pretty strong, so whatever they couldn't deal with, it was their problem...and yet he didn't know why, but he held the urge to ask...but in the end, he decided not to.

...

As Muichiro entered the Hostess of Fertility, his observant eyes quickly fell upon the familiar figure of Mama Mia behind the bar.

She exuded her usual aura of bustling energy, seemingly unaffected by the recent commotion. With a grin as wide as ever, she greeted Muichiro, her words carrying a teasing note, "Oh, the little hero returns."

Muichiro simply nodded in response, his stoic expression giving away nothing. He inquired about whether they were open yet, and Mia informed him that they were not officially open, but there were leftovers from the previous night if he was interested.

"If you don't mind, I'll eat that, Here's some valis, it should amount to 500 valis," Muichiro said giving her his valis which she happily accepted.

"Pleasure doing business with ya kid." Mama Mia said with a grin.

Muichiro agreed with his customary lack of emotion, and Mama Mia headed off to fetch his meal. Returning with a plate of Spaghetti, Mama Mia set it before Muichiro.

"There you go, and also here a drink on the house." Mama Mia said as she handed him a mug full of a bubbly unknown liquid.

Curiosity got to him, and he took a sip of the drink. His emotionless eyes widened and he immediately gulped down the whole thing.

"Hahaha! I'm glad you like it, it's a new creation I've been working on..."

As he indulged in the food, she engaged him in conversation, catching up on his recent experiences.

He recounted his journey, how he had joined the Demeter Familia, and even the incident with the adventurers who had tried to confront him, only to end up defeated and tied to magic lamps in their underwear for the night.

Mama Mia burst into laughter upon hearing the story, her hearty chuckles filling the air. "Wait, that was you? Man, I saw that!" she exclaimed, finding the image of the tied-up adventurers utterly amusing.

Muichiro's impassive expression remained unchanged, yet he seemed to absorb her amusement in his own enigmatic way.

Eventually, the conversation shifted to the matter that had intrigued Muichiro—the damaged roof and wall at the back of the pub.

He broached the topic with a directness that reflected his usual style. Mama Mia, ever the picture of nonchalance, brushed it off casually.

She explained that one of her employees had been training and accidentally caused the destruction.

Muichiro's gaze lingered, his analytical mind processing the information. Though he didn't voice his scepticism, his unyielding scrutiny was evident.

He absorbed her explanation, aware that there might be more to the story than met the eye.

'Wait a minute, this kid has some good carpentry skills, maybe I could hire him to fix the roof and wall for me. I was going to have the girls fix it since my usual guy is out of town, but if this kid's capable then the girls could concentrate on their jobs.'

In the midst of their conversation, Mama Mia's memory was jogged, recalling their initial meeting when Muichiro had shown her his carpentry skills in fixing her broken tables and chairs.

She asked him if he knew how to fix a roof, and Muichiro confirmed his capabilities. When asked about compensation, he casually stated that he didn't need money; food was a sufficient reward for him.

A smile tugged at Mama Mia's lips as she chuckled and agreed to his terms.

"Fine by me," she responded, her tone lighthearted. With a nod of agreement, Muichiro seemed content with the arrangement.

The unusual partnership forged over a plate of Spaghetti spoke volumes of the simplicity that marked his interactions.

As the two continued their conversation, the Hostess of Fertility bustled with its unique energy, Muichiro's presence an intriguing addition to the colourful city that was Orario.

....

After Muichiro had secured the job with Mama Mia, his curiosity led him to inquire about the whereabouts of the other waitresses and May the cook.

Mama Mia explained that they were all out running errands and would return in the afternoon.

Muichiro nodded in acknowledgement, but his keen senses picked up on a faint aura upstairs, emanating from one of the waitresses' rooms. Unable to recall her name, he mentally labelled her as the "brown cat."

With his plans set, Muichiro made his way back to the Demeter familia manor. He informed the butler Cuthbert of his job to assist at the Hostess of Fertility and left a message for Demeter, letting her know that he would be returning late.

....

Upon his return to the Hostess of Fertility, Mama Mia had all the necessary materials and equipment ready for Muichiro's task.

He inquired about a suitable location to set up his equipment, and she gestured to a corner where he could work.

Muichiro acknowledged her guidance, and without hesitation, he shed his haori and mesh, baring his upper body to the world.

Mama Mia, a woman well-versed in physical activity, couldn't help but be impressed by the sight of Muichiro's well-built physique.

Her eyes lingered on the contours of his muscles, recognizing the strength that lay beneath his unassuming demeanour.

From Sry's information, the kid was just a level one, but he feels stronger than that, and no one gets muscles like those without working hard.

'Plus with those calluses...Ha! This kid really is interesting...'