“Very good. It seems to me one more reason to enter then”, Yoichi said, resting a hand on the door, similar to that of a western saloon, but much higher. Pushing forward, it opened.

The two adventurers entered the tavern. After a single step on that wooden floor, they attracted the gazes of everyone present, none excluded. A bard that was playing a long stringed instrument stopped playing suddenly. ​​

“Good morning!” Enatsu greeted in a low voice, slightly embarrassed by the situation. Yoichi, without adding anything else, followed his friend to the bar to interact with the innkeepers.

After a few seconds, useful to the drunks scattered around the club to understand that those two new faces were not a threat, the bard began to play a cheerful melody again.

“Hello, travellers! What brings you here, to the Sleepy Owl tavern?” the only man behind the bar friendly asked. His eyes smiled like his mouth while his hands moved automatically, polishing freshly washed mugs.

“We’re headed to Goldhaven, and… my friend here had never seen Ambershire. I love this place, so I decided to pop in, promising to let him taste your delicious sakè,” Enatsu promptly replied, showing the same kindness as his interlocutor.

Yoichi sat on a stool. Beside him, a man with half-closed eyes clutched an empty mug with his right hand. His face was facing the rough wooden surface of the bar, as if he was going to slam against it.

“Is he feeling all right?” Yoichi asked to the innkeeper, pointing to the man in that bad condition.

“Oh, yes. Don’t worry. He always does that… thing. In half an hour, he will regain his senses, as always”, the innkeeper commented.

One of the girls behind the bar laughed at that statement, crossing her eyes with Yoichi.

The male innkeeper, judging by the way he behaved, had to be the owner of that place. The two girls by his side did not look like his peers but decidedly younger.

He had a short black beard and a very classic hairstyle, with medium-length side-split hair.

After crossing her gaze with Yoichi, the girl to his right looked the other way, embarrassed. She grabbed a tray and headed to the other side of the bar, pretending to be busy.

Long blonde hair tied in a braid and two large green eyes made that young woman the most blooming thing Yoichi had seen since waking up.

“My friend tamer and I take two ramen and to end in beauty our meal, two cups of house sakè”, Enatsu ordered, looking out of the corner of his eye Yoichi. The young merchant, accustomed to interacting with men and women of all ages because of his profession, immediately noticed some attraction between his friend and the blond-haired girl.

Enatsu particularly emphasized the word ‘tamer’ referring to his travelling companion to increase the curiosity of those listening to him.

“It seems to me that you’re both tamers, don’t you? If you only talk about your friend, your Waromu may be offended! Haha!” the innkeeper chuckled, being funny. Without looking away from Enatsu for not looking rude, he snapped his fingers.

The other helper girl interrupted what she was doing and approached the innkeeper as if that was a call she could not refuse.

“Shioko, two ramen and two sakes. Let’s not keep our new guests here waiting,” the innkeeper commanded, referring to Yoichi and Enatsu as if they were guests at his home.

The dark-haired girl, with a face very similar to that of her colleague, nodded silently. She turned around and entered the only door behind the counter, accessing the kitchen.

Enatsu’s eyes traced every movement of the young woman and the man in front of him, jokingly exclaimed, “my daughters are two angels, aren’t they?”

“Er… Yes! Of course!” Enatsu gulped embarrassedly, immediately turning his gaze on him, trying to pretend nothing. “They’re two beautiful girls, innkeeper!”

Yoichi also looked at the tavern owner, knowing that that phrase had not been said at random.

“Hahah! Don’t worry. I’m used to customers gawking at them that way! You two have good guys’ faces. It doesn’t bother me!” the innkeeper continued, putting in place the mugs he had just dried. “Anyway, my name is Kenzo, and these are Yukiko and Shioko, my beautiful daughters”, he proudly reiterated.

Enatsu and Yoichi looked at each other, relieved that they had not made a bad impression.

“Nice to meet you, Kenzo Sama! My name is Enatsu. I’m a fortune-seeking trader from Silvertide Village, on the other side of the mountains” Enatsu showed up, hanging his head in respect.

“Silvertide! Wow, that’s a nice place! I don’t have any clients from that area. I think you’re the first one,” Kenzo commented, crossing his arms and resting his back against the wall. After talking to Enatsu, he looked at Yoichi. “And you? Are you from around here?”

“Me?” Yoichi asked, pointing to himself. “Yes, I live in the Bronzeforest, a few miles from here. I congratulate you on this magnificent tavern. I had never been here. It seemed very welcoming, so I insisted on getting inside”, he explained, trying to reciprocate the courtesy of the innkeeper.

Yoichi, Enatsu and Kenzo continued to talk about Ambershire and the Bronzeforest for a few minutes, remarking its magnificent views. From the innkeeper’s curiosity, it was evident that he did not often receive ‘standard’ guests like the two of them.

When the dialogue fell into a fairly awkward silence, the two ordered dishes were placed on the wooden bar. Shiko diligently hanged her head and wished the two new customers a good lunch.

“Thank you” the two adventurers thanked in unison, grabbing the chopsticks and eating the tasty, still steaming ramen.

“Oh, my god… it’s delicious! Yum!” Yoichi mumbled, speaking with his mouth full. As the ramen descended into his stomach, warming his body, the young tamer realized that despite eating, he continued to be as hungry as after waking up from a long sleep.

Yoichi devoured every single ingredient on his plate within minutes, raising his bowl and gobbling the leftovers.