The Beast Kingdom was located in the south of the Great Continent.
As the carriage continued to head south, the wildlife became more and more vibrant. From the plain grassland to a forest filled with colourful flowers.
The had stopped at Kopla, a city at the border of Ablax. It was the last city they would stop at before entering the Beast Kingdom.
Kopla was a popular spot amongst nobles and adventurers alike. This was because of the vibrant plants that covered the city walls of Kopla. At night, the wall would light up a myriad of colours, ranging from pink to blue, and green.
The leaves of the plants in Kopla were a mix of a very dark and very light shade of green. Every house and building would have at least a bush of some kind. The more extravagant ones would have a tree that lit up at night.
The streets of Kopla was a type of stone that had a tinge of brown mixed in, further adding to the otherworldly feeling of Kopla. Outside Kopla, there was a myriad of monsters thanks to the forest that acted as the border between Ablax and the Beast Kingdom, as well as a dungeon that the city was built upon.
Many races could be seen walking on the streets of Ablax. The population of beastkins that could be seen in Ablax was almost equal to the number of humans. There were even occasional rare elves that could be seen.
Earl and Ari had arrived at night, the perfect moment to catch the most beautiful moment of Kopla. Earl had his head peeked out of the white carriage, admiring the view of the city.
Even while it's night time, the streets were still bustling with people. Restaurants were open, the smell of delicious food lingered in the air. The lamps gave off a warm, orange colour. Combined with the colours of the leaves that lit up at night, Earl immediately fell in love with the city.
The carriage soon stopped in front of a cosy looking tavern.
"We'll be eating here," Ari told Earl as she stepped out of the carriage while putting on the overcoat Earl picked out for her last year over her outfit which consisted of a white, sleeveless shirt and a frilly black skirt.
Earl then stepped out of the carriage after her. Today, his ribbon bow-tie was a light blue colour which complemented his purple eyes. He held Ari's hand and sniffed the air, which smelled of barbeque.
"Smells great!"
The tavern was not very large, but it gave a very cosy, comfortable vibe. The entire building was built out of dark brown wood. There was a counter in the middle of the tavern, where the owner could be seen grilling barbeque in the back for his customers to see.
Beside the counter, there were several tables in the back in which adventurers could be seen enjoying themselves. A cute girl could be seen walking around in that area, taking orders and delivering food.
There were sounds of chatter, but it wasn't anything too loud. The whole tavern really did give a comfortable vibe.
Ari took Earl to the counter and had to lift his body up so he could sit on the high stool.
From this high, angle Earl could have a full view of the tavern owner's appearance. The tavern owner was middle-aged. His skin was tanned and he had a short, stocky body that rocked a beer belly and a long, white beard that reached all the way to his waist. His head was bald and there was a slight scar on his cheek. From his height, Earl could tell that he was a dwarf.
Dwarves were known to be tanned, short, and stocky. They possessed excellent blacksmithing skills and were often under the care of a dragon. However, it was not rare to see dwarves settle in human cities.
When the dwarf noticed Ari and Earl, his eyes lit up.
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"Now that's a face I haven't seen in a long time!" He jumped and slammed his arm on the counter to reach them. His short legs could be seen dangling because he wasn't tall enough. "It's been almost 10 years! Is this yer son?"
"Yes, it's been quite a long time, Glen. I have some business near here so I came to visit." Ari smiled and nodded to the dwarf, Glen.
"Ayyo, is that so? I'm honoured to have yer here today. Back then, yer was just a small adventurer mage. Now yer is now all grown up and a mighty Court Mage now!" Glen chuckled and pulled out 2 mugs of beer. "Yer dinner is on me tonight. Enjoy these first!"
Ari took one beer and then pushed the other one back. "Thank you, Glen. My son is too young for this, though."
"Ayyo is that so? Yer humans and yer stupid rules!" Glen took the mug back and exchanged it for a cup of orange juice. "This okay for you, little guy?"
"Yes, thank you," Earl replied politely. His mind lingered on when Ari said "too young" and he had a flashback to all the lewd things they have been doing.
"Aren't 'ya a polite fella? Barbequed Minotaur meat coming up!" Glen returned to grilling his meat.
"I stayed in this city for a year or two before I became a Court Mage years ago," Ari told Earl as she sipped on her beer. "Every day after I finished training in the dungeon, I would come here. You could say that I was a regular, fufu."
Earl listened to his mom's words with interest. It was always nice to hear about her past. "So you trained here... Can I go to the dungeon tomorrow too?"
"Sure. It would be a good experience for you." She agreed.
When they finished talking, Glen came back with two plates filled with barbequed minotaur meat on a stick.
Bang!
He slammed the plate against the counter after jumping. "Here yer go. Enjoy!"
With the meat in front of Earl, the smell was incredible. He could see some traces of the fine spices on the glistening meat. Without waiting any further, he grabbed the stick and took a bite.
It was the perfect blend of crispiness, juiciness, and tenderness. The outside of the meat was seared to be slightly crispy. After biting in, one would experience a wave of juiciness from the meat, followed by its great tenderness. The flavours were excellent from the spices, and to top it off, a sprinkle of lime brought everything together.
Nom nom nom.
Earl closed his eye and enjoyed the barbeque, chewing it enthusiastically.
All of this was seen by Ari. It brought her immense joy to see her cute son enjoying himself so much. Without further delays, she helped herself to the meat as well.