Evelina blushed deeply, averting her eyes to avoid Jasmine's gaze, and hurriedly scurried behind the bar counter to attend to the new guests who had just entered.
Ankera Town truly lived up to its reputation as a gathering hub for adventurers; the deeper into the night it went, the more boisterous and lively the atmosphere became.
Aside from the ordinary Human Race, Jasmine finally laid eyes upon other legendary foreign races in the flesh.
The heavy door of the tavern was shoved open with immense force, allowing a biting gust of cold wind to sweep inside.
It was a Minotaur. His physique was significantly taller and more burly than the Angus of their family. Thick, corded muscles rippled and bulged ominously beneath his tough, leathery skin.
His height was estimated to be around three meters; he had to stoop very low just to enter through the door to avoid smashing his head against the frame. When he stood up straight, he could almost touch the ceiling of the low-roofed tavern.
That Minotaur was clad in a crude set of coarse cloth garments that were worn out and tattered, exposing a hairy, broad chest. Strapped to his back was a massive double-bladed battle axe that stood as tall as half a person. The blades of the axe were mottled with deep slash marks; it was undoubtedly his weapon of choice.
His voice was particularly loud, booming and resonating like rolling thunder. As soon as he stepped through the door, he bellowed:
"Evelina, where are you, little girl! Get me the biggest glass of barley beer you have in this place!"
"Oh my, Huntington, you are noisy enough to wake the dead. Lower your voice a little! My ceiling is about to be shaken down by you, and dust will fall all over the food at this rate." Evelina complained with a coquettish tone, yet her hands were swift. Holding a wooden tray, she nimbly brought out a supersized mug of barley beer for the Minotaur who had just arrived.
She seemed to be all too accustomed to this uncouth guest.
"Ha ha, this is my normal speaking volume, you have to get used to it! Men are supposed to be strong and loud like this!" The Minotaur named Huntington laughed uproariously, the sound vibrating deep within his chest.
He grabbed the wooden tankard, tilted his head back, and with loud *glug-glug* sounds, drained the vessel filled to the brim in a single breath, finishing it in the blink of an eye.
Some of the liquor overflowed and trickled down the corners of his mouth, wetting his shaggy beard that was as stiff as tree roots.
The Minotaur used the back of his hand to wipe the corner of his mouth with a hearty, sweeping motion, then slammed the empty wooden tankard heavily onto the thick oak table. The impact was so forceful that even the sturdy table shook violently, demonstrating just how terrifying his strength was.
"One more glass! Today, this old man is thirsty enough to dry out his throat!"
Evelina secretly rolled her eyes in exasperation, but her hands were already deftly pouring the alcohol. "You be a bit gentler. If you smash the glass or crack my table, you will have to compensate for it. Don't even think about reneging on the debt." As she scolded him, she poured another overflowing mug of barley beer for the Minotaur.
The Minotaur Angus, who was sitting beside Jasmine, possessed a physique that was already considered large, but compared to Huntington, Angus looked like a mere child.
This was the first time Angus had seen a member of his own race at such close quarters. He could not help but secretly observe Huntington with eyes filled with curiosity and timidity.
Just looking at that towering, mountain-like appearance and that oppressive aura, one knew that this kin of his was not weak in strength; in fact, he was very powerful. Angus could not help but feel a pang of envy.
If he possessed strength like Huntington, he would be able to protect the Lord much better. It would not reach the point where, like before when encountering the pack of wolves, he was so terrified that he had no ability to resist and had to let the Lord step forward to handle it.
Remembering the events of that night, Angus's eyes grew a bit gloomy, and he lowered his head to stare down at his own rough hands.
Although the Lord did not blame or punish them, and even offered comfort, Angus still felt a deep sense of sadness and shame regarding his own weak capabilities.
Jasmine was also observing that Minotaur through the corner of her eye.
Judging by his dusty attire and the weapon he carried, he must be a free adventurer, or perhaps a professional mercenary.
Huntington must have just returned from outside the hunting zone. The clothes on his body were still stained with dark, dried blood marks and mud; he had not yet had time to wash them clean or change into fresh garments.
Very quickly, several other burly men walked into the tavern, the sound of their leather boots pounding against the wooden floor going *clomp clomp*.
These men were likely in the same team as the Minotaur. They chose a large table in a hidden corner not far from Jasmine to sit down, casually throwing their weapons onto the table, creating a loud clattering noise.
They must have been starving, so they ordered a table full of wine, meat, and piping hot food. After that, they immediately acted as if there was no one else around, talking loudly and laughing boisterously.
This group was an organized mercenary band. They were responsible for protecting merchant caravans traveling between the bustling Royal Capital of Winchester and this remote Ankera Town.
However, the topic they were discussing was not regarding the boring mission that had just concluded, but about the pirate treasure that was causing a stir in public opinion.
Jasmine pricked up her ears, sipping a little warm water while listening, and roughly understood the general situation.
It was said that a band of pirates, notorious for their cruelty and brutality, had looted a small coastal kingdom, raking in countless gold, silver, and jewels. Afterward, they hid the treasure on a mysterious deserted island in the sea to avoid the pursuit of the navy.
Later, due to uneven distribution of the loot, the pirates suffered from internal strife and slaughtered each other. A traitor then made the map and the secret location of their treasure public to seek revenge.
This news naturally attracted the covetous gaze of not a few greedy adventurers. Many people from all over the lands decided they wanted to go and share a piece of the pie, hoping to change their lives overnight.
Ankera Town also had many adventurers who, upon receiving the news, had hurriedly rented ships to set sail.
This small group of mercenaries was also somewhat tempted, discussing spiritedly whether they should buy a boat or join another group. Unfortunately, they had arrived too late. Ankera Town no longer had any seaworthy ships that could set sail; the remaining ones were all too dilapidated and rotten. They could only regretfully give up on this idea and sit here drinking wine to relieve their sorrow.
Jasmine listened until her brow twitched slightly, her finger tapping lightly on the table surface in a rhythm of contemplation.
If she remembered correctly, the owner of the small inn seemed to have mentioned that her loyal knight Isaac had also set sail at this time. Could it be that his departure was also related to this pirate treasure matter? If that was true, the situation would be far more complicated than she had imagined.
Although it was said that at this time there were not many adventurers remaining in Ankera Town because they had all set sail, as the night grew late, the number of guests coming to the tavern was still significant. The atmosphere became increasingly thick with the smell of alcohol and swirling tobacco smoke.
Jasmine discovered that these newcomers were mostly wealthy, portly merchants coming from other places and the guards hired to escort them.
These merchants were all old foxes, specializing in doing business with adventurers. They held shops or private warehouses within Ankera Town.
Every year, they would bring large amounts of supplies, provisions, and medicine here to sell at high prices. Afterward, they would purchase animal skins, magic stones, and precious ingredients from the hands of adventurers at cheap prices, then bring them back to the Royal Capital or other territories to resell and make a massive profit.