The dinner for Jasmine's group of four was also settled right inside the tavern to conveniently listen for news. They sat straight through until midnight. When the candles had burned almost to the end, the guests gradually became fewer, and the noise finally subsided, only then did they stand up to leave.
Although the majority of the guests were merely chatting and blowing hot air about their battle achievements, Jasmine still filtered through the noise and gathered quite a few pieces of important news from the outside world.
For example, the new Emperor in the Royal Capital of Winchester had just ascended the throne. The inauguration ceremony was conducted in a manner that was very grand and lavish. Fireworks were fired, illuminating the entire night sky brightly for three consecutive days.
Several neighboring countries, wishing to establish friendly relations, sent envoys bringing rare treasures to congratulate him. It was heard that there was even a Prince of the Beastman Race who personally brought precious gifts, causing a sensation throughout the capital city.
Just in those few days of the inauguration ceremony alone, the merchants had earned quite a significant amount of money thanks to selling souvenirs and food.
Aside from that, there was news regarding the mysterious Druids of the Elf Race, those who held the power of nature. They had crossbred a new type of plant spice that possessed an enchanting scent.
This type of spice immediately received the enthusiastic pursuit of gourmet nobles. Currently, the price of that spice had been pushed up to one gold coin for a tiny grain, making it more expensive than pure gold.
Not a few profit-seeking merchants had disregarded the danger to step onto the path leading to the dense Elf Forest, hoping to be able to trade for a large quantity of the new spice to bring back and sell for a huge profit.
This year, the production of the famous Mermaid silk from the Fishman Race at the bottom of the deep sea had decreased significantly, becoming almost scarce.
It seemed that a group of stupid pirates from the Human Race had attacked and provoked them. The Fishman Race was enraged and created sea storms, declaring that they might not trade with Human Race merchants anymore.
After all, the Mermaid silk of the Fishman Race was inherently rare, thin and light as mist, waterproof, and extremely precious.
Not only did nobles of the Human Race desire it, but even the arrogant Elves also liked to use it to sew formal attire very much; the Fishman Race had absolutely no worry about finding buyers.
Even if they did not associate with Human Race merchant caravans anymore, the ones who would worry and suffer losses would only be the Human side.
There was also the matter of a certain crazy Alchemist who failed in his alchemy experiment, creating a chain reaction that blew up his laboratory and flattened several wooden houses nearby, causing a whole street corner to fly up into the sky, and so on...
Jasmine listened until she was entranced, as if she were listening to fairy tales being told. Through that, she also understood a few more parts about the operation of this world.
It had to be said that a place where gold and brass were mixed, filled with all sorts of social elements like a tavern, was also the most effective information center.
Just within a short evening of sitting and eavesdropping, Jasmine had harvested a wealth of knowledge that books did not teach.
Before leaving, Jasmine generously waved her hand to call Evelina, buying an extra half-barrel of barley beer to take back.
The guards following her had rushed about for several days on forest and mountain roads and were also working hard, enduring hunger and cold. Since they had arrived at a safe place, naturally, she had to treat them a little to encourage their spirit.
She could not take out other riches to grant as rewards because the treasury was limited, but she could still afford to treat each person to a glass of fragrant and strong barley beer.
Upon returning to the small inn, it was already late at night. The night wind blew through the cracks in the door, whistling in sharp bouts.
The guards had not yet gone to sleep; they sat gathered together in a tight cluster.
In this strange place full of lurking dangers, with the Lord not by their side, these guards were anxious and worried all day, not daring to close their eyes for a moment.
They did not even dare to stay in the warm room allocated for resting but instead all crowded into the inn's courtyard, which was full of weeds and not very large, clutching their weapons tightly in their hands.
When Jasmine returned, she immediately received several pairs of big, round eyes, looking at her with worry and expectation, pitiful like puppies that had been abandoned by their owner.
Jasmine: "..." She felt both amused and sympathetic at the sight.
Jasmine comforted them with a few gentle sentences, told them to put away their weapons, and then personally opened the wine barrel, sharing the barley beer with the guards.
This action of hers immediately harvested the extremely surprised, agitated to the point of trembling, and grateful gazes of everyone present.
They had never seen a noble pour wine for slaves with their own hands.
It was estimated that at this moment, no matter what Jasmine said, even if she told them to jump into a fire, the guards would all be willing to lay down their lives and sacrifice everything for her sake without hesitating in the slightest.
These people were all slaves born into hardship and had never drunk luxurious barley beer in their lives. Receiving the wine in their hands, they could not bear to drink it immediately.
They carefully poured it into the wooden water cups specifically used and worn at their waists, cherishing it like a treasure. In the evening, just daring to smell the strong scent of yeast a little could allow them to dream a beautiful dream about barley beer and a well-fed life.
This type of wooden water cup was specifically made by Jasmine asking the skillful Dwarf brothers to help before leaving. It was polished smooth, and the purpose was to conveniently drink clean water during this trip.
Slaves were not fussy about drinking water like nobles. They could not afford to drink wine. They did not even have the qualification to touch the clear well water in the castle; they could only drink leftover water or river water.
In such a situation, slaves naturally drank whatever water they found; they did not care about mud or stagnant water. They also did not have the consciousness to filter water or boil it to drink to avoid diseases.
Jasmine did not want her capable subordinates to suffer from diarrhea or malaria due to water issues during this important trip, which would delay the journey.
Moreover, people here, as long as they had a little money, would rather use wine as a daily drink than absolutely ever drink raw water directly from nature. This was enough to show how serious the problem of water source pollution was here.
Especially regarding the wild water sources in some areas where the Human Race resided in large numbers; with the naked eye, one could see the murky water flow, accumulating not a little living garbage and various types of filthy waste.
Therefore, every day Jasmine ordered people to use charcoal and gravel to filter the water simply through many layers of cloth, then boil it vigorously until it bubbled, and let it cool before distributing it to everyone every morning.
That wooden cup was precisely used to hold the boiled water that had been processed. Filling a large cup, if they saved it and drank in small sips, it would be enough for them to drink for the whole day of travel.