The Paladin in the Abyss-Chapter 581 - 605 See You Again

Chapter 581: Chapter 605: See You Again Chapter 581: Chapter 605: See You Again Mogrondale.

The Halfling bartender widened his eyes in surprise as he watched the group file in through the door. These people appeared to be trying to keep as low a profile as possible, all wearing monk-like hoods and cloaks, but he immediately recognized the lead Human Knight whose last visit had left a deep impression, a rare feat indeed.

The first floor of the Tears of Lazzaka was a dining room and bar, renowned as a well-regarded inn in the city, now at its busiest time of the day. The first thing Lancelot noticed were the tall, gaunt guards with tawny skin, eying him menacingly, their hands resting on the hilt of their beautiful silver swords.

Lancelot knew they were of the Gith, a race that harbored a deep-seated enmity toward soul-sucking creatures and had an ancient (though not always strictly observed) pact with the Red Dragons. During his last visit, the guards of the inn were Mazeleth Demons; he had to admit, compared to the neutrally aligned Fiends that looked like humanoid insects, the Gith were much more pleasing to the eye.

The dining tables were filled with eating guests, mostly travelers from other planes or dimensions—merchants, envoys, wizards, adventurers—all clad in garments of silk, leather, or metal, exuding a variety of strange scents (some of which did not quite harmonize with the atmosphere of the restaurant). These people were also looking at his group, albeit not so overtly.

“What a rare visitor, Sir Lancelot,” the Halfling greeted the Human Knight who approached the bar with a toothy smile, “what, have you come to claim your dominion? Unfortunately, the current Governor of the Spray Plains is…”

“That’s not what I’ve come for, otherwise I wouldn’t be wearing this.” Lancelot tugged at the hood over his head, “Dear Mr. Pakos, I’m pleased to see your establishment thriving, but I have a bigger business to discuss with you…”

“Am I hearing it right? A business proposition, from you?” Pakos raised his eyebrows dramatically, but his eyes were completely devoid of mirth, “Can you start by telling what it’s about?”

“We’ve just come back from the Iron Ice Plains.” Lancelot opened his mouth, but aside from the Halfling in front of him, no one else could hear his voice, “Have you heard about the incident that happened there recently?”

...

“Ah…hah!” Pakos pressed a special bell under the bar, and another red-haired, visibly sullen Halfling immediately emerged from a small door behind him, “Dear Redralgon, I need to talk upstairs with these gentlemen. Can you manage the bar for a bit? It’s an easy job, just collect the coins thrown by the customers, and don’t keep making that gloomy face, you are talking to people, not food, remember that!”

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“That Redralgon…” As Lancelot followed the Halfling upstairs, he couldn’t help but ask, “Is he the same as you…?”

“In my view, he’s just a fool who has recently pecked his way out of his own shell.” Pakos stood in front of his office door, reciting a spell in a bizarre language, then poked the door a few times. The door creaked open under his actions, “Great, I haven’t messed it up this time…”

“Otherwise, what would happen?” Bruto couldn’t help asking, “Some kind of bad thing, I guess?”

“Nothing much, just some harmless anti-theft measures that help me recall the correct way to open the door,” the Halfling happily walked toward the huge desk in the center of the room. “Please come in, my friends, and bring the doors along.”

As he closed the door, Lancelot noticed that there were no flammable materials in the corridor, and the stone ceiling still bore the black marks of high heat scorching.

“I must admit, I never anticipated that we would converse here again,” Pakos climbed into the comfortable high-backed chair. “The last time we parted, you were headed to Androlina, right? The stories that came from that plane afterward nearly made my jaw drop. Warriors dead for countless centuries, a Succubus Martial Artist defying her nature, and the Mother of Demons colluding with Bartez… I am very curious about the role you played in those events…”

“We just…”

“No, no need to explain to me; here in Mogrondale, whatever happens in the Abyss, the news is sure to reach us—the battles between the armies of the Demon Prince and Lord Wu’an, who fathered the Queen of the Succubus’ child last month, or a new Abyssal Lord being born on some plane, and so on. But trying to understand every incident would be torturing myself, so most of the time, I ignore them or just laugh them off,” the Halfling said as he opened a cupboard under the desk, took out an assortment of bottles and jars, and began to skillfully mix drinks (Lancelot hadn’t received such treatment on his last visit). He quickly prepared six drinks and flashed a grin at everyone:

“Try this, it’s a new formula I recently developed. The base liquor is a top-notch brandy from Shendiravir. Those Succubus are indeed very professional when it comes to carnal delights. However, the one with a lighter color is non-alcoholic, Miss Elizabeth, as a young lady not of age yet, this one is for you,” the Halfling pushed the drinks towards everyone and reclined back in his chair, “By the way, where has that talkative skeleton gone? And my fellow gourmet connoisseur? If you tell me they perished on an adventure, I would be devastated.”

“They are fine, just left this plane,” Lancelot gently shook his head. “Going back to our original topic, considering your identity, the name Svafnir must not be unfamiliar to you?”

“I knew you were going to bring up that disgrace,” Pakos shrugged and rolled his eyes, “Although everyone knows that the intelligence of a White Dragon is hardly different from that of a beast, just the thought of such an idiot, who grovels under the demons, being of the same species as me, makes me want to rip off my own ears. I’m also aware of the great battle that took place in front of the Glacial Fortress a week ago. It’s really a pity that guy showed none of the White Dragon’s spirit to fight to the death while he was fleeing.”

“Since you already know who Svafnir is, there’s no need for further introduction,” Lancelot tapped the rim of his glass, producing a clear ding. “Our purpose in seeking you is straightforward, specifically, we hope that you would help eliminate that… disgrace of the Dragon Race.”