The Adventurer's Mission Log

Chapter 14 "Food"

"A demon is lurking in the shadows." Unlike short-lived characters in horror movies, Tenor didn't hide the anomaly, as hiding it would only harm his teammates.

The others did not raise any questions as they would in a classic scene.

They were at a secret stronghold of the Emerald Order. Although uninvited guests had wiped out the stronghold, the Order's high command might still be there and had come to investigate the attack.

Reginald chanted the incantation in a low voice, and Tenor noticed a glint in his eyes.

"Can you pinpoint its location?"

“No.” Reginald frowned. “Are you sure demons exist?”

Ternor solemnly assured, "Any god can bear witness."

"Stay focused, don't get distracted!" Reginald, having found nothing, could only raise his voice to instruct the others.

They searched the Emerald Order's storeroom along the passageway and found some silverware, but otherwise only bloody "art" works made of corpses and fresh flesh remained.

"Damn it! These poor bastards!" someone muttered in complaint.

But smart people know that this group of cultists probably went bankrupt trying to collect the awakening reagent, so their current meager harvest is not surprising.

The outpost clearly had more than one exit, so without having to risk crossing the water, they pushed over a false wall, passed through a mechanism door, and returned to the main sewer.

Perhaps it was luck, or perhaps it was because dawn was approaching, but neither the demons nor the ratmen launched any further attacks on the group.

Tenor was not pleased by this—if he could eliminate the demon, the shadow cast upon him by the Emerald Order would be completely dispelled, and he would only have to deal with the retaliation of the Pleasure Society.

Unfortunately, we still need to find a way to completely eliminate that demon.

So much happened that night; he not only successfully awakened but also transcended... while simultaneously getting involved with two cults.

The Emerald Order has been crippled; all that's needed is to deal with the demons to bring this to a complete end. But the Pleasure Society's situation is far from over.

On the way back, he casually chatted with the group, "Aren't you all curious about why I ended up at the Pleasure Association's hideout?"

"I didn't feel anything," said the Imperial mercenary with short black hair casually, slapping Tenor on the shoulder. "You helped us take down those freaks, that's enough."

It's common practice not to ask where someone comes from; everyone has a past they'd rather not talk about.

Gale echoed:

"I only care whether you crouch down or stand in front of me when the arrows come tomorrow... but I believe you will do the same as you do today."

Tenor was moved; the feeling of being trusted was indeed pleasant. But he still had to say, "It was the customs officer who recommended me to the Amethyst Wine House. His name is Anthony, and I suspect he is a spy for the Pleasure Society within the military."

"Anthony?" The doctor's expression changed slightly. "He's a senior mage in the Lagedia Battle Mage Order, and also the second-in-command at customs. If he's a demon cultist..." The doctor looked at Reginald, "...Does that sir know?"

Reginald remained calm and composed. "Whether 'that person' knows or not is none of our business."

We're just doing our jobs for money; as for getting involved in the power struggles within Laghetti...?

That's not something we should be managing with our current salaries... unless we get a raise.

Tenor felt that Reginald was changing the subject. He was curious about who the adventure team's employer was, but just like the others hadn't cared about his background, he shouldn't pry into the employer's information without considering the consequences.

"Senior Mage" is equivalent to mid-level mage. Since Tenor is temporarily staying with the adventure team, if Anthony wants to cause trouble, he will definitely take care of the people next to him as well.

But Reginald didn't care at all.

Considering his performance in previous battles, this kid's rank is probably not low... there's a story behind him!

Tenor didn't believe that a mid-level or even high-level mage would live like an adventurer.

Mages are highly educated individuals, and the meager earnings of adventurers are simply insufficient to cover the costs of spell materials, magic books, and items. Powerful mages generally belong to large organizations.

"Hehe, we've been busy enough today, let me treat everyone to a meal!" Reginald led the group out of the culvert. The sky was just beginning to lighten, and some shops were already open.

When someone offered to treat everyone, everyone cheered with joy. Just then, there was a newly opened cooked food shop nearby, and the aroma of food filled the air. Many people had already gathered inside the shop.

The intrusion of the menacing adventure team couldn't dampen people's enthusiasm for the food. Reginald shouted, "All-you-can-drink! Eat whatever you want, it's on me!"

Not long after Ternor was seated, a waiter dressed in a short robe and a leather apron brought over a plate of sardines the size of a finger, and a bowl of chickpea and lentil porridge made with sea salt and wild onions.

These are all common foods for ordinary people in the empire, but the chef at this restaurant must be exceptionally skilled, as the aroma of the food is incredibly tempting.

The Imperial swordsman in the adventure party grabbed a "Musaka" pie and swallowed it whole in one gulp.

It was made of eggplant slices with a little bit of minced lamb and cheap cheese, and served with sour grape juice, which was unusually appetizing, but it shouldn't have made him look like he was possessed by a hungry ghost.

At first, he ate hastily, then like a hyena snatching carrion, or a vulture fighting for entrails in an arena.

It wasn't just him; Tenor, who was about to eat, was surprised to notice the unusual behavior of everyone in the restaurant.

The waiters brought out plate after plate of new food for everyone, and the people greedily devoured and chewed it with an unbridled, ravenous appetite.

The air was thick with a morbid frenzy of eating; the sounds of chewing, swallowing, and clattering dishes blended together, as if they weren't enjoying breakfast but engaged in a life-or-death competition.

This madness could no longer be concealed. Everyone who had not yet eaten was astonished. Some tried to stop their out-of-control companions, but were thrown away by their companions' superhuman strength.

The thirst grew ever stronger, the frenzy ever more intense, as if it were the playful antics of a dark prince. Even when they vomited, the rabid diners continued their voracious eating and drinking.

Before the plates the waiters brought even touched the table, the diners swarmed forward, their fingers digging into the food like greedy forks.

The sardines were swallowed whole, and the bean porridge dangled from the corners of their mouths onto their filthy collars. And what did they do? They didn't even bother to wipe it off, just kept stuffing it into their mouths!

"God above!" the doctor cried out in disarray. "This is wrong, this is really wrong! Captain, do something quick!"

Reginald immediately pulled out a handful of powder, but before he could finish the incantation, it was "accidentally" knocked away by the frenzied customers who were scrambling for the food.

Tenor grabbed his companion and stopped him from eating any more.

A faint, almost imperceptible, strange fragrance was detected by Tenor. If it weren't for the fact that his five senses and physical abilities had doubled after advancing to human form, he wouldn't have been able to find this unusual scent.

His muscles tensed, and his eyes followed the fleeting direction of the breath.

The cook, whose delicate features resembled those of a woman, stood by the kitchen door, observing the chaos, and slowly smiled.

His mouth split wider and wider, gradually like a ripe pomegranate breaking free of its skin, eventually splitting all the way to his ears.

"A demon!" Tenor recognized the aura as the demon from the port the night before and roared in shock and anger to warn his teammates.

I never imagined it would dare to cause chaos in broad daylight!

The Emerald Order's tentacles in Laghettia have been severed; it's nothing but a stray dog, how dare it?!

Upon noticing that Tenor was looking over, the "cook" took a step back and disappeared into the shadows, where the unusual darkness quickly thickened and engulfed him.

The adventurers disregarded the pursuit and firmly restrained their companion who had eaten the strange food, using various methods to induce vomiting, purify, and heal him.

Suddenly, a sense of unease washed over Tenor, and he decisively transformed into Thoros.

The next moment, the shop was filled with an intensely musky scent.

It didn't leave!