novelraw Chapter 116: I Should Be Under the Car
Chapter 116: I Should Be Under the Car
Meanwhile, Leon had already ridden his bike back to Pelican Town.
Nighttime in Pelican Town was much easier for cycling thanks to the glow of the streetlamps.
It wasn’t like the stretch between the northern foothills and the town, where Leon had to rely solely on moonlight. At one point, a mud puddle had nearly thrown him off the bike.
When he finally arrived at the Starfruit Saloon, Leon parked his bike before pushing the door open.
“Hey, Leon!”
“Leon, you’re here.”
“Evening, Leon.
His arrival caught the attention of several patrons. The greetings came from familiar faces—the first was Willy, followed by Lewis and Marnie.
It seemed that every time he saw Lewis and Marnie, the two were together. With such open interaction, Leon found it hard to believe that anyone in Pelican Town didn’t know about their… special relationship.
But he wasn’t one to pry. Waving back, he offered them a brief greeting before taking a seat at the bar.“Good evening, Leon. What would you like?” Emily was quick to welcome him.
“Hash browns, fried fish sticks, and a glass of apple juice.” Leon glanced at the day’s menu, picking two high-calorie items.
“I’ll tell Gus. We can talk after.” Emily noted his order, then walked to the kitchen window to call it out to Gus. After making sure he heard, she returned to the bar and began juicing fresh apples.
“Hey, Leon.” A deep voice sounded behind him as he watched Emily’s skilled hands at work.
Leon turned to see Clint standing there—not sitting, just looming behind him. The greeting had come from him.
“Evening, Clint. Want something to eat? My treat.” Leon greeted warmly, adding the offer without hesitation.
Last time, Clint had not only unlocked the Infinity Crystal Orb for free but had also gifted him a straight sword when he heard Leon was heading into the mines. Leon later learned from Marlon that the sword was worth at least 500G. He remembered that kindness.
“No need. I’m just here for a beer. You eat—I won’t bother you. I prefer drinking alone, a bit quieter that way.” Clint politely declined and headed for a corner seat near the fireplace, greeting Emily as he passed.
“Emily, the usual. One beer.”
“Clint, give me a moment. I’ll finish Leon’s apple juice first.” Emily looked up, saw him, and offered only verbal acknowledgment before continuing with the juicer.
Clint didn’t mind waiting. Soon, Emily handed him the beer—only to turn immediately back for the apple juice and carry it over to Leon without looking back.
“She’s busy… must be tiring.” Clint muttered to himself, deciding not to trouble Emily tonight. But when he saw her laughing and chatting with Leon across the bar, he froze.
From his angle, neither of them noticed him.
“I heard from Gus you ordered bread this morning. Did you go out of town?” Emily asked as she placed the apple juice in front of Leon.
“Yeah. Spent the day mining in the Abandoned Mines.”
“What?” Emily gasped, covering her mouth before circling the bar to give him a thorough once-over. Seeing only some dirt on his clothes and no blood, she exhaled in relief.
“Thank goodness you’re fine. That place has monsters. You didn’t run into any, did you?”
“Of course I did. But just small fry—nothing dangerous.” Leon took a sip of the apple juice. The sweet-tart taste and fresh aroma were refreshing and satisfying.
“Didn’t know you were that capable.” Emily teased with a smile. “Should I start calling you Hero Leon?”
“I prefer Explorer Leon. Marlon, the head of the Pelican Town Adventurer’s Guild, insists I have great talent. He practically begged me to join. He was so enthusiastic, I couldn’t refuse.”
“So now I have an adventurer friend. But doesn’t that mean you’ll be facing dangerous monsters all the time?” Emily’s initial delight shifted to worry.
“Not at all. I joined mostly as a formality. I’m still a farmer first. The farm is my real work. Joining the guild was just a mutually beneficial arrangement with Marlon.”
“That’s good. Just make sure you stay safe.” Emily smiled in relief and returned behind the bar, continuing their chat.
Clint, watching from his corner, felt a pang of envy. He wanted to join the conversation but couldn’t think of a reason. Instead, he nursed his beer, taking slow, distracted sips.
“So that’s why you rushed to the Calico Desert to find Yoba’s Crafting Altar last time—preparing for the mines.” Emily tried to keep him talking before his meal arrived.
Leon didn’t mind. “Pretty much. I wasn’t sure how strong the monsters would be, so I wanted every possible advantage to protect myself.”
“Going in prepared is wise. Leon, even if you weren’t a farmer, with this level of care you could become a famous adventurer.” Emily praised.
“Not for me. I went to mine ore, not to hunt monsters.” Leon waved it off.
“How was the haul today?” she asked.
“Pretty good. At least I won’t run out of ore anytime soon.” Leon glanced at his System Backpack—15 copper ingots, 122 unprocessed copper ore, over 70 pieces of coal, and 541 stones. A full load.
“Got a furnace ready?” Emily asked.
“No, but I’ll figure it out.” Leon shrugged.
“No problem—Clint’s here. He’s a professional blacksmith. Let’s ask him.” Emily waved to Clint. “Clint, can you come over?”
Clint was there in moments. “Emily called me—what’s up?”
“Leon mined a bunch of ore today but doesn’t have a furnace. Can you sell him one?”
“Leon’s already mining? I do have a furnace, but I won’t sell it. If you’ve got the materials, I can teach you how to make one.” Clint replied.
“How much?” Leon asked.
“No charge.” Clint didn’t hesitate—whether it was for Emily’s sake or Leon’s, he would’ve given the recipe for free.
Before Leon could answer, Emily spoke first. “Thanks, Clint. Next time you’re here, drinks are on me.”
“Alright.” Clint’s mood lifted—briefly. Seeing Emily thank him on Leon’s behalf brought it crashing down. Even he could see how close they were.
Leon had only been in Pelican Town a short while. How had he grown so close to Emily already? Clint couldn’t understand. All he felt was that somehow, he no longer fit here, as if he were the extra piece in someone else’s story.