Chapter 27: An Expensive Breakfast

After listening to Duke's story about Lady Spring Rain, Rayan remembered the offense he had given her in the carriage compartment and could not help but lower his head in shame.

The palm that had been pressed against Lady Spring Rain's chest burned painfully. Rayan gently opened it to find that the mark burned by the Twilight Blade had formed, creating a clear Twilight symbol in the palm of his hand.

Duke leaned over, "There is a potion that can wash off the scar."

"No need."

Rayan gently shook his head, "This is good... It motivates me to keep getting stronger."

"Alright then."

Duke yawned sleepily, "That's it for today's lesson. Too much at once and you won't digest it all."

He stood up, quickly and adeptly cleared the table of the leftover scraps, and said to Rayan, "Drink up all the wine, then go to bed. You have to wake up early tomorrow to clean the tavern for me. You'll be the only assistant since the opening of the Ravenstorm Inn, and I'm really looking forward to your performance."

With that, a teasing smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Rayan shook the wine bottle, downing the remaining Deer penis liquor. The last of the liquor, full of essence, was more potent than any he had drunk before, causing him to cough violently. Each cough was painfully tearing at his ribs, as if ripping from his body. But when the coughing stopped, a numbing comfort spread throughout his body.

"Boss, you won't still have me drink this kind of liquor tomorrow, will you?"

Rayan asked anxiously. Deer penis liquor indeed could treat pain, but...

"Don't worry, I told you I would reconstruct your diet tomorrow. You certainly won't drink Deer penis liquor anymore," Duke assured him earnestly.

"That's good."

Rayan slowly stood up, and just as he reached the bed, he heard Duke say from behind him, "Tomorrow it's Tiger penis liquor, hehe."

"Boss, you..."

By the time he turned around, Duke had vanished without a trace, and a crow was stealthily pecking at breadcrumbs on the table, its playful nature fully on display.

"Wu ah!"

Caught by Rayan, the crow quickly straightened up, gave him a haughty look, and flew out with its tail in the air.

Rayan couldn't help but chuckle softly as he gently lay down on the bed.

So much had happened today; he had almost died at the hands of the demoness Ella, then was saved by Lady Spring Rain, only to have the Twilight Blade stolen by the malicious servant, Duncan—he had thought he was surely doomed...

He had indeed died. But Duke had brought him back to life.

Since he was given this new life, there was no reason not to live well, to strengthen himself, and to regain the Twilight Blade as soon as possible.

That goal, he was sure to achieve...

Rayan slowly closed his eyes. Under the influence of alcohol and the fire's warmth, he soon drifted into sleep.

An hour later, the attic room door silently opened a crack, and Duke quickly slipped in from the shadows, tiptoeing to Rayan's bedside.

He bent down to observe the sleeping Rayan, checking his cheek color, then very gently touched his forehead, wrist, and the slight depression above his heart on his throat.

"That guy named Evan..."

Duke muttered a sigh, "Why did he seal your Battle Qi limit? If it wasn't for the seal, you should have already advanced to Hero Level."

Rayan's chest moved silently with his breathing, the only sound in the entire room being his slow, regular breaths.

Duke gently adjusted the blanket over Rayan, stood by the bed for a while, then quietly left the attic room.

Back downstairs in the tavern, Duke fetched paper and pen, laying them out in front of the bar but hesitated to write. He furrowed his brow, resting his hands on his chin, standing motionless like a statue.

A crow flew over, perched on his shoulder, and soon fell into a deep sleep.

Hours later, as the first rays of sunlight shot through the clouds, Duke finally made up his mind, swiftly wrote a line on the paper, signed his name, then rolled it into a scroll, tying it with a thin rope to the crow's leg.

"Wu ah, deliver this letter to the alchemist in Dusk Village."

"Wu ah!"

The crow swiftly woke up, flapped its wings, and flew out of the Ravenstorm Inn.

"May balance be upon us, I hope I'm not wrong with this decision..."

Duke took a deep breath, rubbed his swollen forehead, and climbed up to the attic.

Rayan was sleeping soundly, and suddenly, the blanket was thrown off him.

"Get up, you lazy bum!"

Duke yelled at him, "It's time to get to work!"

Rayan rubbed his bleary eyes and sat up.

Duke tossed a set of black clothes at his face, loudly saying, "Put on your clothes and wipe the tables and glasses a hundred times each! All of them!"

"Yes, boss."

Rayan felt no sadness; on the contrary, he was already accustomed to Duke's cold exterior but warm heart. He quickly dressed and walked down from the bed. Yesterday's wounds were still painful, his ribs not fully healed, but after the medicinal liquor's nourishment and a restful sleep, he was able to move freely.

"Will you start training me after I finish these tasks?"

"Training?"

Duke chuckled cruelly and savagely, "Let's talk when you can complete the tasks I give you within half a day!"

Completing a hundred wipes of tables and glasses within half a day seemed like an unreasonable demand, but Rayan felt he could accomplish it.

"Then, it's a deal, boss."

He immediately grabbed a cloth and headed downstairs.

"Wait!"

Duke called after him from behind.

"Anything else, boss?"

Duke crossed his arms, "Remember, you're an assistant, not a lord. We're running a tavern, always smile at customers, especially the rich ones!"

"Uh, I'll try."

Duke waved him off, and Rayan, with his clumsy steps, walked down the stairs.

The tavern itself was already clean, even the bloodstains from the murder of Thorn he committed yesterday had been thoroughly cleaned, leaving no trace of the crime. As an assassin, Duke had good organizational habits; everything he touched was meticulous and spotless.

Rayan stood for a moment, unsure where to start.

He approached the table near the door and began to wipe it haphazardly. Each lift of his arm brought a wave of intense pain, but Rayan clenched his teeth, not allowing his movements to pause even for a moment.

Duke squinted, leaning against the kitchen doorway, quietly observing Rayan's performance.

When the sun was fully up, Rayan had wiped all the tavern's tables and chairs a hundred times. Duke suddenly waved him over, "Come eat your breakfast first."

Rayan's body was already soaked with sweat, his muscles stretched to their limits. Hearing Duke's words, he couldn't help but collapse into a chair.

"That's for rich customers!"

Duke yelled at him, "Remember your place! Assistant!"

Rayan's body jerked up as if electrocuted. "Sorry, boss, it won't happen again."

Duke snorted and turned back into the kitchen. "Come in and eat."

Rayan let out a sigh, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and dragged his tired body into the kitchen.

The kitchen was steaming hot, a large black iron pot on the stove bubbling with bubbles, filled with quality beef and many strange herbs.

The smell of meat and a sense of happiness arrived simultaneously. In his days of wandering, not to mention meat, even a warm breakfast was a luxury.

The steam almost made Rayan tear up; he quickly blinked away the tears and found a seat to sit down.

Duke ladled out a large basin of meat and placed it in front of Rayan. "Eat it all."

Rayan was startled, thinking he had misheard, "Eat it all? That's a lot of meat!" If this basin of meat were used to entertain guests, given Duke's character, it would cost at least thirty silver coins.

"Don't make such a fuss, it's just your breakfast."

Duke spoke lightly, "Every meal you have here will be more than this."

A breakfast costing thirty silver coins meant nearly a gold coin a day! If he trained here for a month, that would be thirty coins—enough to buy a village around Shadowcrest Ridge! If he trained for a year...

Rayan couldn't even calculate how many villages he would eat out of Duke in a year, staring at Duke, at this tavern owner who wouldn't let a single copper profit slip by, looking at this forty-year-old man who always said he couldn't afford to hire a stripper, as if he were looking at a completely different person.

"Eat up quickly, you still have to greet the customers!"

Duke's ferocious demeanor hadn't changed, in fact, it had intensified.

"Yes... boss."

Other than obeying Duke's orders, Rayan didn't know how to express his feelings; he bowed his head and stuffed a large piece of beef into his mouth, chewing vigorously.

"Wu ah!"

The crow flapped its wings, flying in through the kitchen window, landing on Duke's shoulder.

"You've worked hard..."

Duke, seeing no reply letter on the crow's leg, couldn't help but frown, but soon relaxed. He turned around, scooped out the remaining meat from the pot, and placed it on the table.

The crow didn't stand on ceremony, leaping from Duke's shoulder to the table to feast.

Duke himself kept a very small piece, chewing slowly.

The two men and one bird quietly enjoyed their meal in the kitchen, no one speaking.

Rayan was silent because he didn't know what to say, Duke was silent because he was distracted by not receiving a reply from the alchemist, and the crow was silent because...

Because it's a bird and can't talk.

After finally finishing the meat in the basin, Rayan was so full he belched dozens of times, his stomach so distended he could barely stand.

"Boss, I've finished eating."

Duke looked at the empty basin and nodded in satisfaction. "Go back to work."

Rayan supported himself on the chair back, struggling to stand up, and just as he reached the kitchen door, Duke coldly said, "The tables and chairs you wiped today are not up to standard, go wipe them again."

Rayan's lips twitched, but unexpectedly, he didn't talk back. Having received so many favors from Duke, nothing could make him more elated than being treated strictly.

"Alright, boss."

He cheerfully responded.