Supreme Magus

Haug rolled his eyes, cleaning a glass mug in frustration with so much strength that it cracked for a second before the mug repaired itself.

Only after Faluel confirmed Haug's identity to Lith and reassured him that the Travelling Tavern was a neutral zone did his aura stop making the walls tremble.

"The guy is a bundle of nerves and a piece of work. You could easily find a better boyfriend, miss Yehval. I can even introduce you to some fine gentlemen myself." Haug clearly didn't like his hospitality being pissed upon before being thrown back in his face.

"I'm sorry. I swear that I had no idea this place belonged to an Awakened." Kamila said to Lith. "As for you, mister Haug, you've got a lot of gall playing the victim. You're a terrible host and a horrible person."

"Me?" Her words made him turn pale. The beer mug slipped off Haug's hand, shattering on the floor just to reassemble and jump back in place on its own.

"Yes, you! You tricked us into coming here, ruining our date just to further your agenda." Kamila snarled.

"That's not true. I-"

"Did you "go to such lengths to bring us here" just to offer us dinner or because you need something from Lith?" Kamila quoting Haug's words only made him feel more guilty.

"I-"

"Yes or no." She cut him short, killing the long-winded explanation Haug had ready before he could even start it.

"Yes, I did it because I have a business proposal for Archmage Verhen." He admitted.

"So you've just ruined our date, my night, and possibly several weeks of my life by putting my boyfriend into danger. How does that make you a good person?" Kamila snarled, receiving nods of approval from both customers and staff.

"Sick burn, sister." The female lead singer of the band said, revealing to be a black-haired Dryad wearing a c.o.c.ktail dress made of orange autumn leaves.

"She's right. You're a f.u.c.k.i.n.g jerk, Haug. Deal with it." A man with long hair said, raising his blood mug in a toast to Kamila, quickly followed by his living companions.

"Despicable bastard. This place is supposed to be a safe haven, not a job center." A woman whose face was covered in glistening scales said while she flexed her membranous wings.

"If the guy wanted a job instead of a good time, he would be checking the message board, not making a reservation."

"Not cool, bruh. I want a raise." A waitress said, cl.i.c.k.i.n.g her tongue in disapproval.

"Would you please sit down and accept your damned drinks before I lose the last shreds of my dignity? Everything is on the house, just make them stop." Haug w.h.i.n.ed as he was suddenly everyone's hot topic and not in a good way.

The customers had started exchanging embarrassing anecdotes of his past, making him regret to have chosen such a flashy introduction during the rush hour.

Lith could feel that the only hostility in the room was addressed toward the bartender and could see with Life Vision that none of the enchantments in the room was meant to attacking or restraining their targets.

That together with Faluel's reassurance of being a frequent customer sealed the deal.

"I'll take your most expensive beer for starters. Then I want you to cut to the chase and tell me what's your angle." Lith sat on the barstool while Kamila stared at Haug with such a fiery gaze that no one would have been surprised if he suddenly caught fire.

"Fine." Haug put a one liter (2.1 pints) beer mug in front of Lith and filled it with Crimson Garuda, a double malt red ale of which Maekosh produced only a few barrels per year. "I need your help to deal with something that's killing the children."

"That was a bit too concise even by my standards. Say that again, but add a few more details." Lith sipped his beer, smacking his lips in appreciation and prompting Kamila to sit on the barstool next to him.

She was still royally pissed off and was considering to have her knee meet Haug's gonads, but the moment Kamila heard about the threat at hand she regained her cool. She took a deep breath and sat down while she inwardly kissed their romantic evening goodbye.

"I'd do it if I knew anything about it. It's still a mystery and I'm asking for your help because strength is pointless if you have nothing to hit. What I need is a hunter and your reputation precedes you." The bartender said.

"Leave the keg here. I'll keep it for later. Everything is on the house, remember?" Lith said.

"Later as in to consume it over dinner?" Haug asked.

"No, later as in to bring it back home." Lith shamelessly said, putting the keg inside his dimensional pocket and making the bartender inhale sharply in annoyance.

"Beer aside, I call bullshit." Kamila had taken a sip from Lith's mug and she had to admit that it was delicious. "I haven't heard about any missing children report, let alone a mass murder."

She ordered a pint for herself, to have a smaller mug suitable for her limited strength. Haug took out another keg, filled her glass, and Lith made it disappear as well with a wave of his hand.

"For the gods' sake! Seriously? I've only got ten of those, give that back now!" Haug snarled.

"Make me." Lith didn't even bother raising his eyes from his now half-empty glass while he spoke.

"You're embarrassing me. Please, take that keg out." Kamila said while ordering some appetizers to go with her beer. "As for you, Haug, what children are you talking about?"

Lith emitted a low puppy w.h.i.n.e but did as requested.

"Thank the gods you're here, Lady Yehval. He's not only as paranoid, but also as cheap and petty as the rumors say." Haug said while giving them salty snacks along with small skewers of steaming hot meat and vegetables that he cooked over a small grill on the counter.

"Don't misunderstand me. We'll consume part of it during dinner and bring the rest back home as a souvenir. Everything is on the house, remember?" Kamila said, making Haug turn pale and the rest of the restaurant toast for the couple.

"Make me ask for it again and we'll leave. What children?"

"They are not human children, otherwise as you have pointed out, every Constable on Garlen would be working on the case. I'm talking about the offspring of the undead." The bartender said with a spell that made his words impossible to overhear.

"What? Why should I care and most importantly, why do you care about them?" Lith almost choked on his beer, putting his glass down until the conversation was over to not waste more precious nectar.

"I'm sorry but it's confidential information. I can't tell you more unless you accept my request." Haug shook his head.

"And I'm not accepting your request unless you tell me more. I'd say we have a problem here." Lith replied and Kamila nodded in approval.

She had much to say, but she also had her mouth full of appetizers.

'This food is amazing. This Haug is as good as a cook as much as he's a jerk.' She thought.