30 Years After Reincarnating, It Turns Out This World Was A Rofan?! novel Chapter 82

“Damn it, there’s no seat again? Hey, Matt! Make some room!”

“If you want a seat, bring your own chair and desk. Why are you making a fuss when I’m busy?”

“What kind of manners are those for talking to a customer?!”

“Because a bum like you isn’t my customer, now get lost!”

“You little...!”

A customer-looking man and the shop’s owner were squabbling, but no one paid them any attention. This sort of thing was routine. Some even enjoyed the show as entertainment.

A public house, or “Pub.”

A communal space often frequented by commoners, serving as a bar and inn. Most people just called it a “pub” for short.

It was always bustling and noisy, with crowds of drunken patrons gathering even late into the night. Though arguments and shouts were common, incidents rarely escalated to anything serious.

That’s because—

“Hey, fight all you want, just don’t drag the guild into it. That’ll just be your loss.”

“......”

Most pubs like this one operated as branches under a guild’s authority. It was common sense to keep things quiet if a dispute broke out.

“Tch, I’ll let it slide. Just bring me some of that tasteless food.”

“...This guy just loves to get punched.”

The food here wasn’t guaranteed to be tasty, but it was cheap and filling, and both the drinks and coffee were affordable, so picking a fight with the pub’s owner wasn’t wise. The carpenter, aware of this, offered an apologetic tip, while the other patrons sighed, sipping their flat, cheap lager with a hint of disappointment as the brief amusement ended.

Amidst the bustling crowd, on the pub’s quieter third-floor lounge, two people were sharing a drink.

Well, to be exact—

“Where do you think you’re going with that drink?”

“B-but I’m an adult!”

“Sure, an adult. But don’t you know academy cadets are banned from drinking until graduation? And you try to break the rules right in front of your instructor—bold move.”

“...That’s harsh.”

While the man ordered his drink, the timid boy pouted as he sipped only orange juice. Having juice when there was alcohol right there—it was frustrating.

“—Oh? This is good.”

His pouting didn’t last long; the orange juice was refreshing and cool. Surprisingly tasty.

Wasn’t this place supposed to serve only cheap stuff?

The man, Ihan, looked at the surprised boy with a smirk.

“The good thing about this pub is they serve decent stuff as long as you pay. That orange juice, for example—they import the ingredients from the southern region. You can’t have alcohol, but it should be enough to make up for it.”

“That’s amazing.”

“The kingdom’s food culture is pretty advanced. The drinks, too. Try them when you graduate.”

“...Gulp.”

“You, a drinker, huh?”

It seemed he knew a good drink when he saw one. It wasn’t unusual for someone who kept their thoughts hidden to release stress through drinking.

“Maybe I should let him have one drink...”

...No, this was right.

Both of them had reputations to uphold, after all. Better not to risk anything that could raise an eyebrow from the start. Ihan shook off the thought, focusing on his ale.

The rich aroma and depth of the barley—it was made with high-quality ingredients, unwatered down, and the flavor was unbeatable. Far better than the beer he’d known in his previous life.

“The kingdom really knows how to make ale.”

Properly aged in oak barrels, the ale was exceptional.

“I guess I prefer ale over lager.”

Though it wasn’t as refreshing as lager, the subtle fruitiness in the ale was more to Ihan’s taste. Either way, it was worth the money.

“Aren’t you overdoing it? The third-floor lounge costs quite a bit, and the dishes aren’t cheap either....”

“But it’s worth it. It’s quiet, and the food is good.”

Unlike the cheaper first and second floors, the third floor cost more but delivered quality. If they’d been drinking on the lower floors, they’d be stuck with lukewarm, watered-down beer. Better to spend a bit for quality.

“There are two things I never skimp on: equipment and food. So eat up. Today’s on me.”

“...Thank you.”

“No need to thank me—I’m buying because I appreciate you.”

“Haha...”

Derek laughed awkwardly. He knew this was Ihan’s way of thanking him for preparing the potion, so he couldn’t refuse. Honestly, he wanted nothing more than to head home and sleep.

“...Still, this isn’t bad.”

The food, the atmosphere—it was nice.

In his busy life, rare moments of relaxation like this were a luxury.

“Order whatever you like. My wallet’s full tonight.”

“...Th-then, I’ll get a few more things.”

“Go ahead, go ahead.”

There was a satisfied gaze from Ihan, as if watching Derek enjoy the meal filled him up as well. Derek could sense that Ihan was genuinely grateful to him.

Did he really like the potion that much?

“Heh, I did put in some effort.”

As the one who made the potion, Derek felt both satisfied and slightly embarrassed. He’d only done his best to repay a favor, but—

“Haha.”

Suddenly, Derek felt a chill run down his spine.

“What...what was that?”

The moment his eyes met Ihan’s amused gaze, an indescribable shiver crawled up his back.

His rogue skill, [Danger Sense], was blaring with warnings...!

It was like facing a predator’s gaze, and Derek realized he’d felt something similar once before.

“When...when did I last feel this?”

This wasn’t just gratitude; there was something... sinister behind it.

His mind brought up a memory lurking in the back of his brain.

“Ah.”

He remembered. The last time he’d felt this way.

It was back in his previous life, around the time he’d made sergeant.

“When the chief warrant officer took me out for ribs and asked if I wanted to train as a specialist...?!”

Sweat trickled down Derek’s face.

He suddenly felt as if he’d walked willingly into the jaws of a trap.

“Thank goodness I didn’t drink.”

Relieved, Derek was grateful he hadn’t touched alcohol. He’d barely avoided being swallowed up in what might have been an irreversible situation.

And Ihan, considering whether he could turn So-Shim into a reliable assistant, thought—

“So-Shim’s looking around like he’s planning an escape...tsk, seems he’s onto me.”

Ah, well.

“Sharp kids...always like this.”

The instructor was disappointed.

Despite his ulterior motives, the food was undeniably good.