Chapter 51: Fragrant Abode

After a brief tour and some understanding of the local customs, Miss Vilyric casually found a restaurant nearby that looked clean and refreshing, planning to have lunch.

This place, called “Fragrant Abode,” appeared rather unassuming, yet surprisingly had quite a few diners inside.

Perhaps it was lunchtime, making it a popular spot, or maybe the environment was indeed pleasant. Miss Vilyric felt the refinement here, which convinced her to give it a try.

Though the building stood only two stories tall and the first floor was merely around two hundred square meters, it was divided into small, cozy rooms with wooden partitions that didn’t feel crowded, allowing customers to eat without the burden of intrusive gazes while ensuring their privacy.

The décor wasn’t extravagant; it was serene and simple, yet very clean and tidy. A faint fragrance lingered in the air, combined with a slight coolness created by the life magic “Cooling,” making Miss Vilyric’s entrance a refreshing experience.

There were no incense or similar items nearby; the source of the pleasant scent seemed to be those unassuming, ubiquitous pale white flowers near the corridor, the counter, and around the small rooms.

Miss Vilyric had never seen this type of flower before, likely unique to the Kingdom of Azure. Truly worthy of the name “Fragrant Abode.”

The place wasn’t large, and upon casually glancing around, Miss Vilyric quickly found the counter where orders were taken.

To her surprise, the waitress here was a girl from the Winged People with white feathers.

She had short white hair and wore a uniform that highlighted her slender figure, looking delicate and quite attractive, giving off a vibe of an artistic girl.

Honestly, after wandering around, this was the first time Miss Vilyric had seen a wild White Feather person today.

From the information Miss Vilyric gathered, as the noblest and strongest winged species, white feathers were almost an all-powerful existence.

Firstly, probably due to the fact that angels are only female, nearly 95% of the inheritors of the most mythical bloodlines are girls, and even the males tend to have more delicate features, commonly referred to as “pretty boys.”

White Feather Winged People combine the combat capabilities of the Red Wings, the intelligence of the Black Wings, and the beauty of the Blue Wings, along with remarkably high average magical talents and exceptional comprehension abilities regarding various skills.

In every field, White Feathers can reach levels that are fully comparable to other specialized winged individuals, and they live longer than ordinary winged people, generally three times the average lifespan.

The only drawback is their small population.

It’s a balance.

Keep in mind, the total population of Winged People is over five hundred million, with the three major branches—Black, Blue, and Red—each reaching at least a hundred million. In contrast, the total of White Feather people is merely a few thousand, which might seem considerable alone but is overwhelmingly sparse against the whole population of Winged People.

It’s likely there are very few White Feather people on the Island of Spris, yet here in the “Fragrant Abode”…

Could it be a coincidence?

Miss Vilyric felt a bit speechless; she really just came out to browse and grab a bite, though it seemed she randomly picked a restaurant that had some peculiar surprises.

Despite her thoughts, Miss Vilyric didn’t show anything overtly obvious; upon sensing their approach, the White Feather waitress quickly looked up and greeted them with a professional smile.

“Good afternoon, would you like to place an order?”

She spoke in the common language of the Kingdom of Azure, Sky Language.

Unlike the Winged People in the Wasteland countries where the United Kingdom’s basic circulation is blocked, the Kingdom of Azure has a long history, having been established even before the mythical era when floating islands had not appeared. The language used here is their own, passed down from thousands of years ago and refined by their descendants over time.

Most Winged People in the Kingdom of Azure cannot understand or speak the United Kingdom’s language and other foreign tongues, so it’s crucial for foreign visitors to have a translator.

For those like Leila and Renée, who often interact with outsiders, managing to learn the local language is rare, though White Feather people generally have strong learning abilities, making it fairly easy for them to pick up another language.

However, the White Feather girl in front of them clearly wasn’t that type.

When she left, Envoy Group Leader Miss Philena had mentioned this and offered a translator to accompany them, which Miss Vilyric declined.

With the convenient translation tools from the game, there was no need for such trouble; Vilyric and Xiao Guang had already donned them at the start.

“Hmm, what specialty dishes do you have? The kind unique to the Kingdom of Azure that can’t be found elsewhere.”

“Hmm?”

Upon hearing this, the waitress curiously examined Miss Vilyric and her companion. Clearly, it wasn’t common for non-winged people to be so “proficient” in Sky Language.

However, it was evident that such general inquiries weren’t new to the White Feather girl, who immediately pulled out a menu from beneath the table and smoothly handed it to Miss Vilyric.

“All the dishes are listed here, and those marked with a star at the back are the specialties. You can take a look.”

Seeing the waitress’s familiar demeanor, Miss Vilyric was momentarily taken aback, quickly realizing that this was a tourist city, and visitors probably held a similar mindset, making it understandable for her to not be surprised by such inquiries.

The menu was filled with over a hundred items, both meat and vegetarian dishes, each accompanied by a brief ingredient list and description. It was even translated into three of the most commonly used languages worldwide, including the United Kingdom’s language, in small print, which was quite thoughtful.

The translation tool only works for sounds; for texts, other means are necessary, which indeed saved a lot of hassle.

As for the dishes marked with stars, Miss Vilyric glanced and saw they were primarily made from local floating island specialties.

Most floating islands in the Kingdom of Azure are situated over two thousand meters above sea level, and the differences in pressure, temperature, moisture, and other environmental factors compared to the land indeed yield various fruits and vegetables that are difficult to grow below. The meat of poultry and livestock also tends to differ significantly.

Miss Vilyric randomly picked a few intriguing-sounding dishes; the White Feather waitress skillfully noted them down.

“Okay, the kitchen will prepare them for you shortly. Please wait at your table; here’s your number… Oh, you two are quite lucky; we only have…”

“Excuse me, there are five of us in total. Are there any available seats?”

Rough yet noticeably unpolished Sky Language sounded nearby, causing both Miss Vilyric and the White Feather girl at the counter to turn their gazes. What they saw were several imposing figures striding in from outside, overshadowed in the light.

“Huh?”

Since Miss Vilyric and her companions had already placed their orders and taken their number, they turned to leave just as the five new arrivals approached the now vacant counter.

From the side, Miss Vilyric caught a clear view of them.

Standing at over two meters tall, their physiques were muscular, covered in dense golden fur, and their facial features markedly differed from both Winged People and Humans, resembling more closely that of beasts.

Though they were well-dressed, the craftsmanship of their clothing was evidently lacking. The sharp claws, knife-like in appearance, were mostly concealed within their hands, but the bits peeking out emitted a menacing glimmer, clearly lethal.

Beastmen, specifically one of the powerful species—Tiger-Human.

They weren’t like Epunya, a hybrid, but rather true-bred beastmen. While these beastmen don’t entirely reside in the Beast Kingdom of the western world, they are indeed quite rare in other places, particularly in the Wasteland and the even further south Kingdom of Azure, where access is generally blocked by the United Kingdom.

Were there really five pure-blooded beastmen appearing all at once here?

   

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