I Opened an Inn Next to a Dragon’s Lair - Chapter 142



Only Noblemtl

Episode 142

Would Edwin find Absalon’s bear transformation cool? Eugene thought about it and no matter how much he looked at it, it was unknown.

Eugene thought it was really cool and that it was something he would eat wherever he went, but everyone’s tastes are different. What’s really cool to one person might be just plain barbaric to another.

The prediction was correct. Edwin did not find Absalon’s bear transformation very cool.

“It’s really amazing.”

“Right? I knew it. Speaking from my bear form, I’ve earned countless degrees over the past few decades… .”

He was surprised. He was also impressed. Absalon was thrilled by his disciple’s appearance and bragged about how many achievements he had made in the old wars.

But it wasn’t sincere. It wasn’t until he was almost finished speaking that Absalon realized it.

“Nephew, how can this be? Well, my nephew didn’t even say that my bear transformation was cool after seeing it.”

“is it so?”

“That’s right!”

Absalon complained to Eugene. He expressed his resentment at having such an ungrateful disciple.

“You know? He freaked out when he first saw me?”

“I know.”

“He was such a nice guy back then, but how did he become so sly now… … . Sigh.”

Everyone is amazed and surprised when they see a celebrity. Edwin was no exception.

He hated it, but he had a hard time with famous people who were known as great wizards. How surprised would he be that such a person would accept him as his disciple?

But that was only for a moment. Humans are creatures of adaptation. In just two months, Edwin had already become accustomed to the human named Absalon.

It was perhaps natural that his extremely polite speech had disappeared and he had returned to the characteristic old-man speech he used when talking to Eugene.

In addition to that, he had a sloppy attitude in class. Absalon constantly nagged his nephew about that.

“It’s not that I’m being sarcastic.”

“Then what is it?”

“The old man just teaches in a boring way.”

“What?”

“The original purpose of a class is to teach in a way that is easy for students to understand and fun. But you always teach boring stuff like the history of the Druids and the beauty of nature, so I can’t help but hate you.”

“Oh, is it annoying?”

Absalon rubbed the back of his head. His face was flushed. Was his blood pressure rising? At least he could tell that he was quite excited.

“Boring? The history of our druids, which has been passed down from the distant past, is boring? The love for nature that druids should have is boring? Ha!”

Absalon spoke at a rapid pace, his mouth constantly dripping with spittle.

“That is something any Druid should take to heart! Edwin, disciple of Archdruid Absalon, must be even more so! My men who live and breathe in the vast southwestern plains must be shocked and dumbfounded to hear it!”

Absalon grumbled. Eugene scratched his head. Oh, this old man is half-turned. Eugene said, holding the old man’s hand in a familiar manner and patting his back.

“Of course I know. How could I not know your heart? But your disciple is a beginner who has just started. How could a beginner know such things? Of course he wouldn’t know. Right?”

“I don’t know. So I’m trying to teach you that from the basics, right? But you don’t know the heart of a teacher, what? Are you annoying? Get rid of me right now!”

“No, I’m not saying he said that. I’m just saying it can feel that way.”

“That’s what I’m saying!”

“Sir, please calm down. If you keep doing this, you’ll get sick and die. Take a deep breath. Hoo, ha, hoo, ha. Hurry up.”

Eugene patted the old man. Is it just my imagination that makes me feel like I’m a caregiver for a person with dementia?

Absalon nodded and followed Eugene’s words.

“I understand how you feel, sir, but you have to admit that times have changed.”

“Times have changed?”

“Yes. Kids these days are so smart. If you teach them like that, there’s no one in the world who would want to learn. There’s no way.”

Eugene didn’t really know much about the current state of affairs for kids. He might not know about Earth, but how could he know what the people of the Karnis continent were thinking these days? That’s why he just said whatever came to his mind.

But it seemed to be somewhat convincing. Judging from the way he listened to me without even refuting me.

“I told you, you have to teach it in the most fun and easy-to-understand way possible.”

“Fun. Easy to understand. Yeah, I get it. I said I would. But what if he doesn’t think my bear transformation is cool?”

“Have you ever seen anything other than a bear? A tiger, or a wolf?”

“You didn’t show me.”

“I think he doesn’t like things that look big and dull. Show him something sleek instead. He might like it.”

“i get it.”

Absalon agreed. His eyes were grim. It was a look that said he would definitely take his disciple’s soul.

* * *

Absalon’s tragic gaze soon disappeared.

“Hahaha! Nephew! I did it!”

“You did it?”

“Yeah! He liked it! He said it was cool!”

“What did you show me?”

“I showed him a variety of things. First, I showed him the wolf transformation and the eagle transformation. The look in his eyes was different. So I showed him a few more while I was at it. Then, when I showed him the vine attack, the look in his eyes completely changed. He was so amazed that he thought it was cool. Hmm.”

Eugene nodded. It’s a vine attack technique. If that’s the case, then it could be possible.

The Vine Attack technique was Absalon’s exclusive technique, a technique that literally summoned vines to attack.

The technique that made Absalon famous in his youth. It was the very technique that earned him the title of Archmage.

The sight of enormous vines sprouting from the barren, empty land and slashing at tens and hundreds of enemies is truly amazing.

“Anyway, thank you! My nephew is the best after all! Hahaha.”

Absalon muttered that he finally had the taste to teach his disciples and left. He seemed quite pleased. Eugene was also pleased.

After that, Edwin’s complaints went away. He didn’t say anything about being jealous of his colleagues. It seemed that he had decided to receive proper education from his teacher. It was a good thing.

* * *

Eugene looked up at the sky. The sun was shining brightly.

It wasn’t hot though. It was just the right amount of sun and pleasant. It was truly the height of late spring.

Around lunchtime, guests who had finished their meals were outside the inn, lying on the grass, and basking in the sun. Some of them were chatting among themselves, and some were snoring.

It was a truly peaceful noon. But Eugene felt a little disappointed.

“Eugene. What, is something wrong?”

“Bad things? Nothing.”

“Really? You looked so unwell, so I thought something bad had happened.”

Chloe was looking at me from the side with a worried expression.

“I was just thinking about something.”

“Thoughts? What are your thoughts?”

“A regretful thought.”

Chloe tilted her head. Eugene smirked.

While the other employees had a hard time dealing with him as the boss, this elf didn’t seem to have a hard time dealing with him at all.

“I was hoping that the cherry blossoms would bloom. In the spring, you have to see the cherry blossoms.”

Eugene’s eyes were filled with memories. No matter how much he thought about it, spring was all about cherry blossoms.

Even though the cherry blossom festival was a mess due to the monsters, it was held every year without fail.

As I walked along the street lined with cherry blossoms in full bloom, the fatigue from killing monsters all day seemed to wash away.

Sometimes alone, sometimes with colleagues, and sometimes with a woman, I would walk down the street, enjoying the scenery, listening to cherry blossom song sung here and there, and even eating a chicken skewer sold at a makeshift tent, enjoying a short break.

It’s a true memory. That’s why I thought of it.

“Oh, don’t you know? Do you know cherry blossoms?”

“Cherry blossoms? Well, I’ve never heard of them before.”

“I guess so.”

I thought so. That makes sense, the cherry blossoms don’t bloom around here.

Chloe, who was born and raised in this forest her entire life, has never seen cherry blossoms. It’s only natural that she doesn’t know.

But there are cherry blossoms in this world too. They just aren’t in this forest.

“What kind of flower is a cherry blossom? What does it look like?”

“Cherry blossoms are flowers that bloom on cherry trees, and they bloom in white and pink colors.”

Eugene picked up a branch that was rolling around. He sat down on the dirt floor next to the water and started drawing a picture with the branch.

It was a picture of a cherry tree and the cherry blossoms in bloom on that tree. There were also pictures of several such trees in bloom, with the petals falling to the ground.

Although it wasn’t a very good drawing, the shape was pretty good. Eugene admired it to himself.

“It looks something like this. Just think of the petals as being white and pink.”

“Wow! It looks really pretty!”

“Right? It’s even prettier when you see it in person. When these flower petals fall, it looks like white rain, so it’s even prettier.”

“I really want to see that… … .”

Chloe’s eyes sparkled. It was a pretty sight just thinking about it. Eugene thought as he looked at the elf’s eyes.

‘I think our employees will really like it if they see it.’

Is it just the employees? The guests might like it too. Usually, women like flowers more than men, but the beauty of cherry blossoms is not limited to men or women of all ages.

Even if the merchants and mercenaries of this era do not seek romance, wouldn’t a stroll down a road lined with cherry blossoms in full bloom bring back some of the romance that had disappeared?

Then, more people will visit, and it may become the first famous cherry blossom road. A famous spot worthy of being introduced on a famous SNS.

‘Where can I get some cherry trees? I think it’ll be pretty nice if I get some and plant them.’

Eugene scratched the back of his head. Even though he had been to every corner of the continent when he was young, he couldn’t possibly remember all of those places.

How could I remember where the cherry blossoms were blooming? Of course, I couldn’t remember a single thing.

But what could it be? Eugene had a universal cheat code. And it wasn’t an illegal one, it was a legal one. Eugene was going to use it without hesitation.

“Oh, Eugene. What brings you here at this hour? You’re visiting my lair at a time when there are usually a lot of guests.”

“I have a favor to ask.”

“Please. What is it?”

“Do you know the cherry tree?”

“cherry?”

“Yeah. It’s a tree that blooms white flowers like this. I was thinking about planting it.”

“Hmm. I don’t know.”

It seemed that even Carnius didn’t know the universal cheat key. But it was too early to give up.

If you don’t know the universal cheat key, you can just ask the mother of universal cheat keys.

“Does your mother know?”

“mother?”

“Yeah. You might know.”

“Should I ask?”

“Please.”

“I see. It’s not that difficult.”

Carnius transformed into his original form and flew away, saying he was only going for a moment.

Came back the next day.

“Eugene! My mother said she would bring me a cherry tree!”

“Really? Tell him I said thank you!”

“i get it!”

It was good news.

As expected, the universal cheat key was the best.