Celebration! Desperation!

Time sure flies.
It's already been three months since Felra started training with his elf trainer. It is now the 28th day of the 7th month.
The result…
…was remarkable!
Not even Nava nor the pope expected such a result.
It was thanks to the muscle elf who thought of different regimens for different training days so Felra would not find it boring.
On the third day of training, he found out that Felra was getting less and less motivated when he kept doing the same thing.
You might be thinking, ‘Isn't that the same as sleeping and slacking off?’
This is this, and that is that.
Learn the difference.
“Don't lump my precious sleeping and this hellish training on the same side!”
His elf trainer did use some training regimen for knights from different countries. Including their small units that had different sets of training.
Pushups with weights on his back.
Squats while carrying the elf.
Swimming on a cold river from dawn to dusk.
Running from the bottom to the top of a mountain with steel balls chained on his feet.
Meditating besides the lava pit.
And many more.
It's no wonder he'd feel that it was hellish.
It is also a given that he would try to skip his training.
He first tried not getting out of his room by blocking it with different furniture that he can see and use in his room.
The elf just easily busted through the door and furniture, including all his efforts though.
When that didn't work, he tried hiding in the forest–which was stupid by the way, it's like swimming in a small pond with sharks in it.
He also hid at the Palace's cool wine storage, and Creselda's house which caused her to be glared at by Nava when she found out.
Needless to say, it all ended up in failure.
His elf trainer has high aptitude in wind magic, which means he can use the wind attribute tracking magic, [Smell Seek].
As the name implies, it has something to do with smell.
It heightens his sense of smell–much better than any dog-beastmen–to track a specific target. It's not something you will use for a large group.
The elf noticed Felra doing his one-man straightman act.
“What's the matter, Hero?”
“Ah… Nothing. Cryvyl, today's the last day right?”
Right. The elf's name is Cryvyl.
“That's right. You did well, Hero! Despite looking thin with those baggy clothes, you actually became well-toned. To think that you can now run 2 laps of this track without losing your breath…." he praised Felra. “I'm so proud of you,” tears welling in his eyes.
“You’re exaggerating… You caused all of that…”
You sadistic elf!
Of course, Felra became bashful.
And a little bit resentful.
Then again, he would never admit he put some effort into it too.
“Well, let's just say it was a joint effort. What do you say we hit the town and go to a pub?”
“I don't drink, you know?”
And I wanna take a nap. I gotta try out that new hammock that Nava sent to me yesterday.
“It’s alright even if you don't drink. I heard that they developed a new recipe and it became popular.”
“Oh?”
He piqued his interest.
“Yes, it was some sort of noodle soup that's rich in flavor, but not too heavy in your stomach.”
“Well… If it's just for a while, I guess we can go.”
“Great! Let's go now… Is what I would like to say, but we kind of smell. Let's just make it a celebratory dinner.”
It is afternoon. The sun is shining bright and their clothes are drenched in sweat.
It was the last day so Cryvyl made it much more intense than the previous training.
That said, no one in their right mind would wear baggy clothes when training. But Felra insists so they just did it like that.
“Right. Let's do that.”
Hell yeah! I have time to try out that hammock. I'll wash myself and immediately set it up on my tree.
With that, they parted ways for a brief moment to make themselves presentable and to not bother other people's noses.
And Felra enjoyed the hammock to his heart's content before Cryvyl fetched him.
*
The two of them rode a carriage while being escorted by Yulya alone.
Cryvyl is recounting Felra's failed escape attempts to Yulya and is laughing his ass out.
He isn't even drunk yet and he's already acting like this… thought Felra.
Yulya doesn't look bothered by it in the slightest. Quite the opposite, he seemed to be enjoying it.
He is a busy man thanks to being a captain of a unit. They are being dispatched here and there and most of those missions take weeks or even months.
So, in times when he can take a breather, he enjoys every minute of it.
In fact, the two of them weren't supposed to have an escort. But, they met Yulya at the gate when they were about to board the carriage.
When they mentioned where they are headed, he insisted on being their escort, saying that since it is his day off and the two of them are headed to a pub, he might as well join them for the night.
As they are having a lively chat–with the cost of Felra's dignity–the carriage stopped in front of a restaurant.
“You guys, shut up, we're here now!” He tried changing the subject.
Once he got down, he looked at the restaurant once again and…
“Isn’t this Nava's favorite restaurant?” He pointed out.
“Indeed, it is. I'm surprised you're aware of that, Hero,” said Yulya.
“Well, I mean, she included this place when she was introducing shops from this town.”
“I see. That makes sense–”
“And we went here to have dinner twice last month. I have no idea why she's using a disguise though.”
Maybe because they would swarm her, she's pretty famous after all.
Is what he convinced himself.
“...”
“...”
Both Cryvyl and Yulya were speechless.
The Lady Nava they knew was a workaholic priest who dedicated herself to Hilan religion and almost had no time for herself.
Actually, she was supposed to be at Theocracy of Beltria last month. She was summoned urgently so no one knew what was her business there.
Not to mention that it usually takes more than 30 days using a carriage and 20 days if they traveled alone using a horse.
So it came as a surprise when they heard Felra basically just admitted that they had dinner dates twice last month.
“What?” Felra was confused why they suddenly got quiet.
He did say shut up, but that was said in a joking manner.
“Don't tell me…,” Yulya started.
“...she used her [Lightning Travel] just to visit the Hero…,” Cryvyl continued.
[Lightning Travel].
It is one of Nava's Null Magic. It is a magic that allows her to travel at an astonishing speed.
No one but Nava knows how it works.
All they know is that a month of being on dusty roads, setting camps and sore butts now only takes her 4 full hours to go back and forth between Beltria and Vulteria.
Why did they suddenly get quiet… Wait…
“Don't tell me I'm not supposed to meet with Nava outside!?” asked Felra, concerned.
Cryvyl and Yulya shook their heads and pushed the matter behind their minds.
“No, not really. Don't worry about it. Let's just go inside and enjoy that new noodle soup,” Cryvyl changed the subject and urged Felra to go inside.
“T-That’s right. I'll pretend I didn't hear what you just said. Nope. You too, Hero! Please forget we had this conversation!” Yulya pleaded, gripping Felra's shoulders tight.
Yulya knows what Nava is like. He's been given too many chances much to his dismay to be an escort for Nava.
That includes the fact that she wouldn't like that someone found out about her little excursion with the Hero.
After all, she wasn't supposed to come back for the next three days.
“Ow, ow, ow! I got it, I got it! You can let go now!” Felra is now the one pleading, trying to remove Yulya's hands.
“Phew…,” Yulya's sigh of relief. “My apologies. I lost my composure.”
“...You looked like you were about to lose your life too, though,” Cryvyl commented.
While they were messing around in front of the shop's door, a young waitress heard Felra's cries and went outside to check.
“My! If it isn't the Hero! Hmm?” She looked over behind Felra.
“You're not with that girl today, huh?” Suddenly, she gasped. “Don't tell me you also swing that way!? And two at a time!?”
“What the hell are you on about!?”
“Ahahaha! Your reactions are really something, Hero. Well, joking aside…” The waitress then changed her expression into a professional one.
She's so tiring to deal with… Felra exhaled wearily.
“I take it that you're here to try out our new signature dish?”
“Yeah…”
“Then please, go right this way,” she slowly opened the door and stood beside the entrance. “Welcome to Betris Restaurant!”
“What can I say… She's a peculiar one, isn't she?” remarked Cryvyl.
“Yeah. I've been here before, but I never saw her act the way she did with Felra earlier,” Yulya is somehow surprised.
With that, the coachman took off and will come back at the designated area and time while the three of them went inside of the restaurant to enjoy the new dish.
*
When they got in, they were greeted by the idyllic atmosphere of the restaurant.
You can see a variety of people mingling and having fun.
There are adventurers who just got back from finishing their quest and are now treating themselves with beers and different foods.
There are the knights who just finished their shift and wanted to have a light meal before they get home and sleep.
Then there are couples who are having a date, idle chats, and an occasional flirting here and there.
And there are those guys and gals who are eating alone, looking at them with envy and jealousy.
A usual scene for Felra every time he goes in here.
And so are the greetings they are offering to him right now as they walk to their table.
Mind you, he's returning their greetings.
…By nodding.
Anyway, on the second floor, you can see a couple of rooms with closed doors. It is usually reserved for the nobles or merchants who want to talk business while enjoying good food.
“You can take this table, Hero.”
“Thanks.”
That being said, this restaurant isn't a grand restaurant or something. The aesthetic isn't for the nobles either. They're just so popular that people from different races or statuses come here from time to time.
After the waitress made sure that the three of them were seated, she went back to taking the orders of other customers after saying that she'll be back to take their orders.
A few minutes passed, and the waitress came back to take their orders.
It was Cryvyl who relayed it to the waitress.
“Three of that new noodle soup. One pineapple juice, two beers, a large bowl of potato fries, three orc stew, whole grilled chicken, a large salad bowl, and two plates of fried anchovies.”
“Great choices! I'll be right back with your food.”
While waiting for their food to arrive, the three of them–well, mostly just Cryvyl and Yulya–are having a chat about what they had been up to these past few days, what they would be doing tomorrow, and some banter here and there.
The waitress arrived with two other waitresses. They dexterously placed the food on the table, making sure it would fit and none would spill.
“Well, then. Please enjoy your meal!”
Once it was down on the table, Cryvyl raised his mug of beer.
“Now, then. Hero Felra! This might not be much but I hope you will enjoy this meal tonight. Congratulations on surviving my training! Cheers!”
I wasn't supposed to survive that!? Felra retorted internally.
“““CHEERS!!!”””
To their surprise, everyone from different tables also cheered.
With the cheers from other people, they began feasting.
Clearly, they're enjoying the food so much that they stopped talking and focused on their food.
Even Felra found himself tearing a leg of the whole chicken after chowing down the new noodle soup.
Glad I came here today. That soup was seriously good. Even though it was served in a big bowl, it wasn't heavy on the stomach but you'd still feel full.
“...I should let Nava try this one. I'm sure she would like this…”
Unbeknownst to him, he accidentally said what he was thinking out loud.
Cryvyl and Yulya heard him.
Oh yes, they did.
But they ignored him, partly for their safety but mostly because the food was just that good.
As three of them were enjoying the night, an old man busted in, immediately spotted Felra and rushed to where he was sitting.
Yulya immediately blocked the old man from approaching Felra.
“Hero! Please! Help me! My daughter… she's been… she's been…,” the old man was sobbing.
Felra does not know what to do. He cannot even open his mouth to say something.
“You're… the owner of this restaurant, aren't you?” Yulya seemed to know who he was.
“Owner! What happened to Betris!?” The waitress that greeted the three rushed to his side.
“For now, calm down and take a seat. Tell us what happened,” Cryvyl advised.
With a sudden abrupt turn of events at the end of their celebratory meal.
What should I do... I just came here to eat…
Felra, who's experiencing such a thing for the first time, froze, unsure what he should do.