Chapter Twenty-Three: The Mermaid's Purse

Walking out of the small gallery, the sun is no longer so hot, the heat accumulated at noon is slowly dissipating, and there are more pedestrians on the road.

Diarlando stretched out his hand to greet Fayer, who was hiding under the tree in a daze, and asked with great interest, "Do you want to drink good wine?" The mage, who originally wanted to continue to keep his distance, became interested when he heard it, and walked over quickly.

Out of this alley, it didn't take a few steps to find Zoya and his party leisurely strolling out of the nearby jewelry store. They tacitly kept a delicate distance, but Diarrando simply pulled them along, anyway, to drink, of course, the more people the merrier.

He's been here a few times in the early years, and he's sneaked out to play, so he's familiar with the bars at the Lower South Market. On the riverside near the Dopang River, there is a bar street called Ranshi Avenue, where more than 30 bars of all sizes gather. Because of its proximity to the three largest piers, a large number of sailors and merchants come and go every day, and it is a bustling scene every day.

It's never closed, it's never welcome, it's a place to indulge, and as long as you have money in your pocket, there's no wine you can't drink. The décor of this street is also unique, and each hotel has put a lot of thought into its façade, some of which are made to look like huge pirate ships, and some of which are made of magnificent palaces.

For example, there is a hotel called the Goddess's Mind, where a huge statue of the summer goddess Alyssa lies on the roof, holding incense in her hand and looking down at the rocky street, and all passers-by will feel that the charming goddess is looking at them as long as they look up.

It is said that the statue was made by a foreign dwarf carver at a great expense, and the exquisite wood carvings even the texture of the tulle are so perfect, faintly outlining the fleshy body of the goddess. The waitresses in their store are all dressed very coolly. They will hold signs back and forth on the street to solicit customers.

Behind these hotels is a narrow alley full of debris and garbage, which compares to the infinite scenery from the front. It looks like two shijies here. Because food waste is often poured out of the hotel, the back alleys are a haven for homeless, rats, wild dogs and cockroaches. A deep sewage channel runs through the underground of this alley. Even if someone cleans it every day, you still can't avoid smelling excrement and rotting food.

Those who spend their savings for a long time in a bar, or who have the misfortune of a thief who loses their wallets, are also beaten up and dumped in the back alleys, so there are still corpses dumped in the garbage heap from time to time.

Considering that there are Luna and Dino, Diarlando did not choose the most flamboyant and bohemian ones, but found one with a moderate size and a more warm environment.

Mermaid's Purse is a family-owned bar that has been in business for many years, and from the outside it has three floors, with the first floor being a place to eat and drink. The second and third floors were for travelers and caravanserais. Because accommodation is provided, their stables are at the back of the hotel, which can only be reached through a narrow alley next to the hotel. The hot air wafted from the back alley with all kinds of good and bad smells, and the pedestrians around them had long been accustomed to such smells, and walked at their own pace without care.

The bar's old and dilapidated signboard has left traces of vicissitudes of beauty because of time, two woodcuts of mermaids hugging each other, and a wallet-shaped tag with almost gold paint hanging underneath, large and small shells are threaded and hung on the signboard, and the crisp crash sound of the sea breeze is made. It's not time to eat yet. But there were already three or four percent of the guests in the bar.

As the largest and most prosperous trading city in Turanda, it has trade contacts with all known countries and regions. Even races such as elves, dwarves, centaurs, and feathered people, which are rarely seen in the interior, occasionally appear, so when the beautiful Zoya followed everyone into the bar, it didn't cause much commotion. There were only a few mercenary-looking people who whistled a few times.

Walking to the innermost and occupying a large table, Diarrando began to beckon the bartender to order. He'd always liked the mess in the tavern. A popular environment. Although there are bad people everywhere who covet your wallet and valuables, stay inside the tavern. There will be a feeling that you are truly alive.

The waitress in a close-fitting white skirt had a pleasant round face, and her glossy red apple-like face was full of enthusiasm. He smiled unsparingly at Dearrando. A small red apron hung over the plump breasts, and the apron was embroidered with fish scales in gold thread, presumably the characteristic uniform that embodying the name of their hotel.

A small money bag of the same style as the signature hung diagonally on her waist, and the black beech plate was sandwiched under her armpit, and her round breasts were more eye-catching. She looked around at everyone present, and then deliberately leaned in front of Dierlando, bent down very close and asked, "Hi~ handsome guys and beauties, I'm Fina." What do you want? We're the most stocked store in this area. ”

"Give me the strongest liquor. Fayle's surprise first opening was that he had come for the spirits, and although he had been fishing for a lot of good wine at Shakolin's side lately, he still didn't feel that it was exciting enough.

"Wow~ Master Mage, you are very fierce~ How about the bomb wine from Jiali Meijia? Just like its name, the mysterious country, the secret method of brewing, is the heirloom wine of the dwarf kingdom~ We have five silver coins a bottle here, the price is fair, and the child is not deceived!" Fina took out her tray and made a simple mark on it with her fingernails.

Aunt Rumm had a strange expression on her face, the wine came from her hometown and was brewed with spicy sweet potatoes. Even if it is the most haode, it is only a silver coin, but it is Diarlandor who pays for it, and she naturally does not want to do much.

"Then I want sea salt beer and red wine. Lan Li casually ordered two of his favorite flavors, Zoya asked for elf fruit wine, Rumm ordered milk wine from the northern grasslands, and Achille planned to try everyone's. Diarlando ordered a mixed juice for Luna and Dino, and he asked for a full-flavoured Athanam Gold wine.

After noting down the amount of food far more than these people could eat, Fina, whose eyebrows were sore, happily twisted her hips and walked away with a little regret. Her small purse now contained more than twenty hot gold coins that had just been pulled out of the wallet of this large guest, and today's tip must be quite substantial.

Such a handsome and wealthy guest is really rare. Although blind in one eye, the blindfold not only did not spoil his charming temperament. Instead, it makes him look like it's full of stories. If it weren't for the fact that he and the red-haired beauty next to him obviously had something, he wouldn't be interested in all kinds of hints about himself. I really want to spend the night together.

Bread, cheese, appetizers, and wine were quickly delivered, and a table was piled up. The surroundings were relaxed and cozy, and everyone was relaxed eating and drinking. Luna and Dino rushed to talk about what they had just seen, and most of the people at the table casually coped with the children's enthusiasm, each thinking about their own thoughts.

Resis had been holding back for a long time, and now he sat down, and immediately got out of Deerlando's clothes, although there was nothing to eat on the table, but he seemed very excited to see the bustling tavern for the first time.

Soon, a skillful violin melody sounded in the bar. In the corner by the door, a bard with brown messy hair in a shawl is plucking his instrument and working hard for today's dinner. Judging by the greetings of the people around him, the singer seems to be one of the permanent residents here, nicknamed "Hummingbird", and judging by his short size, it is estimated that nine times out of ten it is a description of his long mini.

He started with a lyrical riverside minor, moved his fingers, and then played a rapid plucked string that quickly stirred up the atmosphere in the neighborhood. As the surrounding guests turned their heads in his direction, he cleared his throat and began to sing.

"The blue sea,

Treasure Kingdom,

Goddess Ou Rui.

Love is in all directions

......”

This is the story of the amorous and jealous goddess of the sea, Ou Rui, about how a young handsome poor captain befriends the goddess Ou Rui disguised as a mortal on the shore in a small port. They quickly fell in love after meeting and had a wonderful vacation.

After the captain promised himself to be rich. He will definitely come to the scenery to marry Ou Rui, and then embark on his own voyage again. The blessings of the goddess accompanied him, allowing him to discover the Golden Mountain and the Silver Bay in the sea.

The captain who got the treasure got carried away. When he returned to the shore, he squandered on it, drank and drank all the time, and forgot about the marriage contract he had made to Ou Rui. The angry goddess of the sea swept his city with a monstrous wave on the third night he missed the appointed date. took the life of the entire city of the wealth she had given to the negative man.

To be honest, this singer sings well, the voice is melodious and pleasant, full of emotion, and the goddess and the little captain's aiqing are sung charmingly and seductively, the scenery is infinite, and the anger and cruelty of the goddess behind it are also vividly expressed.

But soon the audience became impatient, and one of them, one of the more impudent ones, suddenly said that he had long been tired of hearing these old stories, and asked to sing the latest battle of the dragons. The offer was immediately met with an immediate response from the entire hotel.

At this moment, the number of people in the hotel gradually increased, and the spacious lobby was gradually filled with all kinds of people. Most of them were workers on the docks, but there were also some out-of-town merchants. Many of them are regular customers here, and the waitresses who shuttle through the crowd like flowers and butterflies greet guests in high spirits. For those who are familiar, he directly smiled and asked, "The same old way?" and then turned around and walked away to prepare the meal that the other party needed.

A well-wisher had already ordered a glass of ale for the wandering singer, and the singer, who had poured half a jar of ale in one go, raised his hand to calm the noise around him, and spoke after the sound of everyone's coaxing calmed down.

"Yes, I can~ I'm compiling new tunes day and night, in order to better set off the legend and grandeur of that war, but it's still a half-finished product, so do you want to hear it too?"

"Hurry up, hurry up! The person who asked for the song change at the beginning took the lead in shouting again, and the group of people who knew him well next to him immediately chimed in.

The wandering singer tuned the plucked knob and raised the saddle again, so that the sound of the violin was no longer a low, gentle tone, but a sharper and more intense tone.

Slender fingers nimbly fluttered up and down the eight strings, and the singer started his rap as he played.

"Legendary stories always have an extraordinary stage.

Evil and darkness do not breed in barren and barren lands.

Great wealth will always be coveted, O White Moody, the city of gold, this time the haze covers your sky.

Have you ever heard of the black prince from the north, his body flows with the blood of a lion, the snow and cold wind of the north are wrapped in his body, tyranny and cruelty are the nature given by his father.

O wicked traitor, he never gave up his attempt to ascend to the throne of the highest.

The vast western mountains, the Bran Heights, the phantom of the dragon, reappear in the world.

Evil and greed, brothers who follow each other like shadows, partners who hit it off.

The Black Prince and his pseudo-dragon dressed up and stretched out their claws to the Golden City, where they knew nothing

Thousands of people, their lives hang by a thread, and the thousand-year-old city is in danger

......”

Most of the people in the hotel quieted down, listening to the singer's singing, and the battle six days ago had allowed the people of Bai Modi, who lived in comfort, to truly experience the horror of the Demon Dragon King for the first time, and to see what kind of great and terrifying creature the legendary dragon was.

After dinner, they repeatedly talked about the scene of that day, especially the people who stood near the Golden Dome Palace and saw the two dragons entangled in the sky at close range.

For the people on the waterside cloisters and docks far from the Dome of the Golden Palace, they regretted that they did not see the detailed battle madness, so they could not get tired of listening to more songs describing the battle. Recently, in the large and small bars and markets, various versions of the Dragon War have appeared in response to the needs of the masses, and each version can be listened to with relish, satisfying their worship and fanaticism for the dragon and the dragon lord.

Fayer sneered and poured himself a full glass of bomb wine, and said disdainfully: "Blowing as if he saw it with his own eyes." ”

This bomb wine from an exotic country, as its name suggests, is as strong as lava after the entrance, once it reaches the stomach, it will instantly explode with layers of stamina, making people feel that all the pores on the body are steaming, it is indeed the appetite of the legal master, half a bottle of wine in the stomach, the mage is already a little drunk.

"Don't underestimate these singers, they are well-informed, and with rich imagination, they often sing really in line with the facts. Zoya smiled and raised her glass to the beat, her free fingers briskly beating the rhythm of the singer's singing. She'd traveled around Turanda before, and sometimes worked as a bard, so she was pretty familiar with the business. (To be continued......)

PS: Second Update~