mc-med Chapter 338: The Luxury of Iron Grade Wine
Chapter 338: The Luxury of Iron Grade Wine
Inside Mantis Town, both humans and Mantis Beastmen moved back and forth in harmony. Smiles and relief could be seen upon nearly every face throughout the settlement.
Although many had been injured and many had lost their lives, most people refused to dwell upon their losses.
The simple fact that they had survived such a devastating beast tide was enough reason for countless individuals to feel grateful.
Especially for the Mantis Beastmen, Mantis Town represented far more than a settlement. It was their home, their sanctuary, and the very foundation of their existence.
If the town had fallen during the beast tide, their future would have vanished alongside it.
Now that the town remained standing, they could ask for nothing more.
Slowly, reconstruction efforts began throughout the town. Workers moved from street to street carrying materials and repairing damaged buildings.
The most urgent priority remained the shattered sections of the town wall.
No one knew when another beast tide might appear.
No one wanted to be caught unprepared again.
Standing atop the town wall, Riven could be seen shouting orders continuously. His booming voice echoed throughout the surrounding area while workers hurried to obey his commands.
With Solenne still recovering from her injuries, leadership responsibilities had temporarily fallen upon his shoulders.
Surprisingly, Riven seemed more than happy to accept the burden.
For years he had prepared himself for situations exactly like this. Although the responsibility was immense, he welcomed the challenge wholeheartedly.
As for the Grim Reaper, he remained entirely detached from the reconstruction efforts. Inside his room, Thoren sat comfortably before a wooden table with several empty plates.
A slow smile filled with satisfaction appeared across his face.
At the moment, he was enjoying a luxurious meal. Over the past weeks, he had discovered something unexpected.
He genuinely enjoyed eating.
Among all the dangers lurking throughout the Abyss, food had become one of his greatest pleasures.
Everything within the Abyss wanted him dead.
Beasts hunted him relentlessly.
Awakeners plotted against him constantly.
Even the environment itself seemed determined to kill him. Yet during meals, he could temporarily forget those worries.
For a short while, he could stop looking over his shoulder.
For a short while, he could simply enjoy life.
"Hmm. Let me see what makes Iron Grade Wine so special."
He spoke softly beneath his breath while staring at the ceramic wine jar resting before him.
His eyes contained obvious anticipation.
After the battle ended, he had gone on a small shopping spree through the Abyssal Market.
For the first time, he had stopped focusing entirely upon weapons and equipment.
Instead, he purchased various Iron Grade foods.
These were not ordinary meals.
Each ingredient contained traces of mana. Even a single plate could restore energy and improve physical condition. After eating several dishes, he felt invigorated.
Warmth flowed throughout his veins.
His body felt refreshed and energized.
Now only one thing remained.
The Iron Grade Wine.
Pop!
The cork shot upward before falling back onto the table. After bouncing several times, it rolled across the surface before finally stopping.
Immediately, a rich aroma escaped from the opened jar. The fragrance filled the room instantly. Even before tasting the wine, Thoren felt slightly intoxicated by its scent.
His anticipation increased dramatically and without bothering to pour the wine into a cup, he simply raised the jar toward his mouth.
Then he took a sip.
Hmm?
A faint sound escaped his lips.
His eyes widened immediately.
When the wine first entered his mouth, it felt cool and refreshing. However, once he swallowed it, the sensation changed completely. A pleasant warmth spread through his throat and chest.
The flavor was unlike anything he had experienced before.
He could taste fruits.
Many different fruits.
Yet he could not identify a single one.
Apart from the rich fruit flavor, countless subtle notes mixed together perfectly.
Each second revealed something new.
Each swallow left him wanting more.
The taste was heavenly. It surpassed every drink he had consumed during his entire life.
Without hesitation, he tilted the jar upward. He drank everything in one continuous motion.
Belch!
"That is incredible!" He slammed the empty wine jar onto the table.
A satisfied expression covered his face.
His eyes had already become slightly unfocused. The pleasant warmth continued spreading throughout his body.
"If I had known food and wine like this existed within the Abyssal Market, I would never have starved myself all those days." His voice contained obvious regret while it also contained greed.
Now that he had discovered something capable of making him pleasantly tipsy, he wanted more.
Much more.
Fortunately, Iron Grade food and wine were not particularly expensive.
At least, they were not expensive for him. They only cost him silver coins. Considering the amount of gold he possessed, such costs were insignificant.
Just as he prepared to purchase additional wine through the Abyssal Market, a gentle knock echoed from the door.
Knock. Knock.
Hmm?
Thoren frowned slightly.
However, he did not bother standing. Instead, he casually waved one hand.
"Open the door."
The undead servant standing nearby obeyed immediately. Without hesitation, it walked toward the entrance.
Creak.
The door slowly opened.
Standing outside was Solenne.
Her complexion remained pale and her movements appeared unstable.
Bandages covered most of her body.
Even walking seemed difficult. Clearly, her injuries had not fully healed.
"You are not looking particularly good."
Thoren only spared her a brief glance before returning his attention toward the market interface.
A bitter smile appeared upon Solenne’s face. Slowly, she walked forward and lowered herself into the chair opposite him. Her eyes drifted toward the empty plates and wine jar.
She could not help feeling conflicted. The entire town remained busy rebuilding after a life and death battle.
Meanwhile, the person responsible for saving everyone was comfortably enjoying food and wine. Then again, perhaps that made perfect sense.
After all, he had earned that luxury. More importantly, could his battle even be considered life and death?
The thought immediately made her sigh.
Compared to everyone else, Thoren had looked completely relaxed throughout the battle.
The beast tide had threatened the entire settlement.
Yet he had treated it like an opportunity to gain experience.
The difference between them remained staggering. Deciding not to dwell upon those thoughts, Solenne cleared her throat.
Then she spoke seriously.
"The elders of the Mantis Beastmen wanted to express their gratitude personally. They wish to thank you for saving the town. Unfortunately, they were too intimidated to approach you directly, so..."
"Do not worry about it." Thoren interrupted before she could finish speaking.
The response did not surprise her.
Not even slightly.
Although she was not particularly close to him, she had already learned several things about his personality.
He was not pretentious.
He did not seek recognition.
He did not crave validation.
He simply acted according to his own principles.
If he decided to help someone, he helped them.
If he decided to kill someone, he killed them.
The opinions of others rarely influenced his actions.
Many ambitious people would have used this opportunity to strengthen their influence within the town. Many would have accepted the gratitude and converted it into authority.
Many would have built loyal followers. However, the Grim Reaper appeared completely uninterested in such things.
To him, gratitude seemed insignificant.
Fame seemed irrelevant.
Power over a settlement seemed meaningless.
His eyes were always focused elsewhere.
Somewhere far beyond the horizon.
Somewhere deeper within the Abyss.
Watching him quietly, Solenne suddenly understood why he continued advancing so quickly. While others pursued influence and status, Thoren pursued only one thing.
The path forward.