Since it wasn't dinner time yet, the tavern wasn't crowded.
Although the Hostess of Fertility was famous, it wasn't full all day long.
Several beautiful waitresses were cleaning tables and tidying up.
"Oh? A guest, nya~"
"Hello."
Cao Ye quickly responded.
The girl was Anya Fromel.
Like him, she had once been part of Freya Familia.
Or more accurately—
A former adventurer.
Now she was simply a waitress at the tavern.
She was also the younger sister of Allen, the vice-captain of Freya Familia.
A Level 4 adventurer, once known as the "Chariot's Shadow."
However, she retired from adventuring nine years ago due to certain events.
"You're here to eat this early? Don't you work, nya~?"
"I'm not short on money, and I'm not obsessed with getting stronger."
"So even when I go into the Dungeon, I come back quickly."
"Hmm? An adventurer like you? That's surprising, nya~"
"Maybe I'm just lazy."
"Haha! I've never seen someone like you before, nya."
"Which Familia are you from?"
"Freya Familia."
The moment those words were spoken—
The entire tavern fell silent.
Anya's cheerful expression froze for a moment.
Even her gaze toward Cao Ye changed slightly.
Behind the counter, Mama Mia glanced at him but said nothing.
She already knew who Cao Ye was.
After all, she was the former captain of Freya Familia.
Even Ottar was once her subordinate.
And Freya herself occasionally came here disguised as Syr.
So of course she knew everything.
Anya recovered quickly.
"You're from Freya Familia, nya? A newbie?"
"Wait… you're not that guy everyone's talking about, right?"
"The one the goddess kidnapped on the street and kept?"
"Uh… if there isn't another person like that, then yeah… probably me."
Cao Ye sighed helplessly.
His reputation had spread that far already?
Sure, he had been dragged away on the street.
But this rumor had spread way too widely.
"Wow! So you're the legendary pretty boy the goddess took away on the street!"
"But honestly… you're not that handsome, nya~"
"That's just rumors."
"Lady Freya simply recognized my potential and invited me into the Familia."
"Really, nya~?"
Anya narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"Really."
"Then… did the goddess do anything to you, nya~?"
At this moment, Anya's gossip instinct was burning intensely.
As a former core member of Freya Familia, she knew the situation inside the Familia.
She also knew the attitudes members had toward the goddess.
And she knew some things about Freya's true intentions when choosing her "children."
"Uh… I'm a decent person."
"And she's a goddess."
"How could she do anything to me?"
Cao Ye answered righteously.
But Anya clearly didn't believe him.
She stared at him, trying to find clues.
"A decent person? There are no decent people in Freya Familia, nya~"
And she had every right to say that.
"Miss… are you slandering my Familia?"
To end the topic, Cao Ye pulled the "Familia authority" card.
She might know the truth.
But she didn't know that he knew.
So his argument was perfectly reasonable.
"Hah? Slandering your Familia?"
"I'm not interested in that, nya~"
Other Familias might hesitate.
But she had the confidence to say that about Freya Familia.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear it this time."
"But next time it won't end so easily."
"What? Want to fight, nya~?"
"You wouldn't want to know."
Cao Ye gave her a displeased look.
"I really want to kn—"
"ANYA!"
"What are you doing there?! Get back here and work!"
Mama Mia's thunderous roar interrupted them.
Anya instantly froze.
Turning around, she met Mama Mia's death glare.
Cold sweat immediately appeared.
"Coming, Mama Mia, nya!"
Cao Ye no longer mattered.
If she didn't move now, Mama Mia would definitely beat her.
Cao Ye had heard that everyone in the tavern feared Mama Mia.
But he hadn't realized it was to this extent.
It was absolute suppression.
Truly worthy of the former captain of Freya Familia.
"Kid."
"Are you here to eat?"
"Yes, I am."
"Then order properly, eat your food, and leave."
"Understood!"
Cao Ye immediately behaved himself.
Mama Mia was a 180 cm tall dwarf and a Level 6 adventurer.
Definitely not someone a Level 1 like him could provoke.
Watching him sit quietly, Mama Mia nodded in satisfaction.
A customer who knew the rules.
And she was the rule of this tavern.
"Hello. What would you like to order?"
Ryu approached and asked calmly.
Although they had interacted earlier that day, she behaved as if nothing had happened.
"What's today's special?"
"Today's special is pork cutlet rice bowl."
"I'll take that. And a glass of fruit wine."
"Understood."
Ryu wrote it down and left.
Cao Ye felt slightly disappointed.
He had hoped to chat and thank her again.
But it seemed she wasn't interested in that at all.