AWDC Chapter 38
by Volare“Hey, Toma. Come with me for a bit.” I was blankly at home when someone suddenly slid the door open.
It was Jim. When I went outside, Krim, Sulke, and Kent were also waiting.
“You’ll rot if you just stay at home. We’re going to the Mulan Inn.”
“No, I’m not in the mood for that.”
“No, you’re coming,” Jim forcibly dragged me out.
Reluctantly, I was taken to the Mulan Inn almost against my will.
The Mulan Inn was an tavern that had opened about three months ago.
With the development of the desert starting, many laborers had come in, and the village population had instantly exceeded 3,000.
William and Roy were telling these laborers that once the water canal construction was finished, they would be given farmland to become farmers. They were trying to attract as many people as possible.
The laborers weren’t just men; women were mixed in as well. Naturally, they were hoping that some would become couples and become farmers.
To supply the laborers with food, clothing, and shelter, people of various occupations also came to the village.
Food was a given, but tools were also needed, and so was housing. Restaurants, blacksmiths, clothing stores, and more came in response to the demand.
Tom, for example, couldn’t possibly meet the demand alone and had asked carpenters from neighboring villages for help. Even then, he couldn’t keep up, and now he had even hired several young men.
Even if food, clothing, and shelter were provided, the laborers still had complaints.
Many laborers were in the desert, but on their days off, they came to the village seeking entertainment.
It was for these laborers that the Mulan Inn was created.
Young women served the alcohol. It was only natural that the men flocked there.
We surrounded a table and started chatting.
“This place is big enough to fit 50 people, and I wondered if it would fill up in such a small village, but it’s actually quite popular,” I was surprised that it was doing so well.
“Well, if you’re digging in sand and dirt every day, anyone would jump at the chance to go to a place with pretty girls.”
“In fact, another tavern will probably open soon.”
“Eh, another one? Is it that profitable?”
“If it’s as thriving as this place, it should be fine, don’t you think?”
Kent and Sulke came here often and were regulars.
“Even in this small village, things are changing. If you keep moping around, you’ll be left behind.”
Jim spurred me on.
Certainly, losing Ilse had been a big blow. I had become a shut-in without realizing it.
But just as the village was changing, I couldn’t be the only one standing still. I couldn’t keep dragging it on forever.
I had a big job of turning the desert into a green, arable land. Jim was right.
As I drank and chatted with everyone, the sadness of losing Ilse seemed to lessen.
If I had stayed locked up at home alone, I probably would have gone crazy.
I had no choice but to thank Jim and the others for taking me out.
“Hey, don’t talk so loud. Think about the people next to you.”
“What? My voice has always been loud. Don’t act dumb.”
Suddenly, a loud argument broke out in one corner of the tavern. We turned our eyes to what had happened. There, several laborers were glaring at each other across a table.
“Do you even know who you’re talking to like that?!”
“What, are you trying to pick a fight with me?”
If alcohol is involved, such a commotion is bound to happen anywhere. Especially since they had been working hard in the desert for days, they would get irritated by the slightest thing.
Even the voices of the people next to them bothered them.
In the countryside, where there is no entertainment, the options for enjoyment are limited. Such a commotion is more of a welcome diversion than a nuisance.
The customers in the tavern were enjoying the commotion, focusing on the two men’s argument. But no one had the virtuous intention of trying to mediate.
They were just watching with amusement. We were also just watching from a distance, making sure we didn’t get caught up in the fight.
The two men didn’t just argue; they finally stood up and faced each other.
The two glared at each other. And then, *splash*, water poured down on the two men’s heads.
The men who were about to grab each other and punch each other couldn’t stand it.
“What are you doing?!” The two men’s voices combined in the unexpected situation.
“This is the Mulan Inn. It’s not a place to fight.
Get out of the tavern! If you fight here, you’re banned from ever coming back!”
A woman with sharply raised eyebrows stood in front of the men. Her tone didn’t allow for any objections.
The men were intimidated by the woman’s intensity. Their anger had disappeared.
Perhaps the water had cooled their heads, and the two men seemed to have calmed down.
“No, it was my fault.” “It was my fault too.”
They mumbled, scratching their heads.
The men were meekly led away by the woman, paid their bills, and left the tavern.
“Don’t cause any more trouble. If you behave yourselves, I’ll let you drink again.
Come again.”
Holding the money for the bill firmly, the woman saw the men off without forgetting to be friendly.
It was as if she was saying, “Once I’ve received the money, I have no more use for you.”
The woman’s handling of the customers, resolving the conflict so skillfully, was nothing short of remarkable.
More than anything, the woman’s courage to boldly intervene in the middle of the quarrel between the big men was truly impressive.