I'm a Immortal Tavernkeeper, But My S-Rank Daughter Doesn't Know That!

Victor held the point of his sword firmly against Renan’s neck, his eyes shining with determination as the surroundings seemed to close in, leaving only the four of them in the darkness of the corridor.

The shadows of the torches flickered, creating a play of light and dark that heightened the tension of the moment. Renan was breathing heavily, his hands still clutching his sword, but unable to move without risking a fatal blow.

"You shouldn’t have underestimated us," Victor said with a firm voice without looking away.

Renan, still looking angry, tried to get up, but Victor pressed his sword a little harder, making him stop immediately.

Aluella, next to him, held her bow ready and watched the second man who was still trying to get up after the blow to his knee.

Victor took a step back, keeping his sword pointed at Renan while he looked at Aluella.

"Please tie them up, dear."

Aluella nodded and quickly reached into her bag for some rope. With quick, precise movements, she began to bind the hands of the three men, starting with the second adventurer, who was still groaning in pain. The tight ropes wrapped around their wrists and ankles, pinning them to one of the pillars in the hallway. The men, still panting and with eyes filled with hatred and fear, could do nothing but watch.

While Aluella worked, Victor held his position, making sure none of them tried anything.

Renan, now with his hands tied and unable to defend himself, finally let out a grunt of frustration. "You’re making a big mistake," he growled, his eyes fixed on Victor. "If you leave us here, the monsters in these ruins will kill us."

Victor, sword still in hand, bent down to face Renan. "You should have thought of that before you attacked us," he replied coldly. "Now your fate is out of our hands."

Renan tried to free himself, but the ropes were tied tightly. "You are monsters," he spat, his voice full of contempt. "Letting other people die like this... you’re worse than anything we could find here."

Victor stood, ignoring the insults. He knew that leaving these men there wasn’t the most honorable thing to do, but he also knew that he couldn’t risk Aluella’s life and his own because of the ruin bandits who were trying to kill them. With one last look at Aluella, he motioned for them to leave.

The couple walked slowly away, the sound of their boots echoing down the dark corridor. The darkness seemed to envelop them again as the sound of the torches and the distant murmur of the fountain faded. The voices of the bound men began to fade, replaced by the heavy silence of the ruins.

Renan cried out once more in desperation. "You can’t leave us here! We can’t die like this! You’ll regret it!"

Just as Victor and Aluella disappeared into the darkness, a sharp sound broke the silence. An arrow, glowing with magical light, flew down the corridor and embedded itself in the pillar where the men were tied. The arrow’s soft light illuminated their faces, filling them with new hope.

Renan looked at the arrow, his eyes widening in surprise. It was the tip of this arrow that could break the ropes and free them. After all, Aluella and Victor weren’t so bad.

When the couple finally emerged from the ruins and felt the cool night air, they breathed a sigh of relief.

The surrounding trees whispered in the wind, creating a soft, soothing melody.

"It’s good to be outdoors again," Aluella commented, looking up at the stars. "The ruins can be stifling sometimes."

"I agree," Victor said, taking a deep breath. "Let’s go home."

As they walked back to the Selvarum mansion, their conversation turned to memories and stories of the past, recalling the days of adventure and danger that had brought them together. They laughed at the comical situations they had faced and shared moments of reflection on the challenges they had overcome.

They reached the city, where the lights of the houses began to come on. Victor and Aluella moved familiarly through the streets, greeting the few residents who were still awake. They were almost at the mansion when a low, hoarse voice called out to them from a narrow alley.

"Victor? Aluella?"

The two turned quickly to see a lizardman standing in the shadows of an alleyway with his arms crossed. His eyes shone with a mixture of surprise and recognition.

"That’s..." Victor muttered, raising his eyebrows in surprise.

The lizardman crossed his arms and stepped forward, the sunlight revealing his dark green scales and the sharp smile on his lips. "It’s been a long time since the three of us saw each other like this, hasn’t it?"

Before he could say more, Aluella ran up to him and wrapped him in a tight hug. "Franky! I can’t believe it’s you!"

Franky returned the hug enthusiastically, his claws gently touching Aluella’s back. "It’s been a long time, Aluella. What happened to you? Where have you been?"

Aluella sighed, still hugging Franky. "It’s a long story, my friend... a long story."

*

Franky nearly choked on his mead when he heard about Trawerr. "GLUP! What?! You’re the mother of a boy and he’s the father?" he exclaimed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, his scales shifting slightly in surprise.

Aluella laughed and shook her head. "It’s a trick of fate. It can’t be helped."

After meeting in the street, Victor, Aluella and Franky went to a nearby tavern where they could talk more comfortably. The tavern, called "The Crimson Dragon", was a cozy place, with sturdy wooden walls and exposed beams on the ceiling. Yellowish lights from hanging lanterns created a warm atmosphere, while the smell of mead and hot food filled the air.

As soon as they entered, they were greeted by the low hum of the patrons and the welcoming smile of the tavern’s owner, a red-bearded dwarf named Borin. The three friends chose a table in a quieter corner of the tavern, where they could chat undisturbed.

"I still can’t believe you have a son," Franky commented, shaking his head in disbelief. "You were always so... adventurous."

Aluella laughed, a soft sound that made Victor smile. "Well, like I said, life has its surprises," she said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "Trawerr is one of those surprises. He’s brought a new perspective to our lives."

Victor nodded, looking at the mug of mead Borin had just placed on the table. "That is true. It’s a shame I couldn’t be present for his creation.

"You didn’t know, don’t blame yourself." Aluella said.

Franky took a sip from his mug, his eyes shining with curiosity. "So what’s he like? What’s Trawerr like? I bet he looks like Victor."

"Well, he’s got Victor’s courage and my stubbornness." Aluella replied, smiling fondly. "A smart boy, always curious about the world. He loved to listen to our stories of adventure, even though I sometimes thought he’d rather live those adventures himself."

"So he’d love to hear Franky’s stories."

"That’s true. Franky has very good stories."

Borin returned with more mead and some snacks, placing everything on the table with a smile. "Enjoy," he said before leaving to attend to other customers.

Franky watched his friends for a moment, his eyes reflecting the light of the lanterns. "But, Aluella, why didn’t you ever tell me? You knew I was living in Naeross."

Aluella bowed her head. "I almost did, but I thought that if even Luisa Selvarum didn’t know where Victor was, you wouldn’t either. Then you’d want to search for him and maybe spend many years of your life looking for him."

"I see... it would have been an honor for me to have done that."

"It wasn’t my right to put such a burden on you. Besides, Trawerr was raised in a good place among nobles. They would never allow it."

"Nobles? Tsk... I would have tried to talk you out of it. Anyway, to old friends!" Franky said, banging his cup against Victor’s and then Aluella’s. "But tell me, how have you been? What have you been up to lately?"

Aluella sighed and took a sip of her drink before answering. "I’m working as a guard commander at Wonderkul Castle."

Franky smiled. "That’s good to hear. And Trawerr? How is he adjusting?"

"He’s doing well," Aluella replied. "He’s near the capital right now, working as a hunter from what he told me."

Franky looked curiously at Victor. "But what about you, my friend? What have you been up to? How’s your life? It’s been a while since we saw each other in Naeross."

"Well, not much. I work for the Selvarum here, so I’ve had a few jobs, I’ve also done a few missions as a hunter and... my first student just became a knight."

Both Franky and Aluella were extremely surprised, as Victor had a history of turning down as many young people as possible who asked him to become their master. So it was a shock to hear that he had a student.