Supreme Magus

Chapter 4501: Chaotic Mess (Part 1)

"When your life force stabilizes and you can freely travel Mogar, however, I expect you to bring me souvenirs."

"I will, Haug." Garrik nodded.

To make matters worse for the bartender, whenever the young Fomor discovered a new dish he liked, Ryla asked Haug to teach her the recipe.

"I’m sorry to inconvenience you so often, Mister Haug." She sighed. "It’s just that my son won’t be able to leave the Mansion for years, and while the Verhens are great cooks, I don’t think they’d enjoy so much exotic food.

"I want to offer Garrik a bit more variety and let him experience Mogar, even if just by taste."

"Don’t mention it as well, Ryla. Also, the ’drop the mister’ goes for you too." Haugh said with a smile that didn’t extend to his eyes.

’Here I am, spending too much time with a child that’s not mine and sharing my secret recipes with a woman I’m not going to date. Gods, if I feel like a total moron.’ He thought every time.

"Mister... I mean, can I have a beer, Haug?" Garrik asked, startling Ryla.

"Of course." The bartender’s reply shocked her, but only until she turned to look at him and he winked. "You are a kid, though, and deserve a kid’s glass."

Haug gave the young Fomor a shot of Maekosh beer, which Garrik downed in one gulp and spat back in the glass a second later.

"Ewww! The bubbles feel nice, but it tastes bitter and burns!" He said.

"That’s why beer is an adult drink, young man." Haug replied. "Maybe this is more to your taste. I call it Lemon Beer."

He served a full glass of a bubbly yellow liquid to Garrik and another to Ryla. It was a carbonated drink made from lemon juice, water to dilute it, and enough sugar to take off the sour edge.

"It’s bubbly and delicious!" The young Fomor said.

"And it’s still beer." Haug winked at Ryla again, making her chuckle. "Do you want it with your meals from now on?"

"Yes, please." Garrik nodded.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, the staff of the Travelling Tavern commented on the poor state of their employer’s affairs of the heart.

"Poor sod." Vannir said. "So much time wasted on a woman who turns into a monster at the drop of a hat."

"How can you judge Ryla just from her appearance?" Dryna snarled. "Even in her monster form, she would still be the same wonderful person."

"Yeah, right." Akkhar sneered. "And I’m sure you dated Zelima in spite of her homely appearance."

He waved at the young cook who still looked lovely even with food and oil spots dirtying her work clothes and sweat drenching her hair.

"Even better, point one woman in this room to me who dated a monster-ugly guy. Just one, and I’ll pile on Vannir with you."

The silence that followed was deafening.

"My point exactly." Vannir nodded. "Still, don’t get me wrong. I like the kid. Garrik treats us like heroes just because we share our stories with him. He doesn’t treat us like servants just because we serve at the tables."

"He’s such a cute and polite boy." Zelima said with dreamy eyes. "Do you think we should help Haug?"

"Help how?" Kanlen shrugged. "He’s a big man. Whatever he decides, he’s the one who has to live with it. I’d rather not mess up the already chaotic mess he’s in. If Haug needs advice, he’ll ask for it. But not from Vannir."

"It’s too bad Haug turned you down, Van." Dryna suppressed a chortle. "You two would make such a cute couple."

"I never-" Vannir noticed the hilarity in the room and knew that his outrage would only fuel it further. "Fine. Haug’s rejecting me broke my heart. Happy now?"

His voice oozed sarcasm, but no one seemed to notice.

"He admitted it!" Akkhar played the Rememberer of the events. "Quick! Let’s show it to the others!"

"Not if I kill you first!" Vannir demonstrated the reflexes of a cheetah and caught Akkhar before he could take a single step.

"What’s this noise?" Ryla asked as pans and pots fell to the ground with loud clangs.

"My kids are roughhousing as usual." Haug replied, waving goodbye to Garrik.

He and Fluffy ran to the playground for their magical games with the Fastarrows and the Verhens.

"Now that we are alone, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, Haug." Ryla gave him a deep bow that instantly quieted the kitchens. "I know this is just a job for you, but you didn’t have to be so kind to Garrik, let alone so patient."

Dryna and the others had stopped squabbling and eavesdropped on the conversation in the other room with every spell and bloodline ability they had.

"Most people would have gotten annoyed with my son, and only someone with a heart of Davross would have taken so much time of their day to prepare a single serving of such complicated dishes.

"I’ll be forever grateful to Lith for bringing you here, and even more to you and your staff for making my son’s life much more magical."

"Please, don’t thank me." Haug replied with a sadness that worried Ryla and wounded her heart. "I don’t deserve your praise. I’m not the good man you think. I like Garrik, and I love my job, but I also had an ulterior motive."

Ryla stiffened as the many strange things she had noticed fell into place. There could only be one possible explanation for Haug’s sweet attentions, his heartwarming kindness, and tender gazes.

"You’re after Garrik!" She said, her eyes blazing with elemental power. "You want the power of his bloodline."

’Haug is an Awakened human mage, and Garrik is the first stable full-blooded evolved human.’ She thought. ’Haug must have gotten close to my son because he wants to experiment on Garrik or at least examine him to discover the secret of human evolution!’

"I wish I were just a scumbag." Haug ignored the threat she posed and sighed melancholically. "If I were, we wouldn’t have this conversation, and I could avoid facing you."

Ryla’s eyes and wings released the power of the elements as confusion replaced her rage.

’He’s right, and I’m an idiot. Why would he share his plans with me if he had bad intentions towards my son?’ She pondered.

"I’m not after Garrik. I don’t care about the secret of human evolution." Haug cleared his throat in embarrassment. "I’m interested in his mother."

Ryla’s cheeks flushed, her mind understanding what the bartender was saying but refusing to believe it until she heard it loud and clear.

"I’m interested in you." Haug continued. "What I’m trying to say is, I like you, Ryla."

"Me?" She asked in disbelief, her blue skin turning pinker and her wings fluttering with short, rapid movements.

’If those things work anything like a bird’s, at least she’s not offended, nor does she want to get out of here.’ Haug inwardly sighed in relief. ’She should be excited, and this is a good sign.’

"Yes, and I’d like to ask you out." He nodded. "To get to know each other outside of our client-caterer relationship."

"You mean... like a date?" Ryla’s face turned to a bright shade of pink, and her wings flapped in a frenzy.