The moment they stepped into the bar (or rather, the nightclub), a wave of noise and an atmosphere thick with ambiguity washed over the two of them. Even though it was still afternoon, the place was already crowded with patrons.
Dim, yellowish light diffused through the air, tinting the entire space with a hazy purple hue. Neon signs flickered on the walls, casting colorful yet somewhat disorienting shadows, as if isolating this realm from the clamor and chaos of the outside world.
In the corners of the bar, several bunny girls clad in revealing outfits weaved through the crowd. Their figures were graceful, and they flaunted long, slender, pale legs.
Carrying trays, they navigated the throng with agility, occasionally exchanging playful banter with customers. Their silvery laughter echoed through the bar, mingling with the crisp clinking of colliding glasses to create a unique symphony.
Most of the surrounding patrons were white-collar and blue-collar workers from nearby, stopping by for a drink after their shifts. Compared to the destitute vagrants at the bottom of society, their lives were undoubtedly much more comfortable.
Spending a little on a few cheap drinks here was a drop in the bucket for them—far less than what they earned for an hour’s work during the day.
Some gathered in small groups, chatting and laughing loudly; others sat alone at the bar, silently savoring their drinks, their eyes reflecting the weariness and relief after a busy day.
From Angelica, they learned that Beriyet was a regular at this bar, showing up almost every day. Though called a bar, this establishment leaned more toward a nightclub, with a bar merely built inside it.
One day, after finishing her night performance, Angelica happened to pass by this bar on her way home and decided to stop in for a couple of drinks. Unexpectedly, she caught Beriyet’s attention and had been pestered by him ever since.
Since then, Angelica believed that drinking outside at night was the worst decision she had ever made in her life.
As soon as they entered the bar, Renith and Rogany went their separate ways.
After gently donning her “Light Refraction” ability, Renith walked gracefully to the bar. With a deft flick of her wrist, she slid a beautiful diamond-shaped bottle glowing with a faint blue light, along with a few tips, toward the bartender.
The bottle contained a mana potion, which could largely compensate for the short duration of her “Light Refraction” ability.
Of course, a single bottle was far from enough, but this was merely her way of covering her tracks. By the time she finished her drink, the glass would be refilled with mana potion.
“Mix me a mild cocktail, preferably on the sweeter side… Also, add a bottle of this. If the taste isn’t good, I won’t blame you.”
Renith’s voice was soft and charming, and her captivating purple eyes seemed even more enchanting under the dim, purple-hued atmosphere.
The bartender’s gaze met Renith’s violet eyes, and he was momentarily entranced by her beauty. After a brief pause, he flashed an enthusiastic smile and said:
“Your eyes are truly beautiful, and your voice is very charming.”
With that, he began working skillfully. He first retrieved several bottles of differently colored liquor from the shelf behind him, opening them with practiced ease. Then, he picked up a jigger and measured out precise amounts of each, pouring them into a cocktail shaker.
Next, he gripped the shaker with both hands and began shaking it rhythmically, the vessel dancing up and down in his hands with crisp, clear sounds.
“Thank you for the compliment. Many people say that,” Renith replied, a faint, alluring smile playing on her lips.
“Is this your first time here?” the bartender asked while shaking the shaker.
“Yes, a friend recommended this bar to me, so I thought I’d check it out,” Renith replied softly, spreading her right hand slightly.
The bartender’s shaking paused for a moment. He leaned in closer and slid a tall glass of blue cocktail toward Renith.
The purple light filtered through the crystalline drink, causing the liquid inside to shimmer gently. A faint scent of alcohol wafted from the glass, though it was partly masked by the fresh mint leaves garnishing the rim.
“To be honest, I’m not yet sure of your preferences… Well, there’s been some trouble here recently, and it’s not very safe. Finish this drink and leave quickly. Don’t linger for too long,” the bartender whispered, his expression serious.
Renith raised an eyebrow slightly, surprised that the bartender seemed to be in the know and kind-hearted enough to advise her to leave. Perhaps it was because she was attractive and generous, evoking a sense of protectiveness in him.
However, Renith had come specifically for Beriyet’s matter. Everything she did was aimed at making him lose the lawsuit.
“Ah… It’s been two days already, and I’ve found nothing,” sighed a man in a white robe as he walked through the entrance. Muttering to himself, he continued:
“This is the last openly operating bar in the area… If there’s nothing here, I’ll have to try the underground bars. Those are controlled by gangs, and it’s hard to get in without a referral.”
As he spoke, he walked over and took a seat next to Renith at the bar, ordering a specially prepared rum cocktail.
Renith glanced casually at the newcomer. He appeared to be around twenty-four or twenty-five years old, about 1.75 meters tall, wearing a monocle. Behind the lens, his eyes sparkled with intelligence.
Well, guess what!
It was the same white-robed man she had seen at Brand University’s library the other day!
What an unexpected surprise to run into him here.
“Are you looking for something?” Renith asked proactively.
The white-robed man didn’t seem particularly guarded and didn’t refuse to answer. After all, bars were places where people casually chatted and vented their feelings. He took a small sip of his drink, a trace of worry on his face, and said:
“Oh, you probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you. My boss asked me to find someone, but I’ve been searching for a long time with no luck. Starting from the train station, my colleagues and I have combed through every bar in this city…”
He let out a soft sigh, his eyes revealing a hint of helplessness.
He remembered how, when he first arrived in this world a few years ago, he thought he was the protagonist. Little did he know that every field here was already saturated with transmigrators.
And here he was, still being exploited by his unscrupulous boss… Though, thanks to the divine blessings bestowed by the gods, his life was undoubtedly better than that of the vagrants outside.
“The train station I understand—picking someone up. But why search through all the bars?” Renith asked curiously.
“Well… that’s a secret.”
Renith shrugged. It seemed the conversation between two strangers could only go this far. However, she wasn’t ready to give up just yet and asked again:
“Then who are you supposed to pick up? Can you tell me that?”
“Of course. To be honest, I don’t actually know who it is either. It’s just an order from some cryptic old man… Supposedly, it’s someone from the west.”
The white-robed man took another sip of his drink and spoke slowly.
“Alright then~”
It seemed the man in front of her knew nothing. Renith subtly steered the conversation forward:
“Seeing you in a white robe and glasses, you look like a learned person. Where do you work?”
“Care to take a guess?”
The white-robed man gently swirled his glass, a playful smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
“Brand University? I can’t think of anywhere else…”
Renith replied confidently. After all, she was guessing with the answer already in mind—it would be strange if she got it wrong.
“You’re quite sharp, miss.”
The white-robed man was slightly taken aback before offering a smile of admiration.
Originally, he had assumed she was all looks and no brains, but it turned out she was both beautiful and intelligent. He wondered how she managed it.
If Demikhov, who loved studying biology, knew of her existence, he would likely be very interested.
“Alright, how do you plan to check if the person you’re looking for is in this bar?”
The white-robed man said it was simple. In the next moment, he stood up, pulling out a thick, heavy book from his hand.
Renith’s gaze fixed entirely on the white-robed man before her, anticipating the surprise he would bring.
He pointed the book at the bartender, murmuring something under his breath. Within seconds, a list appeared in the white-robed man’s hand.
“This contains detailed information about everyone this bartender has encountered up until an hour ago…”
“That’s an incredible ability. Are all ‘Chosen Ones’ this remarkable?”
The white-robed man, however, shook his head slightly, a hint of self-deprecation in his expression. “You overestimate me. I’m merely the most insignificant among the ‘Chosen Ones.’ My ability is limited to gathering information and is almost useless in combat. Moreover, this information is based on the subjective memories of the source, so it’s inevitably prone to inaccuracies.”
“Compared to those ‘Chosen Ones’ with powerful abilities like ‘Appraisal’ or ‘Deduction,’ my skills are truly nothing to speak of…”
A flicker of envy passed through Renith’s eyes. If she could capture a few more transmigrators with abilities like this, she could definitely perfect her own “Appraisal” skill.
“Still, being able to obtain others’ information so easily is an ability worthy of envy…”
The white-robed man frowned slightly, flipping through the pages of his book as he patiently explained to Renith.
At that moment, Renith’s gaze inadvertently fell on the bartender. His movements had noticeably slowed, and his eyes had grown vacant and dull, as if lost in deep recollection.
As the white-robed man turned page after page, the bartender’s movements became even more sluggish, and the characters in the book grew increasingly sparse.
“Tch, what a poor memory. But at least I’ve found some clues.”
The white-robed man sighed softly, closed the book, tossed back the remainder of his drink, and paid his bill. After lingering for a few moments around the alluring bunny girls, he strode away with an air of nonchalance.
It was only long after the white-robed man had left that the bartender and bunny girls he had “probed” gradually snapped out of their daze, rubbing their temples. They would only feel that their condition today was unusually poor.
“Actually… this ability is quite practical,” Renith mused softly, swirling her now-empty glass, a wave of inexplicable emotion washing over her.
She had never been fond of sipping drinks so genteelly. Memories of her wild revelries with Hertis flooded her mind once more—the days they drank heartily, feasted on meat, and drank themselves into oblivion.
Would they ever meet again?
She poured a full glass of mana potion into her cup.
Just then, a commotion erupted outside the door. A portly man, dressed in lavish clothing and with two alluring women clinging to his arms, swaggered into the bar. The bartender trembled with fear at the sight, hurriedly making hand gestures to urge Renith to leave.
But Renith acted as if she saw nothing.
The main event had finally arrived.
