Yarra’s Adventure Notes
Chapter 817 - 82 The Obtrusive Pannis

Chapter 817: Chapter 82 The Obtrusive Pannis

"Let’s leave tomorrow." As evening approached, seven people sat around in a tavern of an inn, with Pannis leaning against the wall, propping his chin with one hand, and gazing distractedly at the gradually darkening sky outside the window. It was unclear what he was lost in thought about until, after a long while, he suddenly turned his head back and said abruptly, "Stay for tonight, and we depart tomorrow."

Their earlier visit to Master Philarx had ended on a note that clearly revealed the old man’s exhaustion, with even his voice starting to weaken. Facing Master Philarx’s waning energy, the group couldn’t carry on the conversation any further. Pannis simply excused himself, claiming they had no place to stay, hastily wrapping up the talk. Master Philarx seemed to expect it, as when Pannis had first arrived, he insisted on not staying in the Magic Tower. Master Philarx, well aware of Pannis’s habits, simply left them with an "I’ll inform you after I’ve organized my thoughts," and then called over his student Felic to escort the seven out of the Magic Tower.

Felic arrived quickly, appearing outside the meeting room less than two minutes after being summoned by his teacher. It seemed he must have been waiting in a nearby room the whole time, as they had been speaking with Philarx for nearly an hour, and he had waited that hour just outside, ready to wait further if necessary. As the Chief Executive of a large territory responsible for managing the capital city and addressing the issues from all other towns and villages within the domain, one would expect him to be very busy. Yet, clearly, Felic would rather let his official duties pile up than leave his teacher’s side during such a time. To put it nicely, he was waiting for his teacher’s orders; less kindly, he was there to monitor the adventure team’s every move to prevent any delays that might burden his teacher unnecessarily.

"Thank you all for your cooperation; on behalf of all our classmates, I extend our gratitude to you." Even though it took nearly an hour, Felic was quite pleased. He was concerned the group might keep his teacher occupied all afternoon, but that wasn’t the case. Now his teacher had time for his customary nap, and if Felic hurried, he could postpone the routine experimentation guidance without issues. Felic thanked the team contentedly, "Of course, I know that the matters concerning the masters here are yet unresolved. Should you require another visit with my teacher, please notify me at any time, and I will arrange a suitable opportunity for you."

"Thanks, but that won’t be necessary," Pannis changed from his previously playful demeanor with Philarx, darkly stating, "When needed, Philarx will find you to inform us, and you can arrange the timing then."

"I understand," Felic guided everyone through two Teleportation Arrays on the way to the City Hall entrance then, maintaining respect, doffed his hat and bowed his head saying, "This Elf gentleman has stayed a few days in Fiery City already, and with his guidance, I suppose you won’t require my company further. Then, as there are many mundane duties I must tend to, please allow me to take my leave, masters. I hope you enjoy a few delightful days here in Fiery City, leaving with some pleasant memories."

After parting ways with the red-robed Felic, Pannis still kept silent, and everyone understood his mood, not a soul disturbing his contemplation. The group moved in relative silence, threading their way through the streets of Third Flame City. Though Pannis no longer led them, the Elf Muir was somewhat familiar with the city’s layout and turned down street after street, leading everyone to the inn where he had previously stayed before long. Once settled, the women who had been travelling for several days locked themselves in the bath immediately, and Pannis, usually prone to creating a disturbance at such a moment, was atypically quiet, spending half an afternoon sitting in the inn’s small tavern. The two drank much yet spoke not a word, even causing the tavern’s servers to cast curious glances their way several times.

It wasn’t until evening that the refreshed young ladies emerged from their rooms and, without changing location, ordered some food right there in the tavern, ready to enjoy their first dinner in Fiery City. Accustomed to the environment of the City of Knowledge, dining in a tavern in Fiery City for the first time felt odd; in the City of Knowledge, taverns were typically bustling with semi-drunk patrons filling the halls to the brim, and hired bards would perform their best pieces on stages specially constructed for them during peak hours, eliciting waves of applause, cheers, and laughter. However, taverns in Fiery City—or, for that matter, most taverns in the Kingdom of Mages other than those in tourist cities—tended to favor cool color schemes, dim and soft lighting, offering a sense of nighttime tranquility. Tables were isolated by partitions, preventing disturbances even between adjacent parties. Without stages, lively music, roaming bards, or applause and cheers, everyone in the tavern from the bartender to the servers spoke in hushed tones, contributing to the overall quiet atmosphere. Influenced by the setting, patrons naturally kept their voices low, which could easily make newcomers feel as though there were no other clients in the tavern at all.

It seemed that the owners of these taverns couldn’t help but adopt the habits of mages, turning even noise-prone taverns into places as silent as a mage’s library. Many first-time tavern patrons found this amusing yet frustrating. However, either out of respect for local customs or perhaps due to some intimidation by the Kingdom’s mages, they too quickly conformed to this tradition, joining the league of whisperers.

"What did you say?" Muir was taken aback by Pannis’s words. The handsome Elf wasn’t surprised so much by the content of what Pannis had said; rather, Pannis had spoken so suddenly that he was caught off guard. "It seems you’re all right now; I thought you might continue like this for another day or two."

"I was fine to begin with. Do you think I’m that fragile?" Pannis rolled his eyes, "Hey, you—no, all of you—what’s with those looks? I’m really fine. I’ve merely been contemplating the hints Philarx gave us this afternoon."

"Is it really okay?" Catherine asked with some concern, "Master Fila’s health is truly unexpected, and he is your friend. Even if you feel sad and down because of it, we can all understand, there’s no need..."

"I’m really fine," Pannis said with a wry smile. "Indeed, I felt very distressed at the time, after all, I had witnessed his strength and pride with my own eyes. Comparing that to his current condition, it’s hard not to be moved. I admit, the impact of his condition on me is far greater than the impact of Christo’s death. After all, Christo died peacefully, which can only make one feel melancholic, whereas Master Fila is now tormented by illness, which is even more heartbreaking. Oh, sorry, Freya."

"It’s okay." The beautiful princess shook her round head, a faint smile on her face, and spoke with a voice that calmed the spirits, "Although the teacher has left, he is still protecting me in my heart, so you just say what you want to say, I won’t mind, and I won’t feel too much grief because of it."

"Thanks," Pannis nodded and continued, "But you guys are underestimating me too much. I’m not going to be depressed by it. I’ve really been thinking about the clues that Master Fila gave out, sort of reorganizing my thoughts."

"Phew, it’s good that everything is fine." Pannis’s words finally relaxed the expressions on the girls’ faces. Even Ava, though still expressionless on the face, the slight worry in her eyes quickly faded, returning to her usual impassiveness. The girls realized that at some point, everyone’s emotions seemed to be easily influenced by Pannis, and also at some point, everyone had become more and more able to sense Pannis’s emotions.

"Hey, why did I suddenly get attacked while we were just talking?" Pannis grinned, rubbing his sore foot and making a formal protest, not knowing which lady had stomped on his foot hard under the table. Pannis said with a mournful face, "This time I really didn’t do anything, and I didn’t say anything excessive, so why hurt me so cruelly?"

"You deserve it." Catherine and Lina almost said this comment at the same time, their tone not only displeased but also mixed with some strange emotions. As for Vivian, she rested her chin in her hands and seemed to be in a daze, but if one lowered their gaze, they could see her right foot rubbing forcefully on the ground to relieve the numbness caused by the reaction force.

"Tsk tsk." Muir shook his head and clicked his tongue lightly, habitually wanting to twiddle the guitar strings but stopped himself just in time, and said with a quirky expression, "Some men are just so foolish, it makes onlookers feel embarrassed on their behalf."

"Why are you scolding me too?" Pannis finally found a target for his frustration, gritted his teeth and glared at Muir, saying fiercely, "You, who only know how to draw naked women, have no right to call me foolish."

"Alright, alright, Pannis, stop it," Catherine sighed, a feeling of helplessness arising in her heart, "You said you were organizing your thoughts, did you come up with anything?" (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it on Qidian (qidian.com) with your recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)