Netori Harem: New life as a hunter and gatherer

Chapter 294: Information

Dhak.

As the inn’s door swung shut behind him, nearly every customer seated around the dining hall paused and turned toward Luke.

Luke raised a brow.

He was attracting an unusual amount of attention this morning.

Still, he paid it little mind and continued deeper into the establishment.

He headed toward the staircase, intending to retrieve his belongings. However, just as he reached it, he sensed an arm reaching for him.

His body almost reacted on instinct.

Then he recognized the person and understood her intention.

Without resisting, he let her grab his arm as she quickly pulled him into a secluded corner.

"Hmm. Quite bold of you to corner me like this," Luke remarked lazily, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

Ravia let out an exasperated huff.

"What are you doing, walking around so openly?"

Luke merely hummed.

"Would you rather I sneaked in?" he asked. "And why would I even do that?"

Ravia realized she was panicking. Taking a slow breath, she steadied herself before cautiously peeking outside to see if anyone was approaching.

Thankfully, the others seemed to have turned their attention back to their food.

Turning back to him, she lowered her voice.

"I’m sorry for reacting like that. Rumors have been spreading about some unwanted visitors in town, and they’ve caused quite an uproar."

"And yet here you are, alone with me," Luke replied, sounding more amused than surprised. "So you don’t believe those rumors?"

"I..." Ravia hesitated for only a moment before meeting his eyes. "I trust what I’ve seen. And from everything I’ve seen, you aren’t a bad person."

There was no uncertainty in her voice, only a hint of embarrassment at admitting what she truly thought.

Letting out a quiet sigh, she continued, "Some people were asking about you as well. Thankfully, you didn’t return last night. A few of them stayed outside the inn, waiting for you."

Luke’s expression sharpened.

"What did they look like?" he asked. "Was anyone covering their face?"

He wanted to know whether that mysterious spy had returned for him last night.

So far, that person was the only one who had managed to concern him. He had slipped from his grasp despite standing right before him, and that had happened while he was in his Lunar Warden form. That alone made him far more troublesome than the others.

"No," Ravia replied, shaking her head. "They were just ordinary hunters. I think they were simply curious about you."

"Curious about what?" Luke muttered before waving the thought away. "Never mind. I should get my belongings."

What others thought of him meant little. Once he left this town, he would likely never cross paths with them again.

"I’ll bring your things downstairs," Ravia offered. "In the meantime, would you like me to serve you something?"

Luke hummed thoughtfully.

"Do you have anything sweet?"

Her face brightened into a smile.

"I do. Find yourself a table. I’ll bring it over."

Luke gave a slight nod and walked past her, his gaze briefly sweeping across the dining hall.

The customers had already returned to their meals and idle conversations as though nothing had happened.

Pulling out a chair, he sat down without a word.

As he waited, he quietly sharpened his senses, allowing the surrounding voices to flow into his ears.

"Really? And the Chief didn’t do anything to him?"

"I mean, he looked like the one being attacked. If anything, he deserves compensation."

The two well-dressed men, who looked more like merchants than warriors, appeared to be taking Luke’s side regarding yesterday’s incident.

He continued listening to the conversations around him.

Most people were discussing the same topic. They found it absurd that someone had been beaten into little more than a pile of mangled flesh, yet the person responsible was still walking around freely.

Luke was about to tune them out.

The conversations had grown painfully repetitive.

Then a single sentence caught his attention.

"The Head Chief? Here? Are you sure?"

Luke’s eyes narrowed.

That was interesting.

Leaning forward, he rested his forearms on the table and focused on the pair speaking nearby.

Their weapons were propped beside their chairs, and one of them faintly radiated Gamma.

"Yeah," the magician replied, confirming his earlier claim. "I heard it from the guild. Apparently, the Head Chief is coming to inspect the town’s security. Or maybe he’s here to meet the Chief."

The Head Chief they spoke of was most likely the ruler of the largest tribe, the one whom Baldon and the chiefs of the surrounding villages all answered to.

The very same man Zuri and Terek served.

He’ll be here tomorrow, huh?

A faint spark of curiosity flickered in Luke’s eyes.

As the leader of so many tribes, the Head Chief had to be an extraordinary warrior. Someone who stood far above anyone Luke had encountered so far.

Seeing such a man in person would certainly be an interesting experience.

Unfortunately, if everything went according to plan, Luke and the others would leave at first light tomorrow.

Another time.

He was certain their paths would cross eventually.

After all, he had every intention of reaching the Head Village one day.

And when that time came, meeting the Head Chief would be inevitable.

Why?

Because he already had a close connection with someone who lived there.

Not long afterward, Ravia returned to his table carrying a small plate with what looked like a freshly baked pie.

"It’s still hot, so be careful," she said as she gently placed it before him.

Luke gave a slight nod.

"Thanks. I will pay for this with the rest."

Ravia flashed him a playful grin.

"Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you pay for everything."

With that, she turned and walked away.

Luke watched her for a brief moment.

Perhaps he was imagining it, but her hips seemed to sway just a little more than necessary, as though she was intentionally trying to catch his attention.

Letting out a quiet sigh, he dismissed the thought and picked up the pie.

He had far too much to accomplish and far too little time to get it all done.

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A/N:- I hope you liked the Chapter. Please leave a review since the book doesn’t have many. We are close to the three hundred mark.