Ad aspera

Watching the herald disappear from view, Kotori had nothing left to do but shrug and raise her eyebrows in thought before heading towards the designated location – the Drunken Boars tavern.

"The Boars" is a decent and relatively quiet place; after all, the guards swarming around should provide at least some security. There aren't many people here—mostly guards having lunch or outsiders. The elder she’s looking for can be easily identified by his clothing: he sits away from everyone else, and his table is laden with food and drink so lavishly that the guards in the hall are now staring at him like hungry dogs: two large pitchers of beer, a bottle of stronger liquor, plenty of bread, and hot dishes. Noticing Kotori, he greets her without interrupting his eating and drinking, simply and honestly:
--Shotbe-nushshno?
Now she can examine him more closely: he wears ordinary peasant clothes, concealing his sparse, graying hair; his straw hat rests on the bench beside him, not getting in the way. Beer has settled on his thin mustache, crumbs cling to his beard, and the earthy, broad-nosed face of the elder clearly doesn't add to his attractiveness. He isn't too old, nor is he too fat; rather, he seems larger due to his flushed, alcohol-reddened face and puffed cheeks.
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