My Love Debts Are Everywhere!

The tavern in Valgrund stood in the heart of the city and was always bustling with visitors. Its sign displayed a bold and distinctive symbol—a sword crossed with an iron shield.

Unlike the taverns found in the territories of the demon and human races, this one featured saloon-style doors—just like the ones often seen in fantasy movies or novels from Leon's old world.

In a way, it looked exactly as he had imagined.

Leon and Elina stepped inside and were immediately struck by the crowd and the cozy interior.

Dozens of chairs and tables were neatly arranged, all crafted from finely carved wood.

Paintings of monsters and dwarves adorned the walls, and at the center stood the bar—where guests could order drinks or waiters took food orders.

The tavern buzzed with life. Laughter, cheers, and playful banter filled the air, giving the place a warm, energetic atmosphere.

"Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Customers," greeted a female dwarf with a smile. "Is this your first time here?"

Elina was about to answer, a little nervous, but Leon stepped in first.

"No, this is our second time. I came here once before with my wife. But today, it feels much livelier than last time."

"Oh?" The dwarf looked mildly surprised before breaking into a warm smile. "That's wonderful to hear! If you're back, then our tavern must have left a good impression. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Now, let me take you to an empty table. It's quite packed today, so finding a seat on your own might be a bit tricky."

Leon didn't respond and simply gave a small nod. He then gently took Elina's hand, playing the part of a caring husband.

Elina was clearly flustered. Her face turned as red as an apple.

Of course, she knew Leon was only pretending for the sake of their disguise. Still, the embarrassment was mixed with something else—a warm feeling she couldn't quite explain.

Once they arrived, they sat down at a table tucked away in the corner of the tavern.

"This is the menu book. Please take a look and decide what you'd like to order, Mr. and Mrs. Customer. When you're ready, just call one of the waiters," the female dwarf said before turning and walking away.

Leon opened the menu and began scanning its contents. His eyebrows lifted slightly, and a glimmer of admiration appeared in his eyes.

"I thought the food would look strange, but I was wrong," he murmured.

At first, he had assumed the Dwarven race might eat things like metal or gold, considering how abundant those were in their city.

But as it turned out, the menu was surprisingly ordinary. It offered a wide selection of meats—forest beef, mountain goat, river duck, wild horse, and more.

Each type came with its own variety of dishes, like smoked forest beef, grilled mountain goat, and several others.

They also offered a variety of vegetables on the menu—carrots, potatoes, turnips, and other root crops.

Considering the soil along the mountainside and within a five- to ten-kilometer radius was extremely fertile, it was no surprise that the dwarves practiced farming—especially crops that grew underground.

After selecting a few dishes, Leon handed the menu to Elina.

The girl looked excited as she picked out several dishes that seemed delicious to her.

Leon let her choose whatever she wanted. After all, he had more than enough money—even if, well, it was stolen.

Once she was done, Leon called over one of the waiters and gave their order. He then sat quietly, waiting for the food to arrive.

"By the way, Young Master," Elina whispered, glancing cautiously around. "Did you steal that money?"

The look in her eyes was filled with curiosity. She had already suspected the answer, but still wanted to hear it directly from Leon.

Leon didn't deny it. "Yeah. I stole it from a rich-looking dwarf. I know it's a bit shameless, but it was the quickest way to get money. We can't stay here long—my time is limited."

Unlike the currencies of humans, demons, or dragons—who used silver, silver, and gold coins respectively—the dwarves used stones as their medium of exchange.

But these were no ordinary stones. Their currency was a rare mineral called Garlit.

From the memories of the dwarf he had stolen from, Leon had learned that Garlit was mined deep within the crater of Mount Durnhak—a perilous and difficult place to reach.

Since it was rare and difficult to obtain, garlit was used as currency by the dwarven race.

In truth, Leon had wanted to take his time—blend in with the locals, find work, and quietly gather information about the dwarves.

But he knew that was nearly impossible. Not only would it take too long, but he himself didn't have much time to spare.

There were still many hidden races waiting for him, and he had to keep moving.

Hearing his explanation, Elina simply nodded in silence.

She understood Leon's situation and had no intention of judging his actions.

Fifteen minutes later, their food finally arrived. Leon had ordered smoked beef, roasted duck, and two glasses of beer.

Elina, meanwhile, chose grilled mountain goat, stir-fried carrots, and a glass of the dwarves' signature soda—bright blue and filled with bubbles.

They began eating, and to their surprise, everything was incredibly delicious.

Of course, they hadn't forgotten the real reason they came.

While maintaining a relaxed appearance, Leon quietly channeled his holy power to sharpen his hearing. He focused on the voices of nearby dwarves, allowing their faint conversation to reach his ears.

"Tsk! Do you remember what day tomorrow is?" A dwarf asked.

"Of course. Isn't that the day we have to pay tribute to the palace?" Another replied, his tone laced with annoyance.

"You're right," the first dwarf sighed. "I still don't get why we have to pay tribute twice a year. Once should be more than enough."

The others chimed in. "Yeah, it's such a burden for us. His Majesty used to be known for his wisdom and generosity. But now... he's changed. It's like he's become a tyrant."

"And it's all because of that cursed material! If only he had never brought it here, none of this would've happened."

"Shhh! Keep your voice down. If anyone hears us, we'll be in serious trouble."

"I know... but all the chaos began with that material. And now it's been turned into a cursed weapon. If we could just separate it from His Majesty, maybe—just maybe—we could still save him."

"Separate the weapon from him? Don't be ridiculous. They say His Majesty never lets it out of his sight. Even the Crown Prince tried and failed. He was punished and thrown into prison. No one has seen him since."

A heavy silence fell over their table. The dwarves exchanged grim looks, their expressions shadowed with sorrow and helplessness.

From the other side of the tavern, Leon, who had been listening intently, stiffened for a moment before narrowing his eyes—cold lightning flashing in them.

"The Crown Prince, huh...? Sounds like he's the key to all of this."