Chapter 99 Melwyn Gold Apple Wine

As Larry strutted into the cafe, his confident presence commanded the attention of everyone in the room. With a suave grin on his face, he sauntered up to the stunning waitress and unleashed his smooth, charismatic voice.

"Well hello there, hot stuff!" he exclaimed, his voice dripping with charm. "It's Laughing Larry here, and I'm in dire need of some provisions for takeout. And let me tell you, malady, I need it quick!"

Larry's swagger was undeniable as he leaned in closer to the waitress, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "But don't worry, my dear. I'm a man of my word, and I always take care of those who take care of me. So you can count on a generous tip from yours truly."

With a confident nod, Larry leaned back and flashed his trademark smile. "The usual, please," he said, his voice oozing with swagger and charm. "And make it snappy, beautiful. Laughing Larry's got places to be."

Suzuka and Olivia stopped talking and observed Laughing Larry, wondering where is he going in such a hurry.

 Larry leaned in, his eyes sparkling with anticipation as the waitress began to package up his takeout order.

"You know, ma lady, I've been coming to this cafe for years now," he said, his voice smooth as silk. "And I gotta say, your food is simply the best. The flavors, the textures...it's like a symphony in my mouth."

The waitress smiled, her cheeks flushing with pleasure at the compliment. "Why thank you, Laughing Larry," she said. "It's always a pleasure serving you."

Larry chuckled, a twinkle in his eye. "Oh, the pleasure is all mine, my dear," he replied. "I mean, who wouldn't want to be in the presence of such a beautiful and talented woman?"

The waitress giggled, charmed by Larry's playful banter. "You always know just what to say, don't you?" she said, her eyes sparkling.

Larry grinned, his confidence radiating from every pore. "Well, when you're as smooth as I am, it's easy to find the right words," he said, winking at the waitress.

As the waitress handed over the takeout bag, Larry reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of coins.

 "And of course, I wouldn't dream of leaving without giving you a little something extra," he said, flashing a generous tip.

The waitress beamed, her heart fluttering with delight. "Thank you so much, Larry," she said. "You really are one of a kind."

Larry winked again, his swagger on full display as he turned to leave. "That's just how I roll, malady," he said, his voice full of charm and charisma. "Until next time!"

As Larry turned to leave the cafe, his eyes wandered over to a figure sitting at the table. It was Olivia, the one woman who had ever managed to leave him speechless.

Larry froze in place, his heart pounding in his chest as he gazed at her. She was even more intimidating than he remembered.

For a moment, all the swagger and confidence that usually oozed from Larry's every pore deserted him. He felt suddenly shy, unsure of what to say or do in the face of such intimidating beauty.

"Ara ara... what do we have here? It's been a while, Larry." Olivia broke the silence and said flirtatiously.

Larry felt a jolt of surprise run through him as he heard Olivia's voice. His heart raced as he took in her stunning form.

"Well, well, well..." he said, a playful grin on his face. "If it isn't Olivia. You're looking as beautiful as ever, my dear."

Olivia chuckled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Larry," she said, looking intensely at him. "It's been too long since we've seen each other. How have you been?"

Larry cleared his throat, trying to keep his cool in the face of Olivia's intimidating charm. "Oh, you know me," he said, his voice full of swagger. "I'm always living life to the fullest. And you, my dear? What have you been up to?"

Olivia's smile widened a hint of seduction in her eyes. "Oh, just the usual," she said, flicking her hair back. "Killing monsters, doing quests, meeting new people, and having a little fun along the way."

Larry chuckled, feeling a surge of fondness toward Olivia. "Sounds like my kind of life," he said, leaning in closer. "Maybe we should team up and take on the world together."

Olivia raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk on her lips. "I like the way you think, Larry," she said. "But unfortunately, that spot is taken." 

Larry looked at Suzuka and said, "Yeah, I can see that. Hello there, Helen. My apologies for the late greeting."

"No problem, Larry. It's always a pleasure to meet you."

Olivia was a bit surprised, "Ara ara? Do you two know each other?"

"Yeah, me and Larry been on a few quests together. It was a great experience."

"Lovely ladies, I have to apologize but I am in a bit of a hurry. I will have to leave our chat for a later time."

"Don't let us keep you, Larry. It was nice to talk to you." 

With that note, Larry left the cafe. Suzuka turned to Olivia, her eyes lighting up. "You know Larry? He's quite the adventurer, isn't he?"

Olivia nodded, a wistful smile on her lips. "Yes, he is," she said. "But he's so much more than that. He's one of the most charismatic people I've ever met. He might not be the strongest or perceived as serious but his heart is in the right place. He helped me when I was in a dark place."

Suzuka leaned in, her curiosity piqued. "What happened?" she asked.

"Well, before I joined the guild and met Thomas," Olivia said, taking a sip of her drink. "Larry helped me out in joining the guild and raising my funds. He taught me what it was to be an adventurer. Sure, I was stronger than Larry in a fight even back then but he showed me the way I should point my strength."

Suzuka nodded, impressed. "I never heard anyone talk bad about Larry, he sure seems like he has a great reputation. My first impression of him was horrible. I thought he was just another sweet talker that would say anything just for his gains."

Olivia smiled. "Yes, he does look like that at first glance but when you start to know him, you see for who he really is." she followed with a whisper to herself, "Unlike me."

"What was that?" Suzuka asked.

"He always wanted to help people," Olivia said. "No matter how dangerous it was, he was always the first to step up and take the front. He saved countless lives over the years, often putting himself in harm's way to do it."

Suzuka's eyes widened in awe. "Yeah, I noticed," she said. "But what about his charisma? He's one of the most charismatic people I ever met."

Olivia nodded. "It's true," she said. "Larry has this way of making everyone feel special. When he walks into a room, he commands attention. People can't help but be drawn to him. And he's got this infectious laughter that just...lights up the world."

Suzuka smiled, her admiration for Larry growing by the minute. "Larry is an amazing person, unlike someone who keeps pulling him down."

Olivia's expression turned into a sad one, "Oh, you mean David, the unfortunate boy. I can safely assume you have met him."

Suzuka answered with a slight anger in her voice, "Yeah, I met that creep alright."

Olivia let out a sad sigh and said, "Ahh, don't hate the sad boy. He is unfortunate enough as it is."

"What? Are you defending that creep? He was following me around, stalking me, also I am pretty sure he was peeping at me taking hot spring baths." 

"Ah, that boy. He never learns. For one thing, he wasn't the one peeping at the baths. In fact, David had been chasing the real peeper for some time now, that silly boy. I told him to let it go, he will get himself in bigger trouble." Olivia said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"If it wasn't David then who might it be?"

"It's Dr. Jenkins. It would seem that old coot is back to his antics." Olivia said casually.

"What? Are you serious? This whole time I thought it was David for sure. But then why was he stalking me going home?" Suzuka asked.

"I could only assume why, maybe he wanted to protect you from afar. He is a shy and awkward boy when it comes to women."

"Okay, maybe but then why is he getting beat up by a pretty woman in the back alley? I thought he was just some pervert who likes to be abused by women." 

Olivia's expression shifted, revealing a hint of surprise. "What? That's terrible," she exclaimed. "David has a huge debt to pay because some woman lured him into a scam. He's not a pervert or anything, he's just an unlucky boy caught in a bad situation."

"Yeah, typical David. He ruins everything, even without being present he managed to ruin the mood of our date. Let's change the subject and leave David behind. Okay?" 

 "Okay then, let's talk about something more positive, Suzu," she said with a smile. "How was your day? Did anything exciting happen?"

Suzuka smiled in response to Olivia's attempt to change the topic. "Well, it was going great until we talked about David," she replied. "But things are much better now, compared to when I was stuck in the forest with Bill."

Olivia leaned forward, her eyes shining with interest. "Ah! Yes, the minotaur," she said. "Tell me about him, what was he like?"

Suzuka's heart skipped a beat just from remembering all the horrible things he did. "Well, I mean he is a monster," she replied, her voice filled with nostalgia. "He was strong and angry, he was rude, smelly, dirty, and he talked harshly with me. But he helped me to get stronger and gave me shelter and food. I would call him a friend even."

Olivia smiled at Suzuka. "Actually, I know a minotaur myself," she said, her voice filled with excitement. "I fought him in the Grand Minotaur tournament, he is the last opponent you face. After I won the tournament, we talked a few times. Wouldn't call us friends thought."

"Another minotaur? In town? That's amazing, so that's why it's called Tournament of the Minotaur."

"Are you interested in entering the tournament? I was thinking about entering myself but unfortunately, I will be going on a quest with Thomas tomorrow. We will be gone for a few weeks." 

"You're going so soon? You have been back only a couple of days."

"We had it all planned out a while back but hey! You can have me for today. I'm all yours."

As the waitress approached their table, she greeted Olivia and Suzuka with a friendly smile. "Hello there! Have you ladies decided on what you'd like to order, or would you like a few more minutes to decide?"

Olivia grinned and responded, "Actually, we're ready to order. I'll have the Melwyn gold apple wine and a steak, please."

Suzuka nodded in agreement and said, "I'll have the same, thank you."

The waitress jotted down their order and smiled again. "Great! I'll have that in for you right away. Is there anything else I can get for you in the meantime?"

Olivia shook her head and said, "No, that's all for now. Thank you."

As she walked away, Suzuka turned to Olivia with a smile. "I'm so glad we decided to come here today," she said. "This place has the best steaks in town."

Olivia nodded in agreement. "I know, right? And the atmosphere is just perfect for a cozy dinner."

Suzuka took a sip of her coffee and looked around the restaurant, taking in the warm lighting. "You know, Olivia," she said. "I've really been enjoying our time together. It's been so nice to have someone to talk to and hang out with."

Olivia smiled warmly at Suzuka, her eyes filled with kindness. "I feel the same way," she said. "I have so much fun when we're together."

Suzuka felt a warm glow spread through her chest at Olivia's words. She had admired Olivia's confidence and charisma, and it meant the world to her to hear that they had a genuine connection.

As their drinks arrived, they clinked their glasses together in a toast. "To good food, good friends, and good times," Olivia said, her voice ringing out across the restaurant.

Suzuka smiled and took a sip of her drink, feeling grateful for this moment. "Cheers," she said. "Here's to many more dates like this."