The Green Vine Restaurant was one of the most renowned fine dining establishments in Emeraldwood City.
One only had to glance at its unique and aesthetically pleasing architecture to understand its status.
The main structure was a massive, ancient, withered tree trunk, its surface covered with lush green vines.
The contrast between the withered yellow wood and the vibrant green leaves symbolized death and rebirth, carrying a beautiful meaning of hope.
It was worth noting that the entire trunk was said to have been transported from the Emerald Shadow Forest by a formal wizard. When it was first discovered, vines had already begun to grow upon it.
Inspired by the sight, the wizard personally designed and laid out a magical array, allowing the scene to remain forever, while also making it possible to use the space as a restaurant.
Lynn had barely taken a few steps when, beside the warmly lit vine-carved door, a female attendant approached him with a smile.
"Are you Lord Lynn, by any chance?"
She was graceful, her movements carrying a refined elegance honed by training. Her most striking feature, however, was her pair of heterochromatic eyes, one golden, one blue like those of a cat, unique and beautiful.
…She's either born this way, or an extraordinary individual altered through bloodline modification, Lynn thought, before nodding politely.
Her smile was flawless as she gestured invitingly.
"Please follow me, Lord Lynn. Mr. Blue is waiting for you."
Lynn followed her into the restaurant.
The interior maintained the same style as the exterior. Most of the visible furnishings were either carved from the ancient wood itself or fashioned from living vines.
The attendant led him upstairs, all the way to a private room on the fifth floor.
The Green Vine Restaurant had a total of seven floors, with the top two reserved exclusively for formal wizards or people of equivalent standing. These had their separate entrances, completely apart from the lower five levels.
As they approached, the vine-covered door to the private room slowly parted, retracting to the sides.
Inside, the room was surprisingly empty, with only a vine-woven chair positioned by the window.
Blue sat upon it, holding a glass of faint blue liquid.
"Good evening, Lord Lynn."
Sensing the door open, Blue rose to his feet and walked toward him.
He made a small gesture as if setting the glass down in midair, and a few vines immediately grew up from the floor, twisting together into a tall table to gently receive it.
"Good evening, Lord Blue," Lynn replied, glancing more than once at the vine-crafted table before remarking,
"This is my first time in one of the Green Vine's private rooms… It truly lives up to its reputation."
"The Green Vine Restaurant is a Goldshadow Society property. If you wish, you may come here any time in the future, and as a member of the Society, you'll enjoy a twenty-percent discount."
Blue smiled, raising his hand to display the wooden bracelet on his wrist as he explained,
"However, this vine control effect is only available in the private rooms. Today, I'm the one benefiting from your presence here.
"Come, Lord Lynn, let us sit and talk."
At the right moment, the attendant presented Lynn with a similar wooden bracelet.
Upon putting it on, he immediately understood it was a simple magical tool that allowed the wearer to command the vines into a few preset formations.
Knowing this removed most of his initial wonder, yet he was still intrigued as he followed Blue to the window.
Channeling his mental power into the bracelet, vines sprouted from the floor in an instant, weaving themselves into a chair.
This sort of extraordinary effect was a realm he had yet to explore, an experience far beyond the rough, straightforward power of the White Crow Sword Art.
For a moment, curiosity stirred within him.
But now was not the time to pursue such thoughts.
Blue regarded him with a smile.
"It seems you've already made your decision."
Lynn nodded, then added, "However, before I formally join the Goldshadow Society, I'd like to confirm all the details once more."
"Of course, that's only proper, and it's the reason we're meeting here tonight." Blue nodded, retrieving several contracts from his leather satchel.
"As I mentioned before, once you join…"
He once again laid out in detail the benefits Lynn would enjoy as well as the obligations he would bear.
In short, what was required of him was no different from any other third-tier apprentice member of the Society, yet his benefits would be slightly greater, most notably in housing. The properties available to him would be on par with those allotted to second-tier apprentices.
With everything clarified, there was no reason to hesitate. Lynn signed the standard contract, officially becoming a member of the Goldshadow Society.
As the contracts were sealed, a succession of distinctive dishes began arriving, and the atmosphere between them grew more cordial.
"Lord Blue, have you ever been beyond the Emerald Shadow Forest?"
"Beyond the forest? I went a few times years ago, but not far, honestly, the places I saw weren't as prosperous as Emeraldwood City."
"But I have heard from trading caravans that if you travel much farther northwest, you'll come across mortal kingdoms with populations in the tens of millions… supposedly quite fascinating.
"Still, I doubt I'd enjoy them. No magic crystal mines, nothing but mortals. It doesn't sound all that interesting to me.
"If you ask me, the truly exciting places lie to the northeast," Blue said.
"You mean Silver Ring City, home to the Silver Ring Academy?" Lynn asked, sipping his vine-green juice.
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