Chapter Twelve

I didn't wake from my slumber until Rafe shifted under me and gently shook my shoulder. The carriage had stopped. When I looked out the carriage window, I saw we weren't home yet. Rafe had stopped us near the gate separating the working-class ring from the outer, dungeon ring.

"We should walk from here," he said quietly. "A royal carriage will attract attention in the outer ring. I figured that's something you wish to avoid."

"Thank you," I replied. Rafe got out first, then held out a hand to aid me in climbing down. He didn't let go once my feet were on the ground and I didn't pull away.

Once the carriage left, we strolled hand-in-hand through the gate and I saw we weren't far from the market where Jason had his lemonade stall. Rafe must have had the same thought as me, because we started walking in that direction without actually talking it over.

It was already past mid-day and the outer ring was bustling with humans and Beastkin, elves and dwarves. There was the usual selection of housewives and children walking around, merchants manning their stalls, and carters transporting goods from one end of the city to the other. However, I noticed a much larger influx of men and women in armor and eclectic costumes. Some of the costumes included the typical wizard robes, but there were those in leather armor that showed almost as much skin as the costumes covered. I couldn't tell if they were magicians or warriors.

"You're staring," Rafe told me.

"It's hard not to when a woman walks by with a leather harness as a shirt," I replied. "That kind of thing might be normal for you, but not where I come from. And, is it just me, but are there a lot more Beastkin with horns than usual?"

"The ones you're probably noticing aren't Beastkin. They're Demon Tribe. Their race prefers to live as nomads in the dungeon, so you only see them when the dungeon closes. You'll probably hear a bunch of wild rumors about them, but don't believe everything. They're good people at heart."

"I'm glad you mentioned the dungeon. It reminds me I need to talk to you about going in before it closes. Jason had a chat with the God Ganymede after his status was read. He told Jason he should go into the dungeon and use 'Taming' to get himself a pet. I'm not sure what to do about it."

"You have no reason to worry," Rafe said easily. "The entrance areas of each dungeon floor are relatively safe. As long as he doesn't wander too deep, he won't encounter any monsters or dangerous beasts. If it's okay with you, I'm willing to go with him and teach him how to use Taming magic. Do you know what kind of pet he might like?"

I laughed in a voice devoid of humor. "Yeah, about that... I have a feeling Jason is going to encounter trouble the moment he steps in the dungeon. Whatever pet he finds probably won't be normal, either. I haven't told you yet, but he's already A-rank, he's skilled in every type of magic, and all twelve of your deities are listed as his Patron."

Rafe stumbled over air. I winced and stopped next to him as he righted himself. "Are you serious?" he spluttered. "He's only fourteen!"

I shrugged and ran my fingers through my hair, helpless to explain. "I don't know what the Gods were thinking. Maybe they just want to make sure he has fun in this world or maybe they're trying to make up for something. I did my best to gloss over it so Jason can keep thinking he's normal for a while, but he's eventually going to realize he's different. If he picks out a crazy pet, it's only going to make his friends point it out sooner. And I don't know how I'll explain it to Iris if he comes back with something like a baby dragon or a phoenix or some other mythical beast."

"I want to say such a thing isn't possible, but it could happen if the Gods have taken such an interest in him. I understand now why you're concerned."

We resumed our stroll as Rafe digested what I told him. I wouldn't have blamed him if he'd suggested waiting until the dungeon reopened in a month to take Jason inside, giving all of us time to prepare, but he didn't.

"I should take Jason in today," he said. "I'd like to wait until we can get him properly outfitted, but there isn't time before the dungeon closes. We could wait until tomorrow, but then there won't be time to do anything if we do run into trouble."

"If that's what you think is best, I won't argue," I replied. "I'm sorry for dumping this on you so suddenly."

He shook his head, giving me a pleased expression. "I'm glad you brought this to me. I told you that you can count on me and I meant it."

"Is there anything we need to do to prepare?" I asked.

"Are you coming with us?" he countered.

I shrugged. "Honestly, the thought of going into the unknown where monsters live scares me, but don't you think I should be there for Jason?"

"Will you entrust him to me?" Rafe asked. "If at all possible, I'd prefer it if you never went into the dungeon at all. I know it might be a lot to ask, but after my father's rebirth.... If I fear anything, it's losing another person I care about."

"You don't have to worry about that with me or Jason," I said with a grin. "I'm a High Human and Jason is a High Beastkin. I'm told that means we're protected from being reborn. Even if we die out in the open, we'll be transported to a Sanctuary without losing anything."

Rafe's hand tightened around mine. "Fear is not something a person can reason with. Even knowing you'd be safe, may I ask you not to go anyway? I wouldn't want Jason to go inside, either, but a directive of the Gods is not something I can ignore."

I had no reason to refuse, especially when he asked so sincerely. "Okay," I said. "You still haven't answered my question, though. Do we need to make any preparations?"

He shook his head. "I'll head home first and prepare what we need. If you'll collect Jason and meet me, we should have time for a late lunch at the Guild before we go in."

Rafe pulled me to a stop and kissed me right there in the middle of the street as if we were the only people in existence. It was quick, visceral, and brutally thorough. By the time I figured out he was publicly claiming me, the kiss ended and I was staring at his back as he walked away.

I found the caveman routine endearing. It had me smiling as I picked up my feet and continued heading in the opposite direction toward Jason's lemonade stand. My smile widened even more when I noticed no one cared about the two men who'd just been kissing in the middle of the street. No one shouted out rude names or called us disgusting. That kind of bigotry didn't exist here nor did there seem to be any shyness when it came to public displays of affection.

Right as I thought that, a man walked past me in a steel cod piece and a fur cloak. I wanted to laugh, but I held it in.

The small trinkets market was even busier than it'd been the day before and I was forced to slow my walking pace. I checked out a few of the stalls along the way, mostly because avoiding them was impossible. Some of the jewelry pieces had my fingers twitching, making me want to pull a few coins from my Item Box. I'd never been a fan of jewelry before, but it was hard when I was surrounded by so many unique characters. Part of me wanted to do something to stand out from the crowd, as well.

I made it to Jason's stall without buying anything and I grinned when I saw the solution the kids had chosen to deal with the packaging issue from the previous day. Alongside the barrel of lemonade, they had a barrel of red fruit I didn't recognize. I watched as Kalim took one of the fruit and lopped off the top with a knife, then handed it off to Jason who filled the hollow interior with lemonade. He handed the filled fruit off to Jeremiah, who added it to the servings on the sales counter. The girls appeared to be managing the actual sales.

I approved of the solution. Not only did the fruit work like disposable cups, but it added to the value of the lemonade by providing an edible snack after the drink was gone. And it actually worked better than glass jars might have, because they could keep the cost low and ensured people would return for more.

From the looks of it, they weren't only selling the fruit cups, though. Some people were bringing their own jars and pitchers, asking the kids to fill them up. I got a chance to watch Hanna haggle the pants off a lady Adventurer in a pointed witch's hat. The exchange ended quickly and Hanna filled the witch's drinking cauldron for four small copper coins.

"Al!" Jason exclaimed when he finally noticed me. I slipped around the front of the stall and joined him beside the nearly-empty barrels. "How did it go?" he asked.

"No worries," I replied, waving off his concern. "More importantly, I talked to Rafe and he's agreed to escort you into the dungeon to get a pet. You have to go now, though. Tomorrow is the last day the dungeon will be open this month and Rafe doesn't want to wait until the last minute."

My words caught the attention of Jason's friends. "You're going to get a pet?" Jenna asked. "No fair. Daddy says I can't get one until I turn fifteen."

"Do you know what kind you're going to get?" Jericho, Jeremiah's little brother asked.

"Rark has a calico," Khalim offered. "My mom has an errant bat, too. They're great for pest control."

That was a consideration I hadn't thought about. Maybe I'd get lucky and Jason would find something similarly useful.

I could dream.

Hana piped up before Jason could answer. "Chef Al, will you be going with Jason? Papa says the dungeon is too dangerous for young people to go alone."

Khalim scoffed. "I've been in the dungeon a ton of times. It's only dangerous if you leave the holy ground around the entrance."

"Don't worry, Lady Hana," I interjected. "Jason is going to have an escort. Rafe Durham has agreed to go with him."

The kids turned to me with wide eyes and exploded into cries of excitement. Jason was bewildered by the reaction, whereas I guessed the source. Rafe might seem like a normal man to those of us who lived with him, but he was an S-Rank Adventurer. That was top-tier. There was no way his name wasn't famous.

"You have to introduce us!" Khalim begged Jason.

Jason wrinkled his nose. "It's just Mister Rafe. Why should I?"

"Don't you know?" Jenna exclaimed as if Jason had said something stupid. "Rafe Durham is Lord Durham, the Drake Destroyer, wielder of the holy sword Serenity, and one of only three S-Rank Adventurers to ever survive the Tomb of Ares."

"He also beat the Labyrinth of Cerus—" Jericho began.

"—and he overcame the Trials of Midas!" Jeremiah finished.

"You mustn't forget he's also known for learning unique magic from the Cyclops King of the Papaya Isle, claimed friendship with the Harpy Queen of Mount Sumaria, and he negotiated peace between the blue and red ogre tribes of the Nightlands."

The last part made me raise my eyebrow since it wasn't the kids who proved themselves fans—it was the Butler Gregory, whose expression was filled with minor worship. It made me want to smack him.

"Anyway," I said, raising my voice to focus everyone. "Say goodbye to your friends, Jason. You can see them again tomorrow."

Jason wasn't as excited as I expected him to be. "What about the lemonade stand?" he asked. "I was already late today. It's not fair if I leave early, too."

Thankfully, the other kids jumped in to soothe his worries so I didn't have to. Having Rafe as Jason's personal dungeon escort was an event they weren't going to allow Jason to miss.

"We're almost out of lemonade anyway," Jenna pointed out between helping customers.

"This is a huge chance," Khalim added. "You might get lucky and find some treasure in the dungeon, and then we won't have to worry about the lemonade stand at all. We can go straight to building bicycles."

"Khalim's right," Jeremiah agreed. "If the Destroyer lets you, take this chance to collect any materials you think we can use. If you come across any ores, we can process it ourselves and save money."

"Be careful," Hana murmured.

At their urging, Jason stopped worrying and came with me willingly. On our walk back to the boarding house, I asked him if he had any idea of what kind of pet he wanted. He admitted he didn't know. He'd never had one before.

"Try not to get anything too big," I warned him. "Remember, we'll have to feed it. The bigger it is, the more it's going to eat—and poop."

Jason laughed and nodded in agreement. I prayed it was enough to keep him from bringing back a huge lion or a bear or something similarly insane like the pets heroes usually found for themselves in transmigration stories.

Rafe was waiting for us in the front sitting room of the boarding house. I nearly didn't recognize him. He wore a dark red Spartan chestplate, the kind with fake ab muscles etched into the surface, and a long leather kilt dyed a matching color. It covered him down to his knees where a pair of bronze greaves were strapped around his legs.

He didn't have shoulder armor or upper arm armor, relying only on a pair of bronze bracers around his forearms. I didn't see any protection for his neck, either. I started to say something about it when Iris hurried into the room with a proud smile on her face, carrying a red cloak covered in a geometric bronze pattern woven directly into the fabric. She shook it out to show it to us and my first thought was of a circuit-board. I was willing to bet it did something when magic was applied to it.

Iris was too short to help arrange the cloak around Rafe's shoulders when he stood, so I stepped in to do it for her. It wasn't as complicated as I thought, once I discovered the thin, steel shoulder pads the cloak had been sewn around. Rafe showed me how the edges of the pads affixed to his chestplate so it wouldn't shift when he moved around. The rest was just making sure it wasn't tangled or caught on anything.

"Mother, have you seen my—"

"Here," she said, holding out an odd helmet. It reminded me of a boxer's practice helmet. The crown was missing from it and it had openings on the sides to keep from blocking Rafe's hearing. It was also made from thin red steel rather than plastic and padding. When he put it on, it seemed more like a dwarf's decorative circlet than protective gear.

"That's not going to help much if something falls on your head," Jason commented. I was glad he said something, so I didn't have to.

Rafe winked at him. "If we were going somewhere dangerous, I have a better helmet I'd use. This one is good enough for keeping the wind out of my hair."

Jason laughed, as intended, considering Rafe barely had any hair.

"Which sword are you going to carry?" Iris asked. "You're stopping by the Guild first, right? You should pull out Serenity for old time's sake."

"I don't even know if I can still draw her," Rafe replied.

"Then go out into the back yard and try," she snapped. "How do you expect Albert to trust you with his little brother's safety if you can't even draw your sword? Honestly!"

I hid a smile, amused by the exasperation in her voice and the way Rafe grumbled wordlessly under his breath in reply.

Rafe pointed at me. "You stay here," he barked. I didn't argue. It was obvious he didn't want to fail in front of me.

Jason didn't receive the same order and happily skipped after Rafe as they headed into the back yard, eager to see whatever this 'Serenity' looked like.

While they were outside, I went up to my room and dressed for work. It was already after noon, but I thought I could get in a few hours of dismantling practice while they were exploring the dungeon. Once I had my leather apron tied on and strapped my skinning knife to my waist, I waited a few extra minutes, then headed back downstairs to see if they were ready to leave.

They were, although Rafe now had a black sword strapped to his back that was as big as Jason. I could only see the pommel sticking up behind Rafe's head. It looked fancy, although I didn't know enough about swords to know if that was good. It had to be heavy. I didn't think I could have lifted a sword that size, but Rafe acted like he didn't noticed the weight at all.

Jason also had a short sword in a slender white sheathe strapped to his hip. It had a ratty red ribbon tied to the hilt.

"What's that?" I asked, pointing at Jason's sword.

"Oh, I haven't seen that in ages," Iris gasped joyfully. "Is that your old pigsticker, Rafe?"

Rafe nodded and Iris put her hand gently on my wrist, likely sensing I was on the edge of exploding. "Don't fret, dear," she said. "It doesn't have an edge. It's more of a defensive weapon than an offensive one."

Jason caught on that I was upset and drew his sword to let me see. It really didn't have an edge. It was something like a long, pointed rod attached to a hilt. It was more of a club than a sword and only the tip looked dangerous.

Rafe sheepishly scratched the dome of his shaved head. "I should have asked before giving it to him," he said. "He was excited when he saw my sword and I remembered I still had my first weapon and... uh... I can take it back if you don't want him to have it, but it's really better for him to have something to protect himself. Even though we're going to a safe area, considering the circumstances..."

He didn't need to say more. With Jason's status looking like it did, he needed some kind of weapon.

"Let's go before I change my mind," I said with a weary sigh. As much as I wanted to keep Jason safe, being overprotective of a kid with twice my attributes would only alienate him. Nothing I did would keep him out of trouble if he decided he wanted to go adventuring. At least this way he'd have a mentor to help him if he got into trouble.

In Rafe's place, I thought I would have been too embarrassed to walk outside. His deep red armor and cape was flashy enough, but the big-ass sword attracted attention. Of course, that's not where my eyes kept straying. I couldn't stop gazing at his leather kilt, watching as it swept over his large well-muscled thighs with every—

"You're swaggering," I whispered accusingly where Jason wouldn't overhear.

"Can't help it when you're staring at me like that," he replied softly. "If you keep it up, I might forget which bedroom is mine when I get home tonight."

"Wear that kilt and I just might let you," I retorted with a cocky smirk of my own. His eyes grew dark at the taunt and my cock stiffened at the unspoken promise he made with his gaze.

Tonight was going to be the night, I decided. After Iris and Jason went to bed, we were going to discover whether we were as compatible in bed as we were outside of it. I really hoped he was open to switching. Even if he wasn't, I didn't think I cared. I just wanted to do naughty, naughty things to those muscular thighs of his.

Our trip to the Guild was uneventful, as long as I ignored everyone staring at Rafe. He seemed to have quite a number of fans who called out and waved. I wondered why he hadn't gotten the same reaction when we'd gone to the Guild for dinner. Was it that no one recognized him as an Adventurer when he was out of his dark red armor? I didn't see how it was possible. Sure, there were men a few men around with Rafe's size and build—I was one of them—but almost none had his militant, shaved haircut.

Or did I have it backward?

"Did you used to have long hair?" I asked after we were seated at 'our' corner table and ordered. I decided to be adventurous for once and asked for the most popular meat dish the Guild served.

Rafe rubbed a hand over his head as the waiter left to put in our order. "How did you know?"

"No one recognized you before you put your armor on, but they should have. Right?"

"You're right. I shaved it to change my appearance after I quit as an Adventurer. It made it harder for people to recognize me. I haven't decided whether I'll grow it back now or not. After all this time, I've gotten used to wearing it like this."

"I'm curious to see how you look with hair, but I like the shaved look." I didn't tell him how much I liked the shaved look. Not only did it set him apart from my usual type of guys, but it gave him a roughneck vibe I found surprisingly attractive. I didn't know what I'd do if he suddenly grew hair and became some kind of polished, noble gentleman.

"Have you given any consideration to my proposal?" Rafe asked suddenly. It took me off guard, considering where my thoughts had been.

While I struggled to think of a reply, Jason jumped in. "Mister Rafe proposed to you, Al? Can I see the ring?"

"Ring?" Rafe repeated.

"You can't propose without a ring," Jason admonished as if Rafe should know our customs from Earth. He even rolled his eyes. "I heard mom tell her friend over the phone that it's only official if there's a ring. Otherwise it's just an empty promise."

"Is that true?" Rafe asked, turning to me. "By your customs, it's not an official proposal without a ring?"

I winced, but I couldn't lie. "It's true. Most places in my homeland follow the custom of exchanging rings. There's an engagement ring and a wedding ring. When a person accepts the engagement ring, it shows they've agreed to marry and have committed themselves in return. It tells other people you're taken and aren't available for dating. We don't have the custom of taking multiple partners in a marriage, so it usually wards away suitors. The wedding ring is typically exchange between the bride and groom during the wedding ceremony. I suppose you could consider it a physical representation of wedding vows. Again, wearing them tells other people you're taken and aren't interested in being courted."

Our food arrived as I finished explaining, putting an end to the conversation. As I tried my horned rabbit skewer—it was tender and unseasoned—I noticed Rafe giving Jason a considering look out of the corner of his eye. I had a feeling the dungeon trip was going to include an in-depth question-and-answer session about Earth customs. I hoped Jason didn't give him any strange ideas. The last thing I wanted was to see a medieval version of a flash mob.

We were halfway finished with our meal when something I'd been expecting from day one finally happened. A roguish, trouble-making type of Adventurer strolled up to our table with the intent of throwing his weight around.

"Don't," I snapped out as soon as the man's rough hand landed on my shoulder. I wasn't speaking to the trouble-maker, though. I spoke to Rafe, who'd already started to stand. Whatever Rafe saw in my face made him calmly sit back down—something I was glad for. I didn't want to get the reputation I couldn't protect myself. If I did, I'd be harassed every time Rafe took a trip into the dungeon. That was how bullies worked.

"Can I help you?" I asked, looking up at the no-name Adventurer. From the smell coming off him, he must have spent the last month in the dungeon without taking a bath.

He rakish grin might have been appealing if he hadn't been missing three teeth. "How about a drink, sweetheart?"

"I already have one," I replied. "Thank you, but you're interrupting our meal. Please remove your hand and leave us alone."

There. I couldn't have stated myself more clearly or more politely.

"Come on, don't be like that," he said. He moved to touch my hair and I slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch me."

His face filled with anger at being rebuffed, but it only made me want to roll my eyes like Jason. What kind of man strolled up to what was obviously a family affair, tried to hit on a man in front of his boyfriend, and got mad when he was rejected?

Everything that happened afterward happened quickly. The man grabbed my hair in his fist, yanking my head back. Jason shouted. Rafe slammed his hands on the table and stood. I calmly said, "Look down."

My would-be assailant looked down and froze, seeing my skinning knife laying on the inside of his thigh, near his balls. It'd really been a mistake to stand so close to a person sitting in a chair. It'd put me in the perfect position for a counter-attack.

Everyone else around us froze as they noticed the man's plight.

"I'm not very skilled as a dismantler yet," I warned him calmly. "With your hand in my hair like that, I might miss and take off more than I mean to. You should really let me go."

The fist slowly released my hair. I didn't wait a second more than I needed. I leaped out of my chair, hitting the bastard with an uppercut that would have made my Nonno proud. The man's head snapped back. I followed up with a simple jab to his exposed throat and a merciless kick to his knee.

The snap as his joint broke echoed through the room.

The man crumpled. He might have wanted to scream, but he couldn't. His damaged throat wouldn't allow it. I ignored him as he flopped around on the floor. I ignored everyone watching. I sheathed my skinning knife, fixed my disheveled hair, and reclaimed my chair. I gave Jason a smile to let him know everything was okay and reached out to pat Rafe's hand, silently telling him to sit back down.

Clearing my throat, I held up my hand to the waitress and said, "Can I get another glass of wine, please?"

It was exactly what the room needed for everything to return to normal. Conversations resumed and I watched out of the corner of my eye as three Adventurers ran forward to drag their fallen compatriot outside. I prayed they didn't get the stupid idea to retaliate, considering I'd only been defending myself. It wasn't my fault the asshole didn't take my 'no' for an answer.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Jason asked. "It was bam, pop, and crack. He went down so fast!"

I laughed at his sound effects. "My Nonno—that's my grandfather—used to be a boxer. When he was still well enough to move around, he taught all of us kids how to fight. What I didn't learn from him, I learned from roughhousing with my cousins. They were scared of what would happen when I came out as gay, so they took it upon themselves to make sure I knew how to protect myself. Take note, Jason. There's no such thing as fighting dirty. Fighting is about survival and there's nothing wrong with doing whatever is needed to win. There's only rules in sports."

"What does gay mean?" Rafe asked, his gaze scanning the bar around us for threats rather than focusing on me.

I blushed. "It's a term used to describe homosexual men, meaning men who prefer the company of other men. In our homeland, there are many people who disapprove of such relations and use it as an excuse for bullying and violence. It's not something I really want to talk about. Let me just say I'm very happy to be living in a place where no one appears to have an opinion on the subject."

"It'd be foolish to hold such an opinion, considering Ganymede, the God of Love, is known for preferring the company of men," Rafe replied. "He's one God I doubt anyone would want to anger."

"Why is that?" I asked, even though the answer seemed obvious. Anyone who angered him wouldn't find love.

Rafe snorted. "Being the God of Love means he's also the God of Hatred. No other God can dispense vengeance like he can."

"Okay, that's not the answer I was expecting, but it makes sense. I wouldn't want to piss him off, either. Do all the Gods have a reverse image?"

He nodded and picked at the bowl of french fries we were sharing. "The Goddess of Conflict is also the Goddess of Peace. The God of Beasts is also the God of Intelligence. Injustice and Justice. Balance and Imbalance. Crafting and Destruction. Do you want me to go on? They're mostly self-explanatory."

"Opposite of Magic? Reincarnation? Those aren't obvious to me."

"Miasma is the opposite of magic. Chaos is the opposite of reincarnation. Pricus' reflection is the hardest to understand. He's the God of Water and Time. His reflection is something called stagnation. Stagnation is what happens to water in a swamp, but it can also mean time stops moving."

That made sense to me, but I had an outside perspective and a broader education to work from. "So when you stop making progress in something, you consider it Pricus' doing?" I asked, trying to help him understand without sounding like a know-it-all.

Rafe's eyes lit up and he nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, that would be a good way to interpret it."

I'd never been too interested in theology back home, but it was different here considering I'd actually met one of the Goddesses Rafe worshiped. It was important to Rafe, too. I didn't think I'd fully understand him until I understood what he believed in.

"Is it time to go yet?" Jason asked. Our plates were mostly empty and we were only picking at what was left, so we had no reason to say no. My second glass of wine remained untouched on the table. I'd only ordered it to restore the mood.

"Be good for Rafe," I told Jason as I walked them out of the Guild. "Do what he says and don't run off on your own. I'm going to put in a few hours of work here and I'll meet you back home later."

"We'll be back by sunset," Rafe promised. "If we run into trouble and need to stay longer, I'll send word."