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I was confused for a moment, since he didn’t seem the type to bring up such arguments. Then I remembered what I said before.

“Oh, that,” I said, chuckling. “Yes, I had a bit of fun messing with them.”

While I recounted what happened before they woke up, I had mentioned in passing that I had some fun with the receptionists before asking to be registered as a mercenary.

Could have phrased that better, I thought, amused.

“What did you do?” He asked, probably just to chat while Freya finished her meal.

I chuckled again and told him about the conversation I had with the receptionists.

“You should have been there to see their faces. I absolutely stunned them with, I tell you,” I laughed when I finished.

He frowned.

“I won’t comment on your… questionable behavior in extolling your virtues, but marriage is a serious matter. You shouldn’t try to court married women,” he said disapprovingly.

I was stunned for a moment, then laughed even harder.

“Bloody hell, man,” I told him after I regained my breath. “Why would you even think that I was courting them?”

He looked a bit cautious as he said, “That’s what you told me, and… you don’t seem to be the gentlemanly type, given your upbringing. I don’t think you met many ladies, or understand how to treat them… or how important marriage is to them.”

That gave me pause for a few seconds as my brain processed what he said.

Then it clicked.

“I think that you heard something different from what I said.” I chuckled.

He raised an eyebrow. A clear, unasked question there.

I took a moment to decide if it was worth it to explain.

Well, why not?

Funny as it was, it could get annoying pretty fast if he kept lecturing me at every turn.

“Look, I have a vague idea of what you think about me,” I said to the confused boy, “And I’m pretty sure you got it completely wrong.”

“Oh, yes?” he asked skeptically. “And what do I think about you?”

I took a few moments to think of how to explain it.

“From my guess, your motherland doesn’t have arenas or gladiators, correct?” I asked him.

He nodded.

“Then from what you saw, and the few things I told you, you think that I’m some uneducated rude guy, without commonsense, that has never seen a woman, doesn’t know how to interact with one, and thinks that he can solve everything with violence,” I asked him amused.

“And you probably also think that I’m a dumb braggart with an overinflated ego who doesn’t know how to read the room,” I added as an afterthought.

I could see him becoming more and more uncomfortable as I talked. Freya had also stopped eating and was studying both of us alternately.

After all, while we spent some time together, we weren’t in the best conditions, nor was there a pressing need to know each other that well after all. We just needed to trust that everyone could do their job… which in Freya’s case was just walking or holding on.

I didn’t ask if I was right. I could see it on his face.

“Well, you got me on the commonsense. I can’t say I’m completely without, but I surely lack some. I already told you that there were different types of gladiators, and not all of them grew up in slavery, or came from violent professions. When speaking with them, and hearing their stories, you pick up most of what they think is common sense,” I said.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

“I have to admit that it was hard for me to understand certain things, though. Like marriage, for example,” I continued. "Or better said, I understand, but find it hard to share certain values. Or give as much weight to certain things."

Both of them were listening attentively. We didn’t usually sit down and share our past, after all, each of us for different reasons. I didn’t care too much, but it seems they were curious.

“Speaking of marriage, you may not know about a few… publicly secret practices, let’s say. I doubt even Freya knows, though it wasn’t exactly hidden,” I said looking at her.

She just gave me a quizzical look.

“Well, how to put it. It’s kind of complicated, but gladiators are seen in a strange way here in my opinion, both despised from our low social class and adored for our ability. To speak bluntly, the most successful ones have many followers… and many lovestruck women. Freya may have noticed this too,” I said.

She nodded.

It was hard not to notice, actually.

“What she may not know, is that among those women there were many that didn’t have any qualms in bribing their way into the gladiators’ schools,” I told him, “And most of them were rich, and many times noble, married women, as you can imagine.”

I could see he wasn’t approving of the practice.

Since he didn’t speak, I continued, “I, unlike other people, even other gladiators, grew up seeing that, instead of the usual family. So, basically, while I understand that most commoners put much weight on marriage, I don't feel the same. Maybe I'm much closer to the nobles in this than the average commoner.”

It's something that I noticed in many different occasions, on different topics, and I concluded that it was the environment I grew up in. Even if I was different from the beginning, I wouldn't know, so that was the best explanation.

“I thought you said you didn’t like nobles,” he said, a bit upset.

I nodded. “Yes, but that doesn’t mean I can’t fuck a willing girl. Gladiators don’t have many pleasures to enjoy, so, yes, it’s hard to turn away the opportunity. No reason to, actually. I don’t need to like their character to have sex with them,” I said. “And I have no reason to change now.”

I heard some say the contrary, but for me, that worked.

“So while I may not know how to approach a girl in normal circumstances, I know how to act around one. The old guys also gave some helpful tips,” I said, grinning.

"Oh," I said, as a thought came to mind, "Just to make it clear, I don't intend to willingly try to seduce married women. I just won't bother to find out. If they come to me or just won't say anything, I will just presume that they are single, or won't care about the consequences. It's their commitment, after all, and so it's also their responsibility to maintain it."

“So, why did you act like that with the receptionists?” he asked, looking visibly uncomfortable with the argument.

Ok, explanation of a gladiator sex life over.

Freya just returned to her eating without a care.

“Okay, so, returning to me not being able to read the room… it’s not that I’m incapable, it’s just that sometimes I find it hard to get the reason why it's happening.”

Reading an opponent during a fight was easy for me now. During a conversation? Not so much. I lacked too much context to understand.

"And most of the time, I also don’t give a crap," I added to clarify.

Not many deserved the effort until now.

"Take for example the receptionist that I spoke with. I usually find it easy to get the general mood of people, and while that lady was smiling, I got the impression she was looking down on me," I explained. "Why did she? I had no idea, but when she said 'we're married', which felt like an insult by the way, though I couldn't guess why, I just couldn’t hold myself back."

He looked a bit lost.

“So, why were you… bragging?” he asked, confused.

Is it that hard to understand? I thought it was pretty funny...

“Well, I thought it was amusing, and I wanted to play around a bit. And I have to add that that’s not bragging, I know I am the best, it’s just that I usually don’t waste time telling that to other people. Since they acted like I was beneath them, though, I thought it would have been fun to see their reaction when I showed them what I thought of myself,” I said.

“Also, it’s not like I can’t act serious. I just find it more fun to be this way.”

It was silent for a few seconds before he lifted his hands.

“Fine, I give. We can’t agree to some things, and I wasn’t there, so I will abstain from further comments,” he told me.

“You could work on being a bit humbler, though,” he added.

Does he want to have the last word? I thought amused. No way, young lad!

I snorted, “And why? What’s the point? Every normal dude should have some pride in himself; being humble is for insecure or timid people. There is no need to brag, but why hold back in front of idiots? It’s not like I go around bothering others usually.”

“There are always better people around. The world is a big place,” said Zeph the sage.

“No, Zeph, there are people that can do something better than me. No one is better than I. You should think the same for yourself, young man,” I said, channeling my inner sage to counter.

"This is called confidence!" I exclaimed.

Then I glanced towards Freya, who had finished her meal. Time to move.

“Oh, and one last thing,” I said before I forgot.

“Violence can solve everything. It’s just that sometimes there are better options.”

I had to clarify this point.

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