It's ok I understand the feeling just relax a bit the staff are all former adventurers. Mia said setting a mug infront of me pouring what looked to have been a dark mead from a large clay jug. Glad for the drink and already hoping to numb myself a bit I took a big sip holding it in my mouth to try to figure out if it was a mead why it was so dark in color, setting my mug down without thinking about it, when I did swallow I just about hacked up a lung holy shit it burned on the way down. it was not mead that was rocket fuel.
Next Mia brought out a plate of food some kind of asian inspired sweet and sour fajita mix and sandwich bread if I had to compare it to anything familiar it very much was what I needed filling drunk food. Hey Mia I know your staff is all former female adventurers, probably for a reason, but is there any chance you could help me out with a job that would let me afford to keep eating here pay a rent of 40k at a month the inn I'm booking a room in and let me get a feel for the dungeon. Or point me in the right direction for a job like that? I could almost hear the depression setting in the way my voice sounded to my own ears shooting a dirty look at one of the patrons behind me she put six mugs of water infront of me if you can drink all seven mugs and eat your dinner not only is it free but I'll put you up for the night behind two locked doors five people that will make sure no one bothers you tonight. Mia challenged me.
I nodded not seeing her prolonged glare at the person that had previously gotten the dirty look. I'd gotten half way through Mia's challenge and was feeling pretty drunk when I felt some one watching me turning slowly and looking around I spotted a redhead with a nice pair about a D maaaybe a DD cup she was some where around 5'10-11 with an athletic build...then I felt it an aura the likes of which I had never felt on earth but from the description of what my few church going associates described as Gods presence, knowing that I'm at the Hostess of Fertility and that in the anime that this was the Loki Familia's hangout that must mean that the redhead was Loki? Boy the anime got so close but so wrong with that one.
Turning around realizing that if Aiz and if I in fact failed to escape the prejudices I suffered from on earth then I had good reason to fear what might be my best chance at getting ahead. I could always try for Hephaestus' Familia or push my luck with Hestia. deciding that I was better off minding my own business. feeling that things where sliding way from my control I went back to my food and drink as if it was a life line in a way it was...it was some thing I could control and would not land me in trouble that I was not already in.
Loki was surprised seeing the prospect at Mia's place so she set a test for the boy a bastardly drink a drop of the real soma wine, a wine so potent that it got mortals drunk to their souls and created instant slaves to the soma wine, and a balthazar of Dwarven Mead it would test him on his commitment to his goals what shocked me was that Mia made an offer to protect the kid making it clear that she did not like whatever it was she thought I was up to. Would you know it he was even sober enough to feel me watching him in a busy pub and then pick me out of the crowd, the look of surprise he had when he did was pretty nice. Sadly for me he was committed to Mia's challenge because he went right back to that damn drink... come to think of it I never expected to be jealous of booze but here I was.
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Hey Loki any idea what that punks problem is? Bete said a loud enough to be heard even by the staff in the kitchen. Wincing at the potential fight I told him to relax and leave it. Unfortunately the prospect heard next thing I know Bete is hanging from his rafter as we called it, by my rope even how the fuck! try my patients again to night and I'll do my best to use you as a speed bag regardless of how drunk I am. My prospect said weaving slightly where he stood before Mia or the girls could intervene. For once I think Bete was stunned into silence. This kid could move if you were not paying attention it was like he had a movement skill or was already leveling up some how.
I walked back to the bar pissed off not even sure why and sat down, great moves ex-lax I thought to my self looking at the mugs and seeing them empty I figured I could use a drink Mia may have meant to save me from being drunk but I was a professional drinker back on earth and I wanted to be numb. Spotting one of Mia's girls and thinking fast to remember which one the cat girl was. Hey Anya could you get me another strong drink I could use something strong enough to numb emotions or enough of something strong for the goal. I said trying to smile. Apparently I was to loud AND said the wrong thing cause the entire place went so quite you could hear mice plotting how to get into the pantry.
After few very uncomfortable seconds things seemed to me back to normal Anya came back with an odd expression on her face with a tankard of amber mead. before she left she whispered that it is always better to let it out than to drown it. Confused I took a swallow of the mead wondering why she was giving me advice that sounded like it was meant for someone that was grieving the death of a lover. Still it was nice that she seemed to care that last drink was not something you would normally drink...maybe for a contest or if you were being pranked... Nah Mia would not lower her standards no matter what you offered her.
Listening to the pub it was clear that I was the topic of most discussions ranging from speculations of what the drink Mia gave me and surprise that I was still standing when the girls told them that Mia was not willing to sever any more unless people wanted to take the drink on the road, the rest seemed to wonder why Mia had not kicked the drunkard out and Why Loki seemed to care less that I had tied one of her Familia up and threatened to do worse. Regretfully I kept drinking at some point I made it from the angry stage through the weeping to the starts of the numbness I had sought.
Mia announced it was closing time like the drunken fool I drank myself into being I tried to leave with the rest planning on trying to to make it back to my inn, Mia seeing this did what normally would have been a good idea when dealing with a normal drunk. Not you lad your staying here tonight. Mia said dropping her hand onto my shoulder restraining me. my wonderous drunk response was to issue a wordless scream of anger and to actually shoulder throw her over my back and to the floor. To our mutual surprise I then staggered back three paces and fell flat on my back unconscious.