Even with the man behind the counter gone, I didn’t want to raise my voice.
I leaned in as well and shot back, “I could just as easily tell them what you do.”
This didn’t seem to bother the man in the slightest.
“I’ve been here since I was a wee boy,” he brought his hand low for emphasis, “They know me well, and they know I’m a hunter, you know, the kind that gets wolf pelts like these.”
His eyes seemed to smile as he grasped the pelts mouth. He moved it up and down like it was talking.
“They’ve known us for a long time! They know that we go into dungeons sometimes as bodyguards when we aren’t hunting my friends. How much trust do you have with the people in this village? How long have you known them?"
The man seemed to have some problems up in the head, but I couldn’t exactly argue with him.
What does he mean by ‘bodyguard?’ It sounds like people knows that he dungeon dives… but people don’t like dungeon diving for power, killing the monsters or otherwise. Why would they be fine with him doing it? Was it just one town?
> [People do not accept dungeon diving in order to remove or weaken monsters as morally correct, you're correct. If you tell other people that Abs goes into dungeons that will be information they already know. Abs goes into dungeons and ‘assists’ the cultists. Since you do not assist cultists, the populace would think you are cruel. They may attempt something violent.]
My eyes lit up.
You’re back.
> [I must reserve my energy. Don’t expect further conversation.]
My mouth twitched downwards.
Nevermind.
I tried to pull everything together.
The people trust him, they don’t trust me and if they were told I went into dungeons they wouldn’t like it. They’re fine with him going into dungeons because it has something to do with the cultists. I’m not sure what…
I shifted uncomfortably.
I’m getting away from this guy as soon as possible. He’s a Hunter and has leverage on me, sure, but I don’t want to make a deal with someone I hardly know with unclear goals.
The man waved a hand in front of my face.
“Heelllooo… Anyone there?”
I scowled.
“I still don’t want to make a deal.”
His toad-like eyes narrowed.
“Why not?”
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
“I have no reason to work with you.”
“Don’t you? You seemed bright, but now…,” He tilted his head uncertainly, “Do I need to restate my point?”
This man…
“I can go to the other town if you talk.”
He raised a finger.
“Ah, but word travels fast and there just that, one more. Especially when it comes to something that could ruin their way of life, people don’t like hearing about someone trying to remove their supplier.”
He had a point.
“So?”
“I don’t know anything about what you want or your motives. Let me be.”
The man’s grin was so large that his red cheeks could be seen through the eye holes in his mask.
“I’ll tell you! A toast?”
The man popped the jaw off of his mask revealing his own jaw and his wide smile. Grasping a bottle he brought it in front of me I shook my head and pushed it away.
His eyes seemed to lose some of their brightness as I declined the drink.
“It’s very simple! Do at least one dungeon dive with me, depending on how things go, we’ll either go again, or I’ll leave you to your own devices. I decide.”
He smiled at me as if that was the most normal request in the world. I stared back dumbfounded.
Is he lonely? No, that doesn’t make sense… well, he doesn’t either, so maybe…
“Other than what you said earlier, why would I agree?”
He stroked his mustache braids thoughtfully before glancing at me.
“You’re clearly pretty fresh to-”
I furrowed my brows.
It can’t be that obvious and I’ve had some training before…
I bit down on another toothpick.
After watching my face scrunch up, he quit whispering back and forth opting to laugh until he wiped a tear from his eye.
“-You didn’t recognise this,” He pointed to his mask, “that much was obvious. You also look like your just making it by,-”
You don’t look much better yourself.
Before I could do anything, he pinched the dark skin under my eye.
-“, and lastly, I got past your defence like that.”
He let go and snapped his fingers with his other hand, emphasizing his speed.
“So, you could use me!”
He raked his hair back with his hand and gave me a toothy grin.
“I’m an experienced veteran after all.”
I cringed.
“Why do you go into dungeons?”
The booze-infused man winked.
“I’ll tell you after you make the deal!”
I let out an internal sigh.
“Fine.”
I don’t think I’m getting out of this any other way. And it’s not like anyone other than the system can enforce oaths. I’ll just avoid him after.
His hand slapped the table and his eyes shone like the sun.
That’s not good.
“Perfect, let’s make an oath!”
He clutched the large hammer that was sitting around his neck tightly while handing me the strong-smelling bottle he’d been drinking.
“I, Absinthe Spirytus Rektyfikowany Hapsburg, swear by the alcohol invested in me that I will take you into a dungeon, or possibly more until I don’t want to anymore.”
Absinthe let go of his pendant and stared me down.
Uhm… okay?
“I, Ismund Theodore, will go into as many dungeons as you require of me until you decide you want me to depart.”
The man looked like he’d achieved some great trick, very pleased with himself. Reaching out he snapped his drink back from me and took a long drag before breathing out making me smell whatever it was.
I saw something blue flash in the corner of my vision making me lose any hope of getting out of this situation.
> [Look at that, you made an oath with sweet ‘ol Abs! How Nice! You two will be buddy-buddy till he doesn’t want to. Looking at your track record, that’ll be pretty short. However, this is Abs we’re talking about here, not any old schmo. If you break his gracious oath he you will have the same BAC as Absinthe did at the time (0.61).
>
> WARNING: It is almost guaranteed that you will die if you have a BAC this high.
>
> Good luck!]
No, no this can’t be happening. I’m stuck with this guy? I already had one person around me I didn't want, now there's two.
I dragged a hand down my face.
How is he even functioning? His BAC is freaking 0.6! Why does the System seem to like him so much? Should I just act like I have a bad attitude so he wants to get rid of me?
My heart was plummeting, I didn’t know what to do for what felt like the first time in a while.
I guess I’ll do what he’s doing… I can't even choose which dungeon we're going to go into now.
“Hey… Abs,”
The man looked at me with full attention.
“… Would you mind giving me some time first? My back is… pretty messed up.”
I can’t just jump into another dungeon right away, even if I’d like to. I wouldn’t be nearly as effective. Not by a long shot.
“Of course, map maker!”
He nudged my sore ribs with his elbow.
Drifa had been sitting on a bar seat behind me the whole time but walked up now. She looked back and forth between us curiously before her eyes landed on me.
“What?”
The man, Abs, seemed confused and repeated her.
“What?”
I pursed my lips.
This’ll be interesting…
“We’re working with him now.”
She squinted for a moment, looked over to the alcoholic and then smiled brightly giving me a thumbs up.
Abs looked between us wearily.
“She a bad listener?”
“You could say that.”
He grunted and drank some more.
The man behind the counter had returned by now, so I grabbed the room and bath keys, all four, and walked away.
Even as I reached my room, Drifa was following me. I looked behind me and raised an eyebrow.
“Well,… uhm…” She looked like she was searching for words then let out a sigh, “If you’re willing, you can tell me more about what happened later, right?" She gestured to my hand, "Also, I don’t exactly have my keys..."
I handed her two and closed the door behind me. The room had some small windows, a cot, and an end table. It was efficient.