Chapter 2: Cerberus Raspberry Pies_The Adventurers!

Steve walked behind Erica, his gaze filled with his lewd thoughts. In his hand was his bottle of liquor, and around his shoulder was his satchel. He couldn't believe that this beautiful woman had accepted his contract.

"Miss, thank you for taking me. As thanks, I'd like to give you a gift." As they walked the streets of the citadel, Steve tried hard to get Erica to talk to her. He couldn't help but stare at her hips as she walked. That movement could seduce emperors into making her the first wife! How I wish I had her beneath me..."

"Oh really? What is this 'gift'?" Erica felt displeasure. If she had known that this man was so lewd, she would have never contracted at all.

She merely wanted someone to help with efficiency. Someone to pick up the loot left over from monster kills and whatnot.

What did she get instead? Salicious desires from this lecher that stalked her like he could barely keep bound his carnal desires, looming over her like a beast. The stares she received had traces of pity at her for her predicament.

"This gift is a massage. And where I massage is your choice." Steve felt his blood pump within his body. Did I find a liberal one? After so long?

Erica felt a headache coming on. She understood men were varying, from the intelligent to the bashful to the malicious to the lewd, but this Steve had not been with her for longer than seven minutes, and this was his 8th sexual suggestion.

Erica decided to take the hardline instead. "Listen to me Steven. If you speak one more comment again, I don't mind going to jail for murder." She attempted to make her voice cold and foreboding to freeze the assistant into submission.

"Really, that's a bummer." Steve was out of character, he looked at Erica with a frank face.

"Wait, why?" Erica turned around. At the moment, she and Steve were in the restaurant district. The smell of Cerberus raspberry pies could be smelled along with the fragrance of Nowhere lavender. Such a mix was intoxicatingly divine, but Erica did not fall in its illusions today. She looked at Steve with a trace of caution.

"You see, Miss Erica. There are four problems with your idea." Steve went on, sitting at a table. Erica subconsciously followed.

"First, my name is Steven Rowenhal, not Steve. The cute Elf receptionist called me Steve, but its not my name. If you kill me without knowing my name, how will you be able to have your crimes acquitted through the bureau?" Steve looked to a waiter, ordering for a slice of pie. The waiter was dressed in a suit, white lace at his neck. He seemed a reasonable fellow, and gave common courtesy to the couple. His kindness grew when Steven bought a slice, and he quickly assured the buyer it would be prepared quickly.

Shock arced across Erica's slender body. How did he know that I was going to do that? The Cerberus Guild had a bureau that allowed adventurers to be acquitted under a few circumstances. One of those circumstances were an unbelievably unruly Supporter, and that required the name of the Supporter for the coronary records of the Citadel of Nowhere.

Her mother was an adventurer, so under her guidance learned the rules of the Cerberus Guild several months in advance. She didn't know when Steven found out her intentions for such a situation. This Steven Rowenhal was proving to be quite a character, elusive, enigmatic, and more than lewd.

"Second, you need to know that collecting loot will be tiresome. From the way you looked at me back in the contract station, you clearly don't have much gold. Even if you made me quit and even refund the mandatory half cost, you still wouldn't be able to find another person willing to be as cheap as me." The waiter brought the both of them a drink of Pink Amour and a slice of pie. Steven began to enjoy himself on the pie, Erica watching with regret. This Steven, he is right. Can I really find someone?

"Third, I have been with adventurers before and could help you ascend in guild rank. Who knows, as you stay with me, becoming a Level 2400 Sword Over-Goddess, Obsidian Ranked Five Starred Adventurer, with a Living Myth title would probably be feasible over the years." Steven seemed to really enjoy the slice of pie, joy filling his face. Erica, on the other hand, did not touch her pie, instead feeling Steven was absurd. A Sword God. Did he say I can become a Sword God? Who is he fooling?

Seeing that Steven didn't wink or gesture anything, Erica changed her thoughts. Is it really true? Can I surpass Mother and become a Sword Over-Goddess?

"And fourth. You can't kill me. Just because I am a Supporter doesn't mean I am weak." This dialogue sent Erica's thoughts in a mess. A Supporter claiming he can't be killed? Just who is he?

"You see, I have been with many adventurers before. Many campaigns and many raids. Many interguild wars. My Level from all that loot collecting made me a Level 1000 Thief." Steve carried on his words casually, as if it was the old past. But to Erica, these words were blaring sirens.

"You're lying! A person as young as you Level 1000 as a Thief? You must be lying?" Erica didn't dare believe that a person not much older than herself was a Level 1000 Thief. If such a thing was true, she would feel a jealousy that she never knew.

"Sigh. You don't believe me, your Supporter. If you don't trust me, then who will you trust, eh? Ok, forget it. I'll just show you my information. You have to just show yours at the same time. Deal?" Erica looked to Steven, but then nodded. She really wanted to know about this character.

Name: Steven Rowenhal (Level 1000)

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Age: 18

HP: 7130 MP: 1010 SP: 2500

Title: The Remembered, The Great Historian, The Great Witness

Occupation: Emperor among Thieves, Respected Adventurer

Skills: Assassinate, Eviscerate, Berserk Massacre, Stab, Slash, Blitzkrieg, Stealth, Ninja's Curing Technique

Guild: Cerberus Guild (Gold Ranked One-Star)

Name: Erica Espirit (Level 1)

Age: 18

HP: 100 MP: 10 SP: 100

Title: Newbie Adventurer

Occupation: Sword Fighter

Skills: Slash, Strike

Guild: Cerberus Guild (Bronze Ranked One-Star)

Erica could not believe the data that was set in front of her. [The System] was a device that allowed adventurers to party up, and was the test to find who is capable to be an adventurer. All one had to do is send a message through [The System] and then they would be accepted as a novice. Then, under the leadership of a guild member of a specified rank, they could try their hand at joining a guild after obtaining their novice graduation certificate.

Erica had her mother in the Cerberus Guild, and through her she was able to attain her Bronze Ranked One-Star license at the age of 18, compared to the average age of 25. But this fellow named Steven was already far beyond her. It was akin to her meeting a God in front of her. She felt the need to wipe her eyes, and look at the stats again.

"How...how are you so high?" Erica looked at Steven, a trace of respect now in her voice. Regardless of a person's demeanor, Level 100 and above adventurers were respected, above Level 500 were rare but idolized, and Level 900 and above were elsewhere fighting in the grand Guild Wars or on Dungeon Raids. Steven being in the Citadel of Nowhere was bewildering, to say the least.

"I was a kid of one of the guild commanders, so he took me and his wife everywhere. She, my mom, was the vice guild commander and taught me to pick loot and whatnot. Eventually, picking after my father gave me my level and the Thief status simply by doing chores. My father and mother now oversee the Guild Wars and can't see me anymore. So I stayed and decided to become a Supporter. It's still an Adventurer, just someone who does less work." Steven didn't mind telling Erica his life details, not seeing the awe in her face. A deep envy arose in her heart.

"Oh, I didn't notice, but your Espirit's daughter. That's nice. She used to give me little Tonkle Berries back then. I'm sure she wouldn't mind us being together." Steven genuinely smiled at Erica before continuing to eat the pie. He cherished each bite with a happy expression.

Erica felt a deep sense of distress. His parents oversee the Cerberus Guild War Operations, he is a Level 1000 Thief, and he knows my...my Mother? She didn't think this lecher had such a powerful background. She didn't notice the slight subtlety of Steven's words when he said "us being together."

"Then...why are you here?" Erica couldn't understand why such a skilled character was not in the Guild Wars. After all, wouldn't he then be able to reach closer towards becoming a Thief Over God by going to the Ancient World?

"Well, my parents had me watched by a fellow commander in the war. I grew up under her, the commander, ever since ten years ago. The commander taught me everything the Guild knew on the surrounding territories, such as the novice adventurer lands. I decided to become an Adventurer two weeks before you came, and got my license with the minimum Guild ranking I would have at my caliber."

"As for that Level 1 Magician, that older sister rejected my request to massage her, calling me a perverted man, a would-be rapist without a leach when I helped her cover a rip in her clothing. She wore a revealing outfit, and when she had a battle with another Adventurer her bosom...became visible. With my speed I easily made it and helped her cover, but she called me a beast instead. All I did was hug her." Steven tried to explain himself to Erica, but she already made up her mind. You might have noble intentions, but you will forever be a perverted man. She nodded to this thought inside of her heart.

"But there are several reasons I am here. First, I'd like to see the early levels anew, and gain experience that way. Books are as useful as you apply them." Erica felt as if she was looking at a sage for a moment, a man that crossed many lands. It wouldn't be wrong.

"Second, I wanted to meet a beautiful woman. My Mother and Father want grandkids, and I told them they could only wait till I found a beautiful skilled adventurer to marry, someone who was beautiful, and smart, and courageous, and bus--" Steven noticed Erica's livid face and stopped at that word, instead taking another spoonful of pie.

"And third is this. I don't like to pay for meals." Steven smiled as he finished his meal. The waiter from earlier came to the table, giving Erica the bill.

She felt a bit angry at Steven, but her rage continued to grow. On the bill was labelled the price, a total of 150 R$.

"But I didn't eat my pie?" Erica asserted that she hadn't touched her pie. The waiter only looked at her with a cold glare. He motioned with her eyes towards her plate, a hint of displeasure in his eyes. Her face as she looked at her plate had a trace of confusion, anger, and disbelief. She looked at Steven's plate. The two pie slices each came with a Varspir cherry on each. On Rowenhal's plate were the remaining stems of the two cherries.

"You!" She stared at Steven, her gaze filled with anger, "Pay for your meal!"

"I'm sorry Miss, but my bottle of liquor costed me the contract money of 200 R$. I don't have any more." Steven shrugged, only sparking Erica's anger.

Erica felt a premonition as she looked at the face of the waiter, his hand outstretched. She sighed at his gaze.

Erica checked her inventory bag, only wanting to cry.

[Inventory System] activated. You have:

* x1 Level 1 Novice Sword (Common)

* x1 Map of Nowhere Nation (Beginner)

* x3 Health Potions (20 HP)

* x1 Call of Cerberus (Emergency flare)

* x1 Cerberus Adventurer License

* x3 Antidote

* 200 copper Rials (200 R$)

Why did I have to accept his contract? Erica could only feel the urge to release her pain as she handed the 150 R$ to the waiter, who left soon after.

[Inventory System] updated. You now have: