Tales Of Fate: F

by Drake D Zero

A path fulfilled, a goal achieved. His story was to end at that point, there was no denying that. His memories vouched for his claim. And yet..."Where the hell am I?" - Story is M-rated and OC-centric, with some elements of AU to it, as well.

24. Chapter 23

AN: My longest chapters up to day, solemnly because there wasn't a single point in the middle that could be considered a good point to stop.

Chapter 23

"So… let me get this straight."

If there was a thing that Rose Fannet was pretty used to it was listening to Adventurers reports of events that happened in the Dungeon. What she was not used to was Adventurer's confessing something bad they might have done out of her own volition.

So, imagine how much her eye was twitching as she heard the tale of the deaths of various members of Soma Familia. Which neither the Guild nor she knew the bloodbath of a scene that had been reported in Rivira belonged to them.

But the worst of it all was that the familiar emerald eyed blonde in front of her was not confessing to a crime, but rather ratting out the true culprit… or is it the victim?

"And you are telling me all of this was done in self-defense by that supporter who's spying on you?" he curtly nodded, making her sigh as she rubbed her temple. "I apologize, but I fail to see the reason as to why you came here and decided to tell me all of this." She narrowed her eyes. "Unless it was to give me a migraine. If so, congrats, for you have succeeded."

Drake Aurion rolled his eyes as he raised his hands to start counting.

"First, me telling you this saves you and the Guild a lot of time and resources in investigating a crime scene that only consists of dried blood in an alley and nothing more."

"That is, supposing you are telling the truth." He was about to reply back, but she beat him to it. "You claiming you can't lie doesn't make things believable or better." She raised an eyebrow as a thought came to mind. "Also, how exactly did you clean the scene of the bodies? I mean, that amount of blood had to come from somewhere."

She just knew he smirked behind his scarf as he replied. "I would tell you, but chances are you won't believe me."

'Smartass.' She thought as he raised his second finger.

"In the very unlikely event Soma Familia comes to report/accuse something you might cover on my behalf." Her jaw slightly dropped at the audacity of the person sitting on the other side of the table. "Not to mention I don't want things to escalate more if they involve the Guild until I solve this problem tonight."

"So, you are making me your accomplice, is that it?" she asked with a little bit of sarcasm, not expecting his next words.

"Technically, you became my accomplice the moment I told you about Lily and what I intended to do at the moment."

"… Huh." Her mind drew a clean line for a moment as she came to the realization his words had some truth to them. "Wait… why would Soma Familia come to accuse you or Lily of something if they don't even know if their members are alive or dead?"

Rose noticed a subtle shift in his demeanor as he planted his elbow on the table to let his chin rest on the palm of his hand. She just knew she wasn't gonna like his answer.

"Because I made sure to set her up."

And she was right.

"… I fail to see how this is part of your plan." She made her point.

"Believe it or not, I am trying to help her; besides many other things."

She couldn't help but snort at him. "By using her." It wasn't a question, it was a statement; one which made her question something about whatever this association with him was. "Are you using me as well?" Despite the smirk she threw his way, he could easily tell she was tense at the thought behind the question.

"Not at all." He answered in a heartbeat. "As a matter of fact, you are free to do whatever you want with the information I am giving you; but do have in mind that there will be more work for you in the end." She mentally sighed in relief, and groaned at the fact he was right about his last statement. "Although, if you have some kind of fetish of being dominated-" he stopped mid-sentence the moment she made a deep scowl at his direction, trying her best to not blush at the thought while knowing his smirk remained behind his covered face.

"And lastly and the one only reason I came to speak with you," he raised his third finger, opting it was the best time to change the subject. His eyes narrowed as his smile faded. "What's the state of the Water City?"

Her eyes widened as she recalled their last talk about the subject. And that is because since that day, there had been reports of weird occurrences in those floors. Her eyes narrowed as she composed herself. "Beside what you mentioned about the floor from the twenty-fifth to the twenty-seventh being colder than usual, there had been the reports of some monsters developing not only some kind of ice resistance, but also ice elemental att-!" she stopped mid-sentence, not because the blonde had interrupted her, at least not intentionally.

Her Wolf instincts had taken over for a mere moment, making her freeze out of fear for her life as if the presence of an dangerous monster had been detected near her. It took her a few seconds, but her reasoning returned to notice the blonde's emerald draconic-like eyes were more slit than usual and a little narrowed. He wasn't even looking at her, but just straight ahead, almost as if he was having an inner talk in his mind.

'He knows more than he's letting on.'

"…" he blinked a few times before he returned from wherever his mind had gone off to. "Sorry."

Rose sighed in relief, although her werewolf part remained a little wary.

"… Is there something you can do about it?" If she asked what he knew, she knew he would give a very vague answer. So, she decided to see if there was at least a solution to the Dungeon's newest oddity.

"Not at the moment." He closed his eyes and sighed, confirming Rose's suspicions at least. "With the way things are, I would just be looking for a pretty inconspicuous needle in a haystack."

"So what?" she pressed on. "You are going to wait until things escalate more before you can actually do something?"

He really couldn't do anything else at the right moment without getting a lot of unwanted attention. Drake and his brothers knew it was due to Glacies, the Centurion of Ice. Just like Solum, it was still partially dormant. And he couldn't pinpoint its exact location out of instinct of the blonde being aware of his presence. However, its presence and partial divinity alone was affecting the Water City all the while its power increased while still being sealed.

So, all he could do was to wait until its presence and power were high enough to pinpoint its exact location. However, he couldn't help but wonder what exactly Ratatosk and Adam were doing, which was one of the subjects he and his brothers were discussing not even a minute ago while Rose just stared at him in silence.

"Has Ouranos issued or said something about this?"

Rose shook his head. "Not to us at least. He had tasked Ganesha Familia with investigating the floors soon after you first told me about it. As a matter of fact, it was them who reported the state of the floor I just shared with you."

Since he knew Ratatosk and Ganesha were in cahoots with one another, this increased the possibility of Ouranos also being part of their little group.

"Please," he sounded rather tired before he stared at her. "Keep me updated if you find something else."

As he had mentioned before, Rose was free to do whatever she wanted regarding their little exchange of information. She knew she shouldn't be doing this kind of things, and instead report all of this to the higher ups in the Guild. However, she noticed there was some sort of secrecy regarding this event, just like the monster that had been causing earthquakes not too long ago. Now, secrecy was not something new to her from within the Guild, but this felt bigger than any sort of gossip of corruption she had stumbled upon in her time.

However, here before her was someone who knew about what was happening before time, and seemingly knew what exactly the issue was; even if he didn't share too much on the details. Not to mention he was willing to solve the issue when the time came.

That's why in the end, she decided to trust him.

"Likewise." Rose gave a small bow before both stood up and started walking towards the door, only to stop as he placed his hand on her shoulder. She looked over his shoulder to notice his eyes glowing slightly while staring past her and at the door.

"Come here for a second." He pulled his scarf down slightly with his free hand as he placed his other hand on her neck to gently pull her closer to him, awfully closer.

To her credit, her stoic expression didn't break for even a second; but a slight blush managed to escape as his face got closer. However, she had gotten the wrong idea, seeing his lips were now millimeters away from her ears before he whispered something.

Her eyes widened as her blush faded. Her face just assumed a very amused smirk as he pulled back. Her expression remained as she nodded, making him adopt a smirk of his own as he put his scarf in place and walked out of the room.

Rose Fannet sighed in stress. She never expected any of the things that transpired in the room when he had arrived a little before opening time just to speak with her about what had been discussed. However, all those thoughts were thrown out the window with his latest stunt. This made her question whether he knew what some of his actions and statements could imply or how she might act in response.

She opted to believe in the fact that he DID know, solely because of the fact that he himself had stated he was an asshole.

Whatever the real answer was, she decided to push the thought to the side as she opened the door with a neutral smile on her face as she came face to face with Shakti Varna.

"Oh, Shakti. Good morning." Rose faked surprise as she saw the Ganesha Familia Captain greeting her, with a rather stern expression on her face.

"What are you doing so early in the morning? Anything I can do for you?"

"Just came to deliver some papers to the Guild… and-"

"Yes?" Rose asked, making Shakti notice the Werewolf was smiling with a rather good mood vibe; something which was very unusual.

"Nothing specific, just wondering if I just saw an acquaintance of mine coming out of this very room."

"Oh yes. I am sure you remember Tsubaki's friend; the one we met around a month ago at the entrance of the Dungeon."

Shakti tensed even more at the confirmation she was looking for.

"Yeah… him. I was wondering what business he had with you?" Shakti's eyes widened as she saw Rose's glare becoming narrower, her smile turning into a rather dangerous smirk.

"I am afraid that's rather personal." Shakti's hand twitched before nodding. The blue head turned to the side and started walking away with a more stone-like expression on her face.

"Oh, and Shakti." She stopped, not even looking over her shoulder as Rose continued. "Drake told me to ask you 'how have you been?'" Shakti didn't need to look at the Guild member to know she was smirking at her like a wolf watching over her prey. "He said you would understand."

Rose just stared as the captain's body trembled for a moment before her pace quickened.

The Werewolf didn't really know what was going on between those two. But the fact that she had managed to trigger that reaction out of Shakti was worth too much for her. Now, she didn't dislike Shakti; if anything, she was one of the few Adventurers she respected.

But seeing a first-class Adventurer who was usually the epitome of professionalism crumble like that amused her a little. It amused her so much that she couldn't help but wonder if Drake could pull the same with Finn Deimne.

LINEBREAK

'I wasn't flirting.' Drake mentally scowled as he walked through the streets of Orario, the sun just barely showing its form since it was too early in the morning.

'Maybe so, but it gives that idea to the opposite side if you smirk along with your remarks.' Guy commented as several hums in agreement were heard.

'Not to mention, that last stunt you pulled on pulling closer just to whisper some words to her; that can be seen as teasing and-'

'Invasion of privacy.' Drake interrupted Zelos's statement, making him feel the stare of some of his brothers despite not being inside his soul.

'So, you are aware your actions might be raising some flags and you still pull this crap?'

Drake couldn't help but roll his eyes at Yuri's accusations. 'Not my fault women over exaggerate anything and reach their own conclusions.'

'Can you actually say that as well to the whole Hephaestus debacle?' Drake almost stopped walking at the sound of the voice of one last people he expected to get involved in one such conversation.

'Et tu, Jude?' Drake snorted.

'Sadly, I am not here to joke about this.' The youngest guardian stated. 'You outright told Hephaestus she was beautiful. Even if you said it with the intention of making her feel better, that's not something you say to a woman out of the blue without triggering something.'

'There's also the fact that he gave her a gift,' Drake's eye twitched seeing even Luke had decided to share his thoughts. 'Something apparently no one has ever done before. How much do you think that meant for her?'

'I don't want to hear any kind of advice on women from the guy who received an arrow to the back, courtesy of his ex.'

"… You know what? Fine! I am just gonna fucking wait until every single one of your actions trigger an unavoidable event that locks you in a damn route."

'My life isn't a fucking visual novel.' Drake pretty much growled. 'I know you all have your valid points. But it's not my fault my actions somehow make them pay more attention to me with that kind of interest; especially since I am an asshole. How the hell does that make sense!?'

'They are women, nobody gets them.' Every single Guardian stated, making Drake sigh as if he was accepting some sort of universal law.

'So far,' Zelos started. 'You only have raised the flags of two people so much that they might actually start feeling something for you. You probably think yeeting them in the Friend Zone might be enough, but I think it's better to be mentally prepared for that moment. '

Drake groaned, pretty much agreeing with Zelos's last statement. 'Ok… one of them is Hephaestus. But who's the other one?'

It couldn't be Tsubaki.

She was pretty comfortable with their position as 'Friends' to let something like that kind of Love ruin what they had.

Rose was also out of the picture, despite having a good relationship with her as acquaintances or even accomplices. But there wasn't anything he had done that was too straightforward for her to feel something for him.

'… can't really think of anyone else' Drake cursed as he saw the Hostess from the distance as he counted every female person he knew in there.

'Don't worry. Give it a moment.' Zelos's statement made him roll his eyes as he stepped into the Hostess, his eyes immediately locked with the ones of a certain Elf.

'… right. She saw me naked… is that really enough to raise a flag? Because if it is, then she's more of a pervert than we gave her credit for.' The only reply he got was a collective laugh.

"You're up earlier than usual." The blonde stated as he walked behind the counter, ignoring her gaze, but still giving a quick look at what she was wearing. A simple set of shorts and a sleeveless shirt, her weapon in one hand while drops of sweat ran down her skin; she clearly had been training.

It wasn't weird seeing her train, but not this early in the morning when not even Mia was awake and preparing for the day.

"The same could be said about you. You even made sure to clean most of the Hostess before you went out."

"Don't worry." He calmly removed his scarf and jacket before placing them on the counter. "I left the bathroom just for you."

Her eye twitched as she sat in front of the counter. "It's a good thing it's not my turn then…"

"Anything on your mind?" he asked, seeing as she just kept staring at him with no clear expression at all.

"It's about your problem with Freya Familia." Drake had the urge to groan. "I can't help but wonder if you are really cursed, seeing as you seem to get into trouble with every deity you meet."

His thoughts immediately went to Hephaestus, the only deity in the city he didn't have a problem with… at the moment.

"I do have a curse, it's called 'living', remember?"

Ryuu flinched, recalling Drake's tale about a deity pretty much ruining most of his life simply because he was born.

"… Sorry, I-"

He waved his hands, indicating to just move on with it. "You don't have to worry about the bitch in the high tower. I have more important things to do."

"Is that why you were out so early in the morning? Is it related to-"

"It isn't." he answered, knowing she meant whatever it was related to Ratatosk and Adam. "At least not entirely." He sighed, the Elf in front of him was clearly taking advantage of his inability to lie.

"Then-"

"I exercise my right to be silent." Drake suddenly stated, making the Elf's jaw drop slightly.

"… Your decision just now just screams you're scheming something."

"And what if I am?" he raised an eyebrow. "Are you asking me because you want to take part in whatever it's going on? Or are you just worried about me?"

Sadly, he already knew the answer to those questions. It was a benefit to him she wasn't being honest at all. But even so, he could clearly see the conflict his question arose within her all over her face. Her only response was to slightly divert her eyes off his gaze, making him sigh at how complicated she was making things to be.

"I am not planning on pulling another Aeshma," Her eyes slightly widened as she stared back at him, his expression on his face. "At least not yet…" he looked up above at a specific part of the ceiling. "It will all depend on what Lily has to say regarding Soma, however."

Realization hit her at that moment. "You are going after Soma Familia?"

Suffice to say, Ryuu Lyon had become suspicious the moment Drake of all people came one day to the Hostess of Fertility accompanied by a supporter. Why was it weird? Because Drake already had a main job as a 'drop item collected' for Tsubaki Collbrande, he was pretty much a different kind of supporter.

How did he manage to do his job if he didn't carry any kind of bag? She had no idea, so she opted to believe it was due to some sort of skill; so neither she nor the rest of the staff questioned him about it.

But him hiring a supporter made some of them curious. Syr had tried to talk her way in a conversation like she usually did, but the blonde simply treated her like an insect and shooed her away. Suffice to say, her experience as an Adventurer made her wary of the way the young supporter spoke and carried herself, always on edge. However, now that she heard Drake's statement just now, it made her realize he might have also noticed this as well.

"But why though?" she asked, trying to understand the reason behind his reasoning. But all she got as a reply was a simple shrug.

"As I said, it all depends on what Lily tells me." He started to walk to the kitchen.

"…ah."

Drake blinked, giving several steps back before staring at the Elf's eyes due to her odd choice of words.

"… She left, didn't she?"

She slowly nodded. "I noticed the window of her room was open earlier in the morning. Her room was empty after a quick look. Didn't think too much about it at the moment."

To her surprise, he simply shrugged. "She will return."

"… You seem awfully sure about that." He didn't say anything, and simply continued on his way to the kitchen.

She stood up from her seat and followed him, only to find him preparing ingredients to most likely make breakfast.

"Let's put a pin to it for the moment." He took a wooden spoon and pointed at her. "You should go and get cleaned up before the day starts," her eyes twitched. "Unless you also happen to have some sweat fetish besides being a peeping tom."

The blonde could have sworn he heard the Elf growl after she started walking away.

"If you hurry up, I might just cook something for you." he didn't hear it right away, but his ears caught the not so subtle change of speed in her pace as she stomped through the whole second floor.

Truth to be told, he was gonna cook breakfast for everyone with the sole intention of getting his mind busy on something else seeing it was going to be a long day. But Ryuu didn't need to know that.

'Before anyone says anything; I am not teasing her, I am bullying her.'

'And what if she likes being bullied? For all we know all the bullying her friends did to her in the past may have caused her to develop some kind of fetish.'

There was a sudden wave of silence before Drake slammed his face with the wall. "…Fucking Elves." He thought out loud before sighing. 'Anyway… you guys are up.'

'Roger.' Most of his brothers muttered before he saw his own shadow detaching from his body and fading away.

LINEBREAK

Liliruca Arde cursed her luck; not that there was anything new about that since the last twenty-four hours or so.

She had planned to rush into her Familia HQ at first light in the morning with the intention of reporting to Lord Soma what Canoe and other members of her Familia had attempted to do to her, and their Captain's involvement in the matter. All of that was thrown out the window the moment she eavesdropped a very interesting and ominous conversation as she hid near an alley.

Some members of her Familia were discussing where to search for her. But the most shocking bit of information came when one of the members of Soma Familia said 'Zanis is looking for her for what she did to Canoe and the others.'.

Her heart skipped a beat at that moment. She had expected the events of yesterday to be known only to her, her Boss, Tsubaki Collbrande, and Lord Guy. Lily's first line of thought was thinking that perhaps one of them had sold her out. But she had made sure to never reveal which Familia she was from, and Guy had arrived after she had killed them in self-defense; so there was no way for him to ask about them.

She knocked back the thought, seeing there were more pressing matters at the moment.

Like figuring out what to do now.

She could no longer walk in her Familia HQ like it was nothing seeing she was being hunted down. And there was nothing else she could do to reach their God. She could use Cinderella to disguise herself as another Pallum of her Familia or someone with a similar physique; but there was a risk of crossing eyes with the person she was disguising herself as.

'Too risky.' She had thought.

So, all she could do at the moment was to wait for the heat to cool down. She had tossed away her cloak, seeing as it was not only stained with the blood of her Familia members, but they would most likely be searching for her with her cloak as a reference.

She then used her Cinderella to disguise herself as a random Pallum and headed her way to her hideout. And that's where the next course of problems started.

The Pallum hadn't eaten anything since before she had gone into the Dungeon yesterday, and her stomach really wasn't in the right place after the events that happened in Rivira.

It was already a little past mid-day, officially going past the full day mark of not having eaten anything. At this point, she would pass out due to her fatigue, or worse, a very possible Mind Down seeing a full transformation of Cinderella didn't come cheap.

'Lily would really like to know where this whole effort was a few months ago?' Lily asked grudgingly, seeing as there wasn't a single street in which she didn't come across a member of her Familia. It made sense seeing it had been a while since their Gods cut them from drinking Soma; so it was only natural they had more manpower now… especially if they were promised some Soma as a reward.

"I heard she usually frequents these streets." She walked past some Adventurers, trying her best not to stumble into them. "We might as well start asking around." Her eyes widened as she continued her pace, mentally praying that nobody called her. But as mentioned before-

"Hey, Pallum."

Her luck just wasn't the best at the moment.

"Yes, Mr. Adventurer?" She spoke, trying her best to put her 'manliest' voice as she turned around; trying her best not to let her usual tick to give her away.

"You wouldn't happen to have seen one of your own, female, brown hair and eyes. She usually wears a cloak and a big ass bag."

The Pallum gave a confused expression and shook her head as naturally as she could. But she couldn't help but tense as she noticed his narrowed gaze. "You seem kind of pale."

"It's because I haven't eaten anything in a while, Mr. Adventurer." She said tiredly, forcing her lips upward as she rubbed the back of her head. "Um… is there anything else, Mr. Adventurer?"

The Adventurer moved his hand to his rear, making Lily tense more thinking of the worst. But to her surprise, he just retrieved a bag of Valis that he extended to her.

"Here… why don't you go and buy something to eat?" Lily's eyes widened. In that very moment, all of her experience shouted at her to run; because since when have Adventurers from Soma Familia been known for charity? However, what really gave it away were the look in his eyes. It was a glare she recognized too well, because most members of the Soma Familia under Zanis looked at her in the same way; mockery.

Her eyes widened as she turned around and went for a straight dash. But it was futile; she was tired and also far weaker than the Adventurer that not only easily caught up with her, but also tossed her into an alley while a few of his Familia members around the street followed close by.

"Well, well, well…" The Adventurer snorted as they also saw with their own eyes how Lily's magic faded with a faint light before her true form was revealed. "Zanis is gonna be very interested with this little development."

"How did you know it was her though?" one of his colleagues asked.

"It was a hunch; I can only recall one single person who would add the honorific of 'Mr' to the term 'Adventurer'".

Her vision started to fade. All she could barely see were the feet of the Adventurers approaching her. "Let's just take her and-"

"God damn it." she heard a voice near the entrance of the alley, one that she didn't recognize. "This is NOT where I parked my bike."

But she could tell it belonged to someone very sly.

"Leave." One of the Adventurers stated, she could hear his footsteps going away. "This is our Familia's business only."

"Oh!" Lily didn't hear the newcomer's steps, but his voice sounded closer than before. "So you Familia's business entails in dragging kids into dark alleys and then what… an elaborate gangbang?"

She heard a snort as many growls came out the Adventurers.

"What is it to you pretty bo-"

*CRACK*

Had Lily have the energy to react in some way, she could have cringed at the distinctive sound of bones breaking.

"Wh-!"

Lily didn't even have an understanding any longer of what was going on. All she knew was that all of the Adventurers suddenly fell to the ground after a breeze grazed the whole alley.

'… petals?' Lily asked as she noticed several pink petals landing on the ground as someone walked past her. She managed to notice the person's footwear being very similar to Drake's.

"Ok, found her." the man suddenly said, she didn't have enough strength to look up. But she was able to catch a glimpse of the number Three on the back of his right hand, just like Drake and Guy had tattoos of Zero and Six on theirs. "Ze, you are up." The man said as he walked out of her sight, only so another person would suddenly step in.

The newcomer sighed. "Do I really look like a babysitter to you lot?" his voice was more suave than the previous person.

"On second thought, don't answer that." He took a knee in front of her, just as her vision started to fade. Her gaze went to his right hand, the tattoo of the number two barely visible. "This is the second time one of us had to step up to save you in an alley in less than twenty-four hours…" his hand extended to her as a faint green light surrounded it. "Please try to not make it a habit."

Those were the last words she heard before she finally passed out.

LINEBREAK

The faint sounds of people walkin, and murmuring started to stir her up her unconsciousness, only to see darkness once she opened her eyes.

"Ah!" she exclaimed in panic as her body rose, wincing her eyes shut as she sat seeing the piece of cloth that was covering her body was no longer blocking the sunlight.

"About time." She rubbed her eyes slowly, her mind still trying to process what was happening. Her eyes widened as she recalled her last moments before passing out, and the last voice she heard; the very same voice that was addressing her now.

The Pallum moved her gaze up, her eyes widened slightly as her blurred vision started to become more tangible.

Her brain barely focused on recognizing she had been sleeping on a bench. All it could process at the moment was that on the other side of the bench the most handsome -no- beautiful person her eyes had ever laid upon was sitting. He had red long hair and blue eyes; and despite him just giving her a boring look, she couldn't help herself to be in a trance.

"Here." He tossed her a plastic bag before calmly placing a plastic glass full of juice in front of her. Lily's nose twitched as the smell inside of the bag reached her, making her stomach growl at the starvation she had forced upon herself. She averted her eyes away from the red-head in shame as he sighed. "No need to make a drama about this."

Lily nodded softly as she opened the bag to reveal a very appetizing sandwich. She started to eat calmly before her pace sped up.

"No one is gonna steal your food, so calm down." The red head stated as he went to retrieve his pink vest, which had been used as a sheet to cover Lily as she slept. It was in that moment that Lily's eyes landed on the back of his right hand the tattoo of the number two; her memories of before she passed out finally became clear.

"…Did the Boss send you?" she asked after swallowing her food. The only response she got was a nod. "Did he order you to bring me to him?"

He didn't answer, instead he simply laid back on the bench and looked at the clear sky. "His exact words were to keep an eye on you and get out of any problem you may have." He eyed her. "He wants you to return of your own accord… so until then, me and the others are on babysitting duty."

She frowned. "Lily is sorry." She was actually sorry, seeing as she could hear the annoyance in his tone. But even more so, she was relieved and thankful for their intervention.

"Does that mean Lord Guy is also close by?"

His eye twitched. "Yeah. He and some others are." She silently nodded as she finished her food, her fatigue quickly replaced with worriedness of her next course of action. "You don't know what to do, do you?"

She shook her head, sitting properly on the bench as she focused on a fountain in the distance. Now that she thought about it, this was the same place she first approached Drake.

"The way I see it, your secret stash is still a secret from your Familia. But they are still looking for you," he pinched the bridge between his eyes. "And leaving the bodies of your Familia members in that alley will just bring up more problems… " he sighed. "Even if you don't know what to do, only you can choose how to approach this."

Lily gave a scornful snort, dropping her nice girl act in that instance; she was too tired to care at the moment. "Lily has never been in control of anything in her own life. And if Lily tries to do so, it only ends up badly for Lily."

"And I take it you have never asked for help?" he asked, in a very knowing tone, making her scowl at him.

"The only person Lily can trust is Lily herself!" She raised her voice a little, but her message was full of emotions. "No one has ever extended their hand at Lily! Nor has there been an instance in which Lily hasn't been betrayed! How can Lily just ask for a helping hand if it is all the same in the end!?"

Zelos Wilder fought the urge to sigh.

'Would you all believe me if I told you I forgot how tiresome it is to deal with female drama?'

'No.' His brothers replied.

"I am afraid that's human… mortal nature." He thought out loud after cursing his brothers. "Either out of greed, fear or any other negative emotion, they will act out of their own interest most of the time; especially if they think they can get away with something." Lily clenched her fist, agreeing with every word that came out of his mouth; even though that also applied to her.

"However, mortals can't do everything by themselves. There will eventually be someone who will be willing to help you out, but you will have to take a leap of faith in asking first." She pondered about it, thinking the red-head was insinuating for her to ask for their help; or more specifically, her Boss's help.

"… Will Boss actually be able to help Lily?"

He reluctantly moved his head in various directions. "In the end, only you will be able to solve your problems. It won't be easy, and you might have to face more than just your current dilemma. But he will be there, I can assure you of that much."

Lily internally sighed, frowning before she clenched her fist to muster the little determination she had left. She stood up and started walking away, in direction to the Hostess of Fertility.

"Really? That's all it took." Zelos said, a little prouder of himself; even if he shouldn't have been.

"Lily's whole situation might as well be seven feet under. So Lily doesn't lose anything in attempting, Lord…" she stopped walking and turned around with a raised eyebrow.

"If I tell you my name, are you also going to insist on using that honorific like you did with Guy?"

"Lily thinks it is the most appropriate." Zelos sighed as he stood up, putting on his vest as he walked towards her.

"Call me whatever you want then. Can't help but cringe at hearing someone calling me Lord again."

Lily started walking next to him. "Boss and Lord Guy showed similar reactions when addressed as such. Lily wonders why that is." Despite her situation, if she somehow manages to get out of it alive, she still had her God's mission to fulfill.

"All of us can't help but remember our Noble days. Everyone calling us by that title with no hint of respect behind it whatsoever." He scowled, remembering his early years on the spot due to his mother not being fit for her supposed health. "It was nothing but faceless individuals in high society in Atlas doing it out of self-preservation for maintaining their image."

"Lily can relate." She said, ignoring the looks they were receiving, or more specifically, that he was receiving. As she had thought before, the person next to her was way too handsome, to the point that every female on the street was stealing a glance at him; even those who were clearly with their 'significant' other. "People will always look down on Lily either because of her Familia or her race."

"Is that why you pretended to be a furry up until now?" Lily raised an eyebrow, confused about the term she just heard. But her inquiry was interrupted the moment she remembered something important; Cinderella wasn't in effect right now, and she wasn't wearing her cloak either.

"Don't worry," her eyes widened as she stared at the red head walking ahead of her. "Drake kind of figured there was something off about you, he just didn't see the need to press about it." Zelos said, lying as if it was an easy breath.

"… Uh!?" she sped up to him; recalling the time she was questioned by the Guild the first time she and Drake worked together. "Does that mean Boss lied on Lily's behalf!?"

He shrugged. "Drake didn't lie, he just chose his words carefully to cover up how damn sus you were being in front of that red werewolf." He replied, noticing her steps were becoming uncertain. "I mean, I get it. You just did that to hide yourself."

"That's right!" she exclaimed, trying to hide being found out by justifying herself. "Lily only did it to hide from her Familia and other Adventurers that wanted to steal from Lily. It was the only way Lily could find to survive on her own."

Zelos internally rolled his eyes; he really didn't want to deal with a woman who had been caught in the act and was now throwing excuses around. He was about to dismiss her worries, but someone beat him to it; the last person he wanted to mean right now, or ever.

"I don't think it is shameful to have been caught," Lily's eyes widened after looking at the owner of said voice, while Zelos just internally groaned as they spotted Finn Deinme approaching them; accompanied by none other than Tione Hyrute. "I think it's admirable you did everything in your power to survive so far despite being at a clear disadvantage."

Zelos narrowed his eyes.

'He only heard the last part of the conversation, otherwise he wouldn't have said that with such enthusiasm.'

'it's not just that, Jude…' Zelos commented, noticing the certain glint the Braver had in his eyes.

"Oh- Lord Finn. Lily doesn't deserve such kind words." And Lily was now a hot mess, hiding behind Zelos out of embarrassment for being praised by what was considered the hope of her whole damn race.

Zelos sighed, not even caring in addressing either of the Loki Familia Adventurers as he started to walk, even with Lily hanging from his leg.

"Stay right there… you!" Tione exclaimed, pointing her finger at him. She clearly remembered him after they first and last encounter in the Dungeon; but still didn't know his name

"I am sorry. But I am afraid she didn't quite catch your name the last time you two met." Finn said, not focusing on the red head. "I have somethings to address with you, so It would be nice to know who I am speaking with-"

"Don't want, don't need it, go fuck yourself." Everyone close-by snapped their heads at him, while Lily and Tione just watched with widened eyes at the disrespect shown to one of Orario's most famous Adventurers. And Finn, he just laughed softly, recalling those were the exact same last words Drake had addressed Finn with.

"Déjà vu." The Braver thought out loud as Zelos continued.

"You have no power or authority to hold me down and question me if this is for what happened in the Dungeon." Zelos said boringly, Finn's smile never wavered.

"You may be right about that, especially since the Guild ordered all events regarding that to be dropped. However, this isn't about you or what happened in the Dungeon. This is rather," his eyes moved to the young Pallum. "About her."

Zelos' eyes narrowed as he caught the same glint in Finn's eyes when he eyed Lily.

'Don't tell me…'

"A couple of hours ago, we received a report of various members of the Soma Familia knocked out in an alley various blocks away." Lily tensed. "When asked about it, the stand owners in the area that were close by stated that someone with your exact description came out of the alley while carrying Lily like – and I quote- 'a sack of potatoes'."

Lily's jaw dropped as she looked at Zelos, who simply shrugged. "What? Would you have preferred it if I had carried you bridal style?"

"Lily thinks it would have been better!"

"And making people get the wrong idea? Sorry sweetheart , but hell no." Zelos eyed Finn. "All you have are testimonies of after I exit the alley, not of the events that happened prior to that. And even so, once again, you have no authority to try to question or detain me."

"How dare-"

Finn raised his hand, stopping Tione's obvious outburst. The Pallum realized the red-head in front of him was way too familiar in how to avoid any reasons to be brought in for interrogation. He was clearly used to this.

"If you have nothing to hide and are innocent regarding what happened in that alley, why just not collaborate with us regarding the subject?"

'Can I switch with you?' Luke suddenly said, seeing as the fake smile Finn had placed up until now was getting on his nerves. 'I really want to wipe that expression off his face'.

'You were asked if you wanted to take over for babysitting and you said no.' Flynn intervened. 'Besides, we are not in the position to be antagonistic or throw the first punch.'

'Oh, I am already working on that part.' Zelos mentally replied. "And why pray tell is the mighty Braver of the famous Loki Familia interested in such a unimportant event?" Lily raised an eyebrow, noticing how Zelos now sounded far more approachable and charismatic, to the point there was even a crowd starting to gather, something that didn't go unnoticed to Finn.

"I am just worried for the well-being of one my own-"

"But she's not part of your Familia, am I right or am I right?"

"She isn't." Finn answered in a heartbeat, even though he knew the red head was up to something. "But is it so wrong to want to help someone of my own race when they need help?"

Finn didn't notice it. But Lily's fist clenched tightly in Zelos's pants while her expression hardened.

'No one has ever offered a helping hand and suddenly here is the one guy that all of the sudden wants to do that, just now.' Zelos concluded, understanding that Finn just gained Lily's mistrust, and probably her ire, too.

"So, it is because she's a Pallum, and it isn't because it is the right thing to do?" Zelos adopted a confusing tone and expression, rubbing his chin; holding the urge to smirk as he saw a very faint twitch in Finn's smile.

"Of course not. I am always looking forward to lending a helping hand. Although It would be a lie if I say I am not interested in this young Pallum, as well." Finn steeled himself, thinking he took back control of the conversation by giving the idea to those around them that he saw potential in her as a probable Familia member.

'Finn… you make this so fucking easy.'

"Oh my." Zelos gasped softly, placing one hand on his chest while the other covered Lily, as if defending her from a predator.

'Second rule of dealing with Nobles?' Zelos asked, in a rather sing-song tone.

'Never be vague with your statements.' The brotherhood replied.

"I never thought the respectable Braver would be so callous to come on to someone who's almost three times his own age." Finn's eyes widened slowly, realizing what Zelos was trying to do. But it was too late; a lot of murmurs were already forming around them.

"Well, I did hear from a Familia member that he has never shown any interest in anyone."

"Yeah. I heard when asked about it, it was because he was only interested in someone of his own race. But I thought it was just a rumor."

"Well… that's not the case anymore… but someone so young… How repulsive."

"I don't know about you or this place." Zelos got his attention. "But where I am from, that's not only unethical but incredibly illegal." The murmurs continued while he noticed Finn biting the lower part of his lips in frustration. The fact that he didn't refute his words right away meant that he was indeed interested in Lily as a possible partner; but just subconsciously.

"How dare you!?" Tione asked, barely holding her rage back by the indignation her precious captain was going through. "Yes. The Captain has rejected my advances several times in the search of his future partner." She stated, an obvious hint of scorn; not realizing many were now pitying her by confessing she had been rejected several times.

"My Captain is the most honorable person I know. And it has remained that way since the day I fell in love with him!"

'… is she seriously giving you more ammo?' Jude asked, knowing more than enough about Amazon's psychology thanks to Drake's studies of this world's races.

'Who am I to not take this golden chance?' Zelos replied as he easily formed his next bait.

"Tione, I don't think you should-" Finn tried to stop her, knowing full well her coming into his defense always, ALWAYS ended up making things worse than when it started; one way or another.

"And do pray tell how this wonderful and joyful love story of yours goes?" Finn narrowed his eyes as he noticed Zelos now put more energy and joy in his voice. Things took a turn for the worse when he noticed Tione was no longer raging. Why was this bad? Because she had gone full force to flashback land.

"My sister and I had just arrived at Orario. Many had tried to get us to join their Familias. But all of them were just too weak to do so, until the Captain appeared." Zelos was not gonna lie, her whole tone and demeanor now made him believe the woman in front of her was a potential yandere. "He beat me up with so much ease that I just felt for him."

Zelos, despite knowing how Amazons were, couldn't help but drop his jaw slightly before he took the stage. "… so, he beat the living shit out of you, and you just fell for him. How the hell does that work?" he rubbed the side of his head, not really caring for the 'are you stupid?' expression she was giving him.

"Because my race seeks strong men. It has been like that since before the Gods descended and it still is like this until today."

Everyone just saw as Zelos adopted a rather blank expression. "So, what you are telling me is-" he clapped his hands together and made a ninety-degree gesture with them towards the amazon. "- that not just you but your whole damn race has a damn defeat fetish?"

Silence took over.

No one but the silent wind took the stage before the sound of murmurs made an exception of that.

"Well, when he puts it like that."

"Yeah, I seem to recall an amazon from the red-light district chased a friend of mine for months to get into his sheets because he won a fight against her."

"What a bunch of perverts."

Tione started to grit her teeth, her anger clearly returning, tenfold. "HOW DARE YOU MOCK ME AND MY OWN!?"

"I mean, I don't see why you are so flustered about this. Everyone is entitled to their own kinks… even though some are more questionable than others." Zelos continued as he eyed Finn, who was covering his eyes while looking down, clearly trying to figure out how to salvage this situation.

Spoiler alert; he couldn't.

"You certainly deserve each other; both of you with your own bizarre taste."

But Zelos could definitely make it worse.

"I HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR DISRESPECT!" She took a strong step forward, cracking the ground with ease with her sheer Level Five strength. "LET'S SEE IF YOU KNOW YOUR PLACE AFTER I BEAT THAT SMUG FACE OF YOURS!"

The red head placed his finger under his chin. "I would say I am more beautiful than smug, but you have already proved you have no taste in men whatsoever." The pressure in her stance became worse, as even the crowd around them started to stand back, by a lot.

"Tione, that's enough!" Finn screamed, finally realizing things had reached a critical point.

"You really want to punch me, don't worry. I won't fight back, otherwise you will most definitely fall for me." He sighed in exasperation. "But you are not my type and I am already taken." He moved his hand back to make a gesture with his hair, the wind making it flow in a rather dramatic manner.

"AS IF SUCH A DEMENTED WHORE WOULD FALL FOR A NARCISSISTIC PIECE OF SHIT LIKE YOU!"

It was at that moment that everything seemed to freeze up for Finn. His thumb started to hurt, in such a way that was comparable to the threats he felt in the deep floor. His eyes had been solemnly looking at Zelos, whose eyes had shifted from pale blue to slits glowing orange as his face shifted into a cold gaze. But only he noticed it, not even Tione noticed as Zelos threw his last taunt after gesturing for Lily to move away from him, quickly.

"Do your worst, cunt."

Tione launched herself forward.

"Tione, wait!"

But it was already far too late.

*CRACK*

The distinctive sound of breaking bones reached Finn's ears as the red head was sent crashing into not one but several establishments, leaving a cloud of dust in his trail, and a large number of bystanders shocked.

"Oh my god. She killed him!"

"My house!"

"My Business!"

"It was Loki Familia!"

Finn's eyes widened as he heard all of those voices. They all were the same, but with different tones; and rather familiar.

He looked in the direction of the shouts to see the red head waving at him several feet away from him; with Lily by his side scowling at Finn. He was about to give chase after them, but Zelos's shouts accomplished his objective.

Several people started to get closer to Finn and Tione, demanding of them to answer for the damages she had caused. He looked back at where Zelos and Lily were, only to see they were now walking away; the red head clearly flipping him off while showing his back.

"Captain."

Tione's voice snapped him back into reality. He would have scowled at her for the damage she had caused; but he knew her enough to identify the concern and pain in her tone. His eyes narrowed as he quickly noticed she was holding her right fist firmly with her left hand while her face winced.

"… My whole hand… it's broken."

The Braver's eyes widened as he recalled the sound of cracking he had heard a minute ago. He had thought it had been Zelos's head that had been broken, but now he knew he was wrong.

'First that blonde, and now a red head… just who are we dealing with?' he asked of himself, pushing the thought about the subject to the back of his mind as he tried to get out of his current predicament.

LINEBREAK

Are you familiar with the composition of a group of friends?

There's the adorable one, the cool guy, obnoxious one, everyone's idol, the one that doesn't give a fuck, the optimistic one, the realist, and of course; the chick magnet, the playboy, or as the people from Mistral also refer as, the Raiju.

"Ladies, ladies." That was the perfect way to describe Zelos Regulus Wilder. Something Drake was easily reminded of as many people -females really- but patrons and staff started to circle around him.

"I know I am breathtaking, but please give me some space to breathe." He said, raising his hands in front of him as a gesture to 'calm down' the predators near him; with no real result either.

"The only breathing you are gonna do is the panting you are gonna make when I am done with you." One amazon said, making Zelos feel the irony of being hit on by one after what just happened with Tione Hyrute.

"Don't listen to that savage, sweetheart." A human Adventurer with rather decent assets stated, making good use of them by placing one of his arms between them after embracing it.

"If you come with me, I will make sure you never lack in anything you need." This time, it came from an older, but still attractive woman dressed nicely.

'… A part of me, missed this. While the other-'

'Is afraid of what Rita will do to you if she finds out?' Yuri interjected, feeling a chill run down his spine at the thought. Even if she wasn't here in this world, the thought of it gave them the creeps.

"I am very sorry to break your bubbles and your sweet illusions of a wonderful time with me in cloud nine." He gently pushed them away and took a step back. "But I am taken."

"Of course you are!" some of them complained, rolling their eyes. While some other just tried to be pushier about it. "I am sure she wouldn't mind, you can even invite her if you want."

Zelos became pale at the thought, dropping his smile; and for a very good reason.

"I wouldn't recommend that." Everyone turned around to see the only male staff member of the Hostess staring at them. Drake Aurion only gave them a blank stare with crossed arms. He had already built quite the infamous reputation with the patrons of the place, to the point he was well known; as someone not to provoke.

"The last woman who suggested that ended up with her hair being set up in flames by a [Fire Ball]." Many women cringed at the thought, but still tried to put a little more pressure on it. "But that was just the tip of the iceberg. She was a noble for a rather decent Noble Family with a massive manor… said manor was hit by a massive Lightning." He made a gesture to Zelos. "His girlfriend only stood in front of it as it was reduced to mere atoms."

Now they hesitate, all while Zelos recalled the event. "Oh yeah… she didn't let me out of the room after that…" he rubbed his chin. "Easily one of the most heated sessions I got with her."

"Nobody wants to fucking know that part, you scumbag. And speaking of such-" Drake eyes narrowed at the staff and female patrons around his friend. "Either go back to eat your fucking food or scram. As for the rest, get back to work or I promise I will do my best to surpass how fucking scary Mia really is myself." All of them flinched before disappearing out of his sight, leaving only a faint trail of dust around Zelos.

"Well… now that is over. I think we can do what we came here for." Zelos said, while Lily just stared at him with a blank face; Drake could easily tell this kind of event happened more than once as they walked here. He knew, because he had been in her shoes on more than one occasion.

"However…" Zelos's eyes and demeanor changed to a more serious one. This made Ryuu and the others that had been watching raise their guard slightly; only to lose their footing at what he did next. "Bud!" Zelos exclaimed, his eyes were now bright and full of joy as he walked towards the scowling blonde with his arms spread. "We didn't have time to talk when we met in the Dungeon. So, it feels like it has been ages!"

Ryuu and the rest could only stare stupefied as the red-head embraced his friend and lifted him off the ground to shake him.

You may be wondering:

'Haven't they been technically talking for a long time now? So, why is Zelos acting as if they were long lost friends going through a heartful reunion?'

The answer is simply-

'Fucking drama queen.' Drake thought. He had mentally prepared himself for whenever one of his brother finally stepped in the Hostess; but he just knew Zelos would give him a headache by making a fucking scene.

"I thought you said you had no way to contact home or your brothers." Both Guardians turned their heads to stare at Mia; those words were clearly aimed at Drake.

"He couldn't." Zelos intervened. "It was us who had to make an effort after our dear brother was forced to come here." He continued, lying as if it was as easy as breathing. "But alas!" He forced both his and Drake's cheek to touch as the once sided embrace continued, making many of the women blush at the display; yes, this was staged. "We are able to reunite once more due to the power of friendship!"

"You are really starting to cross a line there, brother." Zelos shrugged as his brother's response before letting Drake go as they then both looked around at all the women with a blush on their faces. "The fuck are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen two men go through a tearful reunion?" Drake said, looking at them as if they were a piece of living trash.

'Weren't you against the whole thing in the first place?' Ryuu and the others thought.

"Yeah, and you lot had the audacity of saying shit like 'men only think of one thing, and it is disgusting!'" He pointed at all of them. "Shame on you, perverts!"

This outburst made the men in the pub raise their voices in agreement, mainly due to pettiness since they had been called that by the opposite genre in the past.

None of them noticing how both Guardians high fived at the outcome of Zelos's little stunt.

"Now that your usual shenanigans are done, we can-"

"Nope." Zelos suddenly said as he turned around to Mia and the rest.

'Oh no, you are not done.'

'Relax… you are going to enjoy this one.' Zelos mentally replied as he prepared the stage. "It has been a while, and I am more interested in knowing if you have managed to make any friends with that D-rank social skill of yours." Drake rolled his eyes at the innuendo, something that did not escape the two most infamous waitresses in the pub.

"I don't know if you noticed, but there is something I have to do." Drake pointed back at Lily, who looked rather exhausted ever since she arrived.

"Boss doesn't need to worry. Lily would like to take a break, if it is not much to ask." The Pallum replied, a little worried and relieved Drake hadn't said anything about her being a Pallum.

"…" the blonde sighed, before he looked back in front, only to focus on Lunor's smirking face.

"Oh, come on. Afraid we will rat you out to your brother regarding any embarrassing stories?" Drake's eye twitched, knowing full well she meant the Demeter milk incident, something which all of his brothers already knew. "But we can throw you under a bridge later." Her eyes narrowed at Zelos, giving him a flirtatious glare, which he returned. "But why don't you present yourself first?"

His smirk remained visible as he made what could be considered by many a well mannered, elegant and striking bow and gesture towards the group of waitresses. "Zelos R. Wilder-"

"Asshole, drama queen, annoying red head, ultimate scumbag, and my best friend." Drake interrupted him, and to Zelos's credit, he didn't break out of his elegant demeanor as the blonde insulted him.

It was clearly not the first time they did this.

"Seeing as you are in a mood of doing introductions, mind introducing them for me?" Zelos eyed Drake as he continued bowing, a dangerous glint visible in his eyes; something Drake noticed.

'So this was your aim.' Drake thought as he held a chuckle to himself before gesturing to Lunor first. "Lunoire Faust, bitch." Mia, who had been taking a drink, spit its content at the bluntness and sudden interaction that came out of Drake's mouth.

"Why you asshole-"

"Moving on." Lunor's jaw dropped as Drake made a gesture to Chloe. "Chloe Rollo… shotacon." The cat girl almost jumped back at the accusation.

"How rude nya~. I demand another introduction nya~." She pointed at him, only for Zelos to come in.

"In his defense; it is either that or pedophile." He whispered in a low voice before she flinched. "I think we both know which sounds better."

Chloe's shoulder and tail sulked down in defeat, making Lunor snort at her. "You still a bitch nya~"

"Moving on." Drake looked at Anya, completely ignoring the cat fight that was starting to form between the former assassin and bounty hunter. "Anya Fromel… Anya."

"Oh nya~" she waved her hand in embarrassment, hiding a blush. Only she would think using her own name as an adjective was something positive; which it was in this case.

"She's just too damn wholesome." He unconsciously started to pat her head out of habit, much to her delight. "Also, the smartest one between her and her brother."

Mia snorted. "You can say that again."

"Hello you." Zelos went for a pat on her head-

*CRACK*

Only to get his arm broken in the process by a sudden karate chop. "Dick!" Zelos shouted, trying to accommodate his now broken arm before applying healing Artes.

"I don't know where that hand has been in the last hours or so."

"I told you, my scumbag days are over, damn it!"

"Lily believes this is karma for what happened with Loki Familia." Drake and Mia stared at the Pallum now sitting in front of the counter before glaring at Zelos.

"What was that about Loki Familia?" Both Mia and Drake asked simultaneously, making Zelos chuckle as his arm finally healed.

"Oh I will tell you later, you are gonna love what I did to that damn Pallum's reputation." Mia groaned, already knowing who the red-head was talking about. She sighed in defeat as she took out a bottle of whiskey from under the counter only for Drake to swipe it off her hands before tossing it to Lunor, who then proceeded to embrace it as if trying to keep it away from Mia.

"I know it is stressful, but I am not letting you pull another drunk number today." Drake's statement made Mia narrow her eyes as she groaned… only to slump her shoulder in defeat.

"Fair enough."

Drake, and the rest of the waitresses mentally sighed in relief at the chaos that had just been avoided.

"Now then… you." Drake narrowed his eyes at the person next to Anya. A familiar Elf, who was countering Drake's glare with her own; as if she was saying 'bring it'.

"Hello Miss Elf." Zelos waved his hand. "Thank you for taking care of this little time bomb of rage last time," the head softly slapped that back of Drake's head, making his friend glare at him in the process. "Really appreciate it."

Ryuu gave a small bow before narrowing her gaze on Drake.

"Ryuu Lyon… Elf." The Elf in question just raised an eyebrow. Due to some obvious events, she had been expecting him to introduce her as some kind of-

"Pervert." Zelos clapped his fingers. "Got it."

'…huh?' her jaw dropped, though Ryuu still managed in maintaining her composure; but making it clear by her tone that she was not happy with that assessment by just the utterance of her race alone. "I fail to see how you could reach such a conclusion by just the mere mention of my race."

"Oh…" he looked at Drake. "You didn't tell them."

Drake shrugged. "Just mentioned that there were no Elves back home." Ryuu raised an eyebrow, not understanding what that had to do with the matter at hand.

"Leave it to me, them." Zelos clapped his hands, gaining the undivided attention of Ryuu and everyone close by. "Our knowledge of Elves could easily be limited by 'ancient tomes'; in them, Elves were depicted as a prideful and beautiful grace. Blessed with a long life span, great ease in manipulating magic and a beauty which would leave those of low standards with a dumbstruck expression in their passing."

"So far, sounds about right." Mia thought out loud, wondering if there was no mention of them being arrogant.

"However, they were so full of themselves-"

'There it is!' Mia snorted.

"That they believed their beauty was something worthy enough to preach about, making them rather unapproachable, by many of the other races' standards. This went on for years and years, to the point the Elves started carving interaction with the races… with a little too much enthusiasm."

Ryuu's face started to turn blank, not liking one bit where this was going.

"They then became too erratic and flustered with the mere contact that they made with others that it looked like the simple act of hand holding was The. Lewdest. Act. In. Existence." The fact that Zelos just started snapping his fingers in the end made Ryuu blush in embarrassment. She didn't even dare look at her coworkers, whose laughs were easily heard as Chloe was trying her hardest not to fall to the ground and roll out of laughter.

"So, that just puts a whole new perspective in regards to holding the hands of someone, huh, Ryuu?"

By this point , the poor Elf just had the most emotionless expression plastered on her face they had ever seen as Zelos continued.

"People started to become so freaked out by them that any approach on their part was almost always seen as pariahs. This all made them known and remembered throughout history as a race of very horny," he made a dramatic gesture with his hands. "But sexless race."

By this point, Chloe was already holding her sides due to the laughter with Lunor pretty close to her own state. Mia on the other hand couldn't help but to look away from the Elf or else she might have been in a similar situation judging by how she was trying to hold her own laughter.

And Anya-

"Orario to Ryuu! Hello!"

Was waving her hand in front of her face to get a reaction, but nothing.

"Despite saying that," Zelos looked at Drake. "there must be something positive about her, seeing as she has to deal with your BS."

Ryuu's eyes unconsciously twitched as she focused again on Drake, who was now in crossed arms with a pondering gaze.

"Well… there's a Delta Elf that pretty much told me to 'Go die in the Dungeon.'"

Eina Tulle

"That one Alpha Elf, which despite not being antagonizing towards me directly, I can already see how pompous an attitude she would have if we were to have an actual conversation."

Riveria Ljos Alf

"And her damn Beta, who is so obnoxious and loud and only knows how to talk when someone shows the minimum disrespect towards her Alpha."

… He honestly couldn't remember her name.

"This Sigma Elf on the other hand… tolerates me as much as I tolerate her… which is saying much considering her past transgressions."

Ryuu instantly recalled that little incident at the lake back in Rivira; she was barely able to suppress the sudden urge to blush.

"So she's your favorite?"

'You piece of shit.' Drake thought, seeing through Zelos' next scheme; he didn't need to look at Ryuu to know there was a hint of anticipation in her eyes.

"Now we are exaggerating." He also didn't need to see her shoulders slump slightly before he moved to the next person; debating whether moving from Ryuu was the best idea given who was next.

"Drakey…" Zelos said with a little of wariness in his voice as he gently put his arm around his friend's to turn him around. "What the fuck is that?" Zelos whispered as both looked their shoulders to see-

"Syr Flova. And as you just said; thing." Both stared at the ever smiling, kind, and well behaved Syr, who could hear them perfectly.

"She looks like a literal barbie." Zelos shared his thoughts. "So nice, beautiful, pure… and way too plastic-like."

Her smile became a little forced. "I can hear you just fine from here, you know?"

"We do." Both said, making her tilt her head to hide the twitch in her eye as they turned around.

"It is just so weird, something way too nice and perfect exists… it definitely has to be fake. Especially if they engage in the nice girl act."

"Oh, thank you." She titled her head cutely this time, ignoring the fact that her whole personality was called an act. "I am sure you exaggerate, seeing as I have never met something with such pedigree as yourself." She wasn't exaggerating. Her eyes could just see perfection in any physical part of his body. From his hair, to his eyes, muscles, face and so on. Drake also fulfilled many of those qualities; however, Zelos Wilder just had this certain air of charisma that a woman found attractive by default.

"Oh sweetheart, the term perfection is nothing but a term made up to hide one's ego. And believe me, I am far from perfect." His eyes suddenly earned a little shine. "If not, you can ask all the women whose marriages I ruined."

"That is not something you should be proud of." Syr pouted, her tone was as if she was scolding a little child. "Love is not something you should play with so easily. It is proof of an absolute, everlasting and intimate bond."

"… uh. I was completely wrong about you." Syr felt like patting her own back, as if gaining a difficult debate. Too bad it was just starting. "You are definitely more naïve than I thought." His pale blue earned a certain edge to them as his lips curled up slightly; he was looking down on her.

"Love is for children. Nowadays what you call 'Love' is mostly the mere physical attraction or self-interest from one of the two parties involved." His voice adopted a rather wise tone before looking at Drake. "If you don't believe me, go on ahead ask the dumbass who's unable to lie."

"Your honor, I would rather not be brought to the dais to testify such an stupid subject."

"Don't be like that Drake." Syr interjected. "Even you have to feel Love for someone."

"I am afraid the 'Love' you are talking about is as foreign to me as it is easy for one of you to screw up while working." All of the waitresses internally winced; yes, they screwed up a lot. "This asshole," Drake sighed as he gestured to Zelos, who waved dumbly. "has ruined at least some thirty marriages in the span of…" he looked at Zelos. "Two years?"

"Three."

"However, all of them were marriages that were crumbling due to the misses' past infidelity."

"Wait," Lunor raised her voice. "Does that mean all of those women were targeted?"

"Nailed it." Zelos snapped his fingers at her before Drake continued.

"He would approach the spouse; who usually either was out of the loop about the wife's infidelity, or knew and was in denial that their childhood friend or high school sweetheart was capable of cheating. He would convince them to get out of the toxic relationship and place himself as a trap to then purposely be caught in the act to gather evidence and file for a divorce."

"Why does it sound as if your land has too many legal procedures for everything?"

"You have no idea." Both replied.

"But wait," they looked at Syr, who was in a thinking pose. "Wouldn't that also be detrimental for you? You would have quite the reputation if that were true. I am sure all of those women would be wary of you just from the many relationships you have ended."

"That's because they think that; they are tough shit, the others just had bad luck, and I am just a pretty face." He made an exaggerated motion to his hair, hitting Drake in the process. "As for the consequences of my life, the spouses wouldn't lay a finger on me, given I saved them from a life of misery and probably raising a child that isn't theirs. As for the women, well, I am influential enough to not be provoked."

"Abuse of power at his finest." Lunor concluded, figuring out Zelos, just like Drake, was some sort of Noble. Her confirmation was given when he winked at her comment.

'This guy has no shame!'

"But that would just mean that it wasn't real love. If their feelings for each other are so wavering then it's normal their relations would fail."

"Yup, I agree one hundredth percent… what?" Everyone looked at Zelos as if a second head had appeared from him.

"You disregarded my idea of Love not even five minutes ago, and now you are agreeing with me!" she whined. "That's illegal!"

"Oh, I never disagreed with you. I am a firm believer of true love after all." He stated proudly. "I never agreed in the way you said it though, finding the right partner as if it was as easy as picking a grain of sand just tells me you are highly inexperienced in this." Nobody noticed it right away, but Syr's eyes started to lose their brightness. "As a matter of fact, it sounds to me like you only get your idea of finding love out of romance novels and really have zero to no experience in actual relationships… hello?" he started to snap his fingers in front of her, but she gave no reaction.

"Oh, poor thing. Nobody ever told her the truth to the face nya~." Chloe said as Ryuu calmly pushed Syr to the back with a sigh.

"Finally, this whole debate is over. I feel I lost some neurons just by listening to you two." Drake said as he prepared to gesture for Lily to follow him to the back. But someone faked clearing her throat to get his attention.

"Right…" he made a gesture to the dwarf behind the counter. "Mia Grande… tyrant."

"Oi!" She almost slammed her fist on the counter. "That's-"

"Fair?"

"Accurate nya~?"

"Definitely way too nice for her."

All of the waitresses who were around gave her thoughts before her glare silenced them. "As mentioned by that runt next to you; Mia Grande, you may call me Mama Mia if you wish to."

She expected him to come at her with a smartass retort, kind of like Drake who never called her that… she was so dead wrong.

"Can I really?" She could almost see the stars in his eyes at the prospect, only to be dragged away by the collar of his pink vest by Drake.

"No. I am not dealing with your mama issue now. Lily, let's go."

"But Bud." Zelos exclaimed as Lily followed them before, sighing ever so reluctantly.

"But nothing, and don't fucking call me bud." Everyone stared as the trio went into the back.

"… Kind of arrogant nya~"

Lunor snorted. "Doesn't make him any less hot."

LINEBREAK

"Why the fuck do you always have to make a drama out of everything?"

"Because it brings joy and color to that filter of a grayscale you call life."

Lili just stared at the bickering between the two. Despite not being blood-related, they did indeed act like brothers.

"Is that what you call whatever you did to Loki Familia? which I will hear about later, by the way." Zelos snorted as Drake sighed. "Now then… anything you want to say, Lili?"

The Pallum, sitting on a chair on the back of the Hostess of Fertility, hesitantly gathered her courage to solve the biggest down she had since earlier in the day.

"Boss… did you know all this time Lili was a Pallum?"

"Yes."

"But how!? Lili was careful and never let her magic fade."

"I have my ways." Drake didn't feel like explaining how his abilities worked if he told her 'Your shadow sold you out.' or that he could identify lies. "But that little event at the Guild the first time we went dungeon diving made you a little too sus, to say the least."

Her head slumped down.

"However, this is not just about that. Anything else you might want to come clean with me?" The Pallum clenched her fist, mustering every single ounce of courage in her to come up clean.

"… Lili didn't offer to be your supporter out of coincidence." She looked down once more, not realizing both Guardians had blank faces.

'We knew.' Every Guardian thought as they waited for Lili to continue.

"It all started over a month ago. Lord Soma had suddenly decided to leave the Familia HQ without anyone noticing."

"So, an introvert decided to go out and touch some grass. Not a big deal." Drake just glared at Zelos, while Lili just felt the sudden urge of giving him a blank stare for some reason. "Also, you say that as if none of you noticed him going out."

She nodded. "That was the case. During those times almost everyone was drunk on Soma… or just normal drunk. And those who weren't were working under Captain Zanis; so it was only natural for Lord Soma to leave and no one to notice his absence." Her eyes narrowed in pondering. "No one even realized Lord Soma had gone out until he returned, wearing an expression none of us have ever seen from him before. "

"The realization that there's a world outside of his home?"

Zelos was easily ignored as Lili stared both into their eyes. "Determination."

Both looked at each other with narrowed eyes. All of them figured out that the day Lili was talking about was the first and only time Drake and Soma had crossed eyes.

It still didn't prove anything; besides the only other thing they could say was related to the fact that Soma was a Moon deity.

"After that, he stopped trying to reproduce the perfect Soma. This affected Lili's Familia with time, to the point Captain Zanis did everything but beg Lord Soma to return to his usual habits, but he ignored him." Drake could almost feel a hint of joy in Lili's tone at the last fact. "Lord Soma soon started to walk around the Familia HQ, ignoring everyone's pleas for more Soma. None of us knew why, until his eyes finally landed on Lili."

"He was scouting for someone." Drake theorized. "Someone who was not under the effect or rebound of Soma and was not on your Captain's roll call." Lili simply nodded. "… And all that trouble just to find information about me."

Once again, the Pallum nodded… only for eyes to widen in realization. "Boss knew?"

She received another blank stare. "Lili, you were anything but subtle with how much you were asking of me during our first day working together." Lili looked down to avoid the embarrassment of being found out so easily before she continued.

"Lili didn't get to ask Lord Soma why he was so interested in Boss. In the end, Lili really didn't care, because what he promised Lili was something Lili never thought could be possible."

Drake glared at Zelos, who was about to make another smartass remark, stopping him before he could even open his mouth as Lili continued.

"A chance to get out of the Familia without having to drink Soma." Lili looked up, not expecting to see both of them looking at her with confused looks.

"… gasp?" Zelos shrugged. "I am sorry, but neither of us seems to understand why that's such a big deal. I take it there's a catch."

"My guess is," Drake started to ponder out loud. "Soma is so intoxicating it nulls any sense of reasoning before leaving the consumer in a daze of joy. So, it might be a test from her God to all of them."

"Still fail to see the fucking reason why giving an underage the choice to drink alcohol is such a big deal? Also, can't you just leave your Familia and be done with it="

"Lili's parents were part of Soma Familia. So Lili had been a member since birth, by right of law." She said begrudgingly as Drake pondered.

Zelos's question first made Drake narrow his eyes. Looking at the information the Darkness displayed about Lily didn't give him much to theorize. But her shadow was rather vocal about it.

'Lord Soma disregards us as if we were nothing, drinking Soma only makes his eyes reflect disappointment in everyone.'

"…" he pinched the bridge between his eyes, reaching his own conclusion. "Because he lost faith in humanity." Lili's eyes widened, seeing as he pretty much hit the bull's eyes with that assumption. "He pretty much lost interest in managing a Familia the moment he realized his children were all very simple-minded idiots."

"Huh… begs the question if the guy knows how effective his fucking drink is." Zelos stated.

"He's a God, common knowledge is something they don't consider." Despite saying that the one thing that Drake would never give a shit to anyone for was losing hope in something: especially humanity as a whole. "There's no worth in caring about someone if they are not willing to show some effort at the adversities of life… that was most likely his thought before he started to focus solemnly on making Soma."

Lili gritted her teeth; something both Guardians noticed.

"Let me guess… you think it's unfair." Zelos started, losing his usual smile in the process. "Why should Lili suffer for the failures of others, it's not fair I was born into a Familia where I am constantly tormented by my fellow Familia members." He dropped off his impression of her before crouching in front of her with no joy visible on his face. "That's what you are thinking, isn't it?" His gaze made her uncomfortable. "If everyone I knew just stood still and accepted the hand fate dealt them, all of them would be dead by now. But guess what, that didn't stop them; because they had a choice to discard that hand."

"But Lili doesn't even have the ability to choose! Even when she has done no wrong, she's still looked down upon!" By her God, her Familia, the Adventurers she had gotten under… none have given her the chance. It was always the same, being disregarded and looked down on as if she was worth nothing. Always forced to live the life given to her by birth.

"Well… " her eyes widened. Her eyes snapped at the sound of a voice that didn't belong to either her Boss or Zelos. Rather, it was a voice that she knew too well. "I wouldn't say that."

From the other side of the backyard of the Hostess of Fertility entered a blue-haired man, wearing a pair of glasses that Lili recognized a little too well for her liking. "Captain… Zanis."

"What do you call all of those Adventurers that you scammed and left for dead in the Dungeon?" he walked closer, followed by two other Adventurers of her Familia. "Nothing to say?... thought so."

The Pallum couldn't help but look down, biting down on her lips and clenching her fist harder than ever.

"And as for you…" his eyes landed on Drake. "It is a pleasure to finally meet the person responsible for this month's struggles."

"Wow," Zelos looked at Zanis boredly. "This guy looks like any other generic asshole."

"Go back and use the front door like any other patron," he pointed back at the Hostess. "Unless you're not one; in that case do kindly fuck off."

Zanis's lips twitched before snorting. "Ballsy, aren't you?" he looked at Lili. "As much as I would like to dispose of you, her answering for what she did to her fellow Familia members comes first." He walked past Drake. "Now, Lili-!" His words died down, his own collar pulled him back as Drake grabbed it with one hand and pushed him back to where he stood before.

"I am afraid she still has a contract with me." Lili's eyes widened at the sudden action, a sudden glint of hope in her eyes.

"Do you have any idea what she has done!?" Zanis asked, leaving aside his accumulated anger for the blonde for gaining Soma's interest; opting for a more peaceful solution for the moment. "She maimed many of her-"

"I am aware." Drake's face remained motionless as he said the next part. "I am the one that placed their remains at your Familia's door, after all."

"… Uh?" Lili's eyes became a void of pure nothingness as her brain processed what she just heard. All of the suffering she went through today was because her Familia was looking for her to answer for those Soma Familia Adventurers. Now she found out all of it was because her Boss, the person she had decided to trust had pretty much sold her out.

"Oh, don't you fucking there to play the victim." She didn't have any emotion left to even react to Zelos's words. "At least now you know how all those people you betrayed felt like before meeting their imminent demise. And you even approached Drakey over here with the sole intention to use him for your own benefit." Something clicked at that moment in Lili's mind; figuring out this was some sort of karmic retribution for all her past transgressions.

"To be honest, me being even with Lili was not the main reason why I sent you those bodies." Drake's serious gaze turned into a blank one, as did the tone of his voice became calmer. "They were just a warning card."

"… Excuse me?" Zanis asked.

"As you heard." The blonde's expression remained the same. "Yesterday I decided that one way or another, I am not gonna let your Familia remain standing."

Zanis gritted his teeth as his eyes became bloodshot at the sheer audacity of the person in front of him. However, stupefaction soon became snorts before it turned into full laughter. "You- You have to be a comedian to think you can just destroy a Familia overnight."

Now Drake snorted at the Soma Captain. "Whom the fuck do I look like to you? One of Loki's clowns?" Zanis continued laughing, his patience starting to grow thinner and thinner as he unsheathed his sword.

"I wasn't planning on dealing with you today." He suddenly dashed at the blonde, making Lili regain some emotion in her eyes. "Might as well do it now!" But that emotion wasn't 'worry'. Not at all. Because if there was something she knew for sure about the blonde in front of her was definitely stronger than Zanis.

Even if she was a mere Level One, her eyes saw the whole thing in slow motion. Her anticipation just built up as Drake just stood there, Zanis's blade falling down on the blonde's shoulder.

*CRACK*

And it finally came; excitement. Excitement at seeing how Zanis's blade did not only break the moment it made contact with Drake, but also at how the shards of the broken edge flew right over Zanis's left shoulder, leaving a deep wound on it.

"Aaaaaarg!" Zanis fell on his knees as he dropped his broken blade, only so he could apply some pressure on the wound with his good hand, out of instinct.

The two Adventurers with him went for their weapons at that moment.

"Stay." Only for them to suddenly fall on their knees after Lily heard the distinctive sound of chains reaching her ears; even if her eyes saw none.

"Lili." Her eyes suddenly snapped at him. "You said you never had a choice in your life." He picked up the broken blade and walked to her. "But you proved the contrary yesterday." Her eyes remained widened as she just listened. "Even if it was out of panic, you decided to pick up a blade and defend yourself."

Murder was still murder, regarding the motive or the reason; be it good or bad. Nothing was ever gonna change the fact that one took a life: that would remain a fact for the rest of their lives. But this wasn't about that at the moment.

"So, here you have another choice." He dropped the blade in front of her as Zelos narrowed his eyes at her shadow, her despair leaving her as Drake continued speaking. But there was something else going on. "The choice to take your life into your own hands, and let no one else do it for you anymore."

'… are you being serious right now?' Zelos mentally asked, only to be ignored as Drake's eyes glowed faintly… just as a flame-like glow of the very same color appeared faintly in her eyes.

"… So, what do you choose?" Lili didn't answer, her whole face reflected not a single hint of emotion as she stood up from her chair and picked up the blade without a hint of hesitation.

She heard the distinct sound of chains going away before the Adventurers that accompanied Zanis were able to move again.

"What are you waiting for you imbeciles!? Get her!" they dashed at her, while Lili just walked at them at her own pace… before she suddenly dashed forward, at a speed that clearly wasn't that of mere Level One. Zanis's eyes widened as Lili easily slashed through the hand of one of the Adventurers before she jumped to spin-kick the other one, sending him crashing into the fence of the backyard.

"Well…" Drake cursed himself as Zelos continued. "You are gonna have to fix that."

Zanis looked in panic as the disarmed Adventurer cried in pain for his lost arm and Lili just walked to him, her blank expression remained unchanged while Zanis's was the complete opposite.

"I see…" she raised the blade and placed the broken edge millimeters away from his eye. "So this is the expression Lili always had when you addressed her… " she moved the blade up as he started to plead for his life, not having the courage to move out of sheer terror. "Not anymore."

She moved the blade down. "Wait." Only to stop right before the edge made contact with Zanis's. "Let's leave it for now."

Lili gritted her teeth.

"Why!?" she turned around, her emotions being back as if a switch had been flipped back on. "Lili can end it all-" her words died down, and her eyes widened as she stared at the massive figure standing right behind Drake and Zelos. Someone who was very well known in Orario; Mia Grande, whose scowl and deathly Aura made Lili drop the weapon out of instinct.

"You." Mia suddenly pointed at Zanis who was trembling from his near-death experience. "Pick your boys and scram," she looked at the dismembered arm. "Don't forget that as well."

"And you," she glared at Drake. "Get back to work, do try not to bring your problems to my doorstep."

"Technically, this is your backdoor."

A single glare managed to shut Zelos up. "And you, smartass." She pointed at the now broken fence. "Repair that."

Zelos sighed. "Yes, Mama."

Mia's lips curled up instinctively at what she heard, while Drake just stared at his best friend blandly.

Feeling her job was done, Mia turned around and left.

"Zanis." The Soma Familia Adventurers froze just when they were about to leave the courtyard. "Tell Soma I am going-" his eyes focused on Lili for a moment. "We are gonna pay him a visit tonight… while you and Lili have a talk."

Zanis didn't know why, but the fact that the Pallum just stared at him as if he was nothing terrified him more than anything.

"…" Lili just stared as they left, leaving the first three in the backyard. "Why?" she asked, looking at Drake's emotionless expression. The question was obvious, why betray her? Why help her?

"… I'll tell you when this is over… until then," he suddenly snapped his fingers at Zelos. "Move your ass and repair that fucking fence."

"Why the fuck do I have to pay up for your fuck ups? you are the one that juiced her up." Both started to walk into the Hostess.

"Like all the times I covered for the return of all your one-night stands? Some of those bitches knew how to use a fucking heel back in Beacon, Huntresses in training are really fucking volatile."

"That's just every woman who can't handle rejection, bud."

"Don't you fucking call me bud, you piece of shit." Both disappeared into the Hostess, leaving Lili alone as she stared at her own hand, trying to figure out what she just did and how it had been possible.

But in the end, it didn't matter. Because as the little green-like flame flared a little in her eyes she thought that for once in her life, she felt like she had control.

LINEBREAK

"He did something." Ratatosk stated with certainty as he stared at the digital device displaying the name 'Adam' on the screen.

"Are you certain? Because, unlike last time, I felt nothing."

The Great Spirit looked to the side. His eyes focused on a pair of sheathed blades that were vibrating ever so slightly. "His blades are resonating. Yes, I am sure."

There was a very deep sigh on the other side of the line. "… what are the chances we are dealing with another Aeshma situation?"

"Unknown, but still quite possible." Ratatosk theorized. "There's a very high chance he just used his divinity on a single person, or for something minimal."

There were a couple reasons why this was so important.

One reason was keeping Ganesha and Ouranos off Drake's back, knowing things were not gonna end up nicely for their side. But that seemed to be the case if the former Noble pulled another Aeshma.

And the second was the blonde himself if things were to escalate a little too much.

"We need to know what's going on."

"Rather hard to do at the moment, seeing I am way beyond the deep floors."

"I could go."

Ratatosk raised his hand at a certain Goblin, indicating him to be quiet. "Any luck with that?"

"Not a single indication of anything, really. Thinking about changing priorities?"

"Guys, I can check out our Very Dangerous Person."

"Not now, Lett." Ratatosk didn't notice the Goblin rolling his eyes before walking away as the Great Spirit focused back on his call. "I think it would be best for now."

"… Got it. I am on my way to the surface then." Ratatosk hummed, preparing to end the call. But Adam had something else to say. "Also, keep an eye on Lett. Whatever you do, don't let him go for a walk."

Ratatosk tensed under his cloak as he hummed again, ending the call as he walked out of the room and started to look around for the Goblin. He walked around their new base in the Dungeon, only to stop as his ears caught a distinctive sound coming from a few rooms away.

He made his way in the direction of the sound to reach a certain room full of darkness. His hands extended to hit a switch, making the light turn on to reveal a certain harpy stuffing her mouth full of colored candy worms.

"…"

"…" both stared at each other before Ratatosk sighed. "I better not hear you complaining about a stomach ache later, Fear."

The harpy nodded dumbly as she slurped one of the candy worms, still staring at him like a child that just had been caught. "By the way. You wouldn't happen to have seen Lett recently?"

She swallowed the candy before speaking. "Oh, he said he was going for a walk."

Fear could see how her Lord's eyes twitched under his cloak before he started to call Adam again. He really didn't want to be racial with this subject, but sometimes they were just too much; especially-

"That fucking goblin." He thought out loud, making Fear suddenly choke in between bites before Adam answered. "You may have another problem to look out for."

Adam Taurus could just sigh in the other line.