While he was huddled with his wives on the floor Jacob returned to the white void where Marco and Ron were waiting. Ron was making a stupid face while Marco looked at both of them with an angry expression.

Jacob: Marc, you good?

Marco: You two are assholes, you know that.

Jacob: What? OH, the end of the telepath conversation. How much did it hurt?

Marco: IT FELT LIKE MY HEAD WAS SPLITTING IN TWO!

Jacob: Yeah, Ron did it to me the first time and I joined him in doing it to you.

Marco: As I said ASS-HOLES.

Ron: Yeah yeah I saw this movie before. I have a question, did a random girl walk up to you claiming she was your wife?

Jacob: Oh yeah, she said she was the princess of Rayner.

Ron: So it's not just me. Why did this happen?

Jacob: It wasn't really explained to me. She just showed up with the paper and the rest of the girls on my team jumped in to sign it.

Marco: Hahaha, so how many girls signed it?

Jacob: Eight total with eight spots left should I want more.

Marco: Damn, my team did the same and now I'm at six.

Ron: I was surprised what happened with mine, I thought no one on my team liked me like that, but I also gained four wives.

Jacob: Isn't that your whole team?
Ron: That's why I was surprised.

Marco: But you got a lot of women to please yourself J, don't disappoint them.

Jacob: Don't remind me.

Marco: Have you guys had a run in with a demon yet?
Ron: I haven't, I'm starting to get worried.

Jacob: I did, called himself Rugar. Laughed off every attack I hit him with.

Marco: That's not good, did he drink that vial of blood?
Jacob: Not at first, the whole time I was fighting him to no result was pre vial.

Ron: Now I'm really worried.

Marco: What happened after he drank the vial?
Jacob: He got bored and gave me four months to get stronger.

Marco and Ron looked at Jacob and made an audible gulp while sweat dripped down their chins. They looked at each other before looking back at Jacob.

Ron: How long ago was that?
Jacob: Around two months. I have been going on quests and fighting monsters but I'm not sure I'll be able to beat him.
Marco: What level are you?

Jacob: Last I checked 93.

Ron: Dang, I'm only level 88.

Marco: I'm closer at level 91.

Ron: Man I'm slacking over here.

Jacob: Are you constantly taking quests at the guild?
Ron: There's a guild?

Jacob: Wait, you're not registered at the guild?!

Ron: I didn't know a guild existed!

Marco: The fact that you're level 88 and not registered is actually impressive.

Jacob: But how have you been paying for food and commodities?

Ron: We just hunt for our food and Filly usually keeps our gear clean and is a potion master so when we walk past herbs, she usually collects it.

Jacob: Truly living off the land aren't you.

Ron: Well now that I know of the guild I'm gonna register our group.

Marco: WAIT, why didn't your princess wife mention the guild?
Ron: Hold on, WHY DIDN'T SHE?!

Jacob: hahaha, she probably just came along for the ride and decided that what you were doing was more fun.

Ron: We could've been sleeping in beds and eating prepped food from a restaurants.

Marco: Well now you know.

Ron: When I wake up I'm taking my wives to the guild and we're registering.

Jacob: Smart man.

Marco: So, now that we've established Ron's kinda stupid.

Ron: HEY!

Marco: Any new updates?
Jacob: Aside from a panic attack at almost losing one of my wives to a team of demons, I got nothing.

Marco: HOLD ON WE'RE NOT JUST GONNA IGNORE THAT!

Ron: YEAH WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAD A PANIC ATTACK?!

Jacob: Well when I saw her laying broken and covered in blood I could feel my heart in my ears, every noise sounded as if it was in my head and my vision tunneled.

Marco: Is your wife okay?

Jacob: Yeah she was able to be healed before she died, but I'll be honest. It was the most scared I'd ever been.

Marco: Man, I never even thought about my wives and how much danger they could be in.

Ron: I hadn't either, I was so used to my skill being enough to keep them safe.

Jacob: It was honestly an instant where I was doubting the whole team thing.

Ron: What do you mean?
Jacob: If I would send my wives away somewhere safe and far from harm I wouldn't have to worry about them getting caught in the crossfire.

Marco: But you remember the day we left. Jericho told us to make teams to help us beat the demon lord.

Ron: Yeah man, we need our teams. Their skills will be of great help.
Jacob: I know, I know. It was just a thought.

Ron: But when I think of it, I kind of get it.

Marco: So do I, but we need them and once it's all over we can all go and live with our wives peacefully.

Jacob: I guess that's true.

Ron: Once we meet up again, I promise that I will protect all of our wives. You guys agree?
Jacob & Marco: Yeah, I'll protect all of yours too!

Ron: Thanks guys, I think it's time to end the communication. I'll get in contact soon.

Jacob: Alright stay safe guys.

Marco: You too, Oh and Jake. Don't die from that general.

Jacob: I won't.

Jacob fades from the white void and slowly opens his eyes and sees the girls are still cuddled up to him. He smiles and gently kisses each of them on the head.

He uses his ability to phase through the wall behind him, before he fully leaves he puts a pillow where he once was so the girls wouldn't fall over and wake up. He goes through the town to collect his thoughts about his conversation with Marco and Ron, he thinks about everything that has been going on since he got married to his eight wives. The sight of Roxy bloodied and broken on the ground kept repeating in his head, he kept thinking "How could I have prevented it" or "I should have reacted faster to protect her". He knew that having those thoughts would only make him feel worse. He went to a market strip where fruit, bread, vegetable, and jeweler kiosks were just opening up for the day. He decides to buy supplies so he can cook everyone breakfast so he can try and calm down.

While out and about he sees Gunnar, Lily, and Norae at a blacksmith repairing their gear and buying new weapons.

Gunnar: I need a durable shield but not one too heavy that I can't carry.

Blacksmith: I don't have the materials necessary to make something of that caliber. You'd need grandsteel which isn't common in our lands.

Gunnar: Where would I find some?

Blacksmith: There's a mine about a month away that holds different types of ore like lunar nylon, quakestone, hollow zinc and it's rumored grandsteel is there but I'm not sure how much though.

Gunnar: If I find some, could you make a shield for cheap?

Blacksmith: It'll cost you 500 gold.

Norae: 500?! That's insane.

Blacksmith: That is the absolute cheapest, the grandsteel equipment normally goes for 5 platinum.

Lily: It must be very impressive and powerful.

Blacksmith: Oh yes, legend says the first king of Rayner used a war hammer made of grandsteel to defeat the apocalypse dragon many centuries ago.

Jacob: Sounds like a badass.

The trio look at Jacob, shocked at his arrival.

Lily: Oh hero, what brings you here?

Jacob: I was out shopping, when I noticed you three here.

Gunnar: Well after the fight you had yesterday with the demons who hurt your wives, we thought it'd be better for us to get better equipment.

Jacob: I get it. How about I join y'all on the journey?

Lily: R-really, it's going to be a month-long journey.

Jacob: Give me a direction and what it looks like and I can get us there in half that time.

Blacksmith: Just east of the entrance you follow the path until you reach a quarry, that is where the mine is.

Jacob: Got it. Well whenever you guys are ready meet me at the inn and we'll head out.

Blacksmith: I'd recommend being careful when you get there, rumors are there is a beast there that's been running miners and guild members away.

Jacob: We'll keep a look out sir, thanks for the heads up.

Jacob left the shop before they could respond and he continued his shopping.

After finishing he headed back to the inn where Phoebe, Mirai, Sylvie, Ale. and Inki are awake and doing their own thing in the room while Roxy is cuddling with Liora on the floor and Rose curled up by herself next to them asleep.

Jacob: Good morning everyone.

Phoebe: Jake, where did you go?

Jacob: I got some ingredients, I wanna make a dish from my home.

Mirai: Oh! An authentic meal from a different dimension that's exciting.

Sylvie: What are you going to make?

Jacob: Back home in Texas we would make a bread dish for breakfast with a sauce. It's called biscuits and gravy, and I want you to experience it.

Inki: It sounds interesting.

Ale: I can't wait to try it.

Jacob: If any of you would like to help I need this dough made into small balls so when they go into the oven the bread isn't too big.

Phoebe: I can help with that.

Jacob: Thank you I also need this sausage mashed into small pieces so I can put it in the gravy.

Inki: I can do that.

Jacob: Awesome, let's get started.

Jacob and the girls make the food. The smell of the bread in the oven and the gravy on the stove woke up the sleeping girls, Roxy's stomach growled loudly causing her embarrassment.

Jacob: Someone's hungry.

Roxy: I don't know what that heavenly smell is but I want some.

Jacob: It'll be done in just a few minutes. There's enough for everyone to have leftovers.

Rose: Darling I didn't know you could cook.

Jacob: I know some dishes, back home when Ron Marco and I would go camping I would normally make the food.

Mirai: Is there anything you can't do?

Jacob: I was taught that if I put my mind to it anything is possible with enough practice.

Phoebe: What a smart way to think.

Jacob: If possible I'd like to go back and check on my mother once we finish this journey.

Mirai: I can request it from my parents.

Jacob: That would be amazing. Alright breakfast is ready.

The girls sat at the table and watched as he put 2 biscuits on their plates before he came back with the gravy. It was a thick white sauce with bits of meat in it. He poured it on the biscuits and the girls' mouths started to water.

Jacob: Bon appetit.

The girls looked at him with confusion.

Jacob: Uh that means dig in.

Girls:Oh

The girls proceed to eat the food. After their first bites their eyes light up.

Roxy: Oh wow this is delicious.

Mirai: It's such a simple dish but filled with so much flavor.

Phoebe: And it doesn't take long to make.

Rose: Darling you should make more of these dishes from your home world.

Jacob: If I can find the ingredients I'll make a dish.

Ale: I can't wait.

After finishing breakfast and cleaning Gunnar, Norae and Lily came by the room.

Phoebe: Hello, what brings you to the inn?

Gunnar: Oh, the hero offered to help us find a material to make stronger weapons.

Sylvie: When did you offer that?
Jacob: While I was out looking for ingredients for breakfast.

Norae: He told us to meet him here when we were ready.

Lily: It smells delicious in here, what delicacy did you have?

Rose: Our handsome husband made us a dish from his homeland.

Ale: It was tasty. There is some left if you would like some.

The trio look over and notice the plate of biscuits and gravy.

Norae: It doesn't look too appetizing.

Phoebe: You must try it.

The trio walk in, they each take one fork of the breakfast and their eyes light up.

Gunnar: Wow, it's amazing.

Norae: I must never judge a book by its cover.

Lily: I have no words, it's so good.

Jacob: Now that we've established that my home food is good, are we ready to leave.

The trio nods and begin walking toward the door with Jacob.

Liora: Can I join you?

Jacob: We're only going for materials

Liora: Yes but after my failure with our last mission I want to redeem myself.

Jacob looked at Liora, her eyes filled with a combination of vigor and tenacity made him smile ever so slightly.

Jacob: Alright you can join us, it should only be a few hours of travel and maybe a few days of gathering the material so we can truly get a gauge of your abilities while we're out there.

Liora: Of course!