Chapter 7

Theresa smiled shyly and gave a quick nod before walking over to the door. It took us a little longer to get there, as I had never navigated from our new spot before and I wanted to help her create mental markers to find her way in the future. I was shocked to find we were on the other side of the Pact house, and it would take a bit more time to get there. When we arrived there weren’t many people inside sparring, so I picked out a medium sized training mat. This was normally the best time to go in the dungeon, so I wasn’t surprised to see so few people here. The first thing I asked her to do was to bring up her stats, and she blushed when she told me she wasn’t really shown what to do.

“You had a partner for two or three weeks!” I exclaimed incredulously. “How the fuck did he not show you how to do that?”

She looked down on the ground and said, “Well I think he might have, but I got so nervous that I couldn’t remember. I think that was something that exacerbated his dislike of me. He would get really mad that he had to repeat things a lot.”

“That is fucking bullshit,” I growled. “You are a new person, in a new world, with no clue about any of this stuff. I had a rudimentary knowledge due to the games I played, along with the martial arts that I learned growing up. Add in the fact that he was trained to be a supporter and he should have been able to do better.”

“Well he spent most of his time trying to get into my pants,” Theresa muttered. “He would then get mad when I said no, and I wouldn’t see him for a day or more. He would claim he was busy, but Aphrodite had told me that his job was to assist me, so how could he be busy? I think he was out trying to find ways to stop me from saying no to him.”

I nodded, “I wouldn’t be surprised. While supporters are trained to be possible sexual companions to their partners, it doesn’t mean that it is guaranteed. He should have known better but given who he worked for I am not surprised that was his attitude.”

“Did Amenthia come on to you?” Theresa asked, feeling a bit better after what I had said. “I’m sorry if that is not an appropriate question to ask.”

“She dropped hints, and they went over my head,” I replied with a laugh. “I hadn’t really dated before coming to her, like at all, so most of what she did went over my head. I wasn’t sure she was flirting or sending signals, as I had convinced myself that she was out of my league. She kinda had to initiate things and then after that first time, it just kept building from there. Never hesitate to ask any question that pops into your head.”

It looked like she was blushing pretty hard when she asked, “What about the elf girl, Entivala? Aren’t you in a relationship with Amenthia? I know you said you were in a relationship with all three, but I just am wondering how that happened.”

“Yeah, I didn’t see her coming at all,” I answered, rubbing my temples a little bit. “She was sent to us during a quest we were doing on the first floor. Tyr believed I needed the help, and he was right. I was shocked twice that night. The first was because they knew each other, were remarkably close friends and had both gone through support training. The second came when it was revealed that she was supposedly betrothed to me. You heard that mentioned when we were with your former pact leader.”

“I remember that you mentioned something about that, and Freyja had said she had made it happen” She asked. “I mean could it have just been someone that looked like you?”

I shook my head, “Nope. There was no way it was someone else, because it had my Earth name on the tablet.”

She looked at me, deeply confused, “Wait a minute. What do you mean by your Earth name? Pathios Daxion isn’t your real name?”

I smiled and gave another shake of my head, “Nope. Pathios Daxion was a name I used in the various video games I used to play. I figured I was going to a new world and thus needed a new name. Now it is to the point, I don’t think I would answer to my old name if someone called it out. Anyways, They worked things out and chose to share me. That was wild, since I was now dealing with two women instead of one, but they have helped me to make sure it works.”

Theresa processed this for a few moments then asked, “They don’t get jealous of one another spending more time with you?”

I cocked my head to the side, “What do you mean by more time with me? We always spend our time together.”

“Well I mean when you are intimate,” She replied blushing again. “Don’t they ever worry that one will get more alone time than the other?”

I laughed a little which confused her and said, “Nope, because when we sleep, it’s together. When we fight in the dungeon it is together and when we have sex it is also together.”

It took about a minute or so for what I said to click in and then her eyes widened in surprise, and she turned a deeper shade of pink.

I nodded and gave her a smirk, “Then throw in Katie, who first tried to kill me, and since then has chosen to willingly serve me as a slave for the rest of her life. I explained the issues caused by the former ruler of Enti’s home and their attempt to use Katie to ignore rules set forth since the creation of the world of Eden. Then explained the follow up where someone tried to break her of her vow, as it had started out as a temporary punishment. The only way to get out of it, and to stay with me, was to pledge her service to me for the rest of her life. She has since joined us in our bed as well, and though she has found she loves being dominated, we leave her to make her own choice of joining our bed.”

Theresa looked shocked and more surprisingly flushed when I finished. I couldn’t read her expression, but if she were sheltered a bit like she had said, even if she isn’t into sharing a man, I think hearing all that turned her on a little bit.

“I don’t know how they can stand seeing you with another woman,” Theresa said softly. “I wouldn’t be able to do it.”

“Well they all play with each other as well,” I explained. “So they are rather bi then just into me, plus Katie gets off when Amenthia gets bossy with her.”

Theresa’s eyes became unfocused, and I watched her bite her lip as her breathing became a bit more uneven. After a few moments she shook herself from her fantasy and blushed. She may not be into sharing herself, but it seems she isn’t adverse to imagining it.

I clapped my hands and used what little charm I had to say, “Anyway, let’s focus on what is important, figuring out what your vocation might be.”

We started going through the various training weapons that were available, testing how she felt with each one. They didn’t seem to fit with her, and she looked awkward using any of them. She had zero talent or experience, but that would change. She would need to be able to at least defend herself, should someone or something get too close. When we were done, we went to the range to see if she had any aptitude for ranged combat. While she may not have chosen a magic vocation, there are special bracelets that allow new members to test to see if that were what they would like to do. Just like before she was very shy and hesitant, but she at least seemed to have some skill. I figured I needed an idea where her stats were.

Theresa Naumann

Level 1:

Health: 100

Mana: 50

Strength 1

Defense 1

Speed1

Vitality 1

Magic 1

Wisdom 1

Agility 1

Awareness 1

I wasn’t surprised that her stats were still at the baseline, given what she had told us about her original supporter. She would get a crash course tomorrow for sure.

“That was a bit more fun than those big clunky weapons,” Theresa said with a little smile. “I don’t exactly like the whole magic thing, as it seems very complicated.”

I laughed, “I can be, but there are all different kinds of magic. My sword for instance has magic in it that I can utilize when I need it. We just need to find something that will sit well with you.”

“I really don’t want to kill anything though,” Theresa said softly. “I went into STEM to save lives, not take them.”

“Unfortunately, this isn’t Earth my dear.” I said it a bit more harshly than I planned. “The creatures that are in the dungeon aren’t the same as the animals that live outside of it. You kill a wolf out here, it will die, and over time return to the earth like all animals on Earth do. In the dungeon, if a wolf dies, they disappear in a puff of smoke, leaving a drop to deposit for money and possible other items.”

She cocked her head, “What? That makes no sense. How can it work so differently? Life is life!”

I shook my head, “Not here my dear. This world exists due to the power of the gods that made it. All the Pantheons that appeared in our world were displaced by monotheistic religions and made this place. I do get your position, and respect it, but you will be taken in to at least see it first-hand. For your protection we will go to the first floor. At my level you will be fine, but that will be tomorrow.”

“Okay, I guess,” She replied a little sullenly. “I am still not sure how I will do, but you are right. We will see.”

I smiled, “That is left for tomorrow. For now let’s head back to our dorm and get ready for dinner tonight.”

Her smile returned and we left the range to head to go see Brot’k once again. Until we know for certain what she will be doing, she would need adequate armor to protect her for tomorrow. When we entered, he was the only one there, as it looked like Fra’tilia had gone elsewhere. He heard the door close and looked up to see us and quickly came to meet me at the counter.

“Ah Pathios, welcome back my friend,” He announced warmly. “I didn’t expect to see you both here again so soon. Especially after Tyr took you all out of here.”

I smiled and shrugged my shoulders, “Yeah, I wasn’t expecting it either, but it can’t be helped, my friend. I need you to prepare some different types of armor for Theresa here to wear. Despite being here for a few weeks she has yet to be taken into the dungeons. Her partner didn’t do his job at all and now we have some things to make up for. Once we settle on the armor type that she will use, we will let you know.”

He quickly came around the corner and took some quick measurements, jotting them all down on his little pad.

“I will have some options ready for her in your armory, no problem,” he muttered as he continued writing on his pad. “What level of protection are we looking for? Anything special?”

“For now regular gear you would give anyone else, but the same kind that Amenthia wore when we started out,” I answered. “We have no idea what kind of adventurer she will be and thus I want to make sure you will be comfortable in what she wears. I only plan on taking her to the first floor, but for a newbie, which can still be a bit intense.”

Brot’k nodded with a smile, “I remember Amenthia mentioning to me the ideas you used to get stronger and even I wasn’t sure at first, but the results speak for themselves. I am sure that there will be some who will want to learn about how you moved forward so quickly.”

“It isn’t anything special Brot’k,” I replied with a dismissive wave of my hand. “I just figured that the more you fight on the floor you are on, the better you are prepared for the one you’re going to. Grinding is a typical method in any game I played that was like how this place operates. Hell it isn’t even an original idea where I am from, which is why games started putting limits on the amount of grinding you can do. If you are too high a level, you don’t get as much experience or even none at all. For someone new like Theresa, as long as she participates somewhat, most of the available experience should go to her.”

“If it only was that easy,” Brot’k nodded. “Then we would be sending new members with veterans, but most vets don’t want to do it and the newbies want to prove themselves. Nearly all are solely focused on getting to the next floor, even if they aren’t ready. This doesn’t mean much on the lower levels, but once you get past twenty-five, the training wheels come off. This has led to some still thinking the crystal will save them and end up maimed or dead because of it.”