Critical Misclass - Ch. 16-18

Author's Note: Thanks for continuing to read CRITICAL MISCLASS! It was suggested to me that I try posting the series under Sci-Fi and Fantasy to help get more eyes on it, so I'm giving that a shot. Please be sure to check my profile for more information regarding the story, and I hope you enjoy the latest chapters!

CHAPTER 16 - Business Trip

I left the village hall as fast as I could without looking like I was rushing. After taking a deep breath outside, it was time to meet up with Ves and Thia... my party. That still sounds weird to me. In a good way.

My heart beat faster the closer I got to the inn. Not even forty-eight hours had passed since I found myself in Fielende, but in that time, I had somehow managed to have sexual encounters with two gorgeous women. And it wasn't even like I had found myself in a world filled with nymphs and succubi (as far as I knew) - these ladies seemed to genuinely like me. And I liked them, too... to put it mildly.

Thia had mentioned something about how it was inevitable that I would have learned about Ves's feelings for me, because we were in a party together. I needed to ask her for more information about that. Was it simply that we'd be spending a lot of time together, or was there more to it? It made me realize that there were likely a lot of customs in this world - and even just in this country - of which I was still woefully ignorant.

I entered the inn, and saw Ves and Thia sitting next to each other at a table in the dining area. Tabur gave me a surprisingly pleasant "Good morning, sir", which I chalked up to my generous tip. We exchanged a few plesantries, in part because I was a little curious about what Ves found appealing about the bald, stocky man. My beard will grow in sooner or later... Would I look cool with a scar across my face?

The ladies were having a serious chat... or so it seemed, until they both giggled. It seemed to catch them by surprise, too, as they both covered their mouths until the laughter subsided. I walked over to the table and sat down. "Glad to see you both in good spirits!"

Thia smiled. "Yes, it brings me so much joy to be able to work with Ves again. We hardly had an opportunity to get to know each other last time, but I could tell that we would make excellent friends."

The sincerity of Thia's words must have affected Ves, who put her face in her hands. "Oh, geez..."

"My apologies - I did not mean to..."

"No, no, it's fine." Ves's face had turned a light shade of red. "I just... it's been a while since I've had any friends, and suddenly the two of you are here, and..." She looked at our smiling faces and got flustered. "It's a little overwhelming!"

Thia and I laughed. "Hey, I'm the guy who went from being completely alone in a strange world to becoming a party leader in no time at all. 'Overwhelming' is putting it mildly."

Thia's eyes lit up. "Are you becoming more comfortable with being designated as our leader?"

"Well..." I looked back and forth at the two stunning women. "It's definitely sounding better by the moment."

I noticed Tabur approaching with a tray of food, which he placed on our table. There was a huge stack of pancakes, a dish of butter, syrup, and a plate of ham. Ves looked absolutely thrilled. "Oh yeah! Guess what - we get to eat on the guild's tab for as long as we're working on our assignment!"

"On top of the stipend? Man, the Seekers must bring in some serious cash."

Thia nodded, and started putting pancakes onto her plate with her fork. "Indeed. They are one of the most successful guilds in the Empire. It... will be difficult to adjust to adventuring on our own once we finish our task, to be honest."

Ves spoke with pancake in her mouth. "Mmf... all the more reason to take advantage of this now, and save up our stipends for later."

"True... Too bad we already had some food earlier. I'd hate for this to go to waste." I grabbed a fork to fill my plate, but realized that most of the food on the tray was already gone... and on Thia's plate.

Thia gave me a coy grin. "I would have thought you knew by now that aevrana have voracious appetites."

It was my turn to blush. Ves nearly snorted pancake out of her nose. "So, uh, you say 'adventuring on our own'... have you told Kael that you want to quit the guild after this?"

"No, I have not... Were I to inform him of my plans ahead of time, he would be likely to do everything in his power to try to convince me to change my mind. While there is no doubt that he would be unsuccessful, that would be a great deal of stress that I would much rather avoid."

After that, Thia focused entirely on eating her large portion of breakfast, so I didn't want to bother her with any other questions. Ves still looked like she was in heaven as she savored her meal.

Once we had finished, I felt it was best to lay out our plans. "Is there a library, or some other source of information, in the village where we can do research?"

Ves cocked her head. "Hmm... unfortunately, the village hall is the closest thing we've got. There's a collection of books that adventurers have used to prepare for their travels. Don't know how comprehensive or up-to-date it is, though. My guess? 'Not even close.'"

Thia brought a finger to her lips as she thought. "Ultimately, I believe we will need to leave Perrenbrook if we are to make any headway into this mystery."

"Okay, hold on." I held out both my hands to make a point, then realized I looked like a conspiracy theorist. "Is this actually a mystery? I don't know the first thing about magical runes. What if they're created by accident? Like a... a by-product of some other magical effect." Both women were looking at me with a mixture of confusion and patience. "This is a cave that tons of adventurers--"

"Tons?" Ves scoffed.

"That many adventurers have explored over the years, and yet, this rune carved into the ground wasn't discovered until the other day. How do we know that it didn't appear because of one of your spells?"

The netharri crossed her arms and lowered one ear. "Because they need to be deliberately created. Even if they could be made accidentally, it would be like trying to draw a picture with your eyes closed. You'd have as much of a chance of creating one than me."

I sat back in defeat. "Alright, alright, I just had to ask."

Thia looked at Ves. "This is the furthest I have been from Karneissdran..." She turned to me. "My hometown. As such, I do not know much about what lies beyond this region. Karneissdran is, in many ways, closer to a fortress than a proper city. While we may have more luck attempting research there, it may be in our best interests to find another location."

"And I've only been to a couple of nearby villages... and that was a long time ago." Ves scratched the back of her head. "Never had much reason - or opportunity - to learn about more than that."

Tabur came by to take our dishes, and I remembered something. "Hey, Tabur. Ves mentioned that you moved here from another town - is that right?"

He grunted in agreement. "Yessir, Vandrenvar born and raised."

"How long does it take to get there?"

Tabur placed the tray back down on the table and scratched his beard, exhaling loudly. "...'Bout two, maybe five, days."

I looked around the table, wondering if this was normal. "Two to five days? Why does it vary so much?"

Thia chimed in. "Weather."

And then Ves. "Monsters."

"Right... of course. Thanks, Tabur. Oh! Right. Do you know if, uh, Vandrenvar has any libraries or scholars?"

The burly man smirked, which looked unsettling on his face. "Too many." He lifted the tray, the dishes and utensils clinking and clattering, and carried it off to the kitchen.

I turned back to my party. "Well? Does that sound like an idea? Best case scenario, we find the info we need, and we're another step closer to our goal. Worst case scenario, it means we get to spend more time working together on the guild's dime."

"It's definitely an idea..." Ves shrugged. "I mean, it's the only lead we have. I don't think there's going to be anywhere closer than a few days away that'll have anything helpful."

Thia sighed. "I agree that it is the foremost option that we have. However... I would be remiss if I did not mention that, should enough time pass without positive results, the Seekers will consider the investigation failed. Especially as my brother has such a keen interest in seeing the Cave sealed."

Ves slumped down in her seat, her ears flattening. "Not surprising. And it just hit me that we can't get free meals here when we're traveling. That was fun while it lasted."

Shit. I hadn't considered that, either. "Guess we gotta figure out what kind of travel rations we need, and prepare for the worst."

Sitting up straight, Thia pumped a fist in an enthusiastic gesture. "Right! Yes, let us not dwell on the negatives. The sun is still somewhat low. We could head to the store with haste, and leave the village as soon as possible."

"You think we could?" I glanced at the nearest window. The sun hadn't made its way above the tops of the trees surrounding the village, but the sky was no longer red and orange. "Maybe we should split up to save time."

"Oh, I like that idea." Ves perked up, and held out a bag of coins; presumably the first stipend. "I don't mind doing the shopping if you two can take care of the reading part. Wasn't looking forward to that, anyway."

I told her that it was fine by me, and Thia agreed. We all decided to take care of that stuff first, then Thia would grab her belongings from her room at the inn, while Ves grabbed hers from her home. We would all meet up in front of the inn once we were ready to go.

"Oh, wait!" I called out to Ves right after we began heading in separate directions, and she spun around. "Could you please make sure to get the charcoal rubbing I made in the Cave?" Ves tapped her head and pointed at me, winking, then continued on her way.

"Charcoal rubbing?" Thia looked at me quizzically as we set off for the village hall. I explained how I had essentially made a copy of the rune onto a piece of parchment so that we had it as reference. "Very clever, Jeremy. That should prove to be invaluable. However... I do look forward to you taking me to see the rune, one day, so that I can see it for myself."

"Guess that wouldn't be the weirdest date I've ever been on. Or the first one in a cave, for that matter." Thia gave me a sly grin, and I realized I needed to go into more detail. "It was in high school. I took a girl to an old mine that had become a tourist attraction. Uh, my hometown wasn't all that different from Perrenbrook, the more that I think about it."

"And how did that date turn out?"

"Let's just say I didn't do any more delving for a couple of years." Thia took my hand and squeezed it comfortingly, but she was clearly suppressing a smile. "How about you? Got any good or weird date stories?"

"Ah, well... You see..." She nervously twirled her blonde hair. "Between my studies, my parents, and especially my brother, I never had the opportunity to be... properly courted."

"Damn, that's too bad. Wait - the other day - that wasn't your first time doing that...?" I wasn't exactly a blowjob connoisseur, but it had been obvious to me that Thia did not lack experience.

"No, you see... I became quite skilled at sneaking out at night for the occasional... dalliance."

"Oh!" I smirked playfully. "I always wanted to do something like that when I was growing up, but my town was so spread out, it wasn't easy. Sounds like you should have been the Rogue."

"And yet, the Goddess has decided otherwise. She is mysterious, but I had always believed that Her decisions were less confusing. Although," Thia looked up at me. "I have to wonder if I will begin to demonstrate some Rogue traits after we spend time fighting together, similar to how Vestele evaded the rat queen."

"It only happened that one time, and it was at a stressful moment, so it's hard to say. But I've been thinking about that, too. I don't want to get ahead of ourselves, though, so we'll have to see what happens while we're on the road."

We arrived at the village hall and greeted Mrs. Zurax as we entered, then asked her if we could check out the collection of tomes. "Of course, dears. They're available for anyone to read, but please put them back on the shelves when you're finished."

The collection was only comprised of about two dozen books, all of which were pretty substantial in terms of page count, but definitely showed their age. We were able to discount most of them without much effort, as their subject matter wasn't at all related to runes, or even magic in general. I made a mental note to come back to check out the books on geography and local monsters after we'd returned to Perrenbrook.

Ultimately, the only information on runes that we could find was the most barebones, "intro to magic" kind. This was, admittedly, still kind of useful to me, but didn't answer any of our questions about exactly what kind of rune we had found, or the specifics of how it could be activated. Fortunately, some of the more general information I learned was good to know.

Ves's main reason for figuring out how to activate the Cave rune was because she thought it might be hiding treasure, and sure enough, the most common use for runes was to seal up entrances, varying from doors or other passages to small hiding places. A lot of the other basic uses for runes were for surprisingly simple things, like acting as the magical equivalent of a lightbulb. Since very few people could actually create runes, however, having a rune like that in one's home was definitely a sign of wealth or status.

"The entrance hall to the Seekers' headquarters has one of those runes." Thia went on to explain that it had been there for years, created by a powerful guild member, who apparently left the guild to make a fortune.

I also learned that runes could be set up to have many different kinds of triggers, making them nearly impossible to just brute force or get lucky with a wild guess. Some especially powerful runes could even require multiple people using magic or other actions simultaneously in order to activate.

We were finished much faster than I had expected, but wasn't too disappointed. I get to go on an actual quest! Thia informed Mrs. Zurax that we would be leaving the village as part of our assignment, so we likely wouldn't be picking up the next stipend on the scheduled day. The saucy old goblin wished us luck with a wink, which I returned with finger guns, although I have no idea if she knew what that meant.

Once we were back at the inn, Thia led me upstairs to her room. The first thing I noticed was how small it was, which wasn't surprising, but it felt smaller because there were two beds. Thia explained that she had been sharing a room with Ullun. "It will be nice to have my own room again. That is, when we return."

"It'll probably be just as quiet."

Thia chuckled and began unfastening her armor. "While that is mostly accurate, she does open up to me on occasion. I still do not think she would consider us to be friends, despite that."

If someone had told me that this was a vacant room, I wouldn't have been surprised. The beds were neatly made, and Thia only had a few personal items on the nightstand. Her sword and shield were mounted on hooks, which I almost mistook for decorations at first glance. Only after taking a minute to look around was I able to find a small backpack tucked away between the nightstand and the bed.

The gentle thump of Thia's breastplate being placed by the nightstand refocused my attention. As she moved on to removing her gauntlets, I realized that I hadn't seen her without her armor on before now. The blue dress she wore beneath her armor was not as... flattering as Ves's new Healer outfit, but it emphasized the more elegant parts of Thia's personality.

With her back facing me, I moved up behind Thia and embraced her. The black-horned beauty cooed and melted into my hug. I enjoyed the feeling of Thia held against me as she finished removing her gauntlets. Her dress had short sleeves, revealing dark scales along the back of her arms.

The horns, the scales, the intense feelings of desire that border on greed... "Aevrana are sort of like... dragon-people, right?"

Thia turned around and wrapped her arms around me. "Essentially, yes, although any actual connection was before recorded history."

"I like your scales... and your horns, for that matter. They're beautiful. I wish I'd had the chance to say something sooner."

The petite part-dragon pulled me down for a kiss. "We have not had much time together. But that is changing, now, even if we won't be alone." Judging by the look on her face, she didn't seem too upset about that.

"I'm just looking forward to getting to know you better."

"As am I." We kissed again, longer this time, letting the moment linger. Thia looked up at me, her eyes half-lidded, biting her lower lip. "We... should meet Vestele soon, but... I would be happy to pleasure you again."

"Ohhh no, not this time." I lifted her up, bringing us eye-to-eye. She gasped in excitement and immediately wrapped her legs around my torso. I turned to her bed and knelt down until she was sitting on the mattress, then gently moved her legs until they were over my shoulders. "It's my turn."

CHAPTER 17 - Oral History

"Jeremy!" Thia giggled. "What are you-- ahh..."

As I pushed her dress up, I kissed one of her thighs, then the other. Much like her arms, there were dark scales along the front of her legs. The scales on her shins were larger, taking up the whole front half of her lower legs, while the rest from her knees to her hips were much thinner. From this perspective, I could see what she had on beneath her blue dress: a surprisingly, but pleasingly, sexy pair of black lace panties.

I ran my fingers along her scales, feeling how firm and cool they were to the touch. It was the polar opposite of her bare skin, which was soft and getting warmer by the second. "Are you able to feel this?"

"Yes, but not as well as I am able to feel your bristles." She giggled again as she lightly moved her legs against the sides of my face. I'd let her do that all day...

"Well, let's see just how sensitive you are the further I go." Moving closer to her core, I pressed her thighs around my face, rubbing my three-days-past-5-o'clock shadow on her supple skin. Her muscles tensed as a series of small gasps escaped her full lips. Upon reaching her pussy, I gave her a kiss on her underwear. Heat was practically radiating from her core, and the scent was downright intoxicating.

"Do you always wear sexy lingerie under your armor?"

"I was hoping that you would have the opportunity to see it," Thia said invitingly, breathing a bit faster than normal. "I was beginning to think it might not happen today."

The fabric was already glazed with her arousal. My sweet, irresistible, Thia was still wearing her boots, so I only moved her underwear around my head and to her knees, granting me access to her entrance. She was completely hairless down there, but there were some small, thin, scales an inch or so from either side of her pussy. Those had me very intrigued. Similar to her other scales, they were cool in comparison to her skin, but these felt more pliant as I traced them with my tongue.

Thia inhaled sharply as her legs jerked in response, and she placed a hand on my head, urging me to move towards her pussy. "Ah- no, no, too sensitive..."

I placed a few slow kisses on her mound, then finally slid my tongue across her succulent lips. Her taste was delicious; easily the best pussy I had ever eaten. I savored the taste as my tongue delved in. The sounds of Thia moaning and gripping the bedsheets were partially muffled by her thighs around my ears. I caressed her tender legs. God, I hope we get a chance to really explore each other's bodies soon...

Before I could lose myself just lapping up her heavenly juices, Thia grabbed the back of my head. "Mmm... Jeremy, that feels marvelous... Please, just a little higher--Yes! Yes!"

Having the privilege to guide Ves through her first sexual experiences was absolutely fantastic, but I also appreciated when a woman knew exactly what she needed. Thia guided me to where I could be the most effective, like she was using me for her pleasure. I fucking loved it: her moans, her words, the way her body shivered and tensed because of my actions.

"Right there - lick upwards, towards my-- Yes! Lick my little clit, please!"

That alone nearly pushed me past my limit. I didn't know who was enjoying this more: me, or her.

The smell was stronger, and better, than ever. Thia tightened her grip on my hair, and her voice had become shaky and whimpering. "Oh, Goddess! Lick me more... P-please, don't stop! I... I beg you!"

I was never one to ignore a woman's pleads. My tongue continued to lick her nub, and Thia's moans increased in intensity. "More! I'm so close, Jeremy! I'm-- I'm going to cum!"

That was just what I wanted to hear, and I knew how to get her there: I gave her clit a gentle nibble.

Thia cried out. "Oh, oh, FUCK! I'm cumming!" Her body quaked, and her grip tightened, feeling like she might rip out my hair. When her thighs clamped tight around my head, as if she would never let me escape, I was just happy to keep giving her pleasure. Her juices burst from her pussy, giving me more reward than I deserved.

I was thrilled that she enjoyed that as much as she did, because I knew I'd be happy to do it again whenever she wanted. Thia's body shivered for what felt like half a minute. Once she was breathing normally again and the tension faded, her hand dropped from my head, and I gave it a squeeze.

"Th-that was... I have never... Jeremy, you were amazing." Her physical response had made that clear, but it felt great to hear her say it.

"I'm glad you liked it." I rose from my knees and climbed over her, kissing her while her juices still covered my face. Thia eagerly returned the kiss, her tongue pushing into my mouth, followed by her licking my lips to taste her own sweet fluid.

"I mean it," she breathed. "My pussy has only been licked a few times before, and it was always so fast, indelicate, and... perfunctory. Little more than a prelude to what those... those boys truly desired."

I moved to her side and helped her sit up, next to me. "Right... your 'dalliances'?"

Thia leaned against my shoulder, and I wrapped an arm around her, but had to be cautious of her horns. "Oh, Jeremy, I am so happy that I met you!" She looked up at me, enrapturing me with her blue eyes. We moved in for another kiss, which we both knew could easily evolve into much more, but it would have been rude to leave Ves waiting any longer.

We both needed to do a bit of cleaning up, but since Thia's groin wasn't as visible as my face (not to mention, mostly cleaned up by yours truly), she left the room to retrieve some wet towels. After pulling up her underwear and leaving the room, she asked me to pack up her armor. I opened the window to air out the room, then grabbed the small backpack next to the nightstand.

It couldn't possibly hold the breastplate, so I scoured the rest of the small room for another container. Fortunately, Thia was back soon, and asked me what I was looking for.

"Sorry - I couldn't find the bag, or suitcase, or whatever, for your armor..."

"But my pack is right there." She pointed at the backpack, which I had left on her bed, with a polite smile.

"That one? But it's-- oh. Oh! It's bigger than it looks, right? One of those, uh, what're they called..."

"A 'pack of plenty'. Are you unfamiliar with these?"

"Yeah. They don't exist in my world, but I get the basic concept. So this bag can hold, what, hundreds of pounds?"

Thia giggled. "The most expensive variations, yes. Mine cannot carry much more than my armor."

"Hey, that's still really impressive to me. And I bet it's worth a decent amount."

She handed me a moist towel, and I wiped off my face. "Yes, this originally belonged to my grandfather. He also owned a much larger pack, but it was bequeathed to Kaelition."

"That doesn't seem fair."

Thia sat down to remove her panties, wrapping them up in a small, dry, towel to clean later. "I received other belongings, but the bulk of my grandfather's adventuring gear went to my brother because he had already been granted his class, while I was still several years away from mine." There was a hint of envy in her tone, and understandably so. She reached into the pack of plenty and withdrew a clean pair of underwear - a much less enticing pair, more suited for travel - and put it on. "Now, let me show you how this works."

Following her instructions, I held the pack in a specific way and pulled, expanding the opening far wider than it should have. The inside was pitch black, and honestly, more than a little unnerving. How do we know there's not cosmic horrors lurking around in there?? It was purely mundane to Thia, who took a little amusement at my wonder and confusion. I lifted the breastplate and placed it inside, careful not to let my fingers cross the threshold, and it vanished. The opening shrank back down to its original size.

"You need not worry about your hand!" Thia was too happy about having to teach me about this magical item. "You will need to reach in if you ever want to retrieve something, you know."

I offered to wear the backpack, but Thia declined, since I would be carrying many of the supplies that Ves had procured. We confirmed that there was nothing left behind in the room, and left to go downstairs and meet our netharri party member.

The inn's main room and dining area were mostly empty and quiet, now that breakfast was over. Ves was wearing a backpack and chatting with Brinn and Tabur over by the front entrance, with another (noticeably larger) pack by her feet. She heard us enter and waved with a big smile on her beautiful face. The smile turned into the most cat-like grin I'd ever seen as we approached, and I was sure I knew the reason why.

"Took you long enough. Got everything we need." She pointed at Thia's pack of plenty. "Can I assume you didn't find the solution to everything in one of those books, then? The journey's still on?"

"Yeah, we'll explain on the way. Goodbye, Brinn, Tabur - we'll all miss your cooking."

Brinn surprised me with a big hug, but she did seem like the type. "Safe travels, dears. We hope to see you again soon."

Tabur grunted. "But not too soon. Don't rush it. Explore. Have fun. Kick some ass."

"Hell yeah," Ves chuckled. "We'll send word when we're on our way back, so you can prepare a feast!"

Thia and Ves got their own hugs from Brinn as I put on my heavy backpack and swore that I would buy my own pack of plenty as soon as we earned - or found - enough gold. Before I exited the building, I turned back to wave one last time at the innkeeping couple, and Tabur gave me a subtle thumbs up and a single nod of his bald head.

CHAPTER 18 - Standard Party Procedure

"Okay, so we're heading in which direction?" I looked up to try and see where the sun was at, which was difficult due to the height of the trees surrounding Perrenbrook. "East?"

"Uh-huh," Ves agreed.

"And this town, uh, shit. I forgot its name. Is it pretty much straight to the east, or do we need to take a different road partway, or what?"

"It's Vanndrenvar," Thia giggled.

"I asked Tabur how to get there." Ves had a confident smile. "It's not a straight shot, but it shouldn't be confusing. Oh, and speaking of Tabur..." She shrugged off her backpack and rooted around before withdrawing what looked like a couple of clear plastic drinking straws. "We're officially outside of the village borders now, so... I wanted to give you both something to commemorate our first journey!"

Grinning, I accepted the gift and looked it over, unsure exactly what it was or what to do with it. It really did look like a plastic straw up close, but I knew that it couldn't possibly be that simple. (And why would she give those as gifts, anyway?) "Hey, thanks, Ves!"

Thia's mouth was wide open in joyous surprise. "Oh, Vestele! This is... you did not... I am honored!"

Ves looked away, shaking her head. "It's not that big of a deal."

It was clear to me right away that I would never figure out what this thing was unless I asked, and luckily, Thia was more than happy to explain. "These are armor enhancers! When applied to magical armor, they slightly enhance its abilities." She removed her pack of plenty and reached into it, retrieving one of her gauntlets, then held out her enhancer for me to take. "This unravels into a flat sheet, which you then place on the armor. You should be able to feel where the sheet ends, and then you peel it open.

As I followed Thia's instructions, I realized that this was just like finding the end of a roll of tape, and once I started peeling it open, it really was a lot like a sheet of cellophane. "Okay, where do I place it?"

Thia had me lay it on top of the gauntlet. A few seconds after that, it gave off a faint glow, then the sheet seemed to disappear. Thia was grinning ear-to-ear. "I am still using the armor I received from the Goddess upon having my class granted. For Defenders, the gauntlets allow one to more reliably use a shield to resist blows." Her smile faded somewhat. "As I learned from fighting the rat queen... I can use all the help I can muster."

The memory flashed in my mind: the enormous rat monster slamming its claws down onto Thia's shield, nearly breaking her arm.

"This is awesome... What should I use mine on?" I had no idea that the different parts of my leather armor potentially had different effects on my Rogue talents, and my party members admitted that they didn't know anything about my class's gear, either.

"I only know about my equipment because my brother taught me, and did not bother to learn about any other classes."

Ves crossed her arms. "I never figured out what my robes did, other than trip me up. But when I bought this dress, Tabur said that it increases casting speed a bit."

There was one thing I was confident in knowing about my gear: it allowed me to move silently, at least for a short while. Some kind of boost to that wouldn't hurt. I gave my enhancer to Thia and lifted my foot so she could apply it.

"Thanks again, Ves. That was really cool of you."

She shrugged, but had a hint of a smile. "Eh, I was buying supplies anyway, and Tabur gave me a great deal on the enhancers. Said it was thanks for ordering so much food on the Seeker's tab."

Around noon, we left the road to take a break and eat sandwiches that Brinn had been kind enough to give Ves as a gift for our journey. The innkeeping couple were quickly becoming some of my favorite people in Fielende... not that I knew a whole lot of people yet. We were all thankful to delay eating travel rations, even just by one meal.

It was getting warmer out, but hadn't reached unpleasant levels yet, especially in the shade of the large trees. We'd been walking for at least a few hours, but I hadn't seen anything other than the dirt road and the surrounding forest. I kind of loved it. Just me, Ves, Thia... the sound of birds and insects all around... the light filtering through the leaves and branches... It was heavenly.

We had been telling each other little anecdotes about ourselves. Well, the ladies were mostly asking me questions, since they were fascinated by the "other world" I came from. I'm sure Earth could not have sounded stranger from the way I was trying to answer their questions. I would either describe something in ways they couldn't possibly understand, or oversimplify things and make them sound ridiculous.

It wasn't that important, though. There was a small comfort in thinking that I could - possibly, if needed - try to find a way home, should things go awry in Fielende. For all I knew, every winter, yetis emerged and ate half the population. How do you even ask about something like that? "Hey, are there any horrifying, recurring events I should be on the lookout for? Any Dark Lords consolidating power at the moment?"

But at the moment, sitting in the shade with two beautiful women, with a class granted to me by a Goddess, on the beginnings of a quest to learn about a magical rune... Nothing could pry me away from this world.

When we finished our break, Ves used her magic to clean our bodies and clothes of sweat and dirt. "Damn, that is such a useful spell. It's almost like getting a fresh start on our trip."

Ves couldn't have looked prouder at first, but then her smirk faded. "... Bet you wish you could have cast it on yourselves before we left, huh?"

Thia made a faint "Oh!" sound, and I felt my heart sink a little bit. "Ah... you could smell it?"

She shrugged with a half-hearted smile. "I probably wasn't the only one. Had a good time?"

Man, what a trick question. It felt like I was going to upset someone no matter what I said. Before I could even attempt to put my newly-enhanced boot in my mouth, Thia replied. "No, I had a wonderful time." There was pure sincerity in her voice - she didn't sound like she was bragging, or being competitive... just genuinely happy. She positioned herself so she was sitting next to me and leaned into my shoulder.

Some of the color drained out of Ves's face. I got the impression that she was trying to make this situation less awkward for herself with her usual brand of snark, but it didn't seem to be working. "Huh, and the party had only been formed for, what, an hour? I'd, uh, heard the stories, but..."

Thia's head shot up (narrowly avoiding poking my cheek with her horns). "Excuse me, Jeremy and I had already shared an intimate encounter prior to being party members!" From her words alone, I thought she might actually be offended, but her half-lidded eyes and faint smile suggested otherwise.

"Okay, fair enough." Ves shifted nervously, and sighed. "Ugh, sorry. This is just so new to me."

That defused a bit of my own tension, and I chuckled as I finally released the breath I'd been holding in. "Everything that's happened to me lately has been new to me! Whatever this is feels more strange and wonderful than seeing magic and fighting monsters. But I don't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable."

One of Ves's ears lowered and she looked at me with slight confusion. "You're not making anyone uncomfortable... right, Thia?"

Thia held onto my arm and shook her head, smiling serenely. The sight made my heart skip a beat, and when I looked back at Ves, it happened again. Seeing the gorgeous, feisty, catgirl looking so nervous because she had feelings for me at the same time as another woman was almost overwhelming, in the best of ways. "There's definitely some cultural differences here that I still need to learn. Ves, this isn't the first time you've suggested something about parties. Can you please explain?"

The color had been returning to Ves's face, but my question added a bit of red. "Uh, well, like I said, I'd heard stories. More like rumors, really." Her eyes widened. "Hey, Thia. You've been around a lot of adventurers, right?"

"Yes, and I would be happy to explain." Thia sat up straight, as if she were ready to teach a lesson. "I have heard many refer to this as 'Standard Party Procedure'. First and foremost, it is important that I mention that none of this is any sort of formal rule, and it is called a 'procedure' merely in jest."

The look on Ves's face - narrowed eyes and flattened ears - told me everything I needed to know about what kind of student she would be.

Thia continued. "Essentially, adventurers spend an abundance of time in close proximity to their party members. They develop their abilities, grow stronger, and face life-or-death situations regularly. What begins as a more formal partnership grows into camaraderie, and in many cases... intimacy."

Something told me that this happened faster in parties with at least one aevrana, based on my experiences with Thia and what she told me about their powerful desires.

Ves nodded slowly as Thia finished her explanation. "So there's a lot of fucking between party members. That's pretty much what I thought."

"That would be an oversimplification," Thia laughed. "It is just more likely to happen for the reasons I mentioned, and it is not a magical compulsion. If there is truly no attraction between party members, then they are more likely to just become great friends."

This was a lot to take in. It made sense, but to think that I'd be in a position like that... "Wait. None of that matters, because it's not like there's going to be any... intimacy while we're traveling together."

Thia's lower lip quivered. "But... why not?"

"Well, okay, maybe if we're ever able to get multiple rooms at an inn, but even then, I... I would want to make sure I spend equal time with both of you." I couldn't believe I was saying this to two amazing women at once.

However, those same women both seemed to be confused at what I was saying, again. Ves cocked her head. "Is this another 'cultural difference'?"

"Yeah? Probably?" I sighed. "Okay, look. Where I'm from, most people will... court only one other person at a time. Then they tend to get married, or break up, and they can try again with someone else. Sometimes, people will court multiple people, until they form a strong-enough connection to one of them, and then they become exclusive to each other."

"Do they ever just... marry the multiple people if the connection is strong enough?"

"Do they... oh! No, they court them all separately. That's what I thought was happening here..." Clearly, I was mistaken.

My lovely party members burst into laughter... of the happy kind, fortunately, and not the derisive kind.

"Oh, Jeremy," Thia sighed, pressing her face against my arm for a moment. "You are courting Vestele and me together."

I was speechless for a bit, and the ladies laughed again. Thia leaned over to say something to Ves about my reactions being cute, and Ves replied with something snarky, making Thia giggle. None of this really registered with me as I tried to process what was happening.

Eventually, I was able to speak again. "Is... are relationships like that common?" The only people I knew in Fielende who were in a confirmed relationship were Tabur and Brinn, which seemed to be a standard monogamous marriage like I was familiar with.

Ves patted my back. "They're not uncommon. Happens more often with adventurers and the rich. And adventurers tend to become rich if they're any good at it."

That made sense: as with most things, it came down to money. In this case, being able to afford to support a larger family.

I still couldn't help but wonder how Ves was really feeling. She had said she wasn't uncomfortable, but she still seemed nervous... and last night, she had admitted to being a little jealous of Thia. Her nerves, at least, could be explained as part of her lack of romantic experience, but I'd have to talk with her in private regarding any lingering feelings of jealousy.

"Ves, are you-- oh, wow!"

A squirrel had suddenly run between me and Ves. Weird that it got so close to us. Maybe the squirrels here aren't used to people.

"So you've got squirrels here, too, huh? Please tell me they're just regular squirrels and there's not some kind of giant squirrel queen."

Ves chuckled. "No, don't worry. Squirrel kings, though--"

Another one suddenly dashed by us. That was enough to make me think we should be cautious. "Maybe... we should get up." In agreement, my party members rose and grabbed their packs. We hadn't made it the short distance to the road before a low rumbling noise could be heard in the distance... in the same direction the squirrels had come from.

"Keep moving!" I urged the others to get onto the road and away from whatever was coming our way. Seconds later, the source of the rumbling was visible through the trees: it was a stampede of animals. There were more squirrels, but also deer, rabbits, badgers, and many other small mammals - I was pretty sure I saw at least one fox. Fortunately for us, the animals' path did not lead them onto the road.

"Is this normal? What's going on?"

"No, this isn't normal!" Ves shouted over the stampede. "Why has all this weird shit started happening since you got here?!"

"Maybe my arrival is part of the weird shit; not the cause of it!"

Only a few scattered animals were trailing the main group, but the rumbling sound persisted.

"Something else approaches..." Keeping her eyes focused on the area where the animals had emerged, Thia opened her pack and withdrew her wooden shield and a single gauntlet, and nervously fumbled with the straps.

I quickly drew my daggers, then motioned at our Healer. "Ves, get behind us!" She nodded and did as I suggested. "Thia, try to stay within Ves's healing--"

A piercing howl caused us all to flinch. Ves had to cover her sensitive ears and looked especially pained by the awful sound. Before we could register what was happening, three large animals ran in our direction at a frightening pace.

At first glance, they appeared to be wolves: grey fur, four legs... but something was off. As the animals got closer, I could see huge sections of their flesh were missing with the bones exposed, and the flesh that remained looked disgusting and rotten.

They were undead.