Thinking about it, the prevalence of restaurants pretty much everywhere in the multiverse was kind of weird. It was understandable they existed in low-ranked areas with a lot of people in lower grades, but somewhere like the Order? Barely anyone had to eat. Yet they were still in every single district, and from the looks of it, damn popular too.
Jake asked Irin a bit about the benefits of consuming food, and besides the minor buffs to regeneration and the fact eating restored some resources, there wasn’t really any practical purpose. At least not from the food offered in restaurants like one could find in the Order. Yet it was just a custom to eat among people of all grades, be they D or S-grade.
”I think rather than question why people eat, you should ask why they wouldn’t,” Irin said as they made their way to the restaurant where Scarlett and her friends were. ”We live long lives, and while you are pretty damn one-track-minded, the majority isn’t. People need time to mentally recharge and simply enjoy themselves once in a while. It isn’t even about being lazy. A few days of break from a difficult task can help you come back with a healthier mental state, allowing you to spot things you couldn’t before.”
”That makes sense,” Jake acknowledged, even if he didn’t feel like that himself. He never truly had the need to relax, but he could recognize that it was nice to just take time off once in a while, like when he spent time with his family. It also wasn’t like this would hurt your Path in any way. With the lifespans people had in higher grades, it did become unreasonable to work all the time.
”Why do you think entertainment is such a big thing in the multiverse?” Irin smiled. ”Many adopt hobbies even if they are not related to their professions, though the enlightened do have it easier as they can switch between profession and class to bring diversity into their progress. For monsters, in particular, you need something other than just constant work, which is why you stumble across so many forms of entertainment. Gaming houses, gambling, and competitions of all kinds can be found anywhere. Ah, and of course, one of the most popular forms of entertainment.”
”I already know what you’re gonna say, and-” Jake tried in vain.
”Sex, or, you know, brothels,” Irin grinned, clearly enjoying being blunt with Jake. ”Don’t even think the people working there always do it just for Credits. You would be surprised how many individuals of all sexes and races go there not to earn anything but simply to entertain themselves. Many of the brothels aren’t even about exchanging money. They are more just places where you meet up, mingle, and hopefully find someone else with mutual attraction. Of course, there are also a lot of brothels operating under far worse conditions, and the entire slave business is certainly propped up by people looking for slaves to entertain them, but you would be surprised by how rare that kind of thing actually is. If you can afford slaves, you are probably wealthy or powerful, in which case you don’t need to buy partners who will willingly jump into bed with you.”
”How did we get here from me asking why restaurants are so popular?” Jake sighed.
”Because I wanted to semi-subtly tell you that worrying about power dynamics when trying to look for mutual entertainment is kind of stupid as you take the topic way too seriously,” the succubus smiled before looking slightly disappointed. ”Ah, we are here. I should have walked slower.”
Jake felt relief as he escaped being called out by Irin and looked at the massive building in front of him. It resembled a pagoda but with far more floors than was feasible on Earth. The entire thing was made of wood and very well-decorated. All in all, it looked like an expensive place to eat.”Oh well, let’s head inside,” Irin said as she grabbed Jake by the arm and dragged him inside.
Jake was taken by surprise as he had been busy scanning his sphere to see if he could spot Scarlett, but he saw someone else he recognized before her. At a large table on one of the upper floors sat Reika together with her roommate, the beastfolk Bastilla. He hadn’t seen Reika for a while, so it was a pleasant surprise.
Her being there also wasn’t a coincidence. She was sitting together with Scarlett, one of the other human alchemists from Earth, and two scalekin Jake did not recognize. Considering they sat on the same side of the table as Scarlett, he assumed they were her friends.
Allowing himself to be dragged inside by Irin, the demoness just flashed the waiter a token, allowing them to walk straight inside and over to one of the teleporters. The floors of the pagoda were all individual rooms, and each could only be accessed through teleportation, with powerful formations also isolating the rooms for privacy.
Irin’s token allowed them to teleport straight up into the room where everyone else was waiting. Jake smiled as he saw them, making his mask invisible.
They all turned to look at the two new people who had appeared. Reika and Bastilla were the first to turn and look, and they didn’t look surprised, meaning they had expected him, with the human alchemist sitting with Reika also just nodded politely. Scarlett, however, had a weird reaction. Her face momentarily flashed a smile before her eyes turned into slits, and she froze, staring at Jake and Irin.
Jake followed her gaze and only realized now that Irin still held his arm, now tighter than before. Almost as if she waited for him to notice before letting go, she finally disengaged and bowed to everyone at the table. ”Hello there, some of you know me, but for those who don’t, I am Irinixis of the Humanoid Resources Department.”
”Congratulations on your evolution,” Reika responded. ”To both of you.”
She herself was still level 199, meaning she was probably working hard on catching up with either her class or profession or perhaps shoring up weaknesses before evolving. Bastilla was lower at 186, with the other human alchemist at 192.
”Thanks,” Jake responded as he regarded them all, including the scalekins. ”Jake Thayne, a pleasure to meet you all.”
Scarlett seemed to have calmed down after seeing Irin let go of Jake, but she still glared daggers at the succubus before standing up and bowing. ”Thank you for joining us, Lord Thayne.”
Her tone was overly polite, and Jake could see she had clearly gone far for this entire event. She did not wear her usual dress made of her own skin but had gone out and bought one, and even her hair was set up. Remembering his recent conversation with Vesperia, he wanted to at least acknowledge the work she had put in.
”I should thank you for inviting me,” Jake smiled at her. ”You look great, too. It suits you.”
It was just a small compliment, but Scarlett turned, well, scarlet in the face as she beamed. She quickly invited Jake and Irin over to take a seat, seemingly entirely over Irin’s shenanigans when they entered. He said that, but she made Irin sit in the middle of the table while she placed Jake at the end of the table, with her sitting on one side and Reika on the other.
Jake also noticed something else interesting. Of the two scalekin with Scarlett, one of them was a female, and the other was a male, with the male staring at him quite intently. He regarded both and used Identify on the male and female, respectively.
[Azure Dragonkin – lvl 281 – Divine Blessing of the Venerated Azure Dragon]
[Thundervenom Adder – lvl 264]
He was surprised to see the male be a dragonkin variant and even have the Blessing of someone named the Venerated Azure Dragon - a Divine Blessing too. The name of the god struck Jake as a bit weird, but he chose to not question it. He just politely smiled and nodded at the two of them as he took his seat.
Scarlett instantly called for a server to take their orders using a token as she asked Jake about his new armor and recent evolution. Jake answered all her questions as he also checked her progress.
[Alabaster Crimsoneye Snake – lvl 289 – Greater Blessing of the Malefic Viper]
Jake hadn’t actually known her level before, so it was a bit useless to just check it, but after asking, he learned she had gained four levels since joining the Order. This seemed low, but she had mainly been learning how to improve her current skills and better internally cultivate her venoms.
The Greater Blessing she had also wasn’t something Jake was behind but was granted by Villy. The snake god had upgraded it after she had joined his faction properly, instantly giving her a high status within the Order of the Malefic Viper. From all he learned from Scarlett, he also came to understand why the male dragonkin didn’t like Jake and why the Thundervenom Adder in human form threw him constant looks, almost begging him to back off.:
He was interested in Scarlett. Not that Jake cared much, except he did feel a bit sorry for the guy, as clearly Scarlett didn’t know or didn’t care.
”During my trial dungeon, these three asshole dragonkin tried to fuck this other guy and me over, but they were all idiots, not realizing that turning their backs on whoever they were currently backstabbing themselves was the worst move imaginable,” Scarlett explained with a big smile.
”And you didn’t get into any trouble for killing them?” Jake asked, not really worried.
”Nah, what happens in the dungeon stays in the dungeon, right? At least the assholes tried to claim that, so I guess their wishes came true,” she said with a vicious smile. ”Oh, and if I faced them today, it would be even easier. My necrotic and hemotoxin venoms were already quite potent before, but I have recently worked hard on improving ones causing paralysis, as well as ones affecting energy flow and mana control of the victim.”
”You will have to show those to me later,” Jake grinned, genuinely interested.
Scarlett suddenly turned slightly red as she hesitated. ”Since you are C-grade now… should I come by your place for… you know…”
Irin, Reika, Bastilla, the two scalekin, and pretty much everyone at the table turned to Jake curiously while he desperately tried to figure out what the hell she was talking about. It took him a few seconds before he realized it as he tried to diffuse the situation.
”Don’t misunderstand; she is talking about biting me and me potentially biting her a bit,” Jake tried to clarify, but his words had quite the opposite effect as Irin raised an eyebrow, Reika looked surprised, and the male dragonkin looked furious.
”For research purposes!” Jake tried to make it clear once more. ”For the Palate skill and stuff.”
His words did not seem to help at all as the other female snake looked embarrassed and stared back and forth between them. Finally, Irin seemed to realize something as she burst out laughing.
”I keep forgetting how you seem to be unaware of all these things,” she managed to get out in between laughs, her tone not insulting but as if she was simply stating facts. Which she kind of was. ”Lord Thayne, in case you didn’t know, then exchanging venom amongst snakes is viewed as quite an intimate act, and something one only does it with someone they absolutely trust, as it gives you resistance to the other’s venom. To some snakes, it is even considered something you only do with someone you view as a mate for life.”
Jake stared at her for a while, wondering if he should laugh along with her, as what she was saying was clearly a joke, but seeing no one else laugh – especially not Scarlett and the other scalekin – Jake came to realize Irin wasn’t kidding.
Fuck me, not again, Jake could only curse as he scratched his head and laughed nervously.
”Well… you learn something new every day, I guess…”
Sometimes Jake really wondered if he shouldn’t find a class in the Order concerning the weird customs of other races and how not to fuck up and create awkward social situations for himself.
”I… I knew Lord Thayne didn’t know, so I didn’t mean it like that!” Scarlett quickly said, glaring at Irin before whispering in a small tone. ”It is still a bit embarrassing, though.”
”How can someone blessed by the Malefic One be so ignorant?” the Azure Dragonkin said in a slightly mocking tone.
Irin looked at the dragonkin and smiled while shaking her head. ”See, and I thought Lord Thayne liked asking dumb questions. Put two and two together why an enlightened from a newly integrated universe who is already in C-grade may not know everything regarding customs among snakes when he isn’t even a snake himself. Think about it for two seconds, and consider that he may have had other priorities.”
Her tone surprised Jake as she seemed all smiles, but her voice was sharp. The Azure Dragonkin seemed taken aback at the succubus switching from making fun of Jake to insulting him. ”Why is some lowly succubus worker from the Order even still here? If you are done bringing your master here, leave already.”
Scarlett threw the guy a disapproving look as Irin just shook her head. ”Last I checked, I was invited too. Ah, but don’t let me stop you, if my presence makes you feel uncomfortable, you are free to leave.”
The Azure Dragonkin leaned forward and stared her down. ”I thought your kind was educated in not annoying people you shouldn’t annoy.”
”I sincerely apologize. Do you want me to file an official complaint with the Humanoid Ressource Department on your behalf?” Irin answered with her best customer-service voice.
Scoffing, the Azure Dragonkin turned to Scarlett. ”How do you even know this… woman?”
”She helped me join the Order and has continued helping me even after I joined,” Scarlett answered, clearly not happy with the way the dragonkin was acting. Yet she also seemed oddly… perplexed? Why?
”You should reconsider the company you keep,” the man said with a smile as he shook his head. ”You are still new to the wider multiverse, but you can do far better. If you want to be respected, those around you must reflect your status, alright? Even if they are from your homeworld, the Order is your true home now, isn’t it?”
His tone was like he was giving genuine advice, but everyone at the table knew it was an outright insult to everyone else at the table, especially those from Earth.
”Can’t disagree,” Jake spoke after a moment of awkward silence, making everyone look at him. ”This guy clearly sucks; why is he even here?”
Jake stared straight at the Azure Dragonkin, meeting his glowing blue eyes. Jake did not have a doubt in his mind that this dragonkin exceeded him in power, but when had that ever stopped him from calling out people he thought were acting like assholes?
”I meant no disrespect to one blessed by the Malefic One, so why does he go straight to insulting my person?” the dragonkin acted offended.
”Oh please, the first words you ever spoke were an insult, and you haven’t even cared enough to introduce yourself. The Thundervenom Adder beside you is also obviously afraid but subservient to you, and you sit as if you own the place while giving out insults veiled as advice while looking down on everyone present,” Jake scoffed.
Jake saw the Azure Dragonkin’s presence flare in anger, but before he responded, Jake got a telepathic message from Scarlett.
”Lord Thayne… I thought you knew Eranostromoz? He said that he had met and was on friendly terms with the Chosen of the Malefic Viper?”
The words were filled with genuine confusion, making Jake also hesitate. What was she on about? As Jake still tried to understand what was happening, a server entered the room with several drinks for the table. Jake took notice of him through his sphere but didn’t do or say anything as the male dragonkin server began placing down drinks for each of them.
”It is impressive how much importance you think your status holds simply because you managed to get yourself a Lesser Blessing,” the guy, who was apparently called Eranostromoz, said with a mocking tone.
Jake frowned even more as he had a realization. He hid a smile as he asked: ”Scarlett just informed me… you know the identity of the Malefic One’s Chosen?”
He tried to act nervous, and even if he would give his own acting a measly three out of ten, the Azure Dragonkin clearly bought it. ”Know him? I have met him, and we are on friendly terms. Have you heard of the announcement coming in a month’s time? All will be revealed there.”
”You really know him?” Jake once more tried to act astonished. Scarlett, Irin, and Reika had all picked up on what was happening – or at least they think they did - and held their tongues and let Jake do his thing as the guy dug his grave deeper and deeper.
”Is it that surprising that we rare dragonkin variants know one another?” he said, trying to act smug. ”Oh no, I may have revealed a bit too much there.”
”You don’t mean… is he perhaps called Draskil, the Malefic Dragonkin?” Irin came in with the assist, her eyes wide and her mouth gaping. Ten out of ten acting from her.
The Azure Dragonkin grinned. ”So even someone as lowly as you are aware of him.”
”That can’t be…” Jake said with faux horror before he aggressively turned his head to look at the server currently placing down a glass in front of Irin as he spoke in an offended tone. ”When the hell did you make Draskil your Chosen?”
The server stopped and turned to Jake as he put up his hands defensively. ”Hey, don’t look at me; I didn’t know I had gotten a new one either!”