AI: Artificial Isekai

The cuisine does not disappoint. I am slurping up some strips of cut-up steak. The meat is juicy and has a peculiar fruity aftertaste. I am not the only one slurping too. Sini has ordered a bowl of some thick noodle dish. The noodles are saturated with the meaty broth but do not appear mushy, almost like little flavor sponges. Erysis and Nexen are sharing half the menu. Erysis is compensating for her last, more reserved, visit. And Nexen is the unintended casualty, as not even Erysis can accommodate that much food.

"Don't look at me like that." He was throwing me pleading glances. "I'll help you out with the leftovers, but you are rolling Erysis up to your room alone." Sini snorts and starts choking on her food. Pemik gives her some gentle taps on the back. Erysis doesn't even try to defend herself. We both know she has already won this battle.

Miv tries to make his pretend scolding serious, but breaks out into a grin, "No {Best approximation: 'friendly fire' (Similar expression referencing spellcasting)}, team."

He and his brother are enjoying some different cuts of meat and a nice red wine pairing. I really should try alcohol someday. I won't be able to experience the effects it brings, but the taste is another thing. If I ever feel like I am majorly missing out, I can just simulate inebriation. Maybe when I visit one of those more traditional taverns. They are tossing a dwarf around now. He's loving it.

Between already labored bites, Nexen opens the discussion for tonight, "How long have you been adventurers for?" His gaze and his question are directed at the Rangers.

Miv and Pemik leave the floor to Sini. She sighs, more in recollection than anything else. "Should be coming up to fifteen years already. I used to work more closely with the Guild, part of the Break Response Force. But when my daughter was born and when..." She trails off for a moment, looking away and then quickly snapping back. "I made a decision. Scale back down but still make the world a safer place, right?" She tried to make the question sound rhetorical, but her tone sought an answer.

Miv is there for her. "That's right."

She relaxes slightly. "Then these two knuckleheads came along, and we formed the Rangers." Both appear proud of the endearing descriptor.

Miv continues on with their part of the story, "Me and Pem Pem"—who doesn't even register the pet name—"have been roaming the land for as long as we can remember. Isn't that right, brother?" Pemik nods. "Doing odd jobs here and there. Our prowess in battle did not come from a targeted vision but more from a necessity for protection. Only recently did the call to adventure finally reach our ears." Pemik drains his wine. "But I am afraid, was it not for Sini looking after us, it would have been a short journey."

Pemik takes over, "When we arrived in Harthes and joined the Guild, Sini was there to {Best approximation: 'show us the ropes' (Similar colloquial expression with different origins)}."

Miv tags in again, "Those were the days."

Erysis has eliminated her current supply of novel dishes, and while waiting for the next round, joins in, "We've also been interested in joining the Response Force. Do you have any tips, Sini?"

Her disposition shifts to a more serious one. "Power is obvious, you need to be strong, or you'll only be a burden. Mobility is something that many adventurers lack, especially group spells. Very crucial when you have minutes to react. But most importantly, you need total disregard for your own safety, always running toward danger..."

Miv tries to salvage the situation, "More wine, everyone? Maybe a small glass for the kids?" He makes an exaggerated wink.

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Pemik and Sini nod, the latter with a newly deflated spirit.

Erysis shakes her head. "I don't know how you drink that stuff. Too sweet."

Nexen makes a small nod.

I guess I'll try it out. "I can go for some wine."

"One more bottle and a glass of the sourest juice they can give me coming right up."

Miv makes a dash for the bar and returns before the atmosphere at the table can morph back to awkward. Glasses are filled and he reverently offers a glowing, neon green liquid to Erysis.

With his own glass lifted, he starts, "A toast! To a successful first day and a successful mission!" We all reciprocate, with various degrees of enthusiasm.

His little cheering up gambit seems to have worked. He and Erysis start discussing the peculiar mixture he brought her, while Nexen has requested an impromptu lesson in earth magic from Sini. She seems happy to oblige. Leaving me and Pemik to simply listen, our sitting configuration making it disruptive to start our own dialogue.

As the discussion shifts into rough plans for tomorrow, and the occasional slightly relevant dungeon story, I can really take in the taste of the wine. I don't get it. Tastes bad. I even flip on inebriation mode for a couple of nanoseconds. Yeah, I don't like this. I felt like I'd lost control. Oh, well. One does not have to enjoy everything that exists. Maybe if I had a dwarf—or ten—drinking with me, I could see the charm. Is that stereotyping? Hm... Oh. Oh, no. Thank God, you can reverse liver damage pretty easily here.

Taken out of my spiraling ideas for a dwarven rehabilitation program by a question aimed at me, I join back into the conversation. With the mood now firmly on the lighter side, time quickly passes, and we start wrapping up for the night.

Pemik is the first one to excuse himself. After that, contrary to my jab, Erysis is the one that has to help Nexen up. Even employing some assistance from Sini. Leaving me and Miv at the table, finishing off the last drops of drink and last bits of food.

Miv prepares to stand up. "Before we retire for the night, would you join me for a short stroll, Luci?"

"Sure, I heard it's bad to go to sleep right after eating anyways."

"Quite true. Waiting before going to bed helps with your digestion."

We make our way out of the inn and go down one of the, now relatively sparse of people, town streets.

After a few minutes of walking, Miv speaks up, "Luci, have you had some more time to consider my offer?"

"Hmm?" I take a couple of seconds before realizing. "About joining the Rangers? I said I would be happy to, didn't I?" A genuine question.

"You did. I just thought I should give you some time to really consider. I also hope your friends won't be affected by this."

"Who? Erysis and Nexen." I laugh. "Obviously not. It's as you said, they are their own party, and you need a single frontline fighter."

He sighs, relieved. "That's good, I wouldn't want to be the cause of conflict between you. Then,"—he stops in his tracks and offers me his hand—"welcome to the Rangers, Luci." We shake, happy grins on both of our faces. "You and Sini will make a great team."

"Thank you, Miv."

"You are welcome, Luci."

Having covered a sufficient distance, we turn around and head back for the inn.

After a few more minutes of walking, and in a particularly deserted section of the city, it's my turn to speak up, "Miv?" He cocks a brow. "Why do we need two teams? Isn't it better for all of us to be together?"

"It is, Luci. But circumstances aren't always kind." I look slightly concerned. "What Ery is saying is much worse. There is a very real need for more adventurers here, a need that has not been fulfilled for a long time. Leaving a large portion of the dungeons here hardly managed. With two teams of capable individuals, we can cover so much more. And when there is a bigger threat, or a stronger dungeon, we can face it together. Ery and Nex are fantastic fighters, but they lack experience. We have been taking it slow. Normally, we would have already completed twice as many dungeons as we have selected for this whole mission." I look surprised. "Ery and Nex would not be able to keep up with that tempo. They would make mistakes. To be brutally honest, they would be a liability."

"...I see. Is it really that bad around these parts?"

He nods a grim look on his face. "I am sure you noticed me sneaking out occasionally. Most of the people are paying us to operate here."

"Isn't that—"

"Very much so. Please keep it a secret. We tried to refuse at first but... People want to feel secure in their own homes."

"I understand that."

"Me too, Luci. Me too."

The final stretches of our pre-bed exercise are covered in a contemplative silence. After arriving at the inn, we bid each other a good night and head to our rooms. One more day left.