That Tank Is Hanging In For Sheer Life

Ravela’s auburn hair, with a single streak of white, hung over one shoulder in its usual stylish chaos. A smirk tugged at her lips the moment she caught sight of the dining table.

“Well, now this is a sight,” she said, cocking her hip as she surveyed the room. “The whole family eating good food. Did I never make it out of the scrapheaps and get sent somewhere nice?”

“Put on a shirt,” Meredi said, deadpan.

Ravela blinked, then turned her smirk on her sister. “Says the woman whose tank top is doing overtime holding back the local fruit harvest.”

Meredi’s brow twitched. “Ravela.”

“They’re threatening to spill out and scar him for life.”

I coughed so hard I nearly fired the chunk of meat sliding down my throat.

Scar me? Please. My fanboy heart could explode, sure—but I’d die with honor. Hell, if it ever came down to it, this young body was spry enough to whip off my own shirt and preserve Meredi’s dignity in one heroic swoop. I wouldn’t even try to sneak a peek… Unless she wanted me to.

But I’m a gentleman. So only if she really wanted me to.

Ravela plopped herself down next to Cynthia, still grinning. “Relax, relax. I’m just here for food and a little dinner tomfoolery.”

Meredi’s eye narrowed. “You’re not going to put on a shirt, Rav?”

Ravela rolled her eyes. “Saints above, come on. It’s just Tim. Not one of those perverted buggers out there.”

Cynthia chuckled. “Aunty, I put one of those perverts in jail today! Big Blue Vas even gave me a bonus for it. That sorry excuse for a man had been troubling Vas’s niece.”

Ravela grinned—she was so damn proud. “Atta girl, making a difference, one fool at a time.”

It was then that I checked out both Meredi and Ravela, or rather, the things they had hidden on their person. Meredi had a large wrench strapped to her belt, and Ravela had daggers strapped to her thighs, and a few hidden on her corset.

The Prologue implied that the city could be a rough place, but I didn’t really get to dive into it too much. According to my memories, the Saint Giselle layer—our layer—was safer since we were in the middle region. The lower layers were definitely more dangerous, to say nothing of the underground.

“Mmm, mmm, mmm! Smells amazing, Sis,” Ravela said. “You season it with spice or just pure spite?”

“Love,” Meredi said simply, and Ravela snorted again, clearly pleased.

Ravela looked around. “Oh? There’s love here? I would never have guessed.”

Meredi sighed, and just resumed eating. Ravela saw the victory, chuckled, then turned my way.

“So, what do you think of life? I haven’t heard from you for two days; did you even leave your workshop, Tim?”

I grinned. “I was studying.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You drink something funky again? Need me to tell you what day it is?”

“Nope. All good this time, but I’ll let you know if I need something funky again. You can come watch me drink it, too.”

Ravela let out a loud “Ha,” looked at her sister, and then tilted her head as she looked at me again. “Sure. I’d love to see what you do, you little madman.”

“Is Val not coming then, Rav?” Meredi asked.

Ravela shook her head and had a spoonful of soup. “No, she’s out of the city for the next three days,” Ravela replied, the joy noticeably missing from her voice.

“Oh…” Meredi let out a sigh. “I’m praying for her then.”

“Me too,” Cynthia said, rubbing Ravela’s back.

Val—or Valray—was the other character who ended up at the village with the MC and Cynthia. She was Ravela’s daughter, and really, just a better Cynthia. Valray was more cool and measured. She was still willing to go into danger, but unlike Cynthia, Valray took care to have her own healing abilities, and had ranged attack options in the game.

I didn’t mind Valray. Her only sin was that she wasn’t her mother.

“She’ll be fine,” I said with the surety of a man who was certain he knew the future.

My confidence must have caught Ravela’s attention, because she raised her gaze from her stew.

“And how do you know that?” she asked, a noticeable coldness in her eyes.

“Because,” I said, shrugging. “She’s not the type to die on something as pedestrian as a routine patrol trip.”

Ravela slowly raised a brow.

“That woman’s destined to take down Gloomspawns we can’t even fathom. She’s a legend in the making.”

Cynthia huffed. “Why are you nice to Val but never to me?”

“Because she doesn’t try to break pots over my head when she’s mad,” I said without missing a beat.

“I haven’t done that since last year!”

“Last year was a week ago!”

“I agree with Tim,” Meredi said, smiling at her sister. “Valray is impressive. I’ve never doubted that girl. And she’s gotten real good at stitching wounds.”

That made Ravela smile—small, but genuine. “Yeah. She really is something, isn’t she?”

The mood improved. The women shared a few more chuckles as they talked about their days for a bit. And then the bread came out, and we enjoyed that too.

Being here in the warm atmosphere reminded me of a second thing I wanted to know about, but had forgotten.

“Hey, Meredi,” I said. “You don’t have to answer this… but I’d really appreciate it if you did.”

Meredi responded with narrowed eyes. She must have been thinking I was going to bring up weapons in front of everyone. The other two quieted down too, curious to hear my question.

“So… my birth mother… do you know how she died?”

This was an educated gamble. Timaeus, in his journals, mentioned his father, but never his birth mother. That had to mean she wasn’t around. Unfortunately for me, I was pretty sure that the memory integration had to be provoked by an external stimulus. Without something like a journal entry talking about the person, I wouldn’t get any flash of memory or understanding.

Meredi recoiled slightly. “Oh… You didn’t know? She died during childbirth.”

I was ready for that. Death during childbirth was typical. And that’s why I had my follow-up question ready to go.

“No, I mean, was there anything that made the birth worse? Like, did something poison her or did she have an illness or something?”

Ravela leaned back as she nodded to herself. “Oh, I get it. This is some alchemist way of thinking.”

“Timaeus, you’re okay,” Meredi said, adopting a motherly tone that made my heart feel like it was being hugged. “You were a healthy baby—your father told me so. A real miracle.”

I leaned in. “So, was something wrong with my mother?”

Meredi nodded. “Your mother was in the city guard. And five months before you were born, she was slashed by a Gloomspawn.”

My eyes widened. It was a small hope that I held, but holy shit—it was happening.

“A Gloomspawn?” I asked, hoping Meredi would continue.

Meredi nodded. “Yup. She fell ill a few days later and, well… she had to stay at home with your father up until… you know…”

Meredi sighed. Cynthia didn’t say a word.

“You came along,” Meredi continued. “But she really loved you, Timaeus. Your father would tell me about how often she spoke to her belly after they realized you were in there.”

A strange swell of emotion occurred within me. It wasn’t just joy from knowing that I might be able to power up by eating monsters. I was also feeling that desire for a life that didn’t happen.

“Another mom got cut short,” I muttered.

I bet, knowing the way this world worked, that Timaeus’s mother was probably an amazing character too.

“Timaeus?” Meredi asked.

I responded with a grin. “Thank you. I needed that.”

I returned to my meal. “A meal with family! I’m… I’m so glad I forgot what this was like. Getting to experience it here with you all—this is pretty amazing!”

Meredi responded with a gentle smile, but Ravela looked horrified.

“What have you been drinking, kid?!”

***

All dinners eventually come to an end.

I walked out of the house, and greeted the foggy night. The cool air was thick with the scent of metal, cooked meat, and mana-laced steam. The lantern outside the shop flickered softly in the dark fog, casting eerie shadows. It was a marvel, how much the atmosphere could change.

Meredi stepped out with me, and quietly closed the door behind her.

“Hey,” Meredi said, her voice quieter than usual.

I stopped mid-step, then turned to face her fully.

“Are you really serious about the weapon?” she asked.

“Extremely.”

She sucked in a slow breath. “Timaeus, if you’re serious about this…”

“I am.”

“There’s no shortage of people who’ll throw their lives away for glory or revenge.”

“I’m not one of those people,” I replied.

“Timaeus, I just don’t want you going out there to kill Gloomspawn because of what happened to your mother.”

I shook my head. “I wouldn’t be fighting for a mother who has already passed.”

“Timaeus… I’m not sure I like this turn you’ve taken—”

“I’ll ask Ravela then.”

Meredi’s eyes widened. “What?”

“I think she’d say yes to me. And if she doesn’t, I’ll just have to save up enough money until she does.”

Meredi gave me a long look, then exhaled. “Tch. Fine.” She stepped close and bumped her knuckles lightly against my chest. “Don’t ask Ravela. I’ll put something together for you within a few days. It won’t be flashy like some idiots like to ask for, but it’ll be able to cut through some blasted spawn hide.”

“That’s perfect,” I said.

She turned to go back inside, but I stopped her.

“Hey… What’s for dinner tomorrow?”

Meredi blinked, caught off guard by the question. “I—I don’t know yet. Why?”

I smiled. “Just wanted to know what I had to look forward to.”

Her ears went a little pink. She shook her head, grumbling something too soft to catch, and disappeared back inside.

I took a long breath and walked off into the fog.

“She’s so damn cute, man. I might die from cuteness overload before I save these ladies.”