The temptation to tell the man everything he held back was quite real, but Kevin swallowed down that instinctive fear. Even if Boris and Nikolai got serious, he knew they weren’t nearly as dangerous as that Shadow Demon she had fought. Not that Kevin was ready to face something like that again; not so soon at least.
Yet, he didn’t want to give that away. So, he didn’t try to hide the instinctive fear that came from two men twice his size bearing over him, and started talking. He still left out leveling, but mentioned that killing monsters could make one stronger. That gave Mister Ruiz a bit of pause as he once again began to mutter to himself.
“We are absolutely investigating those ruins tomorrow,” he finally said. “If we can find another amulet, that will make it worthwhile. You’re certain that the strength increases won’t work over here?”
“I only have the Shrine Priestess’s word to go off, but that’s what she said.”
“Shame,” Mister Ruiz said, finger tapping against his chin. “It means there’s no reason to hope for monsters in these shrines then.”
Kevin wasn’t so sure he could open them. There were three of them positioned at each corner of the grand pyramid, and each was nothing more than an empty stone building. Growing up on the island meant that he had visited each of them numerous times. He always just assumed they were part of some ceremony or something, but after seeing the dungeon beneath Neth-amii’s own shrine, he couldn’t be certain of that.
Just what was Isla Sein? There was obviously a reason that the original inhabitants built and maintained such shrines. More than that, Neth-amii’s continued presence guarding her own shrine suggested that there was a mystery far deeper than anyone anticipated. The sealed room that opened on his arrival only backed that up. He had joked about the whole chosen one thing, but what if he hadn’t been so far off? What if there really was some ancient entity sealed away that was better left undiscovered?
“It could be a treasury of some sort,” Kevin said, hoping to distract the man. “I’m more than willing to help you investigate. It was an accident after all and it isn’t fair to you to miss out like this.”
Mister Ruiz regarded him for a moment, then that kind smile crept back on his face, concealing the greed that had danced behind his eyes just moments prior. It was unsettling to watch, but Kevin refused to look away from the truth of this man that he had known his entire life.
“Right you are, my boy. Such an unfortunate accident, but not one I’ll allow to deter us! I’m certain you’ll find a way for me to join you in time, so for now all I can do is support you in that endeavor.”
The shift had been unnerving, but Kevin forced a smile all the same. “Of course, Mister Ruiz. I’ll do what I can to help. You deserve to see it all with your own eyes given how hard you’ve worked for this.”
“Too right,” he said cheerfully. “If this expedition bears fruit, you’ll be right there with me on all the front pages. I’ll even introduce you to the most influential of people. One of them has an island of his own, and you wouldn’t believe the parties he throws. I’ll make sure you get an invite.”
“That sounds amazing,” Kevin said, trying to force some awe into his voice.
Then, Mister Ruiz clapped his hands once. “I suggest you hurry off to bed, we wouldn’t want to worry your parents any more than they already are, now would we? Eight o’clock is coming swiftly after all. Best get rested for what promises to be a busy day.”
Nodding along, Kevin turned back towards his home, readying a [Heal] just in case one of them decided to pull a gun or something. The shot never came, and Kevin shut the door behind him, letting out an explosive breath as he sank to the ground and hugged his knees close.
Tears pricked at his eyes as he let out a choked hiccup. He always knew that there was more to Mister Ruiz than he let on. No man had bodyguards like his without having something going on that wasn’t quite legal, but to finally see behind the mask? It shook him.
The strength he’d felt in that other world felt so far away now, and all he wanted to do was run away and never return. Yet, he knew that if he were to do that, his parents would be at risk. There was no way he could do that to them. No, he needed to persevere these next few days, then get back to that world and grow strong enough that they can’t bully him.
With that, Kevin returned to his room and fished out an old notebook his grandfather had gotten him. It was leather bound and made by the former master leather worker. It was always a bit too nice to use for school—unlike the backpack he still had—but exploring the other side seemed like as good of a reason as any. Neth-amii could help him document and learn everything he needed to know about life over there, and he would bring back the information that would placate Mister Ruiz until they found a way to bring him across.
The next few sleepless hours were spent searching for various things that might be of use on the other side. A couple of pens were packed away with the notebook. He paused at his dresser, then got out some socks. Kevin hesitated before packing some boxers as well. Sturdy jeans followed, as did some shirts that he wouldn’t mind losing.
The backpack wasn’t built for travel; it was a simple school bag. What made it special was that it survived the last decade of hauling books with barely a sign of wear. That alone made it worth bringing. Unfortunately, he couldn’t think of anything else useful that was close at hand, so he tossed the bag aside and flopped back on the bed. He’d been trying to avoid thinking about the implicit threat that Mister Ruiz represented, but now, he couldn’t ignore it.
What would happen if he made it to the other side? Would Mister Ruiz be satisfied learning and studying, or would he grasp for more? Kevin knew that power was intoxicating. He felt it with each and every level gained. What would a man used to the power brought by wealth do with actual levels? Would he force others into helping him gain strength? How could he do that if he lacked the strength in the first place? Money was the obvious answer, but would anything on Earth have that sort of value? Their Temple was coated in gold like it was the most common thing ever, so the usual valuables wouldn’t get them very far.
Learning about the intricacies of the local currency needed to be a priority, if only to throw the man off of the trail. He’d learn the deception quickly upon arrival, but what else could Kevin do to delay him? Talking with Neth-amii would help, but that was still days away unless he convinced Mister Ruiz to allow him to check on the currency question, but would Kevin be able to fool a man used to negotiating deals with people far better versed in deception?
A chuckle escaped Kevin’s lips. What if the only currency used were the cores that Neth-amii kept collecting from the monsters? That would almost be beautifully ironic, all things considered. He hoped it was that, because it would be so poetic if all that wealth didn’t transfer across the divide.
There was one other thing he needed to think about, but just the thought of it scared him more than the implied threat that Mister Ruiz had brandished. Neth-amii had always used ‘Bria’ when referring to him by name. He hadn’t even realized how much he’d just accepted it until arriving back home and seeing his father again.
“Women look out for one another,” he muttered, eyes growing heavy.
What had she meant by that?
Blinking, Kevin was surprised by the sudden light that flooded his room. He sat up, Mana pulsing at the implicit danger, but he quickly calmed down. He’d dozed off at some point without realizing it, and the sun was making itself known. Stretching out, he felt better than expected after drifting off like that.
He made his way down to the kitchen where his mother was cooking up a stack of pancakes and bacon was sizzling away. He couldn’t help but smile, and welcomed the meal.
“Morning,” he said, taking a seat before pouring a glass of orange juice. “Food smells good.”
“I would hope so,” Mother said. “Your father told me what happened to you over there. I figured you could use the comfort food after all of that.”
Well, she wasn’t wrong. While Neth-amii’s breakfast skillet wasn’t terrible, it wasn’t bacon and hashbrowns. The island didn’t have a thriving meat supply, which meant that any meat that wasn’t rabbit was imported from the mainland. That Mother had taken the time to thaw some out the night before was touching, but also slightly suspicious.
Several pancakes were stacked onto a plate, alongside a few strips of bacon and a flat hashbrown patty, before being set right in front of him.
“Eat up,” Mother said. “You’ll need your strength if you’re going to deal with having Mister Ruiz as a taskmaster today.”
And just like that, he lost his appetite. Memories of the night before were still fresh, and that only brought them back to the fore. Dancing around someone whose civility was only a loose veil wasn’t something Kevin was prepared to deal with, yet he must.
“Will father be joining us?” Kevin asked.
He hoped so, because it would provide a buffer between him and Mister Ruiz.
“Unfortunately not,” Mother said. “Mister Ruiz asked him to show his student guests around some of the other sites while he worked with you. That’s quite an honor, you know? I’m proud of you, moving up in the world.”
Swallowing the rising bile, Kevin forced a smile and nodded along before shoving a piece of bacon into his mouth. Pancake followed as Father finally joined them for the morning meal. Mother hummed along as she cooked her own portion, but Kevin could feel Father’s gaze settling over him as he mechanically ate.
“Busy day ahead,” Father said. “Are you sure you’re up for it after everything?”
That question came as a surprise, and Kevin looked up to find his father frowning at him. He wasn’t sure if it was related to what Mother had kept him from saying the night before, but he wasn’t going to dig too deeply into it.
“Well as I can be,” Kevin said, finishing off his pancakes. “I don’t think we’ll run into anything dangerous, but you never know.”
Things were changing on the island after all, especially with someone possessing magic mucking with things long dormant. Again he thought of Dungeon Heroes and how likely it was that they were messing with something best left alone. Unfortunately, he didn’t have much of a choice if he wanted to protect his family from Mister Ruiz. No amount of personal power would keep them safe if he decided that some leverage was needed to ensure that Kevin followed through on his promises.
“Just let me know if you aren’t comfortable,” Father said after a moment. “As much as I know Mister Ruiz, this has been his life’s obsession. There’s no telling what a man might do if he feels that something is in his way.”
“Too true,” Kevin muttered before he could stop himself. “Just, be sure to take your own advice, okay? If he can’t get to me, he might try with both of you.”
Watching Father’s expression, Kevin could tell that his warning had hit home. Even mother had tensed up, though she remained facing the stove. Maybe they were both aware of the situation they found themselves in after all.
Glancing at the clock, Kevin realized it was almost eight. “I should probably go meet with Mister Ruiz before he starts getting anxious.”
“Hold up one moment,” Mother said, placing her hands down on the counter as she took a deep breath. She then moved with purpose over to one of the hutch drawers. “If you’re going out there, take this with you.”
Kevin hesitated, then accepted the offered item. It was a knife, held in an aged leather scabbard. A loop at the end would allow it to affix to a belt.
“It belonged to my grandfather,” Mother said. “Been in our family since the first settlers arrived. Supposedly it was dropped by one of the natives, if the old stories are to be believed. Maybe you’ll get some use out of it.”
Kevin pulled the blade free only for his eyes to widen in surprise. Some of the symbols etched into the steel weren’t too dissimilar from the ones that Neth-amii had copied from the shrine. Which meant that this blade was even older than they assumed. More than that, he could feel a slight resonance with the mana that coursed through his veins.
“It’s beautiful,” Kevin said, giving the knife a test swing. It wasn’t quite a sword, but it would certainly do better than a wooden stick. “Thank you.”
“Just promise me you’ll be as safe as possible out there,” Mother said, eyes tearing up. “That’s all I can ask.”
Kevin nodded. “I’ll do my best.”
With that, Mother pulled him into a crushing hug. He returned it, choking back his own tears, then they came freely when his father joined in, turning it into a family embrace. They all knew what situation they found themselves in, and yet, they were still there for one another.
It only served to deepen his resolve.
Mister Ruiz wanted leverage? Well, he had it. And he had best hope that he never tried to press it, because if he did, then he would be in for a world of pain.