Alaric was going down the stairs when he met Bethany. Her face was more seriously than he has ever seen her. Something wasn't right.
" What's wrong?" He asked her stepping Infront of her. She took his hand silently and pulled him upstairs and into her room. Their rooms basically looked the same except for her things scattered here and there.
A phone charger on the wall, and the bed had pink covers on it with a few furries around it.
She pulled him to the bed and sat down gesturing for him to follow. He sat down next to her still holding her hand.
" The awakener association is downstairs," she said her voice grim.
" What, why are they hear?" He asked hoping it's not what he was thinking about. She squeezed his hands and he could feel them shaking.
" I think you being an awakened and still working in a brothel surprised them since it's brought quite the backlash to them," she said as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. Tension visible in her body.
Alaric felt his heart skip a beat. The awakened association was full of people with their noses in their asses. They were probably humiliated knowing what he was doing for work.
He wasn't about to let them destroy his life .
They were probably going to try to get him to join the association to save face. What worried him was the brothel being attacked.
He knew he would be powerless against any attacks from those powers. At this moment he felt his powerlessness in the world. He had gotten complacent and cocky just because he had bagged a few women. He'd forgotten that this was a world where magic existed and those who are strong will always stand on top of the food chain and he was but a mere buzzing fly to them.
If he buzzed to much in their ears he would eventually be swatted away and forgotten.
" It's okay Beth, I'll figure it out," he said hugging her shaking body. She raised her head from his chest and looked at him her eyes full of despair.
" You don't get it Al, you've only been to one dungeon and it almost killed you and from the looks of it , this people might force you to go," she said as she brought her hands to his cheeks and rubbed it a little.
He leaned to her touch enjoying the warmth and the worry in her eyes. He knew one day he would eventually have to grow stronger to protect them but he liked the warmth the brothel provided to him and had gotten comfortable. He wasn't much of a fighter anyway.
" I'll go and meet them," he said as he detangled from Bethany and stood up. He turned to look at her with a reassurancing smile. She smiled back at him her smile shaky." I'll be back and I'm not leaving here."
He bent down and kissed her forehead then turned and left her room.
Bethany wasn't worried About him leaving she was worried about him dying in a dungeon somewhere. She basically raised him. When he'd arrived at the brothel awkward and confused.
She'd watched as he grew more confident laughed and even his first customer. She knew everyone in the brothel was worried about him since he was like a last born.
What he didn't know was that the brothel had really been failing and only she and the other girls had stuck through it while the other had bailed at the sign of trouble.
Mama Martha had told her that she had just felt something different about him in the auction she had attended because she received an invitation and she wasn't about to miss a chance.
Mama Martha had been right because the moment he came to the brothel, their customer count had increased. All the other girls had noticed this and genuinely loved him .
He was their last born. This was probably the most stressed she has ever been in her life. She stood and followed after Alaric, she wanted to hear what those people would ask for.
....
Alaric stood Infront a group of five people from the awakeners association. Three men and two women. They all looked fierce even from a distance.
He looked to the side at the girls huddling together looking at them worry in their eyes.
Alaric felt like slapping this people. They could have called or just sent one person why send a whole army. They had really distrupted their business as many of the customers lingered outside too scared by the aura of this people.
" I hope we will be compensated for distrupting our business," he said the moment he opened his mouth. He wasn't here to lick anyones ass.
Everyone gasped except for the awakeners who didn't seem amused.
" Are you Mr Alaric Theron?" One of the men asked. He was the shortest one in the bunch.
" Yes," Alaric answer nodding.
" It's been recorded you awakened almost a month ago," he said, stating the obvious waiting for his response. He just nodded. They should probably get to the point. He was becoming impatient.
"The moment you registered as an awakened, why didn't you registere to go to a dungeon?" He asked again his voice a little high. Alaric was sure everyone both outside and inside could hear what he had asked.
He looked around and saw or murmuring among themselves pointing at him.
He was really starting to get more irritated than he previously was.
" I don't want to, don't you all get it. I have a permanent job I don't have time to go and play with my life . I have one job and I plan to stick with it," he said dispelling all their thoughts on getting out of the brothel and jumping into dungeons.
He wondered how this people just wouldn't leave a man alone.
" But there is a rule, for those who want to become official awakeners. They have to attempt a beginner dungeon with an assessment instructor. If you don't do this in two months you will become a rogue awakened," he finished with finality. Some people gasped at the implications.
" But I was never informed of this during my registration," he said folding his arms. He wasn't about to be intimidated for something that wasn't his fault .
" That's because you are told that during your second visit or at the academy. You just never came back," a woman withlong purple hair chimed from behind.
" So what you mean is that every person who awakens always joins the association then the guilds?" He asked puzzled. They were blaming him for not wanting to be an awakened.
They were probably cussing at him in their head. The viral photoshoot had really fucked him over. He had never planned on setting foot there he could train and get stronger in the system space instead.
" Only one percent do not want to be awakeners and they still came for the dungeon training unfortunately you are the only case that was totally against the idea.
" Who said I'm against the idea. I just don't want to be in two places at the same time," he said then added," this place is my family and I would choose them over being an awakened.
" Well you'll have to come tomorrow for your official orientation with all the ruckus you have caused," the short man said, then added," but be careful, you have entered the eyes of other awakeners and good luck with that," he finished his speech and they turned to leave without even a goodbye.
They should have just sent a message, he thought to himself. He knew in an hour their visit to him will be spread all over the internet probably damage control. There is no way a huge cooperation would lower their heads and visit a prostitute.
But he thought about what he had said. It was true that becoming an awakened depended on money and luck.
Like him he became an awakened after accidentally entering the dungeon and like jezebel she was going to get the help of her school. Because of this, becoming an awakened was a lucrative position. Even though E ranks like himself were considered mediocre at best. They still earned a considerable amount of money.
Some choose to be porter ls, the persistent managed to increase their ranks while some also did odd jobs that paid them well since they all frolicked around stronger awakened who were rich.
That was why it was such a lucrative job. Even an E class would be able to buy a house in Months so most people didn't care about how the money was made it was, just that money was there calling for them.
" Al, will you be going tomorrow?" He turned to Bethanys worried voice. He could feel the nervousness and worry in the air.
She flashed them a smile and said, " you don't have to worry your pretty minds we are all going to be fine and no I won't be going tomorrow, the limit is two months remember?"