The tavern Lyanna dragged them to wasn't the rowdy Guild hall. It was a quieter establishment called The Blind Beholder, catering to higher-ranked adventurers and off-duty officers who wanted to drink without having to punch someone.
They sat at a booth in the back. Lyanna, Celeste (who had invited herself), and Ravi. The glaive, Widowmaker, leaned against the wall next to him, radiating a menacing aura that made the serving girl nervous to approach.
"Three ales," Lyanna ordered. "And food. Anything. Just keep it coming."
Once the drinks arrived, the interrogation began.
"Explain," Celeste said. Simple. Direct.
Ravi took a long draught of his ale. "Explain what? Physics? Leverage? The superior metallurgical properties of dwarven steel?"
"Don't play dumb," Celeste snapped. "I analyzed the resonance data. That swing wasn't just strong. It was impossibly efficient. No wasted energy. No recoil. It's as if your body acts as a perfect conduit for force without suffering the consequences of Newton's third law."
"Newton?" Ravi slipped up.
Celeste raised an eyebrow. "A prominent physicist from the ancient era. You've studied him?"
"Heard the name," Ravi recovered quickly. "Big fan of apples, right?"
Lyanna put her tankard down hard. "Stop it, both of you. Ravi, Celeste is right. You can't hide this anymore. Not after what happened in the square. People saw you cut a minotaur in half like it was a loaf of bread."
Ravi looked down at his hands. "Look, I don't have an explanation that makes sense. Maybe I was blessed by a god of strength when I was a baby? Maybe I fell into a cauldron of magic potion?"
"Unlikely," Celeste said, pulling a small notebook from her robes. "Divine blessings leave a distinct ethereal residue. You have none. Potion-induced strength is metabolic and fades. Your readings are constant."
She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "My theory? You're a mutation. Or perhaps... a construct? Are you quite sure you're not a very advanced golem made of flesh?"
"I checked this morning," Ravi deadpanned. "Pretty sure I'm organic."
"Then what are you?" Lyanna asked. Her voice wasn't accusing anymore. It was pleading. She needed to understand the man she was trying so hard to protect.
Ravi sighed. He looked at the two women. The warrior princess who wore her heart on her sleeve, and the elf mage whose mind was sharper than any blade. They were the only friends he had in this world.
"I'm just... different," he said finally. "Where I come from... things are heavier. Harder. Moving here... it's like everything is made of paper. I have to hold back every second of every day just so I don't break the world."
It was the closest he'd ever come to the truth.
Celeste's eyes widened. "Heavier? You mean atmospheric density? Gravitational pull? Are you implying you're from a high-gravity environment?"
"Maybe," Ravi shrugged.
"That would explain the bone density," she muttered, scribbling furiously in her notebook. "The muscle efficiency. The lack of mana could be environmental adaptation! If you evolved in a mana-vacuum with high gravity, your biology would prioritize physical durability over magical projection!"
She looked up, practically vibrating with excitement. "You're an extraterrestrial! Or an extradimensional!"
"I'm an adventurer," Ravi corrected firmly. "From the boonies."
"The 'boonies' must be a terrifying place," Lyanna murmured, taking a drink. "If everyone there is like you."
"Nah, I was considered the weak one," Ravi said with a smirk. "Couldn't even open a jar of pickles without help."
They both stared at him.
"You're joking," Lyanna said.
"Am I?"
Before the conversation could continue, the tavern door opened, and a hush fell over the room.
Three figures walked in. They wore the pristine white and gold armor of the Royal Guard. In the center was a man Ravi recognized from guild gossip—Sir Valerius, the Captain of the Guard he'd met briefly at the gate.
He scanned the room, his eyes locking onto their table. Or rather, onto the massive black glaive leaning against the wall.
He walked over, his hand resting on the pommel of his sword.
"Ravi?" he asked, his voice clipped and official.
"That's me," Ravi said, not standing up.
"You are the one who neutralized the minotaur in the market square?"
" neutralized is a polite word for it," Celeste mumbled into her ale.
"I stopped it," Ravi corrected.
"On whose authority?" Valerius demanded. "You are an F-Rank adventurer. You are not licensed for monster suppression within city limits. That is the jurisdiction of the Guard."
"The Guard was busy being swatted like flies," Lyanna said coolly, standing up to face him. "He saved lives, Captain. Including your men."
Valerius's face tightened. He clearly didn't like being reminded of his squad's incompetence. "Be that as it may, Lady Stormforge, protocol must be followed. An unidentified individual wielding military-grade weaponry caused significant property damage and public panic."
He turned back to Ravi. "You are to come with us. The Chancellor wishes to speak with you."
"The Chancellor?" Celeste frowned. "Thaddeus Grimshaw? Why would the King's advisor care about a market scuffle?"
"That is for him to discuss with the prisoner," Valerius said, reaching for Ravi's shoulder.
Ravi looked at the hand reaching for him. He could snap the Captain's wrist like a twig. He could take out all three guards before they cleared leather.
But that would make him a fugitive.
"It's fine," Ravi said, standing up slowly. He grabbed the Widowmaker.
"Leave the weapon," Valerius ordered.
"No," Ravi said. The word was soft, but it carried the weight of a falling mountain.
Valerius paused. He looked at the F-Ranker, really looked at him. And for a split second, he saw the predator behind the mask. He saw the man who cut a minotaur in half with a single swing.
"Fine," Valerius relented, taking a half-step back. "Bring it. But keep it sheathed."
"It doesn't have a sheath," Ravi pointed out.
"Just... don't wave it around," Valerius snapped, regaining his composure. "Come."
"I'm coming too," Lyanna said immediately.
"And me," Celeste added, snapping her notebook shut. "As a representative of the Academy, I have a vested interest in this... asset."
Valerius looked like he wanted to argue, but realized he was outgunned, outranked, and possibly out of his mind for even starting this. "Fine. But the Chancellor only summons him."
Ravi gave Lyanna and Celeste a reassuring nod. "Don't worry. I'm just going for a chat. I'll try not to break the castle."
As he was escorted out, leaving his half-finished ale behind, Ravi felt a shift. The prologue was over. The simple days of hiding in a shack and killing goblins were gone.
The powers of this world—the Academy, the Crown, and whatever shadowed force was behind the minotaur—were taking notice.
He gripped the Widowmaker tight. Let them look.