It was late into the night when Trevor and Adabelle arrived at her manor in the residential district near city hall. The large, brick building looked almost like a modern American home. Two stories tall, there were plenty of windows and even two chimneys, one on either side of the building. She had moved out of the Hero House the same time she had taken over as mayor of Tosa.

  “I guess this is the end of the night,” Trevor said as he stood on the front step with her, taking her hands in his.

  “Of course it isn’t,” Adabelle said, her words slurred slightly. With a smile, her tail snaked into her boyfriend’s pocket and retrieved her key. It went about trying to unlock the door. Clumsily, he noticed, which went along with how she was speaking. “You’re leaving tomorrow, so I’m kidnapping you. You don’t get to go home tonight.”

  “Kidnapping?” he asked, arching an eyebrow. This didn't happen often, and he wondered how much of it was the alcohol. “Are you sure? You’ve barely ever invited me back to your place before.”

  “I have, though,” she replied. “Invited you, I mean.”

  “Yes, but you always seem to prefer coming to the Hero House even though you don’t live there anymore,” he said, squeezing her hands. “Then, you fall asleep on the couch and I have to take you back to my place because we both know I’m not carrying you all the way across Tosa when my home is fifty feet away.”

  She reached up and tapped his nose. “But you would, if you had to.”

  “I would,” he agreed.

  Finally turning to look at the door, Adabelle managed to insert the key and turn it. She let go of his hands to open the door and pulled him into the foyer. There were stairs leading up to the second floor and a place to put shoes, jackets, and other items off to the side. Her tail deposited the key, but she left her shoes on.

  “I’m going to go get changed,” she told him. “You can get comfortable in the living room.”

  “Do you need any help getting to your room?” Trevor asked as he watched her walk towards the stairs. Her tail was putting in a lot of work to keep her balanced.

  “I’ll be fine after I’ve changed,” Adabelle insisted as she made her way up the stairs. “Don’t be such a worry wort. You know I’m fine.”

  “I can’t help but worry sometimes,” he returned, though he smiled. “You know that.”

  She waved her tail at him. “I’m just a little tired, and had a little too much wine. Just a little.”

  “So long as you’re sure,” he said as he watched her ascend to the second floor.

  It didn’t bother him that she was tipsy. She had been a social drinker for far longer than he had known her, and she had managed to be responsible all this time. Plus, there were alchemical concoctions to help her sober up, he knew, and he expected her to take one before coming back down. Then he'd know for sure if her invitation had been her or the drinks talking.

  Once she was at the top and turned the corner, he walked into the living room to wait for her.

  A plush, L-shaped sectional sat facing the front window to one wall and a fireplace on the other. The hardwood floor was nice, but Trevor sent his socks and shoes into his inventory mid-step as he reached the clean, white carpet. Before he sat, he admired the shelves behind the couch. They were loaded with all kinds of books that he could now read thanks to the Language Fish, but one didn't hold any at all.

  Instead, it was filled with trinkets, shiny stones, and other odds and ends. Retrieving the geode that Rashie had given him earlier, Trevor placed it on the coffee table before sitting down. He pretty much sank into the couch, shifted a few times, and closed his eyes to relax.

  The reopening had been tiring, but fun. He had mingled, ate good food, and learned a lot about other worlds just from hearing Drelik relive the past. The fact that he had been able to share this evening with Adabelle made it all the better, but he was ready for a nice, quiet night after so much social activity. He needed to recharge.

  Smiling, he took a breath and slouched a little deeper onto the couch. He opened his eyes and looked around. Just from a glance, he could tell that Adabelle wasn’t as attached to her new home as she was to the one back in the Hero House.

  This one was too far away from the other Summoned, literally on the other side of town across the river. Not only that, but she didn’t stay here much except to sleep. Whenever she finished with work, she usually spent time around town until making her way to the Hero House where she would meet with Trevor, Wayne and Rashie.

  More often than not, she was too tired to return to the mayor’s manor. She often slept in her old home since no one had taken it over. Trevor never minded that because it meant he didn’t have to cook breakfast, as she was basically still sleepwalking her way through the early mornings.

  It was a toss up whether Adabelle returned to her old home or stayed with him. Simply admitting that she wanted to spend nights with him had been a struggle for her as her noble upbringing had forbidden such things, but she was in a new world where she was able to make the rules. She had decided on her own that nothing was wrong with it.

  Perhaps not so much on her own when she was friends with people like Lailah, but that was neither here nor there.

  Regardless, he wasn’t pushy about it; the last thing he wanted was to become a source of discomfort to his workaholic girlfriend.

  “You’re still in your suit?” Adabelle asked, walking in. While she was clearly tired, she was no longer tipsy.

  Trevor looked down at himself and chuckled. “Yeah, I guess so.

  Standing up, he smiled at Adabelle. She had changed into an oversized black shirt, one of his, and shorts. His entire body suddenly went dark for a moment as he activated the latest of his Power abilities: Quick Change.

  One second Trevor was wearing a suit, minus the socks and shoes he had already removed, and the next he was in a black shirt that matched the one Adabelle wore and a pair of soft pajama pants. The ability allowed him to store outfits up to the number of points he had in his Capacity stat and switch between them at will.

  Quick Change’s biggest caveat was that he had to be wearing something for it to count as part of the ensemble. Anything that was simply held didn't count. Even with that limitation, he considered it a great quality of life upgrade.

  “I’d like you to know how jealous that makes me every time I see it,” Adabelle said as she slipped her arm around Trevor’s and dragged him back down to the couch as she sat.

  He settled in and moved his arm so that it was around her shoulders, and she snuggled up to him. They had long worked out which positions were most comfortable when cuddling. Adabelle’s horns had made it an interesting challenge, but one he didn't mind taking head on. They were close as she rested against him, but not dangerously so. He gently rubbed circles against her arm with his thumb.

  “We’ve already talked at length about how awesome I am, but I’m not the one who can make earthquakes on a whim,” Trevor returned.

  “Natural disaster is a terrible Power, Trevor,” she complained, pouting adorably.

  “Then it’s a good thing someone like you has it, because anyone else would be trying to rule the world,” he claimed, nodding as if there was no disputing his words.

  “Maybe,” she admitted quietly.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, shifting to get a better look at her.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  “I am, I’m just thinking about how you’re leaving tomorrow,” Adabelle answered. “And for much longer than usual, to boot. I’m going to miss you. This may come as a surprise, but I’ve taken quite a liking to you, Son of Ander.”

  “Quite a liking, you say?” he asked as if surprised. He had to smile, anyway, as the memories of their tower top date where they shared their first kiss came back to him. “You know, I have to admit, I’ve figured that out already. I'm not always great at picking up on them, but there’s been some signs. You know, one or two.”

  Adabelle offered him a tired smile before her tail moved around him. She began tapping her fingers against his chest lightly. “I’m a little too tired to banter” she yawned. “Mostly just want to make sure you’re going to be okay on your adventure with Wayne. I’m a little envious that he gets to take you on your first proper one, too.”

  “It’s not an adventure,” Trevor protested. “I’m a courier, not an adventurer.”

  “You’re going into a dungeon, that makes it an adventure,” she informed him, her hand resting over his heart. “I know you’re in good hands because Wayne will never let anything happen to you, but I still can’t help but be worried. Vilderchtif is a long way away, and it’s a small village. I'd actually call it a hamlet, really. If something happens, you’ll be far from help.”

  “Trust me when I say that I’m prepared for a lot of things,” the inventoryman said before his smile turned apologetic. He scratched the back of his head. “I, uh, might have gone a bit overboard, according to Wayne. When I told him everything I had done to prepare for this non-adventure—”

  “It’s an adventure,” she interrupted firmly.

  “So I keep hearing,” he sighed. “But if it’s an adventure, then that means I certainly haven’t overprepared, but prepared exactly the right amount. I’ve got potions for healing. I’ve got potions for empowerment. I’ve got a ladder, a ten-foot pole, and a sack full of sacks. Chalk, flasks, torches, rope, a bag of marbles, a crowbar, a pair of binoculars, and paper. I had a grappling hook made. When we need to sleep, I have a whole campsite. There’s a 5 pound bag of flour sitting in my inventory next to my towel which is sitting next to just a literal bubble of water. Plus, I’ve got a secret weapon to help keep me safe.”

  The incredulous smile on Adabelle’s face got bigger the longer he went on, and she laughed at the end. “And what did Wayne say about all this?”

  Trevor grumbled. “That I sounded like one of his son’s friends who bought every mundane item in their game just in case and hardly ended up using any of them.”

  Leaning forward, Adabelle kissed him gently. “Well, I will not complain,” she replied, nuzzling her nose against his. “Because if any of those things end up keeping you safe, then I’m glad you had the foresight to buy it.”

  “Thank you, lady, for appreciating my sensible need for preparation.”

  “Though, you do have me curious about that secret weapon of yours,” she said. “An actual weapon? Or just something that will keep you out of trouble?”

  “I did pick up a mace, but that's because it was the easiest thing to wield Fine Steel had in stock,” he answered with a shrug. “There were swords, but it felt wrong buying one without you there.”

  “It would have been.”

  “Exactly.”

  “I would have been very mad at you.”

  “And you would have been justified.”

  “You did a good job not picking out a sword, Trevor,” she finished.

  “I know,” he replied. “A mace is fine, but I also had some armor made along with a contrap—”

  Adabelle perked up. “You had armor made? Do you have it in your wardrobe yet?” she asked, her weariness forgotten. He nodded, and she pulled away from him. “You have to show it to me.”

  “Right now?”

  “Right now. I’m surprised you’ve been sitting on this so long and you haven’t told me about it, actually,” she said, crossing her arms. “How can you get armor and not tell me?”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t think it was such a big deal,” he replied honestly as he stood up. “It was kind of a last minute thing. I wasn't sure if it was going to be ready in time. Grunder only finished it a couple of days ago.”

  “That’s fine, then, but I still want to see it,” she insisted.

  “Alright, I’m doing it, I’m doing it.” Taking a breath and preparing himself for the heavier outfit, Trevor activated Quick Change.

  Once again his body darkened, preserving his modesty during the split second that his outfit was missing between swaps. His body was weighed down drastically compared to the pajamas, but it wasn’t so bad. He wore chainmail over a blue gambeson, and his left arm was fully armored from the spaulder on his shoulder to end with a gauntlet for protection. His right hand had a chain sleeve and he wore a metal bracer on his forearm, but it was left mostly free for the sake of mobility.

  Trevor looked down at himself. His lower half was clad in thick brown trousers and metal chausses that protected the front of his legs without hindering his movement. Even after all this time, his go to footwear was the steel-toed boots he had on when he arrived in this world. They were comfortable, sturdy, and were just fine for the job.

  The man found himself standing a little straighter now that he was in his armor. He felt like a knight, even though he knew the best he could do was flail against a proper one. Regardless, there was a confidence it instilled in him that felt good.

  Adabelle noticed it, too, because she sat up and leaned forward, taking him in. Her tail swished against the couch before she absently grabbed it in her hand. The other tell Trevor always looked forward to was when her eyes literally lit up with a soft glow, and he smiled when they did.

  “How do I look?” he asked, holding his arms up.

  “Damn fine,” she responded immediately, only to blink and recoil slightly. Trevor tried to keep a straight face; it wasn’t often that his girlfriend swore. She coughed into her hand and stood up to inspect him, changing the subject before he could make a comment. “What’s your Stamina?”

  “Four,” he answered, then frowned. “Do you think that’s enough? I have another banked point, I can increase it if you think it’ll help. Quest Master, can you bring it up for me?”

  [[Trevor Anderson

  Human

  Level 14 (3/5)

  Banked Points: 1

  Strength: 3

  Dexterity: 4

  Stamina: 4

  Magic: 1

  Mana: 1

  Speed: 4

  Specialty Stats

  Capacity: 7

  Power: Inventory

  Skills: Quick Growth (Human), Temporal Dimensional Storage (Inventory), Stacks (Capacity), Wardrobe Shift (Inventory)]]

  “No, no, I was just curious,” Adabelle said, gently pushing his arms down. He allowed it, and she gently traced a finger down his armored chest. “You still have points banked?”

  “Yeah,” he admitted. “I’m debating. Dex, Stamina, and Speed are all 4, but Strength is only 3. I've never upgraded that, now that I'm thinking about it. Not since Jackson’s request, I mean. So I’m kind of waiting to see what I need, you know? Because, when any of those three stats hit 5, I’ll get a new skill I can choose from.”

  Keeping at least one banked point for the future was something Trevor had committed to during his time in this world. Stat skills like Stacks had proven to be useful, and he was fairly excited to see what he could get by pushing one of those fours over the threshold. Not enough to rush into it, though. Magic and Mana aside, as they weren’t prevalent in his everyday life, he liked his stats when they were relatively even.

  “Normally I’d say you should spend them as you get them, but you’re not exactly the usual Summoned,” Adabelle said as she walked around him. She stopped in the front and was about to say something more when she yawned again. Raising her arms, she stretched languidly before leaning forward against him, burying her face against his neck. “Trevor, I’m tired.”

  “It sounds like it’s time for bed,” he replied.

  “But if I go to sleep, then that means tomorrow comes sooner,” she complained.

  Trevor wrapped his arms around her. “It does, but you still need sleep.”

  “I don’t want to.”

  “Then I’m going to have to take drastic measures,” he warned.

  “You wouldn’t,” she said, peeking up at him defiantly.

  With a small laugh, Trevor pulled away from Adabelle. She stumbled, but he kept her steady with a hand on her shoulder. Once he was sure she wasn’t going to fall, he leaned down, threw his arms around her legs, and picked her up over his shoulder.

  “Hey!” she protested, trying not to laugh. Her tail wrapped around his chest and under his armpit as if to steady herself.

  “Oh, would you perhaps prefer it if I carried you like this?” Trevor placed her down before picking her back up again, this time in a princess carry.

  Adabelle looked away, her hands covering her face. However, she did end up nodding to show this was acceptable.

  “Come on, I’m taking you to bed,” he chuckled as he navigated around the couch.

  Adabelle crossed her arms. “Fine, but only because you’re wearing armor,” she conceded as if that made sense. She was very tired. “I suppose you can also stay the night. If you want to. Since you’re already here and trudging across town in all that armor would be a hassle, I mean. But only if you want to.”

  Trevor grinned as he started climbing the stairs. “I’d love to. Just tell me where I’m going, lady,” he said, having never been in her room here before. He had been waiting for the invitation and was thrilled to have finally received it.