Chris sighed happily as he woke up, blinking the sleep from his eyes as he felt the warm weight at his side. Looking over, he smiled at Ayla, the woman pressed tightly against his shoulder as she slept. He brushed one of her curls away from her face as she shifted, snuggling closer to him. Chris groaned as his phone vibrated on the side table, reaching over and grabbing it quickly so as not to wake the woman.

  “Hello?” he said quietly as he answered the call.

  “Good morning, Chris,” Ryan’s voice came through the device, “I trust you had a good night last night?”

  “What?” the still half-asleep man muttered.

  “Don’t worry, we only have cameras in the main areas, not in your personal rooms or the bathrooms,” Ryan chuckled, “I was just going by intuition after what I saw last night.”

  “You’re watching me?” Chris asked, his tone going serious.

  “Not all the time,” Ryan replied quickly, “It’s for your own safety of course. I apologize if its offended you.”

  “I…no, it’s fine,” the man sighed, “You’re positive there are no cameras in the bedrooms or toilets though?”

  “Absolutely,” Ryan answered, “We wouldn’t want to invade your privacy like that.”

  “Right,” Chris nodded, “So, why the early morning call?”

  “It’s already after eleven, Chris,” Ryan laughed, “And do you remember what day it is?”

  “Wednesday?” he replied, his brain slowly waking up as he closed his eyes, snapping them open again as he gasped, “Jess’s birthday!”

  “Right,” Ryan nodded, “The party starts in less than an hour, so get up and get ready.”

  “Thanks Ryan!” he said, looking down as Ayla stirred beside him.

  “What’s up?” she muttered, Chris smiling as she looked up at him.

  “Jess’s party starts in an hour,” Chris hummed as he kissed her forehead, “We should get up and get ready for it.”

  “If I can even walk,” the woman laughed tiredly, “You really took charge after you figured things out.”

  “I had a good teacher,” Chris shrugged, blushing as she leaned up and kissed him on the lips.

  “Well then,” she hummed, sliding out of the bed and stretching, Chris marveling at her toned yet shapely body as she glanced back and grinned, “What? Didn’t you say we had to get ready, lazybones?”

  ------

  “Happy birthday!”

  The shout echoed around the large room, people cheering as Jessica cut her cake, quickly working to hand out servings to the guests.

  “More people than I expected,” Ayla hummed as they looked at all the teenagers around them.

  “Jess was pretty popular in high school,” Chris chuckled, “I think this is almost their entire grade.”

  “Uhm…hi,” a quiet voice said beside them, the two looking down at the nervous boy, barely over ten as he wrung his hands, “I, uhm…can I…?”

  “What’s up, Greg?” Elizabeth said, appearing beside them suddenly as the three jumped, “Oh, this is Greg, he’s Kyle’s little brother.”

  “N-nothing!” the boy squeaked, making to run off before Elizabeth grabbed his arm, pulling him back.

  “Come on, Chris doesn’t bite,” she laughed.

  “Unless you want him to,” Ayla muttered, making the girl stare at her with an unimpressed expression.

  “C-can I have your autograph?” the boy managed to spit out, almost shouting the words as he tensed up.

  “My…my autograph?” Chris blinked, “I mean…sure?”

  “Really?” the boy gasped, “Thank you so much!”

  “You’ve already got fans, babe,” Ayla laughed as Chris accepted the sharpie, signing the boy’s shirt as neatly as he could, “That’s going to be worth a lot in the future, you know?”

  “I-I want to become a Diver,” the boy suddenly said, “L-like you! How’d you get so strong?”

  “I went through Hell,” Chris shrugged, patting the child on the shoulder, “Though I would recommend you work out a bit before you try any Dungeons. I wasn’t that fit when I entered my first one, and I nearly died a hundred times over.”

  “Yes sir!” the boy nodded, beaming happily as he rushed off, showing off his shirt to anyone who would look.

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “And you’re good with kids,” Ayla hummed, “How’d I stumble onto you again?”

  “Luck and confidence,” Chris chuckled.

  “Ew, straight people flirting,” Elizabeth laughed, ducking back as Chris tried to swat her, “You’ll have to be faster than that to catch me, big brother!”

  “Is that a challenge?” Chris grinned, the wind starting to gather around him, Elizabeth blinking in surprise, before shaking her head rapidly, “Go hang out with Jess, it’s a big day for her.”

  “I would, but she’s already practically glued to Alan,” the girl sighed, “Those two are even worse than you guys.”

  “I take offense to that,” Ayla laughed, pulling Chris in close and kissing him, “How about now?”

  “Fine, I’m going,” Elizabeth mock gagged as she left.

  “Quite the party, huh?” the older voice said as the two turned to see Chris’s dad approaching them.

  “Yeah,” Chris nodded, “How’ve you been, dad? Ryan keeping you busy?”

  “Like a slave,” the man laughed, “Being the only real Crafter in the Association has its benefits, but I’m also being worked to the bone to get everyone a decent set of armor. My Skills have shot up though.”

  “What is your Class and Job, by the way?” Ayla asked, “If you’re okay telling us, that is.”

  “It’s fine,” he hummed, “D Rank Class, Hunter, B Rank Job, Omnicrafter.”

  “A B Rank Job?” Chris whistled, “How’d you manage that?”

  “Not too sure myself, kiddo,” the man shrugged, “But it was available and looked interesting, so I chose it.”

  “What Skills did you get from it?” Chris continued, “Sorry, it’s just, I haven’t been using my Job Skills that much lately, so I was wondering if you might be able to help me?”

  “Depends,” the man nodded, “I’m sure I could help with your Alchemy Magic Skill, but if you’re talking about the other one, you’d do better to talk to one of my assistants. There’s a nice boy who has a Brewing Skill that could help. I’ll introduce you later.”

  “Thanks dad,” Chris said as the man smiled, walking off into the crowd.

  “He single?” Ayla suddenly asked, making Chris look at her in confusion, “Sorry, I’m more than happy with you, but I think he’d be a good match for my aunt.”

  “Sorry, but he’s married to Elizabeth’s mom,” Chris sighed, “Not that I wouldn’t mind him not being, it’s just…no, it’s nothing.”

  “What’s up?” Ayla pressed, “You don’t have to say if you don’t want to, but you’ve got me interested now.”

  “She’s a bitch,” Chris shrugged, Ayla staring at him for a moment, before bursting into laughter, Chris quickly joining her, “What? It’s true! A Rank S Bitch, in fact.”

  “Wow, you two must really not get along, then?”

  “Nope, not at all,” Chris sighed, “She was actually the reason I ended up in the Trial of Turmoil. We had an argument, and I stormed out of the house. Forgot my wallet and phone and everything, just a jacket and the clothes on my back, not that they lasted long in the Dungeon.”

  “What, so you were running around naked in the Dungeon?” Ayla giggled, “I bet that gave the monsters a fright.”

  “It took me so long to get a pair of pants to drop,” Chris nodded, “And even then, they looked like ridiculous poofy tights.”

  “Oh, I kind of want to see this now,” Ayla laughed as she wiped a tear from her eye.

  “I still have the gear,” Chris chuckled, “It’s a little worn out, but I can show you later.”

  “Deal,” Ayla nodded, “But only if you put them on.”

  “Why?” he smirked, “So you can take them off?”

  “Maybe,” the woman winked back, “Anyway, let’s go get some cake.”

  ------

  “And you’re certain you want to leave immediately?” Ryan asked, “Jessica’s birthday was only yesterday, so she is now officially registered with the Association, but this is a little fast.”

  Chris glanced at the other four, all of them nodding their heads as he smiled.

  “Yes sir,” he said, “We also don’t want to risk causing an international incident by waiting too long after the invitation from the Kong family.”

  “And I don’t want my parents to change their minds suddenly,” Jessica added.

  “Alright then,” Ryan nodded, “I’ll have a car come to the front to take you to the airport, where a chartered jet will be waiting for you.”

  “Wait, so quick?” Chris blinked, staring at the other man as he chuckled.

  “What? You didn’t think I was prepared for this? Go pack, if you even need anything with that bag of yours,” Ryan smiled, “And good luck.”

  “Thanks,” Chris nodded as they turned and left the room, “I’m sure we’ll need it.”

  ------

  “Okay, this is a little much,” Chris sighed as they sat in their seats, the captain announcing their take off.

  “I don’t know,” Elizabeth hummed, “I looked around, and there wasn’t a jacuzzi, so maybe they could have splurged a little more.”

  “We’re in a literal flying hotel, Beth!” Chris groaned, “There are enough rooms for ten people, and a fucking restaurant with a three-star chef! And you want a jacuzzi?”

  “Could have been a four-star chef,” the girl shrugged as the plane took off, “Jeez, I’m just messing with you, Chris. Why’re you so worked up?”

  “Because this just feels like too much,” he sighed, “I never would have expected something like this in a million years before…any of this happened!”

  “Well, you’d better get used to it,” Ayla hummed as she sat back in the comfortable chair, “You’re an S Rank Diver now, so you’re going to have access to all sorts of luxuries.”

  “And if I don’t want them?” Chris muttered.

  “Then we’ll happily take them off your hands,” Alan laughed, “But in all seriousness, I’m sure Ryan will listen if you talk to him about that, until then, just enjoy it.”

  The fasten seatbelts sign dinged off after a few minutes, Elizabeth and Jessica immediately jumping out of their seats and rushing off to explore more of the plane, the latter dragging Alan along behind her. Chris just remained silent, staring out the window as they cruised through the sky.

  “You okay?” Ayla asked after a while, Chris just nodding slowly as he continued to stare at the clouds, “It’s okay to be overwhelmed by this, Chris. It is a lot.”

  “Yeah,” he sighed, before shaking his head, “Sorry, I shouldn’t be acting all depressed because I’m flying to China in a fancy jet.”

  “Right,” the woman nodded, giving him a knowing look, “Hey, want to relax?”

  “Is that all you think about?” he chuckled, “You’re worse than a lioness.”

  “The type that makes their mate breed with them a dozen times an hour?” she asked, standing and grabbing his hands, pulling him up from his seat, “Actually, I was thinking we go check out the on-board spa. Get you all prettied up for your foreign girl.”

  “You’re the only woman I need in my life, thank you,” Chris laughed as they walked through the plane, “But that does sound nice.”

  “That’s so sweet, you dork,” Ayla giggled, turning away to hide her blush, “Yeah, it does, doesn’t it?”

  ------

  “They shall be arriving soon, Miss Kong,” the man said as he bowed to the woman, “Tomorrow morning at the latest.”

  “Excellent,” Xiu Ming hummed as she checked her make up, “Perhaps meeting Christopher will change my father’s mind about him. It certainly did mine.”

  “Of course, Miss Kong,” the man nodded as he bowed again, leaving to room.

  “Hah,” Xiu Ming sighed, looking at herself in the wall length mirror of her dressing room, “I do wish he could have been here sooner; I would have loved to parade him around this silly gala, maybe he could have even kept me amused during it. Oh well, I suppose I had better get going, I can’t keep father waiting any longer than I already have.”