“Holy shit,” Kaiden muttered to himself as he finally stepped out of the headquarters garrison and into the open air.

  He had survived the meeting.

  And, more importantly, it seemed Thorne was no longer interested in him.

  Thank Oros.

  He had been worried there for a moment, unsure of what the general might do to him. Logically, he figured there shouldn’t have been any reason to find fault with him. He had essentially been a prisoner, forced into that dungeon with no say in the matter. It wasn’t like he had any military secrets to divulge.

  But Ashkar had clearly hated General Thorne, and Kaiden figured the feeling was probably mutual. A small part of him had half-expected Thorne to take out that hatred on him.

  Thankfully, that hadn’t happened.

  No matter the reason, he had survived the encounter.

  He was especially relieved that Thorne hadn’t asked about any of the other loot—which was honestly surprising. Like Ashkar, the general had been fixated on some artifact, whatever the hell it was. So, he probably couldn’t care less about any other dungeon loot or maybe he automatically assumed he wouldn’t get anything which was actually right on the money. Prisoners don’t get paid. The only reason Kaiden got that storage ring from Ashkar was as a thanks for killing Boork he was sure.

  Kaiden smirked to himself as he thought about the artifacts he had obtained in the dungeon.

  Ashkar and Thorne were fixated on one artifact… while he had gotten four.

  Granted, artifacts like all things probably weren’t all equal, and the one from the end of the dungeon must‘ve been something crazy. His own four artifacts were already utterly amazing. The real question was, how did they even know about the artifact before getting it?

  Hmm…

  That thought lingered for a moment, but then his mind drifted to something else—the table.

  Thorne had straight-up destroyed it.

  Like it was nothing. Like it was normal for him.

  Kaiden shuddered. He did not want that man’s attention again.

  He had originally wanted to head back to the library and continue where he left off, but after all that, he just didn’t have it in him to focus on reading. His stomach growled, reminding him that he had completely skipped lunch.

  Food first. Then, he figured he’d go buy some clothes so he wouldn’t have to keep walking around in his uniform all the time.

  His hand absentmindedly went to his pocket, fingers brushing against the storage ring.

  For some reason, he felt the need to double-check that it was still there. Like it’s my precious, he thought as he chuckled to himself. To be fair, it really was precious. The amount of gold he had in there. It was now time to part with some of it.

  Hours later, Kaiden made it back to base with his newly purchased wardrobe. He hadn’t gotten anything fancy or expensive, just a few necessities. By now, it was already the end of the day, and he figured Davick should be done with his training already. Deciding to hang out, he headed up to Davick’s room. If he was still training, he could leave a message with his roommate.

  Kaiden walked up the stairs, made his way down the hall, and knocked on the door.

  Silence.

  Both not here? he thought. He knocked again.

  Still nothing.

  There was no way someone inside wouldn’t have heard him. The rooms were just too small for that.

  With nothing better to do, Kaiden leaned against the wall and decided to wait. Now he regretted not borrowing a book from the library—this would have been the perfect time to get some reading in.

  Luckily, he didn’t have to wait that long. He spotted Davick heading his way after about 20 minutes of waiting.

  “Kaiden!” Davick called out. “You’re back early.”

  Kaiden smirked. “Yeah, we actually finished this morning.”

  “No way!” Davick said, eyes widening. “It only took you three days to finish the dungeon? Actually less than three since you finished this morning.”

  Kaiden shrugged. “Yeah. Why? What’s the average time to complete it?”

  Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

  “Five days,” Davick said.

  “Oh,” Kaiden said. No wonder Greaves had been talking about speed running, he thought to himself.

  Davick grinned. “Damn, you must be pretty strong now, huh?”

  Kaiden waved him off. “C’mon, what’re you talking about?”

  Rolling his eyes, Davick scoffed. “There’s no way someone survives a Diamond-grade dungeon and doesn’t come out stronger. And maybe with at least one title.”

  Kaiden raised a brow but said nothing.

  “Hey, I’m not asking you to tell me your titles,” Davick added, holding up his hands. “But don’t play dumb. You’re strong now, huh?”

  Smirking, Kaiden finally gave in. “Yeah.”

  “I knew it!” Davick beamed. “Now, let’s celebrate.”

  Kaiden chuckled. “Alright. What did you have in mind?”

  Flashing a sloppy grin, Davick said, “I’m meeting a few guys at the bordello. Let’s wash up and head out.”

  “Okay, but then I gotta fill you in on what happened today over drinks.”

  Deal,” Davick said.

  Kaiden nodded as he thought about the word Davick had just used.

  What the hell’s a bordello?

  He knew he’d heard the word before. Once on this world, but definitely back on Earth too. Unfortunately Mindforge didn’t seem to improve his memory of the past. It only helped with new memories from when he had the ability. Although, he wasn’t sure if he ever knew what it meant, just that he’s heard it before.

  Anyway, I’ll just go with the flow.

  After getting ready and a short walk later, Kaiden and Davick approached a building that, at first glance, looked like a well-kept inn or tavern. The exterior was clean, built of sturdy stone and polished dark wood, with warm lanterns glowing beside the entrance. Unlike the rougher taverns Kaiden had passed in the city, this one had an air of refinement. The windows were lined with elegant drapes, and the door was adorned with a level of polish that added a touch of class. Above it, a finely crafted wooden sign read The Velvet Chalet.

  Davick grinned. “You’re gonna love this,” he said, pushing open the door and stepping inside.

  Kaiden followed, expecting the usual tavern atmosphere—loud voices, rowdy drunks, the smell of spilled ale—but he was immediately struck by how different this place was.

  The interior was nothing like the noisy establishments he had seen before. Instead, it had the feel of a lounge—upscale, inviting, and far cleaner than he anticipated. The floors were polished wood, the furniture well-maintained, and the air carried a mix of perfume, fine liquor, and scented candles rather than the stench of sweat and alcohol. Plush velvet seating lined the walls, and the tables were spaced comfortably apart, giving the guests a sense of privacy. Soft instrumental music played from somewhere, adding to the relaxed ambiance.

  The patrons here weren’t the rowdy type. Instead of drunken shouting, there were low, intimate conversations and quiet laughter. Women and men, dressed far too elegantly for a normal tavern, moved gracefully between tables, engaging guests with charming smiles.

  Near the entrance, a stunning woman in a deep red dress greeted them. Davick casually handed her a few coins without asking Kaiden for any, making the payment without hesitation. She smiled warmly at both of them before stepping aside to let them pass.

  They moved deeper into the room and found the only two remaining open seats at the bar, quickly claiming them. Behind the counter, well-dressed bartenders mixed drinks and served customers with a level of professionalism Kaiden rarely saw.

  His eyes drifted to the two staircases leading upward, positioned on opposite sides of the open floor. The building was much larger than he had expected. The second floor had a wraparound balcony overlooking the main lounge, with private booths tucked into alcoves. But what caught his attention most was the pairs of people moving up and down the stairs.

  Some were walking up with arms linked, leaning close as they whispered to each other. Others descended with flushed faces, some sharing lingering kisses before parting ways.

  And just like that, it all clicked.

  Oh, shit.

  A bordello is a brothel.

  Davick leaned against the bar with a grin. “I don’t care that this is the last of my coin till next payday, it’s so worth it! I was initiated last week by my sergeant, and now I’m passing this on to you.”

  For the second time today, Kaiden felt extremely nervous—and for very different reasons. He was not mentally prepared for this.

  Help me, Mindforge, he pleaded internally, forcing a smile. “Thanks, Davick. I really don’t know what to say.” He already knew that Mindforge would do little to calm emotions that weren’t a threat to him, but still he pleaded. The ability acted more like a guardian of his mind when it came to emotions. Being nervous or anxious like this were natural feelings that the ability didn’t need to do anything about.

  Davick clapped a firm hand on his shoulder. “Tonight’s all about you. It’s a celebration of your first official dungeon in your new unit.”

  “I-uh… I don’t know what to say. I mean…” Kaiden struggled, his brain scrambling for an appropriate response.

  “Don’t say anything,” Davick interrupted, shaking his head. “It’s my treat. And don’t worry about me. I’ll just be here until you finish. I only have enough for one of us. And since I already tasted heaven last week, tonight is for you.”

  Kaiden could have sworn he saw a tear in Davick’s eye.

  It seemed like he had been genuinely saving up the last of his coin just to make sure Kaiden had a wonderful time.

  On one hand, Kaiden was touched to have such a friend.

  On the other, he had plenty of money of his own—which Davick didn’t know about yet and wasn’t sure if now was this time to bring it up.

  “I don’t know what to say,” Kaiden admitted.

  “Just tell me if you see a girl you like, or I can check who’s available for you,” Davick said, scanning the room.

  “I-uh…” Kaiden tried to respond, but his words got stuck in his throat.

  His emotions were all over the place—excited, anxious, hesitant, reluctant.

  Was this really going to happen?

  Did he even want this?

  His eyes drifted around the room. The soft lighting, the alluring figures, the subtle perfume in the air.

  His body said yes.

  Ever since arriving in Aterra, and since his training had rebuilt his body, he had felt the difference. His blood ran hotter, the rush of testosterone stronger than anything he’d felt before and everything worked down there. It was a need he had to take care of.

  But this was a huge leap out of his comfort zone.

  Could he actually handle this right now?

  Instead of waiting for Kaiden’s answer, Davick was already flagging down the bartender, waving him over to order drinks.

  Kaiden, still lost in his thoughts, barely registered what Davick was saying. His mind was a mess, caught between his body’s natural reaction to the environment and his own uncertainty.

  Then, movement at the door caught his attention.

  His eyes drifted toward the entrance, and the moment he saw who walked in, his stomach dropped.

  Corporal Greaves!?