Max and Helen, of course, always behind him, entered the tavern. Under his arm, Max had a few posters made with a little help from the priests and priestesses. Well, he had to recruit companions to tackle the labyrinth somehow.

  There were other Quests, he could leave that labyrinth for later, he could even abandon it and he would if it took too long to find a decent group. His main goal was simply to level up and become stronger so that both Helen and he would be safer. He wasn't going to sit around waiting with his arms crossed until the right number of people joined him, otherwise, Ronan or Hades' champion, whatever the little goat's name was, would come for him again, maybe even together, and kill him.

  He was adaptable, he had to be out of necessity, but in the meantime, he would hang the damn posters, he had nothing to lose by trying. After that, they took a seat and Max ordered food and drink. Of course, he wasn't going to let Helen drink alcohol, but he didn't either, something that caught the little elf's attention.

  "Water, too."

  "Only? You don't have to hold back for me."

  "It's not that, it's just that I don't drink alcohol, are you still not old enough for that where you come from or something...?"

  "Own decision, Helen. The truth is that my father..." He didn't like using that title, he didn't deserve it, but here he couldn't use terms like "sperm donor", so he had no choice. "...was obsessed with drinking and, in short, he was a huge son of a bitch and I don't want to be anything like him."

  "Oh, I'm sorry."

  "It's okay, it's normal for children to be curious. It's not that I can't stand seeing people drinking, it's none of my business what anyone does, but I can't help feeling a little disgusted. It's sad that there are people who think that to have fun they have to drink, don't you think? And in the end, for what? To wake up the next morning with a headache and wanting to vomit, and somehow they find the urge to repeat it every other day." He shook his head. "Well, anyway, I don't understand it, but in the end it's none of my business what other people do. I'd prefer you didn't either, though, even when you're older."

  "I'll do whatever you want, Max."

  "No, no, no, I didn't say that either. Do what seems best to you, just, well, it's advice. I'm never going to stop you from trying anything."

  The girl shrugged.

  "Whatever you say is best, is best."

  Max frowned for an almost imperceptible second. He didn't like how she talked sometimes, that is, her affection and adoration were pleasant, but sometimes she went a little overboard, that was all. He wished he could send her to see a psychiatrist, unfortunately he didn't think they were that advanced in that sense, and he was no psychiatrist, he was the worst example that could be set of handling your own mental problems.

  The trauma and the weight, there were some days he felt like he was drowning. The only thing that had helped him was to move on. He couldn't do that, he doubted very much that he would be able to do it for the rest of his life. Time didn't heal all wounds, that was nothing but a fucking lie, it didn't heal any wounds.

  "Do you think the posters will work?"

  "Well, I don't know, I've never done this. You know where I come from, these things aren't necessary."

  "Yes, I remember, a more peaceful place, right?"

  "For the privileged," Max added. "Although these are the majority of the world, too many people still live not much different than around here, or worse, always under the threat of some war or another, poverty, hunger... But well..." Max sighed. "Yes, yes, it's true, more peaceful."

  "It sounds like a beautiful place, I'd like to go there someday."

  "Maybe I'll take you, I wouldn't know how to do it now, even if I wanted to, but it's possible that over time that will change."

  "You get stronger every day," Helen lowered her voice even more, "yes, and maybe Lord Ares will grant you a reward. What better reward than to return to your family, right?"

  For Helen that was a rhetorical question, that's how he interpreted her tone, at least. For Max… Well, he wasn't sure. Would he return to his world, even if he had the opportunity to do so? The fact is that he was dead, this new reality was his second life, it wouldn't be so easy to go back as if nothing had happened. Everyone would see a ghost and governments would take an interest in him, not to mention the existence of a new world to exploit. But living here wasn't much better, maybe.

  Still, he wasn't sure what decision he would make. In any case, it wasn't something he had to worry about for months or years. If Ares didn't open any doors or windows for him, then he would become capable of returning when he became the new god of war. There was no reason why he couldn't. Then, he would probably return, despite everything, and take Helen with him, but first he would think about it very carefully.

  "Max?" Helen insisted.

  Oh, yes, he had left her hanging

  "Of course, you're right, I'd like to see my family," he murmured. "They'd be scared to death, but it would be nice..."

  "You'd take me with you, right?"

  Helen cowered in her seat, as if fearing the answer. What a silly girl, what an adorable girl.

  "Of course, it has never crossed my mind to go without you, since I've known you."

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  "Thank you."

  "You don't have to thank me, look..." Max put a hand on hers, squeezing. "You're my responsibility now, I'm not going to forget that, I'm not going to leave you."

  Helen stared at him for a while, then nodded. He supposed it was something she was still assimilating. It certainly seemed too good to be true, how he had arrived just in time, but that aspect of things wouldn't be a problem for her. After all, she had faith, didn't she? He also knew perfectly well that the gods existed, at least in this world; it was just that, from what he had seen so far, he had no faith in any of them, not a bit.

  "Thank you," she repeated, anyway.

  "Do you like the city?"

  Max decided to change the subject, and in a very unsubtle way. But Helen accepted it without question. In fact, she smiled from ear to ear, blushing slightly.

  "It's all very nice, and people don't bother me."

  That wasn't entirely true. Max had noticed that more than one looked at her as if she were a strange creature. Less frequently, as if they feared her, even. But for her, this must have been a great improvement. She was used to so much shit that that level wasn't even processed. He supposed it was better that way. It's not like he wanted her to think about it too much. That would only depress her even more. Better that she didn't give it importance, that she didn't even realize it.

  Twelve other topics, also light for a change, finished the food and drink. Max was dying to take a piss. He had drunk too much water. He got up to go to the bathroom. Alone, naturally, he didn't even think about it. Not until she disappeared from his sight. Then, Max tensed. Maybe, for the moment, they were just looking at her. But what would happen if she was left alone? Maybe they would insult her, assault her. Maybe someone would even try to rape her or kidnap her to sell her. Like those two fucking highwaymen. It's obvious that he couldn't go to the bathroom alone.

  "Come on," Max said, taking her hand.

  Helen seemed a little surprised, but she didn't protest. Of course, he wouldn't make her get into the same stall. There was no need to go that far either. While he was taking a leak, he tried not to think about Helen hearing him. And even less, about what could be... Should he have put her in the stall after all? What if someone jumped on her before he could cast a spell? What if they took away her staff? What if they covered her mouth so she couldn't scream? And dragged her away from him, into the darkness, into the unknown? Paranoia, he knew it was just that. If he couldn't leave her alone for a few seconds, well, he had it bad. But he couldn't help it.

  "God!"

  His pulse had already accelerated more than in his last battle. Even more than when Ares appeared for the sole purpose of screwing him over. And well, saving him from Hades' champion too, he supposed.

  But only for his own entertainment. Max came out of there prepared again and saw Helen on the other side. Nothing had happened, of course. What the hell could happen with so many witnesses and with him right there? If something had happened, he would have smashed the stall like a fucking blizzard in less than a tenth of a second. He would have pounced on any attacker going through a shower of wood. He grabbed Helen's hand again, squeezing it tightly.

  The girl would be fine and he would be fine too. Eventually everything would fall into place. Maybe he wasn't one hundred percent convinced, but the fact is that he had to believe it. He had to cling to it like a lifeline. If he couldn't even believe it, there was no way it would come true.

  That's right, he had to do his part. Even if the world was intent on intensely screwing him in the ass.

  "You're squeezing my hand too hard."

  "I'm sorry, does it hurt?"

  "It's not that, it feels good. It's just that I think everything you've seen and what I've told you has made you think that the situation of the elves is worse than it is. You really don't have to worry so much. They're not going to kill me or kidnap me in broad daylight. They're not going to eat me at the stake for having pointy ears either. That's from other times."

  But it had happened. No matter how far away those times were, it had happened. Max was barely able to suppress a wince.

  Yeah, well, it's just that this... " he spent a while trying to think of how to say it before concluding that he was an idiot. "This isn't my world. I don't know what to expect."

  There was no need to be so cautious. Anyone who heard him, if they did, would think it was just an expression. Nothing more. Helen had accepted his story easily, but did these people even have the concept of different worlds? Aside from the land of the gods, of course. He didn't know, he wasn't an expert in ancient history, but it felt too soon to think about things like that. Max was a good liar, and if he had learned anything it was that the worst thing was insecurity.

  Thinking about things too much, trying to cover all the angles, that was simply suspicious. After all, the truth was the truth. A person who had the truth on their side wouldn't be so overwhelmed, wouldn't be so worried. Trying to hide his true identity and his origin wasn't exactly like that, but it also applied, he believed. There was no need to think about things too much, period.

  To his very pleasant surprise, they returned to the temple without incident. He could hardly believe it. He had been waiting for the other shoe to drop the whole way.

  "Did you have a good time?"

  And as soon as they arrived, Tryphaena was there to greet them.

  "Very much," Helen replied, still with a very wide smile, well, a smile her age.

  "I'm glad." Tryphaena lowered her head. "And has there been any luck?"

  "Not yet," Max answered. "I hope it works. There's always people desperate to make money."

  "It will work, Lord Miller, don't worry."

  Again with the Lord Miller thing, he winced. She really wouldn't let it go, no matter what he said. Well, he would have to get used to it.

  "I suppose you're right," Max finally said.

  He didn't like to think about that. That he was essentially exploiting people's desperation for his own convenience. But what else could he do? He needed to conquer that labyrinth. And they couldn't do it alone. If they didn't accompany him, they would follow someone else on a task just as dangerous or more. So it didn't really matter. It was just how things worked in this world. Or at least that's what he told himself. What he kept telling himself.

  "Of course I'm right, you'll see."

  "Soon, I hope. I'm looking forward to getting to work."

  "We should do some of the other Quests first to prepare," Helen said.

  "Warm up," Max said. "Now I'm only thinking about the labyrinth, but yes. It's not a bad idea, of course. It's what we should do."

  Then, Max bit his lower lip.

  "I feel a little tired," Max admitted, a little embarrassed, since they hadn't done much. He had felt less tired after almost dying more times than he could count in the last battle. For some reason. "Later. Now I want to take a nap."

  Helen nodded.

  "As you wish."

  That was her answer to everything. She was a lovely and obedient girl. There was nothing wrong with that, necessarily. But he thought she was going a little overboard with the obedience. Children weren't like that. So good, so perfect. He certainly hadn't been. The natural instinct of someone young was to rebel just because. It didn't matter if it was good or bad. Of course, Helen's circumstances were anything but natural. And he wasn't any fucking psychiatrist. What the hell did he know? What could he do about it, even if he wasn't far off?

  "You can take care of her and entertain her, right? In the meantime."

  "Of course, Lord Miller. We live to serve. Long live Ares."

  God, what a creep.

  Max got into bed. Paranoia. But the priests and priestesses wouldn't do anything to her. Even if she was an elf, even if deep down they felt disgust or hatred, they wouldn't do anything to her. She was with him and that made her sacred. He could close his eyes. He could relax. And let sleep take him far away. Very, very far away. To something like rest.