She had the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen: big, radiant even despite the redness in and around them, and of the most vivid light blue with a hint of green. A colour that, for some reason, made me think about warm sun and salty water. Just like the one that run down her rosy cheeks. These eyes seemed even greener because of the woman’s glossy pastel green hair, chopped just under her chin.

The rest of her wasn’t as good, but it also was worthy of attention. Handful-sized breasts, slim waist, light and smooth skin, some muscle hidden under her baggy tunic and long skirt. Was she a fighter, an adventurer, or just worked out a lot? I was ready to bet she had a good stamina. The idea of how she could apply it made a welcome heat gather at the bottom of my stomach.

“Babe, what’s wrong? Did someone hurt you?” the man to whom the woman pleaded said. “Don’t worry, you fought just the right guy to ask. I, Teren, is one of the best adventurers in this city!”

“Yes, I’ve heard about you! You’ve killed the kobold warlord a year ago. I was hoping to find someone like you. Only you can help me. It’s just there, please, you have to come with me, now! They, they, and my father… My house…” the woman gave a pitiful sob, her kissable lips trembling, and shook her head, as if unable to speak further. “Please, come!”

Damn, this guy was going to save this woman, and then she would be grateful to him and have hot, passionate sex with him! With him, not with me! That just wouldn’t do. I waited for this way too long to just miss an opportunity because of some adventurer.

I stood up from my seat and made a beeline towards the woman until I squeezed myself between her and the Teren guy.

“Forget about him! I will help you! I’m stronger and better, just point me whom to kill!” I beamed at her puffed my chest for further emphasis on how good I was. Even without taking a good look at the Teren guy, I had a nagging feeling that he was better dressed and better groomed just because he was an adventurer and therefore had money.

“Hey, hey, what the fuck are you doing, pal?” Teren threatened as he began to get out of his seat and closer to me.

The woman looked with panicked eyes between the two of us. I leaned closer to her, hoping to influence her decision of a choice of protector, and caught a whiff of her scent. It was sharp and strong, like… onions.

Why was she smelling of onions?

“I… I…” she stuttered, turning a shade paler than she was.

“Is there a problem, gentlemen?” a waitress asked from the side, holding an empty tray in her hand like she was ready to bash someone’s head with it. “If you intend to have a fight, take it outside.”

“No fight here,” I beamed at the waitress too, even though she was just comely at best. “We are already leaving, right, miss? It was urgent, and I will help you.”

I grabbed the woman’s wrist before anyone could react, enjoying the feel of her silky skin against my sensitive human palms. She opened her mouth, closed it, glanced at Teren, and then, to my relief, nodded. “Yeah, I guess—”

“Then it’s decided,” I cut her off and pulled her towards the exit, ignoring the sharp words Teren threw at my back. When we got out, I let her wrist go, only to put hands on the girl’s shoulders. Any excuse to touch a pretty woman… Yes, I had no shame here. “Come, tell me where you need help. And what’s your name, miss?”

“Rosha—” she said, looking dazed, then flinched. “I mean, it’s… Oh, what the hell. Listen, pal—”

“Rosha. That’s nice. My name is Voren,” I said, feeling weirdly bashful as I did so.

A funny thing was, that—I didn’t remember giving my name to anyone else before. I only came up with it when I was a half-way on my way to becoming the Lord of Nine Hells. At some point, I hoped I would remember my old name, but it never came to me. Maybe it was erased from my soul at reincarnation, or maybe I needed more INT… Either way, by then and later, everyone knew me just as Devourer.

Even my name, Voren, came from that. The core of the word, ‘vore’ meant ‘eater’—or so I remembered then. Now I could only remember that I remembered.

And it felt so personal then, that I didn’t want to share it with my enemies and slaves, nor did I have any friends. Now… now that meant that I could use it without fear of gods connecting it with me. And I wanted to hear Rosha speak it in her melodious voice.

“Voren,” she repeated, looking around the square where the Guild’s building stood. “Alright, let’s come somewhere quieter first.”

Rosha pulled me by my sleeve, an expression of grim determination settling on her face. Nothing at all like the panic she wore before. Her eyes still were teary, and she rubbed at them with her free hand, but she didn’t sob.

The change made me frown. “What’s going on?” I asked.

“Shh! Later! Not in public.” I got in reply together with a sharp look.

I kept following, but I kept my senses on alert. Something was wrong here, but I couldn’t force myself to just leave Rosha be, not when I could see her enchanting eyes when I closed mine.