Bellatrix. A quaint little town with a necromancer problem. Nothing too special, but a nice place to settle down if the need arises.

Right now, that necromancer is plaguing the town something awful, and they really need someone to clear out the danger so they can resume a normal peaceful life. For any Adventurer’s Guild team worth their salt, the mission shouldn’t be all too difficult.

And Team Fanghook was absolutely worth its salt. Borguk the orc as leader, both warrior and chef. Thalia the mage elf and Malia the archer elf. Miss M the demon queen with sealed-up power. And me, Eryk Solbourne, the rookie pink-haired North Spiran with an eager heart. What a dynamic team!

Secretly, there is a Maw Dragon nearby as well, which would threaten the lives of their entire region if left unchecked, but they don’t know that yet and presumably will never find out thanks to Team Fanghook. I wish I had been there for that fight, just to see the glory of it. But then again, it might not be so interesting compared to fighting an Apex Creature, which I have done multiple times in my time since being reborn.

Francis and I are here in Bellatrix to scope things out, to get a lay of the land. I’ve rented us a small room for the night, one room across where Malia and I were staying at the very same inn. Little would I know, but two days later, I wouldn’t be returning to this inn celebratory and heroic. I’d be nowhere at all.

Francis doesn’t know most of these plans, and I am keeping mostly mum with our [Empathetic Link], but he clearly feels the pangs of nostalgia that currently course through me.

This was the origin point, after all. I’d have never met the rest of the Systemless Squad if it weren’t for the accident in Bellatrix. It was a tragedy at the time, but a triumph in the long-term.

Yoshu, of course, cannot come along with us any further, now that we are in modern-day Mystix. I have released my tamed companion into the wild, letting it soar through the skies and live out its final days as the last sky raptor to ever exist. It will be a lonely existence, but a powerful one too I imagine. If only it could meet another of its kind... I could travel back and tame another, now that I have near-limitless grip on my Destiny Deck System, but that would be convoluted and pointless.

Let me instead focus on the present. Or the past, rather.

It is night, and tomorrow Team Fanghook will be going to the dungeon to engage in fierce battle.

But for tonight, I’ve just spotted two of its members heading out to the tavern across the street. Odd that they’re In the mood for living it up the night before a dangerous mission, but perhaps I am conflating the mood with what the inexperienced young me was feeling at the time. These two are veterans.

With Francis already asleep for the evening, I sneak into the tavern on my own and try to keep my head down. Pull a hood over my head and sit at the bar. The barkeep’s quiet, reserved, polishing a glass. I order a shirley temple, and he sure doesn’t give me one. I have to settle for mead.

I spy on the two Team Fanghook members, seeing what they’re up to. What they were up to the night before our fight with the necromancer.

Because I’m starting to wonder if these two might have something to--

Oh, they’re making out.

I can’t help but gape aloud.

“Borguk? Thalia? Together?! What?!”

This, of course, immediately catches their attention mid-makeout. They were absolutely going at it in a way that is not particularly pleasant for those around them, and now they are both absolutely mortified to see me here.

“Eryk?” Borguk’s green skin goes pallid. “You’re here...?”

“Yes, I’m here indeed, and very surprised to see my two teammates have ‘hooked up,’ as some might say.”

Thalia stammers out some nervous rebuttals, but nothing audible enough to be comprehensible.

Borguk leans in close. “By The Goddess’s name, don’t tell the others. Don’t tell the Guild.”

He seems genuinely very embarrassed.

I’m suddenly stricken by just how silly the idea of it is. That these two hardened warriors are shy about their relationship and don’t want gossip to spread out.

I can use this to my advantage. It may be despicable and devious to blackmail my friends, but in order to keep the timeline flowing as The Goddess intended, I will do exactly that.

“You know, I wonder what the Guild will think about it when its captain romances a subordinate? Will they break apart Team Fanghook? Or will they simply congratulate you and throw a party for your wedding?”

They both stammer out embarrassed non-responses. Clearly, the mature thing would be to simply say, “Of course, that’s the reasonable adult thing to expect,” or even to turn this back on my own relationship with Malia which is not quite following the Adventurer’s Guild team guidelines. They don’t do that.

“You know what? I’ll keep it a secret,” I say.

Borguk heaves a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Eryk. I--”

“But I’m going to need you to follow some important steps. As a favor.”

Both of them groan.

“Tomorrow, in the dungeon, you are going to find evidence of a Maw Dragon. Trust me, it’s there. When you do, make sure to send me up. It might make your team weaker, but you can still win without me. Don’t worry. Give the loot for me to sell or something.”

“Eryk, have you gone mad?” Thalia asks.

“Please trust me on this one. Something terrible will happen in the next two days, and you will feel shocked and appalled by this. Whatever you do... Don’t panic. Stay here in Bellatrix for a bit and I’ll give you the next step of the plan. And then you can keep your relationship secret.”

I smile, and both of them look positively annoyed. I’m fine with being their personal villain for a bit. Because I’ll become a hero later.