Sharp

We left out the main gate with Nia telling Kiri, “I am just going roaming for a bit with our Roaming Cleric, not sure when I will be back.”

We walked along the coast as we did a year ago. I brought back some memories. The main centre was not far around the lake, and Kai had located Val by the time we got there. We walked up the main street to intercept them. Nia wore ordinary clothes so she did not look like a priestess. Several people recognised her anyway and gave brief bows or nods of acknowledgement.

We met Val and Gail coming out of a jeweller shop, “Hey, Theo. Good timing,” Val said, “We were going to get lunch, but you should come inside here. There are a couple of nice rings that would look great in your ears.”

“That is a great idea, Theo,” Nia said.

“Oh, this was a bad idea,” I said.

“Introduce me, Theo,” Nia said with a nudge and a twinkle in her eye that meant trouble.

“Nia, meet Val and Gail. Val is a roommate of mine I told you about. I only met Gail on this assessment, so I don’t know much about her, sorry.”

“Gail Hawthorne of Vitesse,” Gail said. “I study at the Brisku Adventuring Academy.”

“Nice to meet you, Gail and I have heard a lot about you, Val,” Nia said. “I am not sure how much to believe as Theo’s viewpoint is sometimes skewed.”

“I know, right?” Val said, “I think it is because he spends too much time in the Temple of Death. Come on, Theo, Come and look at these rings. You have those large Leonid ears. They need something.” she dragged me into the store, and Nia and Gail followed.

I knew nothing about rings, but Val and Nia ganged up on me, and I got two rings and two piercings in my right ear. I flicked my ears, and they felt funny, but I would get used to it, and I could take them out later. It was easier just to go with it.

Gail held back as she didn’t know us well, although she and Val seemed to be getting on well. We went from there to a tea shop for lunch. The waitress recognised Nia and bowed, which pricked Val’s noble instincts.

“Did you and Gail know each other back in Vitesse?” I asked to distract her. “Val is from some big-shot family there,” I said to Nia.

“The Kristos are not just some big-shot family,” Gail said, offended for Val.

“Don’t worry about it, Gail. That is just Theo. I suspect Nia is someone important around here, but he hasn’t mentioned it. No, Theo, we knew of each other but didn’t really meet properly.”

“You are getting on well,” I said with a wink.

“Yes, Theo, we are, and we will practice sparring against each other. She is entering the Brisku Areana team, and I am going for the Remore team, so we will clash in the academy competitions. It will be fun. You should join us.”

“No thanks.”

“Why don’t you, Theo,” Nia said. “It will be good practice, and you said you wanted to get stronger.”

“No, you shouldn’t, Theo,” Gail said. “It will be bad enough against Val.”

“Don’t worry,” Val said, “I will work on him.”

The waitress brought our order, and Nia thanked her. The waitress responded with, “Thank you, My Lady.”

“I knew it,” Val said. “You are a local noble. I know most of them, and I don’t recall your name. You are at least Silver Rank, as I can’t detect your aura.”

“Good deductions, Lady Valery Kristos, but no I am not a noble. I am just a friend of Theo’s.”

“You are somebody, though. I will work it out,” Val said,

“What I do know are these shops,” Nia said. “Was there something in particular you were looking for?”

“No, we are just shopping for relaxation.”

“That’s right, the assessment. How do you think it went?” Nia asked.

“I think we passed,” Val said, looking at Gail, who nodded. “Probably.”

“Theo smashed it, though. He was instrumental in so many successful plans, and there is no way he failed,’ Val said.

“Really?” Nia asked. “That is not the impression he gave me. He was very unsure.”

“Huh!” she scoffed, “His viewpoint is suspect, as you said. Oh, I know you are from one of the temples, aren’t you?”

“One of the temples, Theo?” Nia asked. “Have you been courting another goddess, Theo? You left that out as well.”

“See, I told you which Temple?” Val asked.

“Indeed, Theo, which other temple have you been seen in.”

“Not just seen at,” Val said. “He is regularly either at the Temple of Death or the Temple to the Goddess of the Lost and Outcast.”

“Regularly, Theo, really?” Nia teased.

“I am confused,” Gail said. “What is this about?”

“Yes, Theo, why don’t you explain?” Nia said.

“I have been helping at the Temple of the Lost because I have been lost. I usually go once a week,” I said. I knew she was teasing.

“Which means,” said Val, pointing to Nia, “you are from the Temple of Death.”

“Well done,” Nia said.

“I am still confused,” Gail said. “Why do you spend so much time at the temples?” She asked me.

“Why he spends so much time at the Temple of Death is easy,” Nia said, “it is because he is a Cleric of the Goddess.”

“What?” Val and Gail both said, looking at me.

“You told me you met the Goddess, but you didn’t say she made you a Cleric,” Val said.

“You met a Goddess!” Gail exclaimed.

“Why don’t you show them your ID token, Theo,” Nia said sweetly.

I rolled my eyes at her but pulled out the token and put it on the table. Val snatched it up and examined it with Gail looking over her shoulder.

“Roaming Cleric. What does that mean?” Val asked me.

“I don’t actually know.” I replied, “Why don’t we ask Nia? She is the local High Priestess.”

“What?” Val and Gail said, simultaneously looking at Nia.

Nia laughed, “Well played, Theo.”

“My lady…” Val started her training kicking in.

“Save all that pomp for official occasions. We are just four friends out shopping,” Nia said. When Val and Gail looked doubtful, she said, “It is better to say we are mutual friends of Theo, helping him dress for his new job.”

“He needs it,” Val said.

“He looks fine,” Gail said.

“This is unusual,” Val said. “He only wears shorts and straps ALL THE TIME. It's very boring.”

“I suppose it would be,” she conceded.

“I still want to know what a Roaming Cleric does,” Val said.

“It is very simple,” Nia said. “He does whatever the Goddess wants, wherever she wants him to.”

“That is not so simple,” I said.

“Simple is not the same as easy,” Nia said. “I assume she wants him to help at the Temple of the Lost for now.”

“I just went because I wanted to,” I said.

“And that is often how the Goddess works,” Nia shrugged. “Now, shopping for pleasure is a skill I have honed to a sharp edge, so if you are finished here, Follow me.”

Nia showed us some shops with things that were different from the norm, and Val remembered I had dimensional storage. I was soon carrying her bags, and she convinced Gail I would take some of hers as well.

I let them convince me to buy a couple of things, but I was not into many things. I refused to let them take me to a Leonid hairdresser, and Nia redirected them from that. It was too big a reminder of my dad. In fact, I had to take a break and get a handle on my emotions for a bit, and Nia covered for me. I don’t think Val was fooled, but she let it happen.

We finished with dinner. As we parted, Nia said, “You know, Theo, Roaming Clerics have an expense allowance. They need it to get around. If, for a random example, you needed to come and consult with your favourite High Priestess, the Temple would cover the portal costs.” She winked at me.

“Yeah, right,” I said.

Nia got serious for a bit, “If you need it, Theo, yes, the Temple will pay.” She gave me a hug and said her farewells to Val and Gail.

Once she left, Val hit me on the shoulder. “You are a real bastard,” she said.

“What?” I complained.

“That was the High Priestess! She is Gold Rank, and she spent the afternoon shopping with us to relax.”

“Gold rankers have to shop too,” I said, “Especially that one.”

“I am stunned,” Gail said. “That was a wild afternoon I will never forget.”

“I think it is him,” Val said. “He brings the crazy.”

“You should be nice to me,” I said, “The Goddess of Death likes me. You never know what I might ask of her.”

Val came up to me and put her arm over my shoulder. “Yes, Theo. You are my favourite, Leonid. Can I share… Hey, don’t elbow me in the ribs like that. I am a noble!”

I looked at Gail, “Are you sure you want to hang out with a spoiled noble?”

“I will happily beat some sense into her,” Gail replied.

“Yeah? You and whose army?” Val replied.

I was looking forward to getting back home for some peace.