Questions answered

The rest of the day passed by quicker than I cared to admit. Between Yura deciding to 'clean me', and relaxing by her stove as we drank tea. She was generous enough to answer many of my questions. Though, I didn't care for the logic that I was just a stupid human. Not exactly comforting for people to think I was just an idiot. Regardless, she was nice enough to explain some things for me. For example, she explained why I couldn't finish inside her. It wasn't an issue of contraceptive, apparently that was ready and available. All it took was a cheap elixir to avoid pregnancy. The actual reason was a bit more complicated. In the predominant culture of the land finishing inside of a person was akin to laying claim on them. Be it romantically or simply in a sexual way. It was very similar to marriage. Save for that was also a thing. Essentially, she just didn't want to be tied down. Something I couldn't blame her for.

There were also ways to break such a bond, for example, having someone else cum inside you. However, cheating was still strongly looked down on and regarded as shameful. While polygamy wasn't unknown, it wasn't the norm. For some reason it was considered standard for couples with multiple men to pass their partner's 'claim' around. It took me about an hour to really understand it all. The way she described it felt like trading cards. So while the claim was significant, it wasn't completely solid. There were also rules to follow once someone claimed another. Regardless if it resulted in a pregnancy the pair was seen as a couple and treated as such. Thankfully there were ways to avoid the connection. ****, for example, if proven without a doubt would be enough to void the contract. It made me happy that this world at least acknowledged something so grievous. Better than simply blaming the woman. Another way to break the bond was ****, or prolonged separation. The way Yura described it was that if a man was gone for years, the connection could be voided by the partner. It wasn't normal, since most people truly loved their partners. It was an option though.

I continued asking Yura questions for a long while, hours, before something else of real note came up. She mentioned that there were strange ruins found deep within the Earth. The way she put it there was always some kind of structure being found. Particularly in caves or deep in canyons. I wouldn't know until I saw them myself, but they seemed to be remnants from my time. She also gave me some more information on the place I was going to be traveling to. When she heard the quest description it sounded a lot like one of those strange ruins. Though she couldn't give me any details on the structure itself, known that it really could be something from my time helped a great deal.

Another thing that came up towards the end of our discussion was the gods and their place in the world. She told me about how they weren't properly worshiped in most places. That while they were respected, and often sought out for council, they weren't really given large shrines or temples. Some did ask for such things, but most of them simply spent their time traveling the world and guiding the people within. My first thought was to a particularly famous grey wizard who gave council and advice. I also asked her the gods were like. From what she told me it wasn't an easy thing to answer. The gods rarely spoke to people directly. When they did it almost always meant some sort of calamity was coming. Instead they seemed to communicate through other means. Fires erupting from the ground and speaking to those deemed important or birds acting as guides to those who need them. Each god seemed to have their own style. It made me curious if I had met Eros themselves or just a big deer acting as an avatar.

Based on the sun I guessed that it was around six in the evening when we finally left her small house. Yura wearing another attractive set of clean clothes. Tight leather pants with an equally fitting tunic. She wore a vest over the top that did little to hide her bust. Her long hair was tied into a loose bun on top of her head. For my part I simply wore the pants and shirt that we had bought. With the bag slung over my shoulder and sword on my hip. With it all combined together I felt like some fledgling fantasy character. Too weak to manage much, but strong enough to maybe kill a rat or two. Three though would wipe the floor with me.

It wasn't long before we finally made our way to the Inn. Inside the party had already begun. Same as the night prior. Laughter, drinking, eating, and toasts. As we walked in there were a few whistles and teasing remarks. Mostly aimed at Yura. From what I could gather I had become sort of the village anomaly. Gaining a weird backstory along with it. That I had fought the guards at the gate and **** my way in. Others saying that I was invited by the Hux directly. I did my best to ignore them but Yura seemed to be the most bothered by the rumors. Many of them saying that they saw us together and that we had gone to her house. She seemed rather annoyed that so many had decided to dig into her daily life like that. Not until the other bartender threatened to cut everyone off did the talks finally stop. Though the glances didn't.

Following her advice and request I quickly ordered dinner. Just some bread and cheese since I couldn't afford much. Not after everything I had spent that day. My meager meal didn't take long and afterwards I found myself alone once more. staring into the window next to my bed for nearly an hour before I finally drifted off to sleep. I didn't wake until the sun had begun to rise once again over the land. Though the village was still without light for another hour. By any guess it was only five or so in the morning. Stirring awake I got dressed quickly and made my way downstairs. There were a few stragglers still sipping on their mugs. Standing at the bar was Yura and the same man from the morning prior.

"Ah, so the knight awakens. I hear you gave our Yura a good morning." The man, Mark, said with a knowing grin. A grin that he was slapped on the arm for wearing so proudly.

"You didn't hear a damn thing, Mark." Yura said as she poured me a mug of cider, the same I drank the morning prior. "I didn't tell him anything, good or bad. He's just another busy body who decided to listen to every piece of gossip he could." She passed the mug over along with a folded paper. In my time it would have been her phone number. "Good morning, Leo." She was still wearing the same outfit from the night prior, though her smile seemed more exhausted.

"Good morning, Yura." Setting my drink down I unfolded the paper and began to inspect it. Though not as detailed as I had grown used to in the past, it was a decently made map of the area. With an extra piece of parchment that gave me simple instructions as to where to find the job's location. From what it said the farm I was going to was only about two days away. Maybe a couple dozen miles, at most. "Guess this is gonna be a longer trip than I thought. Maybe a week, at most. Yura, would you mind holding my room for me? Or at least help me have a bed to sleep in when I get back?"

"That won't be an issue. I already figured you'd be gone for a while. I can't keep it empty the entire time, but when you get back I'll make sure you're taken care of. Some coin to pay with would certainly help in that regard." I laughed a little in response to her comment. The job wouldn't bring in a whole lot of wealth, only about a hundred or so gold. The small village had pooled together. With any luck though I'd be able to find some materials to collect or sell. From what Yura had told me the forests were teeming with game. So along the way I could collect pelts to sell. Granted, it would only bring in another fifty or so at best.

"Thank you, Yura." I replied refolding the paper. I tucked it away into the bag. "If this is gonna take a while, I might as well get moving. Figure I can make some real damage before night falls."

"On that note. One last thing. Consider this a gift." She motioned for something behind the bar. After a sigh Mark reached down and pulled out a bundle of fabric and cloth. "You'll be needing a tent and bed roll. It won't survive a bad storm, but it'll keep you dry at least." I couldn't help but smile and thank her. "Now come on. Let's get you out of the village before the morning traffic picks up."

"You're coming with me?" I asked a little surprised. Based on how tired she looked I expected her to crash at any moment.

"Are you going to complain?" With that she turned back and walked over to the inn's door. Pushing it open and waving for me to follow. In truth, I had a bit more trouble paying attention to her hand while the pants did very, very, little to hid her shapely ass. Round and firm at the same time. A sight that held my attention for a while longer than it should have. Not until I felt hit on my shoulder did I break out of the spell.

Mark stood behind me with a smirk. "Get going, kid. Before some other guy decides to join her for a walk through town." Following yet another piece of solid advice I thanked him and made my way over to Yura after tying the bundle to the front of the bag.

When I finally met her outside of the inn she was leaning against the dimly lit exterior wall. Lanterns still hanging from the buildings lining the streets. The sun, though illuminating the sky, still hadn't broken through the night completely. Most of the village and surrounding area casted in shadow still. As I walked up to Yura, "Do all adventurers get such a beautiful escort out of town?"

"No, and you don't stop taking your time neither will you." Since the streets were still dark she seemed more bold than normal. Not to say that I didn't feel the same. If not for the need to move I would have kissed her again. Though, I couldn't tell one way or another what our relationship was. Only thing I could think of to explain it was friends with benefits. Something I could be happy with. "Come on, stop wasting time. I expect you back in a week, so move."