“Oh dear, you don’t look so good. Do you want me to get you a potion?” Jenna asked. She was exiting the tavern’s kitchen and wanted to help prepare the dining room, but The Unnamed Team distracted her. Rex was being carried by Eins and had an arrow sticking out of his leg. He didn’t seem to be in severe pain, but Jenna still wanted to help. As an ex-adventurer, she had a surplus of old supplies, and potions were one of the few things to never spoil. She wouldn’t hesitate to rummage through her belongings to help her favorite team.
“Actually, I would-” Rex tried to say. He wanted nothing more than to end his current predicament. Unfortunately, the team had a different priority than he did, so his opinion went unheard.
“Sorry, but we’re looking for something we lost. Have you seen a glass bottle with a dark purple liquid in it?” Robyn said. She attempted to describe what was lost without explicitly stating that it was a poisonous substance. She didn’t want to spark a mass panic within the tavern. Finding the bottle without alerting anyone would have been optimal, but they needed help. The Unnamed Team lacked tracking skills. No one attempted to return the bottle, and the team was growing more concerned about someone drinking from it. The [Demon's Poison] was enough to scare both heroes and demons alike. They didn’t want to know what would happen if a normal person consumed it.
“You mean the wine? Yeah, Mateo put some in tonight’s dishes.” Jenna said with a smile. She wasn’t aware of the dangerous sentence she just spoke. To any normal person, the poison appeared to be nothing more than an unlabeled wine. That was one of the critical reasons why [Demon’s Poison] was threatening. Its color, scent, and taste all resemble a wine fit for royalty. Once it reached a person’s stomach, however, the story was much different. Anyone weaker than a certain level died instantly. If the consumer managed to survive the initial wave of damage, stronger pulses of pain coursed through their body as their internal systems desperately tried to live past the hour. It only got worse as time went on, and the effects bypassed most resistances and antidotes.
“He what?” Xander asked. He visibly went pale. Everyone did. They didn’t know the full extent of the poison, but they did understand its dangers. After all, it was named after demons for a good reason. It was likely strong enough to kill its namesake, creatures with innate poison resistances. That meant that normal humans stood even less of a chance against it. The Unnamed Team needed to act quickly before the tavern turned into a morgue.
“Don’t worry. He cooked out all the alcohol. We don’t want anyone getting a buzz from the food. That’s what the drinks are for.” Jenna said between laughs. The concern she saw was misinterpreted as worry about the overconsumption of alcohol. Yes, it was a problem, but that was to be expected in a tavern. It wouldn’t feel right if there wasn’t at least one inebriated person as the impromptu bard. Many of The Feral Tomcat’s dishes were either cooked with liquor or had liquor-based sauces. Those meals were famous and frequently ordered. It was why both Jenna and Mateo knew how to cook with a variety of drinks. A simple wine like the one they took from outside The Unnamed Team’s room was easy for them to utilize. Of course, they were more than willing and able to pay for what they practically stole.
“Which dishes?” Nicholas asked. Jenna tried to hide her smile because she still thought the panic was overblown. She gestured to the dining area of the tavern where several tables were put together. It seemed like they were celebrating something important, but now wasn’t the time for questions. There were three noticeable dishes at the end of the banquet: a bowl of pasta, a large meatloaf, and a sizable cake. It wasn’t clear how the poison was distributed amongst these three dishes, but any amount was enough to kill. To make matters worse, guests were arriving.
“What’s going on, party people? Heard there was a killer banquet going on.” Lust said. She barged through the tavern’s front door with Gluttony in tow. Of course, they were hiding their real identities. Lust and Gluttony were pretending to be in their own adventuring party, Sinly Delights, and acted under the names Lucy and Grace respectively. It was their excuse for both being powerful and personally knowing The Unnamed Team. Without the charade, the sins would immediately be kicked out of the city and possibly chased back to their homes.
“I’m always up for a good meal,” Gluttony said. It was surprising to hear such words from a slender person like her, but no one said anything. The Unnamed Team didn’t want to agitate an active sin, and the other tavern patrons knew better than to comment on a woman’s weight. The two sins walked together and eyed the bountiful assortment of food. Their mouths started to water as they wondered what to eat first. One stared at the dessert near the end of the table, and the other readied herself to devour the impressive meatloaf.
“You’re more than welcome to, but not these three dishes. These are…ours…” Nicholas said. He gestured to the three dishes at the end of the table as his team approached the sins. His mind raced for a better excuse but to no avail. No reasonable person would claim a dish during a celebration that wasn’t their own. Nicholas just had to hope the sins would get the hint. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be that easy.
“Aw, can’t we have a taste? I’m sure you’re willing to share. Right, babe?” Lust said. She walked over to Xander and locked eyes with him. It was a petty tactic, but she knew it would work. If Xander did it to her, it would be just as effective. That was why she needed to act first to get her way.
“No...because…they’re ours…” Xander said. His mind also failed to come up with an excuse. It felt as if [Lust] had been activated and amplified, but that was impossible. Eins had the skill now, and they wouldn’t activate it recklessly. Unfortunately, knowing that fact didn’t save him from his current bumbling state.
“What are you doing?” Robyn asked through a whisper. She didn’t see the problem. They were demons with a naturally high resistance to poison. If she enhanced them, the [Demon’s Poison] would be little to no issue. The same couldn’t be said about the scenario where she tried the same tactic on The Unnamed Team.
“Trying to keep anyone from eating the poisoned meals, idiot,” Nicholas said. He didn’t want to risk anyone’s life. They had to stop these three dishes from being eaten. They couldn’t risk killing someone. If the situation grew any worse, they were prepared to dump the dishes on the floor and cause a scene.
“What’s the worst that could happen if a Gluttony eats poison?” Rex asked. He didn’t see the problem. Gluttony was a demon, so she had a high resistance to poison. She was also a sin, meaning she was even stronger than a normal demon. Her sin in particular revolved around eating. An even higher resistance, if not full immunity, should have been expected. Lastly, her draconic armor amplified several of her resistances, not the least of which being poison. All of the risks should have been mitigated for Gluttony. Unfortunately, it wasn’t that easy, and Genesis was quick to point that out.
“NOTICE. SKILL [GLUTTONY] INCREASES THE EFFECTS OF EVERYTHING EATEN BY A FACTOR OF ONE HUNDRED.”
