V led Eika and Luna back down into the hideout while explaining to Eika that she could not, in fact, read his mind. While Luna and Eika prepared for bed, V spoke to L. "If you have the energy, I would like to discuss the events that happened while you were passed out. Also, do you need something to eat? We might still have some dried meat or something in the travel supplies." L shook her head "I’m not hungry, I feel sick to my stomach. As long as it does not require physical movement, I have enough energy to talk. I don't need to sleep anymore after-all." V nodded "Oh right..." he wondered if L could sleep if she wanted to. If not, this was probably going to be a long night for her. He dragged a chair over to her bed, sat down, and started explaining what had happened when he had used the letters they had gained, and what had happened while she was unconscious. She listened in silence as he recounted the story of the "Demon Lord / Chosen One" as well.

After he was finished speaking, which took some time, she fiddled around with her status. V demonstrated his new ability to "Command" family members, and once Eika fell asleep, explained what he could about her status quietly. After a time, L finally spoke. "Well, I do not actually know what my title does when it comes to "Allows the user to provide counsel to the Godfather." I can sense Eika's location now, and I could already sort of sense yours. I have no more knowledge of what "Family Events" mean than you do, but I would have to assume it is some sort of order you can issue. V tilted his head, that is an interesting way of putting it, also I’m surprised you have heard the words "Consigliere" and "Godfather" before considering they are fairly culturally specific even in my own world." V did not say the next part out loud, but he was also surprised that L did not seem to mind the fact that she was part of a crime family now, by technicality sure, but he figured that would be enough to rile her up.

L furrowed her brow. Why would I not have heard those words before? I recently even spoke them to you when speaking of my past. Have you lost your memories of the day before?" V's brain worked through L's words. She spoke of her past yes, but she certainly was not part of a crime family... An interesting realization crossed his mind as he attempted to work out what L was speaking of. "I... I think when you say "Godfather" and when I say "Godfather" we are saying different things. However, whatever mechanics this world has that bridges cultural and language boundaries is forcing us to hear something different. While I normally don't care about how the gods have arranged the way we communicate to each other, this could be important. If you have already spoken about the title you received, try speaking of it in a different context. Do not directly reference the title "Consigliere." Attempt to communicate to me what you see the title as in your status, without actually speaking of the title." L slowly nodded as she processed what V was saying, she herself failed to notice how this might be important, but it’s not like she had a lot of other things to be spending her time on at the moment. "In my status it reads as the same thing I was once called in my past. My blessing directly refers to it." V's mind ticked away as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. Unless the "auto translate" was even more screwed up and weird then he expected, L was saying that her "Consigliere" title read as "Lady Protector" to her. He furrowed his brow, "Do you have a way to explain what my title, or Eika's title "Associate" appears as to you?" L shook her head. "I do not know how to use the word Eika's title reads as without directly referencing it, but it is a title held by those that the royal court looks after, but is not part of the royal family. As for your title..." She thought back to how much she had actually shared with V when she spoke of her past. "Your title is the same as the one who gave me my title in my old life." V worked through her words, the only thing he could think of was "Emperor." Although she never directly said that an Emperor gave her the title of "Lady Protector," it was the only person of importance she spoke of at the time.

"Why is it important what we read each other's titles as?" L expressed confusion at V's deep thought on the matter. "Well, I am trying to figure out if it leads to any clues on how my blessing may work, and how our titles may work. It also seems like both of our perceptions still register our titles as being "Family" based. Yours is just a royal family, and mine...uh... isn't. That part that is important as it solidifies the idea that my blessing, at-least in part, is based upon familial elements. I would like to get Eika's explanation of what she sees the titles as, but I don't see that happening anytime soon." L nodded and chimed in "It’s also possible that if we run into foes that can see our titles, they will interpret them in their own conceptual idea of what a family is." V wondered why the God's had set up such an aggressive cultural "Auto-translate." "You know, this does somewhat concern me. How can we ever be certain we are saying the correct words to each other? What if we are both having entirely different conversations right now, but the God's have just made us hear totally different things?" L weakly shrugged "If that is the case, then there is nothing we can do about it. We have to simply hope that the God's have allowed us to hold meaningful conversations between one another."

After that disconcerting discussion, V spoke a little more on Eika's cursed condition, and the story he was told at the statue garden. L had little to say on either matter, she simply listened and mulled over the meaning of both. After a few more questions from L about what happened after she passed out in the fight, and what happened to the Champion of Time, V went and laid down. Through the night L simply laid alone with her thoughts. She wondered why the Gods found it necessary to control their perceptions during conversations, she also was curious as to what V saw their titles as, but assumed he had no good way to explain it without directly speaking of it. She also mulled over the Eika situation in her mind. If Eika was indeed possessed by some demonic force, she might have to fight her someday. Her own nature as a demon was still unclear as well. To her knowledge, she displayed none of the powers that the demons supposedly possessed. Additionally, she was frustrated that V had received no skills when he used his letters, she was hoping he would gain something that would make him more effective.

The next morning Eika and V discussed the day's strategy. They were extremely broke and V did not want to keep using the "Champion of Fire" story. Sure, it would probably be another few days before the royal family or their steward caught on, but he did not want to hasten the process. L was still unable to move, only able to toss and turn in the bed. Luna was certainly going to be a detriment to any money-making process rather than an asset. And they would have to return to feed L at some point during the day. Even if she still felt ill, she had to eat something. V asked Eika "Do you think we could leave Luna here today? You have talked with her the most, you know her better than I do." Eika skeptically looked at Luna "Maybe... Luna is not very... She is not all that good at..." Eika stammered as she tried to get her thoughts out. "She does not have much common sense, but I can try to convince her to stay here today. Maybe if I tell her she has an important job of watching over L?" V nodded "Do your best with her then." After another few minutes of discussion, it was decided that after Eika dealt with Luna, she would spend the day trying to run odd jobs in the city. There was always someone needing a message or package delivered. For V's part, he set off toward the merchant's square. With L currently unable to assault him, and her now honor bound status as his "Lady Protector" he hoped he could get away with some of his less honorable money-making tactics. "Ohhh, I know all about hiding in a hole until nighttime! I used to do it all the time. I'm actually really good at that!" Luna seemed almost excited at the idea of staying in the hideout all day. Eika nodded "Ya uh, then keep hiding here. L is not very good at hiding in holes so uh, maybe you can teach her things?" Eika silently apologized to L in mind, but she did not want to risk Luna getting bored and wandering outside of the hideout.

Later in the day Eika returned to the hideout with some food. Mostly dried out meat and a strange leafy plant. When she entered the hideout, she was surprised to see L standing and slowly walking around the room. Luna was following her around, attempting to support her. By the look of things however, she was just making it harder for L to move. "Also, if you have to move around while hiding you gotta be quiet about it you know?" Luna was "teaching" L as she tried to help her move around. Eika called out "Hello! It’s good to see your leg is better!" Eika excitedly handed the dried meat to Luna and L. She put the leafy vegetable on one of the tables. "That plant is very bitter. I'm a rabbitkin and even I don't really like it... but it was given to me for free by this nice old lady so..." Luna grabbed the dried meat and stared at it in wonderment "I don't remember the last time I had meat like this!" Luna kept a hold of the meat and started telling Eika all about how she had watched over L and taught her all about hidey holes. Eika nodded and looked at L with apologetic eyes. L shrugged as she consumed the meat. "I’m surprised you have been able to find miscellaneous work in the city. We already have seen how your kind is treated here..." Eika nodded "Well, it’s funny actually because if you act like a slave girl who is trying to make a few coins for her master, people seem fine employing you. It makes sense to them that someone would send their rabbitkin slave out into the city alone with no protection. The big city is weird, but Eika is figuring it out! Also, since Eika is a dredge slave category, no one is really afraid of me stealing from them or anything. I delivered a package for a tailor, and washed some dishes at an inn, and also there was this whole thing with a little boy who was being kidnapped by some people who were not very good at being kidnappers." L held up her hand, one of those things was not like the others. "Wait what happened?" Eika shook her head "Actually I can’t explain that right now! Eika has to get back to work! I’m supposed to wash the lunch dishes at that same inn soon!" Eika excitedly bounded out of the hideout.

It was now getting late in the day, and V considered returning to the hideout. He had actually made quite a bit of interesting progress. He checked his status, specifically his classes.

┌——————┐
Class: Pickpocket Lv 2
Divine Champion Lv 7
Swordsman lv 3
Divine Weapon Master lv 1
Slave Owner lv 1
└——————┘

He was actually quite happy with the amount of money he had "collected" over the course of the day. It seemed as if crime was not very common in the city, and people were a bit lax on keeping an eye on their purse strings. So to speak. He was also pleased to have gained a new skill alongside of his new class.

┌——————┐
Name: Vet
Age: 20
Race: Human | Other
Class: Pickpocket lv 2   12/50
Skills: "Swordsmanship Lv 1", "Athletic Lv 1", Commanding Lv 1", Poison Immunity Lv ∞, Insight Lv 2, Weapon Lore Lv 5,
Quick Swap Lv 5, Fast Hands lv 2"
Blessings: Blessing of the First Mother.
└——————┘

Looking up at the sun once more, V decided to head back to the hideout. If something had happened, say, Luna running off somewhere, he wanted to be able to search for her while sunlight still filled the streets. He changed his class back to Divine Champion as he walked, he had considered trying to level up Divine Weapon Master instead, and use that as his "main" class. In the end he decided to keep trying to increase Divine Champions level. It was true that the class was often useless in its level ups, but he had gained a few really helpful abilities and at this point, he really wanted to try and level up "Quick Swap." He also wondered where he could find a class with S in strength or agility or even constitution. He wanted to use "One for All" sooner rather than later, but also did not want to waste it.

Continuing his musings, V arrived at the hideout in due time. Eika was standing outside with Luna. "Is everything ok?" he asked as he raised his eyebrows. Eika shrugged "Uh yes... sort of. When I brought dinner for them, Eika noticed that L was in a bad mood. I figured out it was a good idea to take Luna outside. As far as Eika can tell, Luna had never really... stopped talking." Luna proudly puffed out her chest. "I taught L everything I know about hiding!" Eika patted her head "Yes good girl, you were very helpful." Eika gave V a look, V nodded and headed into the hideout. He was surprised to see L doing stretches and exercising, she was favoring her right leg however. "Ah you're back. Thank all the gods. I never wanted to harm a child more than I have today." She stood up. "I appear to be recovering rapidly. Also something that seems important, I received a status message two or so hours ago that said "Mother's Care has ended." So... one must assume it was some sort of temporary increase to my ability to heal or something of that nature. My left leg is stiff still, but appears to be functional. The purple covering has started sloughing off. I cannot twist enough to check the leg myself, so that duty will fall to you a second time." V nodded "I see you are wearing pants. I assume you can handle their removal on your own this time?" L gave him a cold look before nodding. As far as V could tell, L's leg was in good condition. Her leg was discolored, as if it was one large bruise, but he assumed that would go away over time. He suspected the skin had healed over before the internal damage to the muscles and flesh had finished recovering.

"If you want to go for a run or something, feel free. I’m going to bed; I have not had an... honest day’s work like that since I got here. In some ways its more exhausting than a battle to the death." V collapsed onto one of the rickety beds as L nodded "That is a good idea. I will be back shortly, I do not wish to stay out for very long." V waved as she left the hideout. A few minutes later Eika and Luna returned as well. "L should be back soon, she went out for a run." V informed them. Eika nodded "She told us when she left the hideout, do you think it’s safe?" V shrugged from his bed "It was safe for us all day. I hope that three stalkers are all we had. I am not sure if I could take if there was a fourth champion that had been following us around, waiting to strike." Eika laughed nervously "Ya haha! There couldn't be more than that..." Luna nodded "I agree!" As he listened to Eika convincing Luna to go lay down, V's eyes grew heavy and he drifted off to sleep.

"Hey! Hey please wake up! Something is wrong! Please! Hey! I need help!" V's senses slowly returned as a panicking childish voice assaulted his ears. He hated that voice. Why did it have to wake him up? The child should know better. Couldn't she handle it herself?! WHY WAS SHE BOTHERING HIM?! THAT CHILD SHOULD BE SLAIN FOR THE CRIME OF WAKING HIM!

┌——————┐
Mother's Clarity has activated!
Removing Curse...
...
...
Curse of Overwhelming Violence Removed.
└——————┘