It was well into the night by the time I was able to trudge home. The meeting after the fight had lasted longer than I wanted and mostly entailed retelling the story from the point when the magic window blinked away. That had happened just before CC announced herself.

The other Dungeon Inspectors attempted to kick the door down once it happened, but were unable to. We theorized that it was possible that our intruder might naturally create dungeons around her, though it took time. When I was flung against the door, it didn’t do so much as budge, but their side was heavily damaged and I hadn’t heard a whisper of it.

I already knew that the Dungeon Master could get rid of the DTER, the Dungeon Threshold Emotional Response that let you know you were somewhere dangerous, whenever he felt like it. Given what I knew, I hypothesized that she could do something similar and alter it on a whim. That would have explained the feeling of caution, need for forgiveness, and the palpable rage that assailed me.

What I didn't understand was why CC didn’t stick around. If she had the dungeon here, then why did tearing up the ritual circle on the body work? Was she not fully adhered to Carimella’s body yet? Did I notice something in the heart of the moment that I just couldn't remember now? Did she need a dungeon of a specific size in order to anchor herself here? Did that matter? Or was there some other rule that I didn’t have enough information to know to ask about

Not knowing the reason irked me. I was glad that she was gone, but not understanding why was going to keep me up at night.

Standing outside of my family’s entrance to the Bottom’s Up, I took a moment to breathe and let the tension go. Once I stepped through this door, I was no longer Badger the Dungeon Inspector, but Liam the husband and father of two. If only for the night.

Brackenhorst told me to come early the next day, and that I would be leaving immediately. Ferrisdae could come if she wanted, but I wasn’t to pressure her into returning to work early. She was only a Junior Dungeon Inspector, after all, and wasn’t a veteran of the DoD like I was.

I took another deep breath before walking inside. No one was around until I made it to the third floor. Tabitha and Ferrisdae were talking quietly in the sitting area. Emilia sat reading near them, and Willow was resting her head against the Elf’s leg, fast asleep. I closed the door gently so as to not wake her up.

Tabitha was the first to notice, and stood up to come and greet me. When I turned to face her, she stopped halfway, taking me in.

“You got into a fight,” she said, more fact than accusation.

“I did,” I confirmed. Ferrisdae turned to face me as best she could without waking Willow. Emilia didn’t look up from her book. “Worse, I got called into to work.”

Getting into a fight was fine, I knew. Tabitha was fine with that so long as it was a good cause. Getting called in while on leave was something else entirely.

Her body language shifted even as she put on an understanding smile. “You have to go, don’t you?” she asked, her tone miraculously even.

I hesitated. “Tomorrow morning.”

“Where are we going?” Ferrisdae whispered. She seemed like she wanted to stand and join us, but settled for stroking my daughter’s hair instead.

“You’re not required to come with me,” I told her. “Brackenhorst said not to put up a fight if you insisted, but-“

“I’m insisting,” she said, obviously determined.

“We’re going to Athir. Are you okay going home?” I asked.

Ferrisdae’s expression changed in a way I couldn’t describe. I wasn’t sure how she felt about going home after everything she had been through. Whether it was returning to her family, which she had described as being too supportive, or worried about something else, I couldn’t tell.

Her determination faltered for only a moment before she nodded decisively. “I’m better than okay with it, I’m looking forward to it,” she said. “Besides, it’s only a few days. I’d be catching up to you alone if you went on without me. "

“That’s settled, then,” I sighed. Walking towards the sitting area, I gave Tabitha a kiss on the cheek before we made it to the couch.

“Willow’s going to be upset when she wakes up,” Emilia said, not looking up.

“I know, and I’m sorry, Calico,” I said, using her community name because of the present company. “I know it’s hard on you, too.”

“No, I’m fine,” she replied, closing her book. “I’m used to it now. You’ve got responsibilities, and they aren’t here. I understand.”

Emilia didn’t lash out often, and I felt a pain in my heart from that one. Not just because it was meant to hurt me, but because it was factual. It was also one step away from, you’ve got responsibilities, and it’s not us. Which wasn’t true in the slightest, even though I could hear it clearly in my mind.

“Calico!” Tabitha quietly chastised. “You know your father only does what he has to for the family.”

Emilia quickly stood up. She still didn’t look at me, but gave my wife a trademark Badger stare. “Sometimes what you need to do for family is be there for family, mother,” she said before storming off to her room.

At least she didn’t slam her door and wake Willow up.

There was a moment of silence before Ferrisdae spoke. “I feel like I shouldn’t be here for this,” she whispered.

“I’m really sorry about that, Ferry,” Tabs said. “Calico’s usually a lot more reserved than that.“

“She has every right to be angry,” I sighed. “If she brought it up in front of an outsider, that means it’s been bothering her for a while. I’ll try to smooth things over.”

“Okay,” Tabitha said, pulling me into a hug. “I’ll get Willow so Ferrisdae can go to her room.”

“Thank you,” I replied. Turning to my junior, I gave her a small wave. “Have a good night, Ferry.”

“You, too,” she said, returning the gesture.

Taking a breath as Tabs started gently extricating Willow, I walked up to Emilia’s door and knocked on it gently. “Can I come in?” I requested, raising my voice only enough to get her attention.

“If you must,” came my daughter’s curt reply. I entered the room.

Emilia’s room was full of books, scrolls, and knitted items that she had made herself. That had been from wanting to do more things with Tabitha, who briefly took up the hobby before deciding she didn’t like it. My daughter, however, stayed the course.

Everything was neat and tidy except for her desk, which she now sat at. It was covered in all sorts of materials and tools in a measure of controlled chaos. She was working on a scarf even now, though I could tell from the way she moved that she was upset.

“Hey-“ I managed to start before she talked over me.

“I feel like I can’t complain,” Emilia interrupted, her hands working furiously. “If I make you feel bad for leaving us, then I’m a bad daughter. If I say I don’t want you gone for long periods of time, then that means you don’t get to do your job. If you don’t do your job, then that means you don’t fix things that need fixing to save lives, which makes me a bad person. I can’t do it.”

I knew this mood. Folding my hands in front of me, I waited.

“We were supposed to have three more days with you,” she continued. “All I want is for you to be around more often. Like you were when you first started at the Department of Dungeons. You’d be gone for a week or two, and then you would be back for at least a weekend. Now, you’re gone for months at a time. These days you can’t even take a week off for officially mandated administrative leave, for Gods sake!”

 

Emilia threw down the project she was working on, which appeared to be a scarf, and put her head in her hands. “I miss you, dad,” she whispered.

Not father, dad.

“And I can’t even say that I want you to quit your job and find something new here in the city,” she said. “I’ve helped mom with the ledgers. I know the only reason why the tavern works is because you’re doing your thing. You’re doing what you have to do. It’s selfish of me to want you to give that up so you can be here with us. It's not good for the family, but I still want you to. I’m smart, but I can’t see a way to fix this. How am I supposed to win in this situation?”

My daughter, Emilia Rhodes, was too much like me for her own good. I could feel that this had been weighing on her for a long time. Holding back for the good of the family was something I understood. She was so strong and responsible that, sometimes, I forgot she was still just a kid. And one not much younger mentally than my junior, who had her own problems at that age.

The question lingered between us for a few moments before I stepped up behind her and placed my hands on her shoulders. Emilia tensed for a moment before slumping.

"There’s not always an easy way to win,” I said softly. “Sometimes, it’s not always possible to win. That’s just how life is. It’s unfortunate, but that’s how life is. Like how there aren’t many jobs out there that pay as well as mine with such minimal risks. I’m sure you’ve checked, as diligent as you are.”

Slowly, Emilia nodded. “I even made you a resume,” she quietly admitted.

I smiled. “I’d love to read it some other time,” I told her honestly. “But right now, you are my priority. I know my absence has been rough for everyone, and I’m sorry if I made it seem like you couldn’t bring this up without hurting my feelings. I promise you that all I want is to make sure my family is happy and safe.”

My daughter looked like she was about to say something, but bit it back. If I were anyone else, I’m sure she would have let me have it.

“Emilia, I love you. I love your sister, I love your mother, I love this family. If I had known that this was weighing on you so heavily, I would have looked for alternatives. I’m sorry that I haven’t been already,” I said. "I'll admit, I've been a Dungeon Inspector for so long that changing careers hasn't occurred to me for a while."

Releasing her, I walked over to her bed and sat down. She turned to face me, her eyes were red although there were no tears. "Please believe me, if I had known you felt this strongly, I would have done something other than try, and fail, to make old strategies work."

"I know you would have," Emilia whispered. "But we have to be strong for the good of the family. That's the number one rule."

"Telling me how you really feel will never be bad for the family, Emilia, I promise," I said. She gave me a small, hesitant nod, and I cleared my throat. “I may have a way to win, so to speak. It’s not perfect, though. After this whole dilemma of an event passes, I feel like I’m going to be able to ask a lot from my boss.”

“What’s going on?” she asked immediately.

I pursed my lips, wondering how much I should say. Glancing at the door, I saw Tabitha holding Willow’s hand, both of them staring at me. Scooting over on the bed, I gestured for my family to join me. My wife and youngest did so immediately, and Emilia only hesitated for a few moments. I wrapped my arms around them.

“Willow, do you also feel like you can’t complain about me being gone?” I asked.

“I can complain,” she answered. “But I don’t want to. Daddy polices the bad guys. You gotta make the world safer for all the Mooses and Cojistos and other adventurers.”

Emilia turned her head away, and I leaned my own on hers.

“I do. I’ve tried to shield you both from the more terrible things that my job entails,” I said slowly. They still didn't know subjugating bad dungeons gave me my weeks off, nor would they if I could help it. The job had to be done, regardless of what I got out of it. “But what I say now is for the family only, okay? To be kept as a secret as strong as mine and Emilia’s name. Okay?”

Willow nodded enthusiastically, while Emilia did so once. Tabitha looked concerned, and I gave her a small smile.

“While I was up in the Thousand Year Blizzard, Ferry and I came across a few very dangerous individuals. The kind that your mother and I would chase after in the stories we’ve told you before,” I said. “But they warned us that there’s something bigger than that coming now, and I can’t walk away from it.”

“Are you going to be an adventurer again?” Willow asked. Now that she was woken up from her slumber, she appeared a lot more awake than I hoped.

“Not officially, but I may have to act like one soon,” I answered. “If things go in that direction, then I may be able to ask Brackenhorst for a few favors. Now, I’m not making any promises, but if I can’t get reassigned to a desk job here, then I may be able to negotiate routes that take me to Mage’s Guilds so that I can teleport back for weekends.”

“But you don’t like the way they discriminate against those who can’t cast spells,” Emilia stated, and she was right. It was a fact.

"Yes, but I’ll still deal with them if it means I get to come back to you all more often,” I responded. Then, I sighed. “My philosophy for work has always been to get it done fast and get back home as quickly as possible. That meant long hours and weekends. Before, that worked, but lately there’s been too much to do. Like you said, Emilia, my assignments have been getting longer and longer. What I used to do is no longer viable.”

I pulled my head away from Emilia’s. “So, now that I know how you feel, I’ll change my philosophy. I’ll do what I can for you. But, Emilia, I need you to do something for me.”

“What’s that?” she asked.

“Don't hold back from speaking your mind,” I told her. “You’re so good at being responsible and acting like an adult that I sometimes forget that you’re still my little girl. I want you to be able to tell me things, any kind of things, without worrying about how I’ll react to it. Just... don’t let these feelings simmer and spoil. I know what that can do to a person, and it’s not pleasant.”

Emilia looked away before nodding. “I understand. I can do that, father.”

“Good,” I soothed, rubbing her back. “Because this is the Bottom’s Up, not the Bottled Up. You’ve got to-“

“Alright, nope. No, no, no,” Emilia said, standing up as Tabs snorted in amusement at my joke. “Go on and get out of here. You’ve lost coming home privileges for an entire month.”

“Did I?” I asked, feigning shock before looking at Willow. “Do you think I should disappear for a whole month?”

“Too long,” she said, holding up her arms in an X shape. “Come home as fast as you can.”

Smiling, I set my hand on her head. “You’re not mad at me for leaving early?”

“A little,” Willow admitted. She lowered her head and kicked at the bed with her heels. “But I’m mostly just sad we didn’t get to fly a kite together today. I was really looking forward to it.”

I glanced up at Tabitha, who hadn’t said anything yet, and she nodded. “We missed you today, Liam.”

“Hmm.” Thinking, I stroked my chin. “Okay, I’ve got an idea. How about we ask Auntie Sophie to put on a show for us back in the park? We’ll make snacks and ask her to light up the sky for our amusement. If there’s enough of a breeze, we can even fly the kite.”

"Kite flying with Auntie Sophie!" Willow yelled, raising her hands in excitement.

“Even if she agrees, it’s a little late for a trip to the park, don’t you think?” Tabitha asked quietly.

"I'll talk to her myself. She'll come," I answered with a shrug. “The girl’s don’t have school tomorrow, and young missy here has already had a nap. If I’m leaving tomorrow anyway, what’s the harm?”

“You’d have to talk to Ms. Sophia, for one,” Emilia pointed out. "You'll probably end up arguing with her the whole night."

"Under normal circumstances, you would be right," I agreed. "But not tonight. I promise I'll behave myself, even if she makes it hard for me."

“I’ll get the kite!” Willow excitedly yelled, sliding off of the bed to run to her room.

Smiling, I winked at Emilia. “For my girls, I’d ask Sophia for a hundred favors,” I told her honestly. “Just don’t let Ferrisdae know how soft I am for you all, okay?”

“Oh, Liam,” Tabitha laughed. “That wagon left a long, long time ago.”