A Better World (Record of Ragnarok x Reader)

Chapter 30 - [Name] Galathynius, you say?

The second he set foot inside the average-sized tavern his nose was hit by the combined smell of clammy sweat and acrid cigarette smoke, almost overshadowing the rich, languid, sweet smoke of the pieces of meat on plates exiting the kitchen. The bartender had no choice but to navigate between splinter-laden wooden tables and benches, ignoring the whistles and hungry eyes shot in her direction from drunk middle-aged men. She slithered behind the polished oak countertop, moving between tankards full of ale, gruit, cider, and mead when serving the paying customers.

The venue was dimly lit with lanterns hung in the ceiling, yet he could clearly see the boy sitting alone in the corner, uttering a few words to one of the servers before she gave him a once-over, said something back, and then walked off. The boy heaved a sigh, tugging the hood of his cloak down even more when a drunkard passed by him. He let go but not because of the stranger sitting next to him. He had not even noticed her. Erichthonius took the seat next to her. This time, the boy's head jolted in their direction.

"I don't want company," he said coldly before he focused his attention on the six obnoxiously loud men around a gambling table at the other end of the bar, playing what he assumed to be poker.

[Name] raised her finger, catching the attention of a bartender. The man nodded in understanding and left. Seeing as the duo had yet to move, the boy whispered, "I said-"

"May I ask why you're trying to get yourself killed?" [Name] interrupted, thanking the bartender when he had placed a glass of mead on the table. The boy's eyes widened.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

She took a sip of the mead, and hummed, "So, you're not about to kill those six men over there?" Erichthonius blinked, before carefully observing the boy. The god watched as his hands clutched into tight fists. Watched how he hid himself from every person passing by him. Watched as both surprise and anger shone behind those ocean eyes.

The boy gritted his teeth but ultimately bit down his words as [Name] tilted her head slightly to the side, making his eyes travel along the three distinct scars on her left cheek. He took a deep breath and said with lethal calm "And what is it to you?"

She gulped the last of her sweet drink and nodded in the direction of a man playing a game of darts all on his lonesome. "Both of you," she breathed. "Guess where the next dart will hit."

A vein popped out in the boy's neck and a profane curse left his lips, but nevertheless, he turned his head in the direction of a man of average height standing with his feet shoulder-width apart and with one hand extended for balance. The man leaned slightly forward and aligned his dominant eye with the target on the board.

"Bulls' eye," The boy said. "He got all the basics down, so he's gonna hit the middle of the board."

But Erichthonius shook his head. "No, I doubt that." The boy shot him a glare and [Name] raised her brow in amusement.

"And where do you think it'll land?"

Blue veins ran along the back of the man's hand when he held the dart in his hand, now extending all the way up to his elbow. "It's gonna be close. Probably in the red area over the absolute middle."

[Name] leaned back in her chair, watching how the man rocked his hand back and forth. "You're both wrong." Both heads turned to her. "You are correct that he's got the basics down and you are right in your observation that his hand is not relaxed, therefore not aiding in a smooth release."

"So, what's the issue?" The god did not mean to sound as offended as he did. But he had spent years simply observing soldiers train and warriors fight, and this mortal dared to question his knowledge?