"How much would you pay to remove a hangover and all your pains with a single drink?" I asked, leaning over the counter, and Charles smirked.
"You really are a charming bastard, you know that? But, I have to agree with you. I will trade with you; just bring the wagon around back, but I can only give so much booze; the rest will have to be in Ren," Charles explained with a sigh of defeat.
"Good. I also have three men that attempted rape, and I would like for them to be executed," I said, but Charles shrugged.
"You caught them, so you can take them to the guards, but they will tell you the same. Just kill them. Cold-blooded murder and rape are two things around here that get a death sentence without a trial. That's why those two men were so quick to leave. Those other boys would have taken them and hung them out front of the inn," Charles explained, and I nodded.
"Then can you have the boys properly tie them up and leave them in the back of the wagon? If we run out of room, tie them to the side and leave them naked," I said, deciding that I would take them back with me and let the people of the town decide what to do with them.
As much as I wanted to end their lives, I wasn't going to have to kill people if I didn't have to. I would leave that to the people that got paid to do that kind of thing.
"Yup, Or I can get them to slit their throats and throw them in a hole for one gold a head," Charles offered, and I nodded.
"Good, that will save time. There is no need to prolong this; the men had already dug their grave long before this," I said, pulling out the necklace I had found on one of the men.
Charles' eyes lit up with fire as he took the necklace, and the man's demeanor changed dramatically.
"I knew this girl. I'll take care of them myself; you just bring the wagon around back. No payment needed," Charles said in a menacing voice that even gave me pause, but I was glad others felt the same way as I did.
I nodded and turned to leave but then remembered something and turned back.
"Where is your God's Tear? I would like to talk to Gaston," I asked, and the man broke from his darkness, blinking at me.
"Gaston… You don't mean that you are the one everyone is talking about, do you?! The Nameless God?!" Charles asked, looking me up and down.
"Yes, that is me," I said, and Charles nodded.
"Pleasure to meet you, Nameless God. There is a private room around back here, so just follow me," Charles said, guiding us around the bar to a door leading to the back of the inn.
Jessel stayed glued to me as we were taken back to a private sitting room that was done up to be much fancier than the rest of them in. This was the way that all inns were that hosted the Tears with respect to their current God.
"I will get the boys to bring it around back, so take your time. We will need about an hour to get everything settled," Charles explained and then closed the door behind himself.
"What do you want to talk to Gaston about?" Jessel asked as we sat down on the oversized couch.
She was still holding my hand, and I was going to say something about it, but Gaston appeared before I could. Only the blessed could communicate with the Gods, but the Gods didn't need to be called to the room; they could come and go as they pleased.
"Well, look at you acting cute with Talon already! Looks like I was right, though," Gaston laughed, making his long robe and blonde curls bounce.
Jessel ripped her hand from mine and was on the other end of the couch before I could finish a blink. Both Gaston and I laughed at this, but Jessel scowled at the two of us.
"Sorry, Jess. I know your story, so I won't tease you, but he doesn't. You might want to explain yourself to him at a later point. Anyways, good to see you, my boy! Look at you go this time! Helping people! Making friends, getting hangovers! A man after my own heart!" Gaston laughed, and I shrugged.
"You know, if someone would have been more specific, we might be laughing beside each other in Heaven right now!" I growled, but Gaston shook his head.
"Probably not. Everything happens for a reason, just like that little one with you. Make sure you take good care of her. Jessel is rough around the edges, but she is a good girl who worked very hard to earn her pace up here and went through many hardships. Make sure that all that doesn't go to waste, and make a proper goddess out of her!" Gaston told me, and I nodded, looking over at Jessel, who had her knees pulled up to her chest, looking away from the two of us.
"Yup, I will take care of her, even if it makes me pull all my hair out," I said with a grin.
"I know you will; in that, I have no doubt. So, how have you been enjoying the world? You have two friends that seem to want a lot more than you are giving them, soon to be three, I am sure," Gaston commented, and I nodded.
"That was something that I wanted to ask you about. I was told to make friends, but like you said, I am getting the feeling that both the girls want much more than what a basic friendship entails," I said, and Gaston nodded.
"Always with the mission? Well, you are a stickler for rules, so I will tell you that falling in love and having the women feel the same will get you a far better score with the big guy! Get out there and have some fun, but I wouldn't change the way you are right now. Let the girls come to you and force their way in! You will have a much better time than trying to pick one! Gaston laughed, but those comments left me feeling more confused.