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"You know I would Kill anyone for you, right Simeon?" Teresa said before finishing her tankard of ale. The hood of her black cloak fell and revealed her auburn hair.

"Hey, be careful with that, you still owe me for the last one you broke. I barely make anything and that's without being charged for broken dishes," I said before taking the silver cup away from her.

"I can't help it, I'm intensely passionate. I would love to show how intensely some time. Maybe tonight, after you lock up?" she said and winked.

"Even as drunk as you are right now, I bet you would snap me in half at my age." I said and wiped down the bar in front of her.

A mountain of a man in red, ornamental armor walked up next to her and pounded his boulder sized fist on the counter.

"Gimmie the biggest beer you got in here old man and make it quick."

Teresa placed her hand on his fist.

"Say please," she said without looking at him.

"Why should I, and get your hand off..."

Teresa's index finger gave a slight twitch, and the massive man began screaming and cradling his hand in his other one.

"What did you do to my hand?" he screamed.

"It's just a small break, now say sorry for causing a scene or I'm taking the hand as payment for your rudeness." she said calmly. Her eyes were still fixed on the bar.

"Screw you lady, do you know who I am?" He screamed at her. His face had turned as red as the armor he was wearing.

A crowd had formed around them, and people were beginning to whisper things. I heard the name Delmar and my heart rate quickened.

Teresa stood and drew her sword so fast that Delmar barely had a chance to react before her blade was at his throat. Even with his hulking size, Teresa was only a few inches shorter than him.

"Teresa, stop" I yelled and touched her shoulder.

"He has disrespected you and must pay for it with his life," she said. The fire burning in her eyes was so intense it could've incinerated us all in seconds.

"Are you really Delmar the Demon slayer?" I asked the terrified warrior.

"Ye...yeah that's me," he stuttered.

"I don't care who he is," Teresa said and kicked him in the groin. "He has to apologize, or he dies."

Delmar fell to his knees and her sword was back at his throat. This was turning into an execution. I couldn't let that happen. Even if Delmar was a huge jerk, it wasn't the right move to make.

"Delmar, if you wanna live you need to apologize to me." I pleaded with him.

"I'm the greatest warrior in this kingdom. This crazy lady won't defe..." His words cut off when Teresa kicked him in the mouth.

"Last chance" Teresa said. Her sword hovered steadily over his left shoulder.

I knew she was serious. This wasn't the first time she had roughed someone up for being rude. The other person did what she demanded before things escalated this far though. Delmar was going to get himself killed. If that happened, I would lose my job and starve to death. I had to stop her. I knew my charisma skill was high enough to convince her. I just needed to say the right thing. That was always the hard part.

"He's a decorated hero Teresa. If you kill him, we'll both be thrown in prison. Old men like me don't last long in prison" I said, trying to appeal to her sympathetic side.

"It would be an honor to serve time for defending the honor of my love." She said and puffed up her chest.

"She can't kill me. I'm …" He tried to say before another kick silenced him.

That was when the idea hit me like a swift kick in the mouth.

"Check his quest log" I said. It was a long shot, but it felt right.

"Show us your quest log, and if you so much as think about trying something I'll remove your head from your neck" Teresa said.

The second kick had left Delmar lying flat on his back. He raised his left arm and showed us the silver bracelet each of us wore. He tapped the only button on it and a screen appeared. He pressed the button to change the menu until his quest log displayed. I scanned the log for his most recent quest.

"You just got back from a quest," I said.

"A well-paying quest." Teresa said.

"Yes, I killed a hydra, so what?" Delmar said.

"Okay, I'm sure Teresa would excuse your behavior for a third or your purse" I said.

"The entire purse." Teresa said and touched the blade to his throat.

"You're both crazy. I'm not giving you anything, and when I get up...." He suddenly screamed as Teresa's blade penetrated his thigh.

"That's your final warning, pay or die" Teresa said and pressed her sword against his throat so hard a drop of blood trickled down his neck and onto his armor.

"Okay, okay I'll pay," he said and tossed a bag of coins at me. It was far heavier than any pouch of coins I had ever held before.

I inspected the pouch, and it was full of gold coins. This is from a single quest? I thought as I gazed upon the bag of wealth.

"There's your money, you petty thieves" Delmar said as he crawled backwards away from Teresa.

"Thief, did you really just call my soulmate a thief?" Teresa fumed. She swung her sword downward so violently I was afraid she would cleave through the floor.

"Teresa, if you spare him, I'll say yes to whatever your next request of me is," I blurted out.

She stopped her swing just as her sword made contact with the top of his helmet.

"Any request?" she asked without taking her eyes off him.

"Yes, any request as long as you don't kill him," I said. I was gripping the bar so tightly I could feel the wood starting to give.

"Ok, deal" she said and lifted her blade. Delmar's helmet broke into two halves and fell to the floor on either side of him.

"Ho... how are you so strong?" Delmar said. All the color had drained from his face and his eyes bulged.

"It's simple, two of my skills are love's soldier and Cupid's might," Teresa said.

"So, first Cupid's might makes your strength level equal to the strongest strength level near you, and then love's soldier increases it 5 levels higher. All because someone you love is nearby. I always thought the Eros skill branch was weak." Delmar said.

"You were wrong, the power of love is the strongest power of all. Now leave while you still can," Teresa said.

Delmar crawled out of the bar and left a trail of blood behind him. Once he left, I felt a vibration from my silver bracelet.

I opened my skills menu and noticed that my charisma level had increased from 56 to 60.

"Wow, four levels from one situation. You must've really been trying hard to convince me." Teresa said and smiled.

"Yeah, and now, I owe you god knows what?" I said and shook my head.

"Speaking of that, I do need a huge favor. I might have had a tiny bit too much to drink last night and well long story short I don't have a place to live. Can I live with you?" I don't have any money, but I'm sure we can come to an agreement as far as payment goes," she said and winked.

I knew the demand was going to be something big, but I never imagined she would ask to live with me. I stared back at the pouch of gold again and another idea came to me.

"Of course, you can. All I want as payment is for you to help me become the richest, most powerful man in this kingdom," I said. I could feel the sadistic grin spread across my face.

"Why stop at this kingdom my love? Let's take over the world together," Teresa said and broke into a loud devious laugh.