It had now been a month since Tae's life had changed.
He had grown more handsome, and this was evident when he went to the parent-teacher meeting With Peony.
Tae had also realized that Peony was way stronger than before in fact her stats where all at MAX. Although she explained that coming here weakened her and that after a while, she was regaining her strength.
But their relationship sure spiraled fast.
Peony was once a girl who popped up in his bed one morning. There was no cuteness or lose moments but feeling that felt like they were already there. I was strange but he didn't hate in fact he really liked calling Peony his wife. However, she is a tab bit too aggressive in their nightly activities, he doesn't mind that either.
Tae meets up with the talkative and annoying Jinn near the mountains, there was a group of in front of the hunters they were but handicap or broken. They has been meeting up and doing raids like this for the last week. By regulation x-rank gates needs a party of nine people per.
Jinn has been paying the extra people to stay outside the dungeon.
Peony tugged his shirt, Maxi was on her shoulder as she and pointed at a red-hooded girl off to the side. She was motionless against the tree.
"Tea's friend, the one her teachers mentioned"
"The one who became a hunter recently?" Peony nodded her head in response to his question. Tae glanced at the young girl who was looking so out of place. She was way too young to be a hunter. "we can talk to her afterward."
"Are you going to help her?" Peony wrote
"Yeah, I think I should." He said slowly "I awakened as a hunter a little year younger than her…"
"You were in the same dungeon as your dad?"
Tae nodded "Was supposed to be an E-rank gate, their where other hunters training the younger ones who had awakened to become hunters like me. He disappeared in the dungeon when it collapsed. Mom never really got over it and blamed me before she collapsed into a coma"
"…" Maxi lipped of Peony's shoulder and tapped Tae's face with his leg in a comforting way, making Tae smile. He had long warmed up to the former dungeon boss that has been doing nothing but acting cute these past few days.
"Anyway, lets clear this dungeon" Tae finally said. As they turned their head to Jinn who was talking non-stop thinking that his partners in crime where still listening to his banter."
The dungeon was beyond easy as they usually Tae has his Army take care most of the monsters and collecting any mana stones and beast cores.
It only took 10 minutes to completely finish the dungeon, which surprised the surrounding hunters as two E-rankers and one D-ranker entered a C-rank dungeon. Some regulars where used to it though.
Jinn went ahead and released everyone.
"Hey, Susu" Tae called the red-hooded girl when he waved Jinn goodbye. Susu turned to Tae surprised that he knew her name. "I'm Tea's older brother"
"Ah! Your Tae" she said surprised.
"How many times have you come raiding with this party?"
"Since the request was first put out"
"…" So, technically it was his fault for he is skipping school this past week
"My teacher had said she wanted to introduce a hunter to me. Could that have, been you?" she questioned Tae forgetting Peony who started frowning in the background. "I don't know what he told you but I'm not giving up hunter life"
"I don't plan to tell you to give up on it either"
"Really?!"
Tae knows hunter life best and the only way, especially since she made the large amount of money from their private raiding party. It better to give her a dose of reality
"I'll make you into an amazing Hunter" he said proudly.
After sending Susu home Peony and Tae came back home, Tae had a more than pleasant expression and Peony was solemn and emotionless as usually. Later that day Tae relaxed on his bed and Peony soon joined him.
"Hey Peony, can you tell me a little about you?"
"…" Peony looked at him for a moment, and they laid her head gently on his shoulder and opened her system and placed it above their faces. As words began telling her life story
"I born in an ordinary world just like this one, but there wasn't any, no magic, no gates, just that. To a mother who took a check and left and a father who valued responsibility above all else. My father never loved me as much as my siblings I but he felt responsible for me. My step-mother or half-siblings never mistreated me. But It was apparent that they could do without me. So, I began to do things without them. At first, I didn't have any interest in anything. Until I met a game designer that was good friends with my father, he taught me about games and a little bit about programming. So, I worked hard to build funds, got a scholarship to an institute in the States. But I guess all that changed, and I ended up pregnant with my son, as in the end I married his father and left my dreams to keep the family together. My father brought me up traditionally, so I was a stay at home wife.
My husband's company went down, one day and he couldn't find another job No more like he couldn't keep one. Richard was always proud, so he felt entitled which wasn't already a pleasant trait. In the end the one who found a job was. Someone had to pay the bills.
But, knowing Richard his pride couldn't take that and he eventually started turning to Drinking. He was still looking for a job. So, he couldn't take care of our son while he was un that state. In his mind it was my job to do that not his."
"…." Tae was silent for moment as he finished the last word before it went blank "What was your son's name?" he asked
"Clave"
"That's a nice name"
"Richard gave him his own name on the birth certificate, I was the only one to call him that"
"Where did Clave come from?"
"It was the first game I ever made."
"Peony can you explain something to me? I am somewhat confused; Your Mom is a god right so what does money have to do with her leaving you."
Peony made a face like she was about to laugh. "No, they are not the same person. Mana is on a whole different level and definition of Mother. The women who I talked about was my human mother and Mana is became my mother when I became a god."
"You a God?"
"Goddess of Victory was the title I earned"
"Does that mean its possible for humans to become gods?"
"Yes"
"Peony, what is Mana?"
"Not even I know that"
"Do you Miss Clave"
"Can you tell me what happened next"
"Richard and I divorced he won sole custody of Clave and put a restraining order on me. And then took Clave's college funds and all my savings left me penniless and started a company somewhere far away."
"What!" Tae said shocked.
"Richard got a lover with a good background and had her take care of that. And then did everything he could to get me fired and made me homeless"
"What did you do afterward? Did you go to your Father?"
"No, he had more than enough with my siblings. I just continued on until I found a new job and started again. I supposed most mothers would be begging to so their son, but I couldn't do that. I wasn't going to apologize even if I would never see my son again. I felt as a person apologizing for a simple thing like getting a job was something to apologize for."
"How where they able to go that far as putting a retaining order on you."
"…." Peony gulped and her eyes glistened "Richard he hit Clave and forced..." Peony moved her hand into Tae and squeezed them tightly
"He got Clave to testify That I abused our Son" Tae squeezed Peony's hand back and pulled her in a gentle hug.
"Peony I…"
She sighed and embraced his warmth she already had tears threaten her face as she remembered the look of blame on her son's face when she last saw him. Richard, he gotten him to believe that she was the one to do that to him.
Neither didn't know how long they where in each other's embrace but they it was long enough that they fell asleep in each other's arms.
[Next day]
It was early morning as Tae relaxed in the living room, Peony was right next to him lounged on his shoulders and completely relaxed as she seemed to be nodding off. Maxi had left with Tea, since Tea often takes him with her when she goes out.
"Ding ~"
Peony sat up slowly when she heard the doorbell and was about to get up.
"I got it" Tae said quickly and answered the door
"Hello there, Mister Sun" A man in a suit was there as he said with an excited smile. Peony as if having a premonition got up and walked into the kitchen.
"Yes, I am"
"May I come in?"
"Sure" Tae said and allowed the man in and they both sat down in the living room at the same time. Peony had brought out a tray with Tea on it and served it to their guest. The man was certainly baffled as he gazed at the beauty
"I have heard the rumors but you..." The shut his mouth before he finished that sentenced when he saw Tae face that was blazing at him. Long drank half of his tea nervously.
The man coughed "Mister Sun, I am Long Zedong a recruiter for the Tao Hunter's Guild"
Tao Hunters Guild is run by S-Ranker Tao Baekho, of the 30 known S-rankers around the world.
"So, what does a recruiter from the Hunter's guild want with an E-ranker"
"Well, you see sir I don't think you're an E-rank hunter. This past week you and a party have cleared 15 C-rank gates in 10 minutes and rumor has it that it was only two of you who did it."
Tae frowned "Get to the point"
"My point is how would you like to join our guild, you won't lack any money"
"No"
"I am so Gla…Wait NO" Long said in shock before he frozen in fear as he felt a knife by his neck
"Who else knows about this?" Tae asked threateningly.
"..Me and My subordinate…" he said fearfully.
"I've been keeping this a secret for a reason what makes you think I'll Join"
"I….I" Long was starting to wish Mommy as Peony gently pulled his hand away, 'Thank god for the wife' he thought.
"Dungeons" Peony had on her board. As if understanding something Tae put his knife.
"Mister Long is your guild doing any dungeons?" Tae asked.
"Ah! Yes", Long trembled "An hour from now they are doing a training in a C-rank dungeon for our new recruits about 30 minutes from here.
"Good, Lets go?" Tae said and then looked at Peony.
"I'll come later" she wrote
Peony saw the front door close as she picked up the tea and washed them as she opened her window.
[Status: Pregnancy, First Trimester]
How should I tell Him?