Eins pulled on one of Luke’s pant legs with a paw.


    <Hey.> Eins whispered.


    <What?> Luke whispered back.


    <Ask her about food?> Eins pointed at Belbuk.


    <Why?>


    <Because I’m hungry.>


    <I don’t want to be rude.>


    <And I don’t want to be hungry.> Eins whined.


    Belbuk was finishing her work cleaning Ash’s dart wounds. Luke straightened up at the table.


    “Excuse me. Do you perhaps have anything that we could eat? Maybe?” Luke asked.


    Belbuk slowly closed the bottle of disinfectant she had been using. “You want me to feed you now?”


    <Tell her you have low blood sugar.> Eins yipped.


    <What? Why?> Luke said out of the side of his mouth.


    <Just do it. Alchemists can’t say no to low blood sugar.> Eins insisted.


    “I have… low blood sugar?” Luke offered.


    *Sigh* Belbuk’s eyebrow twitched. “Sure. Why not? Because apparently I’m running a hotel now. It’s not like a person moves out to the middle of the woods to be alone.”


    #


    Ash, Luke, and Ave sat around the cabin’s kitchen table. Belbuk cut up a loaf of bread. Then she layered slices of cured beef, tomato, and onion on the top for an open faced sandwich. Belbuk set out wooden serving plates, napkins, mugs, and a pitcher of apple cider on the table.


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    When she was done with preparations she emptied the scraps into a small wooden bowl and placed it on the floor in front of Eins.


    “Auuu…” Eins grumbled.


    “Do you have any mustard?” Luke asked across the table.


    Belbuk glared at him.


    “You know what? It’s fine.” he put his head down.


    Ash pushed his napkin off the side of the table with his elbow. “Oops.”


    He ducked under the table.


    Ash whispered under his breath to Eins. <What is going on? What is that plan? Are you pretending to be a dog now?>


    <I am a dog.> Eins replied while using a paw to pick at the contents of the doggy bowl.


    Ash rolled his eyes. <Okay why are you pretending to be a normal dog?>


    <It’s better if people don’t know that I’m a god.>


    <But we already know. What’s the problem?>


    <I don’t want to cause any fuss. It’s been so long since I’ve been out of my donjon and already things are so complicated.> The dog folded down its ears.


    <So you would rather drink water out of a dish on the floor?>


    <I don’t want to cause trouble. Just keep it a secret. Please?> Eins put its paws together in supplication.


    “Everything okay under there?” Belbuk asked as she sat down at the table.


    “Hah! Yes. Everything is fine.” Ash shouted back.


    #


    “It’s very lucky that we ran into an Alchemist all the way out here in the woods.” Luke made conversation.


    “Not for me.” Belbuk said as she ate.


    “I was thinking. Since it’s still raining, and it’s already so late, maybe we could, with your permission…” Luke conversed.


    “Please don’t ask me what I think you’re going to ask me.” Belbuk closed her eyes.


    Luke held up a finger. “It would only be for one night. After that you won’t see us ever again.”


    Belbuk opened her eyes. She looked at Luke. She started examining his face.


    “I know you don’t I?” she said.


    “I don’t think so. At least I’m sure we’ve never been formally introduced.” Luke replied.


    “Sweet constipated clerics. You’re the Royal Summoner aren’t you?” Belbuk said in amazement.


    Ash *Slammed* his head into the underside of the table.


    “That’s right. I am. By the way, would you like to help us fight the Demon Lord?”