"You know, expensive isn't always better. We could have gotten the Sizà mead," I tell him.

"Nonsense," he huffs. "I will not buy you a cheap drink. Who do you think I am, human?"

"Hm, the big, bad, and dangerous Commander Azerius, the God Killer whom everyone fears?" I lean in to whisper jokingly.

He nods, pleased.

"You forgot one thing," he interjects. "I am also one of the wealthiest males in the universe. I will not be cheap with you."

"Right, how could I have forgotten that?" I laugh.

He has an obsession with being rich, doesn't he? I wonder if he grew up without money and that's why he puts so much emphasis on it now.

"You should not. There is nothing you may want that I could not buy for you. You need only say so."

"Why, thank you, Ze. That's very nice of you."

His eyes positively sparkle at hearing the word nice, his lips curling up in a smile.

The barman slides the drinks in front of us. Ze grabs them, nodding for me to go to one of the tables in the back.

"But I like it here," I blink innocently.

His features tighten.

"I do not. There are too many people brushing against you," he says as his arm shoots out to block a drunken man from stumbling into me. "Too many males."

"But—"

"Come," he declares, somehow holding on to both glasses with one hand while dragging me away with the other. I release a small sigh as I follow him to the back where there are no empty tables—momentarily. Somehow, when people see him, they jump out of their seats and offer their table to us, an obsequious expression on their faces as they barely dare to meet his gaze.

Ze grunts. He slaps the glasses on the table before he pulls a chair for me and not so gently raises me in the air and places me on the seat.

"Now, this is good," he hums to himself.

People stare at us. Regardless of whether he has longer hair and tattoos, Ze's presence creates the same type of awe and fear in people. Their whispers are drowned by the live band, but their scathing gazes don't escape me.

"I'm very curious how this compares to Earth drinks," I mention with a smile as I pull my glass toward me. The liquid is a light amber color, similar to unfiltered ale. Before I can taste it, though, Ze gives me a warning glance as he snatches the glass from my side, taking a big gulp.

"Not poisoned," he declares.

I smile indulgently at his thoughtfulness and bring the glass to my lips, taking the first sip.

"Oh, but this is quite sweet," I exclaim in surprise. A small sip turns into a bigger one. Well, this is a type of alcohol I wouldn't mind having every once in a while.