Policeman and the cat

54 - Praised snowflakes

"I'm tempted, but I don't want to lose my memory," Lorenz said.

Knox looked at Lorenz. "I'd say about two beer mugs ought to be safe for you, after that you might lose them." Then he glanced at Dad - "A brandy glass ought to be fine for Milo. But how about we wait for Madison to finish up?"

No objections there.

"Right, about the dungeon," Lorenz recalled. "Wanna go? We're setting out on Monday. A party of eight platinum ranks, even Grisham won't object to you going."

"What sort of Dungeon?" Kenneth asked.

"Who knows," Lorenz replied. "New one, estimated at B class, though, so I don't think we're risking it. The first floor is nature overgrown and squirming with astrals, we'll know more once we go deeper, I think."

"And you want Ian, because--" Kenneth checked.

Lorenz put up fingers - "1) He will eat up astrals so we can properly look around for all entrances, two of our party ran into your group, they said he's an amazing vacuum cleaner, 2) We got no alchemist on the team and guild app says he's an alchemist now. I invited him to come along before this bonus pearl came up, though, but he's not checking the guild app--" Lorenz cast an accusing look at Ian, then added - "But yeah, if we get him, then we can also get first-tier mapping rights."

"Did Grisham secure all entrances?" Kenneth asked.

"He did," Lorenz said. "Royalty and Sloane had him pop in to do that as soon as they figured what they had happened upon, Monday is our deadline for departure before, you know--"

"I assume those two are in the party," Kenneth checked.

"Duh, of course, why wouldn't they be?" Lorenz said.

"Okay, you can have him," Kenneth said and Lorenz fist-pumped.

"Hell yeah! Brother adventure," Lorenz said putting his arm over Ian's shoulder, Chilli floated up a bit to get out of the way of his hand. "Watch it, Kenneth, in a month you won't be his third favorite person!"

Lorenz was so happy Ian didn't have the heart to complain about no one getting his permission, but, likely, if Kenneth agreed, then it was for a good reason and Lorenz was being adorable, which was likely not something Ian should think about his elder brother, but-- he did think that, smiling as he shook his head.

Kenneth, Knox and Dad looked amused, while Mom was smiling warmly - "Lorenz are you a child of an official wife?" she asked.

"Huh, no," Lorenz said letting go of Ian's shoulder and taking a more proper seat again - "William Rembrandt doesn't have a wife, he sleeps with normie women he likes or rescues or-- whatever and-- you probably know better. I grew up in the Rembrandt house because either my mother didn't want me, tried to sell me or tried to take me to a research institute to be tested on, they didn't tell me which it was, of course."

"Sorry," Mom said, then downed her mug which-- well, sincere she was, but sincerely drunk might be it as well. "I can be your mom if you'd like"

Lorenz paused looking at Mom stunned-- "Tell that when you are sober if you want me to consider it," he said.

Dad and Ian had also been stunned at this sudden adoption offer, Ian didn't mind, but-- well, adopting a -- "Bro, how old are you?" He asked.

"I'll be 27 in August 18th," he replied. "Keep the date free, because you are obviously invited, I'll figure the location when it comes closer."

"Is that fine with how the family sees Ian?" Dad checked.

"Ah, I dumped them two years ago," Lorenz said and Ian asked if there was some trigger, to which Lorenz replied - "I decided I was really done with them when these two guys screwed an elf chick and the family disowned them when it came out."