After Belinda fills me in on the details of the agreement her father gave regarding the entry of the hero into my dungeon. I have to say I am still nervous, but I am at least able to calm down from full on panic mode.
Belinda: “There is however a contract stating she is forbidden from breaking the crystal without the kingdom she represents facing serious repercussions.”
“Is there any way to know if she will uphold the contract?”
Belinda: -She is slowly starting to catch her breath from her apparent rush to the dungeon after receiving the message from Amy as she speaks again. - “So far the kingdom she represents has been pretty positive, but giving the king’s father I can’t be for certain.”
“His father?”
Belinda: “Well I would have to start from the beginning.”
Belinda explains to me that the Hero is coming from the kingdom of Southern Merretta, apparently Merretta and Southern Merretta only recently separated into two kingdoms. Merretta is an absolute powerhouse and it is one of, if not the strongest kingdom in the land.
When the king’s son began questioning the king on his pure military standing, the king simply designated a small southern portion of the kingdom to be a new one giving the son control over it. The king stated to his son that he has till the end of his life to prove he can do better.
If Southern Merretta can rival Merretta before then the son will get control of the entire thing at his father’s death, but if not then the king’s second son will take over both kingdoms. Southern Merretta so far has peacefully negotiated a lot of power, but still is only a small fraction of Merretta’s power.
Recently he appointed a beastkin to his high council, which is a first for any human kingdom. The beastkin was a strong, well known adventurer, and with Southern Merretta’s king’s help was she was able to become a hero. She recently destroyed a dungeon in Southern Merretta that was bothering the locals marking her 4th crystal destroyed.
I think the Hero is the one Sara told me about, and the one that killed #307 Travis a while back.
“Her name isn’t Listel is it?”
Belinda: “Oh, you know of her? I heard she was famous, but enough where even you have heard of her.”
“Kind of, I just heard of her when she destroyed the dungeon in Southern Merretta recently.”
Belinda: “Was that dungeon a friend of yours?”
“Well actually quite opposite he seemed to be giving a friend of mine some trouble.”
Belinda: “Well surely she will hold up to the contract, and will not destroy the crystal. I will even wait here with you that way if things get dangerous you can send me in, and I will try to reason with her.”
“Well thanks, I don’t know if it would help much, but thanks anyway. Do you know how long till she arrives?”
Belinda: “Well the letter was sent out a week ago, and that’s when she was in the capital, so really any day now would be possible. Surely she will stop at the adventurer’s guild first for information, so once I get the heads up I will let you know with my ID, and will quickly make my way up here.”
Belinda decides its best to return to Tobes and wait for Listel, so I send her on her way, and look over the dungeon.
Even if she doesn’t destroy the core and just kills all the monsters, I will be put in a really bad way. I will have to trust in the human’s contract for now to make it out of this alive this time.
I decide to take all but two of the Weak Earth Golems, and store them within the crystal. That way if she kills everything I will still have a few back up, and if things start looking dangerous I can send them out.
Another two days pass before Belinda finally sends word about Listel arriving in Tobes. Shortly later Belinda shows up to the dungeon, and I bring her to the core room.
Belinda: “Listel seemed very interested in the changes the village has gone through since the dungeon was discovered, so I had the village leader show her around. That should buy us at least an hour.”
“I have done about all I can, so now we just sit here and wait.”
Belinda: “Well how will you know when she is here?”
“I can see everything that happens in my dungeon though my dungeon magic.”
Belinda: “Wait, what do you mean you “SEE” everything?”
“This room is filled with magic screens like when you make an adventurer ID, and I can literally see everything going on in every room of my dungeon.”
Belinda: “Are you telling me when I stayed the night, and changed clothes you could see me?”
“I don’t see how that’s of any relevance after waking up with your naked body wrapped around mine.”
Belinda hits me in the shoulder with her fists and she blushes a bright red and says. “I thought we agreed that we wouldn’t speak of that again.”
“Wait. She is here.” –I say as I get the message about an intruder.-
Listel is a beautiful woman wearing no armor, as a matter of fact barely any clothes at all. Just a small shirt with no sleeves, a wide neck, and it barely extends past her chest. And a short tight pair of black leather shorts. She has soft flowing golden hair that easily extends past her waist, with piercing green cat like eyes.
I have never seen a beastkin thus far with as many animal traits as Listel has. In addition to the long tail and pointed cat ears, her arms are covered in fur from the elbow down and her legs from the knee down. She also has a large patch of fur that covers her shoulders, extends down her back, and wraps partly around her stomach leaving only her chest, and toned abs bare.
Listel extends long claws from her hands as she makes her way down the tunnel, but she also has a beautifully ornate sword made from a bluish colored metal hanging from her waist. Her graceful movements as her hips sway as she walks through the tunnel leaves me captivated by each and every one of her steps.
I don’t think her appearance is any more appealing then Belinda’s, but for some reason I can’t take my eyes off of this beautiful creature before me as I breathlessly watch every bounce, sway, and twitch from the tip of her ears down to the tip of her tail.
Belinda: “…Are you drooling over her?”
Belinda’s words make me snap out of my trance long enough to shake my head and focus on what’s going on. I head Belinda mumble something about it not being fair as Listel nears the end of the tunnel.
Listel casually steps over the tripwire entering the square cave like room, and what happens next happens so fast it is all over before it even registers in my head.
Listel leaps onto the first kobold swiftly ripping one of its arms off. She grinds its face into the ground to add insult to injury as she leaps to another kobold beating it to death with the severed arm. By the time she jumps to the third kobold jabbing both clawed hands into the neck of the next kobold, ripping its head clean off. Only then do the last remaining two kobolds realize that they are under attack.
She chunks a severed kobold head at the mage causing it to fall backwards, as she guts the archer before he can even notch his first arrow. She then causally walks to the mage as it starts try to get back up kicking it right in the chin with a echoing crunch, the kobold falls back never to move again.
As casually as she entered the room she casts a spell cleaning the carnage from her body instantly, and after adjusting herself she walks to the door.
“So this is the power of a hero…”
Belinda: “What’s going on?”
“She has already cleared the first room.”
Belinda: “Already?!”
“…”
I swiftly try to send in all the kobolds on the first floor to the main room. Even against the 25 kobold she never even gets a scratch, as she grabs arrows out of the air jabbing the kobold she is currently ripping to shred. She is even able to grab the spells flung at her and throw them to their caster.
There are times she seems to set off several traps just to fling the kobolds into. In less than 30 seconds the main room looks of pure brutality with bodies lying everywhere in different sized pieces, and at the center stands Listel.
“How…How do you even fight that…”
Belinda: “She already cleared the big room? Then send in all the rest at once.”
“I moved them all in before she entered…That was all 25 of them…”
Listel swings open the doors to the side rooms, and even looks in one of the small chests, but doesn’t even bother taking any of it. She then heads down the stairs to the second floor.
I don’t think it will make a difference but I pull all the crimson kobold together in the main room, including the brutes, and the elder.
Once Listel sees the kobold wearing Belinda’s armor she speaks for the first time. “Oh, the Gowen’s family crest, someone’s been a bad, bad boy.”
Without another word she begins tearing into the crimson kobold, even being much stronger then the kobold the crimson kobold still fall one after another. The last to fall is the crimson kobold brute wearing Belinda’s armor.
It even manages to get a hit on Listel but it barely leaves a scratch as she grabs it by the ankle, flinging it around full-plate and all sending it crashing into a heap on the far side of the room.
Listel: “Not bad, not bad. If this room was filled like the one on the first floor, and they all wore equipment like that, it might have been down right fun.”
As she rubs her hand across the wound on her stomach it disappears, she then cleans herself with a spell, and checks the prison room.
Listel: “Oh, a prison. Naughty naughty, somebody’s been having a bit of fun.”
Listel moves on, once she enters the old crystal room she raises her head sniffing the room. She then shakes her head moving down the stairs.
I have to the golem standing on either side of the intersection of the hallway, waiting for to get close. As Listel walks down the hallway she is sniffing the air and looking around.
Listel: “This is all still pretty new?”
Listel walks casually down the hallway, and when she gets close both of the golems swing from around the corner. Listel actually looks surprised for a brief second before she jumps back quickly a smile stretches across her face and she jumps right on top of one of the golems.
Listel finally pulls her sword for the first time, jabbing it into the golem where its head would be if it had one. The sword slides through the stone like its cutting butter but as the golem crumbles rolling to the floor the other golem catches Listel with a swing of its stone fist sending her flying through the air.
Listel manages to turn herself around so when she crashes into the wall she hits feet first she then springboards off the wall leaping back at the golem, with a black eye and a bloody lip Listel is grinning ear to ear as she slices the second golem clean in two with her ornate sword.
She licks the blood from her lip, and doesn’t even bother healing herself before she now continues down the hallway. She maintains the big smile on her face while checking all the rooms till she enters the crystal room then her smile quickly fades.
Listel: “Ah man…I was just starting to have fun…”
Using magic she draws a straight line beside her, and once she reaches through the line her hand disappears. Pulling it back she has a large book in her grasp, by the look of it, it looks exactly like my copy of Dungeon Core Information. She flips the book open to a bookmarked page.
Listel: “Now now, no holding out on me. You should have 4 more monsters left, and if you plan on hiding them from me I will destroy your crystal.”
“Who is this woman?”
Belinda: “What do you mean?”
“She has something she can’t possibly have.”
Listel: “I am only going to count to three! One…Two…”
I decide I have no choice and send out the remaining four golems. With their large size and the small standard size room the room quickly fills. The two golems on either side of Listel quickly try to crush her.
Listel jumps up climbing the arm of one of the golems swinging her sword around cutting it to pieces. Another one of the golems manages to catch her in a punch, this time with no time to react she crashes hard into the wall falling to the floor.
But not more than a second later she is on her feet again. Leaping of the body of the dead golem she does a flip swinging her sword full circle along with her slicing a second golem in two. Another fist comes flying her way but this time she blocks the blow with her sword causing the fist to crumble and break.
Another fist is swung at the back of her legs causing her to tumble backwards, as the golem with the shattered arm brings his other one down to crush her into the floor.
Listel: “Dark Arcana Blade!”
Listel beings spinning like a top as shadows flow forth from her sword cutting both of the golems into bits. One of the blades manages to hit my crystal.
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Crystal has taken severe damage.
Listel: “Opps, my bad.” –She seems surprised as she looks at the crystal where the magic hit it. - “No harm though. Hard to believe you survived that though. Now, master told me I could destroy you if I decided I didn’t like you, so you and your little human friend better come out here or my mood might sour.”
“Belinda… She is calling for us…”
Belinda: “What do we do?”
“I’m sorry.”
I quickly send Belinda to the entrance of the dungeon then move to the crystal room.
Listel: “Oh, just you then? What about your little girly friend?”
“I sent her on her way, and I don’t see a reason for her to be here.”
Before I can even react, Listel darts forward pushing me to the floor. She is now straddling over the top of me with her soft hair caressing my face as she twirls one of her sharp claws in a circular motion on my chest.
Listel: “Oh the brave little man” –She says with a scrunched up face mocking me.-
She then sits on my groin spinning her hips around on my crotch, placing on of her sharp claws on the neck of my shirt slowly pulling it down cutting my shirt like it’s not even there.
Listel: “That means I got you all to myself now.” – She says as she grinds her hips again, and running her fingers across my chest.- “ohh, you like that do you.” –She says seductively.-
She then leans forward and whispers in my ear. “Then I guess I will tell you a little secret.”
With her hips grinding on my crotch, her soft fingers caressing my chest, her long hair bushing softly against me from all over, and her seductive voice tickling my ear. I have no control as I let out a soft moan.
Listel: “I like you.”
She then licks my cheek, and then as swiftly as she as she came she jumps up heading out the door, but just as she reaches it she looks over her shoulder as she shakes her hips one last time and flicking her tail.
Listel: “I’ll see you later.”
I continue to lay there on the floor for a minute before I quickly transfer back to the core room just to see Listel run into Belinda on the first floor as Belinda is making her way through the dungeon. Belinda seems terrified as Listel walks up to her.
Listel places something into Belinda’s hands and quickly covers it, then leans in and whispers in her ear for while causing Belinda to blush bright red. She then places one of her fingers over Belinda’s lips and winks at her then swiftly Listel exits the room, then exits the dungeon disappearing down the mountain side.
Belinda is still standing in the middle of the room bright red, whatever she is clasping tightly in her hand she slides into a pouch on her belt. She then starts walking again heading towards the stairs.
I pull Belinda to the core room, and after looking at my state with the torn shirt she blushes even brighter turning her face, letting out a small squeak.
“Are you ok?”
When she tries to speak but fails, so instead she then just nods her head. Then with a squeaky voice she finally says.
Belinda: “I….I should head… Head back to Tobes for today…”
“…Are we not going to talk about what just happened?”
Belinda violently shakes her head back and forth, so I decide I will have to wait till she calms down. I send her back to the entrance to the dungeon and she makes her way down to Tobes.
As strange as it started, my first encounter with a hero ends.
After Listel’s waltz though my dungeon, I am left with only rift monsters. Luckily she didn’t take any of the gear so I just have to replace the monsters. Even still just replacing the crimson kobold brutes and the crimson kobold elder, my xp is in a dire situation.
I guess I am going to have to wait a long while before I can replace the golems. The next few days are pretty nerve racking as every group seems to make it to the second floor, and I even lose a few of the crimson kobolds.
Maybe Listel did something to the monsters where they are not as strong? With the rising strength of the adventurers entering the dungeon, and the fact I haven’t seen Belinda since Listel’s attack. It is starting to concern me, but I shake the thought from my head.
I know Belinda is ok because she has sent a message every other day on her ID asking if I need anything from Tobes, but that’s as much as I can get from her. Another week passes before I get a friendly visitor, but much to my surprise it is not Belinda, but instead Thirty-seven that I find entering my dungeon.
“Well now, isn’t this a surprise?” –I say to her after transferring down to entrance of the dungeon.-
She looks exactly the same as when I left Madam Erin’s dungeon with the exception of the towel. I always thought it strange that she always had it with her, but after finding out it was because of me. Seeing her without it makes me feel a little sad.
Thirty-seven: “Greetings, I have been instructed by Madam Erin to come to this dungeon. My instructions were to stay here until I can either live normally among humans, or you Dungeon Core #212 instruct me to leave.”
“So, you want to stay here for a while? I think that would be ok, I wanted to see you again anyway. Let’s go to the dungeon core room and catch up.”
Thirty-seven: “I have to refuse. I was instructed to come here, but I was not instructed to assist you. I will remain here even as a prisoner if I must, unless you instruct me to leave.”
“Must we really start back to square one? Well in the meantime let’s get out of the middle of the walkway before adventurers come walking in.”
For now I lead Thirty-seven down to the prison area, and we enter the last room on the end, the one Belinda has left her cot and such in.
“I will have to ask if it’s ok if you use her stuff, but I don’t think it will be a problem for you to stay here for now.”
Thirty-seven: “Very well.” –Without another word she sits down, and stares at the wall.-
“So… How have you been? It’s been about six month’s since I left, how are things going at Madam Erin’s dungeon?”
Thirty-seven: “I have not been instructed to give you that information so I will refrain from answering.”
I sigh and then think for a minute…Something as simple as handing her the towel last time started to slowly break down her walls. Maybe this time I can pick something a little better. I search in [Menu] I find a stuffed animal, and select it. It asks me to think of an animal and that will be the result, but I panic and the only thing that comes to mind is Listel, so I end up with a small cat with fur matching Listel’s hair.
I present the cat to Thirty-seven.
“Here this is for you. It’s a gift.”
Thirty-seven takes the cat holding it her arms the same way she used to carry the towel, which would make for a picture perfect moment where it not for the fact she is holding it upside down so the back legs and rear end are sticking up in the air while its head is buried in her arms.
When I reach forward to turn it around she pulls back, so I just leave well enough alone. It took a while for her to warm up last time so I will just leave it at this for now, besides I need to send a message to Belinda asking if I can use her camping stuff.
“If you need anything, anything at all just call for me ok?”
Thirty-seven doesn’t say anything and just continues to sit on the edge of the cot with the cat’s butt sticking in the air, staring at the wall. I return to the dungeon core room and send a message to Belinda.
“I have an old friend that came to visit for a while, do you mind if they use the stuff you left in the prison room?”
Twenty minutes or so go by before I receive a reply.
Belinda: “That’s great, no problem at all, do you need anything else?”
“No, I think we will be ok.”
Belinda: “Ok, if you need anything just let me know. I would like to meet them if I can.”
“Thanks, and that might be a little hard. She is terrified of humans, so it might take a while before she will meet with you.”
Belinda: “Oh, if that’s the case I might have a…”
However the words she wrote quickly disappear and instead I get.
Belinda: “Did you say she?”
“Yes…”
Belinda: “You’re going to have a woman living with you? There? In your dungeon, where everything that happens within you see?
“It’s not a big deal we shared a room for almost a month, so there isn’t much I haven’t seen.”
I don’t receive a response after that so after a while I delete my messages and erase Belinda’s responses. She did say it wasn’t a problem so everything should be fine for now.
I look in on Thirty-seven a few times throughout the day, but she never moves. Shortly before midnight Thirty-seven lays down still holding the upside down cat. I decide to head to bed myself.
The next day passes uneventfully as well, I try talking to Thirty-seven on two separate occasions but she barely responds.
On the third day since Thirty-seven’s arrival I get a group of humans enter my dungeon. One of the adventurers has a dog with him that he gives commands to. After the dog dies however they flee the dungeon without making it to the second floor.
On the plus side I can now summon an attack dog for 25xp. Not exactly the new type of monster I wanted but at least it’s something new… I haven’t gotten anything new in a while now.
I go down to talk to Thirty-seven telling her about the group of adventurers and the dog. She still doesn’t really reply then I hear a strange growling noise.
“What was that?”
Thirty-seven: “I have not consumed nutrients in three days, as such my stomach made the noise.”
“Consumed nutrients? You have to eat now?”
Thirty-seven: “Madam Erin thought it best that I was no longer bound to her dungeon. Without being bound to the dungeon I have the need for food, water, and other un-pleasantries that goes along with it.”
“I am so sorry. I wish you would have said something. I will run down to the village real quick and get you something I will be back shortly.”
Thirty-seven’s arm quickly shoots out grasping my arm.
“It’s ok, I have been there quite a few times, and it won’t be a problem. I promise I will return.”
She hesitates but eventually releases me. I then head back to the core room gather a handful of the small gold coins, and quickly head down to Tobes.
I head straight to the adventurer’s guild. When I enter Belinda is sitting behind the counter, and when she spots me her eyes light up and she smiles. However her expression quickly changes to a complicated one before I make it up to the counter.
Belinda: “What are you doing here?”
“I needed some help. I have gotten food before, but I don’t know what is considered enjoyable. I need your help to get some for my friend.”
Belinda: “Why not just ask her?”
“Well she isn’t much for conversation.”
Belinda: “…”
“So, will you help me?”
Belinda: “Well everyone’s taste differs, so what has she been eating the last few days?”
“Actually…She hasn’t been.”
Belinda: “You have had her staying with you for three days and haven’t even given her anything to eat?”
“Well when we stayed together last time she didn’t have to, so how was I supposed to know that she had to now?”
Belinda’s attitude changes a little for the better as she says. “Oh, so she is a monster of some kind?”
“Well, I guess?”
Belinda: “Well either she is, or she isn’t… What does she look like?”
“Well, she is like me I guess. Except female of course, and her body is very similar to yours, but hers is just a bit smaller, and not as… Bouncy?”
Belinda blushes then her face gets angry.
Belinda: “You make that sound like an insult… Besides Listel was far “bouncier” then I am, and you wouldn’t stop drooling over her.”
“Ah I see, you want reassurance? For a human your body is very pleasing.”
Belinda: “For a hum… You have some kind of monster fetish or something? Listel may have been a feral beastkin, but she still was no more a monster then I am. What makes her so much more special?” –She says sounding dejected.-
“Now that you mention it… I don’t know. Besides, how is this going to help find out what kind of food Thirty-seven likes to eat?”
Belinda goes to say something else but stops instead saying. “Wait. Thirty-seven? When you said like you, you meant like you, like you?”
“Uh…Yes?”
Belinda looks around the room. Our conversation and drawn quite a bit of attention from the adventurers in the room so she pulls be outside before talking again.
Belinda: “Your dungeon supplies you with what you need, so why doesn’t hers?”
“Oh, she doesn’t have one. It’s kind of a complicated story, but she was never able to start her own.”
Belinda: “But you said she didn’t need to eat before, so what was supplying her then?”
I hesitate to answer but then decide its ok. “My teacher, or should I say mother?” –The thought of calling Madam Erin mother causes a chill down my spine and I quickly shake my head. - “No definitely leave it at teacher.”
Belinda: “So you two grew up together? So she is like your sister? –She said her mood finally improving again.-
“Well she is quite a bit older than me, but I guess…”
And with them simple words Belinda’s whole attitude seems to change for the better.
Belinda: “Alright then, let see since I don’t know her tastes, let’s just pick out quite a few different things, and we can just go with the ones she likes.”
Belinda spends the next hour happily leading me around the village picking out quite a bit of food for Thirty-seven to try. She even picks out various drink items. She then helps me carry them back to the dungeon.
Belinda: “You think I could meet her?”
“Like I said she is very scared of humans, so I don’t know if it would be a good idea.”
Belinda: “Please! I promise I will take it easy.”
I sigh…”Ok, she hasn’t eaten in a few days, so let’s take her some food for now.”
We take a bit of the food and head down to the prison room. When I enter Thirty-seven continues to stare at the wall, but once Belinda follows in behind me hiding behind my back, Thirty-seven panics.
Thirty-seven jumps off the cot and cowers in the corner of the room, tightly clinching her eyes closed, turning her head, and begins shaking.
I motion for Belinda to stay put then move up to Thirty-seven. “It’s ok, I promise. She is a friend.”
Thirty-seven violently shakes her head back and forth, but doesn’t open her eyes or quit shaking. When I look to Belinda she nods then backs out of the room shutting the door.
When Thirty-seven slowly opens her eyes and sees that Belinda is gone, she then throws the stuffed cat at me. I try to hand it back to her but she crosses her arms and turns her head.
“I promise you Belinda, won’t hurt you. She is my friend, and she has helped me several times. She even helped me pick out some food for you.”
When I try to hand her the food Thirty-seven tries to push it away but her stomach growls loudly again.
“See you have to eat, at least take the food for now ok? And I will set this little guy over here.” –I leave the food in front of her and move over setting the stuffed cat on the cot.-
I then leave the room. Belinda and I move to the core room and I watch Thirty-seven though one of the screens.
“Ok, she is at least eating the food, so that’s something I guess.”
Belinda: “Is she going to be ok?”
“When I was training I had her talking, and she started to seem pretty normal, but after I left it seems she closed herself back off. It will probably just take some time.”
Belinda stays, and we talk for a while. I explain to her what happened to Thirty-seven and about my training, but leave out some of details. Particularly about anything that might be dungeon sensitive information.
Belinda: “I didn’t realize dungeon bosses trained each other, is your teacher still around? I mean it must have been a long time ago.”
I scratch my head before answering. “Ah…Well, actually. When I said I was asleep for a long time I kind of wasn’t telling the truth. As a matter of fact it was a downright lie. I actually only arrived here when the bear attacked Tobes.”
Belinda: “What? Then just how old are you then?”
“Well… Let’s see, I have been here what 6 or 7 months now, so… Just over half a year?”
Belinda: “Wait what? What about all your training?”
“I said I lived with Thirty-seven for about a month. After I was born I trained for a month then moved here.”
Belinda: “You said Thirty-seven was much older, but how old is she?”
“Oh she is at least 6 or 7 years old now.”
Belinda: “Then how old is your teacher?!”
I think before answering. Well her age shouldn’t really matter, and if I ask her to I am sure Belinda won’t say anything so I go ahead and tell her.
“She was one of the first, so she is close to 1000 years old.”
Belinda: “1000 years! So, what you are born like that and never age?”
“Well she looked older, but there were a few that looked much older than her, yet were hundreds of years younger, so I think are appearance just matches out personalities or something.”
Belinda: “…Well then, how are you born?”
“I don’t know I just woke up and there I was.”
Belinda: “You really are a monster…” –she steps closer poking my cheek looking closely at my face.- “You look so normal though.” –She then realizes how close her face is to mine then blushes brightly quickly adding distance between us.-
“I ask you though, of course to just keep this between us.”
Belinda nods and we continue to talk for a while longer before she returns to Tobes. When I check in on Thirty-seven she has finished the food, and has returned to the edge of the cot holding the cat, upside down of course, in her arms again.
“So, how was the food? Did you like it?”
Thirty-seven: “It was acceptable.”
“And the drink?”
Thirty-seven: “It was acceptable as well.”
“Would you tell me if you didn’t like the taste of either of them?”
Thirty-seven: “Taste is irrelevant. As long as it supplies my body with the nutrients required to keep me alive that is all that matters.”
“It’s not irrelevant though, if you don’t like the taste of something, I won’t get any more of that so you don’t have to just suffer though eating it.”
Thirty-seven: “Very well, if you supply me with something I find unpalatable I will inform you.”
“Well… I guess that will work. Do you need anything else?”
Thirty-seven: “For now that should meet my requirements.”
“Ok if you need anything just let me know, and I mean it this time. Also you are free to walk around if you like, and you don’t have to stay in this room all day. Just be mindful I do often have humans entering my dungeon, so if you want to take a walk let me know, and I will tell you if there are any about.”
Thirty-seven: “I do now require exercise but I believe I can manage the required amounts here in this room. I may need to step outside every so often. This body now seems to require at least a small bit of sunlight as well.”
I continue talking to Thirty-seven for a while then return to the core room. The next few days pass smoothly enough, none of the food and drink I provide to Thirty-seven receives any disapproval. Maybe she just isn’t picky. On one slow afternoon I take her on a walk, and we walk down around the lake. I show her Tobes from the top of the trail, but she refuses to even take one step towards it.
I have managed to build up enough xp to summon a few more of the golems but so far I am waiting, if any adventurers make it to the third floor I will summon some then. After my trip to Tobes, Belinda has now resumed her visits to the dungeon.
I have tried to get Thirty-seven to meet with Belinda a few times when she visits, but Thirty-seven always adamantly refuses. One day we get a close call when a group of adventurers make it to the second floor, and they retreat into the prison area almost discovering Thirty-seven.
I quickly move in the crimson brutes and elder to eliminate them, and then move all of Belinda camping gear down to the of the side rooms on the third floor.
“The adventurers are getting stronger, and I think they might start clearing the second floor soon, so you should be a bit safer down here.”
I then summon two golems one to guard the crystal, and the other to guard Thirty-seven’s room. Now I am in a bind with xp again… The next day when Belinda visits me I tell her about having to move Thirty-seven, and spending all most all of my xp.
Belinda: “I… I might have a way to help…”
Belinda suddenly becomes extremely nervous and is blushing.
“Really? How so?”
Belinda has started to fidget in her chair, still nervous and blushing brightly. She closes her eyes and seems to be trying to find the words to say.
Belinda: “ Uh…I mean I… I have put a lot of thought into this… It’s something I want… I want to do it for you?”
“Do what exactly?”
Belinda: “Just be quiet ok! This is hard enough!”
“…”
I sit there in silence for a few more minutes while Belinda finally jumps up to her feet, closes her eyes, and extends her arms wide while practically screaming.
Belinda: “You…You… You just have to make me yours!”
“Hu?”