Eventually Clare stopped laughing long enough to explain herself.
[I am not smug.]
Clare, somehow, stifled another bout of laughter. Kepler…
Kepler cleared his throat. [Well, I…] He looked at his fuzzy feet, somewhere between ashamed and confuzzled. [Either way, it’s unimportant. Probably. I’ll think about it later. Privately.]
Ah, that was right. Kepler was alone whenever Clare slept. She felt a pang of envy but squashed it down.
Smiling, Clare crawled out of his arms in their mind-space. Sitting cross-legged, she was able to face him properly.
So, um, Kepler…
[What?] He tilted his ears at her.
Did I gain a level? What about quests, did I get any new ones? Oh, I must have gotten an MP bonus, right? I felt a bit of warmth—
Kepler smiled, one corner of his fanged mouth reaching higher than the other.
What? He rarely smiled so… fondly.
The smile remained for a strange moment, before he dropped it for an excited one.
[XP gained!]
* 3.5 XP gained for defeating a delver. 10 MP awarded.
* 3.5 XP gained for defeating a delver. 10 MP awarded.
* 3.5 XP gained for defeating a delver. 10 MP awarded.
* 5 SP awarded for completing a second delve.
* 5 XP gained for changing the direction of a delve.
* XP bonus of 0.53 for aligning with personal myth.
[New Quests!]
* Halfway to the Big Leagues:
* Reach level 5!
* Rewards: 5.25 XP, 6 SP, ‘Reach the Big Leagues’ Quest, New SP store options.
* Cultivate your Myth:
* Personal Myths can be extremely powerful, increasing both XP gains and system rewards. Due to the new nature of ‘Grotto of the Captive Maiden,’ the effects of it are still in flux. Cultivate your myth for maximum gains!
* Rewards: 40 SP, Unknown Effects
* Note: The state of your personal myth is likely to influence your evolution options.
A brief silence hung between Kepler and Clare.
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In their territory, the snake-worms Sulky, Croc’ Jaw, and Kooky were teaming up to hunt slimes. The slimes had already noticed them, and Luna was lecturing them about the dangers of inauthenticity.
Well… Clare didn’t really want to mention the second quest, not with how unhappy Kepler was with their Myth.
Croc’ Jaw ate Luna, her glowy insides gleaming on his teeth. Chubbles led a return charge.
[This is good.] Kepler said, still fairly happy, if thoughtful. [Actually, I was hoping to get such a quest.]
Really?
[Yeah,] Kepler began.
Rockslide, one of their two stone slimes, was proving surprisingly effective against the snake worms. Teaming up with Omnom, their metal slime, he strangled Kooky while Sulky snapped at his tough hide uselessly.
[In fact, I’ve been learning to issue quests for this—it should make it easer to change our myth.]
Clare gave him a puzzled look.
[When you’re given a quest, the system actually tilts the odds a tiny bit in your favor.] Kepler explained, [I’ve been talking to it while you’re asleep. With how I’m integrated into both your soul, and the system, I might to be able to leverage it even more…] He trailed off, musing silently.
Oh. Clare said, taking a moment to process that herself.
Omnom took a fatal blow from Croc’ Jaw. Chubbles, Pudding, and Surprisibus had already succumbed, leaving Jello and Rockslide as the only standing, er, jiggling, slimes.
Clare had never thought about what Kepler did while she was asleep. The envy from earlier returned. She never got any alone time!
Trying not to succumb to the feeling, she sighed, catching Kepler’s attention.
[Ah, well!] Kepler wagged his tail at her, [You might not have gained any levels, but we’re up to 28 SP.]
Clare laughed. Are you suggesting we go on a spending spree?
He flicked his ear cheekily. [Why not?]
Clare watched Croc’ Jaw finish off the last of the slimes. Sulky and Kooky had been knocked off in the battle, leaving Croc’ Jaw to benefit in XP the most.
All around their territory, magic was glimmering as the servants respawned.
Kepler scooched closer to her, tugging gently at her hand.
Oh. She laughed at her own ridiculous gloom. Yeah, why not?