Shifting Concerns

Chapter 179

It was late afternoon in my palace of shadows when I decided that I did in fact like the cluster and scattering of fang like crystals I’d added to the ceiling. I’d been playing around with lightstones and figured out how to add a kind of timer function. Embedding them in the formation allowed it to brighten and dim throughout the day and give me a sense of the time on the surface.

Not exactly a critical feature, but it allowed me to be a bit more in touch without needing a clock. It also looked really cool, which was reason enough.

It was one of a hundred little busy work projects I’d been adding to the environment between larger projects or when I was low on inspiration. Something which happened more frequently since Elim had split from the Lepusan.

I wasn’t worried per say, they were all survivors, but I was definitely getting anxious. I had no way of checking up on them before they reached the valley nor helping if something happened. An acute reminder of my limitations despite the power I held in the dungeon.

“Ugh! Not a single adventurer!” Chris groaned from the couch. He’d been hanging out since late morning. Though I’d added more spaces to the palace, Chris still liked to come in and claim one of the couches in the main entry.

I wasn’t sure if he was just used to it since that had been the only space once, or something else. He was allowed back into the more personal area’s, but hadn’t shown an interest. Not that I spent a lot of time in them either. Most of my private space was storage of one kind or another as I didn’t sleep.

It was more interesting to hang out in the sitting area. I usually left the main doors open to invite company and the denizens to come talk about dungeon matters. Most texted if it were work related, but I usually had a fairly steady stream of visitors.

“They don’t just fall from tree’s Chris,” I grumbled back. He’d been bitching on and off for a while, his book half forgotten though not far from his hand.

“Yeah, but you put out postings and such. Someone should have turned up by now!” Chris countered. I just shrugged. I definitely wanted to establish a decent stream of people to keep up with my tith. I’d put in the work to make it happen, but I couldn’t say when it would bear fruit and I wasn’t exactly hurting for points.

“I really think you need a hobby,” I needled. Most of the skeletons had decided to improve old skills or pick up new ones when they got skill resets. Chris hadn’t and I felt like that was part of why he was as bored as he was. That and being a teenager. It seemed to be a chronic issue for him that didn’t bother the older skeletons.

“I’ve got one!” Chris countered.

“Causing trouble isn’t a hobby,” I countered. Whatever he said next was lost as a frisson went through me a moment before a non-hostile entry alert appeared.

I pulled up the footage of the Leupsan entering the valley. I watched the disagreement and immediately sent out a general alert. They weren’t to be interfered with until they came down on their own.

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

I turned to find that Chris was staring at the footage. He’d snuck up on me at some point, another hobby of his.

I’d left the window open though I hadn’t been paying much attention. Not since they found the temple. I’d wanted them too, but how they would use it was up to them.

“They have little ones with them,” Chris observed, staring at the screen. There were six Lepusan kits in the group.

“They do,” I agreed.

“They shouldn’t sleep out in the hills then,” he added softly, like he was talking to himself. I ruffled his hair and he skittered away like an indignant cat.

“Don’t do that, it’ll look funny!” Chris growled. He stormed over to the mirror I kept forgetting to take down. I considered asking who he was concerned about looking good for, but didn’t. He was already in a huff now, asking anything related to Andrea would only make him pout.

“Maybe some of the Lepusan will join the school,” I offered.

“Eh? So what if they do?” Chris asked, fussing with his hair. I didn’t bother pointing out that it would reset itself. The illusion was good, but it didn’t retain changes like the real thing would.

“Read’ins fine but-” he cut off. His hair had returned to its usual style.

“The other one, for the adults,” I clarified. The adventurer school didn’t have a more official name, but it existed.

Chris looked his hair over critically before heading back to the couch. He spared me a glare as he did.

“It won’t exactly make them adventurers overnight,” Chris pointed out.

“No, but you could train those interested in being a rogue,” I offered. It wasn’t the first time I’d brought the idea up, but I hadn’t pressed it before. There hadn’t been a point without any students likely to appear soon. Even now I couldn’t guarantee anyone would want to take up his class, but it was a bit more likely.

“I’ll think about it,” Chris said.

“That's all I ask,” I replied. He’d calmed down a bit since he was first summoned once I added entertainment to the dungeon. Having Andrea to train with had calmed him down more but added some mood swings to the mix.

I hoped that having a new regular activity he enjoyed would help even him out a bit more. Playing with Blackmoor and Stalin’s puppies helped a little with that but created new issues. The hounds were fun and I enjoyed their company, but he was a bit too isolated for my taste. Not as bad as Aaron, but still on his own too much overall.

I hadn’t told him any of that, nor did I intend to. There was no way in hell he’d take being managed like that well. Very few people would, even if they enjoyed the results.

Chris didn’t say anything when he got up to go, only waving a goodbye because I noticed. I waived back, not minding. I took it as him feeling comfortable and a little distracted.

Normally he would have been part of Andrea’s combat lessons. A sparring partner, even if I found the idea a bit dubious. For the moment though she was working on her class abilities exclusively.

I turned back to the footage of the Lepusan praying to their goddess. The elders were reluctant to stay, but I wasn’t worried. They were in a sorry state and obviously in need of rest no matter what they said. They wouldn’t be leaving quickly.

I’d woo the group rather than insist. A task I’d get help with from Ban and Hari. Both wanted what was best for their people and would go with them if it came to that, but neither wanted to leave. They’d help convince them to stay which was a plus.

My mind drifted from that practical issue almost immediately since it would have to wait. In the meantime I was glad that I didn’t have any appointments with Hari. It would have been hard to see her but not tell her about her people arriving.

Playing the hermit and giant kin cards gave me room for fantastic abilities I didn’t have to explain, but there were limits. Or at least I felt like there would be. Small mysteries were one thing. If I overplayed things eventually questions would be asked or I’d do something that didn’t fit with what people believed I should be able to do.

I let out an aggravated sigh. Not even an hour earlier I’d been frustrated about not knowing what was happening with the Lepusan. Now I was worrying about how to behave around them. A more pleasant worry to have certainly, but vexing in its own right.

Rather than ruminate further, I opened my to do list. Seeing it grounded me in the reality of all the shit I still needed to do. It was time to get back to work.