I wish they had some coffee here, but I guess that’s asking a little much. Luckily they have a tea that’s supposed to have the same effect the only difference is that it’s sweet instead of bitter, which is a shame.

I’d been hoping to try some as soon as I got this body. Guess I’ll have to wait till we reach a trade center. There has to be coffee though right? RIGHT?

Anyways since Brenner is MIA, Matt is off learning, John disappeared to pursue ‘Justice’, and I heard Teage went off to blacksmith. So not knowing what to do I decided to help Eleanor with day care. Most of the adults were out hunting around the village. So most of the mothers with kids two and under took care of them together.

So me, Eleanor, and Selina were in charge of taking care of all the kids for the day. I was in charge of the older kids while they took care of the younger ones’ needs. For the most part they entertained themselves. They were just there to take care of the little ones and make sure they don't get into to much trouble.

The girls flocked to me and I entertained them by styling their hair, or trying I should say. I've seen plenty of different hairstyles but I've never had a body to try it myself.  So I’m being given a crash course on hair styling while being styled myself. It’s quite fun and they seem quite entertained. The boys are playing a game of tag or something and are entertaining themselves quite well for the most part.

I don’t know why but this whole scene feels so peaceful. Seeing these happy children living so carefree. I wish I had a body like theirs. But I’m just some fabrication of this game and will disappear as soon as Brenner leaves the game. While everyone seems a little worried about Brenner being missing. I honestly don’t want to ever leave the game and as soon as we find him we’ll be forced to leave for the ‘real world’.

That world for all intents and purposes is real to him but for me it feels like a dream I have to share with them and this world is the only ‘real’ world I need. Having your own mind to privately occupied. A body that moves at my command and not some bystander of someone else’s actions. Having an actual female body and not having the feeling of that thing between my legs. I can’t stand it. I know that I’m a woman and having to live like that is degrading for me. How else am I supposed to think of the situation. Being the only female in the head of his doesn’t help either. Why do they instinctively look in such indect areas when they see women, and why does it make that thing go erect.

Honestly I’m amazed I haven’t gone insane yet with everything they think and say. The only thing keeping it somewhat bearable is the girls in his band section as they like to talk about actual interesting stuff like clothes and fashion. Those buffoons don’t know anything about style and grab the quickest thing available before bolting out the door.

“Elizabeth?”

(E) “Huh what?”

“Are you okay you look like you were lost in thought.

(E) “I guess I was. I was just thinking how peaceful everything is here.”

“You call it peaceful but that’s inside the village. Outside there are lots of dangerous monsters that the hunters have to constantly push back . My husband Joffrey is out there almost every day patrolling the illusion barrier to make sure it stays that way.”

(E) “Illusion barrier? I thought that the town was safe because the area was safe.”

“This place isn’t known as the Monster’s Abyss for nothing you know. The reason the name stuck was because of the multitude of adventures that would disappear never to return whenever they entered the abyss. The only reason we are even here right now is because of the guardian that set up the illusion barrier.”

(E) “You guys have a guardian here? Why haven’t I seen it before?”

“She secludes herself in the forest diligently maintaining the barrier protecting the village. She only appears to us at the start of each season to join in holiday feasts. She also likes to mess with the children playing pranks on them from time to time.”

(E) “What kind of guardian is she? Cause she seems a bit odd for being your protector.”

“She’s a Fey a Kitsune to be exact.”

“YEAH she’s so fun to play with.”

“She’ll let you pet her tails.”

“And she even does these cool magic tricks.”

“One year she made a boar appear out of a hat!!!”

“And one year she did this cool act with her tails making them disappear and reappear in a cool dance.”

(E) “So how’d you some across her and why does she live here?”

“Well for the most part she found us and we don’t know why she is here or even why she helps us. But, we are grateful to her and owe her our lives here.”

(E) “So when could I meet her?”

She sounds interesting and if she is as good at magic as they are saying she might know what’s going on with this whole soul business.

“Well since you guys are new here you should go to the update shrine and introduce yourselves to her.”

(E) “When could we do that?”

“You could do it right now if you wanted, but I’d wait until all of your companions are done with whatever they are doing. It’s best to all go at once so she can meet you all together.”

(E) “I guess that makes sense.”

“nyways best we get started on some lunch before everyone starts pestering us to much.”

We then start preparing a soup for lunch for the kids who don’t have all their teeth developed yet. I was in charge of preparing and cutting the ingredients into tiny bits. I did a less than stellar job though almost cutting my fingers several times and the vegetables were very crudely cut. The only reason my fingers are okay is due to my scales preventing the knife from cutting me. They didn’t help with my knife handling though.

“Well you tried at least.”

Don’t patronize me woman I know I failed miserably. You don’t have to beat around the bush about it.

(E) “Yeah I don’t exactly cook often.”

“Then who cooks out of the five of you?”

(E) “Brenner, he’s quite decent at cooking up something, but he isn’t a master chef at any rate.”

“Well you can’t learn if you don’t make mistakes. I’m just glad you didn’t cut yourself the way you handled that knife.”

Yeah the only reason I didn’t cut myself was because of my scales sadley.

“Lunch is ready kids come and get it.”

“YEAH, LUNCH TIME!!!”

The kids swarmed us as we served them wooden bowls of soup. They eagerly swept upon us like locus and before we knew it we were almost out. When the older kids came from ‘school’ I’d been afraid that we’d run out of food. Luckily Selina had prepared for this and and had planned accordingly. After the line died down she gave me two bowls and told me to give them to a girl named Nino and Matt.  She said that she usually was off studying alone and sometimes would forget to eat lunch from time to time. She was trying to be a mage and was diligently practicing most of the time. She also said if I saw a boy named Harrison harassing her that I should tell her about it and not take him to seriously he is just an egotistical brat that hasn’t learned humility yet.

I make my way towards the river were she said Nino liked to practice her magic. As I make my way there I hear the sound of chanting and look to see Matt with his hand pointed out. ‘Nino’ is watching him with an interested gaze. Then he slumps over slightly like he exhausted himself. I walked over and give them both a bowl of soup with Nino and Matt thanking me before inhaling the soup given to them before Nino starts lecturing Matt about magic or something. I don’t get all of what she’s saying but I let her finish before interjecting.

(E) “So how’s magic training going four eyes.”

(M) “Four eyes? I don’t even wear glasses.”

(E) “Well you're the know it all wise guy so what else am I supposed to call you.”

(M) “How about by my name. Matt!”

(E) “Fine, anyways how is it going?”

“He’s doing quite well to be honest.”

(E) “But nothing happened.”

(M) “I was practicing wind magic just now I’m trying to create a gently wind right now. It’s supposed to help me learn how to better control my magic. So that I don’t exhaust all my mana at once on a spell that doesn’t require much mana.”

(E) “So it’s going well?”

“Well it’s proceeding smoothly enough I guess. I feel like I’m gaining progress but at the same time that progress is slow and will probably take more than a day to master.”

“His progress is quite solid and if he studies diligently he should have it down in about a year.”

(E) “A year?”

“Well to master his control of magic it;ll take that long. But he’ll be able to cast spells before then, but it’s a good exercise to always come back to.”

(E) “Well I was going to tell you as well that we should go see their guardian and introduce ourselves. So we’ll all be going together tonight so don’t exhaust yourself completely alright.”

(M) “Fine. Anyways thanks for the food. Is it okay if we keep the bowls I wanted to try using water magic and I want to use the bowls to hold the water in.”

(E) “Sure just make sure to give them back to Selina later.”

“Tell her I said thanks will ya.”

(E) “I’ll make sure to tell her. Anyways have fun you two.”

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

I then head back towards Selina but halfway back I see a boy are running near the edge of the woods. I’ll go check what he’s doing I’m not sure how this whole illusion barrier works but I don’t think he’s supposed to be near the forest alone. I make my way towards him as he runs to a hollow tree. He then retrieves a wooden sword and proceeds to ‘train’ with it. Swinging it around and hitting the trees around him from time to time. But, he doesn’t seem well trained and it looks like someone swing around a stick and not actual sword techniques or strikes. What the heck was I expecting from this kid. Some secret technique passed down from generation to generation. I still wonder why he’s alone and is doing this in some secrecy so I guess I’ll go ask him. I step out in front of him and before I can even say a word he trips over a tree root and hits his knee of a rock.

(E) “Are you okay?”

“Yeah I’m fine. OUCH!!!”

I poked at his wound to make sure he wasn’t lying and no surprise he was hurt quite a bit. He was starting to cry but held it in as I was in front of him and didn’t want to lose face in front of me.

(E) “You don’t look fine are you going to be alright?”

“I’ll be fine you don’t have to worry about it!”

He cradled his knee with both his hands while forcing back tears of pain.

(E) “How about I sing you a song to make it all feel better?”

I don’t know what else to do I don’t have any spare cloth to make bandages and no water to clean the wound. Best to just keep him happy probably until he gets back to the village.

“Cheer up now big boys don’t cry

Stand up tall and cry no more

Let the pain flow away and bring with it a happy more

For wounds will heal and time waits for none

So stand tall and show them who won”

Yeah I’m a bad improvising. That definitely could have been better.

At the end of my song I look up to see Teage in front of me staring down at me and the kid in my arms. Well this is embarrassing I didn’t think Teage would find me. God this is embarrassing I didn’t sound bad did I. Aw I shouldn’t have done that!!!

(T) “Nice voice you got there Elizabeth.”

(E) “Thanks.”

Well at least he thought I sounded good that’s a relief. I’m glad I didn’t sing tone deaf.

(T) “So you can use magic?”

(E) “No! Why do you say that?”

(T) “Well that kid’s wound is already gone.”

(E) “What!”

I look at the kid to realize his wound had already healed. Did I just do that? How? I’ll worry about that later. But before that what is he doing?

(E) “Anyways. What are you doing right now?”

(T) “Me I’m currently helping the blacksmith make tools for the village.”

(E) “So what are doing over here.”

(T) “I was taking a lunch break as he had to deliver an order. I’m headed back to the forge now to try my hand at making weapons.”

(E) “Why would we need weapons.”

(T) “What do you mean Elizabeth you saw what's out there we need to prepare ourselves for them.”

(E) “Why though why must we kill things inside this game. I finally have my own body now and I don’t want to risk it fighting monsters. I wish I could take this body out of the game and have fun in the real world!”

(T) “You know that's not possible Elizabeth we don’t exist outside Brenner’s head and as such we should help him however we can. Whether it be fighting or otherwise.”

(E) “Why though? Why are we stuck inside of his head.”

(T) “Already questioning your life?”

(E) “Yes. I  just want to know why are we there and how did we all come about. We are all so different yet share the same body and if the game is right we also share the same soul. I … I don’t know what to think of this.”

(T) “Then don't think about it just enjoy yourself. That's what I plan on doing. I’m going forge the best weapons and armor and drink good alcohol around people I enjoy being around. I'm not going to worry about the small things and enjoy live as it comes by. So get that kid back to the others and make sure you don't waste another second worrying about that stuff we'll deal with it as it comes together.”

He then walked off leaving me with the kid asleep in my arms. Ah shoot! I forgot to tell him we are going to see the guardian together tonight. Guess I’ll tell him later at dinner or something. I slowly get up carrying the kid in my arms as I make my way back towards Selina.

Magic! Did I really use it? I don’t know I was just singing and his wound naturally closed. I guess I felt a little tired afterwards but for the most part I feel like it was to easy. Doesn’t magic take a lot of practice and fancy words? Maybe I’m just overthinking it. But that would be cool if I can really heal with my voice. I wonder if I have to sing a certain way or something? Anyways for now I guess I’ll go see what John is up to after this.

I finally get back to Selina who is cleaning up lunch. Some of the kids are helping her, but for the most part they are either back to playing or napping. I set the kid in my arms under the shade of a tree and walk over to Selina.

(E) “Nino and Matt were thankful for the food Selina. They are going to return the bowls later though cause they wanted to use them for some magic practice or something.”

“Sounds like Nino I just hope she doesn’t break the bowls. I swear I’ve had to get four replacements this week alone. What happened with Arthur though?”

(E) “Ah. He fell asleep at the edge of the woods, and I brought him over here so we could keep a better eye on him.”

“Ah. No need to do that though the barrier goes a good ways past those woods so you don’t have to worry about that. Hope it wasn’t that big of a pain for you to go out of your way to bring him here though.”

(E) “It wasn’t that big of a deal. I’ll got to talk to John about something first though. I need to tell him that we should meet with the guardian tonight.”

“Alright. Just make sure to come back quick the girls seem to enjoy your company a lot.”

(E) “I will it shouldn’t take that long. Then you girls can braid my hair till dinner.”

“Come back quick!”

“I will.”

I then went off to see where John had ended up. Teage said he just had lunch with him earlier so he shouldn’t have gotten far. Maybe he went around the edge of the forest to get wood or something. Surprisingly John was sleeping under the shade of a tree in some grass.

He looked quite peaceful and content with his belly and feet exposed while drool excreted from his mouth. I didn’t know what to do when I looked at him. I wanted to prank him or mess with him in some way but I couldn’t decide how I’d do it.

After a minute I finally got an idea. I took his discarded shoes and tie them together before chucking them over a tree branch. I then lightly clapped his ears and he bolts awake.

(J) “Wh- wait, wha- why are- wha- give me back my leprechaun!”

(E) “Wake up sleepy head.”

(J) “Eh! Ah it’s just you Elizabeth. Next time wake me up normally would you. I was having a nice dream. I was a knight patrolling a town with a sword at my side. People were smiling at me at every turn, and I was just about to stop the villain with a slash of my sword before you woke me up.”

(E) “Sounds like I saved his life.”

(J) “But he was an evildoer and must be struck down in the name of JUSTICE!”

(E) “That’s nice. Anyways tonight we are going to go see this village’s guardian so get your act together and make sure not to get lost.”

(J) “I take great offence to that. I have a great sense of direction.”

(E) “Oh, also your shoes are up there.”

I pointed up the tree to his dangling shoes much to his dismay. The look was precious and worth all the heat I’d be getting later from him. He looked dismayed and appalled at me for having done so.

(J) “Why would you do that I can’t even reach that high.”

(E) “Guess you’ll have to climb up and get them.”

(J) “But I can’t even reach the lowest branch!”

(E) “Well anyways see you tonight.”

(J) “Wait! Get back here!”

I turn and leave him behind while he still stares slack jawed for a minute. He then sighs and walks away probably to get (or make) a ladder to reach them. I feel a little bad for doing it, but it was to funny to resist.

I make my way back to girls for some more hair styling to kill time before dinner tonight. We tried many different styles, but I still couldn’t wrap my head around most of them. I can now do a french braid though! It’s a start at the very least. I spend the rest of the afternoon with the girls having fun talking and playing with them. Though at times they try to pull on my tail which I found very annoying. I’d occasionally see John running back and forth trying to do something, but I couldn’t tell exactly what he was doing.

Eleanor came by later and asked if I wanted to help make dinner with her. Not having anything else to do (other than play with the girls) I decided to go help her. What I didn’t expect from her asking for help was if I could help her butcher this huge board that the hunter had gotten. It was about the size of a car and looked to be two tons. How’d they even get it here?

(E) “You want my help with preparing this?”

“Is it too much? It’s been so long so I forget that animals this size are uncommon aren’t they.”

(E) “Yeah that could be an understatement.”

“If it’s too much you can help help Selina with the vegetable prep.”

“That might be more up my alley. I’ll see what she needs help with.”

(T) “OH! This looks like it’ll be some good eatin. Do you need some help lass?”

Teage was standing in the doorway with holding a shiny new sword in his hand laying across his shoulder. He looked at the giant boar with a look of delight. I couldn’t blame him it looked delicious I’m just not sure I should be the one to prepare it.

(T) “If you need some help I’d like to test out this new blade I made. Do you mind if I give her a go cutting up some of this fine meat here?”

“Not at all! I’d be delighted to see the work from a dwarf like yourself in practice. Go ahead and give it a try.”

(T) “Don’t mind if I do!”

I left soon after to help Selina prepare the vegetables I wasn’t going to be much help there I could tell. I walked over to a table where I saw John giving Selina some vegetables. Ah shoot he’s going to chew me out know isn’t he.

“Ah hey Elizabeth come to help me prepare supper?”

(T) “I wasn't going to be much help in butchering up that boar.”

“Yeah, that might be out of your skill range. I could see that. Well thanks for getting these to me John.”

(J) “You're welcome miss Selina it was my pleasure.”

Looking down I saw that he’d retrieved his shoes somehow. That’s good at least he was able to get his shoes back after the prank I pulled. He then left without even looking my way. I hope he isn’t still mad about that.

I then proceeded to help Selina with dinner and after a big boar roast. We dug in wholeheartedly to the prepared food eating our fill happily. I saw Matt and Nino getting scolded by Selina for breaking her bowels before being give some dinner. They then escaped to talk some more about magic while scarfing down their dinner.

“Elizabeth.”

(E) “Huh? Oh it’s just you Holly. What’s up?”

“I’ll be taking you guys to go see the guardian tonight. So get your companions together and meet me at the edge of the forest I’ll meet you there.”

(E) “Okay I’ll go corral everyone up.”

Getting everyone together was easy enough. Though John was still a little upset and gave me a hard time (no surprise there). Apparently Teage’s sword had done well and he was cleaning it after having carved up the boar. He said the edge was still sharp and was proud of his work (he wouldn’t shut up about it). Matt was interested but was lost in thought from his earlier teaching probably. As we went to the edge of the woods Holly reappeared.

“You're all here I see.”

(J) “No we aren’t. Have you guys seen Brenner?”

“He is already with her right now. She has now asked me to bring the rest of you to discuss further matters. But, first off no weapons so you're going to have to hand it over dwarf.”

(T) “Fine just don't scratch it up lass.”

“Alright follow me I will now take you to her.”

We followed her into the forest and after a while we came across a Japanese styled house (this was definitely quite odd). The door then opened to reveal a beautiful lady with nine tails and fox ears like Brenner had. Next to her was a small girl who also had fox ears but only had one tail. Upon seeing her Holly bowed saying.

“I have brought his companions as requested milady.”

“Good. Thank you Holly. Now you all are probably wondering where Brenner is right now. Well good news I have him right here with me.”

She then proceeded to pick up the little girl and squeezed her tightly in front of us. She can’t be serious that’s not Brenner is it?