Time dilation gives me the worst case of jetlag.
I can't sleep a wink.
Imagine you're waiting for lunch, then do something for one hour, and it's already bedtime.
It doesn't matter how intense that was back home, I'm full of energy.
Having that life-size granite statue standing in the shack also doesn't help.
It won't move when Alexandra isn't in it, but it's creepy.
And that will be my new body?
Is that even a homunculus? Isn't it supposed to have a real metabolism?
How's that going to work with a huge chunk of granite? But then the surface feels like skin.
It's Rough and cold, but not like stone at all. It's so weird, it keeps me up and thinking about it.
Not even the new, comfortable bed can make up for it.
At least Charlotte didn't ask questions.
It looks like a golem and Alexandra made it from that Sentient Mask thing.
Considering I'm back in her body and on a crafting spree all day it isn't suspicious.
She didn't complain about me not making her another bed either.
She was fine with sleeping on the floor using the straw and was out cold once she entered the shack. It must be hard to be a Vice Commander.
To me, it was nice not itching for once.
Still, I snuck out in the middle of the night to finish that crossbow I started before my weird trip.
Again, it helps to take my mind off things, though work is slow in the dark.
While these cat eyes see better than a human's, I can't differentiate colors when the moon is behind clouds.
The complexity of the built-in lever and the lack of precision tools take me until morning to sort out. By the time the rest of the tribe gets up, I want to go back to sleep.
The System keeps me on my toes.
[Reminder: The mission to gather some iron ore is still pending. After completing the Emergency Quest, you are close to reaching level five.]
Oh, right. I got to level four a while back, didn't I get an extra attribute point? And a skill too, but I don't have illusions.
It will be the same three. Ore mission or not, I refuse to take mining, which promised me to level up my Crafting skills.
[Notice: Masterful Crafting is a complex skill. It requires two points to upgrade, so keep the one you have.]
I'm certain she's making shit up again, but I don't care.
I have nothing better to spend it on anyway. Which attribute should I upgrade though?
The System might have dumbed me down too much after taking away two INTs.
But if I spend it on that, what stops her from doing it again?
The points feel meaningless if she can shuffle them around at her leisure.
I can tell that the high DEX is useful, but it's already at 18, so what would an extra point even do?
Let me see that [character sheet]!
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[Character Name: Leona] [Race, Class, Level: Beastfolk (Feline), Harem Warrior, Lvl 4]
[Str: 12] [Dex: 18] [Con: 16] [Int: 12] [Wis: 16] [Cha: 16] [HP: 80/80] [MP: 80/80]
The strength and intelligence are only average and seldom feel adequate here. I'm way too weak compared to the Orcs, and until I can't do magic the high wisdom feels wasted.
With an INT stat like that, it feels like I'm dumb.
I had forgotten to ask Alex what she did in the ten hours I was away and didn't mention my dive into her memories. Okay, it's not a big deal.
Everyone can keep a few secrets as long as it doesn't affect others.
Especially the one I hoped she would keep about my nudes. It was a necessary sacrifice to reunite with my loved ones soon. That reminds me.
I wrote her instructions on how best to get out of my apartment, email my sister, and sort things out with her instead. Not in this order, but it was a lot to go through.
"That settles it. Let's go with plus-one on INT."
[Character Name: Leona] [Race, Class, Level: Beastfolk (Feline), Harem Warrior, Lvl 4]
[Str: 12] [Dex: 18] [Con: 16] [Int: 13] [Wis: 16] [Cha: 16] [HP: 80/80] [MP: 80/80]
There is no change I can notice, but let's hope I'll make fewer mistakes in the future.
It's a shame I missed the lunch and dinner, but Alex filled up this body's stomach for the both of us. What a weird thing it is to share it between two souls.
It's like one of those old hot-seat games. God, I miss Magic and Might III — Heroes. The first thing I'll do once I get home in a body I can show to my family is to play a party with my sister.
Until then, I have a week to shake up this village and clear my thoughts. Will it be enough? This place is in shambles, and so is my mind.
The hunters start the day early, though fewer Orcs set out with spears today. Vadász won the hunting competition hands down.
He returned as dead last, but only because he got so much prey, he couldn't carry them back alone. His eyes light up when he sees the new crossbow.
It's lighter, despite the lever, and he can reload it much faster. Wait until I'll make magazines for the thing.
The first weapon took quite a beating during the competition to decide who gets it, so he's eager to swap.
The hunter with the second-best haul earns the right to use it, and off they go.
And so do I. There are iron ores to find and many eager Orc kids to help me out. We have a few options, though it seems unlikely that raw ore would lay around on the ground in big chunks.
The riverbed near the swamps also has dark, iron-rich soil. I'll skip mining, but trade should be an option too. Charlotte mentioned other tribes nearby.
The System didn't specify that I'm not allowed to buy stuff either. I only have to figure out how to pay for it.