The two of us set off towards Lin-Vyme in the morning. It would take us about a day to get there, so the sooner the better. Neither of us got much sleep, I spent a long time with Lilyth trying to comfort Aki. The revelations about her mom took a heavy toll on her. Then after our blue-haired bundle of sorrow finally fell asleep, Lilyth had trouble sleeping due to nightmares. I suggested the [Sleep] spell, but Lilyth simply said:

‘I was under the effects of it enough for now.’

I would probably be against that too after two days of it, so I dropped the matter. One small blessing was that the nightmares did seem less intense that night, so it was probably time slowly healing wounds there.

Ren had a different problem - the nesumi. He was so fascinated by its new home that Ren spent half the night following him around the house, ensuring it didn't get in trouble. The nesumi’s curious nature almost ended up with him getting named Nosy, though, ultimately Ren settled on Chirpy, which was short for “Chirpy Little Motherfucker”. He earned that name due to how he would wake her up with chirps and nuzzles whenever she fell asleep. I felt this was a bit hasty of her and after a while, she would go with her first idea. Ren wanted to leave him at home, but Nosy refused to even consider this as an option and would just climb back on her shoulder whenever she put him down on the ground.

Ireela was initially less than pleased with her daughter's new pet, but she quickly warmed up to Nosy. Veenaya's reaction wasn’t as positive and both creatures were wary of one another. So when, after the mother and daughter said their goodbyes, our lumizu started rubbing her body against Ireela's legs I couldn't help but think this was her way of marking her territory.

This will be an interesting relationship.

Despite our relative lack of sleep, we made good time at least in the first half of the day. By three in the afternoon, none of us had much strength left, so we took an early rest. In the two days since the battle I did learn the [Ward] spell, so we both got a full night of sleep. Even Nosy seemed tired, so he just curled up into a ball next to Ren's head and fell fast asleep.

As I lay down on a bedroll, we found a bunch with the Red Masks which we washed and decided to use, I realised this was the first night in two weeks I would spend with neither Aki nor Lilyth around. It felt… weird.

I got so used to them being right there.

I missed them, as for the lack of a better term I felt… incomplete.

So this is what it is like to have people you care about.

I looked at Ren. She seemed to be asleep.

What do I do about you, Rennie?

We didn't talk much today, but I still enjoyed my time alone with her. I promised my wives I wouldn't have any repeat “offences”, but I think they knew me better than I did.

How low their opinion of me in that regard must be?

Is it though? Perhaps they just understand, as that weirdly profound slimy moron of mine said, that if you end up with memories of someone who was madly in love with Ren they can't expect you to ignore it. You cannot kill such feelings in a few days. Or ever maybe. Perhaps they understand that Leera will live in me forever.

What do I do about it though?

Do I just go for it?

Should I ask them again to see if nothing changed?

I lay there for a while, trying to fall asleep, when I heard Ren’s whisper:

‘You awake?’

I sat up.

‘Can’t sleep, eh?’ I asked.

‘I just feel so alone… I remember going camping with Leera and… just… just…’

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While the memories of those days surfaced, Ren began to sob.

Oh, gods… I will figure it out with Aki and Lilyth later. Right now… Rennie needs me.

As it turned out the closeness of another person was something we both needed, and we soon ended up drifting away with Ren in my arms. I want to say we slept the entire night holding each other, but about three hours later the Chirpy Little Motherfucker started demanding attention. Unfortunately for him, unlike Ren, I knew the [Sleep] spell, so there were no further interruptions that night.

Unfortunately for me, however, was that, judging by the dark looks I got from him all morning, Chirpy, like Veenaya, was more intelligent than he looked. His gaze promised vengeance, though some chin scratches and food from Rennie appeared to have placated the beastie. He even let me pet him. However, I couldn't shake the feeling that the nesumi was just biding his time.

‘It’s going to be much harder than we both thought, eh Rennie?’ I asked to address the behemoth in the room.’

‘Yes…,’ she said absentmindedly and looked up at me from the ability book she was staring at blankly.

It was the thank-you gift she got from Ereshkigal. We all got stuff we liked. I got a [Rock Spikes] rune, which would have to wait until I got a perk point, Sav a mana crystal that would let her start constructing a magical staff and Aki and an “Introductory Guide to Alchemy” and some basic equipment and reagents.

She took a deep breath, held it for a moment and slowly exhaled.

‘I also don’t know what to do about us,’ she continued. ‘I know you have Lilyth and Aki. I know you are not her. But… when I see you… when I talk with you… when I touch you…’

‘I am her. Just a bit different. In my case it’s similar. I know what Leera saw in you. I see it too, and I know it is me-me thinking those things. I love Lilyth and Aki. But I love you too, Ren. I don’t think there is much point in denying that.’

‘So what do we do?’

I moved to sit by her side and took her hand in mine.

‘We take it day by day and see what happens.’

She leaned in and we kissed.

Not that we planned to go much further, but all mood was broken when Chirpy chose this as a perfect moment to enact his revenge. He jumped on Ren’s lap and started twirling around and swatting me with his tail. Then he curled up there and started nuzzling his head against her belly. I could swear I saw him sticking his tongue at me when we briefly locked eyes, but it could have been an illusion.

I couldn't help but laugh at the little creature’s brazenness, and Ren soon joined me, as she petted the clingy nesumi.

‘Can I see the book?’ I asked once I regained my senses.

Ren handed it over and its description popped up in front of my eyes.

Item: [Deadeye] Ability Book

Class: Magical - Handbook

Rarity: Extremely Rare

Durability: 10/10

Description: Allows the user to learn the [Deadeye] Ability.

Ability Effect: Allows the user to see where their attack will hit. Practice with the ability improves the accuracy of its predictions and may result in additional information being displayed.

Cost to learn: 1 Perk Point

‘Damn, that's good,’ I said as I handed the book back.

‘You really think so? I wasn't sure whether my one perk point was worth it.’

‘Oh, it is. Believe me. Being able to easily predict where I am going to exactly hit would be so useful.’

I stood up and summoned a [Blood Lance]. Then I almost immediately threw it at a tree some distance, maybe thirty metres, away. It barely nicked the trunk, before splattering on the ground. Then I summoned another one, took a painfully slow moment to aim and then threw it. This time the projectile hit only slightly away from where I intended it to land.

‘As you could see… when I didn't aim the spell barely hit it, while aiming it took me what… ten seconds? In combat that's an eternity.’

‘And that's against a stationary target, while you yourself stood still…’ Ren mulled it over. ‘Yeah. I can see why Ereshkigal selected this one for me.’

She focused on the ability book for a moment and the tome crumbled to dust. Some of it fell on Chirpy who shook himself clean, making sure most of it fell on me.

That thing is definitely holding a grudge.

As I patted myself clean I saw that Rennie’s eyes flashed white briefly.

‘That’s so cool,’ she exclaimed. ‘A crosshair appeared in front of my eyes. Can't wait to test it out!’

‘What happened to the Ren that was afraid to fight the undead?’ I asked.

‘That Ren got captured by her brother and was only rescued when a traumatised woman sold her soul and her lover burned herself to free herself.’

She took my hands into hers and looked at the crisscross of scars covering my forearms.

‘I don’t like that Ren,’ she finished. ‘I don't want to be her anymore.’