[Core Dais]

>Applies global effects to dungeon

>Slot 1 empty

>Slot 2 empty

>Slot 3 empty

“Well this is interesting,” I thought as I examined the offending furniture that had shown up without any notifications or my say so.

Although it was possible I had dismissed the notification without realizing it, I only realized the dais was a thing after Selina showed up.

Or more accurately, after she had pointed it out.

On the other hand, Selina hasn’t actually done anything to sabotage me. In fact, she’s been incredibly helpful.

She could have provoked Amanda during that little confrontation and I would have had a war with a group of people who had specialty skills and equipment to fight me.

Maybe Selina was as much of a victim as I was in this scenario and had been shoved in this world against her will.

Maybe that feathery asshole was feeling sorry about putting me here and had just downloaded a bunch of information into her before I summoned her through the [Cat Spawner].

Maybe I didn’t want to have an awkward conversation and I was avoiding things again.

“If she’s a spy or whatever, it’s not like she was doing a good job of hiding it,” I thought to myself.

“Hey House, you’ve gone quiet again, is everything all right?” Selina asked.

I jumped as much as I was able to as an inanimate gold core.

“Yeah, just examining the [Core Dais]” I replied in a half truth.

“Ooh, I was wondering when you were going to start experimenting with that,” Selina grinned.

“Yeah, it looks like I can put three things in the dais and it’ll give the dungeon a ‘global effect’ whatever that means,” I said.

“Maybe you should try it out with some of the potions,” Selina suggested.

Potions of inebriation weren’t the only thing Mittens had been experimenting with.

I knew healing potions and mana potions were possible after our fight with Rex and Mittens had done a wonderful job of replicating both.

“Here goes nothing,” I shrugged as I assigned the highest tier healing potion Mittens could make to the first slot.

! [Refined Healing Potion] assigned to Slot 1 !

>(+) Health regeneration every 20 seconds while mobs are inside dungeon

“Oh damn, that’s not bad,” I thought, “I wonder if the effect stacks?”

I tried putting a second Healing potion in the second slot before getting another notification.

! Items of the same effect do not produce compounding effects !

“Well that’s too bad,” I though before trying to pull the second potion out of slot two.

! Item removed: 22 hour cooldown before slot 2 becomes active !

“Probably to prevent cheese strats,” I thought before putting a mana potion in the third slot.

! [Refined Mana Potion] assigned to Slot 3 !

>(+) Mana regeneration every 20 seconds while mobs are inside dungeon

“Well that should give me some time to think about what to do with the second slot,” I thought.

“Learn anything useful?” Selina asked.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“Yeah, just gave everyone mana and HP regeneration,” I replied.

“I’d say that’s pretty useful,” Selina said.

One of my patrolling strays spotted Jasper and Duke headed in my direction.

“They’re around so often that my cats are starting to recognize them,” I said, “heads up Selina, Duke and Jasper are on the way.”

***

“Somehow I’ve been reduced to a courier,” Jasper sighed, “thanks for helping me out with this.”

“Think nothing of it,” Duke replied as he pulled the cart.

“I wonder what Mr. House wants with two suits?” Jasper asked.

“Well one of them is large enough for the voice and the other one is the size of the cat-kin,” Duke suggested.

“True, but there are more than one cat-kin,” Jasper said.

“Maybe the rest of the fabric he bought has something to do with it,” Duke suggested.

“Hmm, that’s a very good point,” Jasper said as it looked like he was scheming something.

“You might want to compose yourself,” Duke said, “it looks like his cats are out.”

“Huh? Oh right,” Jasper said as the two of them got closer to the door.

I chuckled a little and let them in.

“Delivery for Mr. House!” Jasper called out.

“Thank you Jasper,” Selina said, “Duke just wheel that inside if you would, please.”

“Do you need me to unload it?” asked Duke.

“No need, Mr. House can take care of it,” Selina replied as the crate began to disintegrate into black dust.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that,” Duke shuttered.

“Here’s the bill of sale,” Jasper said as he handed over a sheet of parchment.

“Thank you Jasper, here’s your reimbursement as well as your cart fee,” Selina replied as a Cat-kin carried over a bag of coins.

“Pleasure doing business with you,” Jasper replied as he counted out a few coins and handed them to Duke who accepted them and put them in his pocket.

“Has anyone given you trouble recently?” Duke asked, “I heard some rumors about some strange people checking weapons a few blocks away from here the other day.”

Selina giggled, “those must have been the cadets. Yes, they did give us a bit of trouble, but we managed to restrain them before they did any harm.”

“Cadets?” Duke asked warily.

“Oh yes. I believe they were part of the local Dungeon Delver’s guild. They had some misconceptions about Mr. House, but we were able to come to a peaceful understanding with the guildmaster,” Selina replied.

“That didn’t happen to be guildmaster Amanda Medowsong?” asked Duke as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Do you know the guildmaster?” asked Selina.

“From my adventuring days, yes,” Duke sighed, “I left without much notice. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention me if it’s not necessary.”

“I’ll be sure not to bring you up unless it’s important,” Selina said.

“I guess this is a bad time to ask if Mr. House needs anything else?” asked Jasper, ignoring Duke’s awkward moment.

“Not at the moment Jasper,” Selina replied with a smile.

“Well you know where we are. Send a cat if something comes up,” Jasper nodded as he grabbed the cart from Duke and the two of them began to leave.

Selina’s ear twitched.

“Oh, if you could wait just a moment, Mr. House would like your counsel on a few matters that are concerning him,” Selina said.

***

“Ugh, out of all the things to have trouble with, why was it alchemy?” Zee moaned as he slumped back in his chair.

“It’s okay Zee, you just aren’t picking it up as fast as everything else,” Alma said reassuringly.

“But what if I don’t pass the entrance exam because I can’t get the sympathetic reaction from the mercury crystal?” Zee asked in a frustrated tone.

“One, the rest of your test scores should be more than enough to help you pass. Two, everyone has something that they aren’t good at,” Alma said.

“Maybe I can ask alchemist Mittens for pointers until next week,” Zee chuckled.

“Who’s Mittens?” asked Alma.

“Oh that’s the name of Mr. House’s alchemist. The dungeon is apparently named Mr. House by the way,” Zee explained.

“Zee how do you know the dungeon’s name?” asked Alma slowly, her eyes suddenly wide.

“The dungeon can talk now. Or I suppose it’s more accurate to say that the dungeon has a talking creature. Maybe it’s more accurate to call them a person?” Zee rambled.

“The dungeon has a voice!?” Alma exclaimed, standing up suddenly.

“Is that bad?” Zee asked.

“It’s wonderful! I need to tell Hilda. Sorry to cut our study session short,” Alma said rapidly as she scooped up all of her books and notes.

“See you next week?” asked Zee, dumbfounded by the burst of activity.

“Of course Zee, see you later,” said Alma as she pulled out a stone and disappeared with a flash of light.

There was a momentary pause before a middle age man came around the corner.

“Excuse me, sir, I understand you and your companion are studying magic, but I believe I asked you not to cast anything while you are in the tea house,” he said politely, but firmly.

“Sorry sir, it was an emergency. Won’t happen again,” Zee apologized.

“See that it doesn’t,” the man replied before going back to his work.