NOVEL NEXT Ch. 14 – Training
Ch. 14 – Training
Damien woke up in the morning, feeling a tightness around his chest. Opening his eyes, he realized the reason for this feeling was because his chest was currently being grabbed. Betty was sleeping half-on him, one hand gripping him tightly.
“Betty,” he said, giving her a small poke on the cheek.
Betty slowly opened her eyes, before blushing and giving him a kiss, “Good morning.”
Damien blushed back, “Thanks, but you're hurting my chest.”
Betty blushed deeper and quickly retracted her hand. “Sorry...”
They got off the bed and went to wash up. Bluey was still sleeping on the couch, splayed out over it.
Aurora had moved to an empty chair. She was still curled up, but had an eye open, watching them.
“I'm not doing anything suspicious,” Damien said, going up and scratching her ears.
“Piyu,” she replied softly, closing her eye again.
Betty washed up while Damien opened their pack, taking out the rest of their provisions from Silaro for breakfast.
As Betty braided her hair, she asked, “So what are we doing today? Do you want to take a break? Or should we grab a request?”
Damien took a bite of jerky while thinking. After swallowing his bite, he replied, “I think we should split up.”
“Split up!?” Betty replied, concerned. “Wha-...why!?”
Damien, not seeming to notice her level of concern, said, “Well, I think I should take Aurora for some easy training against low-level enemies, but it doesn't make sense to have you and Bluey with me. You two should take a request worth more.”
“O-...oh...” Betty said, blushing.
“What's wrong? Do you not like the plan?” Damien asked.
Betty shook her head, trying to get her previous thought out of her mind. “No, that makes sense. Are you going to be okay with just Aurora though?”
“We should be. I'm just going to get a murder-rabbit request or some slimes.”
“What do you-...actually, I have an idea,” Betty said. Remembering the tip from Carleen, she explained it to Damien.
“Oh! That's a great idea. Do you think you and Bluey will be okay against water elementals?”
“I think so. I can heal and buff Bluey,” Betty explained.
Oh yeah, I know she's a Cleric, but I don't know what she can all do besides healing. “Can you show me all your Cleric stuff?”
Damien expected her to just start casting spells, but Betty instead blushed. “Are you going to watch?”
Damien was confused. “Err...do you not want me too?”
Betty shook her head. “No, it's fine...” she said, before walking over to the trunk. Digging through it, she pulled something out, then started undressing.
“Wha-...why are you undressing!?”
Betty blushed, “So I can put my Cleric robes on.”
“O...ohh, sorry...” was all Damien replied, realizing he should have phrased his original question better. He turned around and looked out the window at the bustling streets below.
“I said it was fine...” Betty said behind.
“Yeah, but I feel weird watching,” Damien replied.
“Well, I'm done now anyway.”
Damien turned around to see Betty in a white robe, with green gilding to match her hair. “It's cute.”
Betty smiled and blushed, “Thanks. I use less MP when I'm channeling the Goddess's power in these.”
Damien nodded, “So you can get equipment with effects?”
Betty seemed confused, “Of course. Does yours not? Actually, I don't even know what the 'normal' wear for a Summoner is.”
Damien shrugged, “I don't either. I guess I'll be on the lookout for it.”
At this point, Bluey rubbed her eyes, “Can you two talk quieter please?”
Betty and Damien looked at each other. “We weren't talking particularly loudly.”
“Sorry, Master, my head just hurts...” Bluey said, sitting up and holding her head.
Damien sighed, “No I'm sorry, I should have cut you off. I thought maybe being part-slime would mean you could hold your alcohol better.”
After a few moments, Bluey slapped her face a few times. “I'm okay now. What are we doing today?”
Damien blinked a few times. Well at least she recovers quickly. He explained their plan, and Bluey ran over and hugged Betty. “Yay, let's go!”
Betty was surprised, “You're not upset you don't get to be with Damien?”
Bluey shrugged, “I like spending time with you too.”
Betty blushed a bit, hugging her back.
Aurora seemed to want in on the action, jumping up on Damien's shoulders and licking his cheek. “You excited too?
“Piyu!”
They finished getting ready and went down to the Guild hall. Damien grabbed a request for murder-rabbits, while Betty and Bluey grabbed one for three water elementals.
“Be careful you two,” Damien said. “Don't be afraid to run away.”
Betty nodded, “You too.”
“We got this!” Bluey said confidently, doing some air boxing.
“You're supposed to use your Lightning against it.”
“Oh yeah.”
Betty giggled while Damien sighed. “Like I said, just be careful.”
Betty leaned up and kissed his cheek, surprising Damien.
Bluey, seeing this, also kissed his cheek.
Damien blushed a bit in embarrassment, whispering, “Why are you doing that in public!?”
“It was for good luck!” Betty said, holding up her fist confidently.
Aurora also licked his cheek, copying the others.
“Fine, fine, let's go before I die of embarrassment...”
Damien and Aurora walked through the streets, heading towards the gate they had originally come in on. The Map was showing most of the grasslands as rabbit-territory (which Damien already knew, of course) so they would finish the request and then continue to train there.
Outside the walls, they easily found several groups of rabbits...that already had groups of Adventurer's fighting them. Damien shook his head, I took for granted the low Adventurer population at Silaro. At least at my level.
“Piyu!” Aurora said, running through his legs.
Hmmm...
“Aurora, can you smell some rabbits out for us? Actually, can you smell some where there aren't any humans?”“Piyu!” Aurora responded, running off a bit and noticeably sniffing. After a few moments, she took off running.
Shoot, she's fast! He ran after her as quickly as he could, barely keeping her in sight as she ran up and down the hills. After a couple minutes of this, she stopped at the crest of one.
“Piyu!”
Damien finally slogged the last bit up the hill, and down below him was a dozen or so rabbits in a small valley between two hills. “Nice job,” he said, crouching down and scratching Aurora behind the ears. “I want you to practice today, so do whatever you want to defeat them. Try and be careful, but I can also Heal you if you get hurt,” he explained to her, using Heal quickly to show, despite her being at full HP.
“Piyu!” Aurora replied, before sprinting off down the hill.
Damien nodded, Aurora is definitely smart. He watched as she ran partway down, before stopping and using her Fire Breath. She dispatched several rabbits with each attack, the fire engulfing and killing them almost instantly. This is almost too easy.
They continued like this for an hour or so, Aurora easily dispatching any group of rabbits they found with a few Fire Breath uses. No rabbits had even gotten close to Aurora, and she was careful to not run out of MP while fighting.
If she's like Bluey, she should be leveled by now. As predicted, when he pulled up his status screen, the notification was showing for a level up.
Aurora has leveled up
Fire-Fox – Level 2
STR – 21
VIT – 26
MAG – 56
DEX – 32
Fire Breath
New Ability Available
Let's see, it's an even level, so should be stat boosts, right?
MAG +5
DEX +5
Aurora ran over excited, “Piyu!”.
Damien smiled and clicked the button to allow the summon to choose. “Alright, pick whatever you want.”
“Piyu,” Aurora replied. She looked at the screen, then back at Damien. “Piyu?”
“Uh, you can choose whatever you want...”
Aurora kept staring at Damien, blinking a few times.
“...Do you just want my opinion? DEX isn't bad, but if you're going to primarily use your magic skills then getting MAG is a good idea.
“Piyu,” Aurora replied before nudging the 'MAG +5' option.
I guess she wanted me to choose anyway? Or maybe just my recommendation? I guess I'll be like I am with Bluey and give mine upfront.
They briefly stopped for lunch and ate some roasted rabbit, but otherwise continued most of the day. They had agreed to meet up for dinner, so when the afternoon was coming to an end, they turned around and started heading back towards Ancona.
I wonder if they're doing well? Damien thought. Actually... he pulled up his status screen and clicked on his level. His experience bar was showing as close to halfway to level 6. What!? That must mean they're doing well, right?
- Back to the Morning -
Betty and Bluey were standing underneath an underpass. They had followed a canal to it, underneath of which was a large grate.
“I believe this should lead to the sewers,” Betty said, adjusting her glasses as she tried to peer into the darkness.
“I can't see,” Bluey said, also peering in.
Betty gave a small haughty laugh, before holding out her hands. “Oh Goddess, light my way.” A ball of light appeared in front of her, and slowly floated into the tunnel, revealing a walkway next to the water.
“Oooohhh, that's cool!” Bluey said, in awe of the ball of light.
Betty blushed a bit, “It's not that impressive.”
Bluey grabbed the grate, pulling hard on it. After some initial resistance, she was able to swing it out.
Betty's eyes widened, “Bluey, you're a bit scary.”
Bluey seemed hurt. “Why am I scary?”
“No, I mean, like scary strong. You're really only level 10?”
Bluey nodded, before jumping onto the walkway.
Betty clambered up onto it and followed after, directing her light ahead of them as they slowly made their way down the tunnel.
A few minutes in, and Bluey stopped abruptly, causing Betty to run into her.
Adjusting her glasses, Betty asked, “Do you see something?”
“No, but I can hear it.”
They continued walking, and a few moments, later, Betty could hear it as well. It sounded like a rush of water being poured into the canal.
“That way!” Bluey pointed.
Betty sent the light where Bluey had pointed, and a side lane was revealed. Carefully jumping over the water, they continued down as the sound got louder and louder. Eventually, they could see the cause – a water elemental.
The top of it was a hulking mass of water, with a vaguely head shaped protrusion in the front with two eyes, and below that on its 'torso' were two arms that were flailing about like short, stubby tentacles. Underneath its torso was a spout of water, propelling it on top of the canal.
“Okay, Bluey, you know what to do?” Betty asked.
Bluey nodded, and started to run, but Betty grabbed her arm.
“Wait, wait...” she held out her hands again, “Oh Goddess, bolster my ally.”
A green layer shone around Bluey briefly. “Wow, I feel great!”
Betty nodded, wiping her brow. “I buffed your stats.”
Bluey took off again, sprinting towards the water elemental. She activated Lightning Enhancement, hair glowing yellow and billowing behind her. As she got close, she stepped on the edge, jumping off towards the water elemental. Sailing towards it, her fist connected and...she flew right through the elemental, landing with a tumble on the other side.
“Bluey! Are you okay?” Betty said, yelling down the tunnel.
Bluey got up. “Why didn't I hurt it?” she asked. As she did, the water elemental let out a gurgling noise.
“I think you did, keep going!” Betty encouraged her.
The water elemental gathered a fist of water above Bluey, who dodged out of the way as it came down onto the walkway. Before it could bring it's arm back, she punched it, causing it's arm to be sliced off.
The water elemental gurgled again, before reforming it's fist.
Before it could attack, Bluey jumped through the elemental again, punching a hole in it's chest.
However, the elemental quickly reformed again.
Bluey was breathing heavily, while taking a skip back to get out of range. Betty came up behind her, “Do you need healing?”
Bluey shook her head. “No, but I don't think I'm doing anything.”
“No, you are, look,” she pointed. “It's getting smaller.”
Bluey looked, and it did seem to be noticeably shorter. Running back up to it, she repeatedly punched it over and over, until the water elemental started to melt in front of her.
Betty walked up, watching as the water elemental faded into the canal. “Nice job Bluey! You're amazing!”
Bluey smiled, “Thanks, but you helped too!”
Betty smiled back. “We're a good team!”
Bluey hugged her, getting her wet in the process. Maybe we should get some water resistant robes for next time.
They repeated this process with two more water elementals, before they took a small break, eating some jerky from Betty's pack.
As they were sitting against the wall, silently watching the water in the canal flow by, Bluey asked “Are you going to stay with our party?”
Betty blushed a bit, swallowing the piece she was currently chewing. “Yes...why?”
“I was wondering about your old party, and it made me think about choosing who you're with. You chose to be with Master, but you could also choose to leave, right?”
Betty blinked a few times, processing what Bluey was saying. “I could, yes. I don't want to though. I...I really like your Master...Damien...and I hope he likes me.”
Bluey nodded slowly. “I'm pretty sure he does,” she replied, before taking another bite and slowly chewing while thinking.
Betty was still intrigued. “Are you worried I'll leave?”
Bluey shook her head. “No. I was just wondering if Master would leave me.”
Betty was confused, “Why would he do that?”
Bluey shrugged. “I don't know. I was just thinking about it. What if he doesn't want me any more?”
Betty winced a bit. It wasn't uncommon for Summoners to dismiss their summons and get new ones if their slots were full and they wanted a different one, or just weren't happy with their current one. Damien, however... “I don't think you need to worry about. Damien seems to really like you. Especially on an...intimate level.”
Bluey nodded, “Yes, but he could just mate with you. Or Aurora once she's human.”
Betty understood what she meant, although she doubted it was exactly that simple. I never expected Bluey to have an existential crisis, but I can understand her concerns. Damien has the power to just blink out her existence if he wanted. Hmm...what can I say to alleviate her concerns... “But...Damien has put a lot of time and effort into you, too, just like he's doing with Aurora right now. If he wasn't planning on keeping you, he would have started with someone else by now.”
This seemed to relieve Bluey's concerns a bit. “Yeah, you're right. Master needs me just as much as I need him.”
That's definitely true, Betty giggled.
“Do you think Aurora will be super pretty once she's human, too?”
Betty smiled nervously, “Pr-probably...”
After that, they continued on, before finding a group of four elementals together. As Bluey was about run off towards them, Betty grabbed her shoulder. “Wait, I have an idea.”
Bluey turned around, listening intently.
“Try using your Lightning Bolt repeatedly in the canal. I think it might work better than just punching with Lightning Enhancement.”
Bluey nodded, hopping into the waist deep canal and immediately directing her spell towards them.
The whole tunnel briefly lit up as electricity from the lightning passed through the water. The water elementals started glowing, their loud gurgling growing louder and louder, before melting into the canal.
Betty was stunned, “Wow...that worked better than I thought.”
Bluey jumped out of the canal into the walkway, shaking the water off her (and getting Betty slightly wet in the process). “Yeah, you're super smart Betty!” She pulled up her status screen, “Although that used up all my mana, so we need to wait.”
Betty nodded. “We should probably head back anyway, by the time we get back to the street it will be time to meet up.”
Damien walked into the Guild hall, Aurora laying over his shoulder, looking completely exhausted. “You did good today,” he said, rubbing her head.
Aurora gave a soft 'piyu...' and closed her eyes.
He got into the line to see Liz, who had a couple people ahead of him.
After waiting a few minutes in line, his turn had come, and he walked up to the window.
“Hello Damien, is this one of your summons?” Liz asked, petting Aurora gently.
Aurora seemed interested in Liz, jumping off onto the desk and nuzzling into her.
“Haha, I think she likes you,” Damien said.
Liz seemed a bit embarrassed. “Oh my...” and petted her some more.
After a few moments, Damien picked her up. “Let Liz do her job,” he said.
“Piyu!” Aurora happily replied, licking Damien's face.
Liz giggled, taking his guild card and processing the request. “Where is Betty at?”
“She and Bluey, my other summon, are doing a different request, while I did some training with Aurora today,” he explained, slinging Aurora back over his shoulder.
Liz looked over his shoulder, “Oh, I think they just came in,” she said, waving them over. “This is...your summon...”
Bluey did a pose, “I'm Bluey, Master's slime.”
Liz smiled and nodded. “Of course, nice to meet you.” She took Betty's guild card and quickly processed it as well. “Thanks for your hard work today!”
Since there was a line forming behind them, they quickly got out of the way and stood by the boards.
“Did everything go okay?” Damien asked.
Betty nodded, “Bluey is...really strong...”
Bluey gave a fist pump, “Betty gave me some awesome buffs. 'Oh Goddess, bother my ally!'” she explained, holding out her hands.
Betty blushed, “It's 'bolster my ally'”.
Damien raised an eyebrow. “Do you have to say your spells out loud?”
“Sort of, although it's not exactly spells, like Bluey's Lightning Bolt,” Betty explained. “Clerics invoke the assistance of their Goddess, so it's more like we're channeling her power through us.”
Damien nodded in understanding.
“How did it go with Aurora?” Betty asked, as they started to walk out of the Guild Hall and towards the tavern.
Bluey grabbed Aurora and held her in front of her face, but Aurora just yawned, seemingly uninterested.
“Pretty well, we got her to level 3, and she learned a Speed Boost ability. It makes her pretty fast, I can't even keep up with her. Well, until she runs out of energy...”