NOVEL NEXT Chapter 226: A Morning in the Life Of
DAY 316
7 AM
With a long, exaggerated stretch and yawn Xenia Worthy, Reincarnator Extraordinaire, rolls her way out of Trush's bed to an appreciative audience. With a smirk on his face the former orc makes it obvious how his eyes are slowly working their way up her nude form as she stands up. "While no one would accuse you of being a great actress, Worthy, I do at least appreciate you putting up the pretense that I managed to tire you out last night. Or any night, for that matter. I also thank you for not dressing yourself instantaneously - for my benefit, I assume."
Xenia affects a confused look as she pulls on a pair of panties, as if she hadn't just willed the panties into existence a moment before just to put on the show of putting them on. "What? Don't know what you're talking about. I am a completely ordinary human lady, who falls asleep at night and, when I wake up, I put on my pants one leg at a time like ordinary human women do."
The knight laughs. "I suppose that sounds like normal human things to do, yes, I suppose I wouldn't know from my prior experience as an orc. Although, speaking seriously...I do appreciate you putting on the performance you do. Staying with me for the night, that is. With the dungeon as busy at it is these days, I know our 'business hours' keep stretching further and further. I imagine there's more demands on your focus all the time."
Xenia chuckles. "Hey, even a big, burly former orc soldier can enjoy cuddling afterwards, ain't nothin' wrong with that. Besides, there still isn't too much for me to be paying attention to after midnight. I mean, unless I wanted to peek in on what folks are doing in the lounge or rental rooms. Which is totally not something I would ever do, seeing as I respect people's privacy, and stuff."
Trush grunts. "As if anyone cares at this point. I imagine by now everyone's used to the idea of you watching everything they do. It's a bit funny, you would think most people would get nervous or upset about that sort of thing, but I'm pretty sure some of them actually like the idea of it. Probably because you don't actually disapprove of anything they get up to."
The dungeon master does have to shake her head at that, as she pulls on a pair of tight black pants. "Don't get me wrong, big man, there's stuff I've seen these past few months I really wish I could un-see. But yeah, I ain't gonna tell anyone to stop doin' something if it ain't hurting anyone. Or at least more than they consented to. Even if it does still creep me out a little when folks manage to seduce the barbunnies, now that folks are actually giving it a shot now and then."
The rabbit raises an eyebrow. "You're still feeling awkward about how your monsters are extensions of yourself, or something like that? As if you wouldn't be doing the same in their place, if you could spare your avatar spell more often."
"Yeah, but it's like looking over and realizing your left hand is giving someone a handjob without you even knowing you were doing it, except it ain't a metaphor cause we're talking literal handjobs here. And more besides! At the same time, I don't wanna tell the bunnies to stop cause you're right, I would be doing the same in their place. Just one of those things you need to get used to and they never mention in the Dungeon Master's handbook, I suppose."
Trush laughs deeply at the idea. "I think you've written an entirely new handbook of your own, Worthy. So, where are you off to first this morning?"
Xenia grins. "You know how pious a girl I am, Trush. I'm going to church."
8:30 AM
Xenia watches from the back row of the shrine as Deylia gives her morning sermon, invisible even to her Priestess as she does so without her avatar. While there's not much in it for her spiritually - she's seen the goddess Kahlia in the flesh more often than nearly anyone - there is a bit of pride for her to find in Deylia's ever-improving performance. The woman had grown much more confident in her job over the past few months, thanks to her training and then her actual experience with speaking in front of groups of Challengers. Surprisingly, even this early in the morning there were people listening to the long-eared woman's words, given that not every Challenger was in the habit of getting hammered in the inn every night.
The topics of course were rather different than what Xenia was used to hearing from most churches she'd attended across her lifetimes. For the most part, Deylia's sermons mostly covered subjects like child-rearing and parenthood, and then using them as metaphors about how to live in a wider context. Being a parent to not just your literal children, but your projects, your community, even your own development as a person in some ways. Xenia rather suspected most of the people present were just looking for some spiritual balm before spending the day in potentially-lethal combat, no matter what particular form that spirituality might take, but she had to admit Deylia was very good at soothing nervous Challengers.
Those who were looking for soothing, at least. The ones looking to get amped up for combat would usually stop by for Opal's twice-weekly sermons where she discussed the virtues of slaying great monsters both literally and metaphorically, but mostly literally.
As the sermon ends and the Challengers file out, Xenia does turn off her 'incognito mode' and makes her way up to Deylia's side. "Another good start to the morning, huh? Seems like you're attracting a bit of a fanbase, getting more adventurers in here every day."
The Priestess smiles at the compliment but keeps her reply modest. "Every part of the dungeon is getting more adventurers every day, it's called summertime. But I have noticed some becoming regulars, which is gratifying. It's nice to think I'm making a difference in their lives with my advice." Her smile fades away as she continues. "Although I'll admit it makes it feel a little worse when a regular...ceases to make their usual appearance."
"Dungeon life, huh? This whole system is about making people stronger, improving them, or so Guy tells me, but that does kind of hinge on them not being one of the ones that die in the process." Xenia leans forward, forcing a smile onto her own face. "But not just them, right? Make any personal progress lately?"
"You noticed, did you?" The rabbit woman chuckles. "I suppose I was a little excited, yes. I unlocked a new blessing in my last meditation session!" Her eyes seem to glow with an inner light, although she doesn't immediately volunteer the specifics.
Still smiling, Xenia leans forward even closer. "And? Not just something minor, I'm guessing?"
Deylia nods. "I can now offer the Blessing of Fertile Health! I've been taught about this one, it's one of the most commonly requested from the Church of Bounty! Part of it's to help to heal the health concerns felt by expectant mothers, although that's largely something I'd be capable of doing with my existing spells. Mostly though it applies to the unborn children. The risk of miscarriage or birth defects drops significantly when someone's received this blessing!"
"Nice!" Xenia rewards her with a high five, a tradition she'd taught to her guardians and which had somewhat caught on. "You think you'd be giving that one out much? I know you're getting tired of dudes coming by to ask for dick enhancers."
Deylia winces slightly. "I do wish that hadn't been the third blessing on my list. Especially since I only know the minor version! They have to keep coming back for reapplications...but, at least it's helped with the shrine's popularity..." Shaking her head, she re-focuses. "Compared to that one, Fertile Health is much easier to use. Ideally it'd be applied once a month, but even just a single blessing over the course of a pregnancy can have considerable effects. And since you inform women the moment they conceive, if it occurs within the dungeon...well, those who are joyed by the news could come by for an immediate blessing on their child's behalf."
"Double nice! We'll have to start spreading the word. And while we're speaking of progress..." This time when the dungeon master leans in, her smile seems to have a very different edge to it. "Our favorite bunny boy making much headway?"
To that, the Priestess has to roll her eyes. "If Bloody had talked his way into my bed, I know you would have noticed it immediately. He is...making progress though, I suppose. In his own way. The young man is capable of learning, at least."
Xenia pulls back and replaces her smirk with a shrug. "Honestly, I don't really get it. The boy's your type or he isn't, right? I mean, I get not hopping right into bed with a guy, but BB's been hanging around here for months now. He actually turns down invitations he gets in the inn! Which he's actually getting now, now that he's learned his Bard routine a little better."
"He does?" Deylia's eyebrows rise. "He doesn't need to do so on my behalf. In fact, I think I'd advise him to accept a few now and then. It's his experience that concerns me, after all." As Xenia raises an eyebrow in return, Deylia quickly clarifies. "I don't mean his bedroom experience! Just...life experience in general, you see? He might seem to have the knowledge, and form, that a twenty-year old man would have, but BB's never actually lived a life outside of the dungeon. Or even stepped outside it at all! It just, I don't know...doesn't feel like it would be an equal relationship between us right now. But that need not be the case forever."
"Huh. You're right, maybe I should push the kiddo into taking a day trip down to Grassbrook sometime. It is tough, given that Floor One's the most active floor in the place, but we could cover it. I could shift Trush's range to cover Floor One for a day...or, hell, let Sincere get some exercise for once. As long as he's not bothering you though, I suppose that's the important thing."
"Oh, if anything I find it rather flattering how hard he tries to impress me. Especially since he tries so very hard to make it look like he isn't, hehe. And if he does 'grow up' and decide to start becoming the true bard stereotype in the inn, that would be fine with me as well. Either way, I enjoy seeing his progress."
Xenia beams back as she steps away. "Almost as much as I like seeing yours. Keep up the good work, Del! We'll make you a Head Priestess is no time! But for now, duty calls..."
10 AM
"You understand you aren't actually the bar manager, right?" Xenia sits at the lounge bar in question as she speaks to her own reflection in the mirror, a conversation that would look a little odd if it weren't half-invisible and if the lounge weren't mostly deserted at this time of day. Emma rolls her eyes at the question.
"I'm as good as! Your guardians are all too busy with other jobs, and while you might've been able to teach your rabbit minions the basic skills of customer service, it's still way outside of what they were designed for. Especially now that Deylia's full-time on healing and shrine services. I'm the only one in this joint with more than half a brain, and I'm here almost all of the time anyways. Besides, I'm good at reading customers, you know?"
The dungeon master chuckles at that claim. "Right, right, no need for customer satisfaction surveys, you can just pick up the 'inner desires' of everyone who passes you by, yeah?"
"Exactly!" Xenia's reflected face nods back at her from the mirror's bar counter. "All I'm saying is, I think you should hear me out on this."
"Okay, okay, hit me then. What's this suggestions list you've come up with?"
"Glad you asked!" Emma pulls out a notepad from behind her version of the bar, which is a little mysterious given that there's no such item on the real-world side of the mirror. "First off - ordering specialty items. Our food quality's been going up a bit thanks to 'donations' and 'tips', but I think we should start importing menu items with the intention of selling them back, rather than absorbing them. Even as our food tier goes up that still doesn't mean we can make every specific local dish or wine vintage that some people like to order."
Xenia struggles to do more than shrug. "Why, though? To sell for profit? We ain't selling shit to begin with! Is it really gonna pull in more Challengers if we get some fancy foreign booze, cause it seems like they're coming in here anyways."
Emma writes out a note on her pad. "How about if we reserved those for Challengers with deep floor clears? Make it an extra reward item? If we ever get twenty floors or something, we're gonna have to work harder to keep improving the menu offerings to match."
After thinking it over for a few moments, Xenia still shakes her head. "That's years away. And we'd have to make business contacts, arrange transport, get it up a fuckin' mountainside...the idea's not terrible, but it's not something I wanna deal with right now. If we kill some Challengers and loot some weird food items or something from em though, I might consider reserving it for the bar. At least shit don't go bad while it's in my inventory."
"Fine, fine. Second note - we should consider hiring some more employees."
The dungeon master's brow furrows. "What? We've got all we want right now and they work for free! Floor Five's still nowhere near its monster capacity, and by time it gets there we'll probably be making a new rest floor somewhere."
Emma nods but presses her point. "Yeah, but variety is the spice of life! Not everyone's into bunnies, you know. Look, don't spread it around, but I happen to know that there's been a troupe of succubi and incubi coming into Grassbrook lately - following the business, you know how it is - and I guarantee you they would love an opportunity to set up here. And you know the Challengers would appreciate it too. I also hear a few Grassbrook natives are interested in new careers."
Xenia has to give an exasperated sigh at that suggestion. "Just because people can bone the bunnies doesn't mean they're expected to! I promised Alizz I wasn't turning this place into a brothel!"
"Hey, you made this about sex, not me. I'm talking about waitresses, bartenders, you know? ...Maybe a few pole dancers, okay. Anything more than that would be strictly pro-boner. Bono. You know what I meant."
"I..." Xenia trails off as she thinks it over. "Shit, maybe. Being a local job creator could create some goodwill or something, I dunno. Who's gonna be in charge of hiring em though? You?"
Emma gets a devious grin, one that looks even more sinister on Xenia's face. "Xen, Xenner, Xenny, I am the perfect interviewer. One glance and I know all sorts of things about people. I can promise you I wouldn't hire anyone that's a risk to the dungeon or the Challengers."
"...Fine. Start small though. Maybe one or two each for the inn and the lounge, yeah? See if there's any issues with having monsters and mortals working together."
The reflection pumps her fist. "Great! I'll get the word spread right away! ...Also, can I actually be the bar manager?"
"...Sure. Don't mess this up though, or I'm hanging you up in one of the bathrooms."
"Seesh, one day on the job and already the boss is breathing down my neck."
"You know it. Congrats on your promotion, but I've got other shit to take care of..."
