Two levels in one day! That sort joyous occasion wasn't likely to happen again for a long time, if ever. The quick leveling would start screeching to a halt soon enough. For some exploits there’s only a certain range of effectiveness, and the benefits of goblin slaughter were tapering off.

5 experience is the least that can be gained for killing a hostile monster, and that's for Level 0 creatures, usually only existing as a way for the real mobs of Underworld to slowly increase their power. Weak, only needing two or three exchanges to be killed at low levels, goblins in the real world were weaker still. The method of grinding used was like stepping on ants to get one exp apiece. Quick, a bit boring, and it really had to be done in huge groups to show results. With the Uhkhjk basically defeated, and siding with Khtraal, there were no more colonies to stir up.

Forest animals, like wolves and wild wargs would be a good choice, if not for the fact that all the goblin armies marching everywhere sent the ecosystem into a slight period of turmoil. Told the populations would redistribute to their normal locations now that the battles were likely over, it would take about two weeks for me to start seeing normal forest life.

Like axe boars, and reeters. You know, normal forest life for a fantasy world, stuff that can kill you. In the general sense at least, I wouldn't be killed by a stupid spider.

Even if I waited, I doubted it could reach the efficiency of green globules of experience practically throwing themselves at me. Though I hadn't seen any massive difference in power levels thus far, from the high yields gotten from the wargs, I guessed the way my Underworld body understood what ‘Level’ my opponent was related to their physical body.

You know, the thing that was vastly outstripped by even some of the lowest level creatures in Underworld of Armok. At best the creatures found in Derriad were glass cannons, if by cannons you meant some bubble wrap, and by glass you also meant bubble wrap, because you can actually cut yourself on glass.

Anyway, as happy as I was with my new levels, I mentally engraved the good times on my mind; preparing for an experience famine ahead. So keeping in mind boring times were in the future, I resisted the urge to test out {Skeleton} and headed back to the village right quick, but still several hours after nightfall.

Peeking inside, Ria slept. Well, there wasn't a whole lot else to do when your motor control is shot. It would be odd to wake her on the off chance Rion didn't feed her in the evening. Besides, one meal didn't amount to much. With simultaneous spells, the house was whipped into shape, and I stepped back outside.

Paying attention to the temperature, it really was decreasing. It may have only been a slight difference since arriving, but only around three weeks had passed; how much change would come in the following four? That seemed like a pretty drastic rate to me.

Then it would be fall, the time to end this chapter of my life. I would revisit it in the future for sure, but it was almost time to start exploring the big world. Falling asleep to thoughts of what was to come, the colorful moons of the world passed overhead.

Late to bed, late to rise, woken as the noonday sun hits your eyes. Only late morning, the light of the day kept me from sleeping further. It was no problem, as once awake there were so many things to do. I decided to give Ria a good morning bowl of porridge, flavored with, you guessed it, . There really was nothing the great and powerful Lord couldn't do.

Still lacking enough motor control to eat herself, yet gaining more awareness, we went through the tedious ritual of Ria trying to feed herself every meal. Then we would move on to feeding her mana; the amount she consumed gradually increased letting her stay awake longer. Tapping her horns, I lost 3 mana, and she woke with her stifled eep!

“Doctor! Where did you go?”

“I had to check up on some stuff in the woods. And what did I say about calling me Doctor?” It was a result of my own doings, but after failing to do The Doctor routine too many times, that was what stuck with Ria. Don't call me with such an old title, you're only a little younger than me, you know?

“Okay, Alric. Since you're running out of questions, how about I eat when I'm like this from now on? I don't want you...feeding...me.” Unlike many other times, this fading speech was due to her rising embarrassment. The short periods extended ever so slightly, and with it, I actually got to know her, instead of her hazy state.

A rather prideful creature that considered herself to be well into adulthood...at the age of 18. When she first said that, I almost forgot to catch her as she went unconscious I was so busy laughing. So I wasn't that much older, but the way she tried portraying herself as an adult seemed a rather childish interpretation. I supposed she and Tagalong Girl were complimentary that way.

“If you're careful not to choke, I suppose.” I rolled my eyes, she had 30 seconds to eat a bowl of porridge. She'd probably try to down it all and swallow the spoon in the process. “Are you comfortable sleeping still?”

“Um, yeah. There haven't been any really...any really...cold…nights.” Flop.

As the periods of time got longer, I noticed that the second half of the ‘active’ time granted by one point of mana was not beneficial. It allowed for some more movement on Ria’s part, but during that time she became less cognizant, making it like a sleepwalking stage. She didn't seem bothered by it, but troublingly she couldn't remember anything during that phase. It was only 30 seconds at a time, but losing memories is a big deal; though it was more in line with a failure to form memories, which was still pretty bad.

To start the morning, I sat in the hut and took of my shirt. I wanted it to at least try and take care of what Pan gave me, so taking out a sewing kit, I stitched away. I picked up all sorts of neat skills over my life, and even if I wasn't an expert, the recent practice with my hands meant I was getting very good at anything requiring manual dexterity.

The clothes had been torn enough that I was getting a bit too used to fixing them. My hands fiddled about with the needle as I sat on my table, idly watching Ria, just thinking.

Since Ria’s family started doing their short reunions, their personalities became more apparent, both from what was said and anecdotes Rion or Pan told afterwards. Pan, the ever-mysterious leader of Salt Village had his identity revealed...fisherman by day, tailor by night! Turns out he worked odd hours because tears aren't a regular thing; I wished I had taken more effort to avoid his secret profession. As for why he was the de facto leader, he was the son of the third son of a mediocre merchant guild. His father couldn't inherit anything, but after being sent off to find his own way in life he settled in the village. Teaching what he could from his memories, Pan became moderately educated. He learned to be both cautious and to take initiative; after the fall of Salt Village, he tended to act with the first in mind. Well, for his daughter he ignored his cautiousness and hired me, then again ‘I don't feel like a mage’.

Rion, the youngest, couldn't be more different than his father. Reticent towards what he should embrace, and leaping blindly where he shouldn't tread. It wasn't the acting out of a resented child(though his mother died shortly after giving birth to him). Instead while a bit of a dim bulb at points, he was good at heart; his wildness mostly a reaction against his older brother.

Yes, Itachi—no of course that wasn't his name. It might as well have been though. Rian, from childhood a successful lad two years Ria’s younger. Despite being ‘skilled’(at what, I didn't ask), he left the family at 14 to find himself a job. No word ever came back from him.

Rion, upset with his brother leaving then became the true King of Kids. My armchair psychology major says he formed a tight-knit group to have some people who wouldn't abandon him, the submissive Tagalong Girl becoming his number 2. Armchair psychology degrees have been getting more reputable as of late, but should still be taken with a grain of salt.

Ria was a bit more open with how she felt, as she happily interacted with her family for the first time in weeks. I gathered that since Lier died, as the eldest sibling she assumed many of the household responsibilities. A bit fearless, or perhaps just headstrong like Rion, Ria was one of the few of the village who would enter the forest to collect herbs and fruits. When Rian, the beacon of hope for the family left, her sense of duty redoubled. She felt guilty about not excelling in something like her brother, and that was the point where she started weeping and then fainted.

Mind you, it wasn't like she confessing these feelings to me; Ria was apologizing to her father and Rion for acting so recklessly.

I tried giving them privacy, but the walls were practically nonexistent; I couldn't not hear all the sobbing and wailing!

As a result, I tried being a little more aware of Ria’s pride. She worked admirably before falling ill, and clearly disliked the notion of being cared for herself. There wasn't much of a choice in the situation, but I made some concessions. It usually only dragged things out, but who was I kidding, I was just improving the chances for harvest time. There were no solid goals that would save us.

Tying off the thread, my shirt regained a bit of its dignity and slipped it back on. How were we going to slip about the country unnoticed? I doubted that merely leaving the country would let us encounter a world accepting of red-skinned girls. Finding her a disguise was of paramount importance; I figured before even getting her to move on her own. She could be fed mana, and gradually reach a point where she could operate on her own without any planning; but if caught there would be no chance to achieve anything.

Because in my head, that was the best way. As long as we could travel and explore, there would be opportunities to take. If the adventure continues, there will always be something that can be found, always something to be done. Our power trio would sally forth across the never ending continent, and Ria’s condition would be improved, and Tagalong Girl could find what she wanted to do with her life.

Holding a bundle of Negative Energy in my fist trying to further reduce the cost, I idly walked through the village while keeping it concealed. Practice and practice some more; after missing so many important events of the Khtraal revolution, and the Poran’s pathetic assault, the fact this world didn't always operate with The Narrative in mind was disappointing.

That didn't mean I couldn't find what stories did exist in the world. I just needed more power still. Guiding Ria and Tagalong Girl, I needed to be the OP one man army standing at the ready. Adventures had an element of danger, but the real world had elements of random lethality.

I stayed in the village to help out, but my mind was elsewhere. Repeating spell shapes in the mind without casting, stealthily practicing {Negative Energy} and {Fear Aura}, delving into the spiritual connections; I needed to amass more power.

Who knew how difficult the adventure would be, but I wouldn't be letting Ria and Tagalong Girl waltz into some Diablo ex machina [Dead End].

A/N:AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!