- Day 13 into Day 14 -

Breakfast

I decided to warp into the dining room, primarily hoping to find everyone gathered and chatting around the table. My reasons were purely selfish as I know Millie would want to feed me after figuring I had missed dinner.

Unfortunately, I return to find it darkened entirely... I guess it must be even later than I thought. Usually, I'd look to the moon for a rough idea of the time, but it's hidden by dark clouds.

*Zip*

I decide to warp up to my room rather than play 'Dodge the creaky floorboards' to avoid waking anyone up.

"Guess I go hungry tonight then.."

I lament for a moment before justifying. It's my own fault really, getting engrossed in books like that... It kinda takes me back to my student days... Except there are no tests and I don't have to stress out about assignments because I was out all month partying... Okay so nothing like my student days, but still very reminiscent of!

Throwing my clothes off in a pile near the bed while pondering that thought, I haphazardly decide to 'free willy' it tonight as I clamber into bed. I'm still holding onto Zero's book as truth be told, I'm too curious about it just to go straight to sleep.

[Activate Night Eye]

…After reading forty or so pages, it's annoyingly clear to me that if anything written here can be proven, then Harry is indeed a genius.

[** Assessed theoretical material to be 76.3% in line with information obtained from the wave **]

Yes well, forgive me for not completely trusting your assessment after earlier, but if so, then he's definitely on the right track…

This could also mean a logic-based language might be the basis of all magic in this world… If so, then wouldn’t that mean machines technically could be built to...?

Holy crap. This warrants experimentation... Though, seeing as we essentially live a medieval era, let's not get too carried away with this just yet.

There's no denying it though, it's exciting. I might be able to build golems or vehicles. Hell, maybe even a computer!

..Yeah okay, I'm getting too excited. That last one, please, I may understand logic and binary math but building a processor? Wise up Aburi.

Ugh, tension headache. I need to sleep.

[Deactivate Night Eye]

…

"Master?"

Morning approaches and it appears I'm woken up by Kate who's come to check if I came home last night. I would have expected Risk or Bella to be the ones to check, being my bodyguards and all but Kate proceeds to tell me Bella was drinking all day after the booze arrived. Bella is likely in a stupor and will be out for most of the day as such, though granted, I don’t know why I expected anything different there...

Risk is up however and is training out back.

I jump out of bed, showing Kate my full standing glory after having forgotten I chose to sleep naked last night. She's seen me naked so many times now that I don't even bother to feel ashamed. I guess the morning wood is new to her, but I doubt it's the first time Kate's seen one based on her nature. Instead, I look down, look up, shrug to her chuckle and put my clothes on before beginning to head down to the bathroom to wash up.

"I'll send Millie and Hannah in to see to your needs."

HP: 1633 / 1633 MP: 3430 / 3430 ST: 2286 / 2286

Hunger: 87% Thirst: 68%

Blood State: Dangerous

"My thanks!"

I finish washing up as the girls pop in.

Hunger: 43% Thirst: 21%

Blood State: Normal

"I'm making pork hash for breakfast today. It'll be ready in a few minutes Master."

"That sounds awesome Millie, I'm starved! Really, I don't know where I'd be without you..."

I thank them both for giving me their blood. Hannah smiles warmly at me before wandering off, she sure has come around from just a few days ago...

I leave the bathroom and head outside to see Gruff and Risk finishing a warm up and looking like they're getting ready to spar. Sam the Gnome is also here with two other Gnomes digging what seems to be foundations for the forge. I'll leave them to it, I'm sure they'll come find me if they need anything.

As Risk and Gruff are in the middle of it, I decide to sit and watch for a bit. After all, it's a chance to see Gruff showcase his skills--

"You ready old timer?"

"Just give me the axe."

Guess this is a timed battle then. Makes sense really, repairing your weapons after every sparring session seems wasteful and expensive.

"Catch"

Risk generates a five-foot giant axe in mid-air above Gruff. I assume this is because it must weigh a metric tonne but Gruff catches it like he was tossed a bottle of water before waving it around like a cheerleaders baton--

"Show off--"

"Hmph!"

With a loud grunt, Gruff throws his new axe upwards towards the sky before firmly grabbing very bottom of the shaft with thumb and three fingers, arching it down with incredible thunderous force towards Risk.

The sheer speed of the manoeuvrer makes me doubt my eyes as the air seems to scream with the axe bearing down atop of an unsuspecting Risk. Or at least, unsuspecting from where I sat.

Without a word or action betraying his stance, the axe appeared to go right through Risk and sink deep into the hardened ground below him--

Ah, he used [Flash]--

It's a skill Risk has used a number of times now, but this is my first time being in a position to observe it. The skill looks to allow him a minor movement that's all but impossible for me to follow, leaving an after-image in place.

Without allowing Gruff a moment of time to assess what just happened, Risk instantly goes on the attack, darting low towards Gruff's right side with a short sword--

"[CHORUS]!"

As if expecting the attack, Gruff twists himself unnaturally and lets out an unexpected shout of pure air pressure, causing Risk to lose his footing, tumbling into a shoulder roll--

"[SING]!"

Another shout, this time causing an ear shattering air explosion atop of Risk... I hope I don't have the garrison knights knocking my door after this but Risk is visibly shaken and stumbling while trying to stay on his feet.

Gruff's goal looks to be of wanting to induce shock. It's a good idea I guess, and his vocal air elemental skills are perfect for it, after all, disrupt the brain enough, and it won't matter how well trained you are. It looks to have worked too as Risk begins to fall towards the grass--

Oh.. A feint.

Risk's feigned movements caused a momentarily lapse in concentration for both Gruff and myself by pretending to be more affected than he was. Seizing this opportunity, he unleashes a skill combination at a speed that was almost completely impossible for me to catch. Heck, by the time I even realised it was a feint, all I was left to process was the song of clanging metal.

...I think the combination was [Flash] followed by [Charge] combined with [Enrage], [7 Points Slash] and another [Flash] to reposition before going again.

How the hell did Gruff defend let alone follow any of that?

After the catacombs, I was reasonably confident in my abilities but if I was to fight Risk or Gruff seriously in only Melee, would I hold up to that? It's not even a real question, there's no way I could…

With the velocity of Risk's attacks since the feint, Gruff doesn't look to have any further opportunity to use his skills. His vocal skills are undoubtedly powerful, but their weakness is glaring. Before each shout, Gruff had to secure proper footing and inhale massive amounts of air visibly.

Clearly knowing this in advance, Risk took a light weapon, a forward stance and fast-paced approach to lock Gruff down. He took the first two attacks to close in, but the plan looks to have always been aggressive speed over anything else.

The tactic is working in preventing Gruff from planting himself, and all his focus has to be on controlling his strength conservatively against Risk but.. he's still pushing Risk's attacks back and displaying an impressive mastery of his given weapon despite only having one arm--

*THUD* Ooh, I felt that…

Gruff somehow predicted Risk's next [Flash] point as Gruff hurls a devastatingly powerful kick into Risk's unsuspecting stomach. Risk's face contorts as he's thrown away, tumbling backwards along the grass.

It's over. Risk can't seem to get himself back on his feet and--

Yep, he’s just thrown up his stomach contents… Lovely, and right before breakfast too.

Risk's HP is at about seventy percent, but his ST is two-hundred. If you look at just the stats, Risk should still be able to continue to fight... There must be a mental or consecutive component to this that isn't displayed by my HUD.

Gruff, compared to Risk, took more direct hits but due to his level seems to only have lost minor HP at ninety-ish percent, and ST around thirty to forty percent.

"Hmm. You've improved but still lacking imagination."

Seriously? He chained at least four skills together in perfect unison, and that's lacking imagination…?

Perhaps Gruff means he's too easy to read?

Looking back, Risk did seem to favour a pattern of move, attack, retreat, move, attack and most of his attacks preferred Gruff's right side. So much so that my eyes eventually were able to follow without issue...

Then again, Gruff was also playing an easy tune to follow of taunt with exaggerated movements and react heavily to mistakes in Risk's movements. Tactics alone, both were lacking, but Gruff pulled through with experience and stats... Hmm--

"Breakfast is ready!"

Hannah shouts from the doorway as Gruff helps Risk to his feet before we head to the dining room to eat.

If I were Risk fighting Gruff again, I wouldn't try and lock him down but instead, keep my distance using [Flash] to avoid the vocal skills. Gruff's abilities consume considerable amounts of ST, and it's easy to spot when he's about to use them. I'd probably throw spears at him for a while before charging at his right side and [Flash] to the floor, sweeping his weighted knee…

Sitting around the table while absorbed in thought, I notice Emily hasn't joined us, so I ask Hannah.

Turns out she's in bed with a fever and pains. Hannah referred to it as 'Woman Curse' which I take to mean Tom's come for it's monthly visit. Perhaps I should buy her something sweet while I'm out today and maybe look for a light painkiller? I could attempt to make one myself but let's face it, I'll probably create morphine with my current level of control.

While lamenting on this a little, Millie and Kate enter from the kitchen carrying plates of food, placing one in front of each of us. I can't help but notice I have a mountain of food compared to everyone else which must be because I said I was starved... I'm not sure whether I'm meant to eat it or climb it? Oh well, it's Millie's cooking, so I'll eat till I burst!

"Millie, this is good food. My thanks lass."

Gruff compliments Millie and she goes all smiles like something from an early animated movie.

"T-thank you."

I can't help but smile myself at their interaction. Seems the girls are fond of Gruff and from what little I've seen, he dotes on them like daughters... I wonder if I can heal that arm--

"I lost it in that last Aslogia expedition."

Oops.

"Apologies. That was rude of me, staring like that."

He shakes his head and lets out a long breath while scratching the stump.

"Don't be. Lost limbs are the norm for adventurers... How else would we know when to retire?"

He laughs out.

I shouldn't tell him I was thinking about trying to heal his arm, I might get his hopes up for nothing. Besides, it's only my curiosity that wants to be sated at this point.

"Indeed, I guess a lot of Adventures lost limbs in that expedition…”

Gruff leans back in his chair, patting his stomach before replying.

“The lucky ones, aye...”

...An awkward silence fills the room with no one knowing what to say next.

Luckily it’s broken rather quickly when Bella accidentally burps loudly, causing us all to chuckle slightly, and breaking the odd tension.

“...Millie, the food was wonderful as always, although I barely managed to finish it this time. Kate, I assume--"

"You assume correct, Master."

She says with a raised brow while looking to the plate in my hand.

"T-Then I'll head into out. Do we need anything?"

Kate shakes her head while sipping her tea--

"I didn't I miss Millie's cooking did I?"

Katharine briskly and yet casually walks into the Dining room.

I'm confident I didn't hear the front door... Though perhaps she didn't knock? Well, not like I mind, I'd actually prefer her to think of this place as a second home anyway.

"Unfortunately you did--"

She sits down beside me as Millie jumps out of her seat looking extremely happy.

"There still some left in the kitchen!"

I guess she really takes satisfaction from people enjoying her cooking. She’s gone only a minute before she returns with a meal for Katharine.

“If it needs reheat--”

“It’s perfect, thank you Millie!”

[Scan: Katharine]

Level: 27 (64)

Slow going, but she is levelling up from the looks of it.

AE, I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm still confused by this. Why is she levelling up so slowly, it makes no sense?

[** Accumulated EXP too high for intake and processing **]

[** Time required to process **]

Yes, I get what you're saying, but she went up eight levels just the other day and without any delay.

[** A tank of water only holds so much **]

Another damned analogy...

So you’re saying her tank was empty or processed, so eight levels didn't cap her? Forty-four levels did though?

[** Correct **]

That still doesn't explain processing time being so high.

[** Ten sheets of numbered paper. Organise **]

[** Two-million sheets of numbered paper. Organise **]

[** Compare averages **]

You really need to work on your analogies AE ..but I think I know where you're going with this one too. You're talking about diminishing returns? Like when a computer program tries to process too many requests at once, it gets bogged down?

[** Correct **]

Ha, so Katharine needs more RAM for parallel processes... I assume that means mine and Sybil's 'tanks' are much larger than that of a humans?

[** Correct **]

Well, I guess some downtime does allow me to figure out what should be done about the Rakshaw anyhow--

"So what are everyone's plans for today?"

Katharine asks in a cheerful tone while looking to Kate. She's sure in a good mood this morning.

"Millie, Gruff and I will be heading out to the shops in a bit."

Oh? I literally just offered... Ah. That falls under 'chores' then. I feel like Kate is taking this too far.

"And you, Aburi?"

"...Well, with the stones handed off to Graham, I was thinking of walking about the city before heading over to the library. You?"

"Ah, I've the morning free, but I have to visit the garrison after noon about my new assignment. Father has gotten me onto your expedition force, but until we leave, I must resume my duties as a Knight of Sinki--"

So I'll be seeing less of Katharine until we leave for Aslogia. Unfortunate, but I guess that was to be expected.

"I'll still come around on my downtime though!"

She says as if sensing my thoughts.

"Please do. Well... I guess I should head out--"

I notice Katharine's gaze as I leave my seat…

"...I... I wouldn't mind the company if you'd like to take a walk?"

She smiles with a nod.

"I'd like that."