Before I knew it, the sun rose.

I heard Sheepy get up, so I dumped a pile of hay before it, then went back to reading. But unexpectedly, it didn't immediately pounce on the food.

"Hey, should we do some grinding or something?" it asked, sounding something nervous.

This sheep of all 'people' being diligent? That seemed odd to me.

Why?

"To get stronger?"

Nah.

It was so relaxing just resting at this town and reading. I didn't see the need to immediately get stronger. Not like there's some imminent crisis or anything, right?

"How about getting me some pots? For gardening."

Oh, that reminded me of it picking that useless class. Urgh. But I guess what's done is done. Maybe it would somehow have some uses down the road, like taming or growing some crazy carnivorous plant monsters?

Tablet, can it-

[Stop asking me about everything. I'm not Yoogle.]

...

Fine, I guess I'll just find out for myself. Maybe I'll just release Sheepy once I find a stronger pet if the class turns out useless.

Galu and his family were probably still sleeping, so I decided to go ahead and ask around like yesterday. Maybe I could try to pull the sheep radio thing again.

"Why not ask someone to help. I- uh... am not a huge fan of doing that thing."

Hm. I guess that'd be less conspicuous.

Good idea. Oh, and sorry about doing that previously. Being tied to that dumb sheep must be kind of annoying, right?

"Haha... not really. I just find it embarrassing how people keep staring at us."

By chance, I found the same old man jogging again, so I asked for his help.

"Oh, you're new here, aren't you! Follow me!"

"Thanks!"

I was led to a general store. When I asked him if he could help me get four pots, he was somewhat annoyed but perked right up when I offered him one silver. The total price wound up to be 2 silver, 3 if the old man was considered.

I plopped all the pots before Sheepy.

So, where do you want to place the pots? On top of me?

"What? Of course inside you!"

Then how are the plants going to get sunlight?

"Huh?"

That idiot sheep... it didn't even know plants needed light.

Plants need light to grow!

"Nonsense!"

After trying to explain why plants need sunlight to grow to it for a bit, I failed to convince it. I decided that letting it see the process for itself would teach the dumb sheep a lesson.

I went outside of town and drove quite a distance, planning to grab some soil from under the snow. I used telekinesis to flick the snow aside.

Urgh, there was a layer of ice underneath. How did plants here even grow?

"Thunk!"

Something touched me! I quickly looked and saw Jaxt. Phew, I thought it could be something bad.

"Jaxt? Why are you here?"

The golem handed me the book I handed it yesterday, looking away, but I could still see the embarrassed expression on its face.

"I'm here to give it back."

I guess it didn't read the book in the end. Oh well, its loss.

"Also... can you hand me volume two?"

What?!

Radio laughed.

"You read it!" it said excitedly.

"Minnie dared- pressured me into reading it! I wouldn't have read it otherwise."

I felt a strong sense of satisfaction (and maybe a bit of smugness). Despite what it said, what person in the world could truly live without entertainment?

"But you liked it, right?"

Jaxt looked very frutrated.

"Fine, I liked it! Happy?"

"That's great!"

"Whatever, hand me the next book."

"I could hand you the next book, but why not ask the people for books yourself? I'm sure they won't mind letting you have them."

Ah, Radio had a point.

"Oh." Jaxt sounded unsure. "They're not supposed to know I'm unbound though. I've thought of telling them in the past, but I've always felt afraid..."

"Don't worry, it'll be fine! Like you said yesterday, gratitude! I'm sure they're very grateful for your help too, with how long you've spent protecting them. Go for it!"

Huh, I never knew Radio was so good with words.

"I... I-" Jaxt stammered. "You're right! I need to be brave. Thank you so much for the advice."

"No problem!"

Just as it was about to walk away, I suddenly thought of something.

"Really? At a time like this?" Radio whispered to me.

Yeah, no choice.

"Hnnn..."

"Jaxt, mind helping us with a small favour?"

"What is it?"

"I'm trying to fill some pots with soil but I don't have hands."

The helpful golem cut through the ice with ease and filled the pots in no time. I thanked it and headed back.

For the seeds, I smashed the fruits violently on the ground to get them out, then shoved the seeds into the pots. The mushed fruit didn't taste as good and had dirty snow mixed in, but it wasn't like I had a knife.

There, the seeds are planted. I hope you're happy when they don't grow.

"Pfft. You'll see." Sheepy snorted.

That smug expression... I really wanted to hit it in the face.

Deep underground, a huge cave was coated in ice. The ice was several metres thick, practically an impenetrable barrier.

There, laid a huge 15-metre long dragon covered in blue scales curled around a magical barrier. Frosty mist wafted off it.

"Urgh, that bastard. He was supposed to take the shift a thousand years ago!" the dragon complained. "I can't believe I'm still here, babysitting you."

Inside the barrier, the shrivelled and frozen corpse of a horned man didn't reply.

"You must be pretty bored too, huh? Well, I doubt you're even listening. Not in your condition. Urgh, I really shouldn't have agreed to this. Think of how much I could have done were I not here! You're probably the only one in the world more miserable than me."

After sitting here for almost two thousand years, the ice dragon had gotten a bad habit of talking to the corpse when she got bored. She yawned. It was not the first time either. She had yawned thousands of times here.

Maybe a little nap wouldn't hurt, she thought. Staying awake so many years had taken a toll on her.

As the dragon closed her eyes, the corpse finally opened its own.