The Artisan Class, Forager, is an interesting one. The Forager can identify all kinds of flora in a natural setting from food to alchemical ingredients. With a high enough level, one person can probably supply enough material for dozens of people. Lucky for us, we have two.

So, when I saw the amount of food they foraged I wasn't suprised. What suprised me was the amount of seeds, bulbs, and tubers that they were able to save, including different colored Herbs. The amount of Stalker and Mandrake parts was also impressive, but I guess they either ran away from or didn't encounter any Harpies.

I touch my armorless chest and think, "I don't blame them if they did. That encounter sucked." The mantle, with it's Durability bonus, survived and after a while it would regenerate itself just like the rest of the gear, but a bit quicker. Anyway, we arrive home with no further conflict and sneak in through the back.

I accept the rucksack from the boys, making sure they know that Dawn and I take commissions for gear and to let us know if they anything at all. They salute us again before Victoria dismisses them. Elsbeth takes the rucksack with a wink and smile and joins Ramona in the General Workshop, leaving me and Victoria alone.

"Sonny?" I ask the all knowing presence of the dungeon, "Are one of the houses empty?" as I slide my mask to the side and smile enticingly at Victoria.

[Yes, the one Queen Herexa and Lady Lexxes used is currently vacant. Would you like to claim it for now Y/N?]

Before I can say or do anything else, Victoria is already pulling me in it's direction.

"Whoa! Uh, yeah! Thank you, Sonny! If anyone asks for us, please let them know we'll be busy for a while!"

Once inside, the door has a locking prompt which I activate. Since Queen Herexa used her own gear, the house is still bare but we both summon all of our bedrolls and pads. All of our gear disappears into storage before Victoria jumps into my arms, locking her legs around me and kissing me deeply. I carry her to a close by wall, pressing her into it, kissing her neck, and breathing her in. She bites my ear before whispering in my ear, "I want to try the claws this time…"

I set her on our nest of bedrolls and slide the mask back over my face, drawing out my sharp fingers.

We're getting dressed, giggling at the pile of shredded sleeping gear. I pull on my second boot, "One of us got a little carried away."

She snorts a short laugh, "If you're referring to the moment where I carried you, I didn't hear you complaining at the time."

I flick a sprinkle of sparks at her and she laughs, putting her hands up, "Stop! You know that'll get me going again!"

The only reason she's putting on clothes at all at this point is because she's going to the bath house and didn't want to embarrass anyone on the way there. I need clothes because I'm going to take inventory and do some crafting.

[Ardy, it seems your presence is being requested in all of the workshops. It has been a couple hours since your return.]

I let out a sigh, "Who seems more urgent?" Victoria kisses me one more time before heading out.

[According to tone and word use, from least to most agitated: Elsbeth and Ramona in the General Workshop, Kona and Serenity in the Alchemy Lab, and Dawn in the Smithy.]

"Thank you, Sonny." I stroll out the door, "How've you been, Sonny? Have you reached your growth limit?"

[Yes, thank you. I have reached two feet in diameter and will not grow any bigger for now. That puts my max EP at 15,000. We are currently at 11,100/15,000EP usage.]

"Wait, weren't you at six thousand?" I wave at some people as they walk by me, noticing that more and more of them are becoming active. I swear I saw the little lupine faunus playing with a stick, but get confused when I remember she had no hands.

[Yes, Lady Dawn purchased the Inter-Dungeon Trade Center earlier today and placed it in the west wing of Town Square. Also, she has given Spindle's former lair the title of Command Center.]

"I like it. Wait, has anyone used the Trade Center yet?"

[Not yet. It seems the others have projects that required their attention.]

I open the door to the Smithy and am blown back by the oppressive heat. How I didn't burst into flames after that I don't know. I call out to Dawn over the rythmic clanging sound and silence answers me.

Using the bottom of her tunic to wipe her face, Dawn walks up to me wearing little else, "Its about time you showed up. I… I'm half naked aren't I?"

I cock an eyebrow and stare her right in the eyes, even though there is much in my peripheral that demands my attention, "Just put on some pants and come out here. You know I can't stand the temp in there."

"Yeah, well, you reek of sex, if that's even possible in game."

"I was going to craft, why would I bathe before that?"

"You're such a guy!"

She moves in to sniff me and scrunches her face. Still, she smiles and playful kicks me in the butt, "Lucky girl. Come on, I already put the stuff in the common inventory." She knocks on the Lab door and Kona and Serenity come out to join us.

Kona pushes me away from the group, "Pavaros, how old are you two! Take a bath!"

I could hear Dawn ask Serenity who that is and note that she is the Goddess of Love and Lust. I grin wryly and reach for her trying to embrace her. She squeels and runs ahead of me, "Don't touch me! Who knows where those hands have been!"

"I can tell you!" Her squeel turns into a scream as we run into the General Workshop. Everyone is staring at me, Ramona's tongue flicks out by reflex and I feel several hands push me out of the door.

[Ardy, the ladies are requesting you bathe before they continue the meeting.]

I grumble to myself as I teleport all the way to the Bath House, wash up, and teleport all the way back. "Happy?!" They all nod after testing the air.

I roll my eyes as Dawn brings up a few lists, "Okay, lover boy, here's a list of everything we've been working on today."

Ramona steps up first, pulling one of the air borne lists in front of me, "We have so much lumber, I managed to craft several pieces of basic furniture. They're all in the vardo already. If any of you haven't been in it yet, you really should."

I peruse the list, seeing the simple furniture including crates, tables, stools, and four more beds.

"This is great! This will make everyone feel more like they're at home, especially on the road."

She thanks me before leaving and Kona immediately takes her spot, pulling up her list. "Well, as amazing as the two of us are, we couldn't do anything with the Mandrake Petals yet. I think we only need four more before we can make a potion from it. The root itself can be distilled into a strong poison that can cause the Sleep debuff, but we need empty bottles for it."

"Noted. We got about forty eight more petals in the field today and about six more roots. If Rachel and Richter come back soon, hopefully they would have found time to pick up my wish list. Thank you two for looking into that for me."

Serenity brushes her hair out of her face, "We might be able to distill Minor Health Potions into Apprentice Health Potions, but like Kona said… We need more bottles."

I thank her and give her a warm smile, noticing but not mentioning the fact that she said all that without a single "um" or stutter. They also head out, Kona giving us all a big goodnight yawn.

Dawn grabs the remaining two screens. She pulls one up to my eyeline, "Before she left, Rachel helped me obtain the Tinkerer class and we made a bunch of small parts using the iron ingots. Using one of the forty remaining Umbramium ingots I crafted two small hands and managed to get them to work on Lavina by infusing them with ankhs."

I point at her and shout out, "I knew it! I did see the little faunus with hands! That is incredible!"

She waits for me to settle down before continuing, "Yes, they do work, but only because her Faith, you know, the other stat for magic, was high enough. Serenity's leg works because it's powered by her Arcane. The trouble is, if a person doesn't have enough points, then this technique of prosthesis won't work for them." I contemplate her words for a while before she continues again, "Anyway, we only made enough small parts for this one experiment and I do have other projects I want to work on."

I nod my head to her, "Fair enough. You two are the crafters and that's entirely up to you. Any hints as to what you'll be up to?"

I start pulling out a blue orb the size of my fist out of the rucksack as Dawn starts answering my question, "You know, just ideas for weapons aaaaand- What is that?"

"This, my little lamb, is a Golem Core. It's used in the creation of a Golem."

Her eyes seem to grow wide and shimmer as she stares at the orb. I hand it over to her, "I'm not sure how to use it, even though my improvised crafting skill recognizes it as a component."

She turns it on its axis as she inspects it, "Funny, my Blacksmithing ability does too. Let's just put it away for now. There's too much I want to do and another project is out of the question. Is it okay if I take some of the girls out to hunt tomorrow?"

I smile and shake my head, "You are a leader of this dungeon too. I know you have at least Party Leader level one. And you are a player just like me. You don't have to ask me permission for anything, Dawn. I trust in your decisions. But just in case you need some advice or something…" I give her one of the Whisper Ear Cuffs, we both equip one, and connect to each other.

She gives me a playful punch, "Thanks, Ard. I guess I'm just used to playing second fiddle to someone."

I laugh, "Trust me, I've been the prep guy slash grunt slash bottom teir at work for years. Why anyone would think I'm leadership material baffles me."

She smirks, pointing a thumb at the door, "Yeah, if you and Victoria are a sign of anything, you're totally a bottom."

"Hey! I'll have you know--"

She streams a continuous LALALA as she makes her way out the door, leaving me alone.

[Statistically, you WERE lower than Lady Victoria for most of your encounters.]

"Sonny. Please tell me you aren't watching us."

[It's not something I can help, Ardy. As long as you're in the dungeon the system just keeps track of certain statistics. Would you like to know more Y/N?]

I'm rubbing my eyes with a thumb and index finger in disbelief, "Maybe later, Sonny. I'll show you who's a bottom." I walk over to the rucksack, transfer all of my loot, and sit at one of the work desks. I bring up the shared inventory menu and look over all of the available materials.

"Hm, out of stone. Gonna need a miner. Only two pick axes left. There's hundreds of lumber, that's good." I withdraw one of the three empty Blood Quartz and try to imbue it with Healing Breeze but it fizzles out, the mana dispersing into the air.

[Sorry, Ardy. Monster spells are exclusive to monsters and anyone with Adaptibility. Trying to put it into the Blood Quartz would circumvent that.]

Sigh.

"Makes sense, but it was worth a shot." I put it away and remember what I said to Boulder. I grab the eight spines and some lumber and get to work on them. The process I used is still in my head, perfectly clear as if I'm thinking of a recipe. Still, it takes me a couple hours and I toss them into an empty rucksack for the boys tomorrow. I grab the small targe and analyze it's design. I use a couple sheets of boar leather to make strips and some lumber to make the layered base. There are enough Giant Lizard Scales that I don't have to worry about running out.

In fact, very few of the lower class components are low enough in stock for me to be considerate of inventory. For now, I do have a time limit because I want to get some sleep.

[Success! You have created an advanced item!

[Improvised Scale Targe, advanced minor

[Dura: 110/110

[Armor: 3

[This item is considered equipped to the arm slot. In terms of equipping by armor or hand, it does not actually take up any slot.]

I try it on myself and the only thing i would be able to do properly with it is cast a spell, maybe? It's very useful, but it doesn't suit my fighting style. Six more of them and its time to go to bed. I have another idea in my head, but it has to wait for tomorrow. I draw up a quick sketch on a blank blueprint and put everything away.

I teleport to shave a few minutes from my walk and join Victoria in bed. A real bed! A real bed with wolf pelts for covers! She rolls over on me and I realise that we are going to add more stats proving my position in this relationship.

I am totally fine with that.

Spoiler: Ardacen's Character Sheet

[Basic Info: Ardacen Winters__ Race | Subrace: Human | Custom

[Height/Weight: 5'9/165lbs

[Class | Subclass: Blue Mage 1

[Level: 11

[Experience: 2613| 3000

[Multiclass | Subclass:

[Artisan Job Classes: Cook 3 | Alchemist 1 |

[Copper/Silver/Gold/Platinum: 1185/403/120/2

[HP/MP/Stamina Regen Delay: 8sec/7sec/8sec

[HP/Max/RegenPerSec: 99/99/8

[MP/Max/RPS: 82/82/7

[Stamina/Max/RPS: 65/65/7

[Combat Modifiers

[Strength: 1+2

[Dexterity: 40+2

[Arcane: 31

[Faith: 1

[Defense Modifiers

[Agility: 41+11

[Armor: 19+2

[Willpower: 16+4]

[Main Hand: AWP Claw

[Durability: n/a

[Type/Range/Ammo: Dexterity/Melee/0

[Base/Modified Damage: 9/49

[Off Hand: AWP Claw

[Durability: n/a

[Type/Range/Ammo: Dex/Melee/0

[Base/Modified Damage: 9/49]

[Head: empty

[Durability:

[Armor:0

[Shoulders: Mantle of the Grey Wanderer 3/3

[Durability: 240/240

[Armor: 2

[Bonus:+2Dex, +2Will, +3HP Regen

[BodyOver: empty

[Durability:

[Armor: 0

[BodyUnder: Simple Cloth Tunic

[Durability: 80/80

[Armor: 1

[Arms: Simple Umbra Bracers

[Durability: 110/110

[Armor: 4

[Hands: Reinforced Cobra Gloves

[Durability: 110/110

[Armor: 2

[Bonus: +5% chance of inflicting poison

[LegsOver: Simple Umbra Greaves

[Durability: 110/110

[Armor: 5

[LegsUnder: Simple Cloth Pants

[Durability: 80/80

[Armor: 1

[Feet: Simple Umbra Boots

[Durability: 110/110

[Armor: 4]

[Face: Mask of the Grey Wanderer 3/3

[Bonus: +3Agi, +1Str, +1Armor, +3SP Regen

[Neck: empty

[Ear Right: empty

[Ear Left: empty

[Wrist Right: empty

[Wrist Left: Simple Bracelet of Storage

[Ring Right: Minor Ring of Storage

[Ring Left: empty

[Waist: Sash of the Grey Wanderer 3/3

[Bonus: +3Agi, +1 Str, +1Armor, +3MP Regen

[Spells: Arcane Bolt I, Assassinate, +Shadow Toxin, +Healing Breeze]

[Skills: Minor Survival Craft III, Critical Stab I, +Wolf Senses, Stealth I, Echo Strike, Discipline/Tempest Palm I, Roundhouse Kick]

[Feats: Adaptibility, Varient Hunter I, War Party Leader I, +Alpha Wolf's Pride, +Swarm Tactics, Sonny View Analyzer]

[Major Quests: none

[Minor Quests: Recycle]