Welcomed Guests

Chapter 142

Though I was busy with my projects, I still had a mental countdown going for Elim’s arrival. He was sending me periodic updates. The closer he got, the more restless I became.

Along with his family, Elim was bringing the former serfs from the Silvertree estate that he’d picked up along the way. I was about to have non-dungeon denizen residents and had to make a couple of decisions I’d been putting off before they arrived.

When I’d first conceived of the idea of a town populated by monsters, I’d had a very Halloween movie idea in mind. Mortal folk and monsters living basically side by side. Something likely easier said than done. There was also the question of said monsters' comfort with the idea.

The skeletons would be able to masquerade as their mortal species, after all. It was possible they’d want to do so without anyone being the wiser. The result of this line of thinking was a series of meetings between myself and the current denizens. To say I had a lot of explaining to do was an understatement. The idea I was putting forth was apparently beyond novel.

“Are you actually daft?” Chris demanded after the first of the meetings.

“I couldn’t tell you, it's been a while since I’ve had access to a mental health professional,” I deadpanned back at him.

“A what- Don’t think you can distract me!” Chris snarled. He’d been pissy all day, so I wasn’t entirely sure what was actually aimed at me and what was fallout.

“Chris, you don’t have to let people know you're a skeleton. It's optional,” I offered.

“It's not about that! I’ll respawn if worst comes to worst, but you? What do you think they’ll do to you?” Chris demanded.

I fought down a sigh. It was a valid question, but also one I’d already answered a few times. It had been one of Henry’s own concerns and we’d talked about it at length before I started the meetings.

“I can't be injured. I’m basically just a particularly substantial illusion for the core,” I offered. That got me a huff.

“Really, they’d have to get past the dungeon proper and smash the core to do anything to me,” I added. It wasn’t pleasant to even say that, but nobody who was coming in Elim’s party would be capable of that.

“Right, because you’ll be fine if people are horrid to you. You won’t at all end up crying… whatever your tears are and sad that nobody likes you,” Chris countered.

Like tumblers on a lock things started clicking into place. The final clanking turn of my brain figuring things out was loud enough I felt like Chris should have been able to hear it. I started laughing.

“Hey!” Chris yelped, angry and confused as I gave him a hug.

“You're worried I’m going to be bullied,” I summarized. Chris scrabbled out of my grasp with a hiss like an annoyed kitten.

“So what if I am!?” Chris demanded.

I wanted to hug Chris again for being adorable, but refrained. He had a hard time showing anything other than goblin emotions. It wouldn’t help things if he thought I wasn’t taking him seriously.

“It could happen, but I’m not as much of a pushover as you're assuming. I’ll happily evict anyone stupid enough to pick a fight with me. Then they’ll probably try to get revenge because they had to have been brain-dead to do so in the first place. They’ll send some adventurers my way, and then points,” I offered.

“Be serious,” Chris countered.

“I am. There really isn’t a downside for me with this plan. Even if people run away screaming, that will just draw adventurers here. Adventurers equals points,” I said.

“Fuck, fine, but don’t come crying to me when you don’t like it,” Chris said, crossing his arms with a huff.

“Chris, seriously, I’ll be fine. I have you and everyone else in the dungeon. I’m not going to end up lonely or sad just because of something like that,” I countered. Chris’s concern was sweet, but misplaced. I wasn’t doing this to expand my social circle, it was a business matter when you got down to brass tacks.

Chris didn’t look happy, but he still nodded at that, straightening a little as he did. I offered him a hug and he grudgingly accepted it.

“I’m surprised Henry didn’t have anything to say about it,” Chris added after a moment.

“We talked about it beforehand and he… has his own thoughts about how to deal with any potential disrespect,” I admitted.

“Which were what?” Chris asked, clearly intrigued.

“Let's just say he plans to carry spare gloves,” I said and sighed. Henry had brought up the idea of bullying, but casually in the same breath he mentioned he’d challenge any idiot who did to a duel. We were still discussing that issue.

“Gloves?” Chris asked, not immediately catching on though it was clearly dawning on him “Oh shit!”

Chris was cackling when he left. I liked seeing him in good spirits rather than upset, but I wasn’t sure this would bode well for things long term.

The meetings continued and as the end of the month as Elim’s arrival loomed near, a general consensus was reached. The skeletons who wanted to keep the masquerade would be able to and present as existing mortal townsfolk. Those who didn’t could still appear in the town, but under limited circumstances.

Those who were conflicted or didn’t want to keep their illusions up full-time had the option of pretending to be travelers from the other side of the mountain. When they didn’t want to have their illusion up, they could simply go to the other side rather than being stuck in the dungeon.

They all vetoed me wandering around in my natural form, however. Skeletons and other monsters could be explained through a number of means, but not a Dungeon Master. If I showed up as I was, the jig would be up about the valley being part of the dungeon rather than just near it.

Since I knew I could actually leave the confines of the dungeon that assumption hadn’t occurred to me. Once it was brought to my attention I found it was an advantage I didn’t want to part with. I’d have to figure something else out for myself eventually but it was low priority.

With that matter sorted out, I worked steadily to distract myself and finally it was the day of Elim and company’s appearance. They arrived near evening, the entire group heading for the farm and the bunk house I’d added to accommodate the extra people temporarily.

Dawn and a small group of the permanent illusion skeletons had plans to make a formal introduction to everyone in the morning. For the time being though, I had a much less comfortable task ahead of me. Henry was at my elbow and Chris was behind us as we waited for full darkness to descend. Henry took my hand but didn’t say anything as I hesitated before teleporting us all.

We arrived on the porch I’d added to the farmhouse. They weren’t a common architectural feature, but it hadn’t looked right to me without one.

“Nervous?” Henry asked. We’d been standing silently for a few moments as I was caught in a kind of limbo between doing what I’d promised and chickening out.

“Noooo, not at all,” I lied, without trying to be convincing. He took the hand he was holding and brought it to his skull, pressing a bony kiss to the back of it. He didn’t say anything further and just waited on me.

“Okay, let’s-” I started, trying to summon a bit of courage. That was the exact moment the door opened and light spilled out to dispel the darkness. I wasn’t dazzled by the light, my vision was strange like that, but I was certainly caught off guard for a moment.

Erica had opened the door and was looking at me, mouth slightly agape before quickly turning.

“Elim, they're here!” Erica called out. She took a step back and made a gesture.

“Do come in, 42,” she said.

“Monster Lady!?” a child's voice inquired.

I didn’t move, still a bit dazed. That was when a small face framed by unruly blond curls peeked around the door frame. That had to be Bess and as if moving on instinct, I gave a little wave. She immediately hid, but a moment later peeked out again.

“Bess! Mind your manners!” Erica chided.

“Yeah, she’s Mistress Monster Lady to you,” Chris cut in. He was wearing his illusion and grinning menacingly.

“Mistress Monster!” Bess repeated with big eyes, then darted away. No matter what else happened, that was an adorable start to the evening.