There is No Epic Loot Here, Only Puns

42: The Little Things

You cannot hide up here forever.

Delta was idly petting one of the spiders with a shaky finger.

"These aren't so bad, I m-mean compared to some things, they're just multi-legged hamsters!" Delta laughed nervously and the spider scuttled off, insulted.

"No, wait!" Delta said and stood up to brush the non-existing dust from her skirt.

"Nu, I will go back down eventually. I just need to get over the fact that I gambled and summoned the hell worm from the blood sea of Mars!" Delta slightly waved her hands and Nu scoffed as he flashed.

It is your monster. I, for one, am greatly pleased to have such a capable monster under our control. Due to the simple fact that it does not have googly eye or a fluffy behind, you dislike it.

Delta put her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes.

"Don't make me sound so bad. I'm not used to worms bigger than my arm! Or bigger than me for that matter! I'm not used to them looking like they were born in some evil research lab for monsters!" Delta argued and Nu dinged.

Well.. if we think about it. We technically are a monster laboratory.

Nu joked and it made Delta give up her petulant argument.

"How about we do some needed work on this floor and give the bees a chance to get to work and our new trees time to drop some acorns?" she offered and hid a smile.

Nu was a rather complicated being but if there was something the little box loved more than anything, it was upgrading the dungeon.

Well, it would be a wise choice. Very well, let us get on with before you accidentally summon some four-head goat monstrosity from grass or something equally mundane.

Delta grumbled and went to the pond, flexing her fingers.

"No monsters, just nice little fishies..." she whispered and was about to get to work when her gobs returned. Hob carrying 2 buckets on a stick while Gob dragged a bundle of plants, eggs, berries into the dungeon in a sack.

"Master! Forest gone," Hob grunted as if this was just something interest. Gob stretched.

"Spiders look angry. Saw much more!" he added happily and Delta closed her eyes slowly and inhaled.

Oh... Delivery monsters... much better.

"Nu, I swear I will drown you," she threatened and Nu just dinged cheerfully away. Delta thanked her goblins for their work and let them go take a break at the goblin camp. Thankfully, her goblins had already killed anything in the buckets, simply emptying them on the ground caused her dungeon to devour the fading life.

The additions weren't amazing but it was tiny things to really spruce places up.

Slick reeds added
Tiny Brown Fish added
Moss Fish added
Aquatic insects added.
Duckweed added.

This was welcome as it boosted her mana to a decent 24 mana and this gave some more things to do!

Delta tapped her chin, wondering when someone else would come to her dungeon. Just one or two would be great for her mana gathering.

---

"Vas, there are loud children at the door requesting you," Japes called over to Vas. It tried to bury itself deeper into its work.

"I'm very busy, Master. Perhaps another time?" Vas responded in a high tone. Japes paused and eyed the frantic golem's hands. Not actually doing anything except looking busy.

Interesting.

He leaned down, purring as he spoke. Vas froze as if a predator was now lurking over it. Smart child.

"Vas. Are you ignoring these people? Why is that?" Japes asked curiously and Vas shook its head.

"I don't want to go outside! The loud one thinks I am his friend," Vas explained with annoyance and Japes was startled to see such a display of open emotion. It wasn't swaying nor blank acceptance.

"Are you not? You had an adventure together, no? They do build bonds of companionship," Japes commented lightly which made Vas shiver.

"I don't think I want these bonds. I am simply to help the fungi stop besmirching the art of pottery... not...that," Vas tried to explain and Japes was absolutely delighted. The usually unflappable child of his was trying to wriggle out of social interaction!

"Aww... I understand, Vas," Japes smiled brightly and the golem looked up, looking relieved at Japes' words. Japes picked it up, opened the front door and neatly deposited Vas at the feet of the grinning child, Deo.

"Have Vas back before dinner, if you will," he warned and Deo saluted.

"I SWEAR IT! COME VAS! RULI PROMISED TO TAKE US BACK INTO THE DUNGEON!" Deo spoke. Japes felt one of his ears ache before Deo physically dragged Vas away, able to ignore the golem's polite but futile resistance.

Scary child.

Japes felt his monstrous grin appear as they turned a corner.

His golem was developing faster than he could have ever imagined! These spawn of the people around him had a purpose other than to annoy him!

He simply must thank this dungeon for providing ample fertile room for his child to grow.

Maybe he'd give it one of his old pots he barely cared for? Japes was sure whatever laid within the pots he barely touched would barely be worth a risk or a danger.

Probably.

Maybe...

Japes went back to resealing one of the captured prizes. It had... outgrown it's current pot.

---

"I see fresh people are very busy around here," Seth commented as Deo dragged Vas past them. Quiss watched the golem go a little limp and give Quiss a wave. He returned it half-heartedly.

"They're going to the dungeon. Ruli seems to be growing attached to the little goblins," he sniffed and Seth nodded.

"Goblins are very attackable. But you said dungeon is... how do you speak... kind?" he tried and Quiss nodded.

"Yeah, Delta, the core, does not kill," he stressed his words and Seth followed him as he began to lead Seth around the village.

"Dungeon is not normal. It does not ham?" he asked seriously and Quiss almost miss his step.

"Oh... trust me, she does. But she does not harm. Delta likes people, she makes her monsters talk to us and even lets Ruli fish in her pond," Quiss explained and Seth choked.

"Ruli do what in what? I feel Ruli must not over excite her person in such a way. I think we should reason to her how such dances do not..." Seth trailed off and Quiss stared blankly at him for several seconds.

"Ruli does not hyonunt, she comunops," he tried and Seth's eyes lit up.

"Ah, Ruli swings meaty staff for seabirds!" Seth said sagely and Quiss felt his lips twitch as he felt nostalgic for the old magic school days now long behind him.

"Yeah, sure... close enough. Come on, I'll show you where the inn is. Prices are fair but the owner is peculiar about how you pay," he explained.

Seth looked worried.

"I did not bring gold or objects for proposal!" he said and Quiss knew the man had counted on bunking with Quiss.

Quiss was all for it, except for the fact that Seth had taken a very peculiar course as his secondary education in magic school.

Dream Oracling for near future or past.

In other words...

The man rambled about imminent near doom on a micro-scale all night and no one would room with him. Except possibly the Shadowmancer in 5C.

That guy seemed to love it.

"Trust me, Sana is fair. Just expect to be doing things that might... make you feel a little nervous," Quiss beamed which made Seth pale.

Words or not, he found Quiss' expression to be all to clear.
----

First up was the sly but bright Yellowbelly Cod. Delta tapped open the menu and examined it.