"Set Project: Clay Kiln."

⌈Project 'Clay Kiln' set.⌋

⌈Clay Kiln progress:

Resources: Stick x10, Clay Paste, Clay Bricks x 60

Builders: None⌋

"Set Builders of Clay Kiln to 'Sect Core' and 'Nun'."

⌈Project Updated.

Clay Kiln Project builders: Sect Core, Nun⌋

The monkey in my lap suddenly jolted. He flailed his arms, smacking me in the jaw as he leaped out of my lap.

"Ow!" I cried, rubbing my bruised chin. "Totally uncalled for, Nun!"

He screeched at me, jerking his fingers at the text box that hovered in front of his face. I stared at him, flabbergasted at the monkey's overreaction.

"What? You didn't think I'd have you put to work? It's in the contract, man!"

Nun puffed out his cheeks all adorably and folded his arms.

"No, I am not going to remove you as a builder."

He grunted and pointed at the large stone next to me.

"The terms didn't say 'build one thing and then be lazy for the rest of the five months', you know."

The monkey growled at me before a light suddenly shone in his eyes. He squinted really hard as if he was trying to force reality to bend to his will - or poop. I hoped it was the former and was about to ask him what he was doing until-

⌈Nun requested a change to the contract.

1. Build one thing
2. Be lazy for the rest of the five months

Accept or deny?⌋

I rolled my eyes and said pointedly, "Deny."

He threw up his arms and scampered toward the rock. When he saw the cracks in it, he flipped out. Jumping up onto the rock, he screeched at me and pointed at them accusingly.

"I can see them! And I'm right here; there's no need to shout!"

He shrieked again. I screamed back at him.

"And no, I didn't make those cracks." I hesitated, wondering if I should out the fairy for making them. Nah, he'd probably try to attack her, and then, well... a charred monkey wouldn't be so good for business. "Maybe you should've made the rock a little tougher!"

The monkey huffed and stomped off to pout by the riverside.

<Your ability to converse with that spirit beast is uncanny,> the fairy said, flying up onto my shoulder. <I'm surprised a beast at such low-level cultivation is smart enough to understand your words.>

"Monkeys are pretty smart, you know."

<The apes are nothing but a bunch of howling beasts with big arms and no brain.>

"Not all monkeys are apes, fairy."

<Whatever,> she said dismissively. <And I'm not a fairy. How many times must I tell you this? I'm a demon->

"Yeah, yeah, you're a demon working for the system and blah blah blah. You still look like a fairy."

<And you look like a perfectly flammable sack of meat,> she growled.

I shook my head, putting on a nonchalant act even though my heart wanted to leap out of my chest at the thought of her going through with that threat. "Humans aren't flammable, actually. The body's water content is too high."

<What. Ever. You need to build the clay kiln so you can construct the offering bowl. Hop to it; it will probably take you all day.>

"Fine, fine," I muttered, getting to my feet. "Nun! Let's go; we've got a lot of work to do!: