Rhonda was floating in and out of consciousness. Above her, the System’s blue message prompt was rattling off all the things she earned from defeating Garmr. It was hard for her to care when she was suffering the greatest pain she had ever endured yet.

Her face and chest were suffering incredibly. She could smell the cooked flesh of her arms. It was a relief that her own roasted scent didn’t draw her hunger!

Her stomach still yearned for food, desperately so, which only added to her agony. All while the System demanded her attention when she was having a terrible time concentrating. The moment she tried to focus on one thing⁠—such as the stuff about classes⁠—her mind broke down. Her mind was like a traveler lost in a thick fog that descended on a thoroughfare⁠—and the fog was on fire.

If only she were back in the void, where she was a floating sapient mind in peace with the eternal nothingness. A restful mind that would never hunger, never get hurt. Perhaps if she allowed herself to succumb to her wounds⁠—

Rhonda, my goddess, I’m going to make some decisions for you on distributing points again, Londa said. You’re totally out of it. You’re… you’re leaning toward suicidal inclinations again. And when you get like this, it’s horrible because I can’t do anything for you other than be in your head, my love. I’m putting points in Intellect and Faith to mitigate this.

Would those really help? Rhonda doubted it. Londa was simply being…

Huh.

Whoa.

A sensation like tiny lightning bolts zipped and zapped around inside of her head. It was an odd feeling, but Rhonda was not necessarily opposed to it. She sensed the strange commotion in her brain was achieving a purpose.

The more she ruminated on it, the more she discovered she was being transformed mentally. The more she discovered she was in the midst of a mindful breakthrough, the more she cavorted with her erudition of established vernacular.

Nobility wasn’t just a title, after all. There was higher education involved. One could not be a proper lord or lady leading a house and the land's serfs without the full measure of critical thought derived from the pedagogy that sharpened the mind on the edges of book pages and essay papers. Contrary to popular belief, Giants could write and read!

Though, she supposed it would best to speak and think with simpler words. It smoothed the work involved when expressing complex ideas⁠—and Rhonda was well aware that being smarter would not stop her from being antithetical toward more unnecessary work. It was also a waste of time trying to showoff an increased vocabulary when it was faster and easier to say things plainly.

With that in mind, whatever Londa did to Rhonda’s Intellect was absolutely helpful! This initial foray into her repertoire of language that she had no recollection of until now aided the giantess in keeping her mind off her burn pains.

Then Rhonda wondered how the points spent on Faith helped her. She waited to see if she was spiritually changed. Would she be inclined to worship a deity that wasn’t the Administrator or the System? Or was it more of an intrinsic change?

Rhonda hummed as she felt around inside herself mindfully and spiritually. She sensed that she could steer a voyage above the river of pain because the unseen Attributes were high enough for it. She more than wanted to admit that Londa’s service to her had gone above and beyond yet again and deserved the highest of praise. It would most certainly pair greatly with a sincere apology for the unseemly loss of her temper earlier. She would have to find time to apologize to Londa later when they were alone and had nothing else to distract them so Rhonda could truly devote her attention to her submissive partner.

Rhonda, you’re… different, Londa said. I only raised your Intellect to 10, and now I can feel your brain running way smoother than before.

It was all I needed, my adoring servant, Rhonda replied. I’m lead to believe it’s the Noble Giant Bloodline. While I won’t pretend I’ll be an absolute wizard with a paltry 10 in Intellect, it’s all I’ll need to express myself thoroughly as a—supposedly⁠—supreme Giant being raised in nobility. We’ve met a critical baseline for that Attribute. You… you helped me become a more incredible version of me.

Oh, oh wow! So I didn’t waste your points. Londa sighed, sounding relieved. I was worried that I was making the wrong decision or something. And, hey, you sound soooo sophisticated. Gosh, you’re already strong, now you’re like this proper lady of the court, all snazzy.

Mmm, I’m merely adjusting to the new boost in my mentality, lovely, but soon I’ll better understand my linguistic preferences when I get the time. It’s a little difficult right now with the burn pains. Thankfully, you made a stellar judgment in raising my Faith, saving me from dark wanderings that would forgo our dreams. You really are the best support a Giant such as myself can have, especially when one must endure these misadventures that are bound to occur.

Excuse me while I go find a corner to die in. FROM ABSOLUTE JOY! One compliment from my mistress, and it’s like I’m floating through heaven. Ohmygoshthisissoawesssssoooome.

Rhonda’s lips curled upward.

 

You can heal if you evolve. Will you evolve? Yes? Or no?

 

Oh, shoot, we gotta, like, make a decision, don’t we? Londa asked.

That’s a ridiculous assumption, Rhonda said. Not of you, my dear, but of the System. I’m the master decider, and it can wait.

But it says it can heal you, Londa informed.

One does not agree to terms without consideration. Rhonda clicked her tongue. It is the fastest path to enslavement. I may suffer, but I will not be made to be taken advantage of so easily. Besides, I have more natural means to fix my current condition.

Big R, if it were anyone else, your voice and tone would get all the eye rolls! But hearing you be all haughty now is… like… so perfect. I’m with you one hundo. How may I serve you next?

With minimal thought needed, Rhonda instructed her devoted servant to input ability points into [Healthy Eater]. They had collected [4] AP from the level ups and had another point stored that wasn’t spent. Londa returned with noteworthy news: [Healthy Eater] maxed out at level 5.

Save the last AP for a later occasion, Rhonda ordered.

Yes, mistress, Londa answered.

The next matter of importance was to regulate her hunger and to induce rapid health regeneration. It shouldn’t be a tall order since there were pieces of Garmr on either side of her. Rhonda hesitated nonetheless, for she feared another assault on her stomach through one of her greatest joys in life⁠—feasting.

I think it’ll be okay this time, Londa said, encouraging.

Yes, I-I believe so as well. Still worrying, but I must feast.

The giantess rolled painstakingly onto her side. She refrained from shouting while she moved to her knees without the aid of her arms. Once there, she shuffled over to the squashed remains of Garmr’s torso and head.

Rhonda furrowed her brow and pursed her lips thoughtfully.

She could see that she might’ve gone overboard with squashing Garmr. Regardless, she had to eat. So she licked and ate from the floor. She nibbled up what she could find of Garmr’s upper body and was immediately rewarded by [Healthy Eater] for the effort.

After she scraped up the mess with her mouth, she shuffled over to Garmr’s lower body and devoured it like any proudly rapacious glutton. This time she was able to use her hands without wanting to scream and cry.

It wasn’t a nutritiously sufficient meal, unfortunately. The meat was charred, the bones were brittle, and it lacked juicy fat.

Still, Rhonda’s appetite was undeterred. It was Garmr’s destiny to become a part of the giantess. The boss enemy would serve her by ensuring her survival and independence, advancing Rhonda’s simple agenda to do as she pleased while being Londa’s mighty heroine.

---

 

Will you evolve? Yes? Or no?

 

Rhonda’s eyes fluttered open from her nap. Beneath her was a pile of fur pelts, wool shirts, gambesons, and other acquisitions to create a makeshift bed. As for her blanket: she used a lavishly soft white fur pelt that she was sure her mother⁠—Scadyia⁠—would wear over her armor when striding out to battle. It was quite large for Rhonda, but it provided her warmth and comfort and engaging imaginations of her mother. She could see vivid images of the Frost Giantess looking regal and ferocious all at once while being at Scogof's side.

“Mother,” Rhonda said softly.

The memories of her character’s background were sharper now. They arrived in packages of crisp images and near intelligible sounds. It was a welcomed addition, but it would not shake Rhonda’s faith in her true identity. She was the wish of Londa coming true, not the character of this body.

If she wanted to be contrarian to keep alternative options in mind, though, Rhonda could be open to merging more with the character’s background if it assisted her and Londa’s aims. Perhaps they were meant to be three that shared this body. It would be misrepresentative of Rhonda if she pretended her new noble attitude was purely her own creation.

Ah, yes, once Rhonda thought about it more, she realized it would be an ill mistake to dismiss the background character. She imagined both she and the character would answer the System similarly since it disrupted Rhonda’s sleep.

Cold silence. A page out of Mother's book.

 

Rhonda... Will you evolve? Yes? Or no?

 

Is it me, or is the System bugging? Londa said. Like it’s pestering really hard.

I sense its annoyance at my lack of a response, Rhonda replied. It’s desperate. For what reasons I can’t deduce yet. But I do not trust it, my dear.

Me neither, Big R. What will we do about it?

After a few seconds of serious contemplation, Rhonda erupted into booming laughter. It was a rich, boisterous, and lovely guffaw that bounced off the walls of the giant armory. It soared through the hole in the ceiling and ever higher into the new night that had arrived while the giantess was slumbering and digesting Garmr.

She soon regathered her composure and returned a reply to Londa. What else will we do when you’re with the likes of myself? We enjoy the slow moments thoroughly. We wriggle our toes, stretch our limbs, and shift back into our covers. We let the wonders of sleep whisk us away from the madness we’ve suffered, away from the demands of vermin and trashy boys, and be pleased with ourselves. Only when the correct inclination to move strikes us will we exercise action and enter the course of our next adventure.

Mistress Queen Goddess Rhonda, I love the divinity of your style.

It is difficult to properly master the slothful way, but you are in luck by being at my side, Londa, my number one pet.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh my gooooooooooob. I’m going to my corner now. I can’t take your attention anymore. I’m melting.

With a big grin, Rhonda continued to ignore the blue prompt and returned to her rest. The System should understand by now that the lazy giantess would take action when only necessary. Such as when her hunger pains peaked enough to rouse her fully.

Until then, Rhonda snoozed contently.

Zzz.

Zzz.

Zzz.