06: In order – David, Kika, Samiel, Luria.
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PoV: Kika.

Kika knew her voice too, was mostly the same. A small bit deeper, but with the same quality as before. Surely the evolution did not put her on a path to no longer be with David, would it? She thought more and harder, because now she was far smarter than before, she could see ways in which Luria might not respond, or not respond in the same way as before.

She raced anyway next to David. Since she had pushed her evolution so far past the priestess stage, those priestess skills may still be there, latent, but without experience for the healing matters. It said her first time to heal a companion should have fifty percent chance or better of success, which must mean more likely to heal than not, but only a small chance to fail.

Well.

Then she should try.

Maybe not different to what David did in the mostly human city, in how he healed the one boy with a broken arm ― she let some part of her seem to flow to the back wound, and saw it close up. It might have been in a healing manner before she did this; but she did want to be sure he got the healing too.

"Husband," she cooed, hearing her voice almost again like she had been, before the evolve.

He looked up, amazed to see the new her.

"K, Kika. I am so sorry. Please, don't-"

"I know. Husband. I will not hurt you, you are still needed, for this world." At his soft sigh, she added, "It is Luria who must suffer."

David looked distracted.

"About that ... again I was not trying to break us apart. But I think Luria is attached to me in a way she never was able to be an equal part of Gabi's existence. And for this, it meant, she wanted more, with me. I, um, don't want you to hate her, but-"

Her eyes glared. Red. Then resumed their normal hazel tone. "She cannot get between husband and wife. Unless she also becomes a wife ― and I will not allow this. You decide, what you want next, David."


PoV: David.

I ... decide?

I'm still hurting, you know.

Not just from having realized I hurt such a small 'innocent' little goblin girl ... eh well that might be a contradiction in terms as I think no goblin is so innocent but anyway-

Kika has grown. To, more like, just a short bit shorter than the goblin king was. Broader across the shoulders. C cup breasts on a body for which B cups are still large enough; the torso, waist, and buttocks thicker somehow; thighs and legs showing more muscular yet still feminine enough; and more. Which means-

More to my scale. Hmm-

I grin, and then so does she.

"We can do all the things, now. Husband."

She said it, before I could.

But I have to frown. "Um. But. To give birth to goblin children, in general is ... well what Gabi said before is-"

"I know. Which is why this 'racial fecundity' is an aspect I gave up, to grow so much."

"Y, you did?"

"It means, David. For the one I make my mate, I will only give birth to his race for children. Your children with me, will be as human as you are. David, husband."

I'm, I'm, I'm what. Grinning suddenly. So much like a slap-happy baboon, thinking we can actually ― do this.

But, Luria.

"Luria."

"... yes master."

The response this time, so faint ― as if she did not want to respond, just yet ― it proved Luria indeed might be cautious or have some ulterior motive, yet.

"Why. Why did you act in this deceitful way?"

"... cannot respond."

What.

"What."

I mean, what-

"Whaaat?"

"David I think Luria is jealous."

"... a system does not get or feel 'jealous', a system finds no logical purpose for an emotional response-"

Luria is so quick to respond a rebuttal.

Hoo boy.

Almost like the Sena AI, version one. And two, now that I think about it ― trying to use logic to explain the illogical reactions. What an outstanding functional malfunction they both were.

... I never did understand the jealousy aspect, either ― or I would have programmed it out if I could have found all the variables.

*sigh*

"Bring us both back, Luria."

"... as you wish."

What, she didn't say master this time-


No. Deeper than that.

Luria (or the system, still not sure which part of the mutual "system" did all this) ... by her own admission, if I can still believe those words ... had 'chosen' me.

Out of how many billion people, again?

And. Why .... just why.

The first answer was the easiest. Luria knew I knew the simplest and easiest 'why' that could be said, on the basis of how Gabi left the domain and mortal world a mess. This is a concrete answer. But it's too easy to just rely on that as the only answer. I mean, even I had to ask myself my own questions, on why I'd develop an AI or robotic construct in the first place. What did I have to prove-

Because. I was ... lonely.

Still too shallow an answer, not the deeper truth I'd looked for? Oh hell, I'd forced myself to the ultimate truth then.

The real answer I'd come to accept about me, about my NEET-ness, and chronic masturbatory or loner lifestyle, is that ... I found it easy to quantify my fellow humans easily betrayed each other, betrayed my family or friends, betrayed ... me. It's easy to push people away, and retreat to reading all I thought I needed, from old fashioned Internet websites, then the holonet pages, to Fwitter, or whatever info sources I could obtain ― to "make" my own friends.

And, from my own experiencing of betrayals, I'd promised, so early on, I would never ... betray ... anyone. Especially not one I'd made a real connection with.

So if Kika is saying she thinks or believes Luria could be jealous ― why. The deeper why, even, for Luria's part.

Luria ... might really have those thoughts herself ... or part of her systems did. Maybe somewhere within her, those values had been examined, maybe for even a thousandth of those billions of people, maybe somehow I actually 'measured up' to match some part of the system which could 'take care of' her, in the 'companion' sense.

... um. Should I be concerned-

To be fair. Neither I nor Luria could have foreseen the chance of the goblin king sending orders to have the sisters killed, either one. Or even what I saw as a rational need to find and protect this greatest of worshippers at that moment it was announced by Luria. And the rationality of which events had occurred from before this, I am in this last hour, still only just now coming to understand.

It went like this, if I really do get it.

A slow steady decline ― from some initial balance and effort on the part of the goddess and system ― to a somehow 'negative DP income' fact. A subtle increase in Gabi feeling 'I cannot do this alone' and less of any reliance on Luria's attempt to help her, and this led her to sort of 'give up', a little bit at a time. So why can't Gabi just give up, start screwing around, have a little fun herself, and then a lot of fun, and then even more screwed up fun. Fun, fun, fucking fun dripping all over the place, until she herself at last cannot ignore it, but knows it's too late, she's caught in her own traps.

A trap is like that.

I imagine, the day before yesterday, things got ... harsh ... cruel. Like with the goblin king, maybe suddenly displeased at the twin girls Kari and Kika, for some reason they must have kept talking about Gabi or the book, or her teachings. But the goblin king did not want this for his people. Or even up to this point, maybe Gabi still had hope of a better change ― right up until the king ordered one or both of their death(s).

... I can almost see it, as I can still recall Gabi's sickening cough and wheeze as she tried to inform me, "hey it's your world now, do what you want with it". Those words still ring sad in my ears. But before it got to such a point, she'd first had the realization, Luria should just go ahead and find someone to take over for her. In what Luria said, the system had attempted to control the anarchy in the world or system, through perhaps keeping Gabi busy ... which might not have worked so well. So Gabi, with a sick body (and sick mind, maybe) gave in, finally saying it, in what Luria/system might have taken in a maddening way: "Okay, fine ― do the damn search then, see if I care. And you pick, I do not care any more!"

... oh ... Gabi ... why. Why let yourself get so sick, so distraught, so unable to bring it back-

Luria would have likely asked for confirmation or permission, just to ensure Gabi was not being facetious or glib. She wasn't glib, she was sure. For Gabi to give permission, meant ... all system calculations were at last reaching some terminal/failure point; a proper deity would have to be found. Someone who would stay, and who would fix things. For Gabi even to have known, it is her who is bringing it all down to nothing-

Yeah things might have been drawing toward a harsh close on Gabi's life here. How long had she dealt with a 'negative DP income', to get so low? Maybe first pushing it off to 'fix it later'; then to 'this is too hard'; and finally ... 'okay, whatever, time for me to go'.

But what did he do after she'd dumped it all on him, after stumbling around through stepping in some things and running nose and dick right into a wall? He started ... cleaning. Cleaning, more cleaning, and reading the manual for the system install.

... must have been such a friggin' relief, to Luria/system oversight.


PoV: Goblin warrior Kursk.

"K, king, king. Hear what Gukka say-"

King there. Mating with daughter. King mad at daughter, or daughter mad at king? Dunno, looks both mad. Wait till done? Yes but thing to say, important. Kursk not want forget.

With loud roar, king done then. Push daughter aside like any male goblin do, then glare at Kursk.

"Kursk. Speak."

"Follow Gukka. Like order. See fight, hear human say story with Kika. Chased off Kika, they parted. Human tell Gukka, things to say Kika. Not see Kika then, but see Gukka attack human when back turned."

"Is good. Human dead then. No more talk of book or goddess or Kari or Kika now. Tell Gukka, go hunt now."

"... but."

"Aah?"

"King. Not done. Kika in area but hid, she run attack Gukka for Gukka attack human. Say, human is mate. Say 'husband' word again."

King eyes. Red. GLARE.

"GUAAAH! RARRR!"

Even goblin princes duck, run for cover. King daughter hide behind king back.

Kursk, still not done, but ... king be more angry at next words? Be angry true if not tell but king hear from other.

"Gukka stab human in back, Kika show for fight, Gukka turn Kika blade back to her and then go stab human back again and again-"

"... Is done or no?!"

"No done. Not done now."

"... tell."

"Human grab branch, swing, throw back Gukka to tree. But. Kursk see, what Gukka not see. Kika ... ee vawv-"

"WHAT!"

"Kika, become new goblin. Goblin queen. Big as king. Fight with much strength and anger."

Room now, silence. No goblin say word. Idiot Lummi make gas noise, but he not count-

"Kika slash Gukka he leap to human. Kika stand above Gukka, say one more time. 'leave husband alone, Gukka'. Then Kika go to be human side."

Glare, eyes so red, king face must be hot.

Orders, shouted to princes and generals, and all of goblin army. Is time, king say, we find human and finish fight. Either human David be die, or goblin army tear apart near village.

Goblins run this way, goblins run that way, but ... Kursk, still not done?

"King. Hear last words Gukka tell, not sure Kika hear. Gukka say, 'Kari still alive'."

King stand suddenly, mass of goblin male, stomp on ground, make whole cave shake.

"Kill human! Kill Kari! Kill Kika! Kill all in way! Ready war attack!"


PoV: David.

Nononononoooo! Wait, waitwaitWAIT!

Backup bub. BAAAAACK UUUUUP bub.

Not just ... not merely just for me cleaning and cleaning and fixing the things here, being the reason for Luria's relief. But. More.

Let's think about things, deeper than this. For the real picture of things from before, I'd like to ask Luria for how long this domain existed, how much had this space been developed, before the sudden slide. How much would have been 'sold off' or traded for a few DP here or there, just to get by, or-

What, what's the real reason for a 'negative DP income' ... huh?

I mean, like, what the hell happened, either to deities in general, or to Gabi personally, or to her space here, or to the world, or to the people in it.

But.

Can I trust Luria's answer.

N,

no.

Maybe not. At least, not entirely.

I sigh ... and sigh again.

Debugging a deific system, of someone else's creation and design no less, was not something I'd ever think myself capable of doing ― but no less necessary, before we go on here. Lines of code are lines of code, no matter whether the hand who wrote them were a deity or a mortal. As long as the code followed some programming language syntax ... even I could in time make the same systems the other deities had.

I do imagine too, in that earlier thought, how Gabi might have started out ― even Luria could guess she had the best of intentions, the best motives. Even if going by what the goblins and their king had said, or inferred, Gabi did try ... and try, at first.

Did she expand her realm here, too much or too soon for practicality? Try living the high life? Like a rich person? Well yeah if you don't come by it through hard work, you're not gonna respect a wealthy or affluent way in which you then live. I'd seen it too, in the 'nouveau riche' lifestyles, coming up in the world after I did. To them rich youngsters after the world fall and rise again, and especially to those handed or inheriting the new wealth, everything was 'throwaway' and 'disposable'. They did not earn. One. Damned. eBit.

But Gabi. Did she really create this world, or rather did she somehow come to take ownership? Are 'failed worlds' somehow up on auction or sale, somewhere, for a good intentioned being to control? Because a lot of her latent mindset, for the how and why things turned out the way they did, really do come from this. A god creating a world surely must have love for his or her creation. I mean if I were an author or something writing out how Gabi did this or that, I'd want to be damned sure to know this is how and why, so as to understand why she turned out so bad, and where to go next. No less a necessity for 'DPS' ― me, if this is the real life, you know.

So. Could I then apply what I'd experienced ... to Gabi. Then, can I come to understand her, through assuming she, too, also had experienced some betrayal. Like I did.

If ... she turned to the introvert, isolated, sickened, weakened goddess she had become ― she might not have been so different ... from a younger me.

At least. I will not think such hateful thoughts about Gabi, now. Maybe if any of my perceptions are correct, then I could even give her some compassion ... as if I could ever see her again-

The funny thing is ... if Gabi through her own ego or vanity or whatever made various forms of things look like her ― Luria the system's form, nude Garden statues, Garden and Workshop staffers and so on ― and if Luria for one chose me to be her match ― am I. Am I also ... a match ... for the real Gabi.

Gabi.

Ga. Bi.


Kika shook my shoulder, while I'm still standing here in the bedroom.

"Yeah, yeah, off to bed for me-"

I'd made it this far, intending to lay down for a rest and recuperation; but somehow in the middle of all these thoughts ― zoned out. Not the first time in my life (previous) I'd done this. Been working on something so seriously, came to a sudden line of internal query or awareness, and ... someone had to ask if I were okay. Shocking as hell to those on the outside; but then again, one of my best friends then said 'genius comes at such a price'. Damn it, she did say it.

Or even now, I'd still be thinking "I'm only human, right."

But back to Gabi, or thought of.

If Luria is truly a clone, or copy, of the image of Gabi ― easy enough to say yes, seeing as Kika once before knelt in 'worship' asking forgiveness when first coming here ― then Gabi must have been be-au-ti-ful. As a woman of any race, not even saying as goddess. Not wrong to say, if she'd let me see her, even sick and all, I might have ... I don't know, "fallen in love at first sight" ... or something, and begged to take care of her. "In sickness and in health". HA.

Probably any young boy's wet dream, when she walked among this mortal world, in the peak of health and all.

D, did this, m, maybe, go to her head?

The opposite side of what I'd thought before. Not so much 'vanity' but true 'ego'. So much so, maybe, she reached the heights of what she could do with it, and then didn't know what to do, after. They say a fall from such heights is the hardest upon those who rely only on their looks. I guess, maybe it's true; I've never been so perfectly handsome myself to know.

I am positive of this: she is not, was not, and will not be, a stupid person; but even being smart and having good looks, it's easy to let 'winning looks' win out over smarts. So. No matter where her 'moving on up' takes her in her existence after this, I do hope she finds something that works out for her. And if I can ever tell her face to face, I ... I want to thank her. (Maybe not for a sticky loincloth to the face.)

Let my clothes all drop to the floor, I'm fully nude, and slip under the (single) bed sheet. Kika slips in next to (practically on top of) me, as we share the twin size bed now just a little cramped for two. Tomorrow; fix it tomorrow-

Kika's reaching for my penis, going straight for with an eager grip- No. I hold her back, for now.

"Understand if I cannot use much energy?"

She nods silently. "Want to do it, now that it's not a problem," she sighed. "But, I will wait. Only until tomorrow!"

But, the metrics, between her and I. Standing before we got into the bed, her forehead then came to my nipples in height. Eye level to just under my pecs/chest; and her groin just down a couple centimeters below my own bits. I mean, laying down they'd match fine, things can be done now with no problem physically. It's a far better solution than a smaller Kika saying "Silly David you are too big for me".

On the contrary. The form of 'Luria' stood at my own height, as if we were genetically designed as biological beings to match up and mate up, part to part. A scaled up version of Gabi. By which I can also say, Gabi herself is less tall than Luria shows herself of course, though Gabi was still slightly taller than Kika now too; but not by much.

Who knows, maybe for the Luria who succeeded at getting me here, it's a form of 'psychological warfare' against me being attracted to anyone/anything else, even against the eventual likelihood of Gabi coming back to this realm and turning my head. Did Luria think in this way? Might she think to 'hint' I should like her instead of a failed goddess, who was shorter and thus could not 'match up to' me? In one way, or another.

I'm almost sick of the depths of scrutiny I'm going into, pondering these things about an absent goddess, without her here to give her own input.

Well. To get input.

There is ... one option. Or two, really.

The 'Deity Shopping Space' room ― it connects to a different realm where deities can go do a 'direct shopping' ― instead of virtually buying things through a screen. Just a space, with a portal connection, and ... just step through the portal and shop shop shop! Not much need to expand this one room, unless expanding the 'maximum mass transferrable' via any transaction to/from the shopping space to here or there.

And the other. A 'Deity Lounge' for more ... relaxed, entertainment venues. Deities mingling and dating and 'coupling', and so on. Eh ... I'd not be much use in that kind of scene-

Might I even meet her? Gabi, for real ― somewhere, someday? Would she see me as an equal then, or-

Costs though ― shopping space for fifty DP, or lounge space for one hundred fifty DP; if I had the cost then all it'd take is to pick it and place it, and ... enter the space.

Or I would, if I weren't sure those same fifty or more DP wouldn't be needed elsewhere, and soon. Yeah cancel, this, cancel that, drop out of the main screen-

I sorta hate this. I hate still now having to need Luria's "help" in building ties and connections in the mortal world, to here; and more so that I cannot fully "trust" Luria again, if I did before this.

It is not as if Luria is consciously trying to destroy the system which even holds her own consciousness, is she. But if she presses me to a singular relationship with 'her' and nobody else ... how can that be any good, in the long term-

Which brings up a valid worry. Trust. Or lack of trust. If I were to meet Gabi, should I trust her, more or less than I should trust Luria? Hmm maybe it's more "how much trust do I want to give out, or how much trust can I risk of being betrayed in its behalf".

It's a consideration. Do I want to meet the real Gabi, whatever she is called.

... I do.

Not joking.

"I do."

"... do what, David-"

Ugh. I just spoke this out loud, did I?

"Uh, I spoke out loud, right-"

"Yes David. I hear you sometimes speak things, I do not know why you say them. You do what."

"Just thinking. I would really like to meet the real Gabi, and ask all the questions I wish I'd asked in the first place. It might put into context the actions of not only her, not only the mortals in the world, not only the system managing this space and all, not only Luria-"

"What do you mean?"

"-but all of it. Everything, all together. Something about this does not seem right, yet. Some deeper detail I have to learn about, and fix a problem, and then this world can be at its best."

"... master. What if the problem is the whole deity system."

Treason!

Or, relatively so. Luria, speaking out against the system controlling or even only holding her? What could it be, but some form of 'treasonous activity'-

Surely not treason, against me. I'm not a proper deity, yet. But a thought or intent against another part of 'the system' itself? Was Luria/the system so compartmentalized?

Or, maybe Luria somehow likens herself to being a 'slave'. With or without her own desires; and from being allowed a freedom to 'pick' the one who came here-

I am, now, beginning to think ... maybe Gabi had experienced the flaws in the system ... that I have yet to experience. Will experience soon.

"Then such a problem would have to be explained, so that if a correction is needed, it can be performed."


I'm about to sleep for once, when I feel a nudge from Kika. She's probably wondering if I am asleep or awake yet, and probing gently without fully waking me.

"Hmm?"

"Oh uh, just wondering, David. About ... now since I have ... evolved ... how do you see me. Am I still someone you might set aside? F, for, Lu-"

An almost 'human' query, from Kika.

"Nope. You are here, I won't abandon you. If you had your own reasons to leave me, then I would let you go for your own way. But if you did wish to stay here and I also want you to be here ― not even Luria could force you from me. Got that, you two?"

"Y, yeah."

"... yes ... master."

"Good. Because. In order ― David, Kika, Samiel, Luria. Like that."

"But master-"

"What, Luria."

"... n, nothing. Master."

I'm not trying to be a jerk; really I'm not. But right now, I don't want a certain 'fighting' between Kika and Luria, for example. Not sure I'd see the problem if Samiel was here, at least until she got the same kinds of treatment (or mistreatment) from the system/Luria/whatever. Samiel, eh ... pretty happy-go-lucky, being a dungeon mistress and lamia aside from that.

Or maybe would me having more 'mates' reinforce upon Luria, how much I would be needing the physical deeds without waiting upon her? Or lessen her desire/imperative/controls for seducing me to her?

"But otherwise David ... we are good?"

"Yeah well I could use something to eat, and still need more time for rest first, but I can wait til later."

"David. I can reach the counter now, you know-"

I open one eye, and she is grinning fiercely. Then the other eye.

"But ... aren't you hurt too, like I was?"

"Evolve took away most of it; and for the rest, I am feeling well enough to move, in your place. I want to ... be useful."

"Okay then. I'm happy you can now reach places to have this option. Do as you feel like doing, I'll eat what you provide-"

She pressed her lips on mine, and I take in some of her saliva, giving her mine in return. An exploratory tongue slid inside my mouth too, and I pondered the difference from the human tongue, in this; maybe she did as well.


As she returned in a short time, I had my eyes again closed, but a piece of fruit pressed to my lips was all it took. I sat up a small ways, propping pillow behind my back, and letting this goblin queen feed me.

So cute, Kika ... in any form. The physique and strength of a goblin queen, the shyness and simplicity of the acolyte she was before, and the eagerness to perform as a 'wife'.

I can seriously feed myself, you know ― and she knows it too, but I'm letting her do this. Must be, some kind of bonding relationship exercise? Trust. I do, I trust Kika.

Is she still the same girl who gave me the most worship mana, just a day before? Don't know; even since the earlier betrayal scene and now her sudden 'evolution' to something more ... I don't have the metrics on that; only Luria does.

Would it be rude to ask Luria if Kika is still the number one, if Kika herself is right here-

No I don't need to know ― I love Kika, either way. I said it, when Gukka stabbed me.

L, love-

I still fear, though, what Luria had said, might be true. I don't know what changed in the goblin mindset, from when Kika was still 'little'; but the 'larger' her seems to be more equal to me, in more ways than just an apparent size.

The face is all fine now ― well one small wart on the cheek, but even that is no deal-breaker for me. Even lends her a certain charm or grace, in how her imperfections make me see the whole her. Her row of sharp teeth inside the mouth, still scary menacing, if I didn't know she liked me back then I'd be worried, because she could literally chew me up.

Her firm mild green breasts, faint blue veins tracing their paths through the new tissues, now are not inferior to the her of a smaller size; they even outweigh what a holographic Luria shows off, hidden behind the simulated clothing. Nipples already the size of a human woman's, areola both colored a deep reddish greenish tint, look so ... well I'd fondle and suckle those quite well thank you.

Her whole body seems warm ... maybe even slightly sweaty now too, as she leans across my side still feeding me. Or, maybe that's a goblin pheromone ― I see the upper chest, a triangle starting roughly at the front of the shoulders and running down through the space between the breasts ― are a slight bit more sweaty, than most other places. As the cover is pulled over our bodies, I cannot see if her groin is also ... so moist. But if I know my own body ― I am ready, at least-

I stopped chewing, then swallowed, followed by grabbing the plate and setting it aside. With my own grin, I pull the sheet aside-

"Thought David wanted to wait-"

"... as you can see, it's like this."

Erect. More than that, ready to go.

"Also is my time and mood too," came her inviting grin.


Oh we did all the things. If this room had chandeliers we probably would have been swinging off of them, too.

Both of us were eager, energetic, and 'into it'. Nothing could have stopped us ... well at least nothing did. No hints or warnings from Luria, no sudden notices telling of an event from elsewhere-

Kika had been surprised too, at the presence of a hymen, when she knew one should not be there. Just as surprising for me, as Kika dug in with fingers and a growl when I pushed into her; but she understood on her own what had happened, and then had resumed with her own forcefulness.

But now. Kika laid here beside me, also sleepy and quicker to fall than I. Even as she was still almost to the sleeping effect, her face had been so ... wide grinning. As in, not the casual cautious grin she normally had in my presence; but now after the sex, a wholly satisfied look of ... 'completion'. I had just made her a wife, my wife, in whatever words her book had to say about it.

So I might someday soon have a bouncing babby at my feet, right. Or. Maybe more, at once.

Well the status I can still see on Kika, indicates she's now outside the 'traditional' development path for a goblin royal evolution. So what. But the part I key in on, says ― something to the effect of goblin matings do produce maybe three or four babies per pregnancy. Is this going to breed on through with her and I, or was that part of the fecund or feral part lost?

It's this part I'm not sure goes on through the new generation of ... whatever race I should call Kika now. A 'goblinoid' sort of. Not 'true goblin' like I saw for the king and his army. But for her saying any child she bears for me will be human ― then would they also have this. I consider; any male child might not make a difference here; but any female child of ours, also being able to be pregnant with progeny of the other parent's race ― human society might consider 'fortunate' at best, 'an abomination', at worst-

Or only if it should come to be so widely known. Any female child growing up and becoming attached to a mortal, would then have to be made aware of these little details ― a shocking or eye-opening time for her.

I ... will be ... a father. For the first time in my existence.

Oh I'd thought about it; but on Earth ― human with machine, the only copulating I'd really done ― not even I could design such a melding of flesh and composites.

Even the Sera AI ― once ― mentioned wanting it.

Children.

... maybe I programmed Sera, too well-

Large sigh, this time. Repeat, then I get up.

Time to ... confront Luria ― directly.


Luria is ― seems ― smaller. Like, only one quarter the size she 'normally' shows herself, to be. I hadn't seen this yet, because after going after Kika I had not stepped into this corner of the room.

But. Only to one fourth of the previous height ... did this indicate some fluctuation, some uncertainty within an "AI like" core system guiding her thoughts? If I were her developer ... this might be one way I'd let the system show me what's going on-

Even so. I'm not nude since I've put on clothes as I slipped from the bed earlier. So when this diminutive holographic form looks up to me, and also glances at the covered part of me in front of her, I'm okay with it but just as well hoping to keep this brief.

"Luria. About the situation, down there-"

"Master, I have noticed too. The king is amassing his army right now."

Huh?

"HUH?"

"... you did not see it, master?" Eyes again going to my erect part, then back up to my eyes. "But in the last hour ... the goblin tribe has been 'gearing up' I believe you would say, for an assault against a nearby site; up to two places are likely as the destination. One is the nearest village to the southwest of the goblin tribe; the other is one of the nearer of cities to the east/northeast."

"So if I want to intervene, what ― pick one and hope I'm not wrong?"

"The direction they go will be evident once the king and his armies depart."

"Still, that ... might not give any lead time. What if I wanted to go inform the villagers, I might still be trying to convince them of acting when the goblins just show up."

"Master, this is always a potential side effect, of not being more visible to the mortals."

"You know, I feel like I still only just got here, Luria."

Small eyes, still only watched and blinked, in time with an algorithm similar to one I too had worked on, once.

"I do understand the need for me to visit places ... er, even outside my comfort zone. I'll give you that point. But for me, I'd wish some small 'time of adjustment' for now being in a new space-"

"Worlds do not always work like this. Master."

"... aah yeah. I know." I scratch my chin, for the small hairs maybe forming the beginnings of a beard. "And ... your visual size or scale, right now?"

"... due to events, it is calculated, master does not need this Luria to be so ... large. Plus it reduces the DP expense for this aspect, by one sixtieth of a point per hour."

Uh huh. I thought so.

"... about the other ... earlier ... thought, though. Me and you."

Tiny Luria, so cute too when blushing. But not as cute as Kika!

"So as I think it over, it's more a pragmatic matter: whether part of you needs this type of physical contact, instead of doing it only for my behalf. I'm fine with other mortals ― since coming here I've experienced it twice now. Kika is good for me, for now, and the choice she made, works. Unless even the system 'computes' things like the future of any children-"

"... it does, master. For technical reference, it is computed your heirs may have between seventeen and fifty three percent chance of inheriting 'powers' or 'systems' from you. But also, between thirty one and seventy nine percent chance of gaining traits from Kika. These percentages may grow or decrease based on other factors-"

"Well then I don't care to dig too deep in that, just yet; but I do want some spontaneity for now. So if you want a physical body to 'do those things' too, then yes, but only as an option, not something to take the place of the others." I paused for a second, then added, "I am not trying to deprive you of something you might need, for self growth; but on the other side, I am not going to just permit anything from idle curiosity."

"... understood. Master."

"Also. There is one other option ... that of my 'master roboticist' past ― I could in some way build a body for Luria separate from the system, to some extent, but still connected. Only when I have all the parts, and a workspace to do it."

And, Luria 'grew' back to her full size again.

... I think we're okay ... for now. No further burning issues between us-

Well. Now it's the goblin army. And either a small village, or a large city. If I am considering the logistics of this, I'd rather a goblin army try against a city than a village, though-


PoV: Samiel.

"Mistress Samiel ... ?"

The lamia looked back from her 'screen' she'd just now learned to use, and looked calmly to her first summoned entity.

A faint small pixie, only the length of Samiel's own longest finger, flitted about the room now.

Her dungeon core spirit. So scared ... kind of like Samiel herself had been, the first time Gabi had left her in this space, to 'go run a dungeon or something'.

"Yes, Indra?"

"I felt it. The second time, something is happening above us."

Samiel thought. She didn't really have 'senses' going out that far; and she was now thankful even to have such a faint sense coming from one so small as this one.

"Is it ... David? Or, something else-"

"Mistress. I do not know a 'David'."

Her eyes narrowed in kind thoughts, glad for the memories of the successful male/female coupling she'd had, not something she had done, even on Earth.

"... you will, Indra, you will. But, can you tell me anything else, about what you sensed, or sense now?"

"Yes mistress. It feels ... I think many lives. Many of one type of lives, up there. Creatures? Little, maybe ... green? One hundred seventy nine, and ... one really big one of them, equal to seven others in strength."

Goblins.

Samiel had only just recently seen her first one, a minor companion of her David ... who'd come here saying ... something.

Oh yeah, it's because the goblin girl was the first most worshipful one in this world, and then second is Samiel herself-

And she didn't care to know if there even was a third next worshipper. Probably so but she didn't care to know yet. Maybe if Samiel could also somehow steal her way into first place?

The little green goblin girl, she didn't look like much. No threat value, by herself. Oh sure she'd glared, but Samiel had just let it pass as ineffective to her. If she'd even responded to some tiny thought from her, it might give her some idea, she could be ... dangerous? HAAAAA-

But in the end, Samiel had been able to have time with her man, enough to sate her desire ... and dungeon points. Not kidding; time with David literally filled up the 'DP Counter' from a paltry three points she'd been struggling to make grow, to a one thousand point limit ... plus everything in excess lost to 'overflow' alerts.

Really. Right at the second of her first orgasm ... her view overflowed with all those faint boxes saying ― 'excess DP lost and unrecoverable' and 'please create a DP storage system'.

She didn't know what those meant, until David gave her the new system, and she had a proper 'help system' along with it.

Then, summoning her first helper, Indra. So timid and shy, but at least she is one entity to inhabit the core, and interface to the core data.

To this point, all the time since David had been here ... oh and the little green thing too ... Samiel had worked to expand the dungeon, as well as the 'DP storage' aspect. At least, from one thousand, to now over five thousand.

Let David come back, and have a repeat affair ... and see, if even then, he'd fill up the counter again.

Samiel could only clear her throat, and again consider this report. Not so easy being a school girl, not so long ago, dying from a disease while her loving brother held her hand ... to suddenly come here, years ago and just exist as ... what. Nothing.

For decades of time spent alone here, with only recently Gabi popping in for sex and a snack ... using up what few DP Samiel could earn ... life had been harsh. Even Gabi couldn't give her the compassion she craved. Only David now could hold her with the compassion like she got from a brother once, back in those days on Earth.

"Well whatever. It does not affect us, unless they come here. And I think, even if the dungeon entrance cannot ever be disconnected from being entered by mortals, at least I've found out how to setup a 'door' so they cannot just walk in without challenging a door. Or, what's that called, a trap-"

But now. The first time Indra reported sensing something, she said she felt only three, or possibly four. And one turned into another type of creature, bigger too.

Confusing, but not important.

Now ... back to configuring the system here-


PoV: David.

Logistics-

Back on Earth, I'd thought I did rather well with logistic ... 'business logistics'. Had a knack for it. If I exerted my will toward anything necessary for development of the AI and robotics technologies ... I'd have it done, simply.

I got my way ... yes. I did it 'my way'.

But 'my way' also did good for the people of Earth. The aforementioned 'domestic' robots/AI partners, as well as service workers alleviating a lot of the workforce inadequacies. Commerce, industry, social needs ... whatever you call them, my machines ... performed. Well so 'my way' might also have forced a revelation of certain governmental inadequacies, ... as well as offered a solution.

... no, I am not going to claim responsibility for the toppling of the world governments! Nor for the third world war!

Only, my machines ... even the few V1 and V2 models remaining after their expected lifetime service of fifteen plus years ... even as their physical forms wore out, the programmed aspects were often still utilizable.

But again, logistics. The logistics of being here.

Confront the goblins in their base ― or wait until they take off from their home, 'catch them red handed' in the act ― or merely go ahead to their target and prepare a defense.

Which one?

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