The moment I bent to touch the blade, I sensed a more intense wrath from the king. Perhaps he thinks the same of me, of what I just thought of him capable of doing. Ignoring it, I pulled the weapon upright, so I can look at it properly, beyond my brief analysis from a distance.

The wood handle seems too soft to use for the axe; but from what I also may be sensing around here, I cannot see any stronger woods like oak to use. The goblin craftsmen probably tried a lot of wood ― probably a lot of them died at the king's hand for failing, too ― but at last had done with this, something to at least hold together for a while. But it would not last, like this. Even if I can fix this one thing, it would again break, because my 'fix' is only to condense the weaker woods together, to make something stronger.

At least in the earlier part of the day in Gabi's domain, I'd used already the status screen, while cleaning filth in the kitchen; so at least I know how to examine this much.

• Item: Double Headed War Axe
  Rarity: Legendary
  Maker: Firewood Stormace of the Northern Dwarven Mines
  Description: Made as the first of twin weapons crafted for Firewood Stormace to attain his master craftsman's license, this was presented as a gift to the dwarven king himself. Later stolen by raiding goblins while King Leodanis of the Northern Dwarven Mines was asleep in the woods after a drunken orgy with the forest elves.
  Properties:
  - Head: (durability 11/23) heat forged pig iron imbued with subtle repair magic while in the hands of any sentient race. -1 CONS; -1 DEXT; -1 HLTH; -2 PERS; +1 LORE.
  - Handle: (durability 5/9) common cottonwood branch, whittled into shape, may break within the next five uses. -1 DEXT; +2 HLTH; +2 STRN; -2 PERS; +3 WILL.
  - Overall: -1 CONS; -2 DEXT; +1 HLTH; +2 STRN; +1 LORE; -4 PERS; +3 WILL

Touching the item, I can sense I've brought the durability of the parts back to whole, plus one point each part, but can do nothing more at this point. Not much of a miracle fix, is it?

"Wrong type of wood on handle. Need much heavier wood than this." I look around at the goblin army, and see something like what I want. "Hunter Gukka have iron mallet, with handle of wood like work for axe. Find more of same wood, then I fix axe."

• Item: Iron Mallet
  Rarity: Common
  Maker: (unknown)
  Description: A common type of mace used by the soldiers of the human realm of Aynsland Imperium. Taken from an Imperial soldier by rebel necromancer Yehudit, given to his chief bodyguard as a weapon, and later taken by a goblin warrior after the mage and his companions were exterminated (allegedly). The chief bodyguard's body was never found and still might be wandering the world in search of this weapon.
  Properties:
  - Head: (durability 11/15) heat forged iron imbued with lingering intellectual boons for its bearer. +2 HLTH; +2 STRN; +2 INTL; +2 LORE.
  - Handle (durability 9/15) treated great oak wood, imbued with lingering intellectual boons for its bearer. +2 HLTH; +2 STRN; +2 INTL; +2 LORE.
  - Overall: +4 HLTH; +4 STRN; +4 INTL; +4 LORE

"Gukka! Give!"

So the king could deprive one of his own army just for his own benefit? Does this mean the goblins operate in a dictatorial society? Well fine, I am okay with this, as long as it shows proof of my ability to fix or repair something. But also it confirms or at least lends credence to the though of the king not seeing status of things like I can.

I sort of see what needs to be done now. Holding first the axe with one hand on the blade and one on the handle, I focus. "Dismantle." The handle slid out of the axe head's slot; the two pieces I let fall to the ground for now, then repeat the step for the other weapon. "Dismantle."

This done, I have only to unite the separate parts in the different way from what they were before.

First, the axe head with the mallet handle. "Merge." Slowly, I felt the two items come together; but where I thought the mallet handle would just slip through, it somehow changed shape to hold itself in place; maybe the other item would to. "Merge." And ... it did; the cottonwood handle even straightening slightly and becoming less rough. I look at both new weapons, just to see what I have here.

• Item: Double Headed War Axe of Pain
  Rarity: Legendary
  Maker: {error/unknown}
  Description: One of a former pair of axes, this has been repaired by an unknown entity for use by the goblin king G'garsk. It now holds many new aspects and can even attach an ability blessed by a deity.
  Properties:
  - Head: (durability 24/24) heat forged pig iron imbued with subtle repair magic while in the hands of any sentient race. -1 CONS; -1 DEXT; -1 HLTH; +1 LORE; -2 PERS.
  - Handle (durability 16/16) treated great oak wood, imbued with lingering intellectual boons for its bearer. +2 HLTH; +2 STRN; +2 INTL; +2 LORE.
  - Overall: -1 CONS; -1 DEXT; +1 HLTH; +2 STRN; +2 INTL; +3 LORE; -2 PERS;
  Ability: (0/1 contained)
• Item: Iron Mallet of the Valiant Defender
  Rarity: Rare
  Maker: {error/unknown}
  Description: A former common type of mace as is used by many soldiers. This has been repaired by an unknown entity for use by the goblin warrior Gukka of goblin king G'gorsk's tribe. It now holds many new aspects and can even attach two abilities blessed by a deity.
  Properties:
  - Head: (durability 16/16) heat forged iron imbued with lingering intellectual boons for its bearer. +2 HLTH; +2 STRN; +2 INTL; +2 LORE.
  - Handle: (durability 10/10) common cottonwood branch, whittled into shape. -1 DEXT; +2 HLTH; +2 STRN; -2 PERS; +3 WILL.
  - Overall: -1 DEXT; +4 HLTH; +4 STRN; +2 INTL; +2 LORE; -2 PERS; +3 WILL.
  Ability: (0/2 contained)

"Now these are like new weapons. Goblin king's axe, can hold one special ability. Goblin warrior Gukka's mallet can hold two new abilities-"

"Why I not have more!"

"Axe is heavy, take more strength and effort to swing than mallet. Mallet for Gukka is now fit for his size, while axe may still be too big for goblin king."

I'm not lying ... well I would lie to him, but it's less a lie for the sake of lying as it is for giving him second thoughts for attacking me.

"What ability for axe then?"

"I see a choice, two abilities to pick from. One ability lets axe holder have rage and harder attack for ten minutes, and then axe holder be tired for a day; other ability takes axe holder's strength but gives it to rest of companions for one hour."

I won't tell him the third option which is just as likely; surely he'd laugh or kill me outright if I did.

"I pick first one. Better to gain strength of anger for little while, and finish fight, to be able to rest after fight is done."

I cannot defeat this logic; not like I really wanted to. But still, the effect is applied in short time, as the whole weapon glows.

"Gukka have five choices, to pick two for mallet. First choice, heal a companion up to half of damage done to enemy, but only one time per day. Second choice, give strength to one companion made weak for one day, so can do more for the day. Third choice, like what king picked but not, lesser rage but lesser tiredness, less time to be tired, maybe only half day. Fourth choice, let you pick one skill from tribe's shaman and learn it, to cast it one time per day, but only while holding mallet; does not work for anyone else. Fifth choice, eh ... make more babies with female goblins than with other race females, and make female goblins more liking you, more ready to breed."

I think, I am more embarrassed to say this last one than he is to hear it; even the females in this army are nervous and tittering over me saying it. He's got a dopey look on his face, already grinning for what he has heard me say, or maybe a plan he has to use it. Still, he is looking at his king expectantly.

"Gukka choose. I get what I want, you pick your own."

Aah, a sense of nobility from the old king, how touching.

"Th, then ... f, first one."

All done so soon, and I look again expectantly for the second choice.

"Then. Last-"

More chuckling, from the others. But at least Gukka would be satisfied with his choices. Did I want to tell him though, his children would tend to be farmers and berry pickers, more than warriors?

"You, king. You make good on promise now?"

He glared, but yet knelt. And as he did, the rest of his army did so too.

At a sound behind me, I heard young Kika also kneel too.

I feel this ... the stream of worship now. Averaged per person, still mostly from Kika; but the amount coming from the others is not to be ignored.

---

I'll just let them stay kneeling like this, for a few seconds more. In the interim I'll just open the shopping menu to look at the DP- unholy hell, I got all that?

Three hundred seventy seven. Deity Points.

Except I don't think the points went first to Gabi, but straight to me without passing through the intermediary step. It seems in moments like this, 'directed worship' does go straight to the one it is intended for. I am not complaining; I could get used to this. And it also gives me incentive to keep finding other worshipers, to meet them face to face.

Now turning back to Kika, I look at her more closely. Height about to my navel if she were standing (which puts her eye line right at my crotch), dirty messy brown hair to her back with knots in the strands from being pushed around or tortured, many scars across her body visible ― the girl has been through a lot, but also survived this long.

For the life of me, I don't know what to do next. Perhaps give the girl something, anything, just for her being the reason I could get out of the space, and ... earn so much DP?

"Kika, get up. Have gift for you. Want clothing or weapon or tool? Or other gift?"

"Only want to go with you, God David; I do not need more than this. My life in that tribe is no longer fun."

Oh? She spoke much better than the other goblins. Which reminds me, somehow in all of this time, I'd been speaking the goblin tongue, not knowing how ... but Kika just spoke my own language.

"Oh you can speak this language?"

"Goddess Gabi taught it to me, when she held onto my head, made it hurt for a short while; but it left me able to speak to her too, like she speaks. I do not know why she did this. But she said some strange word, like 'Eee vauv' or something."

E, evolve? Kika can evolve?

I turned to the goblin army, and more or less casually indicated we are done here. But I speak first, before the king can make an attempt to 'dismiss' us.

"Okay, you go now. We go too. If tribe ever see Kika again, I think you not know her. She become stronger, smarter, different. She will grow."

"You say same as Gabi, this reason we tired of Kika. Kika talk too much, use words we not know. She try to say better way than this, sometimes work sometimes not work. Take her, we not want to see her again. Leave goblin land. If see her again, will kill for sure!"

I stare the goblin king down, for a good ten seconds; then I turn to Kika, and find her ready to go, though shaken.

"Come with me, Kika, we will walk through the forest this way."

"Okay God David."

---

Truly; this girl is so happy go lucky, it's pleasant to see such a youthful attitude from her. Despite just having been threatened to be killed, raped (maybe before or after her death), or more ― she didn't seem to be so worried for her life. Was it, she expected me to protect her in every danger? Crap ― I don't think I'm so brave in this world yet!

Relieved of more than half her burden when I got her to let me take some of it, we actually have been making good time ... to wherever. Heading ― west, I think. It's not as if I have a chosen destination; I'm just wanting to be away from the ones who I think are still following us. But still, along the way we have picked the edible berries and fruits and nuts, and I have stored a few in this inventory space I have now, something for later anyway.

But after maybe ten minutes of walking, with her telling me about this or that bush or berry or fruit, we came to a sharp cliff, a sudden drop off into a valley below.

"Whoa, hey why didn't you warn me of this?"

"I have never been this far from the tribe," she spoke honestly. "I did not seen this place either. But I have heard from the other warriors of a place like this. If you look far in the distance, you might see the mostly human town. Also, somewhere in the forest between here and there, a family of wood elves live in the forest."

"Oh. How many different intelligent species does this world have? How many races did Gabi bring into it?"

"Besides the goblins and wood elves and humans? Then there is dwarves and sea elves and some undead things too, and arachne and orcs and slimes. And, d, dragon-"

"That's enough for now, I'm sure I will understand more, later."

"But, God David ― how much further do we have to walk? My feet hurt-"

"Not far; I just wanted to keep going for a while. When you see how dirty Gabi left her place, you will understand."

"This on the ground is dirt; why, is dirt bad for you? You are walking on dirt, with nothing on your feet."

"A different kind of dirty ... not dirt, but ... too much sex."

Immediately I am noticing her eyes went right to my loincloth.

"All creatures are wanting sex. Even you, David. Even me. So why is it different for Goddess Gabi?"

"This is different from that!"

Okay now I've shouted at the poor girl, and she's somewhere between confused and afraid for a moment. Time to back down, retract the anger.

"Sorry. But it is different. She left her sex fluids all over, and did not clean up. This is why the place looks so dirty, disgusting." I see she's back to the sort of happy go lucky look, at least for the moment. "I am a person who likes to keep things clean, too."

"So are you saying you do not want me to worship Goddess Gabi now, or not?"

"You can if you want, but the same worship you give to her, goes to me, but is delayed. The amount or strength of the worship in this world is given a number; and Gabi left when this number would be a negative number. For a reason such as this, she gave up on helping the world. Which is why, it's more likely I am the deity, the god, in place of her now."

"Oh. Well then, I worship you, God David. I will love you, not her."

My heart skipped a beat, as I feel the new worshipful connection; she just said some magic words, there, too. Love. A goblin love, or a human love?

"Luria, bring us both back. Please."

---

The first indication we were now in Gabi's realm was, I was again in the 'dark space' I first arrived in. Except, it wasn't dark ― it had some illumination, and I could properly see in here.

Damn, it was still a dirty ground under my feet; no grass, only dust. Maybe it would be a stone floor beneath all of it, too, I don't know for sure. But around me is blank space for walls, except the 'north' which is a smooth stone wall, yet it has a look like a log cabin exterior. Something strange going on here-

Heading to the door I see in the middle of this wall, I and Kika enter the living space ― now suddenly cleaned.

"Luria?"

"Yes master."

"You cleaned up, didn't you."

"Yes. Forgive me for taking initiative, but I sensed this is what you wished to be done with this space. All things are cleaned and operating normally."

I turn to Kika, but she's kneeling on the floor.

"Goddess Gabi, forgive me."

Huh?

"Huh?"

"Master. The young goblin Kika means to say, I look like the former mistress."

"Izzat so."

"Certainly, master. She formed this appearance after her own."

"Oh of all the vain things to do!"

"Correct. Master. I agree, since the first day."

"Kika get up. This is not Gabi. No, this is only an entity who looks like Gabi."

"I understand ... God David. You do not wish me to see Goddess Gabi."

"No! I mean, yes see her ― but NO THIS IS NOT HER."

"Okay. Can I take a bath in the tub now?"

I exhale, letting the tension fall away. "Sure."

As I say it, she's dropping off all her clothes, item by item, until she's clearly naked, and pulling at my hand too. I am not at fault if I admire the view, am I?

"You too, God David."

Gulping back any guilt and taking her hand in mine, I let the loincloth fall off my body, to her cautious looks.

"Just David. I am not a god."

"I think so."

She grinned.

---

Thankfully, Kika is not the type to leap at me (in the combative way) or any reason (in the sexual way). But it seems 'getting clean' truly is on her mind, since I have said I like things to be clean. So, maybe this is her way to ingratiate herself to me?

We each have a proper washcloth and are scrubbing off any dust and dirt from our walk, both of us thankful for the calming and warming bath.

And ... she's done cleaning the parts of herself she can reach, before me; I mean it's obvious it would be this way, she's smaller than I. But then she's turning around to face me in the water, sneaking another peek down into the water, and starting to talk.

"Then David, do you mind if-"

"Y, you want to have sex?"

"D, d, don't be ridiculous!" Her eyes looked down at the offered organ, this time so directly. "This is too big for me, it would not fit!"

I both have to sigh in relief, and in dismay at a sudden desire to do it anyway.

"... I mean, I wouldn't mind, if ... but you are too big for me!"

"I did not mean we should; I only thought this is what your question would be. Okay. Then, what did you want to ask ― would I mind if, if what?"

"... if I wash your back, and you wash mine."

Her voice, so cute when she speaks so soft and calmly.

"Oh." I chuckled. "Okay, I will wash your back first, because you are smaller than me and it will be done quicker. Then you can wash mine."

Honestly I am not sure if my back scars came along with my body into this other world, or if my back is all clean and clear skin with no blemish. Only way to find out is ... ask Kika, when she does scrub.

Her flesh is firm, like a young pubescent girl's should be (of any race); and I find my hands somehow delaying the time to finish, as I scrub too. Not the hourglass figure of human women, but still pleasing as it seems to be an effeminate child without the childbearing hips yet. Then it's her turn; even as she squeezes past me, I'm looking at her body too. An erotic scent which may mean she's as horny as I am, but then somehow was restraining herself. Firm young mounds, breasts as small as half plums pressed to her chest, but on her they seem like B cup or even C cup mounds to the human proportions.

"Oh ... my-"

What, what's there?

"Oh, what is it, what's there?"

"I see ... words, written on your back. But I do not know this set of words ― you called it a language before? Some language I do not know."

"Oh. I can't see my back, so ... Luria can you show me the words on my back?"

"Yes master."

Immediately an image of a back, my back, appears in the air in front of me, a projection by Luria. But what I see is-

"I cannot read this either. Luria?"

"Master. I do not have knowledge of this language."

"Oh."

As Kika finished her scrubbing of my back too, it is time to exit the bath. Luria adds a wind effect in this corner to dry off our bodies; then we gather our clothing, now cleaned by Luria as we were bathing, I suppose.

"All I got was a crappy loincloth!"

I yelled out my frustration.

"Master. Former mistress' shopping screen should still be available to you. Please check under the 'Clothing' category in the screen, for something more to wear."

Aah Luria, you are too helpful. Just when I wanted to rant and rave, for just a little while ― and you go and spoil the fun.

"Or David, if you have some hides and some thread and a needle, I could stitch something together for you, like I did for my clothes-"

"I will check in the thing Luria told me about, first."

What, she looks sad now? Did she really wish to make something for me?

I have to admit, even in this 'inner monologue' kind of way, of how I'm curious how this goblin girl is so serene in my presence. Either it's something of Gabi's gift to me, or maybe to Kika before this, or in some way of being someone who worships a deity which changes her from her wild goblin nature ― shouldn't she be trying to fight me or fuck me?

But it's all a moot point, for now. I've got her here, and I can explore the parameters of this function as time passes. After, I look at clothes.

"Hmm, there. I wonder how this would look on me if I bought it."

Dark blue striped boxer shorts, a black cotton tee shirt, blue jeans too, and a dark brown leather belt at the waist ― like I had worn on Earth. Something which looked memorable to me, as I'd once looked in the old days ... before the bombs, and before the horde of demonic men calling everyone 'infidels'.

"Aah I think I will buy it. Looks like what I had on my old world, in my old life."

Three clicks later, and the items are sitting right on the table here in front of me.

I pulled them all on, right away, and felt somehow more protected by these simple pieces of fabric. Their sizes have adjusted to fit my body, ever so perfectly.

---

"Luria. What should I be doing next? Do you know of anything which is remaining on some 'to do' list?"

"Yes master. Besides searching for more followers in the world, this space also has some upgrades which can be performed, which former mistress did not or could not do. Besides changing floors, walls, or ceilings of this place, and even installing more furnishings, the overall size of this structure as well as the Approach and other rooms can be enlarged. Also, some rooms might allow for more doorways to or from other places to be created."

The room Gabi dragged me into, that room is called an Approach room? Eh, it's ... a strange name. But I suppose, 'Vestibule' or 'Entry' might fit better. Can I change room names, I wonder? But oh, other rooms-

"Other rooms? You mean those other two doors I have not gone through?"

"Correct, master. If you are considering the wall sharing the kitchen, library, and bedroom portions to be the north wall, then the west and east walls have doors to new places. The west door leads to a space setup as a Garden with a fruit tree orchard and many vegetables; while the east door leads to a Workshop with various crafting tools and supplies. More rooms are available to be added; but to add more rooms, this core room must first be enlarged and upgraded, so more wall space is available to add rooms. Then from the control functions of this deity space, whole rooms can be managed through an overhead view; whole rooms and their doorway connections can be moved by a 'drag and drop' action-"

"Dragon drop?" Kika expressed in fear. "Don't tell me you have dragons here! Nooo I do not want a dragon to drop here now!"

"No, no, dear Kika ― 'drag, and drop'. I understand this, it's how a grid like arrangement of the rooms can be moved about with ease, so organization of the space should happen without effort exerted."

"Correct, master. With a proviso of each movement costing a nominal fee in DP, as well as for certain rooms to only be connected to certain others, and no room can be left disconnected from this one through its linked rooms."

"But ... I can increase the number and sizes of rooms, without any cost?"

"No master, the cost in worship to both enlarge this core room is large, as well as a daily worship mana support fee required to maintain it. In other words, master, finding more worshippers in the world is a first step ― though of course going into the Garden and Workshop rooms may allow you to see what can be done with those rooms, too. Certain rooms require workers to be summoned or added through creation points, a different form of currency than the DP you will get from worshippers."

"Oh, David, I can do some growing things and making things while I am here?"

I am feeling a subtle flow of more worship, straight from Kika, in part from the awed gaze she is sending my way.

"Luria, can Kika have access to other rooms?"

"Certainly, master. With the exception of rooms which you designated as 'off limits' to anyone other than yourself, and rooms you designate as 'by permission only' for entry. Anyone else who you bring here can and will be able to enter and use rooms not marked in those ways. Currently, this room has no barrier to entry from any being arriving within the Approach room; the Garden and Workshop rooms only let entry from this room, but no other limitation. Perpetual permission to use the rooms marked with 'by permission only' rights can be granted by first crafting a Deity's Champion Token in the Workshop and then gifting it to a being such as Kika, who will then be marked as your Champion."

Kika is just so cute, when she looks up at me, like this. Honestly, I would probably do it anyway, seeing as how she's giving the most worship I've ever received; but with this look ... I cannot refuse.

"Kika is just so cute-"

She's gushing love, not just affection and worship, but love. How do I know this? Well I could say the 'color' of worship mana, but ... I don't know, just a feeling I guess.

Or did I just confess to something which in the goblin mind would lead to romance and sex?

... well ... body size difference aside, and even if her face has a scant few bumps and warts, the rest of her body is fine. I know; I checked, while we were bathing. All there, and all fine. So I wouldn't mind trying it with her, if the other thing equalized. Hey she checked me out too!

"Uh, well, this might be a new thought, Kika ― but you have a chance to become something more; with enough attributes improved, you can go from being an ordinary goblin girl, to a High Goblin-"

"Gabi once said something like this, for my sister, and then for me when she touched my head. That day was when she first said the 'Evolve' thing."

"Your sister? Does she worship Gabi too, or maybe would worship me?"

"The goblin king, he already-"

Her eyes, turned down to the floor, answered what her words could not finish.

"Oh." I am so, so, so sorry, for making you remember a painful thought.

"In the morning, he ended my sister, and in the afternoon, you found me. But I'm not sad anymore, because I get to be with you, and help you. I always wanted something better, which is why the king stepped on my sister's head and then told others to end me too, but now I can have the better thing."

Whoa- this just happened, this day. I knelt on my knees, and wrapped my arms around Kika. But when I could not hear any crying, I looked to her face, only to see some happy grin on her face.

"David, even if you want to do it now, you are still too big for me."

Eh what?

So apparently goblins don't expend a lot of tears or emotions, or at least sadness, over the loss of one of their tribe. Oh but wait. Because Kika is now in 'my tribe' she isn't giving any tears and sadness to the loss of her sister because she is a different tribe?

I pull away, and stand up again.

"No it's not that I want to do that; but it's a human reaction for me to extend compassion to another being who experienced a loss of a family member."

"Oh. But we goblins, we lose family, tribe members, each day. It is normal, to us."

Oh well if she is fine with it, then I guess I have to be, or she will think me weird.

"But anyway, back to the thought of you getting to a better state. To evolve, takes a lot of effort and planning, to do it right. Do you see a status screen on you, or somehow know your statistics and attributes?"

"No. We know it happens for some humans and elves who Gabi has given those things to; but never for a goblin. Or at least maybe my sister did get it when Gabi brought her here; but I always thought Gabi brought us goblins up here to mate, to lay down with in her bed."

"Eh, he, he, yeah she may have done this, too. Well, she may have given your sister the status screen. But one of the benefits I can give to you is this same thing, seeing your status, and the status of anything else in your range of sight. Maybe not me, maybe not Gabi if she ever came back; but you could see the status of things in the world, what none of your former tribe members could have. And another gift is an inventory space, a place to store your items you have brought with you."

"Then yes, David, I want those things."

I sense within me, the same analysis system and inventory space I was given, I knew how to extend to another being. It's my first time ― aw this sounded so virginal, right there ― but it is, my first time giving one or more of them to someone.

She's standing here, and all I have to do is, focus on the ability, touch her anywhere, and pulse a hint of my own mana in the same instant. There, done? Yeah, I see she has it now. but it's such a low quality, she may not see all I see.

"So ... what do you see, when you look at things?"

"I see ... a lot of little words each place I look, they all say 'Blocked'. I don't understand, what is blocked?"

"Uh, I was sorta afraid of that. It means, this space and the things in it are not things you can analyze by default."

"Master, Kika can be granted such inspection abilities by repeating this gifting action again, for the next three days, once a day. But no more than once per day, as her mind must adjust to the new ability. It will harm her brain if you do this too often; and her evolution will not be possible then."

"Then, Luria, will you let me know when I can gift this ability to her again in a safe fashion?"

"Yes master."

"And, how can Kika practice using her status ability like this, in this place?"

"Master, I recommend going back to the world and trying to find more followers and worshippers."

"David don't take me back there, the goblin king will kill me for sure!"

"Oh I think we can go to another place, one which does not have the goblin king. Am I right, Luria?"

"Correct, master. Since receiving the flow of worship mana so recently, the system is now operating at a baseline level, and can detect three separate places where worshippers in the world can be maintained. One is a place to the north of the goblin kingdom, in the mountains overlooking a forested valley. Dwarves live in the mountain, and elves live in the forests; but they have a middle ground to do business among the foothills at the base of the mountain. The second is south of the goblin kingdom, across a small sea, where many beastkin tribes also live and grow amongst the wilderness lands. The third is the kingdom which you may have seen from the cliff you looked out upon the valley, to the west. You may have seen one town of the five town kingdom, considered a city-state of ten thousand humans; one man in each town but the central one acts like the local king, and the central one lords it over the other four."

"The human king takes many women as mate, when he lets his people only have one mate. David, do not take me there, I do not want to be a mate of the human king-"

"Kika is mistaken," Luria intone. "The human kingdom would kill her long before a king would have a thought of taking her as a mate."

"Aah! I cannot go with David then!"

"Well ... I will see about protecting you, at least. If the situation gets bad, maybe Luria could pull you out, and send you back here-"

"I want to see the Garden and the Workshop, first."

---

The Garden is a space one hundred meters to a side, without walls or borders, except for a dark gray haze at the periphery. Aside from a door which would let them return to the main room, this was a space which held once fertile ground, and could again.

Or still did, maybe. As they entered, the ground seemed to 'wake up' to not look so dismal. Or maybe some slight effect of his movement through this space would let faint traces of the worship mana imbue itself from his body into the soil of this space?

Plants again appeared, as if they are the remains of what had been planted once before, but never grown to bear ripened fruitage. Kika softly oohed over the new thing happening here, walking into the room, to use her inspection and analysis of each plant, every berry or fruit, and all of the individual items in this space.

But a status display for the Garden showed, it only went to a depth of two meters. Not very good prospects of having taller trees, and more which could take up a lot of ground space. For most trees on Earth, it could be said they each may take up as much space below the ground as they do above the ground. A tree needed deep roots to carry the weight of what went on above.

I do remember some of the tallest terran trees reaching to incredible heights; their roots as well might take up much of an underground as did the trunks, branches, and foliage. This space itself might do alright in the planting of many smaller fruit and vegetable crops, as well as flowers; but for one thing, anything of more complexity would take more than this, in soil depth. Each meter cubed of depth to be added would be a solid one hundred DP ― a high price indeed to even expand down in one spot for one tree's radius and depth of roots.

A loose gravel path one meter wide led across from both sides, crossing exactly in the middle of the Garden. In the center where the paths crossed sat a water fountain, just a one meter radius stone basin with its water spraying nozzle, squirting water straight up. But, the stone statue holding this nozzle pointed upward ― a completely nude female form, looking again, like ... you know what, I think this Gabi is a narcissist, with all the self referent imagery in this space. At least I'm taking a look, seeing all the detail of this form I could not see on the light generated copy of her, Luria.

And in each quadrant of the Garden, the plants are just starting to reach up to their 'almost ready to bear fruitage' stage. I see obvious signs of a tomato plant, a few greens like lettuce and celery, and even larger oddities like pumpkin and watermelon which sprawled out ― but yet nothing taller than shrubs lining the paths.

Saying to Kika I had seen enough here, we went to the other room, the Workshop. Pretty much just a square room of six meters to a side, and looking from the inside like a stone walled smithy or forge, hard oak benches lined the sides, and they each held various things. Some held cloth and leather and sewing supplies; others had pieces of wood or iron or fastenings. Each bench may give its user a unique ability in crafting the relevant things; I am thinking already Kika would like-

Yep. She already hopped up to one bench, a place with some metal pieces, and already started working out something she had in mind. I kept turning to look at other places, knowing somewhere in here I could craft the Deity's Champion Token. Would it be wood, or metal, or ceramic, or ... what? Kika is working with iron now, fashioning something like a short blade; while I turn again and see ― yes, a small table for making hardened synthetic materials. It's a thing, here too; not so flimsy as a plastic sort of synthetic, but more like forming carbon based forms, and 'willing' it to stick in this form. Aah done, all the hardness of iron, with the rust-less nature of gold, yet while as lightweight as something tin or aluminum. And since this recipe I'm making comes from here instead of a mortal world, it also will be imbued by my own essence and not Gabi's.

I'm done, the token looks right, just like the image from the recipe screen; and I'm ready to gift it to Kika. But oh boy she's onto another project, something which looks like a leather vest much more durable than her own loosely sewn fur hides. This token might even fit on that vest too. Kika seems to be able to follow a recipe as well as I, judging by the pace at which she's rapidly sewing; I won't worry too much about her for now.

While she's still busy, I might as well go on and work at something else, at the cosmetics crafting bench, something else for later.

---

When at last we break from the crafting spree, we both go back to the main room, and just talk about what we learned so far. Kika is excited by all the new thoughts she has, and I see her Intelligence score actually did go up one single point, in her status view. Either she did not notice it yet or she is not going to point out how easy it was to gain intelligence, as if she was 'stupid' before. I am fine either way; because the new her is more nice, somehow. Small breasts, might have grown only a wee bit as well; a much more mature, 'late teen' model Kika instead of 'early pubescent' goblin girl. Did she just come into her own sense of self now, and her body is adjusting or something? Or is the deity space somehow helping her become more of a beautiful woman of her kind?

I'm still okay with it. When she does evolve, I think either to High Goblin or Low Hobgoblin, but more the former than the latter, she may be someone who could in turn kick a certain king's behind. And then to a later evolution again, if she continues on the path I might think. She might even be fit for a queen status, among her kind. Goblin queen? Did they have those? And then on the hobgoblin path ... at least she'd grow closer to my own height-

No I am not being selfish. I am fine, either way she goes, in her evolution ― even if I do wish for a certain outcome.