We exited back to the main road. Merry started walking upriver with me following behind her.

“Um, thank you for the clothes,” I said.

“Don’t worry about it,”

The sun had shifted downward towards the horizon, but there was still a good amount of daylight left. I looked up ahead in the direction we were heading and spotted Delan and Lillian sitting in shade off on the other side of the road.

“Hey, Merry,”

I pointed over at the two sitting across the road.

“Oh, good spot, Kaya. Let’s go say hi,”

Merry went over at her usual pace, which is to say she ran ahead. I didn’t try to run with her, instead simply walking over to the others. Delan and Lillian turned to face me once Merry came crashing into their space. 

“Hey!” I yelled.

I approached the table they were sitting at. It didn’t click until this moment that they were sitting outside a restaurant.

“Aren’t you looking nice, Kaya,” Delan said.

An involuntary smile came across my face with his compliment, in spite of my best efforts.

“Uh- thanks,”

“Still not good with compliments,” Delan added.

There were two extra seats at the table. Merry had already sat down, I took the last one for myself. Lillian was on my right, with Delan on my left. Merry sat across from me.

“I’ve been wondering, Kaya,” Lillian asked.

“Yes?”

“When I used Appraisal on you, there was something odd about it,” she began.

“Oh, yeah, what did you see, Lillian?” Delan interrupted.

Merry looked over at Lillian, waiting for an explanation. As for Lillian, she looked at Delan and Merry for a moment before turning back to me:

“Is it okay?” she asked.

“Yeah, it’s fine,” I answered.

Lillian turned to face the others.

“Okay, uh… well, all of the major stats were listed as N/A, to start,” she said.

“What does that mean?” Delan asked.

I made a hand motion to get the attention of the rest of the group, since I figured Lillian didn’t know this.

“Basically… you know how Keepers manage their dungeons?” I asked.

“Yeah, I know that,” Delan said.

“Well, that’s more accurately part of their actual job: managing the entire stats system,” I explained.

“Oh. …Oh.”

It took Delan a second to fully grasp what I said.

“When you see N/A, it’s because we don’t have anything there in the usual way you do.” I continued.

Delan paused to think about it. While he was thinking, Merry spoke up:

“So… is it to say it’s zero, or…”

“Uh… well, it depends on what category you’re talking, but maybe infinite would be a better choice,”

“Infinite?” Delan asked.

“That’s… also not exactly correct. I think a more accurate way to say it would be that the Keepers are an override, if that makes sense?”

“Can you give an example?” Lillian asked.

“Uh, sure, um…”

I paused to think of a reasonable example. The first thing that came to mind was something that Mother explained to me, what I’d do when adventurers finally came to Diamûn.

“Do you know how you level up when you fight in dungeons?”

The rest of the group nodded.

“Well… there’s no numerical system behind it, really. Your level goes up because the Keeper of the dungeon makes it go up. They - well, we - have the final say about it.” I explained.

Delan paused to think about it again.

“So… that’s why we only level up in Dungeons. I hadn’t thought about it before… but that makes sense,” he said.

“Well, it’s more broad than that. We can change basically anything at will, though we generally try to avoid doing so. Captilio prefers to let the people of the world choose for themselves,” I added.

“Anything?” Lillian asked.

“Uh, yes. Skills, stats, anything on anyone.” I said.

“Would that include Titles?” she asked.

“Uh…. yes. …where are you going with this?”

“I think Lillian was curious if you could remove Karl’s title,” said Merry.

Lillian nodded.

“He’s always complaining about it,” she added.

I leaned back in my seat.

“I mean… Kaitlyn gave him it, and I don’t want to just go change it on a whim,” I said.

The rest of the group didn’t have anything to say to follow up on that.

“Wait, Lillian, you had a question, right?” I asked.

“Oh, yes. I was curious… why is your age listed as N/A? How old are you, anyway?”

I looked at Lillian as I began my explanation.

“Oh, that? How do I put this… Mother put it that I’m sort of an ‘existence of the world’? It’s kind of hard to explain,”

“Hmm… let me ask it this way. I’m a vampire, which means I don’t die of old age; but I still have an age listing. You don’t… why?”

“Oh. You’ve reminded me of a better way of putting it. Yes, vampires do not die of age, but they still age. Keepers do not. We don’t have “age” in that sense. Keepers are “of the world”, while vampires are “in the world” - as Mother told me, anyway.” I said.

“Oh… okay,” Lillian said.

I was hoping that made sense. It was probably the best explanation I could give, so it would have to do anyway.

“So why are you two here, I thought you were getting supplies?” I asked.

Delan returned from his thoughts and faced me.

“Oh. Me and Merry don’t need too much; Karl was focusing on getting the rest and tracking down the assistant who was going to go with us,” he said.

“Oh, Therya? Tokra had mentioned her. What’s she like?”

“She’s the assistant manager for the Guild here, in addition to Tokra’s daughter. She’s been wanting to get out from under her dad, so he’s sending her out with us for survey,”

An idea popped into my head. I wanted to see it happen, so I asked Mother about it right then.

Hey, Mother. I have an idea.

A moment later, I heard back from Mother:

What’s the idea?

They’re sending the Guild manager’s assistant with the adventurers. A Demon woman named Therya. I want to give her a spot to set up a branch at Diamûn, I explained.

Any particular reason why? Mother asked.

Apparently she wants to do bigger things than work under her father.

Oh, is my daughter living her rebellious phase through others?

I made an annoyed look at Mother’s joke.

No, Mother. I want to stay with you. I think she simply wants to do more than what she can do under her father’s management, that’s all. Plus, it’d help establish relations with the rest of the world. Aligning interests, see? I explained.

“Kaya?” Merry asked.

I think that’s a great idea. I’ll see you all soon, then. Guess I have a little prep work to do. Mother said.

“I think she’s talking with her mother again,” Delan said.

“Oh- uh, sorry, yeah, I was,” I told the group at the table.

I took a breath to regain my focus.

“So, what’s the plan once Karl comes back with Therya?”

“We were going to have some dinner here,” Merry said.

“I can’t help but wonder if you’re doing some of these things for me…” I sighed.

Delan sighed.

“We’ve been found out,”

“I wanted it to be a secret,” Merry added.

Lillian reached out and grabbed my shoulder.

“Merry has her own reasons for why she wanted to treat you… but I hopped on with it because I felt like you’d enjoy it. Besides, we want to make the best impressions we can for your mother, right?” Lillian said.

I looked around at the group, trying my best not to blush with embarrassment.

“I… yes, you’re right, I suppose. That’s a good reason,”

“Stop being so formal! It’s fine to get treated, ya’know?” Merry shouted.

“Merry, your inner siscon is leaking,” Delan said.

“Oh, don’t deny it,”

Lillian chuckled.

“You two, you’re making poor Kaya embarrassed,”