A retive silence hangs over the hot spring as Inanna steps back through the bathroom doorway with Adeline by her side.

  The Halfling anxiously fidgets with a wooden brush, clutching it tight in her hands as she stares down at the bare stone ground that she is hesitantly walking across. Unlike the Dwarf that she would clearly prefer to hide behind, her damp body is fully wrapped up in a thick towel that reaches down to her little bunny paw feet, leaving only her head and arms bare.

  Droplets of water still cling to her dark-blonde hair, which is no longer bundled in a bun but instead has been left loosely hanging over her shoulders, reaching all the way down to the top of her wondrously wide hips. Among those wet strands lie her floppy rabbit ears, almost completely hidden away and difficult to make out even when knowing what to look for.

  Honestly... If it wasn’t for her rather diminutive height, the tufts of fur sprouting from the backs of her hands, and her little paw feet that are just barely visible beneath her towel... then Adeline would look like just a normal Human girl...

  “Ugh...” Thea quietly groans, forcing herself to take a deep breath before clearing her throat. “Ahem. Your name is Adeline, correct?” She addresses the nervous girl with a bored tone, getting a shaky nod in response. “I believe that we... got off on the wrong foot, and I am... I am sorry for that. As I said before, I am Theadosia Constance Severina, but if that is too much for you, then you may simply call me Thea. Like everyone else does...” That st bit comes out as a grumbled huff, and is quickly brushed aside. “Now, what is your full name? I... cut you off before you could finish saying it earlier.”

  The bunny-mouse girl shuffles in pce and audibly swallows as she works up the nerve to speak. “A-Adeline! S-S-Stoutbottom!” She gasps... and then immediately jumps in pce as Inanna reassuringly puts a hand on her shoulder.

  “Stout...Bottom...?” Thea mutters back, her voice dripping with disbelief.

  “Oh, do ya know o’ ‘er family~?” Beryl pyfully asks, smirking a little as she leans towards the brat.

  “What? Of course not!” The silver-blonde noble girl excims. “I am...! It is just...! Ugh!” She can’t help but groan in utter exasperation. “Her family name is Stoutbottom?! Am I the only one that sees the irony in that?!”

  “I am not fully proficient in this nguage, but I’m fairly certain that irony isn’t the correct wor–”

  “Shut up!” Thea snaps at the Dwarf. “You know what I mean! That girl has a... a rather portly rear! I can see as much with that towel clinging to her body! And her family name just happens to be Stoutbottom!? It is ridiculous!”

  “I-I-I... M-myfamilybrewsstout! A-a-andweliveat-atthebot-bottomofahill!” Adeline hastily stutters out that jumbled mess of sounds, silencing Thea as the brat struggles to decipher what was just said.

  “Can you repeat that?” Inanna requests, her hand still reassuringly resting on the tiny blonde’s shoulder. “Slower this time. Take a breath between each word.”

  Adeline shakily nods her head and does as requested. “M-m-my! F-f-f-fam-family! B-brews! St-st-st-st-stout! A-and! We l-live! A-at! The bot-b-bottom! Ofahill!” The girl gasps and wheezes, her whole body shuddering as she still stumbles over her words, even when speaking a slightly slower pace.

  “Stout is a kind of beer.” Inanna helpfully points out.

  “I know that!” Thea gres at the grey-skinned shortstack. “But that does not change how ridiculous her family name is!”

  “Ach, girl, wha’ ‘appened ta tryin’ ta be nice ta ‘er?” Beryl clicks her tongue and disapprovingly shakes her head.

  “I nev– Hmph!” The silver-blonde brat begins to protest, but cuts herself off with a pouting huff.

  The Wood Elf simply sighs and turns her attention towards the bunny-mouse girl. “Adeline, sweetie, are ya alright? Ya really don’t need ta be so scared.”

  “That’s not really the issue. Not entirely, at least.” Krvavy speaks up, saving that tiny blonde from at least a part of her social anxiety. “We talked a bit on the way here and, well, that’s just how she speaks. She has apparently always had that stutter, it’s just worse when she’s scared or nervous.”

  “Aww...” A caring but slightly saddened tone fills that soft cooing sound. Slowly, Beryl rises to her feet and steps away from the hot spring. “Ya poor girl! Tha’ must be so ‘ard fer ya! Do ya want a hug?”

  Adeline nervously takes a step back as the naked Elf approaches her, staring up with wide eyes as she takes in the tanned tomboy’s lithe form, glistening from the steam.

  “Oh! Ah’m sorry!” Beryl stops in front of the tiny blonde, standing with her hips right at the girl’s eye-level. “Was tha’ too much? Ah don’t want ta make ya feel uncomfortable.” The Elf says with a gentle smile, holding a hand out towards Adeline as she looms over the girl.

  The bunny-mouse girl takes a deep breath, her bottom-heavy body noticeably shaking as she reaches up and grabs onto the Elf’s dexterous fingers.

  “Aww~!” The Wood Elf lovingly coos, gently squeezing the smaller girl’s hand. “Ya are so adorable~! Oh, sweetie, Ah’m so ‘appy tha’ ya’re goin’ ta be stayin’ ‘ere~! Now come ‘ere, let’s go get ya dried off by the fire~! Ah’ll ‘elp ya brush yer hair~!”

  A faint look of confusion crosses the tiny blonde’s anxious face as the Elf begins to gently lead her away.

  “Mmm. I suppose that we are done here.” Inanna comments, nodding ever so slightly to herself. “Well then, I will be off. There is still plenty of work that must be done before my workshop is ready to be used.”

  With that Dwarf turns around and heads off, leaving Krvavy alone in the hot spring with her precious puppy and little princess.

  But the barbarian hardly gets to enjoy the quiet before Thea grumbles and dramatically groans. “Ugh, just go already... I know that you want to show that... girl... around our home.”

  “Hey, I promised that I’d spend some more time with you when I got back. And that’s what I’m doing.”

  “Ugh...!” The bratty girl rolls her eyes. “I do not need your attention immediately. You can pay me back... this evening! And tomorrow! So go, leave already!”

  “Alright, if you insist.” Krvavy shrugs her shoulders and begins to rise out of the water.

  “Rrrrgh! No!” The Were-Beast loudly growls, her strong paw-like hands grabbing at Krvavy’s waist and forcing the Drakling’s ass down onto the edge of the hot spring pool.

  “Really?” Thea exasperatedly sighs, shaking her head as the Orc’s mouth descends onto Krvavy’s cock. “Was a whole week alone with her not enough?”

  “Why are you, mhh~, scolding me?!” The barbarian bites back a moan as her shaft rapidly swells up and stiffens. One of her hands finds itself atop Khalia’s head, fingers curling into the Orc’s bck-brown hair. “Hhhn~...”

  “Ugh, just shut up and get this over with...” A deep blush fills the grumbling brat’s face as she stands up and... leans in towards the Drakling, their lips meeting in a warm and affectionate kiss.

  “There ya are. Sure took yer time didn’t ya, my dearest love~?” Beryl pyfully teases, blue-green eyes gleaming with a mischievous joy as she watches Krvavy walk through the arch that leads into their bedroom.

  “Well, you know how Khalia is. She wanted a snack, and who am I to deny that?” The barbarian smiles back.

  “Ach, excuses excuses~!” Lively ughter dances past the Wood Elf’s parted lips, dying down as she looks over her Draconic lover, from horned head to cwed toe. “Not goin’ ta get dressed?”

  “Nah...” Krvavy sighs and shrugs her shoulders. “Adeline has seen it all already. Hard to keep dressed with Khalia around.”

  “Speakin’ o’ tha’ sweetie...” The Elf turns towards the tiny blonde, who is sitting right beside her still wrapped up in that towel while nervously staring at the ground. “Ah was just tellin’ ‘er about yer pns fer our home. Ah figured tha’ she’d like ta ‘ear about the kitchen ya want ta make.”

  “Oh, I don’t think that’ll be built anytime soon.” Krvavy’s brow furrows faintly as she admits that. “After all, I want it below our bedroom. It’ll take a long time just to dig the area out...”

  Beryl smiles as the barbarian sits down beside her. “Tha’ gives ‘er plenty o’ time ta open up and tell ya wha’ she wants in ‘er kitchen.”

  “Her kitchen?”

  “Aye,” Beryl nods her head and gently pces a hand on Adeline’s shoulder. Which causes the girl to flinch slightly. “Ah’m not much o’ a cook, ta be honest. Ah can do well enough wit’ wha’ we ‘ave now, but as ya keep buildin’ and developin’ our home... Well, Ah only really know ‘ow ta cook over an open fme, so an actual kitchen would be wasted on me. Not ta mention tha’ some o’ wha’ we’ll be growin’ in the garden won’t be good roasted or in a stew, so Ah wouldn’t be doin’ them justice anyway.”

  “And Adeline is... alright with becoming our own private chef?” The barbarian asks, turning her gaze to the tiny blonde.

  “Y-y-y-y...!” Adeline tries to respond, but quickly gives up and instead frantically nods her head.

  “Okay, I just don’t want you to feel forced into it. So, do you enjoy cooking then?” Krvavy asks, getting another quick nod from the bunny-mouse girl.

  “See, she’ll be perfect~!” The Wood Elf coos once more, wrapping her arms around the Halfling and pnting a quick kiss on her rosy cheek, which quickly goes from a pinkish shade to a bright crimson. “Such a sweet girl ya’ve brought back~! Ah really can’t wait until she is fully one o’ us~!”

  “Whoa, slow down there.” Krvavy immediately cautions her Elf. “And give her some space. You’re smothering the poor girl.”

  “Ach.” Beryl clicks her tongue as she slightly pulls back from the anxious and flustered bunny-mouse girl. “Ah’m sorry, Adeline, Ah just... Ya are so adorable~! Like a... a baby squirrel~! A lil’ chipmunk~! Ah just want ta ‘ug and ‘old ya~!”

  Adeline’s mouth wordlessly opens and closes as the completely naked Elf says all of that. Her face is as red as a ripe tomato, and only seems to grow more flushed as her anxious eyes keep darting towards the completely bare breasts hovering right in front of her, those firm handfuls of tanned flesh on full dispy.

  “You like squirrels?” The barbarian tries to change the topic so that the tiny blonde can have a chance to recover and calm down. “I would’ve thought that you’d see them as pests. Considering that your people live in trees and all.”

  “Ahh, well... They can be pests.” Beryl admits with a shrug, keeping one arm wrapped around Adeline’s shoulders. “But tha’ doesn’t stop them from bein’ cute! Especially when they’re babies!”

  “Fair enough.” Krvavy shrugs back. “So... I take it you’ve inspected Adeline already?”

  “Aye.” The Elf nods her head. “Ah asked fer ‘er permission first.” She adds, before chuckling lightly. “It’s kind o’ funny, comparin’ ‘er ta Thea~.”

  “Yeah... I don’t think she is very happy that this little Halfling is older than her and a higher level than she was when I first met her.”

  “Well, the brat’s got this sweetie beat in levels now, so she really can’t compin. Especially since ‘er attributes are way above ‘er level thanks ta ya.” A wry smile fills the Wood Elf woman’s face. “And speakin’ o’ levels... Did ya ‘ave any progress on tha’ trip o’ yers?”

  “Oh, yeah.” Krvavy replies, briefly feeling a bit annoyed at herself as she had actually forgotten about that.

  “Tha’ is great, my dearest love.” Beryl brightly beams, nuzzling her cheek into the tiny blonde’s still quite damp hair. “Ach, well... What attribute did ya choose ta focus on?”

  “Charisma. Thought it might help with... you know.” Krvavy gestures towards Adeline, who can’t help but tremble as she remains trapped within this tanned tomboy’s embrace.

  A smile spreads across Beryl’s lips, her eyes pyfully twinkling. “Ah’m not sure if a few points would’a changed much, but it is lookin’ like ya’ll need even more if thing’s keep goin’ the way they are~!”

  “Happy that I took your advice?”

  “Aye. And Ah’m ‘appy ya started doin’ so before it became obvious tha’ ya needed it.”

  Krvavy narrows her eyes slightly at the Elf. She knows that Beryl doesn’t mean that as an insult, but it still kind of sounded like one.

  “And Ah presume tha’ ya got yer milestone traits fer Might and Toughness as well?” The tomboyish Elf asks, an innocent smile on her face.

  “Yes, they’re... Give me a moment.” Krvavy shakes her head, deciding to just bring up her stat sheet instead of trying to recall the traits from memory. She only briefly looked at them a few days ago, and didn’t really pay attention as she was more focused on bringing Adeline home...

  Might Makes Right II: Increases Might by 10%, further strengthens the effect it has on both Total Health & the Damage dealt, and now affects Health Regeneration. Associated attribute = Might.

  Tough It Out II: Increases Toughness by 10% and further strengthens the effect it has on Health & Resistances. Associated attribute = Toughness.

  Oh yeah, that’s why Krvavy couldn’t quite remember what they did. They’re boring. That’s not to say that they’re bad, just that they don’t seem all that special at first gnce. Most of what these two traits do is hidden in the background, messing with how her health is calcuted. And that is honestly quite good. She got over five hundred points of health from this one level, and she now regenerates enough for it to get listed as per minute.

  “Tha’ is quite good.” Beryl says with a smile after those traits get read aloud. “Nothin’ fshy, but still quite reliable. As these traits tend ta be. And wha’ about yer resistances? Wha’ are they like now?”

  “Looks like they’ve all gone up by... ten percent. My physical resistances, I mean.”

  “Ahh... My dearest love, ya’re gettin’ ever stronger...” A wistful pride fills that soft and slow sigh. “But enough o’ this. Ah’ve got ta thank ya fer the food ya brought ‘ome~.” Beryl’s eyes twinkle pyfully as she finally pulls back from Adeline... and cuddles up against the Drakling instead. “Particurly wha’ ya didn’t get a chance ta mention before Thea cut ya off~!”

  The barbarian’s brow furrows, hardly noticing as her Wood Elf’s toned arms wrap around her shoulders, doing her best remember what Beryl is talking about. “Potatoes?” She guesses, blinking in surprise as the tanned tomboy’s lips hover in front of her own.

  “Aye, my dearest love, aye indeed~!” Beryl proudly coos, before leaning in for a surprisingly short and chaste kiss. “They’ll be a wonderful addition ta our garden~! An actual crop~!” The Elf ughs quite happily as she presses her forehead against Krvavy’s own as best she can with the Drakling’s horns in the way. “Though Ah’ll admit tha’ Ah’m not the most familiar wit’ those tubers... But! Luckily we now ‘ave a girl ‘ere who is~!”

  With that Beryl partially pulls back from the barbarian, keeping one arm wrapped about her Draconic lover’s neck while the other gestures over to Adeline.

  The bunny-mouse girl blinks rapidly and quickly grows flustered from the sudden attention, fidgeting in pce as she unconsciously tries to look even smaller.

  “Sweetie,” Beryl gently calls out, “yer people grew these potatoes, aye?”

  Adeline stares wide-eyed for a few seconds, before shakily nodding her head.

  “So ya know wha’ kinds o’ potatoes these are? Ah’m aware tha’ different ones are used fer different things, but Ah don’t know which are which.”

  The bunny-mouse girl closes her eyes and shudders as she takes a very deep breath. “Th-th-thegoldandyellowskinnedonesar-arebetterforbaking!” She gasps out, lifting her still slightly soggy ears up and hiding behind them. Which makes it even harder to understand what she is saying... “A-a-a-andtheredandorangeonesar-areg-g-g-g-goodforboilingandmashing!”

  “Ya really aren’t good at talkin’, are ya sweetie?” A sympathetic tone underlines that softly spoken comment. “Ach, no matter. Ya’d be the one cookin’ them anyway. So... why don’t ya get dressed, sweetie? Then we can ‘ead down ta the garden. Ah’m just itchin’ ta show off my ‘ard work~!”

  Adeline exhales in relief as she is given a reason to scurry away, without coming across as rude.