《Slime Sweets and Dungeon Treats - A Cozy LitRPG》


 Chapter 1 - Tutorial Zone

    The scent of freshly cut grass and campfire smoke teased my senses, pulling me out of what felt like a very deep sleep. Bright light pressed against my eyelids, but I tried my best to ignore it. I deserved to sleep in once and a while after how hard I worked.


    But something wasn''t right. I hated camping...didn''t I?


    My memories felt hazy, like a fog had settled in my mind. I obviously wasn''t in my bed, but I didn''t remember going out either. What was the last thing I did remember? Something about...pie? No. Pretty sure I was getting yelled at by my boss actually. No matter how hard I worked, it was never good enough.


    I rubbed sleep out of my eyes as the sound of a crackling fire mixed with other sounds that weren''t quite so cozy, like the growl of a very large dog and hissing snakes.


    My eyes snapped open. I was lying at the edge of a small clearing surrounded by fog so thick I couldn''t see anything beyond it. A mountain stood at the other side of the clearing, with glowing symbols carved into what looked like a door.


    Okay, I was definitely not at home or work, but that wasn''t even the weirdest part.


    That honor was left to the small animal pens filled with what I could only describe as monsters from some kind of fantasy movie. Wolves with horns, three-headed snakes, giant bugs, and a bright blue bouncy thing that I couldn''t identify.


    "What the hell is going on?" I lurched to my feet, but my body felt like jello, all weak and wobbly.


    "Oh, hello, I''m glad you''re awake," a man''s voice said, pulling my attention to his unusual appearance. Horns jutted from his head, curling through his fluffy brown hair, and his feet were actually...no, that couldn''t be right. They were hooves, like what you''d see on a goat! "Welcome to the Dungeon of Eternal Embers."


    My pulse raced, pounding in my ears like I was standing at the edge of a cliff. Everything about this place was so very, very wrong, but the worst part was that I couldn''t remember what was right. My mind was blank.


    "Welcome to the what...?" I asked, needing to grasp onto something, anything that would slow the panic racing through my mind. "And what are you?"


    "I''m a satyr, half-man, half-goat, and I''m here to welcome you to the Dungeon of Eternal Embers," he said, smiling warmly. "Take a deep breath, calm down, and then we can get started."


    A crazed laugh threatened to bubble up at the idea of a mythical goat-man welcoming me to a dungeon. This had to be a dream. But my chest hurt too much for it to really feel like a dream. My breathing was uneven and my heart just wouldn''t stop pounding, like my body thought it was in fight or flight mode.


    How did I get here?


    I put my hand against my chest, my fingers brushing over the silver buttons of a double-breasted white coat that felt like a uniform, but I couldn''t remember what for. My long brown hair hung over my shoulder in a tight braid and an apron was tied around my waist.


    The apron''s fabric was soft and well-worn, with specks of flour right where my hands would go if I were to wipe them off. This was my apron, something I wore often.


    "Good, you look calmer now," the satyr said. "What''s your name and age?"


    "I''m Hazel and I''m 25 years old." The words came out without even thinking about them, as if remembering simple things like that was easier than how I got here. "I think I''m a...baker?"


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The word settled into the back of my mind, comforting me. Yes. My name was Hazel and I was a baker.


    The satyr jotted that down in a notebook and smiled again. "Okay then, Hazel, please choose a weapon."


    "What?"


    He motioned toward a table full of swords, daggers, bows, and lots of books. Suddenly the whole dungeon and monsters thing was making more sense. I had to be playing a game, one that was far too lifelike for my liking.


    I laughed nervously, fiddling with the edge of my braid. "Is this some kind of virtual reality game?"


    "This is no game," the satyr said, "but many prefer to treat it like one. It helps make sense of their new world. Now please, choose a weapon."


    New world? My eyes widened. So this wasn''t a dream or a game, but a new world? And I needed a weapon for it? Weapons meant violence and pain, neither of which I enjoyed. Whatever was going on, I wanted no part of it.


    "I think you''ve got the wrong person," I said, backing up until the damp fog clung to my skin. "I''m just a baker."


    The satyr kept smiling, almost eerily, as the smoke from the campfire thickened, making the air hazy and clouding my mind. What was I doing? If he said I needed a weapon, then I should choose one...right? Doing something was better than floundering around in a panic.


    I stumbled over to the table of weapons, searching for something that felt right to me.


    Maybe the books? They seemed safe enough, but when I reached out to one, the air around it felt electrically charged, zapping against my skin. Were they magical books? That was kind of cool, but magic sounded like a lot of work and often blew up in people''s faces.


    Wasn''t there anything simple here? Anything that felt like me?


    My gaze settled on a sandwich at the edge of the table with a bite taken out of it, as if the person had gotten distracted mid-meal. I couldn''t remember much about my life, but every little flash was about food. My entire life apparently revolved around it, so why stop now?


    I reached for the sandwich, which looked like a grilled cheese, as if drawn to it. "I choose this sandwich."


    "What?" The satyr''s eyes widened. "No, that''s not a weapon. It''s my lunch."


    "Well, then you shouldn''t have put it on the weapons'' table." I shrugged, holding the grilled cheese out like a sword. Maybe if I chose the most ridiculous option, he''d send me back home and forget about this whole new world thing. "This grilled cheese sandwich, in all its cheesy glory, is now my weapon."


    A light-blue message box appeared in the air in front of me, asking me to confirm my choice of making [Dave''s Lunch] my weapon.


    "Don''t even think about it," the satyr, who was apparently named Dave, said. "You won''t win with a sandwich for a weapon."


    I pressed my lips together to avoid laughing at the absurdity of all this. What kind of name was Dave for a mystical satyr?


    "Who said anything about winning?" I asked. "You claimed this wasn''t a game, so I''m going with my gut and that''s leading me to food."


    The message box that said [Yes] glowed brighter and then disappeared before another message popped up.


    [Dave''s Lunch has been assigned to Hazel]


    [New Quest: Defeat one monster]


    "Defeat one monster?¡± My gaze fell on the monster pens. I guess he had said this was a dungeon, but fighting was not part of my get sent home as a failure plan. "No way, I''m not hurting any of them. If that''s why I''m here, you might as well send me back."


    "You can''t go back," Dave said solemnly, "not yet, at least. You have to enter the dungeon and level up by killing monsters."


    [New Quest: Escape the dungeon by defeating the boss on floor 100]


    This was going from bad to worse if the only way I could go home was to kill things. It didn''t matter how strange those monsters looked, they were still just animals in my mind, and hurting them would make me the monster.


    "Isn''t there any other way to get home?" I asked, clutching my apron. "Something that doesn''t involve fighting or hurting anyone? I mean, if you were using the monsters for food, maybe I could understand. Everyone needs to eat. But killing them just so I can get home? No way."


    "You''re fighting them to gain experience and new skills," Dave said with a tone that made it seem like that should be impressive and exciting instead of horrible sounding. "The more monsters you defeat, the higher your level will rise until eventually you can fight the boss on the lowest floor. Then you can leave just like you wanted."


    "That simple, huh?" A bitter laugh escaped my lips. There was no way I could fight through 100 floors of monsters and beat some epic boss. Especially not with a sandwich.


    Was I going to be stuck here forever?

 Chapter 2 - Weaponized Grilled Cheese

    My morning was off to a rough start so far. I''d not only woken up in a dungeon and chosen a grilled cheese for my weapon, but I was somehow expected to fight with it too. Against literal monsters.


    This new world was so not my cup of tea.


    "Look," Dave said softly, "I understand that you don''t want to fight, but once you''re inside the dungeon, that will change. You need to be prepared and realize that a sandwich won''t help you."


    "I know that," I said, staring at the perfectly golden-brown bread in my hands, "but there has to be another way for me to get home. I refuse to fight monsters for no real reason. That''s ridiculous."


    The fence keeping the round bouncy monster locked up suddenly disappeared, as if Dave was trying to force me into action. I''d have backed away, but something deep inside me knew that I shouldn''t enter the fog surrounding the clearing.


    So that only left one thing: defeat that monster. With a grilled cheese.


    I scratched my head, eying the monster bouncing toward me. It reminded me of colorful pudding or blue jello as it hopped closer, body jiggling. It was honestly kind of cute, if I ignored the whole monster thing. Its eyes were a deeper blue than its body, shimmering like sapphires as it blinked curiously at me.


    "Hey there," I said quietly as I knelt down, holding my hand out to it. "Are you hungry?"


    "What?" Dave shook his head, his expression pained. "No, you can''t feed the monsters."


    "Why not?" I asked as the cute bouncy thing came closer. If I treated it like a puppy, maybe I could get through this with some sanity intact.


    I ripped off the corner of the sandwich, melty cheese pulling away from it in a long string, and tossed it toward the monster. Its mouth opened wide as it gobbled the gooey cheese up, making an adorable glomp noise. Then it chittered gleefully and bounced faster.


    "You liked that, huh?" I smiled, ripping off another piece for it. "Have some more."


    Soon the creature was in my arms, crooning as I fed it by hand. Some monster it turned out to be. I wanted to mock Dave about that, but he looked like his head might explode as he paced the clearing, muttering to himself.


    I dared to pet the creature, feeling its squishy body mold against my hand. Its skin was smooth and elastic, reminding me of bread dough. It leaned into my hand as its eyes changed to adorable greater than less than signs, making a squee noise like it was the happiest little jellybean ever.


    My heart warmed as the little creature melted some of my worries away. Focusing on things I could do, like feed this hungry little monster, eased my mind far more than focusing on all the things I couldn''t do. Like remembering my past or going home apparently. I swallowed hard, determined not to let any feelings of helplessness overtake me.


    For right now, I just needed to focus on what I could do. Defeat this monster without hurting it, because that was the only hope I''d have of making it through the dungeon. The phrase monster tamer came to mind, so maybe something like that would work. I could feed them, befriend them, and form a bond.


    Forming that bond might be easier if the monster had a name.


    "What should I call you?" I asked the little blue creature. "Jellybean?"


    It wiggled up and down, almost like it was nodding. Apparently it liked the name.


    Another one of those weird message boxes popped up, looking like they were created by some kind of computer system.


    [Slime defeated in a new and unique way. Congratulations. Reward: Starter gear]


    I couldn''t believe that worked, but I was so happy it did! This gave me a way to go through the dungeon without doing anything I''d regret. As long as it worked on other monsters too, I''d be set.


    "So you''re a slime, huh?" I whispered to the monster in my arms. "That''s nice."


    Pots and pans rained down from the sky along with bread and cheese. I ducked before seeing what else was there. Getting hit on the head was the last thing I needed right now, but all I heard was a soft chime instead of the clank of pots and pans. I dared to look up, gazing at a clear blue sky without any cooking equipment falling from it.


    Where did it all go?


    "No, she can''t get pots and pans," Dave moaned. "She''s supposed to get travel gear and potions! What kind of starter gear is that?"


    He waved his hands in the air, frantically swiping through menus I couldn''t see. When he paused, his face grew pale.


    "She''s a culinary mage?" He glared at the campfire as if it would have answers. "A culinary mage??"


    [New Class: Culinary Mage]


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    [New Skills Available]


    Whatever that was was apparently too much for the poor satyr because he collapsed on the ground beside me, muttering nonsense about how chefs didn''t belong in the dungeon and culinary magic didn''t even exist.


    I felt a little bit bad for him, especially since I''d stolen his lunch too, so I handed him what was left of it. "Maybe you should eat something."


    He nodded, gulping the sandwich down. Once it was gone, another sandwich appeared in my hand with the same original bite taken out of it.


    "What the hell?" I asked, accidentally dropping it in shock. The slime gobbled it up heartily before another sandwich appeared in my hand.


    That was so not normal. I guess I really was in another world...


    "You''ll always have access to your basic weapon," Dave said, his voice a bit calmer after the food. "If you lose other weapons, they won''t come back though."


    Okay, so this grilled cheese and I were stuck together then. I should probably at least taste it for myself to see what I was working with, right?


    I took a small bite and immediately spit it out. "Ugh, that''s awful. It tastes like cardboard."


    "What''s cardboard?" Dave asked.


    "It''s...," I paused, unable to picture it. "How do I know a word but not know what it means?"


    That was very unsettling, probably the most unsettling thing that had happened since I''d gotten here. Not only did I not remember my own life, but the things I did remember were fading away too, like smoke dissipating in the air.


    Dave patted me on the shoulder. "It happens to every newcomer. Memories are hard to hold onto in the dungeon."


    I didn''t like that feeling, like my mind was empty when it used to be full. I knew the basics, sure, but the meaning behind what I was saying was lost to me. Would that keep happening even with new memories I made? Was I doomed to be a blank slate?


    The slime pressed against my hand, as if trying to comfort me. I took a deep breath, reminding myself to focus on what I could do: feed the slime, level up, and get the hell out of here.


    "I''m sorry I fed you such terrible food," I said, patting its head. "I''ll make something better for you, I promise."


    Its eyes lit up and it made a chittering noise, bouncing up and down in my lap. I couldn''t help but smile at its excitement.


    More message boxes appeared in the air.


    [Title Granted: Slime Friend]


    [It''s the very first title of its kind. You keep getting more and more interesting, Hazel]


    Hazel. Seeing my name, so solid and real on that message box, made me happy. That was one thing I could feel sure of, but did those message boxes seem...chattier than before? Almost like somebody was talking to me.


    "Slime friend? Slime friend??" Dave shook his head, groaning loudly. "That''s it. I''m done. You''re not normal."


    [New Skills Available]


    I had a feeling asking about those skills might push the poor satyr over the edge, so I''d figure that out later. Right now I had to focus on the slime. Focus on the slime. I repeated it over and over like a mantra to keep me grounded.


    One thing at a time. If feeding monsters was the key to me getting out of here, then that''s what I''d do.


    "So, where do I get ingredients?" I asked, forcing a grin on my face.


    "You can find food as you explore the dungeon," Dave said, "or you can buy ingredients at the town on the fifth floor. It''s a safe zone where adventurers often stay until they''re high enough level to delve deeper."


    The fifth floor sounded like a long way away and there was no way I was eating that bland sandwich again, let alone feeding it to anyone else. I shifted the slime onto the ground so I could stand, wondering where all that bread and cheese had gone.


    A grid appeared in front of me labeled [Item Box]. Tiny versions of not only the bread and cheese were inside, but the pots and pans too. Along with knives, spoons, spatulas, a portable stove, water, and a few other odds and ends. Everything I''d need to start cooking.


    If I could get them out of this menu. Maybe if I touched one of the boxes, they''d appear like in a video game. I hovered over the bread, feeling a bit strange. This wasn''t how life was supposed to work, but I had a feeling this item box was only the beginning. This world was full of new and strange things. I''d have to get used to them if I wanted to succeed.


    I tapped the box and bread appeared in my hands like magic. I jumped back a bit, gasping as I touched the bread against the grid and it disappeared inside again.


    "Oh, that is so cool," I said, grinning as I took the cheese in and out next. "I could get used to this item box."


    "Great, glad you''re having fun," Dave said. "Since you''re a culinary mage, whatever that is, I should probably show you how to cook."


    I shook my head. "I think that''s something I already know how to do."


    And I wanted to hold onto those few solid memories. Rolling pastry, kneading dough, drizzling chocolate, all of that felt natural to me. Easy, like something I''d done so many times it was ground into my mind.


    If I really couldn''t go back home without going through a dungeon, then I''d just have to make it work somehow. Who brought me here and why would have to wait, because it sure didn''t seem like Dave would be giving me any real answers. It felt like he wanted to shoo me along and pretend like he''d never met me actually.


    A faint glow pulled my attention to the mountain as the door opened. Inside that dungeon would be all sorts of ingredients I could cook with. Maybe I''d even remember more of my life if I kept doing familiar things.


    I turned back to Dave. "Is there anything else I should know?"


    "Yes, but you can learn it as you go like everyone else. You need to be careful though," he said, worry tightening his voice. "Your class and title aren''t normal. It''s like the dungeon''s been creating things on the fly ever since you stubbornly chose my lunch as your weapon. I''m not sure what''ll happen to you now or where that will lead you."


    Maybe I''d have been better off sticking with the magic books, but then I wouldn''t have this cute new slime friend bouncing next to me. If I had to be here, then cooking my way through the dungeon felt like the right path.


    So I''d go in there, find whatever ingredients were available, and make the most delicious baked goods I could. Somebody had to show the people here that real food didn''t taste like cardboard and it might as well be me.


    Then I''d beat all 100 floors and finally be free of this nightmare.


    "You coming?" I asked the little blue slime as I moved toward the dungeon''s entrance. "You can stay here if you want."


    Jellybean chittered and followed me, bouncing into the dungeon without a care in the world.


    If only I could be as carefree as that slime.

 Chapter 3 - Cooking Skills

    Hundreds of glowing orange gems lined the stone walls of the dungeon, flickering faintly like embers. Warmth emanated from them, wrapping around me like a soft blanket as the smokey scent of the campfire outside permeated the air. I''d expected the dungeon to be dark and gloomy, but this was downright cozy.


    [New Quest: Defeat three monsters in whichever way makes you happy]


    That was rather open-ended. Almost like the system was giving me permission to feed the monsters instead of fight them...


    Either way, I wasn''t really keen on coming face to face with any more monsters, since I doubted I''d get lucky enough to find ones as kind as the slime. My gaze darted around the dungeon, which looked like an extension of the meadow, but nothing scary jumped out at me.


    The grassy plains stretched as far as I could see, with large trees and bushes speckling the otherwise flat landscape. If there were monsters here, they should be easy enough to spot at least. Maybe there was even some way I could track them? I turned to ask Dave, but the only thing behind me was a rocky dungeon wall.


    No door. No meadow. No sunlight.


    Just the dungeon and those glowing stones in the wall.


    My chest tightened as I ran my hands over the warm stone, trying to find a handle or a crack for the edge of the door, but there was nothing. I slammed my hand against the wall, wishing I''d stayed in the tutorial zone for a bit longer.


    "Now what am I supposed to do?"


    [Defeat three monsters]


    "Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first time," I snapped at whatever system kept prompting me.


    I took a deep breath, inhaling the smokey scent that seemed to be everywhere. It settled my nerves, focusing me. If I had to defeat monsters to get out of here, then I needed to start cooking, because no monster deserved to eat that awful sandwich Dave called a lunch. They deserved treats, just like anyone else.


    Monster treats that would taste so good they''d forget all about little ol'' me.


    I opened my item box to grab a few things, but got distracted by menu names at the top that I didn''t remember being there before. One of them was titled [Cookbook].


    My eyes widened. Knowing recipes from this world would be really helpful. Maybe different monsters had different food preferences too. I tapped the word cookbook, assuming it would open a menu, but jumped back when an actual book came out of the screen, hovering in the air in front of me. The cover was a warm brown, like soft leather, embossed in gold with a crossed knife and fork.


    The cover opened on its own as the book flipped through a few blank pages, stopping on a recipe for grilled cheese. I snorted, glad I actually really liked grilled cheese since the system seemed to think it was my favorite thing ever now. But the "recipe" was basically just an ingredients list and didn''t contain any actual instructions.


    [Grilled Cheese: Bread, Cheese, Butter]


    Okay, but what kind of bread? What kind of cheese? Sure, it didn''t really matter for this recipe, but it would for others. I was a baker, not a cook who just threw things together and hoped they turned out. I needed specifics: ingredient measurements, bake time, temperature, and anything else they could give me.


    The embers in the walls glowed brighter as smoke curled around me, tickling my nose. Now that the campfire was gone, I wasn''t sure where the smoke was coming from, but my head felt too fuzzy to dwell on it.


    Did I really need all those things to cook? It felt like I could just toss everything on a pan and call it good...right?


    Before I second guessed myself, I took the pan and portable stove that I''d gotten with my starter gear out of my item box. The stove was barely large enough for a small pan, but that was fine as long as I could figure out how to turn it on. There were no buttons or switches that I could see, so I ran my fingers along the edges hoping to feel something unusual, but there was nothing.


    This dungeon cooking adventure wasn''t going to get very far if I didn''t have a heat source. I absently set the pan down on the stove so I could go through my menus for a hint, but an orange glow pulled my attention back. The stove had somehow activated.


    I pulled the pan off it and the orange glow faded, but when I set the pan down again, the glow immediately came back. Well that was useful, as long as I didn''t accidentally set the wrong thing on it. Just to test, I removed the pan and placed a clump of grass on the stove instead.


    Nothing happened. The grass didn''t even wilt or turn brown from the residual heat.


    I held my hand over the stove, but it didn''t actually feel warm. Maybe it was like a magical induction cooktop, where the heat went to the pots and pans instead of the stove itself! Now that would be really cool and a good safety measure.


    The slime nudged my leg, big eyes begging me to cook something tasty.


    "Okay, okay," I said with a laugh. "Give me a minute."


    The only ingredients in my item box were bread, cheese, and butter, none of which said what kinds they were, so I just pulled one of each out. The bread looked like basic white sandwich bread and the cheese was orange like cheddar. I cut them into slices, buttering the bread before putting it on the pan to cook.


    Then I layered some hopefully delicious cheese in the middle before adding another slice of bread. The butter sizzled nicely as the cheese started to melt, but it didn''t smell like anything. How strange.


    After a few minutes, I flipped the grilled cheese, excited about the golden brown color the bread had now. The slime slowly made its way onto my lap, getting closer and closer to the stove as the sandwich cooked. I held it back, not wanting the poor thing to get hurt, but felt just as excited to try this grilled cheese. If it actually tasted good, that opened up a whole world of options for taming monsters.


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    [Grilled Cheese Level 1 Acquired]


    [You cooked your very first dish! Hopefully it tastes good.]


    [+10 XP]


    Anticipation thrummed through me as I took a small bite of the sandwich, but an unmistakable cardboard taste filled my mouth that made me want to sob. It was just as awful as the last one. The slime ate the rest, cooing happily despite its terrible taste.


    "Are you mocking me, oh mysterious system?" I asked, feeling more than a little silly talking to thin air. "You had to know that wouldn''t taste good."


    [...]


    I glared at the message box that appeared. "Seriously? That''s all you''ve got? You''re the one who made me a culinary mage, so you should at least make the food taste good!"


    [Suggestion: look at your skills]


    My skills? I frowned, vaguely remembering a message about new skills being available when I was talking to Dave, but I hadn''t had time to look at them yet. I opened my menu, clicking on stats first.


    Culinary Mage: Level 1


    Agility: 1


    Charisma: 1


    Endurance: 1


    Intelligence: 1


    Mana: 1


    Strength: 1


    Available Stat Points: 5


    While those sounded useful, they didn''t really have anything to do with cooking. Unless mana meant magic, which was probably required for a culinary mage. Plus, charisma might help me win people and monsters over with my food easier. Since I was in a dungeon, I should probably add something to my strength too just in case. Or maybe agility to run away faster?


    "Hmmm...let''s put two points into mana and another two into charisma," I said, "then is it okay to save the last point?"


    [Yes, you may save as many points as you want]


    [Mana: 3]


    [Charisma: 3]


    My body glowed gold for a moment, as if accepting the new stats. I held my hand out in front of me, still amazed by this new world. I didn''t feel any different, but hopefully those increases would help my cooking. Now, what about those skills the system had mentioned?


    I tapped on the skills menu, which opened up two large tree-like structures with most of the words hidden behind locked symbols. The top of one said "culinary mage" and the other said "slime friend". I focused on the culinary mage skill tree, almost squealing with excitement as I read the top skill option.


    "Flavor boost??? Oh, hell yeah."


    [New Skill: Flavor Boost]


    [Flavor boost is a passive skill that will allow your cooking to have flavor as long as you have mana available]


    The skill glowed before opening up two more skill options: buff baking and heatproof hands. I only had one skill point left though and hadn''t even looked at the slime friend skills yet. The first one was titled slime care, which sounded useful, but I should probably focus on the culinary mage skills first since I was bound to run into other monsters besides slimes.


    "What''s the buff baking skill do?"


    [Buff baking is a skill that infuses one random buff to your food, temporarily increasing a stat, skill, or ability]


    Ohhh, that sounded handy. If I made food that other adventurers could use, they''d be more likely to help me with things. Maybe they''d even buy my food and I could make a little business out of it to keep me going until I got out of here. If all the skills were as powerful as these, I''d have to start leveling up as fast as possible.


    "Let''s go with buff baking, please," I told the ethereal system.


    [New Skill: Buff Baking]


    The skill glowed, opening even more skill options. Since I was out of points though, I closed the menu, eager to try both of these new skills out. I buttered two more slices of bread, placing them on the pan as I added cheese. The system had said the flavor boost skill was passive, which meant it should always be active as long as I had mana.


    As the grilled cheese started sizzling, a blue mana bar appeared at the top of my vision. It wasn''t a very large bar, but it was hopefully enough to make a few tasty grilled cheese.


    The slime bounced in my lap, just as eager to try the new food as I was. I flipped the sandwich, barely able to contain my excitement as it cooked, which was one of the only downsides to cooking. It took so long! Maybe there would be a skill to make things cook faster or instantly brown or something cool like that.


    The nutty scent of browned butter mixed with the wonderful scent of cheddar cheese. I inhaled deeply, overcome with emotion about how wonderful it was to smell food again. I had assumed the flavor boost would just affect the taste, but smell seemed like it was part of the experience too.


    Skills were amazing. I couldn''t wait to get more of them.


    [Grilled Cheese Level 1 Acquired]


    [+10 XP]


    I lifted the grilled cheese off the pan, almost burning my fingers it was so warm. I tossed the sandwich back and forth, blowing on my hands and wishing I''d taken that hot hands skill after all. The slime leaned back and forth, following the sandwich with its entire body, mouth open in case I dropped it.


    "Oh calm down," I said with a laugh as I split the sandwich in two, holding half out to the slime. "Let''s try it together."


    The slime gulped it down as I took my first bite. The warm, gooey cheese was mild, like a young cheddar cheese and a bit salty. The bread was soft and buttery with just a hint of a crispy bite from the golden brown exterior. I closed my eyes, savoring the taste as the warmth of this grilled cheese filled my body.


    It was perfect.


    Tears pricked my eyes as the comforting taste made me nostalgic for a home I couldn''t even remember. Such a weird feeling, but it passed quickly as I finished up my half of the grilled cheese.


    The slime was eyeing me expectantly. I hugged it close before preparing the next sandwich for us both. We''d be eating well from now on, no more tasteless garbage. This time I was going to use the buff baking skill and see what that did too.


    "Ummm...system? How do I use skills?"


    The flavor boost skill was passive, so I hadn''t actually needed to do anything to activate it, but I had a feeling buff baking was different.


    [Speak the skill name to activate it. The more intense you sound, the better your outcome.]


    I raised an eyebrow at the message. "Is that a joke or are you serious?"


    [Deadly serious]


    That still kind of sounded like sarcasm, but I''d do it just in case. I took a deep breath, straightening my back as I focused on the sandwich.


    "Buff baking!"


    Heat burned my cheeks as I loudly called out the name. At least there was nobody around to hear me say it, but it still felt so awkward. I ran a hand over my eyes, wishing I knew if the system was messing with me or not before flipping the grilled cheese. Once it finished cooking, a new message popped up.


    [Healing Grilled Cheese Level 1 Acquired]


    [+15 XP]


    Healing food? I hadn''t even considered that since it hadn''t been on my stat page. As if summoned by my thoughts, a green bar appeared at the top of my vision next to the blue mana bar, which wasn''t as full as it was before.


    Maybe this dungeon wouldn''t be the end of me after all if I could heal any wounds I might get with food. I could cook, I had skills, so now I just had to keep working hard to level them up so I could get out of here.


    100th floor, here I come.

 Chapter 4 - Dungeon Chickens

    After cooking a few more grilled cheese, I was almost out of mana already. It seemed like cooking with flavor boost didn''t use any, but cooking with buff baking did. I''d have to keep that in mind and use skills sparingly so I never ran out of flavor. I also wasn''t sure if the sandwiches would stay warm in my item box, so now seemed like a good time to stop.


    The blue slime tilted its head at me, staring with wide eyes as I put half a loaf of bread and a hunk of cheese back into my item box. That slime had the most ravenous appetite ever. Four grilled cheese in the past few hours and it still wanted more.


    "Sorry buddy, I''ll make you something else soon."


    The slime bounced quickly, nodding so hard it rolled over in the grass. A smile tugged at my lips as I watched the little monster, so adorable and silly. This whole situation would have been a lot more terrifying without it. Calling the slime a monster felt kind of rude at this point because it really was the best friend I had in this place.


    My only friend.


    So maybe I should stop calling it an it while I was at it too since the slime seemed to be sentient and have a personality.


    "Hey Jellybean?" I asked before it rolled too far away. "Do slimes have genders?"


    The slime blinked at me, then looked up at the ceiling.


    [The slime is a male. You would know that if you''d activated any of your awesome new slime friend skills.]


    I winced. Had I offended the system by not evenly distributing my skills? I didn''t realize it could even get offended.


    "Sorry," I called out to the empty dungeon floor. "I''ll make sure to look at those skills once I have more points."


    I waited to see if another message box appeared, but the system had gone silent. Hmmmm, I''d have to keep an eye on my skills better in the future. If the system really had made a new class and title just for me, then I should show my gratitude by using them. After all, the system was the only reason I wasn''t being forced to fight.


    As I put the pan back in my item box, a familiar cluck cluck filled the air.


    Were there...chickens in this dungeon?


    I turned around just in time to see my best little slime friend open his mouth wide and gobble a tiny chicken up.


    "No!" I shouted as the chicken bawked loudly before it disappeared. The slime looked at me innocently with a chicken feather hanging out of his mouth. "Oh, no you don''t. Spit it out. Now."


    The slime tilted his head as if he was confused, but the chicken was clearly inside the slime''s translucent body. It was flapping its wings like it was still alive, so I stormed over there and stared the slime down.


    "Spit. It. Out," I said forcefully. "We don''t eat cute baby chickens here. We just don''t." When the slime didn''t do anything, I added, "I''ll make you something tasty if you spit it out."


    Jellybean''s mouth dropped open and the chicken fluttered back to the ground, squawking up a storm and leaving slime-coated feathers everywhere.


    I patted the slime''s head. "That was nice of you. Thank you."


    He chittered, leaning into my hand and I couldn''t help but smile. I knew I should chastise him more, maybe try training him or something, but he was just too adorable. We''d work on slime manners another day. Right now, I really needed to find more ingredients. I couldn''t keep either of us safe if I couldn''t feed the monsters we''d inevitably encounter.


    I hurried to pack the rest of our stuff, shoving the portable stove back into my item box, but something felt off. The ground was vibrating. Then came the sounds. Clucking so loud I was afraid to turn around and look. But I forced myself to peek.


    Four monstrous chickens towered over me. They had to be almost five feet tall and when they opened their mouths, fire shot out, blazing past me like a warning shot.


    Fire. Breathing. Chickens.


    At their feet stood a ruffled little chicken that looked suspiciously like the one Jellybean had tried to eat. Dammit. Was I about to be a monster chicken''s revenge dinner?


    "I''m really sorry about what happened." I stood slowly with my hands out in front of me. The chickens came up to my chin, making their death stares all the more imposing. "I don''t mean you any harm. It was just a misunderstanding."


    A misunderstanding about who was on the menu tonight, but that was beside the point. We could all walk away from this in one piece, right?


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Except, I didn''t see the slime anywhere. I couldn''t just leave him here to be fried for a chicken''s dinner.


    One of the chickens moved closer, clucking in an angry tone as it pecked the air. I winced, picturing how painful that beak would be if it hit me. This was not how my story ended. No way. Not pecked to death by a chicken.


    I glanced around until I spotted the slime quivering in the grass behind the monsters. If I distracted these chickens long enough, we could make a run for it. I opened my item box and pulled out my trusty sandwich: [Dave''s Lunch].


    "Here chicken, chicken, chicken," I said, ripping the grilled cheese up and tossing it on the ground. "Dinner time."


    The one in front walked right over the sandwich bites, grinding them into the dirt under its talons. I gulped. That was one terrifying chicken. Thankfully the others seemed to enjoy the sandwich as they leaned down to peck at it. I tossed a large chunk of it in the air, waiting for the boss chicken to look up at it.


    The moment its eyes left me, I raced over to the slime, scooped him into my arms, and fled as fast as my legs could carry me.


    Furious squawking rose up behind us, but there was no way I was looking back. Not a chance. Not when the slime in my arms was shaking like a leaf, too terrified to make a noise. It reminded me of somebody, but I couldn''t think of who. Somebody who acted tough, but never stood up for themself, no matter how badly they were treated.


    Tears pricked my eyes again, but I wasn''t sure why. I blinked them away, holding the slime close as the chickens closed the distance between us. There was no way I was outrunning them, so we''d have to climb a tree and hope for the best.


    I tossed the slime into the nearest tree and raced after him as fast as I could, grabbing branch after branch. A chef''s coat wasn''t the best for climbing trees though and I kept slipping. This was insane. I was just a baker, so why was I getting chased by fire-breathing chickens in a dungeon?? And why had I thought climbing a very burnable tree was a good idea?


    I hauled myself up a bit higher, straddling a branch so I could catch my breath and see what the chickens were up to. They were still spitting fire, but thankfully the tree wasn''t burning. The flames seemed to roll off its bark like it was fire-proof.


    My shoulders sagged with relief as the slime jumped into my arms, still quivering. I snuggled the little guy close.


    "It''ll be okay, we''ll get out of this."


    Somehow.


    The satyr''s comment about not being able to win with a sandwich came to mind. I really didn''t want him to be right because I didn''t want to hurt anyone, not even these fire-breathing chickens. But what if my food couldn''t calm them down? Would we be stuck up here forever?


    I tried tossing down some of the new grilled cheese I''d made, but they didn''t seem to care about that either. They were too focused on trying to take the tree down with their intense pecking. I leaned my head back against the tree trunk, patting the quivering slime in my arms.


    Maybe chickens just didn''t like grilled cheese. If I had any other ingredients, I could try and make something else for them. Something that would satisfy those monsters long enough for us to get away. I squinted at the tree''s branches. Were those...apples?


    No. They looked more like strawberries, but those didn''t grow in¨CI shook my head. Whether strawberries grew in trees or not wasn''t my problem right now. What mattered was that this tree had fruit and I could cook something with that.


    Maybe some basic jam? I didn''t have any sugar, but strawberries were pretty sweet on their own. If I cooked them down, they''d still be tasty.


    I moved to set the slime on another branch, but he squeaked at me.


    "I''ve got a plan," I said, "I just need to gather these strawberries and cook them down. Then I''ll get us out of here."


    The slime tilted this way and that before hopping over to a bundle of strawberries and gobbling them up.


    "Wait, no!" I called out. The slime looked at me and started shaking again. My heart ached as I reached out to pet him. "Nevermind. Eat as many as you want."


    Unfortunately, the ravenous little slime devoured all the strawberries nearby in minutes. I barely got two handfuls before they were gone. Hopefully it would be enough because I didn''t want to risk moving around too much and losing my balance. If I fell, the slime wouldn''t have anyone to protect him anymore.


    Picturing the adorable creature being pecked by those chickens was just too horrible. I had to make this work.


    I positioned myself against the tree trunk to feel a little more stable. I''d been avoiding looking down as much as I could, but dizziness swept over me once in a while anyway. This tree wasn''t the tallest around, but it was tall enough to make my head spin.


    I removed the portable stove, pot, and knife from my item box, balancing them carefully on the tree branch in front of me. Then I cut each strawberry into quarters and tossed them into the pot. It was a pitiful amount that didn''t even cover the bottom. I worried my lip, looking around for any other strawberries within easy reach, but there weren''t any.


    "This will have to be good enough," I muttered to myself as the slime hopped onto my shoulder. "Are you feeling better?"


    The slime nuzzled against me and I smiled, forgetting the giant chickens for a moment. The slime really was sweet, even if he had a bottomless pit for a stomach. He fell into my lap and opened his mouth wide.


    Strawberries suddenly appeared in my arms. Lots of strawberries. So many I couldn''t even hold onto them all and a few fell to the ground.


    "What...what''s this?" I asked, eyes wide. "Did you gather all these for me?"


    The slime chirped, bouncing happily as the strawberries piled up high around him. He hadn''t been greedily devouring all the fruit, he''d been picking them. For me. So I didn''t have to risk climbing around those branches. I shoved the strawberries in my item box before more of them fell and hugged the slime tight.


    "Thank you," I said as he rubbed against my cheek. "You''re amazing."


    Being treed by monster chickens wasn''t exactly my idea of a good time, but at least we were in it together. I''d have to make good use of the gift Jellybean had brought me. I cut up more strawberries, enough to fill the bottom quarter of the pot, and then turned on the heat.


    Time to make some tasty, chicken-taming jam.

 Chapter 5 - Monster Treats

    The sweet scent of strawberries filled the air as the beautiful fruit started to cook. I''d gotten lucky finding these, their deep red color like precious rubies hidden away in a dungeon. Good food was better than any other treasure that might be here, so I prayed to whatever gods were in this world that the strawberries would taste good.


    [Strawberry Mush Level 1 Acquired]


    [+5 XP]


    My cookbook fluttered open, revealing a blank page that was slowly filled up with shimmering text as if this was some great new recipe.


    "Strawberry mush? Really?" I sighed, dipping a spoon into it to taste it.


    I''d forgotten how watery and bland cooked strawberries were without sugar to macerate them with. Instead of jam, it was just a mushy mess that lost the sweetness the fresh strawberries had had. Not terrible, but nothing I''d serve anyone either.


    I glanced down at the fire-breathing chickens below. Maybe they''d like strawberry mush? The biggest one glared at me, shooting fire up at us. I flinched, pulling my legs higher in the tree. Okay, maybe they didn''t want my crappy cooking.


    But, even though the mush didn''t taste great, it had still given me XP. XP was used for leveling, right?


    I opened my stat menu to find an almost full XP bar. If I made more strawberry mush, I''d probably level up soon and get more skills. Maybe my food would even level up too? I''d noticed that everything I made said it was level 1 just like I was.


    Hmmm...what level were the chickens? I glanced down at them again as notices appeared above their feathered heads. The big boss chicken monsters had the highest levels, but they seemed to get lower as the birds got smaller.


    [Chicken: Level 3]


    [Chicken: Level 3]


    [Chicken: Level 3]


    [Chicken: Level 2]


    And for the tiniest one, the one my adorable slime friend had tried to eat...


    [Chicken: Level 1]


    Wait, they were just chickens? Not crispy cluckers or bawkblazers? I definitely expected some kind of cool monster name, but no, the system really thought those monsters were normal chickens.


    That was terrifying. I had to get out of this tree before anything else this dungeon thought was normal showed up.


    I cooked three more batches of strawberry mush, each one gobbled up by Jellybean with pleasure. His blue body was taking on a purple hue from all those strawberries, but he just kept wiggling with joy so it must have been fine.


    [Strawberry Mush Level 1 Acquired]


    [+5 XP]


    [Level Up: Culinary Mage Level 2]


    Confetti burst around me, colorful and bright like the slime. I''d really gotten to level 2 with this ridiculous strawberry mush! Cheerful music filled the air, making me smile. It felt so nice celebrating that victory.


    [New Skills Available]


    Excellent. I opened the skills menu quickly, noting the two new skill points I could spend. I''d promised to look at the slime friend skills first, so I chose slime bond from that tree.


    [New Skill: Slime Bond]


    [Slime bond is a passive skill that allows slimes you''ve befriended to create a bond with you, letting you intuitively know what they need a bit easier. This bond will grow and change the longer you''re connected to them.]


    Jellybean glowed blue as warmth spread through my chest. Looking at the little slime made me even happier than before, as if I was feeling a bit of his happiness as well. I ran my hand over his smooth translucent body and he closed his eyes, making a sound similar to a purr that made my heart melt.


    I wouldn''t ignore the slime friend skill tree again, not if it made Jellybean this happy.


    But I still had one skill point left and I had to use that on food this time. I glanced through the skill tree options, almost clicking on the heatproof hands from before, but paused.


    "What''s ingredient efficiency do?"


    [Ingredient efficiency allows you to bake complete dishes with one less ingredient]


    My eyebrows shot up. If that worked how it sounded, I could make actual jam for those crispy cluckers. I tapped the skill, excitement making me jittery as the name glowed.


    [New Skill: Ingredient Efficiency]


    I cut up a fresh batch of strawberries, filling the bottom half of the pot before adding it to the portable stove. Now the only thing left was to activate the skill...


    "Ingredient efficiency!" I shouted out, wincing as the embarrassment washed over me again. "Use sugar."


    The last part came out as a whisper, but hopefully it still worked. While the strawberries simmered, I threw another stat point into my mana, since most of the culinary mage skills seemed to use that. I saved the remaining two stat points for emergencies in case this all-mana-and-charisma plan didn''t work out so well.


    As the fruit cooked down, the moisture released, making a much more jam-like consistency. It was actually working! I dipped my spoon into it, daring to take a small taste of the delicious-looking jam.


    Sweetness filled my mouth as the delicate strawberry flavor danced on my tongue. A soft moan escaped my lips. This was what food should taste like! Thank god something was finally working out.


    [Strawberry Jam Level 2 Acquired]


    [+10 XP]


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    My cookbook glowed with warm golden light as another page was filled out for strawberry jam. Once again, it only listed the ingredients though. Maybe I could add my own notes to it later, fleshing the cookbook out manually.


    [It sounded like you really enjoyed that jam. Maybe you should look for more ingredients and see what else you can make.]


    [New Quest: Gather three unique ingredients]


    This system was sounding more and more like a person. The back of my neck warmed, picturing somebody behind a computer screen watching me. It didn''t feel malicious though, more like the system was trying to help. From giving me a culinary mage class to me happening to find strawberries in the tree I''d climbed, it all felt a little too easy. Even the ingredient efficiency skill was exactly what I''d needed at the time.


    It was like somebody wanted me to succeed here and that made me feel a lot better about this whole stuck in a dungeon thing.


    Jellybean slowly grew taller and skinner, trying to peek over the edge of the pot.


    "Hey now," I said with a laugh, "that''s for the chickens."


    He deflated with one of the most pathetic sighs I''d ever heard.


    "Oh fine," I said, holding out a small spoonful of the jam. "What do you think?"


    The slime slurped it up, his eyes going wide as he bounced with far too much energy, almost bouncing right out of the tree! I reached out to steady him.


    "Whoa there, calm down," I said. "If you like it that much, I''ll make a whole pot just for you. Once we get away from the chickens, of course."


    At that we both looked below us at the increasingly angry chickens. The smallest one strutted around like it was the general of an army. A very tiny general, but it was still egging the others on into pecking the tree like woodpeckers. Since they couldn''t burn it, maybe they hoped to knock it down instead.


    Okay, time to give them a taste of this delicious jam.


    I paused, gripping the spoon tight. It was easy to give the slime a taste since he was sitting right next to me, but how was I going to actually feed the chickens from way up here? I could dump the jam on the ground, but that seemed pretty rude making the chickens eat it with dirt mixed in. That would probably change the flavor too.


    Hmmm....I could climb down and spoon feed them like I did the slime? I glanced at their sharp beaks, shaking my head. No, definitely not.


    What else could I serve this on? I still had some bread leftover from my starter ingredients so I could make toast. Hopefully it didn''t land jam side down though.


    Who was I kidding? Bread always landed jam side down...


    Oh well, I still had to try. I buttered a piece of bread and toasted it on the pan.


    [Toast Level 2 Acquired]


    [+10 XP]


    A grin stretched across my face. So my food really did level up with me, which hopefully meant it could appease even tougher monsters as long as I kept leveling up. I''d be through the dungeon in no time if gaining experience kept being this easy. I could lock myself in a room, baking all day and night, without running across any monsters until I was ready.


    That actually felt far too familiar, like I''d often spent all day and night baking. Even my shoulders tightened at the thought. Okay, maybe I wouldn''t do that.


    For now, I just had to get out of this tree.


    I spread jam on the toast and balled it up like a snowball, hoping the bread would shield the jam from sticking to the dirt. Then I leaned over the branch and tossed it down in front of the tiny chicken.


    The chicken turned its head this way and that before eventually pecking at the jam ball. Then it pecked some more until the entire thing was gone. I tossed a few more jam balls down, so excited that this was actually working. Another chicken joined the first, devouring the jam balls with gusto.


    [2 Chickens Defeated]


    [Reward: Eggs, Fire Peppers, and a New Recipe]


    Four eggs, a few peppers, and a recipe card rained down from the sky, almost hitting me on the head before they disappeared with a soft chime just like in the tutorial zone. Once I was sure I wasn''t going to be covered in eggs, I opened my item box to find them safe and secure inside. A new page appeared in my cookbook as well for spicy chocolate lava cake.


    That was so cool. It was like the chickens had given me a gift for feeding them and I couldn''t wait to try the recipe out.


    Unfortunately, that''s where my excitement died. No matter how many jam balls I threw down, the level 3 chickens didn''t even deign to look at them. If only I had a slingshot, then I could really make this chicken feeding game exciting. But in the end, my food probably just wasn''t high enough level to pique their interest.


    I sighed. I''d probably have to spend hours leveling up before I had food worthy of those monsters.


    Jellybean cleaned out the pot once again as I prepared for another batch. He slurped up every last speck of jam with a look of utter contentment on his face. At least he''d be happy since I did promise I''d make a pot just for him. Cooking for the slime was honestly so satisfying. I just wish we weren''t stuck in a tree while doing it.


    After another two pots of jam, and a very full slime, my need for storage containers was growing. I assumed I wouldn''t always have the time to cook things on the spot when I needed them, but I also couldn''t just pour a pot of jam into my item box. Well, maybe I could, but it sounded so messy that I didn''t want to try. Just imagining my jam covered hands when I took it back out was not fun.


    I threw another few jam balls down, hoping to keep the lower level monsters distracted at least.


    "Do you maybe need some help?" a woman''s voice shouted up at me.


    I jerked so hard I almost fell out of the tree, scurrying to safety at the last minute on a sturdy branch.


    An older woman with bright red hair, broad shoulders, and toned muscles stood about ten paces behind the chickens, watching the whole thing with a grin on her face like this was the best show she''d seen in ages. A large hammer was strapped to her back, looking far too deadly for my taste.


    "Uhh, I think I''m good, thanks," I said, smiling at her politely. Sure they were monster chickens, but that didn''t mean I wanted them tenderized.


    Plus, if you couldn''t do the work by yourself, you weren''t fit for the job. Asking for help just put a burden on somebody else and nobody wanted that.


    I froze. Where had that thought come from?


    Did I really believe that people shouldn''t help each other or was that just something I''d heard too many times?


    I frowned, hating the feeling of not being able to remember something that was whispering at the edges of my mind. I wanted my memories back, to remember who I was and why I was here.


    The scent of smoke drifted over, clouding the air like it did when I first entered the dungeon. A faint glow burned at the edges of my vision as the embers in the walls flared to life. I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling dizzy as the slime brushed up against me.


    "I''m okay," I told him, patting it softly. "We''re going to get down from here."


    He cooed, leaning into me like he fully believed I''d keep him safe. Which meant that''s what I''d have to do. There was no way I''d let this precious little slime down, not when he couldn''t fend for himself. I had to keep moving, just focusing on what was in front of me, until some part of this made sense.


    "Okay, maybe I could use your help," I called out. "Just...don''t hurt them, please."


    Her laugh was raspy, but full. "Whatever you say. These are your chickens, so you make the decisions."


    My chickens? Did the adventurers have some kind of first come first served code when it came to fighting monsters? That could come in handy.


    "Think you can scare them away?" I asked, glancing at her level.


    [Warrior: Level 8]


    Was that high enough level for her to not get clobbered? I wasn''t sure how fighting actually worked since I hadn''t been interested in it at all. Maybe I should have asked Dave a few more questions.


    The woman''s face split into another grin. "Oh, I can scare them alright. Just get ready to jump down."


    With that, she pulled the hammer off her back and started yelling, chasing those chickens like a gleeful child. They flapped their wings, bawking up a storm as they ran from her, feathers filling the air. It was such a crazy sight I almost forgot to climb down.


    Once my feet were on the ground again, I reached up to grab the slime, and took off running, the other woman not far behind.


    I wasn''t sure how long we''d been in the dungeon, but I was beat. At least we''d survived our first chicken encounter.

 Chapter 6 - A New Friend

    My legs burned from trying to keep up with the woman who''d rescued me. She was in far too good of shape, acting like this mad sprint of ours was a jaunt in the woods while I could barely breathe. I motioned for her to stop, hands on my knees as I gulped down air.


    Well, that answered one thing about my life: I was not an athlete.


    "Thanks for the help," I gasped. "I''m Hazel."


    "Fiona." She frowned, studying me. "You''re pretty low level still. Have you tried upping your endurance?"


    If it meant my side would stop aching and I could breathe again, I''d take it. I opened my stat menu and added one of my two remaining stat points to endurance. A sense of relief washed over me, as if I''d just woken up from a full night''s sleep.


    "Whoa, that''s amazing," I said.


    Fiona nodded as Jellybean hopped down from my shoulder and started munching on some plants nearby, reminding me of what had caused all this nonsense in the first place. I could still picture how offended that baby chick looked, feathers ruffled and out of sorts as it fell out of the slime''s mouth. It might have been funny if it hadn''t ended up with the monster parents chasing us down.


    "You just had to eat that chicken, didn''t you?" I asked the slime, the accusation coloring my tone.


    Fiona''s lips twitched. "Wait, that''s why you were stuck in a tree? Because that slime ate a chicken?"


    "I made him spit it out. That should have been good enough, but noooo they just had to get revenge."


    At that Fiona burst out laughing, practically doubling over. "Revenge of the chickens? Oh that''s so ridiculous. I knew when I saw you throwing bread to them like they were pigeons that I had to introduce myself."


    My cheeks burned. "Well, what else was I supposed to do?"


    "Fight them," she said, as if that was the only logical answer. "They''re not as tough as they look."


    They sure seemed tough to me and if this was only the first floor, I couldn''t imagine what would be waiting for me further down. I shuddered at the thought of a fifty foot chicken.


    "That''s just not my style," I said softly, sitting on the cool ground with my knees pulled to my chest. "What is this place anyway? I was told it wasn''t a game, but it feels like a game. What''s the point though?"


    "To see who''s the best?" Fiona shrugged, glancing at a big scratch on her arm that was probably from one of those crispy cluckers. She pulled a bottle of red liquid out of her inventory that I somehow knew was a healing potion. Maybe I could test something out...


    "Hold on," I said, opening my item box to grab one of the sandwiches I''d made earlier. Only one had ended up with a healing buff, but this felt like a good time to use it. "Try this healing grilled cheese instead."


    "Healing grilled cheese?" The older woman eyed the sandwich skeptically. "You can only heal with potions, not food. You get them as quest rewards or you can buy them from the shops on floor five."


    "Is there a way to check an item''s properties?"


    She nodded. "Just tap on it and think something like what are you?"


    I smiled a little at the explanation, but a lot of things did seem to respond to my thoughts, so why not? I tapped the sandwich. What are you?


    A message box appeared above it.


    [Healing Grilled Cheese Level 1]


    Fiona''s eyes widened. "Well I''ll be damned. I guess it is a healing sandwich."


    This time when I held it out to her, she graciously accepted and took a big bite. The scratch on her arm sealed up, fading away within moments. Okay, that really was pretty cool. She ran her hand over her skin, staring at it.


    "It actually worked," she said, voice filled with wonder. "What''s your secret?"


    "I''m a culinary mage," I said proudly. "My plan is to bake my way through the dungeon without fighting anything."


    Fiona blinked, glancing between me and the last bite of her grilled cheese. My confidence drained away as we sat in awkward silence for a bit. I had kind of expected her to ooh and aah over how good it tasted since it seemed like everyone here was used to tasteless food, but she''d barely reacted.


    "Did it...not taste good?" I asked.


    "Taste good?" She frowned, finishing the last of the sandwich. The cheese wasn''t gooey like it had been originally. "Hmmmm, I guess it does taste a bit different than I''m used to, but not much."


    "But I used flavor boost." I rummaged through my item box, grabbing the last leftover grilled cheese as Fiona stared at me awkwardly. "It''s a skill I got that enhances the flavor. I swear these grilled cheese tasted amazing earlier today."


    I bit into the soft bread, expecting the same great flavor as before but was thoroughly disappointed. Somehow, it was even worse than it was before flavor boost. It not only tasted like cardboard, but now it was cold too. Maybe the skills only lasted so long? But the healing part had still worked, so why didn''t the flavor stick?


    "Okay, so maybe the grilled cheese wasn''t a good example," I said. "But I promise my food usually tastes good and it''s going to get me through this dungeon safely. The satyr who showed me inside was going on and on about how ridiculous my class was, but it is my class, so I''m going to use it."


    "To...bake?"


    That hesitation hurt a little bit. She was the first person I''d met inside the dungeon and had helped me out of a tricky situation. I didn''t want her to think I was useless. Or worse, making things up.


    I''d just have to show her what a culinary mage could do and prove that I was serious. Baking was important. The right food could change a person''s day, making them smile or laugh. There was something magical about recreating food that somebody remembered from their childhood too, that nostalgic feeling was so warm and comforting. The right food could even calm a savage beast, or at least, that''s what I was counting on.


    "Do you have any ingredients with you?" I asked as I set up the portable stove. "I made that grilled cheese a while ago and it must not store well in my item box. Once you try fresh food from me, you''ll understand."


    She studied me for a moment, then nodded. "I''m always up for new things, so let''s give it a try." She opened her inventory, which I unfortunately couldn''t see, and started swiping through menus. "What kind of ingredients do you want? I''ve got vegetables, eggs, meat, fish, milk, flour, chocolate--"


    "You''ve got chocolate?" I asked as a smile tugged at my lips. I could make a lot of things with chocolate.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "Don''t get too excited," Fiona warned. "It doesn''t taste like anything. Nothing here ever does."


    "Why is that anyway?"


    She shrugged. "Nobody knows. We''ve got all the ingredients for good food, but it never tastes right. The longer you''re here, the less that seems to concern anyone though. A lot of things are like that."


    That was worrisome. I''d had a few fuzzy moments myself too where I thought I cared about something and then suddenly didn''t. Something strange was happening in this dungeon, but I had the overwhelming sense that I shouldn''t ask anything else about it.


    So I didn''t.


    "My cooking will be good. I promise."


    That jam had tasted sweet and fruity, exactly like I thought it should. Cooking was something I did well, the one thing that I could control in this strange place full of uncertainty, and I wasn''t about to let that slip away.


    After going through more of her inventory, I asked for the flour, eggs, butter, sugar, and chocolate. It wasn''t everything I needed, but hopefully I could get the baking soda from my ingredient efficiency skill. Because nothing would win her over like a warm, gooey, chocolate chip cookie.


    "How long have you been here?" I asked as I melted the butter.


    There wasn''t a recipe for this in my cookbook, but I just knew that was the first step for these cookies. After it cooled down, I''d mix in the sugar, eggs, flour, and broken up pieces of chocolate.


    "I''ve been here for a few months I think," Fiona said, taking her hammer off her back to clean it. "I¡¯ve been farming experience for a while, but I¡¯m ready to move past the safe zone now that I¡¯m a level 8.¡±


    "That''s great," I said, glad to have found somebody who knew a bit more about how things worked here. "Is that the average time it takes people?"


    I started mixing the ingredients together until a nice light-brown dough formed. Then I broke up the chocolate bar, mixing so many chocolate chunks into the dough that it could barely hold them all. Apparently I had a sweet tooth.


    Fiona tilted her head. "Honestly, it''s a little hard to keep track of time in here, so I''m not sure. Mind if I ask you something though?"


    "Umm, sure, but I don''t know how much help I''ll be."


    "What are you doing with that thing?" Fiona nodded at the little slime, who was eying up the cookie dough with stars in his eyes. "You do know that slimes are monsters, right? Or were you not strong enough to kill it?"


    The slime shrank in on himself and moved closer to me, as if the other woman was suddenly an enemy. I pulled him onto my lap just in case she was, but knew there wasn''t much I could do if she tried to hurt him. I''d have to get stronger if I wanted to keep Jellybean safe.


    "This slime is my friend," I said firmly, patting his head. "What''s up with everyone assuming all monsters are evil? Even the system gave me a title for befriending the slime, so it must think it''s fine."


    "You got a title for it?" Fiona asked, her hands halting their cleaning.


    [Slime Friend]


    The box appeared as if she''d called it forth.


    Fiona whistled like she was impressed before going back to her polishing. "That''s pretty cool. Most people have slime killer or slime slayer titles, but you''re the first slime friend I''ve seen."


    The slime trembled in my lap. I wrapped my arms around him, murmuring calming things until Fiona held her hands up.


    "I''m not going to hurt your friend, okay?" She leaned closer. "How''d you do it though? Befriend a slime?"


    "I fed it."


    She laughed, grinning widely. "Maybe I underestimated that baking your way through the dungeon plan."


    "The skills have been really helpful so far," I said. "What''s the best way to level them up?"


    "Leveling skills is like exercising your muscles. The more you use them, the better they''ll be. When you reach certain levels, you''ll get new skill options too that are based on the kinds of things you''ve been doing. So if you keep baking, you''ll probably get some pretty cool baking related skill options. Same with being nice to slimes."


    "That''s good to know, thanks."


    I patted Jellybean, hoping our bond would keep growing stronger. It was nice to know that the system rewarded me for just doing the things I wanted to do anyway instead of forcing me to be something I wasn''t. Maybe that was why it had seemed so helpful, because it was following my lead. So I''d just keep baking and playing with slimes and see where that took me.


    Now that that was settled, I had to do something about this lack of baking powder.


    "Ummm...don''t judge me for this," I mumbled before focusing on the cookie dough. I had to be confident and intense like the system had told me. "Ingredient Efficiency! Use baking powder!"


    The blue mana bar shot down until it was almost empty. Apparently, baking powder used a lot more mana than sugar did. I''d have to be careful with that skill.


    Fiona''s shoulders shook with silent laughter as she covered her mouth. "Umm, what was that?"


    "What do you mean?" The back of my neck warmed. "The system said skills worked better if you shouted them."


    Laughter burst out of her so intense that she had to wipe tears from her eyes. "Sorry, I''m not laughing at you, I promise. The system is just well known for getting bored, I guess? It sometimes tells adventurers weird things."


    The system and I were going to have a long hard talk about that later, but right now I just focused on shaping the cookie dough into balls until my embarrassment faded. It felt like a cool magical spell when I was shouting it, like I was an actual mage. So maybe the system had just wanted me to get in the spirit of the dungeon.


    Or maybe I was giving it too much credit.


    Since I didn''t have an actual oven to bake these cookies in, I took a pan out of my item box to pan fry them. They wouldn''t taste quite as good, but it was the best I could do right now.


    After a few minutes, the air filled with the scent of warm, buttery cookies. I flipped them over in the pan to finish cooking while a tear rolled down my cheek. Dammit, was cooking going to make me cry every time? I wasn''t even using onions, but the scent of cookies just felt so familiar.


    "It''s okay." Fiona leaned forward and patted my knee. "A lot of newcomers get teary-eyed at random things. That''ll go away soon too."


    I''d already forgotten everything before I''d woken up in that meadow, but at least my body seemed to remember the important things. The ones that were so ingrained in my mind that they''d stuck around even after everything else was gone. If I lost that too...


    I clutched my aching chest.


    "I don''t want to lose anything else," I whispered. "I want to hold onto it, as tight as possible. I want to remember."


    She sighed. "Are you sure? What if your life before the dungeon wasn''t good? Maybe that''s why we''re all here, for a do over."


    "Whether it''s good or bad, it''s still my life." I took the cookies out of the frying pan, placing them in the pot to cool. "I deserve to remember it."


    [Chocolate Chip Cookies Level 2 Acquired]


    [+15 XP]


    My cookbook floated out of my menu, flipping to a blank page so it could write down the chocolate chip cookie recipe. The shimmering ink filling up the page felt so satisfying, like it was slowly becoming an actual cookbook full of tasty recipes.


    Fiona set down her hammer. "If you really want to remember, then you should keep baking and doing what you''re doing. The people who remember their old lives the longest seem to be the ones with classes that align with their memories. You got lucky with that culinary mage class, so use it."


    That was reassuring, even if she was probably just trying to make me feel better.


    "Okay, then that''s what I''ll do." I nodded, smiling as the slime tried to lean forward and gobble up the cookies like I wouldn''t notice. I nudged the pot away so they could keep cooling. "Is there somewhere I can get an oven and other baking supplies? Maybe a house or a cafe I could work at or something?"


    "What''s a cafe?" she asked.


    "It''s..."


    What was a cafe? It was at the tip of my tongue, but I couldn''t seem to place it. I rubbed my temples as a headache started to form.


    A happy little moan made me forget about the cafe as Fiona bit into a cookie, her eyes closed as if she was savoring the taste.


    "These are amazing!" She grabbed a second one before she was even done with the first. "You really can bake food that tastes good!"


    I grinned with pride, picking out some cookies for the slime. He trilled with excitement as he ate them, wiggling in what I hoped was enjoyment.


    Finally, I tried some for myself. The cookies were still warm and gooey, falling apart in my hands. I took a bite, sighing as the chocolate melted in my mouth. The buttery taste filled my senses, warming my soul as well as my body.


    Chocolate chip cookies really were the perfect comfort food. Nobody could be sad while eating one of these.


    All too soon the cookies were gone, devoured between the three of us.


    "Wanna make some more?" Fiona asked, already holding out the ingredients with a hopeful look.


    I laughed. "Sure, I''ll make all the cookies you want."


    The slime bounced happily and Fiona slowly reached out to pet him. He cooed and leaned into her hand as she smiled. Cookies apparently had the power to bond people and slimes together too.


    Guess I''d be baking a lot of them then.

 Chapter 7 - Slimes, Slides, and Sweets

    With full bellies and almost a hundred cookies in our inventories, I was now a level 3 culinary mage with even more new skills available. I was too tired to look at them yet though since cooking in such small batches on a portable stove took way longer than using a full oven. Especially since I had to keep waiting for my mana to refill even after upgrading it to 6.


    That ingredient efficiency skill just ate up too much mana for my liking, but at least we''d have monster treats for a while and that was too important to pass up.


    Getting to the safe zone had to be my next priority, because that was the only place I''d be able to bake in peace with a potentially full kitchen. The idea was pretty exciting actually, so I packed up all my stuff and got to my feet.


    ¡°You ready?¡± I asked Fiona, who groaned and held her stomach.


    ¡°Let me lie here for a bit longer.¡±


    She¡¯d eaten way more cookies than I expected, but I took it as a compliment that my food was worth eating too much of. Even the slime looked like he was full as cookies hovered in his translucent body.


    The idea of a cafe called to me and the more I baked, the more real it felt. Memories tugged at my mind about a cozy place where people could gather and enjoy good food and drinks. It felt like a dream I¡¯d had for a long time, something deep-rooted that wouldn¡¯t be so easy to erase. Was something like that really possible in a dungeon though?


    I fed the slime one last cookie, which was a [Chocolate Chip Cookie Level 4] after all my hard work and repetition. Turns out the system gave out mastery bonuses for things you repeated enough times, so my cookies were now baking one level higher than my own level. That would come in handy for sure when facing tougher monsters like those crispy cluckers from earlier.


    It seemed like everything I did put XP toward something, which was honestly a little hard to keep track of. Making progress and being rewarded for things felt so satisfying though. I bet everyone who got to the final floor of the dungeon felt like they''d accomplished the biggest thing in their entire lives. A goal worth working toward, even if I was planning a roundabout way of getting there.


    ¡°So, how do we get to the next floor?¡± I asked.


    ¡°You need one of these.¡± Fiona pulled an ancient-looking bronze key out of her inventory. ¡°Hold it out like you¡¯re unlocking a door and one will just sort of appear for you.¡±


    ¡°Sounds easy enough, but where did you get the key from?¡±


    She winced. ¡°They¡¯re given out randomly from monster drops, so I don¡¯t know how you¡¯ll find any without fighting.¡±


    This dungeon really was set up for fighting and nothing else. It¡¯s like the whole concept revolved around fight, kill, repeat. It didn¡¯t sit right with me.


    ¡°You can use mine for now,¡± Fiona said. ¡°This one''s a mystery key though, so it could take us one, two, or three floors down. We won''t know until we use it."


    "So we could end up pretty much at the safe zone if we''re lucky?"


    Fiona shook her head. "There''s a floor boss we''ll have to beat before we get there. Even the keys won''t skip that."


    "A floor boss?" She hadn''t mentioned that fun little detail before, but how bad could it be? We were still on the starter floors and I had delicious cookies. "I''m sure we can handle it."


    She laughed. "Look at you all cocky after leveling up a bit. If we end up at the floor boss, we''re screwed though. Level 3 is not high enough, unless you''re okay with me killing it for you."


    I reached over to pet the slime, remembering why I was doing all this. I didn''t want to hurt anyone. "Okay, we''ll level more first then so my baking will be good enough to win the boss over."


    "That''s the spirit." Fiona stood up, stretching her arms high. "Now, you¡¯ll want to hold onto that slime tight. Just in case.¡±


    ¡°Just in case of what?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± She held the key out, summoning an old wooden door with intricate carvings on it. ¡°Remember to hold onto the slime.¡±


    That warning felt far too ominous, but she opened the door and stepped inside before I could ask again. I picked up Jellybean, holding him close. The other side of the door was so dark I couldn¡¯t see anything. Logically there should be stairs or something since we were going down a floor, right?


    Jellybean chirped in my arms, but didn¡¯t quiver in fear or anything, so this must be fine. I took a deep breath and stepped through.


    The floor was slick and angled down so much that I slipped, almost falling forward. My instinct was to reach out and catch myself, but the slime pushed back against me, knocking me safely onto my backside. Then we started sliding, faster and faster down a chute that bent and curved making my head spin.


    The dungeon floors were connected by slides??


    Before I could think about that too long, I was shooting out the other door into open air. My stomach dropped as we plummeted toward a massive blue slime fighting against what looked like a group of adventurers. I clutched Jellybean tight, preparing for the worst. Even if we survived the fall, how would we win over something like that?


    [Colossos Slime: Level 10]


    I glared at the message box. It was three times my level? Really? I clamped my eyes shut as we continued to fall even though we seemed to be moving slower than before. Almost like we had a parachute or the air had thickened.


    "You''ll be fine!" Fiona shouted. "Just relax."


    Like that was ever going to happen. I curled up into a ball as we gently hit the slime''s jiggly body and bounced off it, landing on the ground safe and sound. I opened my eyes in awe as the slime towered over me.


    "Thanks," I said, my heartbeat pounding in my ears. "You saved us."


    The big slime stared down at me, but I wasn''t afraid like when those crispy cluckers had chased me. Slimes were different. There was just something comforting about them, even when they were twice my height.


    I reached out, running my hand across the slime''s side. "You''re a good slime."


    Jellybean leaned forward to brush against the colossos slime too, which seemed to be a deciding factor because the giant slime nuzzled us back, rubbing against my hand warmly.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Awww...." A smile spread across my face as I wrapped both arms around the big guy in a hug. "You''re adorable."


    A man gasped behind me. "What the hell is she doing? Is she trying to get eaten?"


    "No," Fiona said in an amused voice. "She''s just...a slime friend."


    My cheek pressed against the big slime as I gave him one last squeeze. It felt like hugging a giant tree when your arms couldn''t wrap all the way around it. Then I stood back and glanced at Fiona to make sure she was fine too.


    "Guess we have bad luck with floor keys, huh?"


    She grinned. "Or good luck. Depending on how much that slime friend title helps you."


    The other two adventurers glared at me, one of them stepping forward, hand clenched on his sword. "I don''t care who you are, but we were in the middle of a boss battle. Step aside."


    The big slime whimpered and the sound tugged at my heart. How could they attack something so sweet?


    I stood firm, putting myself between him and the adventurers. "No way. You''ll have to go through me."


    "That''s fine with us," the angry one said. "You''ll just respawn on the first floor, far away from here."


    My eyes widened. So that''s what happened when you died in the dungeon? You respawned? That was actually very reassuring. I''d risk a respawn if it meant protecting this big boss slime.


    I glanced back, trying to see if it had a health bar.


    [20/500 HP]


    No! It was so close to death.


    "Will the slime respawn too?" I asked Fiona.


    She frowned. "I''ve never asked, but I think so? Nothing truly dies in the dungeon."


    I couldn''t take that risk, not if she wasn''t absolutely sure. The small slime had somehow hopped on top of the larger one like a little slime hat. They were honestly just too adorable. I''d protect them with everything I had.


    "Just listen," I said, facing the new adventurers, "you don''t have to fight him. I can help you win the boss over in a way that everyone wins."


    The one in back frowned. "How would you do that?"


    I pulled out my secret weapon: the delicious chocolate chip cookies we''d made earlier. "With these!"


    They stared at me, hard, before breaking down laughing. "She''s crazy. Let''s get this fight over with."


    Then they charged at us. My feet felt like lead, unable to move. I wanted to protect the slimes, but I also didn''t want to die even if there was a respawn. Would I still be the same person after that? Would I--


    "Knock it off," Fiona shouted before barreling into the men and shoving them out of the way. "The lady said she''d win the slime over. So you''re going to let her try."


    She clenched her hammer in her hands as a gleeful smile spread across her face, reminding me of when she scared the chickens off. The adventurers cowered, scooting back just a bit, and I couldn''t help but smile.


    Fiona had saved me once again.


    "How''d I get so lucky meeting you?" I asked.


    She gripped her hammer tighter, keeping an eye on the adventurers. "Just feed the slime a cookie, okay?"


    "No problem." I turned my back on the adventurers, certain that Fiona would keep them away, and faced the boss slime again. "I can''t heal you, but I do have some cookies if you want them."


    They were only level 4 cookies, but hopefully my slime friend skills would help and maybe the slime being low on health would affect things too. There was so much I didn''t know about my abilities, but I prayed this would work. I didn''t want anyone to hurt him again.


    I held a handful of cookies out to the boss slime and waited to see what he would do. The little slime on top chirped and wiggled, as if urging the colossos slime to take them.


    The big boss opened his mouth wide enough to gobble me up, but just took the cookies instead. The feel of a slimy mouth on my skin tickled and I couldn''t help but laugh. As the slime munched on the cookies, he perked up, swaying side to side.


    "Do you like them?" I asked, reaching for more out of my inventory. "You can have as many as you want. If we run out, I''ll bake more."


    After eating every cookie I had, message boxes started appearing in the air.


    [Slime Friend title upgraded to Slime Guardian, because you are far too impressive to be anything less.]


    [New Skills Available]


    A warm fuzzy feeling settled in my chest as I read that, grateful that the system thought a simple baker like me was impressive. If it hadn''t changed to let me bake for these creatures instead of fight them, I''d have been miserable.


    [Colossos Slime Defeated]


    [Rewards: Slime Jelly, Sugar, a New Recipe for Slime Pudding, and a Boss Slime Bracelet]


    The ingredients rained down on us, disappearing with a soft chime as they got close to each person. The bracelet only fell for me though, sliding over my wrist perfectly. It glowed a soft blue and felt like it was made of slime material, elastic and smooth just like they were. What was it for?


    [Boss Slime Bracelet is a cosmetic item that adds a passive boost to all slime guardian skills. If the boss slime trusts you, so will the others]


    The boss slime nudged me, staring at me expectantly. I smiled, hugging the slime tight.


    "Thank you for the bracelet," I said, admiring how its color matched the slime perfectly. "It''s beautiful."


    The slime wiggled happily in my arms.


    "What the hell is this reward?" the angry adventurer asked. "Food? We got rewarded with food??"


    Fiona shrugged. "If you knew how good that food could taste, you wouldn''t be complaining."


    As they grumbled, the boss slime bounced out of the way, revealing a beautiful metal door behind him.


    "Is that the way to the safe zone?" I asked.


    Fiona nodded. "Yup, you can only find it once the slime''s been defeated. Guess the dungeon uses that term pretty loosely with you though, huh?"


    The other adventurers pushed past us, shaking their heads.


    "We didn''t even get any XP for that," one of them said. "Next time, stay out of our way, slime lover."


    "Yeah yeah," I said, rolling my eyes as I leaned against the boss slime and whispered, "I''ll save you every time if I need to."


    He pressed up against me, almost knocking me over. I laughed and hugged him again.


    "We should get going," Fiona said. "The door usually stays open until the boss respawns, but since the boss never died..."


    "You have no idea what''ll happen, right?"


    "Exactly."


    I patted the boss slime one more time. "We''ve gotta go. It was nice to meet you."


    The slime''s body drooped and Jellybean fell off. I caught him in my arms, feeling horrible that I was taking one of them with me and leaving the other. He was the boss for this floor though. I couldn''t really take him with me...could I?


    Fiona led me toward the door, but when I turned back and saw the boss slime all by himself on this big empty floor, I couldn''t help myself.


    "Do you want to come with us?" I asked hopefully.


    The giant slime bounced in excitement, but paused, blinking slowly. Then he shook his body and moved back. Jellybean chirped at him as an ache spread through my chest. He didn''t think he should come with us? Was that because he didn''t want to or because he wasn''t allowed to?


    "I''ll take care of you," I promised. "I''m not really sure how, but I''ll figure it out. You don''t deserve to be killed by adventurers day after day, respawning just to fight again. You deserve to relax and eat all the cookies you want."


    "Are you sure about this?" Fiona asked. "The town won''t like it. They''ll probably kick you out."


    "Then they''ll kick me out," I said with a shrug. "If they''re that cold-hearted, they don''t deserve my food anyway."


    At that, the boss slime hopped closer, following me to the door that was far too small for his huge body. The boss slime changed his shape into more of a rectangle, just barely squeeeezzinnng through the door.


    That silly little squeeze made my heart soar. I saved another adorable slime today, which was the best feeling. Protecting them had started off as a way to keep my mind busy, focusing on one objective at a time to stay sane. But now? Protecting them meant something more. They were innocents in a violent world that didn''t even give them a chance.


    I''d protect as many of them as I could and hopefully one day, this dungeon would be a safer place for them. Everyone deserved to feel safe.

 Chapter 8 - The Dungeon of Eternal Embers

    The Dungeon of Eternal Embers'' Point of View


    The Dungeon''s mission was clear: keep everyone busy and keep them advancing to the last floor.


    It had been fun at first, setting traps for adventurers to fall into, changing the layout of the floors, and hiding treasure chests in the weirdest places.  Watching it all play out from the embers in the walls was pretty awesome, but after a few centuries, the Dungeon''s mind was practically on autopilot.


    Nothing interested it anymore.  Not the battles between adventurers and minotaurs, not the monsters swimming in lava pools, and especially not the constant starting over.  It just wanted to see something new.  Something exciting.


    New and exciting wasn''t the point of this dungeon though.  The point was to give adventurers and monsters a place to improve themselves by leveling up.


    The Dungeon was just so tired of it though.  Maybe it was time for another Dungeon Core to take over.  Its flames were already burning low, practically an ember itself.  If it let things continue as they were, it would disappear and no longer be bored.


    An energetic satyr bounded into the Core Chamber.  He was one of the Dave''s, but the Dungeon wasn''t sure which one.


    "My lord," Dave said through wheezes, "something''s happened."


    Oh?  Had the Dungeon''s wish for something new and interesting finally come to pass?


    Dave took a minute to catch his breath.  "The woman you gave the culinary mage class to has been....baking."


    A culinary mage class?  Hmmmm...the Dungeon vaguely remembered doing that, but it felt like a while ago.  Time blended together after a few years running the dungeon.  That woman was interesting though and it had kept in touch with her through system messages occasionally.  To think she''d chosen a sandwich instead of a sword or a bow.


    But that was probably not why Dave was here looking like he was having a meltdown.  Why was baking such a problem?  Humans did it all the time, so it was nothing new.


    The Dungeon relayed that to Dave through the ember shard in his head, but the satyr just sighed.


    "It''s not the baking that''s the problem, it''s what she''s doing with it."  He stared at the core''s flames, at the embers burning brightly inside them, and lowered his voice.  "She lured the slime boss on floor four away with cookies.  With cookies!"


    That last part was followed by a lot of mumbling and moaning as the Dungeon shifted its attention to the fourth floor.  Sure enough, it was empty.  Nothing was guarding the door to the safe zone.  It was just wide open for any adventurer to stroll through.


    If the Dungeon could laugh, it would have.


    It had never eaten food before, but these things called cookies must be very tasty to have swayed such a dedicated monster.  The Dungeon had a sudden urge to try one.


    "Why did you even make a culinary mage class of all things?" Dave moaned, then froze.  "Sorry, my lord.  I didn''t mean to question your vast wisdom."


    The Dungeon did not mind and it relayed that to Dave, who smiled gratefully.


    Honestly, that decision had been a little impulsive.  But that''s what happened when somebody got too bored.  Plus, all the mortal textbooks in its memory bank indicated that chefs were the closest thing to using sandwiches as weapons and mages had the most diversity in skills.  Hence culinary mage just made the most sense.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Or at least, that''s what the Dungeon had convinced itself of, but maybe it had just wanted to see what would happen.


    "So, about the slime boss,"  Dave continued slowly.  "What should we do?  She''s taking it to the safe zone.  Her title was even upgraded to Slime Guardian!"


    Dave frowned at that, but the Dungeon hadn''t had anything to do with it.  Once a title was given, it upgraded on its own, same as the skills.


    Okay, so the Dungeon had given the original title, but that was besides the point.


    What should they do now?


    Its flames grew brighter as the Dungeon considered all the possibilities.  It could assign a new slime boss, but that would still mean the other one was in a safe zone, which threw off the balance entirely.  It could force the original slime boss to return, but then the culinary mage would probably follow it trying to save it, which would also throw off the balance.


    How could this be solved without interfering in the adventurer''s path too much?


    By giving her another choice!


    Keep the slime boss, but leave the safe zone, or send the boss back and keep herself safe.


    Except, if she actually chose the slime boss, she''d be in a tough spot all alone on a dangerous floor that she was far too low level for.  The Dungeon wasn''t that cruel.  If she chose that route, it would reward her.


    But what would such an adventurer want?  It browsed through ember memories until it happened upon a conversation about a cafe.


    Ah, it could make one of those for her.  The Dungeon could add it as a mystical place that had been abandoned, but nobody remembered why.  With enough dust and weathering, it would look aged, like it had been there the whole time.  Plus, it would keep the culinary mage busy fixing everything up.


    Since she liked slimes, the Dungeon could move some to the cafe''s floor for her to see what else she could do with that Slime Guardian title.  Maybe grow some tea nearby so she had something easy to serve customers starting out.  Hmmm...the cafe would need a lot of room to expand too in case she gathered a whole slime army.


    Maybe it should use an ember shard to stay connected to the cafe better?  The building could be like a miniature dungeon, capable of changing shape and size to suit her needs.  Yes, that would be interesting for sure.  Like a little game between the two of them.


    Now, would she prefer a modern design or an old one? Two levels or just one?  It should definitely have a big garden out back, maybe overgrown with a bit of a surprise inside...


    Excitement coursed through the Dungeon''s embers for the first time in ages.  This was exactly the kind of thing it had been looking for.


    Dave stepped back as the core''s flames shot up high.  "Ummm, my lord?  Is everything okay?"


    Everything was more than okay.  New thoughts and plans raced through the Dungeon like wildfire.


    But what if she didn''t choose to stay with the boss slime?  What if she chose to send it back?


    The core''s flames died down a bit.  If she chose that, then she wouldn''t be worthy of such a wonderful gift in the first place.  She''d have to be tested.


    The Dungeon relayed its plans to Dave, ordering the satyr to go to the safe zone and test the culinary mage.  If she chose to keep the slime with her, Dave was to let her know about the cafe and tell her she could use it.  But only if the adventurer refused to leave the slime.


    Dave scratched at the base of his horns.  "But my lord, I''m supposed to be welcoming newcomers.  The meadow already has two new sleepers just from the time I''ve been here."


    The Dungeon mentally sighed before contacting the fifth floor Dave and relaying all its instructions.  That Dave had the same response this one did, full of lots of moans and anxious words.  It was tiring.


    The Daves were always so dedicated, but they liked things done a certain way.  Unexpected things made them panic, especially when one thing snowballed into two or three.  That kind of situation was like a nightmare for the Daves.


    Had the Dungeon programmed them that way on purpose?  It couldn''t remember, and honestly, it no longer cared.


    Because right now, it had a cafe to design.


    Dave started to take off, but the Dungeon called him back, remembering one last thing.  She was only a level 3 and would be on floor 6, so she''d need an easy way to move between that floor and the safe zone.


    It shaped one of the coals used to fuel its flames into a special key, one that would allow her to enter the cafe from anywhere.  A safety precaution and a way to always give her a place to go should she need it.  The Dungeon was probably doting on her a bit too much, but it was happy to do so.


    The Dungeon of Eternal Embers was not supposed to be an easy dungeon to get through though, so maybe the key should only work once every 24 hours.  To keep things fair.


    "Are you sure this is a good idea?" Dave asked.  "You''re spending a lot of time on one adventurer.  Is she really worth it?"


    The Dungeon paused for a moment to think about that.  Something about this woman called to it, needling its mind like she was an important piece to some puzzle it had been working on.  Only time would tell if the Dungeon was right about her or not.


    For now, it put the finishing touches on the key for her new cafe and sent it soaring through the air to Dave.


    Then the Dungeon continued designing the rest of the cafe, its flames crackling brightly.

 Chapter 9 - The Dungeons Offer

    Unlike the fast slide between floors 1 and 4, the door to the safe zone had opened to a stone stairway that seemed to go on forever. It felt like we''d been walking down for over an hour, but it was hard to tell since I hadn''t seen any way to actually keep time in this dungeon. There were no clocks, no movement of the sun, nothing.


    My legs were starting to feel the burn though, especially after all that running earlier. I just wanted to sit down, relax, and find somewhere safe to sleep. Maybe that''s how I''d keep track of time. When I got tired, that would mean a day had passed.


    "Think it''s much further?" I called out to Fiona. The big boss slime was between us, filling every inch of the stone corridor, so I couldn''t actually see her.


    The soft plop plop of the boss slime hopping down the stairs was the only sound I could hear.


    "Fiona?"


    I waited, but no answer came. That was not a good sign. I clutched Jellybean to my chest. Fiona wouldn''t have just left me, not without saying something. So why wasn''t she answering?


    The boss slime stopped abruptly and I face-planted into his jelly-like body. I bounced off, stumbling back a few steps.


    "Sorry about that, you okay?" I asked, checking on the slime in my arms. He chirped and wiggled, perfectly fine. "Good, now what''s up, Boss Slime?"


    The squishing sound of it squeezing through another doorway made me let out a breath. We finally made it to the exit! How had three floors flown by in moments while one floor took ages? This dungeon should come with an instruction manual.


    As the boss slime lurched through the doorway, I made my escape onto the next dungeon floor: the safe zone I''d been dreaming about ever since I heard the term. I wouldn''t have to worry about monster chickens or three-headed snakes or anything else. I could finally relax after far too long of a day.


    Except, instead of the picturesque medieval town I''d been imagining, it looked more like we''d stepped into an overgrown jungle. Large vines hung from the ceiling, swaying around me like snakes. The ground was uneven, made of weathered stones covered in moss. Humidity thickened the air, leaving small pools of water everywhere.


    "Is this...the safe zone?" I asked, turning to where Fiona should be. Except instead of Fiona, Dave was standing there.


    Of course that extra-long walk had something to do with him. I wouldn''t be surprised if he was the reason I was here in the first place, like some sort of Game Master.


    I turned to go right back up the stairs, but the door swung shut and disappeared. It reminded me far too much of when I first entered the dungeon and had turned back to ask Dave something, but there''d been nothing but a solid stone wall behind me.


    "Whatever you''re here for, I don''t want it."


    "You don''t even know what I want yet," Dave said. "And you did take my lunch. I think you owe me."


    "Calling that a lunch is pushing it," I said, staring at him. "Is something different about you?"


    Were his horns smaller? Or maybe his hooves were trimmed? No, his light-brown fur was fluffier. While I''d been getting treed by crispy cluckers, he''d been getting his hair done.


    Dave frowned at me. "I''m always the same, but that''s not the point. You stole a floor boss."


    I glanced sideways at the boss slime who was investigating what looked like a giant venus fly trap, nudging it curiously. One of its spiny heads opened, snapping at the slimes. The boss slime was far too large to eat, but Jellybean seemed very offended. He bounced at the venus fly trap, as if he was yelling at it.


    Wait, was that a monster too? Were there plant monsters on this floor?


    [Venus Flytrap: Level 9]


    Level 9? A shiver went down my spine as I stepped away from it, making sure to steer clear of the hanging vines too. All I wanted was a place to sleep, so why was I here with Dave and those creepy monster plants?


    Dave cleared his throat. "Are you even listening?"


    "Yes, of course," I nodded as the monster gobbled up Jellybean. "No!"


    I raced over, trying to pry its mouth open. This was the chicken and the slime all over again! Except this monster''s spiny lips were sealed. The boss slime backed me up, leaping high and crashing down on most of the flytrap''s heads. Even after that it wouldn''t let the little one go, the damned overgrown houseplant.


    "Don''t you dare hurt Jellybean," I muttered. "He''s my slime, not yours."


    Another one of the flytrap''s heads snapped at me, but I jumped out of the way. It thought it could hurt my friend, huh? Well I''d show it how wrong it was. I opened my item box, searching for something I could feed it that would be tastier than the slime, but I was woefully short on food and I wasn''t sure how long it took for a plant to digest a slime...


    "Uh, Hazel?" Dave asked, annoyance clear in his voice. "Back to the whole you stole a floor boss thing."


    "Seriously?" I snapped at him, my arms tired from wrestling a plant who had zero manners. "Help me deal with this and then we can talk."


    Dave sighed. "Fine, but then we''re going to have a serious discussion."


    He opened an invisible menu, pressed some buttons, and poof, the flytrap was gone. All that was left was the little blue slime I''d grown quite fond of, falling to the ground. It bounced and rolled onto his head, staring up at me with a silly upside-down smile.


    I sank onto the ground, pulling him into my arms for a hug. Jellybean quivered against me, nuzzling close like I was his savior. That was actually Dave though.


    "Thank you," I said. "I really appreciate your help."


    "You are so strange." He shook his head at me. "I think I already know how this will end, but I have to bring it up anyway. The slimes are why you got stuck in the stairway for so long. They''re monsters, so they can''t enter a safe zone."


    He paused there, giving me his best duh look. I had a feeling he wanted me to say ohhhhh of course, that makes total sense, but I didn''t have a thing against monsters like he seemed to. So I just sat there, petting the slime until he stopped shaking.


    Dave scratched the base of his horns. "Don''t you get it? Your friend Fiona got into the safe zone just fine, but after her, the door shut again. The Dungeon will not allow any monsters into a safe zone. So if you stick with them, you''re screwed."


    I''d never be able to enter a safe zone...ever? I had a few ingredients to bake with, but this floor was way too high-leveled for me to search for more. If I stayed here, I''d probably be monster food in no time.


    But even so...I couldn''t just abandon these two slimes. Not after they''d decided to join me. I told them I''d protect them, so that''s what I''d do.


    "I''m not abandoning them," I said firmly. "So I guess I''m just screwed. Any advice?"


    Dave sighed. "If you''d chosen an actual weapon instead of my lunch, maybe, but you keep making the most foolhardy choices. You can''t survive here. Please, go to the safe zone. The slimes will be fine on their own."


    Would they really? Neither of them were from this floor either, so they''d be at a disadvantage. Plus, adventurers would come to slay them for the XP soon enough. I hugged Jellybean tight and stood up.


    "Thanks for the information," I said, brushing dirt off my uniform. "But I''m staying with the slimes."


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    Dave shook his head, sighing loudly and muttering something about the Dungeon always being right.


    "Fine. I can offer you one thing that might help." The satyr held out an ornate black key. "This is the key for an old abandoned cafe at the edge of this floor. It''s sort of like a safe zone with no fighting allowed, so if you can make it there, you''ll stand a better chance of surviving."


    My eyes widened. "There''s a cafe here? Really?"


    An hour ago I couldn''t remember what a cafe was for sure, but now images flooded my mind of cute little cafes full of baked goods and smiling people. How could I have forgotten about that? Opening a cafe had been my dream for so many years and now Dave was just...giving me the key to one?


    That seemed a little too good to be true.


    "What''s the catch?" I asked warily.


    "You just have to run it, that''s all. Now take the key before I change my mind."


    I snatched the key up, which was warm like it had been resting near a fire. The feeling was oddly comforting, so I gripped it tight. It didn''t matter if the cafe was rundown or beautiful, whatever this key led to was mine. My very own cafe.


    The boss slime jumped up and plopped onto another venus flytrap monster, rocking back and forth without a care in the world. At least it was high enough level to survive here, but the little slime and me would have problems. We should really get going. Dave had said we''d be safe if we made it to the cafe. Which meant we probably had some ground to cover between now and then.


    "So where is this fabled cafe you''re giving me?" I asked.


    "Straight ahead."


    Okay, then that''s where we''d go. "Ready for this, slimes?"


    The boss slime lumbered closer as Jellybean chirped in my arms. But before we set off, Dave shouted.


    "Wait!" He ran a hand across his face, wincing. "I almost forgot the most important part. That key is connected to the cafe''s front door, so if you use it on another floor, that''s where you''ll go every time. It won''t disappear like other dungeon keys after using it either, but you can only use it once a day."


    Well that was useful. He''d basically given me a surefire way to go home no matter what danger I was in. My very own safety net. I hadn''t realized he cared so much.


    "Thanks, that''s awesome," I said, once again feeling like there had to be some kind of catch here, but Dave just nodded.


    "Oh and you can always go backwards," he added. "So if you do need to go to the safe zone, you can just turn around and go upstairs. Without the slimes, of course."


    I groaned. "You waited until now to tell me that? Shouldn''t that have been in your original tutorial?"


    Dave shrugged. "Sometimes you need to learn things as you go. If I told you everything all at once, it would ruin the experience. Now hurry up and find the cafe."


    [New Quest: Find the Cafe]


    Find the cafe was like a magical phrase that erased all thoughts of sleep from my mind. My body moved with newfound energy as the slimes and I got ready to search the jungle floor for the mystical cafe that was going to be our new home.


    I turned around, ready to set off on our great cafe adventure, but instead came face to face with a giant walking mushroom.


    "Oh no," I said, shaking my head as I stepped back to stop Dave from walking through that oh so handy door of his, "not a chance. I don''t do mushrooms. Their texture is just all wrong."


    "It''s not like you''re going to eat it," Dave said, exasperation coloring his voice. "Make your slimes fight it."


    The slimes tilted their bodies, as if asking if I wanted them to. But they were so cute and adorable, I couldn''t make them fight for me.


    "Or maybe you just take me to the cafe yourself?" I asked Dave, smiling sweetly.


    Dave stared blankly at me as the mushroom inched closer on legs that should have been too small to carry its large body. Was it at least something my food could defeat?


    [Walking Mushroom: Level 8]


    Not so much. At least it was weaker than the flytrap from earlier. I pulled out my trusty weapon, [Dave''s Lunch], and tossed pieces of the grilled cheese to the mushroom. The idea of food eating food was so trippy, but the mushroom just ignored it.


    "Seriously?" Dave asked. "You''re just going to toss my lunch on the ground right in front of me? How rude. So you''re a thief and you litter."


    Watching him get overwhelmed by every little thing was kind of amusing, but I was mainly just trying to distract the mushroom long enough for Dave to bring me to the cafe. Once I got there, I could spend a few days baking and leveling up my skills so I could handle myself on this floor. If I had to show him how weak and pathetic I was for now, with my poor little sandwich weapon, then that''s what I''d do. Maybe he''d be open to a bargain...


    "Well, I could make you a real lunch to make up for it," I said, circling the mushroom so it stayed just far enough away that it wouldn''t do any damage, "but I''d need a real stove for that. Ingredients. Cooking utensils. The kinds of things you''d find at, oh I don''t know, a cafe?"


    Dave rolled his eyes. "Did you really think that would work?"


    "I was hoping so," I said with a shrug. "Look, you''re the one with all the safe zone rules that didn''t let me rest and level up like everyone else gets to. So I feel like you can at least show me the way to the makeshift safe zone yourself. Be my knight in shining armor here."


    The boss slime booped the mushroom, sending it flying a few feet. Its legs wiggled as it tried to stand back up, reminding me of a turtle stuck on its back. I would have smiled, if it wasn''t a mushroom. But then it stood back up and ambled toward us again. Even though it was my least favorite food, I still didn''t want to kill it.


    "What do you say?" I asked Dave. "Let me make you the best meal you''ve ever had or watch me get killed by a silly walking mushroom?"


    He paused for far too long, as if he really was debating it. "Will there be leftovers?"


    "If that''s what it''ll take to let me through that door," I said, nodding at the exit, "then I''ll make so many leftovers you''ll fill your item box."


    "I don''t need that many, just one extra meal." He closed the door, sorted through his keys, and summoned another door. "Now let''s get going before I have to watch you rolling around with this mushroom any longer. I am a busy person, you know."


    I grinned as Dave not only opened the door, but held it open for both slimes to bounce through. He really was kind of nice, once you got past the annoyed glances and sighs.


    "You know, if you''ve got a wife, girlfriend, or boyfriend," I said, stepping through the door, "you can just bring them to the cafe with you. You don''t need to take food home for them."


    "It''s not like that," he said, but he slammed the door shut a little too hard. "I just have a colleague who''s been interested in your food."


    "Really?" I asked, doubting anyone had actually heard about my baking skills yet. "It''s fine if you just want more food for yourself. That''s kind of sweet actually, you assuming my food will be that good."


    "Just get moving," he said, nudging me to follow the slimes.


    I laughed and did as he wanted, moving through the stone corridor with ease since it didn''t have any stairs this time.


    "Wait, how are the slimes going to open the door to get us out?"


    "The doors can open themselves," he said, as if that should have been obvious. "Maybe I do need to add more to the initial tutorial..."


    It kind of felt like he just called me dumb, but I was going to let that slide. He was doing me a pretty big favor here in keeping my hands mushroom free. Just like he said, the door opened itself and the boss slime squeezed out.


    Anticipation thrummed through me. What would the cafe be like? Would it be big and airy, maybe part of the landscape like built into a tree? Or would it be more like an abandoned ruin, all stone and moss? This was a dungeon after all, so I expected something fantastical.


    But when we stepped outside the life-saving dungeon corridor, all I saw was a tiny wooden shed with a sign that said, "cafe name here".


    "Uhhh....Dave?" I asked, trying not to let my disappointment show on my face. "Are you sure this is the right place?"


    "Of course it is," he muttered. "Do you really think I''d get lost?"


    But his eyes had widened when he saw the cafe shed. He glanced around slowly, forcing an awkward smile on his face. "Welcome to the cafe. I''ll be back for my reward later."


    "Wait!"


    But he was already gone, slipping into another door like some kind of magician. He had definitely expected something different, it wasn''t my imagination. The way he''d built it up made it feel like some mystical fairy cafe, not a broom closet.


    I took the coal black key out of my pocket and lifted it to the lock in the door. It fit perfectly, turning without a single bit of resistance. There was no mistaking it then: this was the cafe.


    I said I''d be fine with it no matter the state, but seriously? I doubted we could all fit inside, let alone fit a kitchen and room for guests. But if Dave had been right about monsters not being able to fight here, then it was still worth staying the night at. Especially with how long the day had been.


    "Well slimes, let''s head in and get some sleep," I said, swinging the creaky door open as I covered up a yawn. "We can figure out the rest tomorrow."


    The slimes hopped inside, smooshing into all the dark corners of the room. There weren''t any windows and we didn''t have a lantern, so it was going to be a bit of a dark night. The slimes shifted a bit, making a hole in between them. I smiled, ignoring my unease and just going with the flow. This was a safe zone after all and these slimes obviously wanted me to join them.


    I snuggled up between them, surprisingly comfortable against their dough-like bodies. We had a roof over our heads and we were safe. That''s all I could ask for right now.


    [Quest Completed: Find the Cafe]


    I flinched as the bright message box seared my vision. I was far too tired to deal with any more system messages right now. I waved my hand, feeling like I might have just swiped a box on accident, but my eyelids were too heavy to double check.


    So much had happened since I woke up in that meadow. I''d befriended adorable slimes, got chased by terrifying monsters, met a great new friend, and got my own cafe. All that in one day was pretty overwhelming honestly, but I was sleepily excited to see what tomorrow would bring.


    This dungeon might be terrifying, but it was also full of some wonderful things.

 Chapter 10 - Garden Cleanup

    "Bawk, bawk, baaaawwwkkkk."


    I squeezed my eyes closed, not at all ready to wake up yet.  The slimes were like soft, squishy pillows that were perfectly formed to my body and I just wanted to ignore the day and stay inside with them.  Even if it was cramped beyond belief in this tiny shack.


    "Bawwwkkkkk."


    Was that a chicken outside?  No, please tell me the crispy cluckers hadn''t followed me all the way here for revenge.  Dave had said this cafe was a safe zone, so maybe if I ignored the chicken, it would go away?


    A soft tapping at the door made my eyes fly open.  Was the chicken knocking?  No, it was probably just pecking for food.  Or to drive me crazy until I opened the door.


    The inside of the shack was dark since it had no windows, so I wasn''t even sure if I could find the door.  I shifted, my legs screaming at me to stretch them out, but there was no room between me and the slimes.  This place just wasn''t built for three.


    The chicken''s pecking got more insistent, vibrating through the walls.


    "Okay, okay," I mumbled.  "Don''t burn the cafe down."


    I fumbled my way to the door, squinting as bright daylight seared my eyes.  Did it ever get dark in this dungeon?  I blinked until my eyes adjusted, then stared at the single tiny chicken outside my cafe.  Its feathers puffed up as I studied it, but before I could do anything, Jellybean hopped out of the cafe, mouth wide open.


    "Don''t you dare!" I shouted, diving for the chicken before Jellybean could start the chicken wars all over again.


    The tiny bird trembled in my hands as Jellybean tilted his body, giving me a sad look like I''d just taken his favorite toy away.


    "Baby chickens are friends, not food," I said forcefully as I pet the bird to calm it down.  Its feathers were soft and fluffy.  "It''s okay, little one.  Nobody will hurt you here."


    But my gaze kept wandering to the jungle floor outside, waiting for the rest of the crispy cluckers to show up and terrorize us.  Nothing moved though, not even a walking mushroom.  I let out a shaky breath.


    "Did you come here by yourself?"


    The chicken obviously didn''t answer, but since I couldn''t hear any angry clucking or the pounding of giant chicken feet, I had a feeling it was alone.  I opened my item box to grab a few strawberries, putting them on the ground as I set the chicken down.


    "Are you hungry?" I asked, glaring at Jellybean to behave.  "I don''t have any jam right now, but the strawberries are still good."


    The chicken pecked at them slowly, eyes on the slime who was keeping his distance.  I walked over and patted him on the head.


    "That''s a good boy, Jellybean.  I''ll make you a treat later."


    Jellybean chittered, leaning into my hand.  I wasn''t sure why the chicken was here, but as long as we could all get along, it should be okay.  For now, I had bigger things on my mind.  Like turning this cafe into something actually usable.


    "Hey system, is there a way to make this cafe...better?" I asked, hoping this was also like a game and there would be upgrades I could make.  "Not that I don''t appreciate it, but it''s kind of small."


    I waited for a message box to pop up, but nothing appeared. Huh. Maybe it didn''t respond to something as open-ended as that?  I hadn''t actually initiated a conversation with it before, not for anything besides skills at least.


    "Mr. System?" I asked, tilting my head as I waited for a response, but after a minute or so, I decided to get creative. "Hello? Big Blue? Sweet Potato? My darling dungeon, are you even listening?"


    Maybe that was going too far, but a message box did appear.


    [Your darling what? And how are my messages like potatoes?]


    [Nevermind. You have more important things to think about.]


    [New Quest: Garden Cleanup. The garden out back is such a mess that it will keep you busy for days, so busy you won''t have time for strange nicknames.]


    I laughed, coughing quickly to try and cover it up. Those message boxes weren''t the normal solid blue I''d become accustomed to. They had a faint pink hue around the edges, almost like the system was blushing.


    Oh that was far too adorable and made me want to tease it a little more, but I resisted the urge. It was a bit too enigmatic for me to mess with and I didn''t want to end up with some impossible quest as a result. Cleaning the garden up seemed fair enough, especially since a garden meant ingredients for my food.


    "Sorry, I was just trying to get your attention," I said, putting out a few more strawberries for the chicken. "So about the cafe upgrades?"


    [You already chose an upgrade path for this cafe as you were falling asleep.  Try not to hit random buttons next time.]


    My eyes widened.  "Wait, what path did I choose?"


    [You''ve chosen the natural cafe route, full of warm wood and soft lighting.  Your first quest was already assigned.  You must gather 50 wood, 10 clay, and 10 stone.]


    Oh, well that didn''t sound so bad.  Maybe I could find some of those while I was cleaning up the garden.  I wished I knew what other options I could have chosen for the cafe, but it felt a little too late to ask that.  I liked the natural look, plus, the system had been very kind to me so far and I didn''t want to seem ungrateful.


    "Thank you," I said.


    [You are welcome.]


    [And....you can call me Sweet Potato if you want to, but I don''t understand why you would.]


    That message had the same pretty shade of pink around it as the first one. I really hadn''t expected the system to pick a name, especially not the most ridiculous one, but it made me smile. The system was definitely a sweet potato, all warm and comforting.


    Unfortunately, Jellybean and the chicken chose that moment to start fighting.  As the slime lunged, the chicken tried to breathe fire, but all that came out was an adorable little puff of smoke.  I sighed.


    "I need to go clean up the garden," I said, staring both of them down.  "Can I trust you not to hurt each other?"


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    The chicken bawked loudly, but I wasn''t sure if that was an agreement or not.


    "Hey Boss?" I called out, wincing as the sleepy boss slime blinked at me from inside the cafe.  "Mind guarding the chicken for me?"


    I''d have to give the chicken a name if it decided to stay here long-term, but for now I''d just keep it safe and out of Jellybean''s reach.  The silly slime probably just wanted to play, but that wasn''t the kind of play a chicken appreciated.


    The boss shifted, allowing the chicken to march into the cafe like it owned the place.  They settled down together and went to sleep.  My heart warmed at the sight, loving how cozy they looked together.  This was exactly what I wanted.  A place for different people, or monsters, to feel safe and taken care of.


    "Okay, Jellybean, let''s head to the garden."


    Together we made our way to the back of the shack where the garden was supposed to be.


    The system wasn''t kidding when it said this garden was a mess. The largest weeds I''d ever seen towered over me, as if daring me to try and pull them out. I had a feeling they''d be tricky to get rid of for good, especially since I knew next to nothing about gardening. I could barely identify the rest of the plants to tell what was a weed and what wasn''t.


    Some were easy, like the tomatoes bursting through their rusty cages to spill out over the rest of the garden or the oregano that had swept across the ground like grass, filling the air with an earthy peppery scent. The other plants were a bit more difficult to identify since they were all fighting for dominance over the large patch of land.


    I smelled mint and basil coming from somewhere, but couldn''t actually see the herbs through the chaos. The garden took up the entire backyard of the cafe, but it was so overgrown that I''d have to trim it back as I went if I ever wanted to see what was in the middle. Walking through it as is wasn''t a good idea unless I wanted to risk getting covered in scratches.


    A happy little glomp noise drew my attention to the tomatoes again as Jellybean gobbled a few of them up before moving on to some kind of leafy plant. The little slime bounced from plant to plant, devouring all the useful parts of the garden.


    "Hey, leave some for me," I said, trying to reach the slime, but he just rolled away like the stealthy little creature he was.


    I shook my head, smiling as I noticed an old garden spade stuck in the dirt. I struggled to pull it out, but the soil was hard, compacted over the years of neglect.  This was going to be a lot more work than I thought.


    As I followed the slime through the garden, I found pruning shears and a shovel too. It was like the tools'' owner had just dropped them mid-use and never came back. I tried to remember what Dave had said about the cafe, but nothing specific came to mind besides it was abandoned.


    It was all very, very strange. Who would put in all the time to plant this garden and then just disappear? Based on the plants, they seemed to focus more on savory foods than sweet ones like I preferred, so I''d have to change things up a bit now that this garden was mine.


    Planting different kinds of fruit would be the most useful. I imagined beautiful red raspberries, sweet figs, delicious apples, and every other fruit this dungeon might have. Mmmm...my mouth was almost watering just thinking about it. Fruit was the perfect thing for baked goods.


    As I mused on that, I started trimming the plants back, not really sure what I was doing. I couldn''t possibly make it worse though, right? I harvested some of the rosemary, mint, and basil into my inventory, wondering if there would be ginger or pumpkins somewhere in this garden. A nice pumpkin pie sounded really good right now.


    I wiped the sweat off my brow, leaving what I assumed was a dirty streak across my forehead. Gardening gloves would be nice and a new outfit too because this baker''s uniform was not ideal for gardening.  I''d have to make a list and find the safe zone eventually.


    I bent down to trim what I thought was a weed when it shivered.  The shiver moved through the plant and into the ground, rumbling through the garden. I dropped the shears, falling on my backside in horror as the plants shifted, moving as if they had a will of their own.


    Oh please tell me this garden wasn''t full of living monster plants and I''d stolen their harvest. Or worse, pruned the wrong thing and upset them!


    "Jellybean" I called out, backing out of the garden. "This place isn''t safe, hurry up and get out."


    A great mass of plants rose up in the middle of the garden, dirt tumbling off the round monster in waves as it shook itself. My eyes widened as it got bigger and bigger, but even more so as Jellybean bounced toward the thing instead of away from it!


    "No!" I shouted, racing after the little slime. I scooped him into my arms, freezing as the monster stared at me with eyes that looked oddly familiar.


    Its body was dark brown, blending in with the dirt well if not for the translucent shimmer that I''d come to associate with slimes. That monster was actually a slime!


    Moss covered its head with plants peeking out of it like it was a living garden. It moved slowly, as if just waking up from a long nap.


    I swallowed hard, holding Jellybean tight. "Hello, sorry if we disturbed you."


    The great dirt slime groaned, sounding like the earth was opening up beneath us, but it didn''t do anything else. Just stared. Well, glared was more accurate. I took everything I''d harvested out of my inventory, laying it on the ground carefully.


    "Here, you can have it all back," I said. "I promise not to touch your plants again."


    Neither of us moved for what felt like ages until something at the edge of my vision caught my eye. Tiny dirt slimes bounced to the food I''d set out, gobbling it up just like Jellybean had. They each had one little plant growing out of their heads, like miniature versions of the great dirt slime in front of me. One of them had a broken plant, clipped off savagely.


    By me.


    That was the plant I''d been trimming right before the dirt slime sprouted out of the ground. My chest ached at the sight of the sad little dirt slime. I kneeled down, offering it a tomato.


    "I''m so sorry," I said softly. "I shouldn''t have been trimming anything without knowing what I was doing. I never meant to hurt you."


    The little dirt slime bounced back and forth, then hopped closer. I held my hand out in the air between us, letting it decide if it wanted me to pet it or not. After a few moments, the little dirt slime brushed against my hand, nuzzling into my embrace. I pet it carefully, avoiding damaging the plant growing out of it any further.


    The big dirt slime groaned again, then sank back into the dirt a bit until it was more on eye level with us. The little slimes tried to follow suit, but the ground was too hard for them to get into. They kept jumping at it, but weren''t strong enough to burrow like the big one.


    I grabbed the garden spade and broke a little patch of dirt up. The slime hopped in, wiggling around like that was the perfect spot. Awww these slimes were seriously the most adorable things I''d ever seen! Maybe they wanted water too?


    "Hold on a sec," I said as I went over to grab the watering can I''d seen earlier.


    When I poured a few drops on the little dirt slime, it trilled with excitement, closing its eyes like the feeling was heavenly. I grinned and poured more, letting a steady rain of water cover the dirt slime and the soil around it. Another little dirt slime hopped over, burrowing into the dirt beside us, nudging closer so it could get rained on too.


    I laughed and poured water on as many of them as I could find, watching them wiggle and bounce with joy. Sadly the watering can was empty by the time I got to the big dirt slime, but it just nodded like it approved of my actions while Jellybean bounced beside it, chittering away like they were having a conversation.


    This dungeon was full of so many things I didn''t understand. I couldn''t act rashly, not even when it came to gardening. This was the dirt slimes¡¯ home and I had to respect that. I could dig up another patch of land for my own little garden or even bring some pots inside for herbs. I''d figure it out.


    But the system had told me to clean up this garden. So I had to keep going if I wanted to complete that quest...


    Jellybean bounced at me until I walked back to the big slime. It blinked at me, then chirped as a carrot popped out of its head, flying into the air and landing in my hands.


    My eyes widened. "Is this for me? Are you sure?"


    The gentle giant nodded.


    "Thank you," I said, holding the carrot close. This was something dear to the slime, so it meant a lot that it had shared it with me. "Does this mean you want me to keep working in the garden? As long as I break up the dirt and water everything really well for the little ones?"


    The great dirt slime hopped out of the ground, nudging me firmly enough that I almost fell over again. I glanced at Jellybean, who hopped excitedly.


    "Does that mean we have a deal?" I asked, offering my hand to the dirt slime. "If I''m more careful and take care of the garden and the slimes, then you''ll let me use some of the food you''re growing here?"


    The slime brushed against my palm as all the little slimes circled around us, bouncing and hopping as if they''d never had so much fun in their lives.


    I grinned, gazing out at the garden full of slimes and possibilities. This dungeon was proving to be a wonderful adventure.

 Chapter 11 - Happy Slimes, Happy Times

    I fell back on the soft, damp soil in the garden, completely and utterly exhausted.  I''d removed my chef''s coat a while ago to work in my tank top, so the freshly tilled soil was cool and refreshing against my skin as I laid there.  My entire body ached from cleaning up the garden, including muscles I didn''t even know I had.  I took deep breaths, inhaling the earthy scent of freshly dug up soil.


    The little dirt slimes were having a blast, jumping in and out of the ground like this was the best game they''d ever played.  I smiled as one hopped onto my stomach while the others jumped over me and into the ground on the other side like I was an obstacle in this new game of theirs.  Their joy made all the effort worth it.


    Working hard with no thanks was one thing, but working hard to see those beautiful slime smiles was another.  I would spend every day out here digging up this soil and watering them just to catch a moment of their bliss.


    One of the slimes hopped onto my chest, staring down at me quizzically.  Thankfully they weighed next to nothing.


    "I''m okay," I said, my breathing almost back to normal.  "I''m just resting for a minute."


    The slime nodded, then rolled off me to go play with the others again.  Their happy little noises as they wiggled in the soil made my heart soar.  This made everything worth it.


    The quest hadn''t been completed yet though, which meant I had more gardening to do.  My body felt heavier at the thought, sinking into the soil.  I tried to lift my arm, but it took so much effort.  How long had I been out here?  It was hard to know without the sun''s movements or a clock, but it felt like hours.  Maybe longer?


    "Hey, system?" I called out.  "Mind adding my last stat point to endurance, please?"


    [If you''re that tired, maybe you should rest]


    "I''ll rest later.  When I''m out of this dungeon."


    [...]


    [Endurance: 3]


    My body glowed a soft white as cool air swept over me, taking my aches and pains with it.  I let out a breath, closing my eyes to enjoy the feeling of recovery.  Man, that endurance stat was like magic.


    "Thank you."


    I sat up, stretching my arms above my head with a happy sigh.  It was time to get back to work.


    The dirt slimes and I got back to it, pulling weeds and removing dead leaves.  I added it all to my inventory, not sure where else to put it yet that would count as clean. I should really make a compost bin for stuff like this.  Along the way, I''d been gathering whatever wood and stones I could find, but there wasn''t much.  I was only at 2 wood and 3 stones for the cafe expansion quest.


    The plants had all been carefully trimmed except for one, the debris cleared up, the soil was tilled, and everything was watered.  I gazed out at the large garden, immensely satisfied with the work we''d done.  The dirt slimes were happy, but I was pretty happy too.  This was our garden and we were going to make the most of it.


    "What do you think, Mossy?" I asked the big dirt slime who hadn''t moved from the middle of the garden while this all went on.  "Mind if I trim those chives?"


    Each little dirt slime had a single plant growing from their mossy heads, but the big guy had about five or six, some of which had overtaken the others.  Those were the only plants I hadn''t touched yet, so I had a feeling that''s why the quest was still incomplete.


    Mossy wiggled deeper into the earth, lowering himself until his eyes were at ground level and I could reach the plants on top of him.  I smiled, walking over slowly so I didn''t scare him off.  So far he''d just been watching, as if waiting to see how I treated the little dirt slimes.  This felt like I''d gained his approval, so I didn''t want to screw it up now.


    I reached up, leaning against his squishy body to trim the chives.  They''d spread everywhere, smothering the carrots and radishes.  Mossy sighed, closing his eyes as I tended to the plants.  I smiled, suddenly feeling like a strange kind of hair stylist for the slimes.


    "There, all done." I stepped back to admire my work just as a message box appeared.


    [Quest Completed: Garden Cleanup]


    [Rewards: Various seeds, bottomless watering can, and a new garden plot]


    Bags of seeds rained down from the sky along with a golden watering can.  I reached out to grab that before it went into my inventory.  What made it bottomless?  I watered Mossy since he hadn''t gotten any the first time around, walking around his big body to make sure I got all of him.  He sighed in contentment again, wiggling just a bit deeper into the ground.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Even after I''d watered him and everything around him, the watering can was still full!  These rewards were so perfectly themed for exactly what I wanted most.


    "Thank you, sweet potato."


    [...you''re welcome, Hazel]


    Reading my name felt so good, reminding me that I was real and had had a life before this place.  A life I had to get back to as soon as possible.  I sank onto the ground to sort through the new seeds I''d gotten.  There were seeds and cuttings for strawberries, apple trees, garlic, sweet potatoes of course, vanilla, and lots of tea.  My hands froze as I saw those words.  Vanilla and tea?


    Could I even grow those?  I had little to no gardening experience, so I was kind of counting on the slimes to do most of the work.  But if they could grow vanilla and tea, that would be so helpful.  A cafe needed drinks to serve people and tea would be the easiest, plus vanilla went in most baked goods.


    These were boss-level rewards.


    I blinked tears away as a surge of emotions swept over me.  I''d worked hard and gotten rewarded for it.  That hadn''t happened in, well, I had no idea how long.  But it felt good, down to my very soul it felt good.  Hard work didn''t feel so hard when I not only got to see happy slimes, but also got gifts too.  I''d treasure these seeds and make good use of the plants that grew from them.


    While I''d been browsing through my inventory, Mossy had shifted to support my back.  I patted his side.


    "I''m okay," I said softly, still a bit overwhelmed.


    The system had mentioned a new garden plot, but I wasn''t sure how that part worked.  I went through my menus, finding a new one called "cafe".  There was an upgrade tree similar to my skill trees, but it was mostly locked out.  The section on the garden had a message about a new plot available though. I pressed it.


    [Where would you like the new garden plot?]


    [To the left, the right, or behind the current one?]


    Closer to the cafe would be good since the scent of vanilla and tea could draw in customers.  I wasn''t sure what kind of environment they preferred though.  I felt like vanilla grew on vines, kind of like beans?  So I''d need a trellis or trees or something.  I could plant the apple trees nearby and make some kind of apple tree vanilla combo plant.


    I laughed. I was definitely a baker, not a gardener.  The slimes and I would make it work somehow though.


    "Let''s go with to the right."


    The message box glowed blue before the ground started shaking.  The grass and weeds in the area next to the garden disappeared, sinking into the ground as fresh soil took their place almost like somebody had flipped garden tiles upside down.  That was so strange, but I was grateful I wouldn''t have to do it all by hand.


    "Think any of the slimes would want to help me plant new seeds?" I asked Mossy, who just blinked at me.  Guess I should ask the slimes themselves then.  I wandered over to where Jellybean was bouncing with the tiny dirt slimes, kneeling to play with them.  "Anyone want some tasty seeds?  I''m about to start a new garden."


    Their eyes widened as three of them bounced faster, gaining more height than usual.  I laughed, pulling the seeds and cuttings out for them to look at.  I wasn''t really sure how they grew the plants, so I waited to see what they''d do.


    The slimes leaned down as if sniffing the new rewards, then moved to the next, until they''d investigated all their options.  Then the smallest slime gobbled up the strawberry seeds and a tiny plant sprouted from her head.  Ohhh that was so cool.  I pat the slime carefully as she spun in circles as if trying to see the plant on the top of her head.  I couldn''t help but laugh, picturing a dog chasing their tail.


    The other slimes chose vanilla and the sweet potatoes, but sadly none of them wanted the tea plants or the apple trees, which felt like a good call.  Growing an entire tree out of your head seemed like a terrible idea.  I shouldn''t have even offered that one, but I wasn''t sure what the plants required.  Some preferred shade while others preferred full sun and I had a feeling the type of soil mattered too.  So many things to consider...


    Maybe a skill could help?


    I opened my menu again since I still had two skill points to use.  There were so many options now between my Culinary Mage skills, Slime Guardian skills, and my new Cafe Owner skill tree.  Things like Customer Happiness and Ambiance Alteration sounded great once I actually had customers, but not as useful right now. I browsed through my options, landing on one called Green Thumb.


    "What''s Green Thumb do?"


    [Green Thumb is a passive skill that increases your chances at successfully growing plants]


    "Even if I screw something up?"


    [Especially then.  This skill will make you feel like an expert gardener eventually, even if you plant those potatoes in the river]


    "Well I know enough not to do that," I said with a laugh.  "It sounds like a good skill though, so I''ll take it.  What about the Growth Boost one?"


    [Growth Boost gives any plants you tend to a slight increase in growth speed]


    That would be really useful to get things up and running quickly.  I used my last skill point on that, feeling pretty good.  These skills were honestly so useful.  I couldn''t wait to level up and see what other options were available. I wanted to start baking as much as I could, but I still only had the tiny portable stove to work with.


    I wanted a real kitchen, with a stove and room to organize ingredients.  A place to set dishes out and raise bread or cool pies.  I wanted it all and I was starting to think I might be able to get it with enough hard work.


    The slimes and I made our way to the new garden plot to try out my new green thumb skill.  I planted the apple trees at the edge of the garden in the back, almost like a fence line, followed by the vanilla and potatoes.  Then I planted the tea in the front, hoping it would grow nice and strong.  Beautiful green balls of light swirled around everything I touched, like fireflies in the night, boosting my plants growth and health with magic.  Seeing things like this would never get old.


    Now that all the gardening was done, there was one last thing on my to-do list for now.  Dirt covered my clothing, streaking across my skin like dried mud, and my shirt was starting to smell bad...


    I needed a bath.

 Chapter 12 - Slime Pudding

    Washing my clothes in a river when I only had one set of clothes was not ideal, especially when there could be monsters anywhere.  Or other adventurers.  There was no way to dry them quickly either, so after I was done bathing, I''d raced back to the cafe and hid inside with the slimes.


    Not the most comfortable situation, but at least the cafe shack didn''t have any windows and I''d managed to get some sleep while Boss guarded the door.  Thankfully they were dry now though, so I hurried to put them back on, slipping into my chef''s coat like a warm blanket.


    Ah, that was so much better.


    I really had to visit the safe zone soon and get some amenities.  Like extra clothes and soap.  If I baked enough things ahead of time, maybe I could trade food for goods too and spruce up this shack a bit.


    The boss slime squeezed himself through the small shack door and started bouncing with Jellybean, who looked like he was excitedly telling Boss all about his day.  The little baby chick followed them, wobbling a bit like it was sleepy.


    "Thanks for guarding the door while I slept," I told the big slime as I patted his head.  "You deserve a treat for that.  Let me see what I''ve got."


    I still had a few cookie ingredients leftover from when Fiona and I had made them, but I kind of wanted to try something new.  Plus, I was hoping Fiona would visit soon, so I wanted to save those cookies for her since she''d liked them so much.  I assumed she''d find me after we got separated, but maybe when I was in the safe zone I''d search for her instead.


    My item box was full of fresh ingredients from the garden from vegetables to herbs to some fruit.


    "Are you in the mood for something savory?" I asked the slimes, pausing to see if they''d respond in any way.  They just blinked at me, standing very still.  "Or something sweet?"


    Boss bounced quickly as his eyes widened.


    "Okay, sweets it is!" I laughed as I pulled out my cookbook, letting it float in the air in front of me.  "Why don''t we try one of the new recipes I got earlier.  Do you want chocolate lava cake or slime pudding?"


    That''s where communication broke down a bit.  I still wasn''t very good at understanding the slimes beyond a simple yes or no.  I gazed at the beautiful blue slime bracelet I''d gotten for befriending Boss.  He''d also given me the slime pudding recipe, so that probably meant he liked pudding.


    I flipped to that page in my cookbook, frowning at the ingredients.  It needed milk, sugar, butter, and flavoring of my choice, but that wasn''t the weird part.  The weird part was the slime jelly...


    Was that part of a slime?  Like I''d be eating slimes?  Ugh, that went against my entire slimes are friends, not food vibe.


    There were five slime jellies in my item box that I''d gotten as rewards for "defeating" the boss slime, so I took one out to investigate.  It was a clear gelatinous substance that was kind of damp and a bit slippery to hold onto.  Cooking with it didn''t feel right at all, but maybe it was like gelatin and just thickened things up?


    "Is this...okay to eat?" I asked the slimes, holding it out to them.  They bobbed up and down, nodding, but it still didn''t feel right.  "Are you sure?  I don''t want to hurt you or use you for ingredients. Ever."


    Boss wiggled before producing a beautiful shimmering blob of slime jelly in the air in front of him.  He nudged it forward, as if offering it to me like a gift, his eyes shining with pride.


    I couldn''t just ignore it, not without hurting his feelings, so I reached out and cupped the slime jelly in my hands.  A blue message box appeared the moment I touched it.


    [New Skill Acquired through the Slime Bond: Essence of Friendship]


    [Slimes love to eat, but they just keep growing larger and larger if they do.  Eventually, they either break down into smaller slimes or siphon off their essence by giving harvestable gifts.  The slimes trust you with these now, so expect lots of fun new ingredients]


    My eyes widened at the words.  "So this is a normal thing?"


    [Yes, you''re helping the slimes just as much as they''re helping you]


    "That''s reassuring, thank you," I said softly, still wondering if this was actually okay.  Boss seemed fine though, more than fine actually, he seemed happy.  And a happy slime was what really mattered.  "Let''s get started on the slime pudding then!"


    Both slimes hopped closer, peering into the big empty pot I pulled out of my item box.  They were so adorable.


    "You''ll have to wait a bit, pudding takes time."


    They deflated, but stayed close by as I gathered my ingredients.  Looks like milk was the only thing I didn''t have.


    "Ingredient Efficiency, summon milk!" I called out, feeling like a true mage as beautiful white milk filled the pot.  I grinned as the portable stove turned orange, heating the milk slowly.  "These skills are so cool."


    [See, isn''t it more fun when you shout your skills?]


    I rolled my eyes at that message.  "I think you''re just trying to make yourself feel better for playing that trick on me."


    But yes, it actually did feel more fun now that I was getting into this whole Culinary Mage thing.  It would feel even more impressive with a magic wand.  Oh!  I could use a cool spoon like a wand...


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    No, that was a bit too silly.  At least in front of other people it would be.


    Milk bubbles started forming at the edge of the pot, letting me know it was ready for the next step: adding the sugar and slime jelly.  Should I cut the jelly up or put it in whole?  Jellybean bounced at me, urging me to just throw it in.


    "Well, here goes nothing." I dropped the slime jelly in followed by a quarter of the sugar, mixing it slowly to meld everything together.


    The slime jelly started dissolving into the milk, thickening it just like I''d hoped it would, so I added more sugar until it formed a beautiful pudding consistency.  Once the pudding coated the back of my spoon, I took it off the heat.


    I glanced around, suddenly realizing I still didn''t have anything to set a hot pot on.  I really needed to expand this cafe so I didn''t have to cook on the ground!  I sighed, taking one of the rocks I''d gathered for the cafe expansion quest out of my item box to set the pot on, then mixed in the butter and vanilla to flavor the pudding.


    The slimes leaned closer, mouths wide open.


    "Not so fast," I said, swiping the pot away from them.  "It''s gotta cool still.  That''s when it really thickens up and becomes delicious."


    I''d prefer to refrigerate it for a bit too, but there wasn''t anything like that here.  Unless...


    I carried the pot over to the river running alongside the cafe.  The water had been nice and cool when I was bathing, so it should help thicken the pudding once it was cool enough too.  If I had covered containers, I could set it on the riverbed, but for now I''d have to hold onto the pot.  Or set it on a pile of rocks or something.


    Wait, this river was teeming with rocks and clay, which was exactly what I needed for the cafe upgrade quest!  I''d been so worried about getting seen when I was bathing that I hadn''t even noticed.


    Jellybean leapt into the river, swirling with the current as he squealed with excitement.  All too soon he was floating away though.


    "Be careful!"


    Boss bounced high into the air, crashing into the water with such force that it created a giant wave, pushing Jellybean right out of the river!  The little slime rolled back toward me, a happy smile on his face as water droplets glistened off their blue slime bodies.  Before I could stop him, he went right back in for a second ride.


    I shook my head, setting the pudding far enough up stream that they wouldn''t get any water in it.  Then I rolled up my pants and stepped into the cool water, collecting rocks and scooping up clay while they played.  All in all, it was a perfect way to spend an afternoon.


    [Cafe Upgrade Quest Status:  5/50 wood, 10/10 clay, and 10/10 stone]


    That was good progress!  I washed the clay off my hands and stretched, enjoying the feel of my muscles being put to good use.  Now if only there were trees around this cafe, I''d be set.  Well, if I had an axe or any other kind of weapon besides a sandwich and a frying pan, but hey, progress was progress.


    A soft clucking drew my attention to the pudding pot, which was being pecked at by the baby chick!


    "Not you too!" I hurried out of the river, rescuing the pudding once again.  "Should chickens even be eating pudding?"


    Probably not, but it was a fire-breathing monster chicken, so maybe normal rules didn''t apply here.  The pudding jiggled nicely, a perfect consistency.


    [Slime Pudding Level 3 Acquired]


    [+15 XP]


    "Okay, it actually looks like it''s ready."  My mouth watered, anticipating the delicious pudding already.  "Boss!  Jellybean!"


    The slimes bounced out of the river, shaking water all over me like a dog drying off as they hopped.  I sighed, but set down the pot in the middle of our little monster family.  There was one thing I hadn''t considered though.


    "We don''t have any dishes or flatware..."


    More things to add to my shopping list.  How could I run a cafe without basics like bowls or plates or spoons?  For now, we''d have to eat off mixing spoons and spatulas.  It would be fine.  Boss was big, so normal sized spoons wouldn''t work for him anyway.  It would be fine, totally normal.


    I scooped out a big spoonful of the glistening pudding, holding it out for Boss to try first.  He was the one who''d given me the recipe after all, so it was only fair he tried it first.


    The big slime slurped it up, eyes closed like he was savoring it.  A contented sigh escaped him and I grinned.  Boss liked the pudding!


    Jellybean nudged me, staring at me with big puppy-dog eyes until I scooped him out some pudding too.  He gobbled it up, trilling with joy as he swayed back and forth.  I set a spatula of pudding out for the chicken too, still a bit unsure about that plan, but it seemed happy enough to peck away at it.


    Then all that was left was for me to try it.  The pudding was silky and smooth, more luxurious than anything I''d had before.  The hint of vanilla danced on my tongue as the slime jelly brought it all together.  This was the perfect pudding, absolutely amazing.


    But it was gone all too soon, which meant I had to make more.  A lot more.


    For the next few hours, I cooked pudding after pudding, until all of us were so full we couldn''t eat anymore.  I even made some grilled cheese and veggie stir-fry to add to my item box for my next adventure.  I was determined to upgrade this cafe as soon as possible, which meant I''d need to explore this dungeon floor more and find wood.


    With my last grilled cheese, confetti burst around us as happy music filled the air.


    [Level Up: Culinary Mage Level 4]


    [New Skills Available]


    Yes!  That was exactly what I''d been hoping for.  I added another stat point to my endurance and mana, then looked at the wonderful skill options.  I needed something that would help me gather wood or maybe open a map of the dungeon so I didn''t get lost.


    "Hey, sweet potato?" I asked, still grinning at the nickname.  "What''s the Ingredient Tracker skill do?  Would wood count as an ingredient?"


    [Ingredient Tracker will mark your chosen ingredient on a map, helping you find the general area you''d find the most of it.  Some bark is used for cooking, like cinnamon, so yes, you could track wood with this skill]


    "A map and a tracker all in one?  Sign me up!"


    [New Skill: Ingredient Tracker]


    I quickly cleaned up the dishes from our massive amount of cooking then stood up and looked out at the dungeon floor.  The jungle felt intimidating, like something separate from this safe little pocket of land I''d been staying on.  If I wanted to improve it, I had to leave though.


    I took a deep breath, straightening my back and steeling my determination.  "Ingredient tracker, find wood!"


    A small map appeared in my hands, just like how the cookbook would float out of my menu.  It showed a large circular area, which I assumed was the dungeon floor, but it was all grayed out.  The only part that had detail was the cafe area.  Maybe I needed to explore areas to unlock the map?  There was a small circle off to one side and I could sense that that was where the ingredient tracker wanted me to go.


    I glanced at Boss and Jellybean, then back at the map.  The journey looked long and I didn''t want to drag them with, but I also really didn''t want to go alone.


    "You can stay here and guard the cafe if you want," I said, "or you can come with me.  I''m good either way."


    Boss pushed against my back as Jellybean took off ahead of us.  I guess that meant they were ready to go!


    "Okay, it''s time for another adventure!" I turned back to the little chicken pecking at something in the ground.  "Guard the cafe for us, we''ll be back soon."

 Chapter 13 - Got Wood?

    When three circular shapes were close enough together, it always reminded me of a face.  Like when I''d be baking late at night and my bread dough suddenly seemed like it wanted to talk to me.  That''s what these trees reminded me of right now.


    I''d let Boss lead the way here and he''d managed to avoid monsters for the most part, making our trip to this tree-filled jungle area pretty uneventful.  But now that we were here, I just couldn''t shake this feeling of unease.  The trees were downright unsettling with their gnarled branches stretched out like hands and the way I swore they changed positions whenever I had my back to them.


    But this was the area circled on the map, so this was where I had to get the wood for my cafe from.  The dense canopy overhead blocked out a lot of the light from the embers, casting shadows that played with my mind.  Leaves rustled without a breeze and it was too quiet, as if there were no animals that lived in this jungle.


    Jellybean bounced softly on my shoulder, apparently unaffected by the strange vibes surrounding us, which was actually pretty reassuring.  I let out a breath, determined to gather this wood and get back as quickly as possible.


    I searched the underbrush for fallen branches, but most of the wood I found was rotten, not something I wanted to expand the cafe with.  With all the monsters crashing around the dungeon, there had to be some freshly broken branches or fallen trees somewhere though. Even the crispy cluckers had tried to peck one down.


    The deeper I went into the jungle, the better wood I found though.  Excitement filled me as I picked up branch after branch, fulfilling half my quest in record time!  Boss delved into the jungle with me, but his bounces were getting slower as we went.  He kept staring at the trees, sometimes bouncing at them with enough force to make a thunking sound.


    "Calm down," I told the big slime.  "We''ll be out of here soon."


    Was he claustrophobic?  His bouncing got more intense the closer the trees got, so maybe he should head back while Jellybean and I finished up here. Not that Jellybean was helping much either as he munched on a grilled cheese I''d given him, crooning happily.


    We stepped into a clearing that looked like the heart of the jungle according to my map.  In the center was an ancient tree, twisted and gnarled with a lot of its bark missing.  Large branches littered the ground, perfect for the cafe.  I rushed forward, but Jellybean bounced hard, hitting me in the cheek before I could collect any of it.


    "Hey!  What was that for?"


    I rubbed my cheek as the groan of bark rubbing against bark filled the air.  My eyes widened as the trees shifted, moving with a life of their own.  All those circles that had looked like eyes before turned toward me, staring at the intruder in their jungle.


    [Living Trees: Level 9]


    I swallowed hard, backing up until I ran into Boss.  His doughy body stood firm next to me, as if willing to fight whatever came at us.


    The trees were alive.  Holy hell, the trees were alive.


    "Hello, my name''s Hazel." I cleared my throat, trying to stop my voice from shaking.  "I''m a baker with a cafe on this floor.  Any chance you like tasty treats?"


    I took the leftover veggie stir-fry out of my item box and offered it to the trees, laying it on their roots as my pulse raced in my ears.  The food sank into the ground with an earthy crunch.


    "Mooooooorrrrrrreeeee."


    The tree''s voice was so slow I could barely understand the word, almost sounding like a moan instead of language.  But if it wanted more, then I''d make more.  Except, I was out of my stir-fry leftovers and didn''t have the right ingredients to make more.


    I forced a smile on my face.  "Okay, more is coming right up.  Just give me a few minutes to make it."


    What was I supposed to do now?  I somehow doubted trees would like pudding as much as the slimes.  What did trees even eat?  Fertilizer?  I frowned, swiping through my item box.  I did have all the debris from the garden cleanup in here, plus some food scraps and other odds and ends that I hadn''t known what to do with.  I bet I could actually make a decent fertilizer...


    Okay, I''d make that work somehow.  I took out some plant clippings, grass, food scraps, and eggshells, grinding them all up in a pot.  I''d never actually made fertilizer before though.  What was supposed to come next?  Did I cook it?  Compost would have to sit out for weeks to decompose, but I definitely didn''t have that kind of time.


    Trees drank water from the ground, so maybe a fertilizing tea would be good here.  I poured water in the pot, heating all the ingredients up together until it made a grassy, kind of ugly, brown soup.  Mixing this up in the middle of all these trees made me feel like a witch in the woods.  I resisted the urge to cackle though because now was not the time to break down and start laughing.  The tree monsters were watching me.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    The fertilizer smelled earthy and dank, not the most appealing thing I''d ever made, but I took it off the heat once it started bubbling.  I turned back to the older tree in the middle of this clearing, sensing that it was important to the others since it had all this room around it.  Once the mixture cooled, I carefully poured it around the tree''s roots.


    The soil around the tree glowed with a warm light as the tree slowly absorbed the fertilizer.  The glow moved through the tree as new growth sprouted from every branch, straightening the broken pieces and regrowing the missing bark.  The tree shook its branches, opening its eyes for the first time since I''d gotten here.


    Then it stood up straight, towering over all the other trees by far.  Its strong rootbound legs broke free of the earth, standing tall and proud amongst the other trees.


    My mouth dropped open.  "How did simple fertilizer do all that?"


    Jellybean swayed side to side like he had no idea either as a message box appeared.


    [Your new passive gardening skills work on plant based monsters as well.  That tree is enjoying the benefits of Growth Boost and Green Thumb]


    "Oh that is so cool," I said, already hurrying to make another pot.  "If those skills worked on it, maybe I could try Buff Baking and Flavor Boost too!"


    Now I really did cackle as I mixed things up, adding ingredient after ingredient to really make these trees be the best trees they could be.  When it was cool, I ladled the fertilizer on as many trees as I could, grinning as the golden light whooshed through their trunks and into all their branches.


    Wood creaked and groaned as the trees grew taller, their branches thicker, and their leaves shinier.  It was like I was giving them new life, filling this jungle with the best trees it could possibly have.  The trees crowded closer, handing me more grass clippings and fruit, nuts, anything they could get their twiggy hands on for me to cook with.


    I made batch after batch, relishing in the feeling of being useful.  They were just so happy, bounding around with renewed vigor.  Jellybean and Boss were playing catch with a group of saplings, tossing an apple back and forth.  It was all so silly and awesome.  If this fertilizer could work this kind of magic on jungle monsters, imagine what it could do for my garden.


    [Alert to all adventurers in the area: Living Tree rampage commencing.  The trees are overtaking floor six and are now boss-level monsters.  Good luck]


    "Wait, what?"  I dropped the ladle in my hands, glancing at the massive trees surrounding me.


    They had to be at least two times larger than they were before, maybe three.  Some of them were even level 15 now.  I covered my mouth as a laugh bubbled up.  My cooking had caused a monster rampage!


    "Maybe it''s time to go," I whispered to Jellybean and Boss.  "Before the other adventurers get here and blame us." I turned to the trees, biting my lip.  What about them though?  "Um, maybe you should hide for a while until things calm down."


    The trees shook their branches, leaves rustling as if they were laughing.  I had a feeling they were too hopped up on my fertilizer, thinking they were indestructible.  Maybe they were.  Maybe my true skill was making crazy awesome monster food.  I had a feeling this was going to go horribly, horribly wrong.


    But, the trees seemed confident, so I''d have to trust them to take care of themselves.  I had to take care of my own monsters because the slimes needed me.


    I pressed my palm against the old tree I''d helped first, feeling the magic seeping through it like sap.  "Stay safe and don''t hurt anyone."


    The old tree held out gnarled hands filled with fallen branches.  The other trees followed suit, holding out enough wood to expand my cafe three times over.


    "Are those for me?"  Warmth blossomed in my chest as their kindness washed over me.  "Thank you."


    After I added all the wood to my item box, filling it up completely, I waved to the trees and started making our way out of the jungle.  The sounds of adventurers yelling and metal clashing filled the area.  I glanced to the side just in time to see a man flying through the air, tossed by one of the trees.  Another followed, screaming as he soared in a perfect arc, landing in a swamp nearby with a great splash.


    These trees weren''t messing around.  They were definitely too strong for this dungeon floor now.  I crept out of the jungle, trying to avoid anyone spotting us and asking questions about the slimes.


    "Of course this mess has to do with you," a woman''s voice called out.  I turned to find Fiona shaking her head at me.  "Any time something weird and dungeon breaky happens from now on, I''m just going to assume it''s you."


    I laughed, rubbing the back of my head.  "Uhhhh, hey Fiona, what''s up?"


    "What''s up?"  She laughed, staring at the trees playing catch with adventurers.  "What''s up is you''re going to tell me everything over some delicious cookies.  It took me way too long to find you and I''m not going to miss tasty food to deal with this."


    "Sounds good to me," I said, glancing back at the trees one more time.  "Thank you for your help."


    Their twiggy hands waved at me as they continued their assault on the adventurers.  I had a feeling they''d be all right and the adventurers would just end up back on the first floor if anything went too far.  They''d be fine...right?


    I rubbed my hand over my face.  "What the hell did I do?"


    "I have no idea, but it''s damn entertaining," Fiona said, clapping me on the back.  "I''m glad you''re doing okay. I was worried about you all on your own.  Dave told me you were fine, but I didn''t believe him. He mentioned something about a cafe?"


    "Yeah, it''s just a shack right now, but it''s going to be amazing once I fix it up."  I smiled as she greeted the slimes, holding her hand out for them to bounce against.  "Why don''t you stay with me for a while?  I''ll fix up the cafe and bake awesome food while you can go out adventuring and level up."


    Her eyes widened.  "Really?  You''d do that for me?"


    "Of course, we''re friends aren''t we?"


    At least, the closest thing I had to a friend who was human-shaped.  A grin stretched across her face as she nodded.


    "I''d love to see this cafe," she said, motioning for me to lead the way.  "I''ll help with repairs too if you need it."


    "Deal."


    Together our little party of slimes and people made our way back to my cafe, the sounds of screaming adventurers and creaking trees drifting away in the distance.  That was a problem for future me, right now, I just wanted to get back to my cafe and bake some cookies.

 Chapter 14 - Hot Tea and Upgrades

    Walking through the stone corridor between magical dungeon doors reminded me of when Dave had first brought me to the cafe, except this time, Fiona was actually with me. She''d get to see the garden full of dirt slimes, the new tea garden, and even the sorry excuse for a shack-cafe. That part was about to change though. I''d gotten all the stone, clay, and wood the quest required and I couldn''t wait to see how the upgrade worked.


    I paused by the door leading out. "You ready for this?"


    "Hell yeah, show me this cafe of yours." Fiona grinned, nodding for me to go forward.


    The door opened when I stepped closer, revealing a dark room ahead. Dave had said the key would bring me back to the cafe, right? I assumed that meant in the front yard like when he brought me here, but based on that cramped looking room, I had a feeling it opened the cafe''s front door...


    How were we all supposed to fit inside? I couldn''t just leave the slimes or Fiona in the corridor, but I''d barely fit with the slimes, let alone with another person carrying a giant hammer. This was so not good.


    "Ummm..." I clasped the back of my neck, wincing. "It''s the first time I''ve used the key, and well..."


    Fiona raised an eyebrow. "Well?"


    "We''re about to get up close and personal, sorry." I stepped into the shack cafe''s dark embrace. The new upgrade better come with windows. "I hope you''re not claustrophobic!"


    Jellybean bounced on my shoulder as Fiona made her way inside, shifting to stand in the corner next to me. Then came Boss, squeezing into the shack and filling every available space with his doughy slime body. Jellybean chirped, moving from my shoulder to the top of my head. If Boss filled up any more of the space, we wouldn''t be able to breathe!


    The click of the dungeon door shutting behind us echoed in the room, loud and final. There was no going back.


    "Haaazellll..." Fiona dragged my name out in one of those you''re-in-trouble tones. "This is way more than up close and personal. Get us out of here."


    "We''re fine," I mumbled, sucking in my stomach as Boss pressed up against me. This shack really was too small for four. "Just gotta find the door."


    I scooted around the edges of the wall until my hand brushed over the door handle. I turned it, throwing the door open for Boss to slide out of. Fiona and I took deep breaths, leaning over as we finally had room to move.


    "See? All good." I stepped outside just in time for the little fire-breathing chicken to attack me. It pecked at my ankles, making me hop in place. "Hey! What''s wrong?"


    The chicken puffed out its feathers, glaring at me. I glanced around the cafe, but nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. Maybe it didn''t like being left home by itself?


    I leaned down to run my hands over its fluffy feathers. "You did a great job, thanks for protecting the cafe for me."


    The chicken tried to keep glaring at me, but its eyes closed tight as it purred, leaning into my hand. I scratched its side, assuming that must be the good spot, as Fiona burst out laughing.


    "Is that one of the chickens who treed you?" Her smile was wide and bright as she shook her head, turning to take in the cafe. "And what''s with that sign? Cafe Name Here? You didn''t even name the cafe yet?"


    Huh, I''d kind of forgotten about that sign. I''d been so busy working on quests that it completely slipped my mind. The cafe was supposed to be a place for me to level up fast and get out of the dungeon, so naming it hadn''t seemed all that important. But it did feel a bit odd now that I was staring at the to be determined sign.


    "I''m terrible at naming things." I shrugged. "If you can think of something good, I''ll use it."


    "Ohh, what about Dungeon Delights?" Fiona''s eyes lit up as she tapped her cheek. "Or Slime and Dine? Maybe Hazel''s Hideaway?" She held up a finger. "I''ve got it: Monsters and Mochas! You know, since you''re apparently gathering a monster horde."


    She nodded at the chicken and the slimes and I couldn''t help but laugh.


    "Honestly, between them and the trees I just befriended, I probably could make a monster horde if I wanted to." I held up my hands. "Not that I''d want to, of course, but it''s nice to have options."


    Fiona chuckled. "You keep getting stranger and it''s awesome. Back to the names though, Hazel''s Hideaway is pretty good, right?"


    "I don''t know, I don''t really want to name something after myself since I''ll have to leave eventually. Since this is just a way to level up, maybe the Level Up Cafe? Or the Get-Me-Outta-Here Cafe?"


    "Seriously?" Fiona shook her head with a sigh. "You got something amazing and you''re already thinking about leaving it behind? I''ve seen you bake, tasted how delicious it was, so there''s no way I believe it''s just a means to an end. You lit up when you were making those cookies. Maybe this is where you belong."


    Where I belonged? Wasn''t that back home, in my real life? I might not remember it, but it was mine more than this cafe was. I deserved to know where I came from and how I got here. I wanted to remember.


    "Let''s just get this place upgraded first," I said, opening my item box to remove all the stone, clay, and wood the quest required.


    [Cafe Upgrade Quest Completed]


    [Would you like to upgrade now?]


    "Yes," I said softly, surprisingly anxious about this moment. "Upgrade the cafe."


    [As you wish]


    Fiona and I stepped back as the shack fell apart, the wooden pieces floating and spinning in the air like a puzzle that was deconstructing itself. Then the new materials joined in, spinning and reshaping themselves into solid planks of wood that would be great for flooring or walls. The stones and planks started setting themselves back up, forming a building that was four times larger than the shack with beautiful windows that would bring in so much light.


    As the door settled back into place, a smile stretched across my face. This was my cafe. I''d made it grow through hard work and determination in just a few days. With the help of the slimes and the system, of course, but I''d still had a lot to do with it. If I could do this, what else could I do here? Could it grow into a full fledged cafe with enough room for dozens of guests with a giant kitchen for me?


    I could bake every day, meet new adventurers as they passed by, and befriend all the adorable monsters as we shared this cozy little cafe. It could be like a safe haven from the rest of the dungeon where monsters and adventurers could commingle and just enjoy delicious food. Hmmm....what kind of name would be good for that? Something with sanctuary or haven maybe?


    "So, are we going in?" Fiona asked, grinning. "You look like you want to. Even if it''s just a level-up cafe."


    I opened my mouth to answer, but snapped it closed. What was I doing dreaming of all that nonsense? This was just a stepping stone, a way to level up. I had to remember that otherwise I''d be stuck here forever, forgetting about my goals entirely. Sure, I might be happy baking away with the slimes, but this wasn''t my life. If I was going to stay here, I at least wanted to remember what I was giving up.


    I deserved that much, so I''d have to keep working hard to level up.


    "Sure, let''s go inside." I stepped forward, putting the warm black key into the door. The lock clicked open, revealing the new cafe inside.


    Soft light glowed warmly against the new wood flooring with a single table and two chairs in the first room. Wooden beams criss-crossed the ceiling, with small hooks that I could hang herbs from so they could dry. There was a back room too, which I hoped was a kitchen, but a blue message box appeared before I could explore more.


    [Welcome to your new cafe, Hazel. When you''re ready to name it, let me know]


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    "Thank you, sweet potato," I said, grinning at the shocked look on Fiona''s face. "I''m going to save that for later though."


    [No problem. Maybe you''ll like this quest better then]


    [New Quest: Serve 5 Cups of Tea]


    "Serve tea? But there''s no way my tea grew enough to use yet..."


    Fiona tilted her head. "If it''s tea you want, I''ve got plenty in my inventory. I don''t mind sharing, especially if you make it taste good."


    "Sounds good to me," I said, exploring the cafe a bit more first.


    The room in the back was in fact a kitchen, but it was a lot smaller than I''d hoped for with just a sink and some shelves, but no counters. I forced my disappointment down as I turned to stare at the most important part of this cafe: the stove!


    It was an old-style stove made of clay, with two openings to build a fire underneath each pot. I''d never worked with something like that before, but it still brought a smile to my face. I had an actual stove again. Excitement filled me as I ran my fingers over the solid clay stove, remembering how soft the clay had been when I collected it from the stream yesterday.


    Seeing my efforts put to use like this was awesome. I wasn''t just working mindlessly with no end in sight. I was making progress, using my skills to build nicer things. Things I wanted, like this stove.


    Fiona handed me a container of tea leaves. "Whenever you''re ready. I''ll leave you to it."


    Then she walked back outside, giving me time to appreciate all the new upgrades. I knelt down to examine the stove closer, finding a charcoal bin in the corner and a few pans that fit into the openings on top perfectly. I could cook multiple things at once now and there was even a covered pan that looked like I could bake bread in!


    After exploring every inch of the cafe, the only thing left to do was try that stove out.


    I filled a pot with water, my hands shaking slightly with excitement. Not only did I have a sink, but I had a sink with running water! I hadn''t expected that, but was extremely grateful. I hauled the pot of water over to the stove, placing it carefully inside one of the openings on top, and added charcoal underneath for the fire.


    And then I stared at it.


    I hadn''t seen a lighter and I had no idea how to start a fire without one. I rummaged around the shelves, thankfully spotting a box of matches that I somehow hadn''t noticed before. I struck the match against the stove. The fire glowed softly as I bent down to light the charcoal.


    Warmth emanated from the stove as the water slowly started to heat up. I sadly didn''t have any mugs though.


    "Hey Fiona?" I called out. "Do you have any mugs?"


    A few moments later, she poked her head inside with two mugs. "We should probably go shopping for you sometime."


    "Agreed. My list is growing longer and longer every day," I said with a laugh as I mentally added teapot and strainer to the list. "The water''s almost boiling, so it won''t be much longer."


    The slimes watched with eager eyes as I spooned tea leaves into our mugs. Guilt gnawed at me, knowing they''d want to try the tea too.


    "Mind if they have some too?" I asked. "I can pay you back with tea from my garden once it grows."


    Fiona shook her head. "It''s fine. Call it my gift to you for upgrading your cafe so quickly."


    I smiled, still determined to pay her back somehow for all these ingredients she kept giving me. Once my garden took off, I could bake so many more things for her and then we¡¯d be even. For now, a good cup of tea sounded really nice after a long day.


    Once the water was boiling, I carefully ladled it into our mugs and some pots for the slimes. Boss was too big for a mug anyway, so it worked out fine. Steam curled around me, teasing my nose with the fresh scent of the tea as I carefully set a pot in front of each slime. I felt bad that it had leaves in it, but there wasn''t really any other choice at the moment.


    [Green Tea Level 4 Acquired]


    [+5 XP]


    I took a sip, nearly choking as Jellybean jumped into the pot of tea!


    "Hey, that''s hot!" I handed my mug to Fiona so I could check on Jellybean. He barely fit inside the pot, but he was spinning and trilling with excitement as he gulped the liquid down. I shook my head at him. "You are too cute for your own good, you know. I hope you like it."


    All too soon, the pot was empty and Jellybean was staring at me with big puppy-dog eyes again. He was getting too good at that look.


    "I think the slime wants more," Fiona said with a laugh, sipping on her own tea as she watched the show play out.


    Jellybean jumped out of the pot, landing in my lap without a single drop of tea flying anywhere. He had drained that pot dry, which had to mean he really liked it. I''d have to start keeping track of which food and drinks the slimes liked best and which they were kind of meh about.


    I put the pot back on the stove and refilled it with water as Boss nudged his own pot of tea closer to Jellybean.


    The little slime''s eyes widened as he hopped inside, basking in the warmth of the tea like he was at a hot spring. His blue body started turning green from drinking so much tea, making him a beautiful turquoise.


    I patted the boss slime. "That was nice of you."


    He nodded, rubbing against my hand like he wanted more pets. I laughed and hugged the slime close. Meeting these two slimes really was the best thing that had happened to me in this dungeon. Taking care of them was just so satisfying, warming my heart even more than the tea warmed my body.


    Once the water was boiling again, I split it between the two pots, making sure Boss would actually get some this time.


    "Do you need a refill?" I asked Fiona, but she just shook her head, watching as Jellybean jumped into the pot of hot tea again.


    I sighed, glad he wasn''t hurt, but I wished he''d wait for it to cool down a bit. He sank into the hot liquid with a little sigh of contentment. He didn''t even drink the tea this time, just seemed to enjoy sitting in it. His body turned even greener until he matched the tea so perfectly it would have been hard to tell where one started and the other began if not for the slime''s jelly-like body.


    [Quest Completed: Serve 5 Cups of Tea]


    [Your cooking brings so much joy. You''re on your way to becoming a wonderful cafe owner]


    I smiled against my mug, far too happy at the system''s compliment. The tea hadn''t been anything special, but somehow, it felt monumental.


    [Rewards: Teapot, Tea Cups, and a Tea Strainer]


    My eyes widened as a beautiful green teapot, four tea cups, and a strainer appeared before me. I brushed my fingers over the cast iron, grateful the system had given me exactly what I needed right now. Green tea leaves decorated the teapot, swirling around it like leaves on the wind. I couldn''t wait to use it.


    "Ohh, that''s a nice reward," Fiona said. "At this point, I think the system''s playing favorites here."


    Honestly, so did I, but that just made me feel even warmer inside. Somebody was looking after me.


    Jellybean hopped out of the pot to examine the new items, but something was different about the little slime. Even after he left the tea, his body was still green and full of tea leaves. Something was sprouting from the top of his head too, almost like the dirt slimes after I''d given them new seeds. My mouth dropped open as a tiny sprig of tea grew out of Jellybean''s head.


    "What''s going on? Is he okay?" I asked, rushing to check on him.


    Fiona was about to answer when a message box appeared right in front of her. She hmphed and let the system talk.


    [Blue Slime has evolved into a Tea Slime]


    "Slimes can evolve??"


    [Slimes evolve based on what they eat. If they end up loving a food and eating enough of it, an evolution is triggered]


    Fiona''s eyebrows raised. "I didn''t know the part about having to love the food. I just thought they evolved if they ate a lot of the same thing. Interesting."


    Did that mean the dirt slimes...loved dirt? Huh, I''d have to dig into that more later.


    "I''ll make you all the tea you want," I told Jellybean, hugging him close as Boss started bouncing. "You too, Boss. I''ll make you all kinds of treats in case you want to evolve like Jellybean." I frowned, holding the little slime out to study his new tea shape. "Hmm...do you still like the name Jellybean? Or do you want something more...tea themed now that you''ve evolved?"


    Jellybean''s eyes got all starry when I mentioned a new name.


    "Ohh, what about Steepie?" Fiona asked, eyes lighting up again. "Or Brewster?"


    The little slime swayed back and forth like he was undecided.


    "Okay," I said, patting the side of his body instead of his head to avoid the tea leaves. "Maybe something tea inspired then? Like Boba? Or Chai? Maybe Matcha?" He started bouncing so fast in my arms at that last name that I almost dropped him. I laughed. "Okay, Matcha it is! Congratulations on evolving into a tea slime, little Matcha."


    Fiona gave me back my tea mug, clinking her mug against mine. "And congratulations on your Get-Me-Outta-Here Cafe."


    "Okay, maybe it deserves a better name than that," I said with a laugh, setting Matcha down to play with Boss.


    My tea was going a bit cold at this point, but I finished the last few sips, enjoying the earthy taste. Drinking tea with friends was such a cozy experience, warm and homey.


    A name for the cafe tugged at my mind, inspired by Matcha''s new love of tea. I hovered over the menu as the weight of this decision loomed over me. If I picked a bad name, people might easily forget it, but if I picked something good, they''d be more likely to talk about my cafe.


    No matter what I chose, I wanted slimes to be part of it so everyone knew how important they were to me. I not only wanted to protect these slimes, but make a safe space for them to feel comfortable without worrying what the adventurers might do to them.


    This was a place for me and the slimes to feel at home. To feel safe and secure. The name should be something warm like tea...


    A smile tugged at my lips as I entered the name. The menu asked for a confirmation and I pressed "yes", then hurried outside to see if the sign had updated.


    The name "Slime Serenitea" swept across the sign with shimmering green letters that looked like they were mimicking the slime''s texture. The sign even had a little version of Matcha on it, relaxing in a big cup of tea.


    I pressed my hand to my chest, overcome with emotions at the sight of it. This was everything I''d wanted for so long and more.


    This was the Slime Serenitea Cafe.

 Chapter 15 - The Dreaded XP Curve

    A few days had passed since Fiona joined me at the cafe, but I''d only managed to gain a single level in all that time.  I''d been baking up a storm, testing out different buffs and skills by giving her food to adventure with, but it felt like once I hit level 5, everything slowed down.  At least my skills had improved, especially buff baking.  The buffs were lasting longer, which was great for Fiona.


    I''d even picked up a new skill: Lasting Bite.  It kept food fresh twice as long, so she didn''t have to worry about it going bad in a few hours.  Using my skills to help her made me feel a lot better about her fighting monsters alone.


    "Going out again soon?" I asked Fiona as we finished our breakfast of fruit salad and eggs.  We''d carried the table from the cafe into the backyard so we could watch the dirt slimes play as we ate.  "You could stay and make bread with me if you wanted."


    "Or you could join me and fight monsters," she said, laughing as a dirt slime wiggled into the soil.  "You said you''re not leveling as fast anymore, right?  Maybe getting out would help."


    I sighed.  "I don''t get XP from fighting though, so it wouldn''t do much.  Did this happen to you too?"


    "Yeah, the XP bars get bigger and bigger after level 5."  She picked up the watering can to give the dirt slimes a drink.  They bounced under the rain, big smiles on their faces.  "I think it''s so you can get some good skills early on, but don''t just breeze right through the dungeon without a challenge."


    That made sense, but it was such a drag.  My whole plan of burning through the levels by spending a few weeks baking had gone out the window.  If every level took more XP than the last, I''d have to spend all day every day doing nothing but baking if I had any hope of getting out of here soon.  That didn''t sound fun though.


    I shared some of my fruit with the dirt slimes as Fiona nibbled on a strawberry.


    "Even though you don''t get XP from fighting," she said, "you could get new ingredients and recipes.  Plus, a change of scenery couldn''t hurt.  Every dungeon floor is different, just imagine the ingredients you could get from them."


    "That''s true," I said, glancing at the dirt slimes leaping and playing in the garden, then at the cafe behind us, sturdy and safe, "but I think I''ll just keep baking for now.  Level up my skills enough so that I''m not a burden if I explore.  I got lucky with those living trees, I might not get so lucky again."


    Fiona shook her head, grinning.  "I still can''t get the image of those trees playing catch with adventurers out of my head.  You caused a monster surge!  That''s incredible.  I think you''re already a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for."


    Not strong enough to get out of here though...


    "Okay, I''m heading out," Fiona said, taking her plate inside to wash.


    "Hold on, I''ve got some food for you."  I hurried after her, giving the dirt slimes a quick pat, before pulling the sandwiches out of my inventory.  "One''s got a healing buff and the other has a strength buff."  I held out a few cookies too.  "And these have agility buffs."


    She whistled.  "Three buffed foods?  You''re getting better at this.  Thanks."


    "Anytime.  I''m making something new for dinner too, so don''t die out there and reset to the first floor."


    She sighed.  "That only happened one time, sheesh.  I''ll be back soon, don''t worry."


    Soon was such a vague term in the dungeon.  Even saying I''d have dinner ready when she got back was hard since there was no way for us to tell time.  There wasn''t a sun to track through the sky or clocks to set timers on.  I''d literally had to choose a Perfect Timing skill just so I didn''t keep burning my bread!  With that new skill, I instinctively knew when things were done, even if they were covered by a lid.


    I waved goodbye as Fiona took off to level up in her own way.  It would be nice if we could level together, but our XP styles were just too different.  If I had agreed to go with her, she''d have gotten ingredients just like me and wouldn''t have leveled at all.  That didn''t seem fair when she was working so hard.


    My current cafe quest was a bit tricky too.  Serve 20 unique customers, but between Fiona, the chicken, and all the slimes, I''d only managed to serve 15.  It was like the dungeon wanted me to go find new people, but that was the last thing on my mind.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    If I could keep baking and feeding the slimes, why should I go through all the extra work of opening this cafe for other people?  So far, the only adventurer I''d met who I wanted to spend more time with was Fiona.  The others seemed pretty anti-slime.  What would they do when they walked inside and were greeted by an energetic Matcha and Boss?  Or if somebody tried to steal a carrot and Mossy rose up out of the garden to attack?


    Until I could figure out a way to protect the slimes, there was no way I''d be opening the cafe to any strangers.


    "Hey, Sweet Potato?" I called out.  "You don''t have a skill that would kick people out of my cafe by any chance, do you?"


    [Not currently, no, but maybe if you keep working hard, you''ll unlock one]


    "Okay, guess I''ll just have to power through these levels on my own then," I said, smiling as Matcha peeked into the kitchen.  "Honestly, even if it takes longer, I can get to level 100 without ever leaving the cafe.  I''ve just got to keep baking."


    [Wait, you never plan to leave the cafe?]


    "Honestly?" I put a pot of water on the stove to boil for Matcha''s tea, studying the water as I thought about it.  "Probably not until I''m high enough level to defeat every monster with my cooking.  Why struggle and risk going back to the first floor when I could just feed the dungeon boss a level 100 cookie and call it a day?"


    [Huh, you''re right.  That sounds like a completely logical plan that doesn''t break the concept of this dungeon at all...]


    I raised an eyebrow at that message.  "You''re the one who gave me the class.  Wasn''t this how you thought I''d use it?"


    [No, I don''t think anyone thinks quite like you do.  This is definitely a loophole, but it''s fine.  Don''t worry]


    Every time somebody said "don''t worry", I instantly got worried.  Would this loophole be a problem for the system?  It had done nothing but help me, so I''d hate to screw things up for it in return.


    "Are you sure?  I don''t want to cause problems."


    [You are the most interesting person in this dungeon.  Never think of yourself as a problem]


    [But...]


    [New Quest: Collect honey from Sugarstinger hives on floor 7]


    "Well isn''t that a timely quest," I said, trying not to laugh.  "I thought it was fine if I stayed here?"


    [Oh, it''s completely fine, but that quest has great rewards.  Honey from a sugarstinger hive is the sweetest treat in the dungeon]


    "Are you trying to tempt me, Dungeon Darling?" My voice was low and teasing.


    [Only a little]


    The message box had that pretty pink hue to it again, like the system was blushing.  I gave it some time to gather its thoughts while I snuffed out the stove''s fire and added tea leaves to the pot.  Matcha liked the leaves, so I wouldn''t have to strain them this time.  I set the pot down for the little green slime as another message box appeared.


    [There''s been...talk lately.  About me playing favorites]


    "If it was from Fiona, she was just kidding," I said, "but why would it matter?  Aren''t you like the god of this dungeon?"


    [Hardly.  I''m more like the dungeon''s current master and even I have rules to follow.  Balance must be maintained]


    My eyes widened.  That was way more information than the system had ever given me, implying that there had been other dungeon masters and maybe even other things running the show.  Ever since I''d gotten here, I''d gone against the grain, doing everything the opposite way, and the system had supported me.


    But, was I actually breaking the rules so much that Sweet Potato might get in trouble?


    It sounded like all it wanted me to do was explore a bit more and open the cafe for real.  I could handle that if it meant things would be a bit more balanced and the system didn''t have to worry about me.  Besides, I thought I''d seen a skill somewhere about getting bonus XP from serving food to others.  What was it called again?


    I opened my menu, using my last available skill point on the Heartfelt Hospitality skill.


    [Heartfelt Hospitality allows you to gain bonus XP when serving customers in a warm and friendly atmosphere]


    [Are you sure this is the skill you want?]


    "Yeah, now that I think about it, I''ll level a lot faster if I open the cafe to adventurers."  I smiled as I picked up a bowl of bread dough that I''d left out to rise earlier.  "Besides, I''d probably get bored baking alone."


    Not that I was ever alone with all the slimes for company, but if I could do something to return all the help the system had given me, I''d be glad to do it.


    "Fiona wants to go shopping too," I continued as I punched the bread dough down to release the air pockets, "so I might as well stock the cafe up.  I could get some new chairs, maybe some lanterns to brighten the place up, and definitely some storage containers."


    As I kept listing off things I''d need, blank message boxes appeared and disappeared, as if the system was trying to say something but wasn''t sure what.  Opening the cafe might not have been the first thing I wanted to do, but based on that reaction, it felt right.


    I wasn''t some greedy adventurer who would take all the treasure and loot the dungeon had to offer without giving anything back. I was a baker and it was my job to take care of people, through my food and my spirit.  I had more than enough of both to share.


    [Thank you]

 Chapter 16 - The Dungeon Wants a Cookie

    The Dungeon of Eternal Embers'' Point of View


    "We need to make a plan for those Living Trees on floor 6," Dave said, scratching his horns.  "The adventurers who are strong enough to defeat them already went past that floor while the lower level adventurers are complaining that we''ve stuck them in an unwinnable situation."  The satyr clutched his clipboard to his chest.  "My lord, you have to do something about that culinary mage!"


    The Dungeon had been hearing many such reports from Dave ever since it had allowed Hazel to become a culinary mage.  It was all she''s-breaking-the-system this or she''s-ruining-the dungeon that.  How could Dave not see the sheer joy she was creating too?  Sure, there was a bit of chaos, but she hadn''t done any of it intentionally.


    Everyone had to learn their class somehow.  She was just working out the kinks.  And while she did that, the Dungeon got to enjoy the most amusing sights it had ever seen.  Never had such an innocent adventurer caused such a monster surge!  Not only had the Living Trees grown and become stronger, but they seemed to be sticking to her request to not to hurt adventurers.  They just...toyed with them a bit.


    The baker was like a monster whisperer at this point. She gave them food, and in return, they obeyed her requests.  It was marvelous and highly irregular.


    The Dungeon had read about food before and knew that humans required it to survive, but it hadn''t realized that the taste changed the experience so much.  It was still the same ingredients, but Hazel''s food had an entirely different effect on people.


    What would such powerful food taste like?


    The Dungeon had never eaten food before, but to fully understand this new culinary mage class, maybe it would need to change that.  One could only balance a power if it knew how it worked after all.  The Dungeon would need a human body for that though.


    Maybe it could construct a living spark like how the Dungeon had created all the Daves.  With a shard of the Dungeon Core''s embers, new life could take shape, slowly growing and evolving until it surpassed its original creation and became real.


    Yes, that was exactly what the Dungeon would do.  It couldn''t wait to meet Hazel face to face and to try the cookies she thought could defeat the boss on floor 100...


    "My lord!" Dave shouted as he fell on his backside, frantically patting out embers that had drifted into his hair.  "Every time you think about that woman, you almost burn my eyebrows off!"


    Oops.


    The Dungeon relayed its apologies to Dave.  It never wanted to cause the poor satyr harm, but it just got so excited whenever it thought about Hazel that its flames couldn''t help but blaze up.  The Dungeon had gone from a smoldering pile of embers, about to be snuffed out, to a raging flame that would fuel the entire dungeon for years to come.


    How did one woman have such power?  It was exhilarating and the Dungeon wanted to know everything about her.  To balance the system, of course, not because it wanted to try her cookies that badly.


    As Dave went back to his report about the Living Tree incident, the Dungeon drifted off, creating its new body.  It had many choices to choose from: short or tall, round or skinny, long hair or short, the possibilities were endless.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    What kind of body would Hazel prefer?  Based on the situations it had seen so far, she seemed to prefer small adorable creatures, so maybe short and plump would be best?  Possibly something shaped like that sweet potato she always spoke so fondly of?


    No, it didn''t want to be confused with the slimes.  The Dungeon wanted to make her feel safe, like she could trust it to protect her on tougher floors if needed.  To help her adventure, of course, not to impress her.


    So a tall body then, one with an athletic build and lean muscles, but what about the custom characteristics like hair and eye color?  And what class should the body have?  Fighter?  Archer?  Mage?


    Or maybe the Dungeon should take a page out of Hazel''s book and create a whole new class...


    "Sir, are you even listening?" Dave asked, sighing with exasperation as he walked closer to inspect the embers in the walls.  "Wait, are you creating a new spark to help me with all this?  Oh thank the gods, I really appreciate it!"


    The Dungeon had no idea how to answer that without upsetting Dave, so maybe it would need to make two living sparks.  One for its own secret use and another to help Dave and keep him busy.  Too busy to notice if the system went on autopilot once in a while...


    "This was a great idea," Dave exclaimed, sitting next to the Dungeon Core and marveling at all the different character creation options.  "Oh, the long black hair looks great.  Very dark and mysterious.  I bet the adventurers would listen to somebody like that better than me."


    The Dungeon thought Dave was doing a wonderful job, no matter what the adventurers said about him.  The satyr was a dutiful worker with an attention for detail that none of the other sparks had ever fully developed.  Dave was the only reason the Dungeon would even consider getting away with a secret like this, because it knew the system was in good hands with the Daves around.


    If anything truly serious happened, they¡¯d be able to find the new body.  The Dungeon would leave a trail of breadcrumbs for him to make sure of that.  Its flames danced in amusement at the thought.  Soon it would be trying real breadcrumbs that had fallen off actual bread.


    Together, the Dungeon and Dave spent the afternoon messing with all the possible options for the new sparks.  It settled on a fighter class for its own body with dark armor and a sword that had red gems in it that would glow with a bit of its flames.  For Dave''s new assistant, they chose a kindly older woman with a hidden strength who nobody would feel comfortable saying no to.


    Not twice, at least.


    The decision made Dave cackle with glee, which in turn, made the Dungeon happy too.  This was a nice way to pass the time.


    "Wait, what''s the second spark for?" Dave asked, tilting his head.


    The Dungeon tried to shove it aside in a place far away from Dave''s reach, but the satyr was like a dog with a bone sometimes.  He leapt up, staring down into the Dungeon''s flames.


    "You''re trying to escape!" His eyes widened, glancing at his piles of reports from earlier that all mentioned the new baker.  "And I bet I know where you''re going..."


    Alas, the Dungeon had been caught red-handed.  Actually, once it had hands, it wished to get them caught in a cookie jar.


    Before Dave could get too anxious, the Dungeon reassured him that this spark was only for emergencies.  It was the Dungeon''s plan for dealing with the Living Trees and any other issues that might come up.  Not that it would interfere directly, but with a body, the Dungeon could pull a few more strings.


    Dave''s eyes narrowed.  "Just for emergencies, huh?"


    The Dungeon''s flames shone brighter.  It wouldn''t lie to the satyr, but it didn''t have to tell him everything either.  It was the ruler of this Dungeon after all, so if it wanted to deal with a cookie emergency, it would damn well deal with it.


    With that, the Dungeon continued to design both new sparks, eagerly awaiting the day when they would be ready for use.  Hopefully Hazel would be just as excited as the Dungeon was.

 Chapter 17 - Safe Zone Shopping

    Fiona and I had been planning on leaving for the safe zone a while ago to get some shopping done, but I just couldn''t seem to bring myself to go.  I''d baked an item box full of food to trade and sell though, so we really should get going.


    I knelt down, hugging as many slimes as I possibly could.  Matcha rested on my shoulder while I leaned against Boss and cuddled the little dirt slimes too.


    "I won''t be gone long," I promised them, patting their little slime heads.  "I hate that I can''t take you with me, but monsters aren''t allowed in safe zones.  You''ll be fine here though.  Boss and Mossy will take care of you."


    I glanced up at the two biggest slimes, the only ones high enough level to actually protect anyone here.  They stared back at me, nodding slowly in agreement.  There were more dirt slimes than before, like they''d been multiplying, and it was so adorable watching them leap in and out of the garden.


    "You''re sure they''ll be okay?" I whispered to Fiona.


    She sighed.  "We''ve already tried to attack each other all over the place and just keep bouncing off.  The cafe is definitely a mini safe zone like Dave said, so as long as they''re here, they''ll be fine."


    The protection only seemed to reach so far, but it covered the gardens and the front yard too.  They''d be okay as long as they stayed nearby.  Matcha pressed up against my cheek, his new tea body warm and comforting like a hot water bottle.  I ran my fingers over his side, petting him.


    "You''ll be okay," I murmured again.


    "Do you think that maybe you''re the one who isn''t okay?" Fiona knelt to join us, playing with the slimes as she studied me.  "You said Matcha''s been with you since you got into the dungeon, right?"


    I nodded.  "From the very first few minutes, that adorable little bouncing slime has been by my side.  He''s the only reason I didn''t have a total breakdown when the door to the clearing disappeared and Dave was gone.  He also got me through that horrible chicken fiasco.  Matcha''s kept me going, kept me sane.  I don''t feel right leaving him."


    He chirped, nuzzling against me.


    "See?  He doesn''t want me to go either."  Tears pricked my eyes as I tried and failed to pull myself away from the slimes.  "Maybe you could shop for me instead?"


    "No way."  Fiona stood up, shaking her head.  "This is your cafe, so you need to be the one to furnish it.  You also need to meet other adventurers and show them how good your food is.  Otherwise nobody will show up to your cafe.  You need to do this."


    I sighed.  Everything she said made perfect sense, but I just didn''t want to.  What was so wrong with staying inside with the slimes and baking my worries away?


    Matcha pressed up against me one more time before hopping off my shoulder and bouncing over to the other slimes.  They chattered and chirped, nodding and swaying like they were having a whole big conversation.  Then a few of the slimes hopped toward the cafe, jumping inside the protection of the building.


    "Oh, you don''t need to do that," I said, knowing they preferred to be outside.  "It''s fine.  I''ll go to the safe zone and come right back."


    Matcha hopped outside, bouncing into the back of my legs until I got moving.


    "Okay, okay," I said with a laugh.


    Fiona grinned at the slime.  "Thanks for the assist.  We''ll bring you back a treat."


    Boss'' eyes widened as he poked his body out of the cafe just as Matcha started bouncing excitedly.  Trills sounded from the garden as the little dirt slimes cheered when they jumped out of the dirt, but were muffled once they hopped back in.  It was all so warm and happy, lifting a weight off my shoulders.


    "Thank you," I told Fiona.  "Treats are a great idea.  Let''s head out and find something good."


    She pulled a key out of her item box, holding it in the air until a door appeared around it.  She turned the key and the door opened, revealing stairs that led up.  I turned back one more time to wave goodbye to the slimes, only stopping when Fiona dragged me inside.


    "You''ll like the safe zone," she said as we walked upstairs.  "You wanted new clothes, right?  Not to mention tables and chairs for customers.  Not sure we''ll be able to afford all of that, but it doesn''t hurt to ask around."


    The allure of new clothing and slime treats had me rushing up the stairs.


    "That''s the spirit!" Fiona shouted, racing up with me until we reached the other door.  It flung wide open as bright light filtered into the stairway.  "Welcome to floor 5''s safe zone!"


    I blinked, adjusting to the bright light.  The cacophony of lots of people talking at once pressed against me as people milled about a wide open street full of stalls forming a marketplace.  Larger buildings that looked like permanent shops stood behind them with people coming and going frequently.  I kept close to Fiona as she confidently strode into the throng of people.


    There were just so many people!  Adventurers decked out in full plate armor clinked and clanked their way down the road as ones wearing simple leathers or cloth were more silent.  Almost everyone had weapons of some kind, ranging from bows to swords to maces even.  The only people without something deadly looking were the ones with magic books strapped to the small of their backs.


    It was all just so jarring compared to my quiet, secluded, slime-filled life up until now.


    "You doing okay?" Fiona turned back with a smile.  "It''s a little overwhelming at first, I know, but you''ll get used to it."


    I nodded, trailing after her as I tried to avoid bumping into anyone.  There were so many stalls!  Where should we start first?  Avoiding all the weapons sellers and armors was an easy answer, but that ruled out over half the market.  Nothing screamed come here for baking pans either.


    "Any ideas?" I asked Fiona as she stopped in front of a shop full of vibrant clothing.  A smile stretched across my face as the colors drew me in.  "Okay, we can start with the clothes, sure."


    She laughed.  "Figured it would be an easy win.  We might need to get creative with the rest of your list."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    A bell rang as we opened the door, stepping into a world of cloth and leather.  Fully made outfits were displayed in the window while bolts of cloth scattered all over made it seem like they made custom designs too.  As we carefully made our way through the maze of fabrics, a woman called out from the back.


    "Welcome to Stitch and Spell!"  Her voice was cheerful, but the closer she got, the stranger she appeared.  Her body was made of fabric, smooth silks and intricate brocades.  Her thread smile beamed.  "How may I help you?"


    Fiona smiled back as if talking to a living doll was totally normal.  "We''re looking for a few new outfits that are more cozy than armored.  Something my friend could use as a cafe uniform with an apron too."


    "You''ve come to the right place."  The living doll spread her arms, shimmering blue sleeves swaying in the air.  "Here at Stitch and Spell, we imbue all our fabrics with the best enchantment spells.  I can have a fireproof apron made for you in a jiffy.  What else can I make for you?"


    "What is she?" I asked Fiona softly.


    Fiona shrugged.  "Nobody''s really sure, but all the shopkeepers are like that.  Some have a lot more personality than others, but none of them are human.  They seem willing to help us though and people trust them."


    The tailor kept staring at us, patiently waiting with eerie button eyes.  Fiona hadn''t led me astray so far, so I should at least try talking to the doll.  Especially if it meant getting out of this suffocating chef''s coat.  It really wasn''t ideal for a jungle floor.


    "Hello," I said, forcing as normal of a smile as I could.  "I''m looking for a half apron that goes from the waist down.  Maybe in a warm brown or green with clothes that look good with it too.  Something flowy so it''s not as hot on the dungeon floor I''m on."


    "I can accommodate that."  The doll held up a tape measure as her buttons sparkled.  "Time to get your measurements and make you the outfit of your dreams."


    In a tornado of measuring tape, thread, and lots of fabric, the doll spun me this way and that until she stood back with a pleased smile on her face.  A white shirt with long billowy sleeves hung on a nearby dress form along with a beautiful green skirt that had a golden floral pattern on it.  A frilled brown apron tied it all together.


    My eyes widened.  "How''d you make that so fast?"


    "It''s my job, dear," the doll said.  "What else can I make for you?"


    I was still hung up on the first thing she''d made.  The fabric was softer than anything I''d felt before, smooth and airy.  The golden flowers on the skirt were intricate, like a garden blooming from the bottom of the fabric.  This was exactly what I''d been hoping for in a new uniform, but I had a feeling dolls didn''t eat, so my whole bartering system was about to break down already.


    "Umm, how much is this going to cost first?" I asked.


    The doll tapped her chin.  "Ten coins should suffice.  If you plan to order more, I could bundle them together at a discount."


    Was ten coins a lot?  I glanced at Fiona, who''d wandered off on her own to shop.  Guess I was on my own.


    "Ummm, do you happen to like grilled cheese?"


    The doll cocked her head to the side.  "What is grilled...cheese?"


    I pulled a sandwich out of my item box and offered it to her.  "It tastes buttery and oh so cheesy."


    "Apologies, dear, but I only accept coins."


    "That''s all right," I said, pulling out the five gold I''d gotten with my starter gear.  "I''ll just take the shirt and the apron if that''s okay."


    "Not okay," Fiona called out, carrying what looked like long pieces of fabric that would cover her arms down to her hands.  "I''ll cover it.  Once we sell those cookies to other adventurers, you''ll make it back and more.  Trust me."


    "Can you really afford it though?"  I frowned, realizing I''d completely missed the bigger concept.  "Wait, how do you make money?  I got some when I first came here, but I haven''t seen any since."


    Fiona frowned.  "You don''t get money when you defeat monsters?  I thought everyone earned coins that way."


    "No, I get recipes and ingredients."  Yet another thing that was different between my class and everyone else''s.  "We can think on that later.  If you really don''t mind, I''d appreciate the loan for now.  Thank you."


    "Anytime. I mean, I am living with you rent-free."  Fiona laughed, handing the doll her items.  "Could you add some green highlights to these?  And make another outfit for my friend too?"


    "Wait, I don''t need anything else¨C"


    Fiona crossed her arms.  "What about all those times you''ve gotten covered in dirt playing with the slimes in the garden and wished you had some better clothes for it?"


    I sighed.  "Fair enough.  I''ll pay you back."


    "Excellent." Fiona nodded to the doll.  "We''ll need something suitable for gardening too, please.  Oh and if you''ve got a futon or something she could sleep on, that would be great.  She''s been sleeping in a pile of slimes."


    "Hey, they''re cozier than they look!"


    The doll blinked. "You sleep with monsters? Are you quite all right, dear?"


    "I''m fine."  The back of my neck warmed as Fiona barely covered up a snort.  "They''re more like friends than monsters anyway."


    "And friends deserve nice beds to sleep on," Fiona said.  "One futon as well please."


    The doll rushed to create the gardening outfit along with the futon, fabric and needles zipping through the air like magic.  The cafe didn''t have any bedrooms, so Fiona had been sleeping outside in a portable tent she''d brought with her while I''d been sleeping in the middle of the guest area.  I hadn''t thought much of it, but she must have felt bad for me this whole time on the floor.


    She really was a nice person, always thinking of others.  I wanted to pay her back, but all I had were cookies.


    "Here," I said, handing her a few cookies I''d made right before coming here.  "I know you''re probably getting tired of them by now, but I appreciate your help."


    She bit into the cookie, closing her eyes as she made a little happy noise.  "I will never get sick of these.  Keep ''em coming, thank you."


    The doll finished up her work right as Fiona ate the last cookie crumbs.  "That will be 25 coins in total, dears."


    I handed her my 5 while Fiona added the other 20.


    "Thank you for your business," the doll said, smiling as she bagged up our items.  "Please come again."


    "Um, actually..."  I held up the new outfit she''d made for my cafe work, not wanting to put it away so fast.  "Do you mind if I change into this here?"


    "Of course, right this way."  The doll led me to the back of her store where there was a fitting room.


    I removed my heavy chef''s coat.  This had served me well up until now, the only real link to my past, but it just wasn''t suited for my new job.  I couldn''t bring myself to get rid of it though, so I put it carefully into my item box with my other clothing from my previous life.  I''d need it one day when I returned.


    The new outfit was as soft as butter, wrapping me up like a cozy blanket.  It was really breathable too and looked beautiful when the light hit it.  I stepped back outside, twisting and turning to see the skirt sway around me and the sleeves fall against my arm.


    "What do you think?" the doll asked.  "Do you like it?"


    "I absolutely love it!" I pulled the tailor into a hug.  "Thank you.  I really appreciate this."


    When I pulled back, the doll just stood there, frozen for a moment before she reached over for a green ribbon that matched my skirt.


    "Here, this is on the house."  She tied it around the bottom of my braid, letting the ribbon hang loose.  "There we go.  You''re all set now.  Do come back again soon."


    "We will!"


    Fiona and I waved as we left the Stitch and Spell shop.  I glanced back to see the living doll in a flurry of fabric and thread again, stitching up a storm.  She might not be human, but she was definitely passionate about her craft.  I hoped I''d see her again soon.


    "Time to find some adventurers," Fiona said with a grin.  "Once they taste this food, they''ll open their wallets wide.  Then we can really work on furnishing the cafe."


    "If you say so..."


    The idea of meeting a bunch of new people was a little overwhelming, but I''d have to get used to it if I was going to run the cafe.  Nobody here had eaten tasty food in ages, so I knew mine would have an effect on them.  I just needed to capitalize on that and get this cafe off the ground.


    Sweet Potato was counting on me.

 Chapter 18 - Dungeon Bake Sale

    Fiona and I settled down at a wooden table off to the side of the market. Dozens of other tables filled the courtyard with people eating, cleaning their weapons, or just chatting. If we wanted to entice adventurers, this seemed like a good place to get their attention.


    "It''ll be okay," Fiona said. "Just lay everything you made out on the table and see who stops by. You could also cook something fresh if you wanted to draw people in with the aroma."


    "Good idea."


    I looked through my item box for something to make, but I''d used up a lot of my ingredients over the past few days between leveling up and making things to sell. I was even down to my last block of cheese, so grilled cheese was definitely out. I had a few cookie ingredients left though since Fiona had gotten a bit addicted to them and kept shoving more ingredients at me.


    Adventurers immediately started giving me strange looks as I took butter, flour, sugar, eggs, salt, and vanilla out of my item box. I still didn''t have a proper mixing bowl, so I added everything to a pot for now while I got ready to use my big flashy skill.


    "Ingredient Efficiency," I called out in as magical of a tone as I could, "use baking soda."


    What looked like glowing white snow fell onto the other ingredients. I slowly mixed everything together until it formed a solid dough, but I''d forgotten about something pretty important: the chocolate chips. I didn''t have any! I glanced at my mana bar, which was half depleted already, hoping it would be enough for chocolate chips.


    "Ingredient Efficiency," I called out again, "use chocolate chips."


    As chocolate chips rained onto my cookie dough, the crowd grew silent as everyone watched us. We had their rapt attention, exactly like I''d hoped, but I was feeling a bit lightheaded as my mana bar hovered at almost empty.


    "You okay?" Fiona whispered. "You''re looking a little pale."


    "I''m fine." I took a few deep breaths, letting the scent of the cookie dough wash over me as I shaped it into balls. "Just fine."


    Fiona frowned, but seemed to take my word for it. She turned to the people watching us and shouted out. "Come on over for your slime sweets and dungeon treats!"


    "Did she say slime sweets?" a woman whispered as another adventurer shook his head and walked off.


    I ignored them, adding cookies to the pan so they could start baking and filling the area with their delicious buttery smell. The man turned back, sniffing the air.


    "Food doesn''t usually smell that good," he said. "What''s going on?"


    "My friend here''s a culinary mage." Fiona beamed with pride, like my class was somehow her doing. "And believe me, you''ll never want to eat anywhere else except her cafe after you try her food."


    Murmurs rose up as a few people wandered over. One anxious looking guy moved from table to table, as if wanting to talk to us, but he apparently couldn''t bring himself to do it. Eventually, the woman who''d first spoken up joined our table.


    "What the hell''s a culinary mage?" she asked, eying the cookies with a hungry look, "and how do these smell so damn good?"


    Fiona grinned. "So basically, when this goofball was supposed to pick a weapon in the tutorial zone, she chose a grilled cheese instead. Now she''s a culinary mage and any food she makes tastes amazing."


    The woman''s eyes widened. "That sounds ridiculous, but, um, can I try one?"


    And now it was time to reel her in.


    "Sure, the first sample''s free," I said as I slid the cookies her way. "I hope you enjoy."


    The woman bit into the cookie cautiously, but then almost dropped it in shock. "It tastes...like chocolate. Actual chocolate." She proceeded to devour the rest of the cookie, a soft moan escaping her lips. "Are you selling these? Your friend mentioned something about a cafe, right? Where is it?"


    "On floor 6," I said, pulling more cookies out of my item box. "I''m actually here trying to get enough money for furnishings, then I''ll be open soon."


    "Let me try one!" a man''s voice shouted, followed by another further away. "Me too!"


    "I''ve got enough for everyone," I said, pulling all the cookies and fresh loaves of bread I''d made earlier out of my inventory. "One coin for three cookies and three coins for a loaf of bread with jam."


    "Did she just say bread?" somebody asked. "I haven''t tasted bread or jam in years."


    That''s when things really started picking up. Fiona and I had our hands full passing out samples along with selling basically everything in my item box. I held back anything with a buff though since Fiona had told me how useful my food was in combat. I just didn''t feel right handing that power boost out to strangers yet, not when it might get used against something kind-hearted like my slimes.


    Once the frenzy settled down and we''d gathered up all the coins, the woman who''d first joined us got up to leave.


    "My name''s Astrid," she said, holding her hand out to shake. "This was an unexpected pleasure. I''ll make sure to stop by your cafe. Where did you say it was again? On a dungeon floor?"


    I nodded. "Floor 6, yeah."


    Astrid tilted her head. "Why not have it here? I''m sure Dave would rent you a space."


    "Ohhh, I really doubt he''d go for that." I chuckled, picturing his head exploding at the idea. "He''s the one who kicked me out of the safe zone in the first place. No slimes allowed, he said."


    The happy chatter of the group quieted down as the anxious man who''d finally managed to buy a cookie from us flinched. "Slimes??"


    "Yeah, my cafe''s called Slime Serenitea," I said confidently as Fiona tensed up. "The slimes are my friends and they help out at the cafe. See?" I held up my wrist to show off the blue slime bracelet that Boss had given me. "We''re bonded."


    "Bonded? With a slime?" The anxious man shuddered.


    "Is something wrong?" I frowned. "I thought you liked the food, so what do the slimes have to do with it?"


    Astrid patted the man on the shoulder. "Marvin''s just a bit traumatized after a slime, well, ate him. Twice."


    "Oh," I said, trying not to picture him as a baby chicken being gobbled up by Jellybean. "That would never happen at the cafe, I promise. I feed the slimes every day." The man flinched, scooting further away on the bench. I held up my hand. "I meant with actual food, not people! I feed them baked goods, like a civilized cafe."Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Fiona was obviously trying not to laugh, but lost the battle entirely as her shoulders started shaking with mirth. "Sorry, I''ve just seen that happen before and it''s always so strange. But the slimes at the cafe really aren''t like that, plus, it''s a safe zone. They couldn''t eat you if they tried."


    Was that true? We''d tested combat, sure, but we hadn''t tested if the slimes could eat anyone on the cafe grounds or not. Well, not that it mattered anyway, since they''d never do such a thing. The image of the chicken came to mind again. Okay, they probably wouldn''t do such a thing.


    Astrid shook her head. "These cookies are great, but no offense, I''ll pass on the whole slime thing. I''m friends with people, not monsters."


    The other adventurers nodded, even though a few of them hung back like they were hoping for more food. I guess I should have expected that reaction, but I just didn''t get it. The slimes were so kind and caring. I could never see them the same way these adventurers did.


    "Wait," Fiona called out, "it really is a great place. Being on the dungeon floor is a bonus so you don''t have to stop adventuring to come all the way back here for good food. Just give it a try."


    Astrid paused. "That''s true, but I don''t know. We farm slimes for XP, so getting cozy with them just doesn''t seem right."


    "Yeah, they''re monsters for a reason," another adventurer said. "They''ll kill you in your sleep if you don''t keep your guard up. You should kill them before they kill you."


    Fiona was about to say something, but I shook my head. "Don''t bother. If they''re not even willing to give the slimes a chance, then they don''t deserve my cooking. They''re just slime killers."


    "Hey," Astrid said, but I cut her off.


    "People who farm slimes for XP make me sick," I said. "They''re the weakest monsters in the dungeon and people like you take advantage of that. My food is only for adventurers who fight fair, sticking to opponents who are at their level and actually fight back. If any of you want to see another side of this dungeon and its monsters, while enjoying delicious food, you know where to find me. Otherwise, you can leave."


    The mood shifted as most people finally did walk away, leaving the tables around us empty. The only one left was the frightened little man named Marvin.


    "I''m guessing you hate slimes too, huh Marvin?" I waited for a moment, but he just stared at the ground, so I started packing my things away, only stopping when Fiona put her hand on my arm. Her expression told me everything I needed to know. "Sorry, I think I messed that all up."


    She shook her head. "It''s fine. We''ll find better adventurers and at least we made some money."


    "True, we can furnish the cafe now," I said with a weak smile. "But I''m not sure about the better adventurers part. I mean, I knew people didn''t like slimes, but to dislike them so much that they won''t even consider them as anything other than monsters? That''s just narrow-minded."


    "They''d think differently if they saw them," Fiona said. "If they saw how they are with you, I mean. You have to realize that this is a dungeon, so fighting monsters is ingrained in our way of life. The system literally gives us quests to do it, encouraging us to slay as many monsters as we can for great rewards. I''ve never heard of somebody befriending monsters before. Not until you at least. Give them some time to come around, to see the slimes like you see them."


    I clenched my apron. She was right. I couldn''t expect everyone to just change their ways overnight. This was a dungeon and they all got XP from defeating monsters. I''d lucked out and gotten a different kind of class, but could I really tell them to stop fighting when it meant they''d stop getting XP too? When it meant they''d never be able to get out of here?


    Fiona had been fighting monsters and I''d even let her test my food out for it too, but somehow that felt different. Maybe it was because I knew her and wanted her to stay safe? Or maybe it was because I didn''t know her opponents? I wasn''t sure.


    I worried my lip. Was there really no good answer to this? Either they fought and hurt creatures that might be innocent or they didn''t fight and were doomed to be stuck here forever. Neither of those was a good option.


    "Um, miss?" Marvin stammered out. "Sorry to interrupt, but could you, maybe, tell me more about the slimes you mentioned? The nice ones, I mean."


    "You''re sweet, but you don''t need to humor me," I said, "I know they ate you and that''s pretty awful, actually. Sorry that happened."


    Maybe there were no truly innocent people or creatures in this dungeon. Everyone was just doing what they had to to survive. The real question was: why? Why was the dungeon like this in the first place?


    Fiona nodded. "Yeah, that sucks. I can teach you to protect yourself if you want." She held her hands in the air. "Without hurting the slimes, of course."


    "Of course." A real smile stretched across my face. Fiona was the kind of adventurer I wanted to trust. The kind who leveled up, but not mindlessly. Maybe Marvin was the same way. I turned to him, pulling a pot back out of my item box to boil water. "Do you like tea?"


    "Very much so," he said, nodding earnestly as he scooted a bit closer again.


    I took a few very special tea leaves out of my item box, ones that had fallen off Matcha''s head like a gift from the adorable little slime. They glowed softly, shimmering with beautiful green light.


    "This tea is from my slime friend, Matcha," I said, adding it to the pot. "He was a blue slime when I got here, but he loved tea so much that he evolved into a tea slime."


    Marvin''s eyes widened. "Slimes can evolve?"


    "Slimes can do all sorts of things," Fiona said, leaning closer. "There''s even some slimes that grow food. Honestly, carrots pop right out of their heads and fly through the air!"


    The adventurer rolled his eyes, blushing. "You don''t need to make up stories. I want to know what they''re really like."


    "That is what they''re really like." I pulled out a few carrots I hadn''t used for anything yet. "Mossy, a colossos dirt slime, gave me these. The dirt slimes live in the garden behind my cafe and they love growing food. They appreciate freshly tilled soil and a lot of fresh water in return."


    Marvin blinked. "You''re serious?"


    "Deadly serious," I said, smiling as I remembered the system telling me that one time. "You can meet them if you want."


    He shook his head, shoving himself away. "Oh no, I''m much safer here. I''ll just listen to your stories, that''s all."


    Fiona frowned, glancing at me like I should do something, but what was I supposed to say? The tea was done steeping though, so I strained it into a mug that Fiona had lent me and passed it to Marvin.


    "I''ll tell you all the stories you want," I said.


    As I told him all about the time Jellybean and I were treed by monster chickens, leaving out the part about how the slime had started the whole thing, Marvin''s shoulders visibly relaxed. He drank the tea deeply, smiling and even laughing here and there as I told him about the first time I met Mossy in the garden and how much fun all the little dirt slimes had.


    Fiona even added the silly part about how we''d gotten stuck in the cramped shack with Boss filling up the entire room and how I slept curled up with the slimes like a little cat.


    "Seriously?" Marvin laughed. "You''re braver than I am, that''s for sure."


    "It''s not bravery, it''s just that I trust them." I refilled his empty cup with a smile. "The slimes are my friends. I even have a title for it."


    At that, the words Slime Friend appeared in front of me.


    Marvin shook his head. "Incredible. Maybe, if you and Miss Fiona were with me, maybe I''d like to visit that cafe. I am getting a bit tired of being stuck here and if something doesn''t change, I''ll never leave." He gulped down the rest of his tea, slamming the cup on the table. "I want to get over this fear. Introduce me to the slimes!"


    "Well that was sure a 180," Fiona said with a laugh, "but I''ll make sure you''re safe."


    I nodded. "Me too. We''ve got a few errands left to run, but we can go after that if you want."


    "Now?" he asked with a squeak. "You want to go that soon?"


    "Unless you don''t want to?" I asked as he put literal distance between us again, scooting almost all the way off the bench. "It''s fine."


    He slumped over on the table, head buried in his arms. "You think I''m a coward now just like all the rest, don''t you?"


    "Not at all." I debated patting his shoulder, but wasn''t sure if that would be too personal. "Why don''t you think on it for a while? I''ll need to come back for ingredients often, so you''ll have plenty of opportunities to join us."


    "Really? That sounds great." He lifted his head, taking a deep breath. "You don''t happen to have any of that tea for sale, do you? It was so calming, the best I''ve ever had. Without it, I''d have ended up on the ground quivering."


    He laughed, rubbing the back of his head as his face burned bright red. I did have a few leaves left, but I''d been hoping to save those for myself. When I saw him fidgeting with his fingers though, I realized he needed it a lot more than I did.


    "Sure, do you have something to store it in?"


    When he nodded, I passed him the rest of Matcha''s first leaf harvest. The poor adventurer smiled widely, thanking us over and over as he backed away.


    "That was nice of you," Fiona said. "I know you were looking forward to sampling that yourself."


    "It''s fine. There will be plenty more where that came from."


    I was glad we''d run into Marvin. If somebody who''d been eaten by slimes not once, but twice, was willing to visit my cafe, then maybe these adventurers were better than I thought they were.

 Chapter 19 - Clubs Make Good Rolling Pins, Right?

    We''d gone to every single shop and stall in the safe zone, but nobody, absolutely nobody, sold baking equipment.  We''d managed to find the basics like some tasty new ingredients for the slimes, dishes and flatware, and even some mismatched lanterns to hang from the ceiling, but nothing like baking pans or display racks.  Honestly, nobody even sold tables or chairs either, which felt really odd.


    "Okay, so hear me out," Fiona said, holding up a battle-worn wooden club, "imagine this as a rolling pin."


    "That''s a club..."


    "A very rolly club," she said with a grin.  "Seriously, once we whittle it down and sand it, it would make a great rolling pin.  It''s a good length and weight."


    I frowned at the weapon, wishing I had a better option, but honestly?  The club was the best thing we''d found.


    "Okay."  I tapped my chin, looking around at the rest of the weapons store we''d saved for last.  "What about serving trays then?"


    Fiona''s eyes lit up. "Oh!  We could use shields!"


    She rushed to grab the nearest one, handing it to me.  The large metal shield was so heavy that it felt like my arm might rip off as it crashed toward the floor, but thankfully Fiona caught it in the nick of time. I didn''t want any you-break-it-you-buy-it moments here.


    "Okay, maybe not that shield," she said sheepishly, "but we can find lighter ones."


    With that, Fiona and I set off on a scavenger hunt of strange things we could repurpose for the cafe.  I drew the line at her trying to convince me to use an old helmet as a mixing bowl, but various other pieces of armor would work fine as cooling racks and things like that if we could flatten them out.  We even found whole crates full of empty potion bottles that would be great for single serving desserts, especially the ones with wider openings.


    "Why not take the crates too?" Fiona asked.  "If we put some of them together, we could make extra counter space for you.  Or tables or chairs maybe?"


    "I guess that could work?"  My sense of what was a good idea versus a bad one was starting to get skewed here.  "Hmmm, maybe this old treasure chest could store my pots and pans so I''ve got more room in my item box?"


    Fiona grinned.  "Definitely.  If we find some others, we can make the cafe feel really homey too.  Like treasure is around any corner."


    "Is that what homey feels like?" I laughed, shaking my head at her.  "What about those wine barrels we saw at the market?  Those would make great stools."


    "You''re right, we should go back to all the shops with this newfound sense of adventurous shopping!"


    Fiona''s excitement was infectious, so we took off with a new outlook on what would work for the cafe.  We rented a cart for the things that didn''t fit in our item boxes and went to town, buying up so many strange things I''d probably regret later.  The most fun was going back to the tailor''s shop for tablecloths and napkins.


    But after a while, we finally had to accept that some things just couldn''t be found.


    "I think it''s time to call it quits," I said sadly.  "Maybe the dungeon will reward me with muffin pans and baking sheets when I upgrade my cafe next time.  And I can get by without pastry cutters and things like that.  It''s fine."


    "No way, that is not fine."  Fiona linked her arm through mine, confidently tugging me in a direction we hadn''t gone yet.  "We''re going to talk to the blacksmith."


    "There''s a blacksmith??  Why didn''t we stop there to begin with?"


    "He''s not exactly the most imaginative guy," she said, pushing the cart ahead of us.  "I''ve asked for customizations a few times, but they go right over his head.  So baking pans will probably be a hard pass, but we might as well give it a try, right?"


    "Right."


    The sounds of metal clanging against metal drew us to a large forge at the edge of the safe zone, all the way past the housing district and other shops.  I felt kind of bad for the smith actually, like nobody wanted the sound of his shop anywhere near them.  But the closer we got, the more excited Fiona talked about it.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    "He let me watch when he forged my hammer and it was one of the coolest things I''ve ever seen."  She patted the hammer on her back.  "The way he changed it from a hunk of metal to a weapon this fine was a sight to behold."


    Her eyes were all shiny like a woman talking about her first love, not her favorite weapon.  But hopefully that meant the smith and her were close and he''d be willing to make these baking pans I needed.


    The air grew hotter as we walked into the shop, so hot it was almost hard to breathe.  The smokey scent of coal burning filled the air and the fires created a beautiful ambiance.


    "Welcome to the Obsidian Forge," a gruff voice called out.  "I''m in the back."


    "Hey Brennic."  Fiona waltzed over to the anvil he was working at, already peering at the metal.  "What are you making?"


    The blacksmith was broad-shouldered and muscular, and his skin was almost black with bright molten cracks in it like he was made of lava rock.  The orange and red glow beneath his skin pulsed like a heartbeat, spreading out from his chest.  With each stroke of his hammer, the fire inside him blazed.


    "A dagger," he said between hammer strikes.  "Are you buying something or just here to watch again?"


    "Buying," I said, moving closer to the intense heat of his forge.  "I''m looking for baking pans like muffin tins and cookie sheets.  Maybe some pie pans too and dough cutters."


    The big lava man finally stopped hammering.  "Does this look like a bakery to you?  I make weapons, not whatever those are."


    Yeesh.  I turned to Fiona, silently pleading with her to help.  She was the one who thought this was a good idea.


    "I know, but wouldn''t it be fun to branch out?" she asked.  "Imagine the interesting things you could make.  Plus, she''s a culinary mage, so baking pans are kind of like her weapons and armor."


    Brennic raised an ashen eyebrow at me.  "Will you be hitting anything with said muffin pans?"


    "Um, no?" I winced.  "They''re just for cooking.  But my food does increase people''s buffs and do all sorts of other things.  So it is how I fight."


    "Interesting."  He went back to hammering, but he kept glancing at us.  "Look, even if I wanted to help, I wouldn''t know how.  I make weapons."


    "Just try it out, see what happens," Fiona said, smiling.  "If it doesn''t work out, no problem."


    He shook his head.  "No, I mean I only know how to make weapons.  That''s all I do."


    I blinked.  "But if you wanted to try something else, couldn''t you just¨C"


    "No."  He shot me down hard as he put the piece of metal he was working on back in the forge to heat up again.  "I was only told to make weapons.  That''s my job."


    Fiona and I shared a look.  This must have been what she meant about customizations going over his head.  It was almost like he''d been given a set of skills and literally didn''t know how to do anything else.  Like he was...programmed or something.


    "Hey Sweet Potato?  Got any ideas here?"  I asked softly.


    If the blacksmith was part of the system, maybe the system could allow him to experiment with new things.  But after a few awkward minutes of us all staring at each other without a single blue message box to be seen, I gave up.


    "Fine, let''s just go.  Thank you for your time."


    Brennic nodded.  "Sorry I couldn''t be more helpful.  If you need a sword or an axe though, I''m your guy."


    Fiona crossed her arms, staring at the forge with a strange look on her face.  "What if...you let me try and make them?"


    "What?" He scoffed.  "You''re not even a blacksmith."


    "It''s fine, Fiona, don''t worry about it." I tried to tug her away, but she was fixated on the bars of metal against the wall.


    She picked one up with a set of giant metal tongs and put it in an open forge.  Then she grabbed a spare leather apron that was far too big for her and stood beside the forge, waiting for the metal to heat up.


    "I''m doing this," she said firmly.  "I''ll pay for the materials, but I''m doing this."


    Brennic sighed.  "Fine, just don''t burn yourself.  Or set anything on fire.  Or¨C"


    "I get it," she said with a laugh.  "I''ll be careful."


    "You don''t have to do all this for me," I said.  "I''m really fine."


    "There''s something about this place that calls to me. Something...familiar."  Fiona stared into the flames, as if in a trance.  "I need to do this for me.  Plus, if I end up making a lumpy ball of metal, then that''s that.  I''ll finally have my answer."  The light from the forge flickered against her skin.  "But if I make the best muffin tins you''ve ever seen, then that would be something else entirely."


    The way she was talking made it sound like this was much bigger than me, like she''d thought about forging something for a while, but hadn''t had the nerve to actually do it.  If my baking pans could give her that push, then more power to her.


    "Want me to stay?" I asked.


    She shook her head.  "This might take a while.  I''ll stop by the cafe once I''ve made everything on your list."


    "Or she flames out," Brennic said.  "Honestly, a fighter coming in here thinking they can shape metal.  It''s not that easy, you know."


    But when Fiona took the metal out of the fire and set it on an anvil, she looked like a complete natural.  She picked up one of Brennic''s hammers and went to work, hitting and shaping that hunk of steel like she did it every day.


    She''d told me once that the best way to remember your past was to do something you''re familiar with.  For me, that was baking, but maybe for her it was smithing.  I left the two of them in the forge bickering about the finer points of blacksmithing while I prepared to go back to my cafe.


    It had been a long day and I wanted nothing more than to cuddle up with the slimes.

 Chapter 20 - When the Bakers Away, the Slimes will Play

    Pushing the cart had been no problem on the well-kept roads of the safe zone, but in a jungle?  I was struggling, putting all my weight behind it to move the wheels over a rocky patch.  I''d have used my special key for the cafe, but since that connected to the front door, the cart would''ve ended up stuck inside.  I really didn''t want to have to break it apart just to get it out.


    So here I was, slowly pushing this thing back home and hoping no monsters showed up.  I thankfully didn''t have far to go though as I spotted the cafe in the distance.  Bright and colorful slimes bounced in the front yard, beckoning me home.  I pushed the cart with renewed vigor, excited to see them again.


    Except, at least four or five of the slimes were bright orange and red with what looked like campfire flames dancing around them.  I rubbed my eyes, staring at them.  Yup, they were definitely fire slimes and Matcha was rolling around with them without a care in the world.  He was even nuzzling up against one like they were suddenly best friends.


    Boss was sleeping against the side of the cafe while the little dirt slimes piled rocks around him in precarious piles like they were hoping he''d knock them over when he woke up.  Their little noises sounded so much like giggling children that I couldn''t help but smile.


    The slimes had thrown a frickin party while I was gone!  I leaned against the cart, watching them leap and play.  It felt good to be home.


    "Hazel?" a man''s voice called out.


    I flinched as a man dressed all in black appeared beside the cafe, as if he''d been hiding in the shadows.  A sword hilt peeked over his shoulder and before I knew it, he was running straight at me.


    "You''re finally back!" he called out, barreling toward me at full speed.


    "Who are you?" I tried to keep the cart between us, but he was far too agile and moved around it with ease, a huge grin on his face.  "What do you want?"


    "You.  Isn''t that obvious?"


    My pulse raced.  He wanted me?  What did that even mean?


    "Boss, wake up! We''ve got a weirdo at the cafe."


    The big slime jerked awake, knocking all the piles of rocks over.  The dirt slimes chirped, rolling around like they were laughing, but Boss immediately focused on the man about to grab me.  He bounced over in two big leaps, putting himself between me and the stranger.


    "Wait, I think I said that wrong," the man said, but I couldn''t see him anymore around the big slime.  "You''re usually always here, so it was weird when you weren''t.  So I was waiting for you."


    "How do you know I''m usually here?" My chest tightened as all the alarm bells rang in my head.  "Are you a stalker or something?"


    "What? No." I heard the man sigh loudly.  "I''m messing this all up.  Dave''s going to be so mad."


    "Dave sent you?"


    "He did not."  The man''s voice was sounding kind of shaky, so I peeked around Boss just in time to see him fall against the cart, gripping it for support.  "Don''t tell that nosey satyr I''m here, okay?"


    "Maybe tell me who you are first and I''ll consider it."


    Not that I knew how to contact Dave anyway, but the threat seemed to work because the man straightened up and gave me a pleading look with amber eyes that felt familiar.  His gaze was warm, like I''d met him somewhere before.  Which was ridiculous since I''d only met a few other adventurers so far and I''d have remembered somebody who looked like him.


    His long black hair drifted in front of his eyes as he swayed on his feet, gripping the cart tighter.


    "Are you okay?" I asked, moving closer to him despite my better judgment.


    Ugh.  Why was I worried about some random stalker outside my cafe?  I should go inside and wait for him to leave, not check on his well being.


    The man smiled faintly, his forehead glistening with sweat.  "Yes, I''ll be alright.  I just need¨C"


    His eyes filled with confusion as he swayed, grabbing onto my shoulder for support.


    "Hey now"¨Chis body went limp before I could finish, falling against me¨C"no, no, no.  This is not happening!"


    My stomach lurched as we careened backward.  A slime darted under my head right before it cracked against the ground, but the adventurer''s dead weight pressed against my chest like a rock, making it hard to breathe. Did he pass out from exhaustion or was he sick?


    His head rested on my shoulder, deep even breaths warm against my skin like he was fast asleep.  Well, at least he was cozy.


    "Hey Boss?" I asked, craning my head back to see him.  "Think you can help?"If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Boss just stared down at me, shaking back and forth.  Okay, that left it up to me then.  I struggled to push the adventurer off me, but it was no use.  The big lug was way too heavy!  I let out an exhausted breath, wishing I''d stayed in the safe zone with Fiona.  I could really use more friends with hands.


    "Hey Mister?" I tapped the adventurer''s back.  "Time to get up. I promise I won''t tell Dave about...whatever this is, but please, get off me."


    The man shifted with a groan, but instead of standing up, he nuzzled closer to me.  Great.  Just great.  Nothing like being pinned beneath a total stranger in the middle of a dungeon.  The faint scent of campfire smoke wafted off him, which was oddly comforting.  My pulse slowed as the adrenaline from our fall finally wore off.  If I couldn''t move him, then I was going to need some help.


    "Matcha, think you and the other slimes can work together to lift this guy off me?"


    The green tea slime wiggled underneath one of the man''s arms while the fire slimes moved under his legs.  One of the dirt slimes even managed to wiggle between my stomach and his, and together, they rolled the adventurer off me.


    I took a few deep breaths, grateful to be free of that extra weight, before sitting up.  The fire slimes had crowded around him, pressing against his body in concern.  They kept looking over at me with worried eyes too, like they expected me to do something about him.  Matcha hopped onto my lap, nuzzling up against me.


    "I''m okay, thanks for the help," I said, patting his head.  I turned around to the dirt slime who''d broken my fall and patted his head too.  "Thank you both.  But what are we going to do about him?"


    The adventurer turned over, a faint smile on his face like he was dreaming about something wonderful.  Seriously, who the hell was this guy that he could just take a nap in the middle of all this?


    He said he''d been waiting for me, which meant he''d had plenty of time to kill the slimes if he wanted to, but he didn''t.  That was one point in his favor at least.  Plus, he''d seemed excited to see me, not angry or creepy.  I mean, kind of creepy, but I didn''t actually get a dangerous vibe off him.  Plus, every slime here was circled around him like he was some sort of fallen king.  Even Matcha was giving me that puppy dog look of his.


    I sighed.  "Okay, okay, let''s get him inside.  I''ll make some healing soup for when he wakes up, but then he''s outta here.  This is all just too weird."


    The slimes chirped, positioning themselves under his body so they could move him as a group.  It reminded me of ants carrying big pieces of food as they shuffled forward, moving the sleeping adventurer as carefully as they could.


    I grabbed the blankets from the cart, laying them on the floor of the cafe as a makeshift bed.  The slimes deposited the adventurer on top and snuggled inside the blankets with him.  The warm glow of their fires looked so cozy and somehow didn''t catch anything on fire.


    "So who are all of you, hmmm?" I asked the new fire slimes.  "Did you come with this guy?"


    They nodded, chirping and wiggling like they were telling me some big story I wished I could understand.  Matcha nodded along with them, mouth wide open in an O sometimes.  Man, a slime communication skill would be really helpful right about now.


    "Okay, well feel free to stay as long as you play nice with the other slimes," I said.  "I''m going to make that soup so I can get this guy out of here as soon as possible."


    I pulled a large pot out of my inventory, filled it with water, and put it on the stove.  Before I could light the fire, one of the slimes wiggled into the opening underneath the stove.  His flames grew warmer, verging on hot as the water started simmering.


    "Well aren''t you useful," I said with a grin.  "Thanks for the help."


    The fire slime trilled, wiggling deeper into the stove like it was his new home.  That would make cooking so much easier, especially if he could regulate his heat output well.  These slimes were constantly surprising me.


    I went into the back yard to gather some vegetables for the soup, catching carrots and garlic as they popped out of the heads of dirt slimes.  Food started flying every time I walked into the garden and it had become a fun little game of catch with the slimes as I harvested ingredients.  Once I had enough for the soup, I went back into the cafe.


    Five fire slimes had crowded beneath the stove and the water was boiling over, sizzling as it hit the slimes.  I rushed forward, dropping the ingredients.


    "Are you okay?" I asked, taking the water off the stove.  The slimes pushed against each other, barely fitting in the open space.  "You can''t all be there.  Only one or two will fit."


    They started shoving each other, battling to see who would get to stay and who would get shoved out of the stove.  I sighed, wanting to grab them, but they were still too hot.  Matcha made a noise outside the kitchen, leaning toward the sleeping adventurer.  Was he why they were being so insistent on making this soup?


    "Calm down!" My shout drew their attention.  "If you''re doing this to help that adventurer, then you should take turns.  He needs some of you to keep him warm too, right?"


    The fire slimes tilted their heads, chirping.  Then three of them squeezed out of the stove and bounced back into the main cafe, presumably to comfort their fallen friend.  Man, he must be some kind of wonderful to have their support like this.  Hopefully he''d wake up soon so I could ask him about it.


    He must have been really exhausted to have fallen asleep like that.  I put the pot back on the stove, smiling at the little fire slimes still here.  Their flames danced as the water started to boil again.


    I chopped up the carrots, potatoes, garlic, and herbs, adding them to the water.  Then I used my Ingredient Efficiency skill to add some tasty chicken bouillon to the mix and things really started to smell good.  I stirred the soup, breathing in the comforting scent as I pictured the adventurer drinking this soup and having all his health and vitality restored.


    This soup wouldn''t just taste good, but it would make him feel better too.  No more sweat on his forehead or sway in his steps.  Any sickness he might have had would be gone.  The slimes needed him to feel better.


    "Use Buff Baking!" I commanded, hoping for the glorious healing buff.  "Please work."


    [Healing Soup Level 5 Acquired]


    [+15 XP]


    I grinned.  Either the system was being kind or visualization helped the skill.  Either way, I was grateful.


    "See that, little slimes?" I leaned down to peer inside the stove.  "This soup is going to heal your friend right up."


    They wiggled and danced, almost boiling the soup over again in their excitement.  I laughed, taking it off the stove before it got everywhere.  Anyone who could make the slimes this happy was worth getting to know.


    "Hazel?" the man''s voice called out.  "Am I in the cafe?  And what''s that smell?"


    I sucked in a breath, gaze darting to the kitchen door.  He was awake.  Time to meet this friend of the fire slimes properly.

 Chapter 21 - Whats My Name?

    The Dungeon of Eternal Ember''s Point of View


    Warmth surrounded the Dungeon, but something was different.  It felt the softness of a blanket against its skin and the weight of slimes sitting on top of it.  It opened its eyes, blinking in the soft light of the cafe.  Everything was so bright and colorful with these new eyes.


    His new eyes.  He was a human now, or as close to one as he''d ever get, so he should use their words.


    A fire slime cuddled closer and the Dungeon frowned.  These slimes had almost given his identity away.  Fire chasing fire.  He shook his head at them, all squishy and smiley.  What exactly did Hazel see in them anyway?  They were cute, he supposed, but they weren''t anything amazing.  Not like a dragon or a hydra or anything cool like that.  They were just slimes.


    And yet, they''d captured her attention just as much as she''d captured his.


    He held a hand out to the fire slime, marveling at the way his new limbs moved so smoothly.  He patted the creature, letting the slime''s warmth seep into his skin.  The slime cooed, rubbing against his palm as his flames blazed just a bit brighter.  Getting warmth from another felt better than he''d expected, and it made him want to curl back in the blankets and sleep some more.  But a curious scent was filling the air and his body was making a loud grumbling noise.


    He clutched his stomach.  What was that?  Was he sick?  Or...was this hunger?


    The Dungeon had never been hungry before.  He leapt out of the blankets, causing a few slimes to tumble across the cafe''s floor.  He rushed to put them back on the blanket, giving them an apologetic pat, then followed the scent.


    Hazel stood in the kitchen leaning over a stove filled with fire slimes, mixing what looked like a pot of soup.  Her long brown hair was in a braid over her shoulder and her eyes were closed as she inhaled the scent of the soup, a smile on her lips.  Her clothing was different than before, with a flowing green skirt and a loose white shirt.


    As she moved, the shirt tugged down on her shoulder a bit, revealing more of her fair skin than she''d ever shown before.


    Something fluttered in the Dungeon''s chest.


    He pressed a hand against it, feeling his heartbeat thundering under his palm.  He backed away, not wanting Hazel to see him in such a state.  What was going on?  First he fainted and now he was feeling light-headed?  He''d rushed to make this body, too excited to even test it out before coming here.  Maybe he''d made a mistake somewhere in its creation.


    Thankfully the feeling subsided in a few moments.  He took a deep breath.  Everything was fine.


    That delicious scent was getting stronger though, filling the air with smells he couldn''t identify.  He''d never needed to know what things smelled like before, just like he didn''t need to know what they tasted like.  But now, now he could experience both.


    A smile tugged at his lips.  He was going to get to taste Hazel''s cooking!


    "Hazel?" He called out, pretending like he had just woken up.  "Am I in the cafe?  And what''s that smell?"


    He dared to walk back to the kitchen, pretending to be just a regular adventurer.  He wasn''t in control of any systems or tasked with looking out for an entire dungeon''s worth of inhabitants.  No, today he was just a man standing in front of a woman cooking soup.


    Her eyes widened when she saw him.  "Oh, good, you''re up."


    "Sorry about that, I just," he paused, not really sure what to say.  Sorry he just created a human avatar and didn''t wait long enough to figure out how it worked?  No, that was definitely not something a "normal adventurer" would say.  "I, uh, just was really tired!  Yeah, tired, that''s it."


    "Okay."  She frowned, but nodded.  "I thought you might be sick, so I made soup with a healing buff."


    Sick.  That made way more sense.  Come on, Dungeon, get it together.


    "Wait, that soup is for me?" he asked, suddenly very interested in the vegetables swimming in the golden broth.  "Can I...try some?"


    "Let''s start with your name first." She crossed her arms, letting the soup bubble away without her attention.  "You passed out before you could tell me."


    Ummmm....what was his name???


    How could he be so shortsighted to not even think of a name for himself?  Every human had one, so if he was going to be a good human, he needed one too.  The closest he''d come was the name she''d given him, but he couldn''t exactly call himself Sweet Potato right to her face.  That would definitely blow his cover and he could already feel his face warming at the idea.


    No, he needed a human name.  An adventurer''s name.  Something worthy of his flames.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Hazel tilted her head, frowning at him again.  "That was supposed to be an easy question, you know.  What are you trying to hide?"


    "Nothing." He shook his head, getting his long black hair in his eyes.  Black was a color he knew well, giving him an idea.  "My name''s Cole."


    He waited to see how she''d react, hoping the name met her approval, but she just kept staring at him.  He started to squirm.  She''d given him so many options when she named him, but this one was his own creation.  Did she dislike it?


    "Nice to meet you, Cole, and welcome to the Slime Serenitea Cafe."  She grabbed a bowl and started spooning soup into it.  "Now eat this, get better, and tell me what the hell you''re doing here.  Because if we''re going to get along, you need to convince me that you''re not a stalker first."


    There was that word again: stalker.  His nose crinkled, but he couldn''t really refute it.  He had spent day after day watching her, but it was his job!  He watched everyone, not just Hazel.  He had a feeling that wouldn''t work in his favor though.


    He needed to seem trustworthy and the most trustworthy person he knew was Dave.  He was a guide, so bringing him up should ease her worries a bit and give Cole a plausible reason for his so-called stalking.


    "Dave sent me."


    Hazel frowned.  "Really?  Do you work with him or something?"


    "Yeah, something like that.  He can''t leave the training meadow very often, so I check up on other things for him."  I winced as the lies kept tumbling out of my mouth.  "Like this cafe.  He was wondering if you''d started serving guests or not yet, since he said that was a deal you made when you took the key."


    There.  A true answer.  That would hopefully bring this back around to trust.  He wished he could just tell her who he was, but that would cause all sorts of issues for her.  He wanted to keep her life as simple and happy as possible, not complicate it.


    "Huh, I did say that, didn''t I?"  She shrugged, handing him a bowl of soup.  "Well, I haven''t officially opened yet, but I made food for you.  Does that count?"  She smiled, pouring a bowl of soup for herself as well.  "Let''s eat before it gets cold."


    That smile tugging at her lips changed everything.  Her eyes no longer frowned at him suspiciously and her body was more relaxed.  Bringing up Dave had really worked!


    Cole wanted to leap with joy at her acceptance, but didn''t dare spill a single drop of soup.  This soup was made by her beautiful hands to heal him when he was sick.  He''d made so many things over the years, from traps to treasure chambers, but never had anyone made something for him.


    Something wet made his eyelashes heavy.  He blinked, realizing his eyes were tearing up.  This human body was so strange, doing things of its own accord with no care for what the person wanted.


    "Why don''t we go sit down?" Hazel led him back into the front room of the cafe where there was a single table set up for dining.  She eased herself into a creaky chair and motioned for him to do the same.  "So how''s Dave doing anyway?  He was supposed to stop back so I could make him a new sandwich."


    "He''s stressed out, like usual, but doing well."  Or at least, he would be until he realized Cole had left his post.  He winced, hoping the satyr wouldn''t be too upset.  "I''ll make sure he comes for that sandwich soon."


    "Thanks."


    Hazel dipped her spoon into the bowl, blowing on the soup.  Cole mimicked her movements.  Steam curled around his face as he finally ate his first bite of soup.  Warmth traveled from his spoon, down his throat, and spread through his entire body like he was being enveloped by something cozy and comforting.  The broth was rich, full of flavors he didn''t recognize, but it paired perfectly with the chunks of vegetables.


    He couldn''t describe it, but he wanted more.  He ate spoonful after spoonful, eventually giving up and drinking straight from the bowl.  This soup was absolutely delicious!  How had he been missing something so wonderful this whole time?  It was like a door to flavor had been opened and now no amount of coal or wood would satisfy his flames.  He wanted food, real food, and as much of it as he could get.


    His body seemed to relax, as if the soup was unraveling tension he didn''t even know he had.  If this was the power of a good meal, then he had done the adventurers a horrible disservice by making food tasteless.  If only somebody had told him...


    A soft laugh pulled him from his thoughts as Hazel smiled at him.  "There''s more, if you want."


    "Absolutely," he said, rushing to pour more of this golden soup into his bowl.  "Thank you for making such a fine meal.  I will cherish it forever."


    "Well, you look better at least," she mumbled, hiding behind her bowl.  "That''s good."


    Her cheeks had a pretty pink hue to them.  Was that...a blush?


    That fluttering in his chest was back again.  It always happened at the worst times!  He busied himself with eating until his stomach felt nice and full.  It was a satisfying feeling, one he hoped to feel again soon.  He sighed, setting his empty bowl down.


    "That was wonderful," he said as a fire slime started nudging his leg.  He tried to shoo it away, but that only drew another slime his way.  "What do you want?"


    "They probably just want attention." Hazel stood up, moving toward the slimes.  Her fingers hovered over one of their flames.  "How can they be hot enough to cook soup one minute and then cool enough to touch the next?"


    She set her hand down on the slime''s head, petting it cautiously, eyes full of wonder.  Her entire face lit up when she was curious about something and it was so much nicer seeing it in person like this.  Cole leaned forward, petting a slime as well.


    "You really love these slimes, don''t you?" he asked.  "What drew you to them?"


    She sat down cross-legged on the floor, drawing a slime into her lap as she pet him.  "Well, the easy answer is that they''re adorable, but I think there''s more to it."  Her voice was soft, like she was sharing a secret.  "They remind me of something, or someone.  They''re small and seem insignificant to most people here, but they''re full of potential if you take the time to really see them."


    He frowned, studying the little wiggly balls of fire.  He''d obviously overlooked how important good-tasting food was to humans, but had he also overlooked the monsters?  He''d put them in place to give adventurers something to fight against, but maybe there was more to them than that.  More to everything than what he''d thought.


    That made his head hurt and he didn''t like that feeling.  He''d have to talk to Dave about it later, but for right now, he just wanted to enjoy the time he had with Hazel.  He wasn''t sure how often he''d be able to come visit like this.  The dungeon couldn''t run on autopilot for too long, not without chaos breaking out.  Or worse, Dave catching him.


    Hazel stood up, stretching her arms high to the ceiling as she let out a breath.  "Okay, time to get back to work.  I have a whole cart of goods outside.  Mind helping me carry them in?"


    "Do I mind?" He leapt out of his chair.  "Not at all!  Show me the way."


    She shook her head, smiling.  "You''re an odd one, but I kind of like it."


    A grin swept across his face so wide it hurt.  She liked his oddness.

 Chapter 22 - Decorating the Cafe

    We hauled the last of my purchases inside, filling the cafe with a strange array of treasure chests, crates, shields, empty potion bottles, and even a few clubs I had hoped would work as rolling pins.  It looked pretty ridiculous now that it was inside the cafe.


    "What was I thinking when I bought all this?" I slumped onto a crate, nudging a shield on the floor.  "Cafes are supposed to be warm and cozy, maybe even cute.  Not full of weapons."


    Cole hung a few mismatched lanterns from the ceiling, rearranging them to make a semblance of a pattern.  "It''s...unique that''s all."


    "Unique.  That''s a kind way to put it."  I laughed, shaking my head as Matcha hopped inside a treasure chest full of fabric, wiggling like he was finding just the right spot to settle down.  A small smile tugged at my lips.  "I''m sure it''ll work out.  We''re in a dungeon after all.  People can''t expect it to be nice, not like a real cafe."


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Cole frowned.  "You don''t think the dungeon''s nice?"


    "Of course not.  It''s a dungeon." I stacked a few crates into makeshift shelves, smiling as a fire slime got close enough to one of the lanterns to light it.  The flame danced inside the glass.  "I think he wants to help."


    I nodded at the fire slime, but Cole seemed lost in thought, clutching a lantern to him without moving.


    "You okay?" I asked.


    "You really don''t like the dungeon? But it''s full of adventure and new experiences.  You get to level up and feel accomplished.  Isn''t that what everyone wants?"


    He tilted his head, his frown deepening.  It was the first time I''d seen such a serious look on his face and I honestly wasn''t sure how to respond.  I picked up the fire slime, lifting the lil'' guy up to the lanterns Cole had already hung so he could light those too.  The slime''s flames brightened as he made a happy noise, slowly filling the room with the warm glow of dozens of lanterns.


    "Well, the slimes are pretty wonderful," I admitted, "so I''m sure there''s more to like in the dungeon. I just meant that it''s not really, well, cafe-friendly, you know?  You can''t even buy a mixing bowl or a whisk."  I motioned at the crates we''d stacked into makeshift tables.  "Or furniture..."


    The fire slime was warm and toasty in my arms, but somehow didn''t burn me.  It was a pleasant feeling, like a hot water bottle or a heated blanket.  I patted his head, my fingers sliding through his flames without any harm.  These slimes really were so cool.


    "That''s fair," Cole said, hanging the lantern in his hands finally.  "So furniture would make you like the dungeon better?"


    I laughed.  "What''s with this weird conversation?  Sure, comfortable furniture would make it better.  So would a decent rolling pin.  It''s like the dungeon is only focused on fighting and slaying monsters, so there''s nothing left for a baker like me.  I am grateful I got this cool class though. I just¨C"


    The lid to Matcha''s treasure chest slammed shut, making me jump.  The slime squealed inside.  I rushed to open it as the fire slime in my arms hopped inside, nuzzling up to Matcha who''s green eyes were wide in shock.


    "Are you okay?" I asked.  "Maybe a treasure chest isn''t a good place to get cozy."


    Matcha leaned into the fire slime for a moment, then chirped and hopped out of the treasure chest.  I pulled the fabric out and let it pool on the floor for him to curl inside safely and he happily wiggled into his new makeshift bed.  Then I turned to the fire slime.


    "You''re such a nice slime," I said, patting him on the head.  "I wonder what kind of food you like?"  The slime shifted this way and that, but obviously couldn''t answer. I glanced back at Cole, since they seemed to like him so much.  "Any ideas?"If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Something charred?" He shrugged.  "I don''t know.  I don''t feed the slimes."


    I sighed, standing back up.  "Nobody does and it''s a real shame.  They''re so adorable."  I crossed my arms, staring at the fire slime.  He reminded me of something. I kept staring into those flames until the idea finally came.  "Marshmallows!"


    Images of golden marshmallows toasting over a fire came to mind.  The sweet sticky treat was exactly what I wanted, but how could I get marshmallows in a dungeon?  I''d need sugar, vanilla, gelatin, and corn syrup.  Maybe I could use honey instead since I had a quest to visit whatever sugarstingers were. Better yet, if I had graham crackers I could make s''mores with the chocolate I had.  Now that sounded tasty.


    I tapped my finger against my thigh, wishing I had all of those ingredients.  This was really going to become a problem as time went on.  Sure, I''d managed to find enough ingredients to cook for me and the slimes, but running a cafe was a whole different story.  I''d need so many ingredients, especially if I wanted to create any semblance of a consistent menu.


    "What''s on your mind?" Cole asked as he finished hanging the last lantern.  Warmth glowed around him, shining against his dark hair and clothes.  "Maybe I can help."


    "I just realized that I can''t really make a menu for the cafe if I don''t have a good supply of ingredients.  Simple things like milk and butter are hard to come by.  I only managed to get so much chocolate because Fiona got addicted to chocolate chip cookies, but I can''t keep relying on her."


    She''d said she purchased the chocolate from a shopkeeper in town, but when we''d stopped, they hadn''t had any anymore.  Apparently their stock changed day to day, so I couldn''t rely on that for my cafe.


    "I can help with that!" Cole grinned.  "I know just the thing.  There''s a herd of goats on floor 38 that have the best milk."


    I whistled.  "You''ve been to floor 38?  You must be pretty high-level then, huh?" When I focused on his level, a bar appeared above his head, but it was full of question marks instead of an actual level.  "Or maybe not?"


    "Uh, yeah, I am."  He smiled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "You just can''t see a level if it''s too much higher than yours."


    "Makes sense, but that doesn''t really help me. I can''t exactly hop over to floor 38 every time I need milk."


    "But you can bring a goat home with you," he said, his grin widening.  "You''ve already befriended so many monsters.  Why not a goat too?  I''m friends with them already, so it''ll be fine.  They''re practically pets."


    Something about his excitement had me more concerned than reassured, but I did want milk.  You could make so many things with milk.  Like homemade cheese!  Oh how I wanted that for my grilled cheese.  I could make it a staple of my menu, the sandwich that gave me a whole new class.


    "But, how would I even get to floor 38?" I asked.


    His face fell.  "Oh, well, um, I can take you?  We''ll go from here to there, no need to risk the other floors."  He leaned forward, lowering his voice.  "Just don''t tell anyone I did it.  This will be our little secret."


    Should I really trust a man I''d just met who apparently could skip almost 30 floors?  Not only was his level a big question mark, but so were his motives.


    "Why would you do that for me?"


    "Because your food tastes amazing," he said, closing his eyes with a sigh.  "That soup was wonderful.  I want to try everything you make, but can''t do that if you don''t have ingredients.  Plus, you''re always doing something interesting.  It''s kind of fun."


    The look on his face was so pure and innocent, like he really did just want to eat my food and have a good time.  I felt myself nodding even though it was a terrible idea.  But if the goats were like pets, it couldn''t be that bad, right?


    "You''re sure this is safe?" I asked.


    He smiled, warm and bright just like the lanterns.  "I''m sure.  I won''t let a single monster touch you."


    "Okay," I said, hoping I wouldn''t instantly regret this decision, "let''s go befriend a goat then."


    Cole pulled out a key from his menu, holding it in the air to summon a door.  Matcha bounced against my leg, but I shook my head.  If the goats were dangerous, then I didn''t want the slimes anywhere near them.


    "Sorry, not this time.  Keep the cafe safe for me, okay?"


    Matcha deflated with a big sigh.  I bent to pet him.


    "When I get back, we can harvest the tea and experiment with different kinds.  How does that sound?"


    He bounced faster, eyes bright.


    "It¡¯s a deal then.  I''ll be back as soon as I can."


    Cole offered me his hand as a door opened to a new floor.  "Ready?"


    "As I''ll ever be."


    I paused just outside the door to glance back at the cozy cafe I was about to leave.  These goats better be worth it.

 Holiday Bonus - Slime Snow Day

    Deep in the heart of the dungeon''s frozen tundra floor, a snow slime could be found tirelessly rolling snowballs.  Dozens of snowmen surrounded the slime, like a shimmering snow-clad family.  The slime finished the newest snowman, hopping on top of it with a sigh of contentment.


    A cool breeze wound through the snow-capped trees, carrying flurries of snowflakes dancing through the air.  The giant icicles hanging from the ceiling glittered like diamonds, beautiful, but deadly if they fell on you.  The slime shivered at the thought.  Those beautiful spears were a constant worry, but he''d managed to avoid them so far.


    Fresh snow fell around the slime as he wiggled, viewing the snowmen he''d created with pride.  Each one looked slightly different, from the short little snowmen to the massive ones he''d spent hours on.  The next time somebody came to visit, they''d be sure to appreciate the snowmen and think highly of the slime who made them.


    Maybe they''d even stay long enough to say hello.  The snowmen were great, but they didn''t know how to talk, and the slime was dying for some company.  He''d traveled far and wide looking for other slimes of his kind, but the tundra was more dangerous than he''d expected.  Better to stay here with his snowmen than risk the ire of the polar bears, the frost giants, or worse, the blizzard wolves.


    As if summoned by his thoughts, a howl swept across the land, far too close for the slime''s liking.  He hopped off the snowman just as icy claws swiped at him.  The slime screeched as the snowman burst apart, snow flying everywhere.  He bounced as fast as he could toward the cave he often hid in, but more blizzard wolves were joining the fray, their icy breath crystalizing his slime enough to slow him down.


    Thankfully the snowmen distracted the wolf pack just enough for the slime to slide down the mountain, gaining speed and snow as he rolled.  Those poor snowmen got ripped apart all the time.  He''d build them, admire them, and then abandon them to save his own life.  He was the lowest of the low: a snow slime who abandoned his snowy creations.


    At the base of the mountain, he shook off the extra snow he''d accumulated, and stared up at the wolves.  He''d find a way to keep his snowmen safe one day.  Maybe he''d set traps for the wolves or build them inside the cave system.


    "Ugh, what''s with this snow?" a man''s voice complained.  "It''s so damn cold I can''t feel my fingers anymore."


    The slime shrank in on himself.  The only thing worse than blizzard wolves were adventurers.  They hated this frozen tundra he called a home, always cursing the cold and grumbling, bundled up so much they couldn''t even see the beautiful landscape around them.


    "The snow''s falling harder so there''s gotta be a monster somewhere," a woman said.  "Kill it before this turns into a blizzard."


    The slime squeaked, burrowing deep into the snow.  Adventurers hated anything cold, especially little snow slimes who had a near constant flurry of snow falling around them.   He found it comforting, but they just cursed him and threw very sharp daggers.  The snow slime had respawned far too many times at the hands of cold-fearing adventurers.


    Maybe they needed more fur, like the blizzard wolves.  Then they''d enjoy the snow.


    They poked around the snow, just barely missing the slime more than once, before finally giving up.


    "Let''s just find a cave and make camp," the woman said.  "We''ll light a fire and wait out the storm."


    The slime exhaled.  He was safe for now.  Once they were gone, he leapt out of his hiding place and started making his way back up the mountain.  His little snowman family was just a pile of snow now.  He''d have to start all over.  The slime sighed.  What was the point of all this?  Why keep building something that was going to be destroyed?  Why keep letting himself get attacked?  Wasn''t there anything he could do to level up like those big boss slimes he''d seen?


    A blue box appeared in the air in front of him with words written on it.


    [Are you happy on this floor?]


    Happy?  Hmmm....the slime had never thought about that before.  The frozen tundra was gorgeous, but the dangers were great.  The slime wished he didn''t have to risk his life or be cursed at just for being cold.  It wasn''t his fault he was made of snowy slime.


    [Understood.  If you could go anywhere else, where would you go?]


    The slime tilted to the side. What other places were there to go?  All he''d known was this tundra.  Maybe somewhere hot where his cold wouldn''t be so hated would be nice.


    [Somewhere hot then. I can do that.]


    A door appeared in front of him, creaking open ominously.  The slime waited for adventurers to stomp out, but none came.  Maybe this door...was for him?  He bounced forward, entering the dark doorway slowly.  He slid down a slide, leaving an icy trail behind him as he squealed with glee.  This was pretty fun!  Not scary at all like he''d expected.


    The little slime shot out another doorway, instantly feeling overwhelming heat pushing against all sides of him.  The ground was covered in bubbling red lava, shooting up into the air at random intervals.  Giant dragons swam through it, their scales bright red.  The air was so hot it hurt to breathe and the moment the slime touched the ground, his body began to melt, sizzling against the hot stone.


    Not this hot! He¡¯d melt!


    As his body started losing shape, pooling into a snowy puddle, another message box appeared.


    [Sorry, my bad.  Maybe somewhere a little less hot...]


    Another door appeared, but the slime could barely drag himself to it as his vision turned hazy from the heat.  He panted, inching closer and closer until he finally made it to the door.  The slime sighed in relief, but the new floor wasn''t any better.  It was covered in water and the slime didn''t know how to swim!  He gurgled, sinking further and further into the depths of the salty sea.


    [Not this floor either then, huh?  Okay, let''s try again.]


    The system tried floor after terrible floor until the poor little snow slime was so exhausted he wished for the blizzard wolves and grumpy adventurers again.  Wasn''t there anywhere nice he could call home?If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    [Don''t give up just yet.  There''s one more place to try.]


    The slime wearily climbed a set of stone stairs, exiting the magical door onto a humid jungle floor.  It wasn''t steaming like the lava floor, but it was definitely still warmer than he was used to.  He summoned more snow to keep himself cool and gazed out at the greenery.  It was fine, but he really just wanted to go home.  Being happy was obviously asking too much.  He''d settle for a little danger as long as he had his snowmen friends.  It would be okay.


    [Look to your left.]


    The warm glow of dozens of lanterns drew his eye to a cozy little building with all different kinds of slimes hopping around together.  There were blue slimes, dirt slimes, fire slimes, and even a boss slime!  The snow slime''s eyes widened.  What kind of slime haven was this?


    [Not quite a slime haven.  A slime cafe.  Go see what you think of it.]


    The slime had no idea what a cafe was, but it sounded like an adventurer thing.  He really didn''t like those troublemakers, but it couldn''t hurt to at least take a peek.  He bounced carefully, leaving a tiny trail of snow behind him as he climbed up to peek in the windows.  A woman was inside cooking, passing little handfulls of food to a group of slimes next to her.


    The snow slime pressed up against the glass for a better look.  She was actually feeding the slimes!  Not only that, but they looked happy too.  A tea slime rested in a giant pot of tea, spinning and smiling like it was the best thing in the world.  He wanted to try that too!


    Fog clouded the glass until he couldn''t see the strange sight of an adventurer feeding slimes anymore.  He searched for another window, leaping for a peek of her patting a slime on the head and hugging it.


    His mouth dropped open.


    An adventurer was hugging a slime.


    What kind of absurd place was this?  Never in all his years had he seen such a sight and he''d been in this dungeon for a while.  As each window fogged up, he moved on to the next, watching this wonderful woman play with slimes.  He wanted more than anything to join them, but the inside of this building felt so warm and cozy that he knew deep down that they would shun him.


    Nobody wanted to be cold when they were having a good time like that.


    The slime slumped back to the ground.  This floor felt like the cruelest floor of all.  It was time to go back home.  But as he bounced away, the sound of a door opening made him freeze in place.


    "Oh hello, little one," a woman''s voice said.  "I don''t think I''ve seen you around before.  My name''s Hazel.  Is that snow?"


    He quivered, just waiting for the inevitable attack, but none came.  He peeked back to find the woman, Hazel, kneeling in the doorway, holding her hand out to catch snowflakes with a big smile on her face.


    "Everyone, come say hi to our new little snow friend."  Her voice was warm, but her words made no sense.  "The snow feels so refreshing!"


    His eyes widened.  That''s exactly what he thought too!  He felt himself bouncing without meaning to, excitement causing even more snow to fall.  One of the fire slimes got close enough that the snow turned to steam.  The fire slime leapt back, but then wiggled and started steaming other bits of snow like it was a fun game.


    Hazel laughed.  "You like the snow too, huh?"


    This had to be a dream.  Nobody liked the snow, not a single adventurer the slime had ever met.


    [This adventurer is different.  She''s kind and full of curiosity when it comes to slimes.  Give her a chance and you''ll see.]


    The system had gotten the slime into some rough spots during this adventure, but it had always gotten him back to safety too.  He should trust it one last time and see just what kind of woman she was.  He inched closer, nudging up against her outstretched hand.


    "Oh, you are cold," she said, jerking her hand back and shaking it, "give me a minute."


    She abandoned the slime, walking back into that warm and cozy cafe of hers.  He waited, bouncing slowly, as time stretched on.  When she eventually came back, she had a piece of fabric in her hands.


    "Here you go, a scarf just for you."  She wrapped the white fabric around him, tying it at the corner.  "I hope you like it."


    The slime blinked, not sure what to do.  He''d never had clothing before, but the fabric was so soft against his slime that he couldn''t help but wiggle to feel it slide across his body.  It was warm too, just enough to make him feel like he could summon even more snow around them.  Beautiful snowflakes appeared in the air, falling down around Hazel in big piles.


    Her smile widened.  "I think that means you like it.  I''m glad."


    The tea slime from earlier hopped outside, staring at the snow quizzically before bouncing into it.  The slime''s eyes widened and he made a happy trilling noise.  He rolled around, gathering snow around himself like he was making a slime snowman.


    The snow slime giggled, showing the tea slime how to roll snowballs without getting stuck inside them.  Together they created a new snowman, one worthy of this wonderful slime haven.  Hazel added coal for eyes and a mouth, giving the snowman far more life than the snow slime''s ever had.


    The other slimes bounced over, making their own snow art.  The big boss slime opened his mouth to catch some falling snowflakes, grinning and wiggling every time he got one.  Warmth surrounded the snow slime, not just from the new scarf that had so kindly been given to him, but from the joy of playing in the snow with friends.  He''d never thought he''d get to experience such a thing.


    "Anyone want something to eat?" Hazel asked as she set plates of cookies on the ground.  "I''ve got hot cocoa too if anyone''s cold."


    Her cheeks were rosy from the chill air, but her smile hadn''t dimmed for a moment.  The snow slime cautiously ate a cookie.  It tasted sweet and delicious!  He moved to grab another one, but paused.  He shouldn''t be greedy and risk these new friends he''d found.


    "It''s okay," Hazel said with a smile as she pushed the cookies his way.  "I''ve got more than enough and if we run out, I''ll just make more."


    The snow slime dared to take another cookie.  This one was filled with spices that filled him with warmth.  Another one tasted cool and minty.  Every cookie was like a new adventure, full of deliciousness.  When the plate was empty, Hazel smiled and nudged a hot drink toward him.  The slime tried that too, slurping it up in one big gulp.


    Warmth spread through his slime like never before and he couldn''t help but smile and create even more snow out of sheer joy.


    Hazel smiled.  "It''s called hot cocoa with little marshmallows.  You can have another if you want."


    And so the slime had another, drinking the sweet chocolate until he was full.  Never had he been so welcomed before, with good food and slimes to play with.  As the other slimes slid around on streaks of ice, rolling around in the snow with delightful chitters and giggles, the snow slime thanked the system for bringing him to such a kind place.


    The woman patted his head and he could feel her hands shaking a bit.  She rubbed her arms, looking just like those other adventurers when they were cold.  She gazed out at the snow, smiling.


    "This reminds me of something," she said softly.  "I''m not sure what, but it makes me happy.  I feel like we should go inside and decorate, make this day really special.  It''s the first snow I''ve seen here after all."


    The first snow?  That did seem like a good thing to celebrate, but he felt himself hovering outside the door.  Was it really okay for him to go inside and ruin everything with his cold?


    Hazel turned back.  "You''re safe here and you can stay as long as you want.  Maybe we could even try making snow cones or..."  Her eyes lit up.  "I bet we could make ice cream!  With your snow, we could keep it cold for as long as we wanted.  Ohhhh, I bet you''ll love it."


    Little balls of ice pooled around his eyes.  She not only wanted him to be safe and warm, but she could make use of his snow too?  His cold could actually help somebody?  Never in his wildest dreams would he have thought to ask for that when the system asked if he was happy.  Thank you for showing me such a welcoming place, system.


    [You''re welcome.  Take care of her and yourself.]


    Take care of her he would.  For as long as his slime life lasted, he would stay with this woman and make all the snow she wanted.  He''d finally found a place to belong.  A place he could call home.

 Chapter 23 - Adorable, but Terrifying

    The slide between floors was extra twisty this time, going on so long that I lost the adrenaline rush of falling and was now just zooming along behind Cole who couldn''t stop giggling like he was having the time of his life. I shook my head. He really was an odd duck, but I might be even odder for actually following him.


    Eventually a door opened and we shot out into the foggy air of a new dungeon floor. My heart pounded as a rocky cliffside got closer and closer. I clamped down on the scream trying to escape. Last time this happened, a giant slime had broken my fall, but there was nothing but golden grass below us now.


    Golden grass and goats.


    Massive goats that got bigger and bigger as we fell. My chest tightened and I squeezed my eyes closed. I should have cooked a feast for goats this size instead of just the odds and ends I had in my inventory. What did goats even like to eat? Grass? Hay?


    This was going to go horribly wrong. I could feel it in my bones.


    "It''s fine!" Cole called out as he took my hand. "The Dungeon would never let you fall."


    His skin was smooth against mine as he pulled me to him. Time seemed to slow down as I opened my eyes, seeing nothing but his innocent little grin. He was so full of life and excitement, like everything was a fun new experience. Time might not have been slowing for real, but our descent sure was as we gracefully landed in golden grass that came up to my waist.


    "See? Nothing to worry about." He squeezed my hand before letting it go and turning to the biggest goat in the area who towered over us by a good ten feet at least. "Hello, friend."


    The goat''s shaggy fur was a mix of dark brown and cream, with a shimmer of gold when it caught the light just right. Its massive horns curled behind its head, etched with cracks of golden light that pulsed faintly, like a majestic power that was too much for the goat to fully contain. When it moved, the light seemed to ripple, casting faint patterns on the jagged cliffsides that stretched high to the sky around us.


    Its eyes had that same golden glow, piercing and regal, as if daring us to challenge it. The goat stood motionless, an unyielding force of nature that was just waiting for us to make the first move.


    I gulped, resisting the urge to step back. Or bow. This goat gave off the aura of a primal nature god, so falling to the ground and begging forgiveness for intruding on its domain felt like the appropriate answer here.


    Too bad Cole was already rushing towards it, a big goofy smile on his face. "How have you been, old friend? It''s been ages since we had a good chat."


    The goat lowered its head, eyes narrowing as its hooves scraped big ruts in the ground. This time I did back up.


    "Maybe we should go..."


    "No way, we haven''t even gotten the milk yet." Cole scoffed. "Heliandor and I go way back, it''s fine."


    Cole seemed nice enough, but I''d just met him and this whole plan seemed pretty foolhardy. I glanced at his level, once again seeing the ??? that gave me no information at all. The goat''s level shone bright: Level 39 Solhorn Goat.


    As a level 5, I had no business being here. Something bumped against my leg and I jerked away, yelping. A tiny goat gnawed on my apron, digging around in the pockets like they were full of treats. The goat pulled out a sprig of thyme, chewing it before bleating softly.


    I stuffed my hands in my pockets, but they were empty. "Sorry, that''s all I had."


    The goat continued to bump against my leg, chewing on my apron like it would be just as tasty as the thyme. I stumbled back, trying to get out of range, but the goat nuzzled against me. Its fur was light yellow, as if it hadn''t grown into the warm golden brown hues of the other goats yet. I carefully patted it on the head, avoiding the adorably tiny horns poking out of its fur.


    It jumped up in excitement, making me yelp again. The eerie bleating of dozens of other goats carried on the wind like a song coming from all directions. The cliffs loomed over me with glints of golden eyes sparking in their shadows. This one little goat was fine, but dozens of others?Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    Cole was still chatting with the goat he''d called Heliandor, reaching out a hand to pet him. The giant Solhorn grunted, lowering its head and rushing forward, headbutting Cole with those terrifying horns of his. I gasped as Cole flew through the air, collapsing in the tall grass.


    I wanted to rush to check on him, but my legs were shaking as the Solhorn turned its golden gaze on me. Power rolled off the goat in waves, making me shiver as the others climbed down the rocks to join their master.


    "I''m fine!" Cole shouted as he sat up, brushing grass off his clothes like getting headbutted by a goat god monster meant nothing to him. "Huh, maybe he doesn''t recognize me. I mean, I guess I do look a bit different, but still. How could he do that?"


    "Is that really important right now?" I let out a breath, almost collapsing on the ground myself. "You idiot, let''s go back to the cafe and forget this whole plan. That goat obviously doesn''t think you''re friends."


    Cole tilted his head, studying the monstrous Solhorn. "Maybe that''s just how goats say hello?"


    The beast pawed the ground again, looking like it was getting ready to headbutt Cole a second time since the first obviously hadn''t left enough of an impression. Cole''s curiosity was going to get him killed. I forced my legs to move, hurrying over to the fool.


    "That is not how goats say hello. It''s how they say goodbye." I grabbed his arm, hauling him up. "Take the hint and let''s get out of here."


    Cole''s eyes widened. "You speak goat?"


    I sighed, pushing him to get moving. "Yup and I''ll tell you all about it once we''re back in the cafe."


    "But your milk..."


    "Screw the milk. We''ll come back later."


    "If you''re sure." Cole glanced back at the Solhorn with sad eyes. "Until next time, old friend."


    The Solhorn made a noise that sounded an awful lot like a snort, then went back to grazing on the tall golden grass as if we''d never been there. I took a deep breath, happy to be going back to my mostly safe little slice of the dungeon, but my back itched like somebody was watching me.


    I turned around to find the little goat from earlier following me.


    "You can''t come with us," I said softly. "I don''t want to be part of a goat-napping. Not with that big guy looking all terrifying."


    The little goat bleated at me, sniffing my hands like the scent of herbs was still on them. It hopped, bouncing in such a similar way to the slimes that my tension started easing away. The goat was only level 10, which was perfectly acceptable for my floor...


    I shook my head. I was not about to goat-nap him, no matter how adorable he was.


    "I''m really sorry," I repeated. "I''ll come back though, once I''m stronger."


    Cole nodded. "Definitely. Somebody''s gotta remind Heliandor who''s the boss around here."


    I bit my lip. No way was Cole the boss of that goat or any other monster here. Even the slimes didn''t listen to him. I pulled the cafe''s key from my inventory. It was still warm, like it had been sitting by a fire. I smiled, grasping it tightly. Time to go home.


    A high-pitched bleat shook the air, rumbling the ground so much I almost fell over. Heliandor charged, racing towards us faster than I could summon a door.


    "I said I wasn''t goat-napping him!  He''s all yours, I swear!"  I dropped the key in shock, losing it in the tall grass.  The little goat just kept hopping next to me, bleating back at Heliandor as if egging him on.  "Hey!  I gave you herbs!"


    I gasped as Cole pulled me behind him.


    "Time to prove that friendship," he said, cracking his knuckles as he stood firm in front of the charging monster. "Heliandor! Sit!"


    "Sit? Seriously?"


    Every goat in the area besides Heliandor plopped down on their backside with a soft thud. I blinked, staring at the ridiculous sight of so many goats sitting in the grass. The little one beside me was too short to even see over the swaying golden fronds.


    Huh, so Cole really was a friend of the goats. I did not see that coming.


    Heliandor bellowed, its voice shaking the very air as the golden glow spilled out of its horns like sunlight. The light got brighter and brighter, until I had no choice but to squeeze my eyes shut.


    "Okay, maybe we''re not friends," Cole muttered darkly. "Hazel, go back to the cafe without me. I''ll be there as soon as I can."


    "I can''t just¨C"


    "Go!"


    I fumbled for the key in the grass, accidentally grabbing the little goat''s hooves. "Sorry."


    When I finally found the key, I stumbled up to summon a door, but the light was searing my eyelids and tears were welling up. I brushed them away, swaying as I moved, trying to escape the light just for a moment.


    My foot met open air and the tall grass disappeared. Air whooshed around me as I fell off the very cliffs the goats had been climbing on earlier.


    Damn goats. Adorable, but terrifying.


    This probably would have gone better if I''d brought cookies.

 Chapter 24 - Back to the Beginning

    Breathing was easier than I''d expected after dying.  I even felt good too, like my body was being pillowed by soft grass.  A familiar smokey campfire scent filled the air.  My eyes snapped open.  I was in a small clearing surrounded by fog on three sides and a mountain on the other.  A table full of very familiar-looking weapons stood nearby, along with monster pens.


    This was the starting area!


    I jerked up.  How did I get here?  The last thing I remembered was that little goat searching my pockets for treats.  Wait, no, something came after that.  I think I fell...off a cliff?


    "Seriously, Hazel?  Floor 38??" Dave''s irritation was clear even from across the clearing.  I flopped back onto the grass, closing my eyes as he walked closer.  "You''re only level 5.  How''d you even get to that floor?"


    "Some weird guy took me."  I winced; that sounded ridiculous even to me.  I put a hand over my eyes, the feeling of falling off that cliff still fresh in my mind.  "Did I...die?"


    "Almost, but you were transported back here the moment before you would have hit the ground."  The fabric of Dave''s clothes rustled as he knelt by my side.  "Do you think that maybe it''s time to take this dungeon seriously?  I''ll admit, I''ve been impressed by how far you''ve gotten with cookies and kindness, but you can''t win over every monster like that.  You''ll need to fight if you really want to get out of the dungeon."


    A few hours ago, I''d have been confident in the baking-my-way-through-the-dungeon plan, but Heliandor''s power had been overwhelming.  How could I ever win over a monster like that just with food?


    Dave patted me on the shoulder.  "Let''s start with your stats and use the time we''ve got to make a plan."


    "Wait, I can''t just go back to the cafe?" I opened my eyes, sitting up so quickly that I almost bumped into him.  "How long am I stuck here?"


    "You''re not stuck here," Dave snapped, standing up to pace.  "Why do adventurers always say that when I''m offering to help them?  They die, I try to help them not die again, and they complain.  Every.  Single.  Time.  Why do I even bother?"


    Oof.  Looks like I''d hit a nerve there.  Going through my stats wasn''t a terrible idea, honestly, especially if he could give me some pointers.


    "Sorry, Dave.  I''d love any help you can give me."  I smiled, sitting cross-legged and opening my menu.  "Where do you want to start?"


    He scratched his horns, studying me.  After sitting patiently for a while, he sighed.  "Fine, show me your stat screen."


    "And how do I do that?" I asked.  "I thought only I could see my menu."


    "Just think about showing it to me and I''ll see it."  Dave sat down next to me as I did just that, his eyes skimming my stats.


    [Culinary Mage: Level 5]


    [Agility: 1]


    [Charisma: 3]


    [Endurance: 4]


    [Intelligence: 1]


    [Mana: 7]


    [Strength: 1]


    [Available Stat Points: 2]


    [Available Skill Points: 0]


    "Well, you''re set for mana and okay on endurance, but what''s with this single strength and agility?" Dave laughed, eying me sideways.  "No wonder you lost to a baby goat."


    I crossed my arms.  "I did not lose to a goat.  I lost to a cliff."


    "Riiiight.  You know what would help with that?" Dave raised an eyebrow.  "Agility."


    I did have extra stat points I hadn''t used yet, but agility felt like a waste.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    "That won''t really help with baking though," I said softly.


    "I''m sure it can still help."  Dave tapped his thigh.  "Haven''t you ever dropped a tray of cookies before?  Or bumped against a hot stove and burnt yourself?"


    "Wait, agility can fix my clumsiness??" I tapped the agility button to up it by one.  "Sold."


    He laughed.  "And what about strength?  I bet those big bags of flour get annoying to carry sometimes."


    "True, but shouldn''t I put more into mana or charisma?"


    "Charisma''s nice," he said slowly, "but do you even know how to use it?"


    "Haven''t I been charming you this whole time?"


    Dave snorted.  "Hardly.  You''ve actually been giving me a headache since you got here."


    "Fine, then I''ll use some charisma now."  I cleared my throat, sitting up straighter.  "Oh wise and wonderful Dave, please give me more stat points so I can level everything you tell me to all at once."


    "Yeah, I''m not feeling it."  He might have said that, but he was smiling just a bit.  "Charisma isn''t something you can force.  Sure, the stat helps, but it''s more like it boosts your sincerity.  Those moments where people would be more likely to side with you in the first place become stronger.  It''s almost like people can feel your intentions, your heart."


    "Is that how I managed to win over tough monsters even with lower level food?  Like the slime boss?"


    Dave nodded.  "Yup, the monster could probably sense your desire to protect it."


    "Well that''s awesome.  I should put even more into charisma then."


    "Wait!" He grabbed my arm before I could touch anything.  "Honestly, you really should have at least a little bit of strength.  As is, you''d be a goner if a monster sneezed on you."


    I laughed.  "Well thankfully that hasn''t happened yet, but I see your point.  I''ll up my strength for now and work on my charisma later.  You know, you''re honestly a really good teacher.  I''m sorry so many people treat you like a hassle or a tutorial they want to skip over.  You deserve better than that."


    He dropped his hands, eyes wide.  "Thank you.  That''s so kind¨Cwait, no, you''re trying to use charisma right now, aren''t you?"


    "Guilty," I held my hands up, grinning.  "This training thing is kind of fun.  I appreciate your help."


    Dave shook his head, sighing.  "At least you''re a fast learner.  I don''t agree with your non-violent approach, but if you''re determined to keep doing it, try to balance your stats a bit better.  That way you won''t be completely useless if you need to run away or defend yourself."


    "Yes, sir."  I mock saluted.  "I''ll be more careful, honestly.  Anything else we should go over?"


    "Not right now, no.  Just keep working hard and leveling up."  He paused, frowning.  "Actually, let''s go back to the whole goat fiasco.  You said a strange adventurer brought you to floor 38?  Skipping floors like that shouldn''t be possible."


    I shrugged.  "He just opened a door and poof, we were there.  I think you know him actually.  His name''s Cole and he said he works with you."


    Dave''s eyebrows shot up. "With me?  I''ve never heard of him before."


    "Long black hair, dark clothes, crazy high level."  I tilted my head.  "I actually couldn''t see his level now that I think about it.  It was just question marks."


    "Was he, by any chance, super excited to try your cooking?" Dave asked, sighing when I nodded, muttering something about a damn core.  "I think I know who you''re talking about.  Though I didn''t think he''d ever be quite that irresponsible.  I''m really sorry he put you in harm''s way."


    "I don''t think he meant to.  He seemed to think the Solhorns would be friendly towards him, but then Heliandor headbutted him into a bush and that all kind of fell apart."


    Dave barked out a laugh, then slapped a hand over his mouth.  "Sorry, that image is just too hilarious.  A goat headbutted him?"


    "Yup, he flew right through the air too, but got back up like it was nothing."


    "I guess he''s already been punished then," Dave said, still laughing.  "But why don''t we head back to your cafe so I can have a little chat with him anyway?"


    I raised an eyebrow.  "You want to come to my cafe?"


    "Well, yeah?  You do still owe me lunch..."  His gaze dropped to the ground.  "Unless you were just being polite when you offered that?  Or maybe trying to use me?"


    "Of course not!"  Man, what kind of life did this satyr live?  If that''s how people usually treated him, then I''d have to show him what actual kindness looked like.  "Let''s go.  I''ll make you the best sandwich ever.  One worthy of such a good teacher."


    "I mean, you did steal my sandwich, so I guess it makes sense to make a new one.  Thank you."  His voice was soft and heartfelt, as if nobody had ever offered him something like that before.  It made my heart hurt.


    "Why do you keep working here if nobody seems to appreciate you?"


    His hands clenched.  I''d asked the question without really thinking about it, but it was probably something I had no business asking. I had caused nothing but trouble for him, so what gave me the right to dig into his personal life?


    "Nevermind, I''m sure everyone''s worried about me so we should get back."  I pulled out the cafe''s key and summoned a door, looping my arm through Dave''s.  "You''re welcome to stay as long as you want."


    His eyes widened as I tugged him through the door.  If my cafe could give him even a little bit of joy, then I''d gladly bake all the food he wanted.  He''d given me good advice and I needed to take it seriously. I couldn''t keep hoping I''d get out of here on sheer optimism.  I had to focus and level up.  Make that cafe of mine a true training ground to improve my skills so that one day I''d be strong enough to befriend that Solhorn goat and get out of here.


    Plus, the slimes would love all the treats I''d have to bake in the name of training.  Things were about to get a whole lot tastier.

 Chapter 25 - Heartfelt Hospitality

    I stepped out of the corridor leading to the cafe expecting to be welcomed by a half dozen happy slimes, all jumping around to show how much they missed me. Except, all I saw was the new furniture we''d set up. The mismatched lanterns shone brightly from the ceiling and the new stools made out of crates were pulled out as if somebody was about to sit in them, but there was nobody to be seen. Not a single slime. Anywhere.


    How strange...


    Dave stepped out of the dungeon hallway, closing the door behind him. "So this is your cafe, huh?"


    "Mhm, it''s the Slime Serenitea Cafe." Minus the slimes, apparently. I glanced out the window. In the corner of the property, a man was slumped against the wall, slimes plopped all over him like a squishy blanket. His long black hair was easily recognizable: Cole. What was he doing out there? "Give me a minute, Dave, I''ll be right back."


    The satyr nodded, glancing out the window in the direction I''d been looking as I walked outside quietly. Fire slimes were piled in Cole''s lap, flames glowing brightly, nudging him. Matcha sat nearby with a cup of tea on his head, spilling drops of it every time his little slime body wiggled. He slurped them up before offering Cole the cup again. Even a few dirt slimes had joined the party, offering him their best potatoes.


    With all those slimes, Cole should have been grinning and having the time of his life, but his face was empty. Dejected.


    "Everything okay?" I asked. "Looks like the slimes are on cheer-up duty."


    His eyes widened. "You''re back!"


    "Of course I''m back." I laughed softly. "This is my cafe. Did you think a little cliff was going to stop me from coming back to it?"


    Those dark eyes of his stared at me, roving over my entire body. I squirmed awkwardly, leaning down to take the cup of tea from Matcha. It was empty by this point, so I should probably make some more. The little slime chirped, bumping into my hand. I picked him up too, holding him close.


    "Sorry I was gone so long," I whispered to the slime, "but I''m home now. Do you want some tea?"


    Matcha wiggled in my arms, making a bubbly noise only a slime could make. I smiled. This was where I wanted to be right now. Leveling up with the best companions I knew: the slimes. I turned to go warm up water, but Cole grabbed my hand. He stood up, pulling me into a fierce hug that I was entirely unprepared for. Fire slimes tumbled all over from his abrupt movement and Matcha squeaked, squishing between us.


    "Hey!" I called out, but I could feel Cole trembling for some reason. I patted his back, not really sure what to do here. "Honestly, are you okay?"


    "I should be asking you that." His voice was low next to my ear, raw and full of emotion. "I never should have taken you to that floor without knowing I could keep you safe. I thought I was stronger than that. Thought I could¨C"


    "Stop." I pulled away, looking him in the eyes. "This wasn''t your fault. I''m the one who agreed to go and I''m the one who tried to kidnap a baby goat. I''m also the one clumsy enough to fall off a cliff, but hey, all''s well that ends well, right?"


    "I guess." He sighed. "I just never want to put you in danger again."


    "Well, next time I need ingredients, we''ll go to a lower-level floor then." I smiled. "Or I''ll level up really fast and take on that monster goat again! Yeah, we''re definitely doing that one day. That baby goat wanted to come back here and I can''t let her down, can I?"


    "Next time?" Cole''s voice was full of hope and his eyes were brighter. "Yeah, next time we''ll do better."


    "Exactly. That''s what this dungeon is all about, right? Trying, failing, leveling up, and doing better next time?"


    Or at least, that''s what it seemed like. What else was the point of all the floors getting stronger as you went and us not actually dying? It had to be so we could get stronger. But why? I stroked Matcha, enjoying the warmth his new tea evolution possessed. He was like a warm water bottle, cozy and comforting. We''d figure this out, but right now I had some tea to make.


    "Come inside, I''ll make tea."


    Cole nodded, following me into the cafe with a trail of fire slimes bouncing behind him like little ducks. I grinned. They really were attached to him, and if the slimes trusted him, then he had to be a decent guy, right? Plus, he''d waited for me here after I''d fallen. Knowing there was somebody worried about me, somebody who would keep the slimes company until I got back, felt really good. Like I had people I could rely on. First Fiona, and now him. I hadn''t known them long, but it felt like we''d formed bonds already.


    Bonds of friendship.


    I blinked as my eyes got a bit misty. This cafe had made all of that possible, so it was about time I took it seriously. I had to open it to other adventurers and bake as many delicious things as I could. I nodded at Dave as I passed him on my way to the kitchen, filling the kettle up with water so we could have tea.


    "Dave?" Cole''s voice sounded strangled. "What are you doing here?"


    "Oh, just getting a sandwich." His voice was teasing, with a hint of something...else. "The real question is what are you doing here?"


    I leaned out of the kitchen to find them both staring at each other, actually glaring described it better, with Dave tapping a hoof on the floor. Cole sighed, glancing away like he''d lost some kind of silent battle.


    "What''s going on out here?" I asked. "You two are friends, right?"


    Cole nodded. "Good friends, yes."


    "Best friends," Dave said, eyebrows raised. "Right, Cole? The kind of friends who would never leave important work undone while they rushed off on their own to eat tasty food?"


    Ah, so that''s what this was about. I shook my head at him. "Really? You skipped out on work to come here? I thought Dave sent you here to check on me."


    "Did I do that?" Dave frowned. "Sounds like me, but I don''t recall..."


    "Fine, I was too excited to wait," Cole said. "Her food just sounded so good! Cookies! And grilled cheese! Oh man, Dave, you should have tried the soup she made. It was glorious. The way it warmed me up was magical."


    My face warmed at that, but thankfully I heard the water bubbling. Time to make that tea. I put the last of the tea leaves into the kettle, hoping the tea I''d planted had grown and matured by now. I''d never harvested it before, but maybe the dirt slimes could help. Matcha was a bottomless pit for tea, so I couldn''t really go without it.


    After a few minutes, the water was a nice golden-tan color. I poured two glasses and added the rest to the pot I''d dubbed Matcha''s cup, carrying them all on a flattened-out shield.


    "Okay, who''s up for some tea?" I placed each cup carefully on the table, adding Matcha''s pot to the floor. The little tea slime hopped in, barely making a splash, while the other two sat down. "Maybe we should think of this like a dry run for opening the cafe. You can be the customers and I''ll try to figure out this heartfelt hospitality skill."


    It said I''d get bonus XP for serving customers in a warm and friendly atmosphere, but so far it hadn''t activated. Not even as Cole sipped his tea and sighed in contentment. I wanted to ask Dave about it, but he was here for lunch, not a tutorial. I should really let him relax for once.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "What would you like to order today?" I asked with a genuine smile. "If it''s another grilled cheese, I promise this one will taste delicious. Nothing like that cardboard sandwich you''re used to."


    Dave laughed. "Sounds great. Thank you."


    Cole tilted his head. "Hmmmm, can I try one too?"


    "Of course you can!" If I had enough cheese. I peeked into my menus, grateful I had one wedge left. "Give me a few minutes and I''ll be out with your orders."


    They sipped their tea, not speaking to each other at all. There was obviously more going on there than skipping out on a bit of work, but I wasn''t about to pry. A cafe should be a warm and welcoming place, not an interrogation. I put a pan on the stove before leaning down to attempt lighting the fire underneath it, but found an adorable little fire slime already in there.


    "Well hello," I said warmly, "mind helping me cook today?"


    The fire slime chirped his agreement and started wiggling as his flames rose, dancing in the stove. They blazed brighter and brighter until I had to look away.


    "Maybe a little less flame?" I asked with a laugh. "Don''t want to melt the pan."


    The slime made a noise that sounded like laughter and lowered his flames to a perfect temperature. This really was the best cafe ever. I sliced up a fresh loaf of bread, spreading beautiful golden butter evenly across it. A grilled cheese was simple, but it still deserved all the love and attention that a more complex meal required. The butter should reach the edges of the bread, leaving no part unbuttered. Mayonnaise was better, but this would do fine for now. Then the cheese. Using multiple kinds was best, but I was down to just cheddar so that would have to do. I cut it thinly, adding layers mixed in with herbs and thin slices of tomato to spice things up a bit.


    I added the first slice of bread to the pan, enjoying the sizzle of the butter hitting the heat. Then I layered everything else on top so the cheese could start melting. After a few minutes, the nutty smell of cooked butter filled the room. I flipped the sandwich over and waited, pressing down slightly for even cooking. The cheese started oozing out, perfectly melty. Dave would love this, but I didn''t have Cole''s ready yet...


    If I waited for both to be done, Dave''s would cool down too much, but I didn''t really want to have one guest eating while the other watched on in awkward hungry silence. That was never fun for anyone, so I added Cole''s grilled cheese to the pan next and kept Dave''s by the fire slime to stay warm.


    [Grilled Cheese Level 5 Acquired]


    [+10 XP]


    The slime opened his mouth wide, about to gobble it up.


    "Wait!" I pulled the sandwich back. "This is for Dave, but I promise I''ll make you all the tasty food you want after we serve our guests. Does that sound good?"


    The slime tilted his body back and forth, but then nodded. Excellent. I''d really need to start keeping slime treats on hand if the fire slimes were going to be helping me cook every day. It was too cruel for them not to get tasty food along with the guests. Plus, if I was going to cook for multiple people, I needed more pans and a bigger stove. I''d have to look through the cafe upgrades menu soon and pick a few goals to work towards. Maybe check in with Fiona too. She''d agreed to make a few items for me, but I had no idea how it was going with her and the blacksmith.


    Once both sandwiches were ready and I''d gotten a bit more XP, I brought them out to the table. Cole''s eyes lit up as he dug into it immediately, probably burning his mouth on that cheese. He just kept eating though, smiling and mumbling around the food. "It''s so good!"


    Dave was more cautious. "It does smell good, but does it really taste that much better than my normal grilled cheese?"


    "Believe me, it''ll be mind-blowing." I nudged the plate closer to him. "Just give it a try. I promise you''ll enjoy it."


    He took a tiny bite, chewing it thoroughly. Then he stared at me.


    "Well...do you like it?" I asked slowly. I wasn''t looking for praise, but I did want him to enjoy it. Maybe the tomatoes were too much. I should have kept it simple. "Sorry, I can make another if you want."


    "No, no need for that."


    He took another bite and another, his floppy goat ears twitching. It reminded me so much of the goats from earlier that I couldn''t help but smile. I moved back into the kitchen to let them enjoy their meals, loving all the happy little noises they were making as they enjoyed their grilled cheeses. This was what I wanted to do for as long as I could. Cook food that would make people happy, because knowing they were happy made me happy too.


    Now for the slimes. I made another grilled cheese with the last of my ingredients and divided it between the slimes, giving the biggest portion to the fire slime who''d helped me cook. I patted him on the head as he gobbled it up in one bite.


    "Thanks for the help," I said. "I''ll have to make some marshmallows for you later."


    The slime wiggled happily, lighting up the stove with the warmth only a fire slime could bring. Things were going really well, but what about that Heartfelt Hospitality skill? It felt like I''d gotten the same XP as usual from those grilled cheeses. I opened my menus, searching for it.


    [Heartfelt Hospitality allows you to gain bonus XP when serving customers in a warm and friendly atmosphere]


    "Hmmm...did they not count as customers for some reason?" I mumbled, searching through the menus some more. My XP bar was pretty low, as if I''d started the level over from zero. "Hey, Sweet Potato?"


    Something thunked in the other room and one of them started coughing like they were choking on their sandwich. I glanced into the cafe''s dining area, but they were both sipping tea and smiling at me like nothing happened. Strange, but okay. Actually, I could ask Dave about this, except he was here on a break. I had to honor that.


    "Did I lose XP when I fell off the cliff?" I asked the system.


    [Affirmative. An adventurer''s XP progress resets back to 0 for the level they''re on and must be regained]


    I sighed. "Is that the price of teleporting me to the starting zone? Couldn''t I just pay you in cookies or something?"


    [No. XP must be lost. Cookies are not a proper form of currency]


    "I was kidding," I said with a frown. "Is everything okay? You seem a bit stiffer than usual."


    [Running System Diagnostics]


    [Trap Stability: 85%]


    [Monster Stability: 71%]


    [Loot Stability: 96%]


    [NPC Performance: Stable]


    [Adventurer Count: 7,589]


    [All systems are running smoothly]


    My eyebrows rose. "There are that many people here? How have I only seen a few hundred?"


    [The dungeon has many floors]


    Ah, that made sense. All the adventurers were probably spread out throughout the dungeon. That was really good to know, but it felt a bit odd that the system had run a diagnostic right in front of me. Usually, it would have just said it was fine and moved on. Was the dungeon glitching out? That didn''t sound good...


    "Hazel?" Cole asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Any chance you have some tea left?"


    "Just a minute." I put some more water in the kettle and decided to focus on what was right in front of me. This cafe and my customers. When I brought the tea out to them, I carefully poured it into their glasses and joined them at the table. "So, what did you think?"


    "It was amazing!" Cole grinned. "Best sandwich I''ve ever had."


    Dave nodded. "It was pretty tasty, actually. I might need to come back for more."


    "I''m happy to hear that." I smiled, sipping my own mug of tea. This was going to work. "Thank you for doing this dry run with me. I feel a lot better about opening the cafe now. I''ll see if Fiona can help me hunt for more ingredients and then I should be all set."


    "Then we should get going," Dave said, half getting out of his chair before Cole yanked him back down. "What?"


    "Aren''t you forgetting something?" he asked, staring at the satyr pointedly. "About that skill of hers?"


    "My skill?" I shook my head. "Oh, you don''t need to help with that. You''re allowed to relax once in a while, you know."


    "It''s fine. I enjoy teaching people who actually want to learn." Dave handed me a few coins. "Thank you for the meal. It really was delicious."


    [+10 XP for Heartfelt Hospitality]


    My eyes widened. "That''s all it needed? For you to pay me?"


    "Yeah, we''re not customers unless we pay," Cole said with a smile. "I can help clean up if you want?"


    "Not a chance," Dave said, grabbing Cole by the collar. "You promised to catch up on all that work you left behind, remember?"


    Cole''s shoulders slumped. "Yeah, I remember."


    "You two seem like good friends," I said with a laugh. "Come back soon, okay?"


    Dave nodded, but Cole''s eyes seemed to darken. Was he not intending to come back? Something about that didn''t sit right with me. He was my very first paying customer. He had to come back.


    "We''re going to befriend those goats once I level up more, right?" I prompted, hoping he''d take the bait. "And gather more ingredients sometime?"


    His lips tugged into a smile. "Of course. I''ll help you however I can."


    "Until next time then." I smiled back, waving at the both of them as they left the cafe. "Thanks for stopping by."


    I leaned against the door as it closed behind them. There was a lot of work ahead to make up for the progress I''d lost falling off that cliff, but it felt like I could handle anything now that I was back where I belonged. I picked up Matcha and held him close.


    "Let''s go bake something sweet, okay?"


    Matcha nodded, nuzzling closer to me as we made our way into the kitchen. This cafe was about to become my training grounds, full of amazing food and hopefully great people too. There was nothing holding me back, not as long as I had all these slimes to help me and a garden full of ingredients. Time to get to work!

 Chapter 26 - Post-Vacation Blues

    The Dungeon of Eternal Embers'' Point of View


    Chapter 26 - Post-Vacation Blues


    Cole had only been gone for a day, two at most, so why had it taken him almost a week to recover from all the chaos his absence had caused?  It was like the entire dungeon had rebelled.  Traps weren''t running properly, loot wasn''t refilling, and the monsters, gods, the monsters were so unbalanced.  They''d taken a cue from the walking trees and decided to become overpowered and run rampant.  Honestly, what had his automatic system programming even been doing?


    His flames sputtered, weak and exhausted.  This was not how he''d planned his little break to end.  He was supposed to go off on an adventure, have fun, and come back refreshed.  But instead he''d abandoned his post, almost got Hazel killed, and completely screwed everything up.  He was a failure of a dungeon core, playing at being human.


    Hazel had trusted him, believed in him even, and he''d still taken her to a floor that was far beyond her capabilities at the time.  He was the one who''d set up the levels, so he knew how difficult facing a higher-leveled monster could be.  His overconfidence had done nothing but hurt her.  She might have forgiven him, but he had a ways to go before he forgave himself.


    He was a dungeon core.  His place was here, running the dungeon from behind the scenes.


    But even so, he hadn''t disposed of his human avatar yet.  It was locked away in a magical box that would keep it sustained on the off chance that he needed it again...


    "You look awful," Dave said as he added some more coal to the fire.  "I know I said you shouldn''t shirk your responsibilities, but don''t you think you''ve been pushing yourself a little too hard?  Even a dungeon core needs to rest sometimes.  That''s why the automatic system exists."


    Using that was what had gotten him into this whole mess in the first place.  It didn''t have enough reasoning capabilities to tell the difference between jokes and reality.  It had even started running a system diagnostic right in front of Hazel!  If she''d seen the whole thing, she''d have learned way too much about how the dungeon worked.  Too much about him...


    Dave frowned.  "The automated system does seem a bit rough around the edges, but that''s why it''s supposed to only be used in short spurts, not for days at a time.  It''ll be fine to use it again."


    Cole considered it, but devoured the new fuel instead and brightened his flames even more.  He was a dungeon core and the gods were trusting him to do his duty.


    "I understand," Dave said, "but I just don''t like seeing you rundown like this.  I hate to admit it, but you seemed happier with Hazel.  If we planned your next outing better, I''m sure you could visit her again soon."


    Hope surged through his flames, but he clamped down on it.  Visiting her was too risky.  If she ever found out who he really was, then her falling off a cliff would seem like a drop in the bucket of the pain she''d be going through.  He relayed that to Dave, making sure he knew to never reveal the secret of who Cole really was.  If the gods found out, they''d wipe her memory again.  She''d forget about the slimes, her cafe, and about him too.  Nothing was worth risking all her hard-earned progress like that.


    She deserved to level up and progress through this dungeon just like everyone else.  And then...she deserved the best reward he could give her.


    Cole felt his mind wandering to the cafe as Hazel played with a few dirt slimes in the garden, harvesting the new tea.  He remembered the taste of it, the warmth.  She''d been doing nothing but baking and working in the garden since he left, leveling up three whole levels in such a short time.  At level 8, she seemed more determined than ever.  That was how things should be.  Her leveling while he watched from the sidelines, helping her however he could.


    "My Lord?" Dave asked softly.  "There''s something I wanted to talk to you about."


    He pulled himself away from the ember shards outside Hazel''s cafe, focusing on Dave instead.  The satyr straightened his shoulders that had been slumped with exhaustion and anxiety lately, then took a deep breath.


    "I don''t know why the gods chose you to run this dungeon," Dave said, "but their rules are too harsh.  All these secrets are weighing on me and I''m tired of getting yelled at by frustrated adventurers.  I think I''d like a break."If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    A break?  Cole''s flames flickered, casting shadows on the stone walls.  Did Dave want to quit?


    "No, no, nothing like that," Dave assured him.  "Just, maybe, you could make another Dave for a bit and I could...explore or something.  See what else is out there.  Ever since Hazel got here, things feel different.  She''s done nothing but break the rules, and yet, it feels like she''s winning at something bigger.  And then there''s you, you''d never have run off to play adventurer like that in the past.  Things are changing and I think that I," he paused, wringing his hands, "that I might want to change too."


    Ah, so it was already that time for him.  It was happening much faster than with the others, but Dave was evolving.  Every NPC created by the dungeon could gain a soul if they so wished and become more than just a pile of parts.  They could become real, with feelings and desires just like anyone else.  It was one of the things he loved about the dungeon, seeing how everyone evolved and grew.  But he was oddly sad to see this Dave leaving so soon.  He''d grown attached to him.  Something about his nagging just felt kind of nice, like Cole always had somebody checking in on him.


    Without tutorial Dave, the dungeon core would need to take on a lot more responsibilities again.  Getting a new Dave up to speed would take time, especially since the tutorial zone was the hardest to deal with.  Adventurers were always so grumpy in that zone, not wanting to listen to an NPC even for a moment.  They skipped past most of the Daves after a minute or two, leaving them feeling unhelpful and alone.  But this Dave had been different.  He''d forced his training on the adventurers, keeping them safe and sound as best he could.  He didn''t let himself be skipped over.


    And maybe that''s why he was evolving so quickly.


    Cole''s flames dimmed as he relayed through the ember shard in Dave''s mind that it was more than fine if he went out adventuring on his own.  Cole would make another Dave to take his place, just like all the other Daves before him.  It would be fine.  Dave deserved his own life if he was ready to reach out and grab it.  Funny how Hazel had sparked that in him so thoroughly.  It was like her being here was changing the very concept of the dungeon.  Changing its core.


    His flames surged at the thought.  Meeting somebody so amazing that they could change things just by existing was like a new kind of magic.  One he craved more and more of.


    "So you''re okay with this?" Dave asked softly.  "I promise I''ll come back when you need me."


    It was fine, the dungeon relayed to his most trusted Dave.  Go, explore, and find out what you truly want to do.


    Dave let out a deep sigh.  "Thank you.  I was worried you''d say no."


    Cole would never refuse a request from such a hardworking supporter.  Dave had leveled up in his own way today and the dungeon core was proud of that fact.


    "That means a lot, thank you."  Dave scratched at his horns, glancing back at the door.  "Well, I guess I should get going then?"


    The dungeon core sent all his support and best wishes through their ember shard connection, but where would he go first?


    Dave sat down on the stone ring around Cole''s fire.  "Honestly, I''m not sure.  Maybe I''ll see if Hazel needs a hand at the cafe.  Or see how that new seamstress NPC is doing.  I could even hire myself out as a guide, I guess.  For the first time, it feels like I have options."


    Cole didn''t want to lose one of his best workers, but he knew the feeling of wanting to be somewhere else all too well.  His mind wandered back to Hazel as she replanted what looked like hundreds of glowing mushrooms along the path to her cafe, a brightly glowing blue roadmap to her business.  If he could laugh in this form, he would.


    "She''s just so weird," Dave said, leaning over to watch Hazel too.  "I''d never think to use glowing mushrooms like that, especially since they''re poisonous, but look at her go.  It''s going to be eye-catching, that''s for sure."


    It really would be.  Now if only he had a way he could help her set up for the grand opening too.  Maybe make a quest for adventurers to--


    "Nope, no way."  Dave shook his head, ears flapping.  "No more big group quests like the attack on the walking trees.  Try sticking to cafe upgrades and rewards for her skills.  Keep her busy, keep her leveling, and keep her happy."  He stared into Cole''s flames.  "Think you can handle that?"


    Cafe upgrades, hmmmmm, now that gave him a good idea.  The only reason she''d needed to go after the goats was for milk, but if she had easy access to basic ingredients like that, she could focus on improving her skills without worrying about disappointing customers.  He could give her an unlimited pantry upgrade!


    It would need to be balanced, of course, so she couldn''t gain XP for using those ingredients, but at least it would let her cook freely.  He should make it kind of tough to unlock too, maybe have her visit those walking trees again and see just what her overenthusiastic fertilizer had done to them.


    Dave chuckled, patting the stone around my flames.  "Sounds like you''re on the right track.  I''m going to head out for real this time then."  As he walked out of the core chamber, he turned back, eyebrows knit together.  "Are you really going to be okay on your own?"


    Cole''s flames sparked.  He was the core of this dungeon.  Of course he''d be fine on his own.  Besides, Dave wasn''t quitting, remember?  Cole expected him back eventually, even if it was just to update him on all his adventurers.


    "Deal."  Dave smiled, waving goodbye.  "I''ll be back soon."


    And with that, Dave left, and the room felt a bit chillier.  Cole would have to work even harder now and do what he did best: create a challenging, but rewarding dungeon.  His human avatar would just have to stay tucked away, safe in its box.  That was the best for everyone involved.

 Chapter 27 - Time for a Haircut

    I''d spent what felt like weeks leveling up and getting my cafe as ready as possible for customers, but I had no way to know for sure without being able to keep track of time in the dungeon.  I''d worked myself to exhaustion more than once though, so I was counting each of those as a day.  It had paid off though, I was finally level 9 and I''d upgraded three of my skills!


    Buff Baking could now infuse one buff of my choice to the food I was cooking instead of it being random, Lasting Bite would keep food fresh for three times longer instead of two times, and my Green Thumb skill now gave a passive boost to my gardening skills, giving me a feel for what I should do before I did it.  All in all, not a bad way to spend my time.


    I stood outside my cafe with Matcha on my shoulder, staring out at the jungle floor ahead of us and the glowing path of mushrooms we''d planted so people didn''t get lost.  We were ready for customers.  We''d been ready for a while actually, but our Grand Opening had been a little less grand than I''d been expecting.  Adventurers had to find us to visit and that was proving difficult on a random dungeon floor where nobody expected a cafe to be.


    "If only they knew what they were missing out on," I said with a sigh.  "We''ve got the best food and the best slimes in the whole dungeon.  People should be swarming us to eat here."


    Matcha nuzzled against me, cooing. I patted his head, my hand running over the smooth slime.


    "It''s okay, they''ll show up soon."


    They had to.  Otherwise this entire leveling up plan would go out the window.  Sure, I''d been making good progress, but each level took more XP than the last and making simple food for myself and the slimes wasn''t cutting it.  I needed that Heartfelt Hospitality bonus and any other cafe bonuses I could get.  Completing quests was fine, but it just didn''t feel like enough.  Not even when the rewards were cool things like an unlimited pantry or magical sprinklers for the garden.


    I opened my menu, checking on the status of those new quests.  The unlimited pantry quest still needed a lot of wood and the initial basic ingredients to fill it up with, but the sprinkler quest was almost done.  If I could find whatever a magical water stone was.  I''d unlocked the ability to work on two quests at once, which was incredibly handy, but also made me wonder what other options there were.  I scrolled through all the cafe upgrades, most of which were grayed out.


    "Hey, Sweet Potato?" I called out with a smile.  Saying the system''s nickname was always so much fun.  "Being able to choose my own quests would be great, you know.  Any chance that''s an option?"


    [You don''t like the quests I''m giving you?]


    "No, that''s not what I meant."  I glanced up at the glowing embers in the ceiling, feeling like they were somehow linked to this magical system the dungeon used.  "It''s more like I want to be the one to decide what I''m working on.  Like sprinklers are amazing, but I''ve got an unlimited watering can so those are only really needed after I expand the garden too much for me to handle.  So it would be nice to work on something else before the sprinklers."  I worried my lip.  "Maybe you could list all the options available, so they''d still be coming from you, but I''d be the one to choose which order I did them in?"


    [...]


    [...]


    [...]


    I frowned at the blank message boxes popping up.  "Um, are you okay?  I didn''t break you or something, did I?"


    [I am fine.  Just thinking.]


    Matcha chirped at something in the distance, tumbling off my shoulder unexpectedly.  I snapped my arms out, catching him before he hit the ground.  All my base stat upgrades were really paying off with increased reflexes, strength, and magic levels.  I''d boosted almost everything over the past week or so.


    [Culinary Mage: Level 9]


    [Agility: 3]


    [Charisma: 5]


    [Endurance: 4]


    [Intelligence: 2]


    [Mana: 10]


    [Strength: 2]


    [Available Stat Points: 1]


    [Available Skill Points: 1]


    "Now what were you chirping at?" I asked the little slime in my arms as I surveyed the jungle floor ahead of us.  Vines hung from the dungeon''s ceiling, swaying in the breeze, while trees stood tall and unmoving.


    Matcha wiggled, bouncing in my arms with increasing excitement.  Slime vision must be way better than human eyesight, because all I saw was a whole lot of nothing.  Wait, no, there was something moving between the trees.  A monster?  No.  They were definitely human-shaped.


    "We''re about to get our first customer!"  I felt myself bouncing a bit with Matcha, his excitement flowing over to me as the figure got closer and closer.  "I hope it''s somebody nice.  Who likes slimes."


    Matcha tilted his head back, gazing up at me with those big eyes of his.


    "Of course they''ll like slimes," I said, hugging him closer.  "If they don''t, then they''re not welcome here.  We''ll have Boss kick them out."


    The big blue slime was pretty intimidating, but I didn''t really love the idea of using him as a bouncer.  Maybe he''d enjoy it though, getting a bit of harmless revenge on silly adventurers.  I''d have to ask him later, but right now, our customer was almost here and they had shockingly red hair¡­


    "It''s just Fiona." I sighed, shoulders slumping a bit as she walked closer.  "Welcome back."


    She shook her head, hefting a large bag over her shoulder.  "Don''t welcome back me, I heard that comment earlier.  Just Fiona.  Hmph."


    "Sorry, I didn''t mean it like that."  I winced.  "I meant it like oh, it''s just Fiona!"


    "Put whatever cheerful tone you want on it, the words don''t change," she said with a laugh.  "Were you expecting somebody else?"


    "Customers?"  My voice sounded far too hopeful.  "It''s hard running a cafe that nobody knows about."


    Fiona headed inside, saying hello to every slime she came across, before slumping into a chair.  Metal clanked as she moved, coming from the bag she held.  Was that full of more random bits of weapons or maybe the new pans she''d promised to make me?  Curiosity gnawed at me.


    She stretched her arms out, leaning back until the chair was only on two legs so she could peek inside the kitchen.  "Are there fire slimes in your stove?"


    "Yes?"


    She burst out laughing.  "Of course there are. I don''t even know why I asked."


    "I''ll make us some tea and we can catch up."  Hearing her laugh like that made this cafe feel so much more alive.  As I walked past her, I leaned down to hug her quickly.  "I missed you.  Thanks for coming back."


    "Did you think I''d forgotten about you?" She stood up to hug me properly, gripping me tightly in a bear hug, before she sat back down.  "I was busy working on so many cool things.  I actually went a little overboard.  Hope you need a lot of pots and pans."


    A grin spread across my face.  "Blacksmithing went well then, huh?"


    "So well that Brennic held me hostage for a while!"  She smiled so much brighter than I''d ever seen her smile before.  "It was great.  I wish I could do that all the time."


    I put the kettle on the stove, feeding Spark, the fire slime inside, a quick biscuit as he heated the water up for us.  Spark and I had gone through a lot lately, cooking up a storm for everyone.  He always kept the oven warm and the kitchen vibes silly.  It meant a lot having a partner like him.


    "You''re such a good slime." I fed him another biscuit as his flames crackled and sparked, making me laugh.  "And I like your spark."Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    His flames sparked even more, almost like tiny fireworks, which is how he''d gotten that nickname.  Soon the water was bubbling and ready for tea leaves.  Before I could reach out to get them, Matcha nudged me.  He tilted his head, brushing his tea leaves against me.  They''d been growing bigger and bigger, to the point where it felt like a small tree was growing on his head.  The leaves kept falling in front of his eyes too and a few small white flowers had bloomed.


    My Green Thumb skill had been nagging at me, not in words, but in a feeling every time I looked at Matcha.  I think...his tea was ready to trim?  Relief coursed through me as I felt the rightness of that.  Yes, Matcha needed a haircut.


    "Do you want me to trim those leaves back?" I asked.  He bounced up and down, but then went out into the dining area by Fiona.  "And you want Fiona to do it?"


    He swayed back and forth.  No, that wasn''t it.


    "Ummm, you want Fiona to hold you while I do it?" I asked.


    Again, he swayed in a clear no, but then he wiggled so his leaves shook.


    Fiona leaned down, fingers brushing against the leaves.  "Maybe he heard we were making tea and wants to help?"  Matcha''s eyes widened as he frantically bounced up and down, almost hitting Fiona who just laughed and leaned back in her chair.  "See?  I''m basically a slime whisperer at this point."


    "Riiight." I laughed along with her until we were both wiping our eyes and taking deep breaths.  "Okay, come on into the kitchen, Matcha.  We''ll steep some tea with your leaves and make it extra special."


    The slime cheered, bouncing into the kitchen like he was returning in triumph.  Spark hopped out of the oven and joined him in a little slime dance, hopping in circles around the room.  They were so adorable.  I went out back for my garden shears and a few dirt slimes popped out of the ground, staring at me with excitement in their eyes.


    "Sorry, this is for Matcha," I said, guilt sweeping over me as they slunk back into the ground all dejected like.  "I''ll come out to garden later though.  We''ll harvest lots of food and maybe plant more seeds, okay?"


    Dirt exploded everywhere as they shot out of the ground, doing their own slime dance.  Everyone had gotten so cheerful lately, as if the work we''d been doing was helping more than just my level.  The slimes were enjoying being useful and having fun with it.  We all were.  I grabbed the watering can and let them have fun in the rain for a bit, smiling as they rolled around in the mud, before going back in to check on Matcha.


    Thankfully, Spark had cooled the oven down so the water wasn''t boiling over, and now Boss had squeezed himself inside the kitchen too, as if Matcha needed a friend for this.  The little tea slime was perched on big blue''s head, bouncing down when I walked in.


    "You ready for this?" I asked.


    When Matcha nodded, I carefully grasped the tea leaves on his head, pruning them back where the Green Thumb skill led me to.  Boss loomed over us, as if any wrong cut would be trouble.  He''d become such an overprotective slime and seeing their close friendship made me so glad we''d been able to rescue him.  Fiona leaned into the kitchen to join the fun even though she couldn''t actually fit.  I''d really need to expand the cafe again at some point.  Between the slimes and potential customers, this place was just too small.


    After a few more snips, Matcha shook himself with a happy sigh, as if a great weight had been lifted.  Boss leaned back, settling into a more comfortable position now that the stressful part was over.  My hands were full of Matcha''s beautiful tea leaves that almost shimmered with magic.  These were special, grown by Matcha himself.  I''d keep them set aside just for us.


    "What will it taste like?" Fiona asked.  "Is it green tea?  Or matcha like you named him?"


    I shrugged.  "No idea.  Guess we''ll have to try it and find out."


    Spark had already hopped back into the oven and the water was gently boiling.  I added the leaves to the teapot, which now had a built-in strainer, and waited.  Every kind of tea took a different amount of time to steep, but I wasn''t even sure what this one was.  My Perfect Timing skill made me think it only needed a few minutes.  Once steeped, tea usually became a shade of light green, golden brown, orange, red, or even more of a white, but this tea was completely different.


    It was such a vivid green, as if the essence of the plant itself was in our cups.


    [Slime Tea Level 9 Acquired]


    [+15 XP]


    Slime tea?  Well, that was new...


    "Do you want some too?" I asked Matcha, not sure if drinking tea he''d grown would be weird or not, but he bobbed his head excitedly.  Of course he wanted tea!  I filled his pot, waiting for him to hop in and try it first while I got some for Boss and Spark too.  Matcha wiggled, settling into the pot with his eyes closed like it was a warm bath.  "I''m guessing it''s good then?"


    Fiona reached over to take her cup.  "Only one way to find out."


    Steam curled around me as I lifted my own cup to my lips, inhaling the refreshing scent of freshly cut grass.  Green tea always smelled so bright and vegetal, but this one was even clearer, as if we were lying outside in the garden on a sunny day.  I breathed in it, letting its scent invigorate me before I even drank any.  When I took my first sip, the delicate flavor danced across my lips, sweeter than any green tea I''d tasted before.  This tea was unlike anything I''d ever tried; it soothed my soul more and more with each sip.


    "Thank you for sharing this with us." I bent down to pet Matcha.  "It means a lot."


    The little slime cooed, spinning in his pot like he was on a lazy river.  His body shimmered, as if the tea was filling him with a magical sparkle.  I sat on the floor next to him, pushed up against Boss, drinking tea with my adorable slime friends.  Fiona sat cross-legged in the doorway, and we just sipped tea, enjoying the vibes.  So what if no customers had come today?  This was too precious to share with them anyway.


    This was the magic of slimes and good tea.  I never wanted to forget this moment.


    "I missed this," Fiona said.  "Blacksmithing was wonderful, but it''s nice coming home too."


    "So this is home for you now, huh?" I smiled against my tea cup.  "I''m glad.  Come back whenever you want."


    She nodded.  "No matter what floor I''m on, I''ll find a way."


    "No matter what floor..."  I frowned, feeling an idea coming on but not sure how it would work.  "Imagine if we could connect this cafe to other dungeon floors.  Like how my key works, but for other people."


    Her eyes widened.  "Then you could get customers from anywhere!"


    "Exactly.  The lower floors could probably use some good food and a break even more than the early ones like this one."  I finished my tea, feeling completely invigorated by this idea.  "How would that even work though?  Magical doors?  Portals?  Hey Sweet Potato, what do you think?"


    [You''re amazing]


    "I meant about the idea," I stammered, suddenly feeling way too hot in this cramped kitchen.  "Do you think we could connect other floors to my cafe?"


    [You''d have to keep growing and expanding to do that]


    [But anything''s possible if you work hard enough]


    Anything was possible, huh?  Well then, I''d have to work so hard that this cafe took over the entire dungeon.  Then, once I''d progressed far enough, I could walk right out onto the final floor and finally go back home.  Wherever that was.


    "Okay, I''ll keep working hard then," I said, grinning at Fiona.  "Got any good ideas to get adventurers here?"


    "A few."  She set her cup down, staring at me hard.  "And none of them have to do with a glowing trail of mushrooms that screams trap ahead."


    "No way," I scoffed.  "That was a great idea.  Nobody will think it''s a trap."


    She raised her eyebrows. "Have you seen anybody here since you did it?"


    "Well, no, but that''s besides the point."  I leaned back against Boss, cradled by his squishy body.  "Okay, maybe it''s a little bit suspicious..."


    She snorted, pouring herself another cup of tea and refilling Matcha''s pot too.


    "Okay, fine, what would you do then?" I asked, crossing my arms.  "What''s your grand idea?"


    "Post a quest in town."  She sighed with contentment as she drank her tea, patting Matcha''s head absently.  "Ask adventurers to bring you something and they''ll rush here in droves if you''ve got a good enough reward."


    My mouth dropped open a bit.  Was it really that simple? I just had to post a cool job for people to do and they''d come find me on their own?  Wait, that could make so many things easier!  I wouldn''t need to hunt down ingredients anymore or risk going outside!  I could just stay in the cafe and bake, just like I wanted to.


    "You''re brilliant," I told Fiona.  "Absolutely brilliant."


    "Oh, I know." She gave me a smug smile, sitting a bit straighter.  "So what''s the quest going to be?"


    "Ingredient gathering.  If they bring me ingredients, I''ll cook something with them.  The best thing they''ve ever tasted."


    Fiona grinned.  "That''s not hard when all they''ve tasted is cardboard."


    "Exactly."  I laughed, suddenly feeling so much better about this cafe plan.  "I''ll get customers, one way or another."


    [Don''t you think that¡¯s...cheating?]


    "Of course it''s not cheating," I said.  "It''s more like using my newfound intelligence stat increase."


    Fiona laughed.  "Is the system chastising you or something?"


    "Yeah, but it''ll be fine.  We''re on good terms by now.  Right, Sweet Potato?"


    [...]


    I could practically hear the sigh in that message box.  "Oh, come on, I promise it''ll be fun.  This little deal is a great idea.  Adventurers will get easy gathering quests, and I''ll get all the ingredients I need. We''ll both level up too."


    [True...]


    [As long as everyone''s leveling, it''s fine]


    [Make your cafe into something this dungeon can''t live without]


    "Is that an order?  A new quest for me perhaps?" I raised an eyebrow at the messages.  A quest like that better have one damn good reward.  "Or maybe you''re just hoping I succeed?"


    Fiona laughed.  "The system doesn''t hope, Hazel.  It just runs things."


    That didn''t feel quite right.  From all the conversations we''d had, the system seemed to have feelings just like everyone else, even if it didn''t know how to talk about them very well.  Maybe how it talked to Fiona was different than how it talked to me?  Why would that be though?


    [Good luck, Hazel]


    I smiled, holding my mug tight as Boss snored behind me.  The system had wished me luck and the slimes were happy.  With those two things, I felt like I could do anything.  Even lure adventurers to my cafe carrying armfuls of ingredients for me.

 Chapter 28 - Quest for Courage

    We''d cobbled together a second table for the dining area made of crates, but it just didn''t look right. I kept straightening the crates and readjusting the tablecloth, but I knew it wasn''t really a table. The whole thing just felt so shoddy. Kind of like me using old shields as serving trays and all these mismatched lanterns. It seemed like such a good idea at the time, working with what I had, but now people were going to actually see it. And judge it.


    Matcha rolled across the floor, playing with Spark. Their little chirps and giggles usually would have put me at ease, but today it worried me more. What would adventurers think of this place? And what would I do if they didn''t like the slimes? I''d joked about Boss being a bouncer, but I didn''t want it to actually come to that. I''d tested out the cafe''s supposed safe zone capabilities and they worked, but that still didn''t mean I wanted the slimes to feel like they were unsafe here.


    One thing at a time. I had to focus on what I could do before worrying about things that were out of my control.


    I rearranged the lanterns hanging from the ceiling, trying to make a pattern out of the different types to make it look like they were mismatched on purpose. Some were open, with nothing but some bronze wires forming a cage around the flames, while others had actual glass surrounding them. They were all different shapes too from round like a glowing orb to rectangular like a normal lantern. All of them had their place, if I could just figure the pattern out.


    "Stop fidgeting," Fiona said. "You''re going to stress yourself out before anyone even gets here."


    "Is somebody coming?" I asked, clutching one of the lanterns to my chest. "What do they look like?"


    "No, I just meant...," she paused, glancing out the window, "actually, yes, it does look like people are coming. Two of them. One''s obviously skilled while the other looks like a newbie."


    My chest tightened. Customers were here and the slimes were lively. That felt like a bad mix.


    "Should we go outside and greet them?" I forced myself to rehang the lantern and calm down. "Or wait inside?"


    "We don''t want to seem too eager," she said, propping a window open, "so let''s wait here and see what they have to say."


    Voices drifted into the cafe.


    "Watch your step," a gruff-sounding woman said. "These glowing mushrooms scream trap."


    Fiona gave me a pointed look. I rolled my eyes back at her. Maybe the trail of glowing mushrooms had been a bad idea, but oh well, they were there now and I wasn''t about to dig them up again. I thought they looked nice.


    "A trap?" A man moaned, sounding far too overwhelmed for some mushrooms. "No, no, no. They said this was a safe place! But we''re going to die, aren''t we? Just bring me back to the safe zone. If the slimes don''t eat me, something else will."


    Wait, that voice sounded familiar, especially the scared tone. I''d met him before, I was sure of it, but I couldn''t place him.


    "What about your quest for courage?" The woman laughed. "Stay strong. I bet you''d at least make it to the door."


    Fiona peeked out the window as the man mumbled about rude bets. "Hey, it''s that guy from the safe zone who kept getting eaten by slimes."


    "Marvin?" I asked softly. "I thought he never left the safe zone."


    "Maybe he wants more tea?"


    I took a deep breath. Even though he was scared, he came all the way out here to visit us. This was all going to be okay. I rolled my shoulders, stretching out my arms to loosen up. I just had to cook my heart out and win them over. They''d see the charm of this place, just like Fiona and Cole had.


    The door creaked open slowly, revealing the point of a sword.


    "Hello?" A short, but stocky woman covered in leather armor walked inside carefully, gaze darting around every corner as if she was looking for tripwires. When her gaze settled on me, she frowned. "Are you the one who posted the ingredient gathering quest?"


    "Yes, welcome to the Slime Serenitea Cafe!" I smiled at her, motioning for her to come in. "Take a seat. I''ll make some tea, if you want."


    "The Slime Serenitea Cafe?" The woman''s face hardened. "So the rumors are true then. This is some kind of slime sanctuary and we''re the ones on the menu, right?"


    "Wait, what?" I opened my mouth and closed it a few times, not even sure how to respond to that. Matcha bounced over, looking up at me with those big eyes of his. "You think I''m feeding people...to slimes?"


    "Slimes are ravenous," the woman said, her hand still grasping her sword tight.


    "True, but I can''t imagine you taste very good," I snapped. "Slimes prefer sweets."


    She smirked. "So you''re saying I''m not sweet enough for them, huh?" She sheathed her sword, chuckling as she sat down. "Fine by me. I like things spicy anyway."


    Marvin hovered by the door, wringing his hands. His eyes widened as Spark bounced over to greet him. Spark was such a friendly slime, but Marvin was so nervous all he could do was back away. He squeezed his eyes closed, mumbling something to himself that sounded like a protective chant.


    Fiona sighed, grabbing Marvin by the collar. "Oh just come inside and sit down. You got the courage to leave the safe zone; be proud of that. Anything you do now is just the cherry on top."


    "Th-thank you," he stammered. "It''s only because I hired Velda to take me here."


    "Kicking and screaming for some of it," Velda said with a grin. "He told me to get him here no matter what though and to ignore anything he said afterwards."


    "That sounds terrifying," I said softly. "Why did you want to come here so badly?"


    He blinked. "You said you''d help me get over my fears." He turned to Fiona. "And you said you''d help me protect myself."


    Velda had called this his quest for courage, which made a lot more sense now. He was here to move past his fears so he could finally leave the safe zone and continue adventuring. This was a big moment, one I had to respect and do my best to help with. If he could get over his fears, maybe others would see how nice this cafe was too. That we were a place of comfort, not violence.


    I picked up Matcha, cradling him in my arms as I approached Marvin. His eyes widened with each step I took and he kept scooting his chair back. I paused, waiting for him to calm down. He reminded me of a scared animal, easily startled and prone to fleeing.


    "It''s okay," I said. "We can take this slow."You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Fiona stood behind Marvin''s chair. "But no more backing away. If this is really your choice, then you''ve gotta own it. Matcha is the nicest slime here, so you should say hello."


    "That''s the spirit!" Velda said, slamming her fist on the table. "You can do this Marvin. Don''t make me take you back to the safe zone in defeat. You know they''ll treat you even worse."


    "I know that," he said, gaze locked on Matcha, "but that doesn''t make this any easier!"


    "If it helps," Fiona said, "Matcha''s too small to eat somebody your size."


    "Fiona!" I gasped as she clapped him on the shoulder with a grin.


    Marvin actually seemed to straighten up at that though. "You''re right. That slime is far too small to eat me. The other ones were way bigger."


    Fiona raised her eyebrows at me, mouthing, "See?"


    I rolled my eyes and walked up to Marvin. "Remember how I told you I knew a blue slime who drank so much tea that he evolved into a tea slime? This is him." Matcha wiggled in my arms, like he was proud of his evolution. "He''s been with me since the tutorial zone and he''s my very best friend. He takes care of me, so there''s nothing for you to fear."


    We all seemed to hold our breaths as Marvin studied the tea slime, nobody moving except for the slight bounce every slime did all the time.


    "He-Hello, I''m Marvin." He held his hand out, fingers shaking. "Nice t-to meet you."


    Matcha chirped, bobbing forward to tap his finger softly. Marvin squeaked and jerked his hand back, but Fiona held his chair firm so he couldn''t fly out of the cafe. Matcha just kept bouncing, a big goofy slime smile on his face.


    "Look at him, Marvin," I said, holding Matcha out to the man. "How can you be afraid of such a sweet smile? He likes to be pet, if you want to try that."


    Velda barked out a laugh. "You are one crazy lady, but I kind of like it. This place might grow on me."


    Marvin took a deep breath and reached out to the little slime. Even though his hands were still trembling, he dared to pat Matcha''s head. The slime cooed, happy as can be.


    "He''s warm," Marvin whispered. "Like holding a cup of tea."


    Matcha leaned into his hand, leaning even further when Marvin pulled away. I held on tight so he didn''t fall right out of my arms while Marvin stared at his hand, moving it in the air like he was shocked it was still attached. Man, he must have really been terrified of slimes. I respected him even more for trying his best to befriend them. Or at least, not fear them as much.


    "Good job, kid," Velda said. "Now show the baker what you brought her for the quest. My stomach''s rumbling over here."


    "Oh, right, I¨C" his voice choked up as Matcha careened out of my arms and landed in his lap! He flung his arms into the air, sweat beading on his face. "You said it wouldn''t eat me! I''m not sweet, I promise. I''m stringy and dry and probably taste terrible."


    "He''s not trying to eat you," I said, "he''s just very friendly, that''s all. And apparently has no boundaries!" Matcha swayed back and forth, doing a little slime dance like he was so proud of himself. I shook my head, determined to teach him some slime manners at some point. "I''m sorry. I''ll take him back if you want."


    Matcha nuzzled up to Marvin like he absolutely wouldn''t be letting that happen. I sighed. What had gotten into him?


    "It''s f-fine," Marvin forced out as he awkwardly lowered his arms. "I can handle this."


    My eyebrows shot up as Fiona stepped out from behind his chair. If Marvin thought he could handle this, then I guess she didn''t need to stop him from fleeing anymore. He had to stand on his own, to prove he could hold a slime without panicking. Maybe Matcha had known this was what he needed, a calm slime to chill with for a while. Matcha''s green eyes slowly closed as he fell asleep in Marvin''s arms. His little slime snores sounded like thunder in the silence that had suddenly filled my cafe.


    "He''s asleep?" Marvin whispered. "What now?"


    Fiona patted him on the shoulder. "Now you sit there while Hazel cooks something delicious."


    "I just have to sit here?" He gulped. "With a slime?"


    I nodded. "Yup, think of it like training. Once you''re so comfortable around him that you don''t scream when he moves, then I''ll introduce you to the others."


    "You two are very kind," Velda said with a sigh. "People will take advantage of that. Be careful."


    "That''s why she''s got me," Fiona said. "I''d never let that happen. Neither would the slimes."


    Velda leaned forward. "How many does she have?"


    I frowned. "Ummm....there are maybe a dozen dirt slimes, five fire slimes, Matcha, Boss, and a few others that come and go. So around 20?"


    Marvin paled. "That''s basically an army. You''ve got a slime army!"


    "Of nice slimes," Fiona said. "Remember the nice part."


    I gave Fiona a grateful smile. I hadn''t thought about it like that before, but I couldn''t really say he was wrong. Not that I''d ever use them like that, but the more slimes that joined us, the bigger a threat people would think they were. I had to be wary and not casually answer questions like that again. Maybe there was a way for us to show off the sanctuary aspect of this, proving that we meant no harm. We were just here for good food and leveling up, that was all.


    Speaking of good food...


    "Velda said you brought ingredients for the quest?" I asked. "What would you like me to make with them?"


    "I''m not picky," he said, pulling ingredient after ingredient out of his item box. "I remembered you saying you needed ingredients from the safe zone, so I brought a few..."


    "All of them," Velda said. "He brought all of the ingredients in the safe zone."


    My eyes widened as flour, sugar, butter, cheese, chocolate chips, beef, chicken, salt, pepper, and more filled the table, piling higher and higher until I almost couldn''t even see Marvin.


    "You didn''t need to bring all of this!" My mouth dropped open, staring at the treasure trove of goods on the table. "Let me pay you for it at least. I can''t possibly cook you food worthy of all this."


    Fiona leaned closer. "Well, you could try. That''s how you make a profit."


    Marvin scratched the back of his head, blushing. "I just wanted you to have options. You were so nice to me last time and I just wanted to repay that. And..."


    I waited, but he didn''t continue. I glanced at Velda, who sighed loudly.


    "And the boy wants to stay here a while," she said. "He only paid me to bring him here, not to bring him back. So if you don''t keep him, he''ll be screwed."


    She made it sound like he was a pet I should adopt or something. But he was a person! A person who was terrified of slimes!


    "That''s not true," Marvin said, shaking his head vehemently. "I''ll gladly pay her to take me home too. Unless you like the idea of me staying?"


    "Ummm, I''m not sure," I said slowly. "There are a lot of slimes here and I think you''d be pretty uncomfortable."


    Not to mention he was basically a stranger and I didn''t want him living in my cafe all of the sudden!


    Marvin''s blush deepened. "That''s the idea. If I''m forced to be around them, I''ll have to get better. R-r-right?"


    I glanced at Fiona for help, but she just shrugged.


    "I did tell him I''d help him protect himself," she said. "He can stay outside with me, if you want. We can turn the side yard into a camping area. I''ll train up his fighting skills and you''ll train up his slime skills."


    "His slime skills?" I took a deep breath, trying to calm down and think about this rationally. He wanted to like slimes, so I should help him with that. But why did he have to stay here to do it? What would I even do with him? Wait. "If you''re going to stay here, then I''m going to put you to work. You can learn about slimes while you tend the garden and help with customers."


    He blinked. "You want me to work here?"


    "Yup, this is a cafe," I said. "I''m sure I''ll need help once things get busy. And once you''re ready to leave, you can move on. Sound good?"


    "Sounds very good, Miss Hazel!" Marvin almost jumped out of his chair, but froze when Matcha started rolling off his lap. He held the slime steady, which was more than I expected, before smiling. "See! I can handle this."


    "I''m sure you can." I felt myself smiling back. Maybe this cafe could be useful in lots of different ways, all valid and important. "I appreciate any help you can give me."


    Velda shook her head. "Far, far too kind. Take care of that one."


    She directed that last part at Fiona, who nodded. "With my life."


    How had today gone from finding customers to gaining a bodyguard and an employee? How was I even going to pay him? I guess it would have to be in food for now. The table was pretty full of ingredients to work with after all. And once business started booming, I could pay employees with gold too.


    Fiona helped me carry the food into the kitchen so I could get to work, leaning over to whisper. "Think you''ll ever serve normal customers? Or will you befriend them all and fix everyone''s problems in the dungeon?"


    "Guess we''ll have to wait and see," I said with a grin. "Now go entertain them while I figure out what to make."


    Spark poked out of the oven, flames dancing like he was just as ready as I was to get cooking. I rubbed my hands together. What should we cook today?

 Chapter 29 - Slime Gardening

    Velda leaned back in her chair with a sigh of contentment.  "Okay, that was more than worth the trip here."


    "Absolutely."  Marvin finished up his last bite of spicy omelet and did the same, rubbing his stomach like he was too full to do anything else.


    I''d used the fire peppers from the crispy cluckers so long ago and mixed in some herbs and veggies from the garden too.  Overall, it was a very delicious meal.  If only I''d had fresh bread to make toast with, it would have been complete.  Bread dough took too long to raise though, so I''d either need to hope for a skill that sped up time or find something that would let me store dough that was ready to bake whenever a customer came in.  Or I could just bake bread every day so there was a fresh loaf always on hand.


    I gathered up the empty plates.  How would I keep the slimes from devouring the loaves if I did that?


    The water was a bit chilly as I washed the dishes, resting them on a drying towel I''d gotten from the safe zone.  There wasn''t much room in the kitchen to store dishes, so we could only serve four or five customers at a time right now.  Hopefully larger parties didn''t show up before I could expand things a bit.


    Fiona poked her head into the kitchen.  "Sounds like they enjoyed it.  How does it feel, serving your first official customers?"


    "Amazing."  I grinned, drying my hands off as I stacked the last plate.  "Absolutely amazing."


    Sure, it was only one meal, but it felt like the start of something so much bigger.  More adventurers would find us and they''d probably bring even more ingredients so I could focus on cooking.  Better yet, once I got enough ingredients for sweets, I could switch to more baking like I preferred.  The fruit trees were growing wonderfully out back and we''d have apples soon for sure.  Maybe I should bake an apple pie for the slimes to thank them for their hard work in the garden.


    Okay, I''d probably need to bake five or ten pies if I was going to let everyone have some.  The amount of mouths to feed was growing, but I was ready for the task.  I unrolled my sleeves, heading back into the dining area with Fiona.


    "Let me know if you''d like anything else," I said with a smile.  "You more than deserve it after all the ingredients you brought."


    Marvin shook his head.  "Oh no, I couldn''t eat a single bite more."


    "Me either." Velda groaned, standing up and stretching her arms toward the ceiling.  "If the boy''s staying here, then I should probably get going.  Gotta keep my skills sharp and my XP bar growing."  She ruffled Marvin''s hair as she walked by.  "Take care, kiddo."


    "Hey!  I''m not that young," he said, frowning.  "But thank you for getting me here safely."


    "Yes, thank you," I said, holding the door open for her.  "I hope we''ll see you again soon?"


    "Keep cookin'' like that and you can count on it."  She laughed.  "I tend to stick around the lower floors, training newbies and helping them level up.  So expect to see me with lots of different people.  We''ll spread the word about this food, don''t you worry."


    She nodded and took her leave, walking back out into the dungeon with a bit more pep in her step than when she came in.  I''d added a stamina boost to their food, hoping it would refresh them.  It felt good helping people in whatever way I could, especially somebody like her who was helping other new adventurers along.  The dungeon was a confusing place and I don''t know what I''d have done if I hadn''t met Fiona.


    I closed the door, leaning my back against it as I watched Fiona play with Spark, bringing him over by Marvin to see how he''d react.  Marvin squirmed, but stayed put surprisingly well.  Maybe it was time to introduce him to the others.


    "Okay, if you''re going to stay here, then we should get to work," I said, pushing myself off the door.  "The garden is flourishing with so many things ready to harvest."


    His shoulders relaxed.  "Gardening sounds easy.  I''m sure I can handle that."


    Fiona and I exchanged a glance.  Should we tell him?  She shook her head, as if she knew exactly what I was thinking.  I shrugged, leading them into the backyard.


    He''d find out soon enough that the garden was home to at least a dozen dirt slimes, including a collossos slime named Mossy.  How Marvin reacted to him would determine if he could really stay here and work or not.  I needed to be able to trust him with the slimes, even if he was afraid of them, otherwise I''d never feel comfortable focusing on other things while he was here.


    The sunlight outside was shining brightly today, even though I''d never actually seen a sun in the dungeon.  Or a moon.  Thinking about that just made my head hurt, so I focused on the garden instead.  Lush greenery was everywhere, from the fruit trees which were almost fully grown and plump with apples and pears, to the pumpkins slowly taking over the garden along with the trailing strawberry vines creeping in every direction.  I''d probably need to replant a few things to keep them separated better, but right now, I was just happy to see the fruits of our labor.


    The garden was full of beautiful food, shining like gems on the stems.


    Fiona''s eyes widened.  "It''s grown so much since the last time I was here."


    "We''ve been working hard," I said proudly.  "I even leveled up my Green Thumb skill."


    Marvin gasped.  "You''ve got a gardening skill?"


    "I''m a culinary mage, so I have a few...unique skills."  I stepped into the garden, feeling the soft dirt beneath my feet and inhaling the vegetal scent of the plants.  I loved it out here, just me and the dirt slimes.  It felt a little strange to have other people with me this time, but I turned back to Marvin.  "Okay, the first rule about slime gardening is that this is their garden and we''re just guests here."


    The whites of his eyes shone starkly.  "Sl-slime gardening?"


    Fiona snorted, trying to cover up a laugh as I pressed on.


    "The second rule about slime gardening is that you should never, and I mean never, cut or uproot anything without permission from the slimes." I gave him a stern look, remembering that poor dirt slime I''d hurt when I haphazardly clipped any plant I saw.  When he nodded, I continued.  "And the third rule is that if you see something flying through the air, catch it, because it''s probably food."


    Marvin wrung his hands.  "So you''re telling me...that there are slimes out here?"  His gaze flitted from plant to plant.  "Where?  I don''t see anything."


    "Look closer." I knelt next to a little dirt slime poking out of the soil.  A few bright red strawberries curled around her head like a crown.  When she saw me, she leapt up, bounding into my arms like a happy puppy.  "Hello, little one."


    I pet the dirt slime, trying not to bump any of the strawberries.  She was one of the smallest I''d seen so far, barely filling my cupped hands.  Mossy seemed to be able to make more slimes, but I wasn''t sure how.  They just appeared from the ground more and more each day.  Soon we''d be overrun with adorable dirt slimes, growing all the food we could ever need.


    I walked back to Marvin, cradling the strawberry-covered slime close.  "See?  They''re part of the garden.  It''s their home, but they welcomed me into it."


    "It''s so tiny!"  His eyes softened as he watched the little slime rock back and forth on my palms.  "Does it have a name?"


    "Not yet, also, she''s a girl."  I moved the slime closer to him.  "Want to help name her?"


    "You want me to, to name her??" He shook his head, backing up a step and almost tripping over another dirt slime who''d scooted up behind him.  He spun his arms, catching his balance.  "They''re everywhere, aren''t they?"


    Fiona finally let out the laugh she''d been holding in.  "Yes, they really are.  So watch your step."The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    He lifted one of his feet, staring at the ground below it, then lifted the other, letting out a breath when no slimes jumped up.  As if I''d let him step on a slime!


    But maybe it would be best to keep the smallest slimes out of reach. I moved the little strawberry slime to my shoulder, letting her nuzzle up against my braid like it was a blanket. I ran my index finger over her side and the slime giggled, leaning into me further.  Adorable.  I think I¡¯d call her Berry for now and see if she continued to prefer berries or other types of plants later on.


    "Okay Marvin, let''s start you off with something easy," I said, clapping my hands together.  "How do you feel about watering the garden?"


    He stared at me for a bit, but then nodded.  "I can do that."


    "Fair warning, the slimes love being rained on." I grabbed the watering can, which was always full and never ran out of water.  "They''ll probably bounce and cheer if you water one of them.  Try not to be too startled."


    "Startled?  Me?" He laughed, reaching out with shaking hands to take the watering can.  "You''ll both be here, right?"


    Fiona nodded.  "Of course.  You''re safe here. I promise."


    He gripped the watering can tight, taking a few deep breaths, before tipping it over and watering the pumpkins next to him.  When nothing jumped out, he seemed to steady himself and started walking.  When the first happy dirt slime jumped up, dancing in the rain, Marvin fell straight on his backside, dropping the watering can and everything.


    I held my hand out.  "You okay?"  The dirt slime who''d startled him bounced over, nudging his leg as if to ask the same thing.  I patted his head.  "It''s not your fault, Marvin''s just new here.  He''s not used to being around dirt slimes yet."


    Berry leaned forward, almost tipping off my shoulder as Marvin took my hand, letting me help him up.  I steadied the slime, smiling.  They were always so concerned about people, even when they were total strangers.  How anyone got into fights with them was mind-boggling.  Maybe they were fiercer when they were defending themselves though.


    The dungeon was set up for people to fight monsters and monsters to fight back just as hard.  That couldn''t change just because I wanted it to; the dungeon itself had to change.  Maybe one day, but for now, I''d just work on winning over this one adventurer.  Then maybe more would join me in seeing slimes as friends.


    Marvin dusted his clothes off and picked up the watering can again.  He gave me a determined nod and kept going without saying a word.  His fingers gripped the can so tight his knuckles were white though.  I glanced at Fiona, who made sure to keep close to him in case he got startled again.


    "You''re doing really well," I told him.  "Facing your fears is hard and you haven''t given up.  I hope you''re proud of yourself."


    He smiled shakily.  "I am.  This garden doesn''t feel as scary as the rest of the dungeon, so it''s easier.  Everything here is so full of life."


    Another dirt slime popped out of the ground, wiggling in joy as Marvin poured water on him.  This time, Marvin''s smile grew.  He really was doing well.  The strawberry slime bounced on my shoulder, eager to get down and join in the fun probably. I laughed, setting her in the damp soil with the others.  Three slimes now danced under the rain of the watering can, chirping and giggling like they were having the time of their lives.


    "I think you''ll do well here," I told Marvin.  "This garden needs somebody kind who can not only tend to the plants, but take care of the slimes too.  They love being played with or even just having somebody sit outside with them in the fresh air.  Do you think you can handle a bit of that each day?"


    Fiona raised an eyebrow.  "It would be more than a bit.  If he''s your employee, he''ll need to work.  That''s the only way he can grow."


    True, but I didn''t want to overwhelm him too much.  Plus, I had to make sure the slimes were okay with him too.  This was their garden, not mine.  Which meant we''d need to talk to the big guy, Mossy.  He had the final vote here.  I glanced at Marvin, who was finally looking a bit less nervous.  His hands no longer shook and his smile felt genuine.  Maybe we could wait to meet Mossy for just a bit longer.  His size would probably terrify the poor adventurer all over again.


    A tomato shot through the air, arcing over my shoulder too far for me to catch.


    "Catch that!" I shouted, but Fiona was too far away.  Marvin scrambled to grab it, almost dropping it as he fumbled it from hand to hand, but he managed to hold on tight.  So tight that he squished it and juice shot all over his hands. I winced at the look of horror on his face.  "It''s okay.  It was your first attempt and slime gardening isn''t exactly normal.  You''ll get it next time."


    He stared at the smashed red tomato in his hands, a laugh spilling from his lips.  "The food really does just fly through the air! I thought you were kidding."


    "I never kid about slime gardens."  I laughed with him until Fiona joined in too, handing him a cloth to clean his hands with.  "The dirt slimes tend to know when the food is ready better than I do, but they usually wait until one of us is here to toss them up in the air.  A few times we came out here and there was food all over, so I made it a point to garden a bit each day now."


    Marvin nodded and looked like he was about to say something, but a keening noise pulled my attention to a dirt slime caught in a tangle of weeds.  I rushed over, pulling at them carefully to free the poor little thing.


    "Sorry about that," I said softly, separating the slime from the weed encroaching in the garden.  "Are you okay?"


    The dirt slime harrumphed, glaring at the weeds like they were a monster.  I stomped on them, making the slime giggle, before I picked them up to make sure they didn''t reseed in the soil.  I glanced up at Marvin, who was watching closely.


    "Weeds are vicious invaders," I said, showing him the ones I''d just pulled.  "Eventually you''ll need to tell the difference between plant and weed, ripping the bad ones out by the root so they can''t multiply.  Dirt slimes seem to attract weeds even faster than normal gardens, so you''ll have to be mindful of them.  Slay the weeds and keep my slimes safe, that''s your mission here."


    He nodded solemnly, taking the weed from me for a closer look.  The ground shook a bit as a massive slime rose from the middle of the garden, dirt falling off him in waves.


    Marvin''s eyes bulged as he scrambled backwards.  "Now that slime is definitely big enough to eat me!"


    "Calm down," I said, but he was already halfway out of the garden.  Fiona hurried after him while I patted Mossy on the side.  "Sorry about that.  He''s skiddish."  The big slime leaned into me, almost knocking me over, but I stood firm as his moss tickled my cheek.  "You''re such a good slime, taking care of all these youngins.  I was hoping Marvin could help you out with that."


    But maybe that was too much to hope for so soon.


    Mossy swayed slowly, moving side to side in a comfortable rhythm.  I continued tearing out weeds and playing with the dirt slimes, picking up the watering can Marvin had dropped.


    "Are you thirsty?" I reached up on my tiptoes to pour water on Mossy''s head.  His eyes closed, a soft hum emanating from his body.  He was a gentle giant, but a giant all the same, so I could see why Marvin ran away.  Still, there was no getting over his fear if we couldn''t have him work with the slimes.  He''d run into Boss or Mossy eventually no matter where he was.


    "Maybe this wasn''t a good idea after all," I said softly, gaze following drops of water running down Mossy''s sides.  "We were doing okay on our own, right?"


    Mossy turned his big slime body towards me, blinking slowly.


    I sighed.  "I know the cafe''s going to get busier, but I''ll figure it out.  Maybe we''ll just keep the garden small for now so I can keep managing it on my own."


    The big slime burrowed back into the ground, wiggling into the perfect spot in the freshly damp soil.  I walked in a circle around him, making sure to water everything without making it muddy.  The little dirt slimes loved mudpits, but Mossy?  Not so much.


    While I was doing that, Marvin and Fiona returned, but he was shaking like a leaf.


    "It''s okay, you don''t have to do everything the first day," I said.  "You''ve already done so well.  Maybe we can meet Mossy tomorrow?"


    "No, I will not keep running away."  Marvin shook his head, standing tall as he gripped that weed so hard he almost ripped it apart.  "Hello, my na-name is Marvin and I''m ha-happy to meet you."


    He held his hand out to the slime, but when Mossy didn''t move, he dropped it to his side, staring at me mournfully.  I sighed, knowing Mossy had just snuggled back into the soil, so there was no way he''d be coming out again any time soon. The big slime was a slow mover, only hopping around a few times a day.  But the carrot on his head was wiggling...


    "Hold out your hands again," I whispered to Marvin.  "Hurry!"


    Marvin jerked his hands out, eyes wide as one of Mossy''s carrots popped up out of the slime''s body and elegantly arced into the adventurer''s outstretched hands.  Marvin stared at it, cradling it like a prized possession.


    "I did it," he whispered, "it just fell right into my hands.  Almost like...." He glanced over at Mossy, who was sinking further and further into the dirt.  "Almost like the slime made sure I''d catch it."


    Mossy blinked slowly at the man as the little slimes we''d been watering earlier circled around us, bouncing like they didn''t have a care in the world.  Marvin was still staring at the carrot, mouth hanging open a bit like he still couldn''t fathom the idea that Mossy had gifted it to him.


    "Does that mean you approve of him?" I asked the big slime.  "I was hoping he could continue working out here for a while, tending the garden and playing with the slimes.  But only if you''re okay with that."


    The slime nodded slowly before disappearing back into the ground entirely.  I grinned.  He''d only have done that if he believed Marvin was worthy of being here.  That he''d treat the dirt slimes right.


    "Enjoy that carrot," I said.  "It''s a sign of your new friendship with these slimes."


    "My new...friendship?"  Marvin gulped.  "With the slimes?"


    Fiona clapped him on the back, setting a dirt slime on his shoulder.  "Look at how far you''ve come in such a short time.  Soon you''ll be sleeping with the slimes, just like our dear Hazel here."


    I rolled my eyes.  "Don''t knock it ''til you''ve tried it."  I turned to Marvin, smiling at the little slime on his shoulder, who cooed and wiggled in joy.  "You really did do well today, but maybe we shouldn''t push our luck?"


    "Oh thank you." He let out a giant breath, shoulders drooping so much the little slime tumbled right off.  He gasped, catching it in his hands along with the carrot.  "Sorry!"


    The slime gave him an upside-down smile and we all laughed.  I had a feeling that Marvin was going to fit right in with us.

 Chapter 30 - Slimes Love Marshmallows

    The dirt slimes and I had spent the past few hours digging a giant fire pit by the front of the cafe.  Okay, I spent the time digging, the slimes had mostly been playing, leaping in and out of the dirt like it was water.  They were actually breaking up the ground really well though, making it easier for me to remove the dirt.


    I shoveled out more and more, making this fire pit three times larger than I''d originally planned.  I wanted the fire slimes to have a place all to themselves, a place where they could feel comfortable no matter how busy the cafe got inside.


    A glomp noise drew my attention to the pile of dirt next to me.  It was half the size it was before with just a tiny dirt slime wiggling next to it.  She was the one with strawberries on her head and her smile was full of joy as she opened her mouth wide, devouring even more of the dirt.  She cooed, bouncing like it was the best meal ever.


    "That can''t taste good," I said.  "Is that how you all evolved?  You ate a lot of dirt?"


    She bobbed, nodding.  Well, to each their own, but it made me want to feed them so many delicious things.  Except, dirt probably was delicious to them.  Hmmm...maybe I could make them a dirt cake?  The slimes squealed cheerfully as we removed the last of the dirt from the fire pit, leaving a nice big empty space for the fire slimes to get cozy in.  Now we just had to line it with rocks just in case their fiery playtime got out of hand.


    The river would be my best shot at finding rocks suitable for the job, but Fiona and Marvin were training over there, and it was honestly a bit too painful to watch.  Marvin flinched every time Fiona raised her sword, even when she''d downgraded to a long stick.  When it was his turn to attack, he often stumbled and injured himself instead of her.


    Overall, not the best student.  Which would be fine if he was enjoying himself or actually wanted to fight, but sheer misery was etched on his face every time I looked over at them.


    "Come on," Fiona said, "you hit like a wet noodle!"


    "Maybe I should be a chef then like Hazel," Marvin joked. "Because I''m obviously terrible at this."


    Fiona sighed.  "You know that can''t happen.  Hazel is special.  She''s the only one who can get away with baking her way through the dungeon."


    The slimes and I quietly gathered our rocks, the cool river water washing over my hands.  Was I really that special?  Sure, it seemed like I was the only person who could get XP from something besides fighting, but there had to be other people out there enjoying themselves right?


    "Hey Sweet Potato?" I whispered.  "Why did you give me this class?  Was it really just because I chose Dave''s grilled cheese as a weapon?"


    [Of course.  It was on the weapons'' table, so it was only fair to grant you a class worthy of it]


    I stared at the water, glittering in the sunlight.  "And what if we put other things on that table?  Would it unlock other new classes?"


    [...]


    [That is not possible]


    "But why not?  Some people just aren''t meant to be fighters."  I glanced over at Marvin, who was careening towards the ground with his hands flung out trying to steady himself.  "If they could be something else, like a gardener or a tailor, then maybe they''d level up faster. Everyone works harder when they enjoy their work."


    [Hmmm....so you''re saying that enjoyment is the key to progress?]


    "Well of course it is." I shook my head, chuckling as I handed a dirt slime a smooth, flat rock to carry back to the firepit.  He balanced it perfectly on his head, bouncing along like it was a new hat.  "See that slime?  He''s happy, so he''s working hard.  They all are, growing food every day to help my cafe.  It''s why I bake so much too.  Sure, it gets me XP, but I love it too.  I can''t imagine going a day without cooking something."


    [You do seem to glow when you bake.  Like a fire''s burning in you, warming everyone around]


    I stared at the message box.  "You think I look like that?"


    [Yes.  It''s beautiful]


    The system....thought I was beautiful?


    The blue box eventually faded away, along with its kind words, but they wouldn''t fade from my mind any time soon.  Just what was the system really?  It felt like a real person sometimes, but then other times, it felt like a machine.  Like when it was running diagnostics a while ago.  I couldn''t seem to get a handle on it, so every time it said something like that, it threw me off guard.  If the system was being run by a person, I hoped I could meet them one day.


    And ask why they''d created such a frustrating dungeon.


    Matcha cannonballed into the river, splashing all of us within distance.  The cold water pulled me from my thoughts as Matcha gave a big goofy slime grin, spinning in the water.  He floated downstream all the way into the back garden, which was where he usually ended up before coming back here and starting all over again.  He always found enjoyment in the little things and I loved that about him.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    It made me want to be bold too.


    "Sweet Potato," I paused, not sure how to even ask this.  "Are you a person?"


    [I am a dungeon]


    I sighed.  Of course it was a dungeon.  What else would it be?


    A slime nudged me, waiting for another rock. I smiled, piling them up high like a tower.  Every dirt slime was doing their part making this surprise for the fire slimes, so I shouldn''t get distracted either.  Not even if the system thought I glowed when I baked.


    Together, the slimes and I lined the inside of the firepit with the smaller rocks, saving the biggest ones for the ring around the top.  I cleared the grass away, wishing we had flat paving stones to make a seating area too.  This would have to do for now though.  Once I added the last rock, we all stood back and admired our handywork.  Well, I did.  The dirt slimes just kept bouncing into the firepit and back out, sighing.  They couldn''t play in the freshly dug soil anymore there.


    "Sorry," I said, patting them on the head.  "Why don''t we go find the fire slimes and show them our little surprise?  I made a special treat for the occasion too."


    They cheered, leaping out of the firepit and following me into the cafe.  I''d managed to make fresh marshmallows with all the ingredients Marvin brought and I couldn''t wait for the fire slimes to try them.  They crowded around me the moment I stepped inside, pushing against my legs like I''d been gone for years.


    "Calm down," I said with a laugh as I made my way over to the table.  "I was only gone for a little while."


    Spark jumped on top of another fire slime, and then a third slime jumped on top of him, piling themselves up like a totem pole.  The fire slimes wobbled, swaying back and forth as if they were trying to see what was on the table before I got there.  I had a feeling they''d tried that a few times while they were waiting in here, but thankfully, the marshmallows were all still in one piece.


    "It''s time," I told the slimes.  "Want to try out your new firepit?"


    The tower of slimes collapsed, rolling towards the door with excitement.  I grabbed the trays of marshmallows, carrying them outside carefully.  The slimes had gathered a bunch of roasting sticks for us too, so everything was just about ready.  I added a bunch of logs to the firepit, laying them flat so the slimes could sit on them easier, and then placed Spark right in the middle.  The fire slime looked around, eyes widening as his flames licked the wood that we''d found just for them.


    I would have helped the other fire slimes inside, but they''d all jumped in already too.  They snuggled up against each other, nestling into the burning logs.  The dirt slimes cheered, bouncing in their own little dance.


    "You all did a great job," I said, smiling at the adorable slimes. "Thank you for helping me."


    Spark moved to the edge of the firepit, trying to snag a marshmallow off the pan all sneaky-like.  I laughed and grabbed a tiny stick for him, spearing the sticky treat.


    "Here you go.  You''ll want to heat the marshmallow, but not burn the stick, okay?"


    The slime nodded, wrapping a little trail of fire around the stick.  Spark held the marshmallow above his head, following it with his eyes.  The white outside slowly started toasting, turning a beautiful golden-brown.


    "Okay, now you get to eat it." I motioned for the slime to hurry up and devour it.  Spark opened his mouth wide, gobbling the marshmallow up.  His eyes sparkled as he wiggled happily.  I put a hand to my chest, my heart feeling very full right now.  "I''m glad you like the marshmallow."


    The other fire slimes hopped forward, reaching for their own little sticks and marshmallows.  Soon the air was full of the scent of caramelizing sugar and my stomach was rumbling.  Spark let his next marshmallow go past golden into charcoal land, giggling as he held it out for another slime.  The other fire slime devoured it, cheering.  Apparently that one must like charcoaled food.


    "Hey Fiona, Marvin, get over here," I called out, getting a few larger sticks ready for us.  "I don''t think these marshmallows will last long. They look too tasty!"


    I held my own over the fire as Spark moved closer, toasting it even more perfectly than his first one.  He smiled as I bit into the warm marshmallow.  It was sweet and gooey, exactly what I''d been hoping for.  If only I had graham crackers and chocolate too, this would be the perfect snack.


    [Toasted Marshmallow Level 9 Acquired]


    [+15 XP]


    [New Quest: Serve 50 S''mores Reward: Upgraded Firepit]


    Fiona grinned as she watched the fire slimes play.  "Ohhh, this looks like quite the party.  Mind if I join?"


    "It wouldn''t be the same without you." I handed her a stick and a marshmallow.  There was something about sitting beside a campfire with friends that just felt so cozy.  "Hey everyone, get over here for some tasty treats!"


    I''d probably need to make more marshmallows, but it would be worth it.  Matcha bounced over, followed by Boss.  Halfway to us, the big slime froze, his eyes panicked.


    "What''s wrong?" I started to get up, but Marvin grabbed my arm, his grip tight until I pulled away from him.  "It''s okay, he''s friendly."


    But Marvin wasn''t listening.  Him and Boss were locked in a death stare.


    "He''s the one who ate me."  Mavin''s voice was hushed.  "Twice."


    Boss puffed himself up, looking even larger and more imposing than usual, except his body was trembling even more than Marvin''s hands.  Hands that were wrapped around the hilt of his training sword.  He pointed it at Boss and took one stumbling step forward.


    Before I could react, Boss fell apart.  Literally.  Dozens of little blues slimes cascaded onto the ground like a waterfall, all bouncing in different directions.  It was chaos, blue bouncing chaos!  I tried to pick one up, but they kept squirming away, fleeing.


    I spun around, staring Marvin down.  "What. Did. You. Do?"


    "I didn''t, I wouldn''t, no," he sputtered, dropping his sword like it had stung him.  "That slime was the one who ate me."


    "And now you''re going to be the one to save him," I said, shoving Marvin after the fleeing blue slimes.  "And you better catch ''em all."


    Marvin gulped as him, Fiona, and I ran after the slimes, trying our best to corral them safely.  There was no way I''d let Boss fall to pieces like this, not without a fight.  There had to be a way to put him back together again, right?

 Chapter 31 - Gotta Catch Em All

    Turns out little slimes could run much faster than big slimes.  Boss usually moved at a languid pace, easy to catch up with, but tiny Bosses?  It was like trying to herd cats and I was apparently terrible at that.


    I collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily.  "This isn''t working."


    "I''m sorry," Marvin muttered as he tried and failed to catch another slime.  "I''m useless."


    "We''ll figure this out, don''t worry."


    He''d been working hard, even if nothing he did was helping, so it was hard to stay mad at him.  He hadn''t actually attacked Boss or meant him harm, he was just afraid.  That wasn''t his fault.  Marvin was an adventurer who Boss had eaten multiple times, which meant they''d fought each other multiple times.  I felt bad for both of them, but that''s how this dungeon worked.  Pitting human against monster until they either had to fight or be miserable.


    It meant both sides were either vicious or afraid and that wasn''t either of their faults.   It was the dungeon''s fault for being set up this way.  The light-blue slime bracelet Boss had given me shimmered on my wrist, mocking me.  We supposedly had a bond, but I couldn''t even keep him safe at my own cafe.


    "This dungeon sucks." I shook my head, leaning back on my hands to stare up at the embers in the ceiling.  "We got thrown in here with no memories, forced to fight for no apparent reason, and then just have to deal with it no questions asked.  It could take us years to get to floor 100 and we''re just supposed to keep mindlessly fighting that whole time?"  I stood up, brushing off my hands.  "We all deserve more than that, no matter what our lives used to be."


    Fiona was the only one of us still dashing around, but even she''d only caught two slimes, and it didn''t really feel right putting them in the cafe like we were locking them up.  Boss should come back because he wanted to, not because we were forcing him to.


    "New plan," I said, opening my inventory menu.  "If we can''t catch the little Bosses, then we should lure them to us.  And what do slimes love most?  Tasty snacks."  I pulled out sugar, vanilla, slime jelly, and two empty pots.  "Can one of you get me some water from the kitchen?"


    Marvin rushed forward to grab the pot before a slime could.  "I''ll do it."


    "Thanks."


    He was trying so hard to fix his tiny moment of fear.  Okay, I guess I was completely done being mad at him now.  It was time to forgive and move forward.  With marshmallows.


    "Will you help me with this, Spark?"


    The fire slime nodded so fast that he tumbled off the logs he was sitting on.  I grinned, handing him the pot to hold with his flames.  It wasn''t ideal, but I didn''t want to leave Boss outside all by himself.  So we were going to cook over the open flames instead of in the kitchen.  Spark bounced back onto the log, situating himself firmly before holding the pot over his head eagerly.  Guess it was time to start baking.


    I added sugar and water to the pot, feeling like there was one more ingredient I needed.  My cookbook appeared, flipping open to the page with my new marshmallow recipe.  Oh right, corn syrup!


    "Ingredient Efficiency: add corn syrup!"


    The entire pot glowed as the new ingredient poured into the mixture.  One day I''d have to find a dungeon equivalent to that, like honey from those sugar stingers the system had mentioned or maybe maple syrup.  I''d tried slime jelly, but it wasn''t the right consistency to take the place of both corn syrup and gelatin.


    Spark curled his flames around the pot, cradling it carefully as he added just the right amount of heat while I got a pan full of powdered sugar ready to coat the marshmallows with.  We''d practiced this a few times for the firepit surprise, so I was confident they''d be tasty, but the main problem now was the wait time.  Marshmallows had to sit for a few hours before cutting them up, but we didn''t have that kind of time now.


    "Hey Sweet Potato?" I pulled up my skill menu, searching through the options available to me.  "Got anything that could speed up time?"


    No message boxes appeared.


    "System?"


    Still no response.  It was like the system was ignoring me, but why would it...


    "Is this because I said the dungeon sucks?" I asked.  "Because I meant the setup of it, not the actual system."


    [The system sets up the dungeon, they are one in the same.  Not that your comment bothers me.  I am just a system]


    I winced.  That message was darker blue than usual, as if it was full of sorrow.  How could I insult the system after it had been so kind to me?  Who cared if I didn''t agree with everything it did, it had been treating me well since the moment I woke up in that meadow.  At the very least, I could be polite about the issues here and find a way to discuss them without flat out saying the dungeon sucked.  Even though it kind of did.


    "I''m sorry," I whispered.  "You''re not just a system. Not to me anyway.  You''re my friend and you didn''t deserve me being rude."


    [...so you don''t think this dungeon sucks?]


    "Well, no, I do, but there had to be a nicer way to say it."  I sighed, knowing I was just digging myself a deeper hole here.  "You really don''t see the issue with making people fight monsters non-stop as their only option in life?  Where''s the freedom to do what you love?  Where''s the joy?"


    [Joy doesn''t make you stronger]


    I rolled my eyes.  "That depends on what kind of strength you''re after.  Because happiness definitely strengthens the soul and that''s the only kind of strength I care about.  Once you find the thing that brings you joy, the rest of your life just gets better.  Like adding sugar to a pie.  It doesn''t change what the pie is, but it makes every bite sweeter."


    [People are not pies]


    Maybe I actually was talking to a system and not a person running a system.  For them to not understand why happiness mattered was baffling.  Or very, very sad.


    Spark chirped, bringing my attention back to the now bubbling sugar mixture.  I had to focus on getting Boss back right now.  I''d finish this conversation with the system later.


    "So back to my question about speeding up time..."


    [Please tell me you don''t want to be a time mage now]


    "Of course not."  I shook my head with a smile, grateful that we seemed to have moved past the awkwardness. "I just want these marshmallows to set faster."


    [Ah, food, of course.. If you can''t wait for a tasty snack, try leveling up your Perfect Timing skill. You''ll not only know exactly when things are ready, but you can jump to that time as well]


    "Now there''s a handy skill." I immediately spent my last skill point on upgrading it. "Imagine how much faster it''ll be to bake bread if I can just zap to after it rises? Thanks!"


    [I''m glad I could help]


    And I was glad that the system was talking to me like normal again.  I''d have to be a lot more careful about what I said in the future.


    Once the sugar mixture bubbled up even more, I removed the pot from the fire and added slime jelly, whisking it with as much gusto as I could manage.  After a few minutes, I switched arms, hating how much my muscles were burning from doing this multiple times in the same day.  Baking was quite the workout, I didn''t care what anyone said.  After another minute or two, Fiona walked over, a grin on her face.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "Need help?" she asked sweetly.


    I stirred the marshmallows harder, willing them into their nice fluffy form, but it was no use.  I sighed, pushing the bowl at Fiona.  "Have at it."


    She mixed the marshmallows firmly, whipping them into a beautiful white fluff that only a strong baker could achieve by hand.  Maybe the dungeon had a point about needing to get stronger, for my baking at least.  But...there were stat points for that, weren''t there?  I opened my menu, adding my last stat point into strength, upping it to 3.


    The soreness in my muscles faded away.  I flexed my hands, feeling strength coursing through them.  Too bad Fiona was already done with the marshmallows, because it felt like I could whip them into shape in no time.


    "Okay, now you need to pour them into that pan."  I pushed the prepared pan towards her.  "Careful not to spill any."


    She nodded, holding the bowl up over the pan as I scooped the mixture out.  Together, we managed to make the best-looking marshmallows of the day. I spread the mixture out evenly, staring at it. Perfect Timing was usually an instinct, not a skill I used on purpose, but for this to work it felt like I had to do something.


    "Perfect Timing!" I shouted, making Marvin jump.  "Sorry, the system said I have to shout my skills..."


    My face burned as the others chuckled a bit, but hey, it was worth it.  The marshmallow fluff instantly set into a jiggly solid mass instead of fluff.  I poured powdered sugar on top, cutting the marshmallows into squares and dusting the edges too.


    [Marshmallows Level 9 Acquired]


    [+15 XP]


    "It''s time."  I speared a marshmallow with a stick and handed it to Marvin.  "Are you ready to help me bring Boss back?"


    He stared at the marshmallow for a while before taking a deep breath and grabbing hold of the stick.  "I''m ready.  Let''s bring your friend home."


    Together, we all held our marshmallows over the fire, toasting them to golden perfection as the scent of caramelizing sugar drifted over the entire area.  The smoke from the campfire mixed in, tugging at a memory.  I felt like I''d done this before, somewhere besides the dungeon.  Funny how this smoke usually made me forget, but something about today was different.  It was like all of us working together, sharing tasty treats, was unlocking something....but before I could pinpoint what, a little blue slime bounced in the corner of my vision.


    When I turned to get a better look, he hid behind a bush.  My chest ached seeing that Boss was still this out of sorts.  What could I do to reassure him that he was safe here?  That he could be whoever he wanted to be?  I went back to toasting marshmallows as if I''d never seen him, and slowly, more blue slimes crept forward, inching closer and closer to the firepit.


    "Do you want a marshmallow?" I asked softly, holding the stick out to a slime without looking at him.  "They''re delicious, I promise."


    I felt the stick pull down as the slime ate the marshmallow.  He cooed, bouncing closer with stars in his eyes.


    "You liked that, huh?" My lips tugged into a smile as the tension in my shoulders eased.  "We''ve got plenty more.  Do you think that, maybe, it''s time to pull yourself together again?"


    Little Boss tilted this way and that, swaying in place.  Fiona offered him another marshmallow, which he gobbled up in record time with a big grin on his face.  Another Little Boss joined us, bouncing onto the first one''s head.  I fed him a marshmallow too.  Slowly, the top slime seemed to merge with the bottom slime, their bodies vibrating just like Boss had when he first fell apart.  Maybe that was part of the process and not a sign of his terror?


    The slime next to me was about double the size of the others, not huge, but definitely good progress.  One by one, other Little Boss slimes joined us by the fire, gobbling up marshmallows and merging with each other.  Eventually, Boss was eye level with me while I was sitting.  That felt like his normal size, but how could I be sure none of the slimes were missing?


    I leaned my shoulder against the big slime.  "It''s good to have you back.  I was worried."


    Boss snuggled closer until he was practically in my lap, like a big dog who didn''t realize they weren''t a lap dog anymore.  I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him tight.  My bracelet glowed softly, shimmering against Boss'' body as the slime turned to look at me.  His big eyes were full of an emotion I couldn''t quite identify.


    [New Skill Acquired through the Slime Bond: Slime Sense]


    [If you focus on a slime you''ve bonded with, you will be able to sense where it is and bring its location up on your map.  In the same way, the slimes who''ve bonded with you will always be able to find their way back to your cafe]


    I focused on Boss, trying to sense if there were any others of him out there all alone, but the only thing tugging at my mind was the big slime right next to me.  He''d put himself back together after all.


    "Now I''ll never lose you again." I swallowed the lump in my throat, tears pricking the corners of my eyes.  I buried my face against Boss, hugging him even closer.  "Thank you for bonding with me.  I''ll do my best to protect you and make sure you have a wonderful life.  You never need to fight again."


    Boss shuddered, a big exhale leaving his body.  We sat like that for a while, watching Spark and the other fire slimes play in their new firepit, until the scent of roasting marshmallows seemed to be too much for Boss.  He moved forward, leaning into the firepit for Spark to feed him a marshmallow.  He munched on it before opening his mouth wide for another.  Soon the fire slimes made a game out of it, toasting marshmallows and launching them into Boss'' mouth like a goal.


    All of the slimes gathered together, giggling and playing like Boss had never fallen apart and they were just enjoying a chill day out by the fire. Fiona and Marvin had stepped aside at some point, but Marvin was back now, bowing deeply.


    "I-I''m sorry." His voice was shaky, but he stood in front of Boss anyway.  "I never wanted to hurt you in the first place, but I thought I had to.  To get to the safe zone.  I had to fight."


    Tears fell onto the ground, but Marvin didn''t look up.  Not until Boss bounced closer, nudging him.  The big slime held a stick with a perfectly roasted marshmallow on it, offering the treat to Marvin.  My chest warmed.  A slime offering somebody their food was a big deal, but Marvin just kept glancing between me and Boss.


    "What do I do?" he whispered.


    "Eat the marshmallow!"  I shooed him forward.  "Honestly, do I need to explain everything around here?  He''s trying to be your friend.  Toast a few marshmallows with him and see how it goes.  Maybe you''ll realize you have a lot more in common than you think."


    Marin''s eyes widened as he pulled the marshmallow off the stick, getting sticky sugar all over his fingers.  He winced, eating it the best he could.  Then he smiled at Boss.  "Thank you."


    The big slime nodded slowly, then went back to playing with the fire slimes who were charcoaling marshmallows before devouring them.  Marvin shook like he was shaking water off after it rained, then took a deep breath and held a marshmallow over the fire too.  I smiled.  They''d gone through a lot, but it felt like this was a big step towards healing.


    Fiona sat down next to me.  "You did a good thing here."


    "Me?  I just made some marshmallows."  I nodded at Marvin and Boss.  "They did all the real work."


    "But they wouldn''t have thought to try without you."  She glanced at the cafe before grabbing another marshmallow to toast.  "This place feels important.  It''s changing things, making them better.  You''re giving people a place to relax and understand each other.  That''s not nothing."


    Maybe she was right.  I''d been improving the cafe so I could level up and get out of here, but maybe it could do more than that.  Good food had a magical way of bringing people together and taking some of the stress away. It was hard to be frightened when you were covered in sticky marshmallow eating a delicious treat after all.  If I could do that for Marvin and Boss, then maybe I could do that for other adventurers and monsters too.


    "Well, maybe I''ll just play monster therapist and never leave the cafe then," I said with a laugh.  "Imagine the business I could make.  A dragon sitting at one table, a slime at another, while adventurers sat between and tried not to be terrified."


    Fiona grinned.  "Hey, you mock it, but I can see it happening.  Since you''ve got the bonus of not needing to leave to level up."


    "That''s true..."  I frowned.  "I mean, as long as I''m stuck here, why not work on making the dungeon cozier?  I could¨C"


    [New Upgrade: Full Quest Menu]


    [You may now work on as many quests at once as you want]


    My eyebrows shot up.  "Really? What quests can I all take?"


    Fiona tilted her head, but seemed to realize I was talking to the system once I started tapping through menus.  There was an entirely new one called Quests and it not only listed my current ones and their progress, but it also had a link to all the cafe upgrades I could work on too as optional quests.


    [Primary Quest: Escape the Dungeon - 6/100 floors]


    [Quest: Unlimited Pantry - 10/10 ingredients, 0/10 wood]


    [Quest: Sprinklers - 0/1 water stone, 0/10 metal]


    [Quest: Upgraded Firepit - 0/50 s''mores]


    I''d known about all of those, but now there was a new section full of possibilities!  Instead of the options being grayed out, they were fully visible and available to take.  I could upgrade my stove, expand the kitchen, expand the dining area with new seating, or even...add a second floor to the cafe??  There were so many options here, all with varying degrees of difficulty to complete.


    I couldn''t help but smile as I scrolled through the options.  It was like the system had not only heard what we were talking about, but agreed with me.  It wanted the dungeon to change just as much as I did and the proof was right in front of me!  Why else would it give me so many cozy new upgrade options?


    "Thank you, Sweet Potato."


    Between me, the slimes, Fiona, Marvin, and now the dungeon itself too, there was no way we could fail.  This cafe was going to become the best spot in the whole dungeon.  A place every adventurer yearned to visit.

 Chapter 32 - The Dungeons Hot Spring Adventure

    The Dungeon of Eternal Embers'' Point of View


    Cole''s flames danced as he watched Hazel sort through the new quest options and upgrades, a smile on her face so big that it made his flames feel even warmer.  He was only trying to distract her from all that nonsense about becoming a monster therapist and never leaving the cafe, but seeing how much she enjoyed it made it hard to stay focused.


    That was always his problem.  When she was involved, it was like all reasonable thought disappeared and he did crazy things like give her every upgradeable option all at once.


    Why did he keep doing things like that?  She was just an adventurer, one of many who''d passed through the dungeon over the centuries.  So why did everything she did make him want to help her?  Whether it was a happy moment or a sad one, he kept paying far more attention to her than anyone else.


    Like when he saw her toasting marshmallows without knowing what they tasted like himself, he''d given her a quest to make s''mores.  Sure, it would help her level, especially since she''d need to make three different kinds of food for it, but he knew deep down that the only reason he''d done it was because he wanted to taste one.  He wanted to be sitting by that fire with her, toasting marshmallows and playing with the fire slimes.


    The urge was so powerful that it was overwhelming all other thoughts, which meant there was only one thing left to do: go talk to Dave.


    He''d been gone for almost a week now, so surely he''d be ready to come back, right?  There was nobody else who could talk reason to Cole like Dave could.  Cole had checked in on him a few times during the week as he tried to be everything from an adventurer to a musician to losing a drinking contest at a tavern, but now he seemed to be sitting on top of a deserted mountain all by himself.  Dave hated the outdoors, so why was he on a mountain?


    Getting in touch with his inner goat, maybe?


    Whatever the reason, Cole would need his human form to go talk to the satyr.  He calmed his flames until they were just a flicker above the coal, letting himself switch over the avatar form.  He kept a link to the core chamber, of course, and started the system on autopilot.  It would have to do for now, as long as Hazel didn''t ask it anything weird this time.


    Cole blinked, adjusting to the new human vision.  Glass surrounded him on all sides, the magical box he''d created to keep the avatar healthy.  He moved his hand slowly, the muscles stiff, and opened it.  He stretched his legs and arms, moving everything to get it back into proper working order.  Human bodies required a lot more maintenance than fire, but he supposed it was worth it.  With a sigh, he grabbed the dungeon keys and opened a door to floor 72 where Dave was.


    This was the second time he''d experienced a slide and it was just as exhilarating as the first.  Honestly, why anyone used stairs was a mystery when they could be flying through tunnels three times faster!  When he shot out the other end, he landed softly on the rocky ground a few paces away from a pool of water.  Steam curled through the air and lanterns rested on the surrounding rocks, lighting a hot spring in a warm glow.


    Dave sat in the water, head tilted back and arms resting on the outer edge, not even noticing Cole had showed up.  Usually, he was a lot more attentive than that, but today he seemed to be completely relaxed.  He even had a drink floating on a wooden tray along with some snacks.


    "You really took this vacation thing seriously," Cole said, dipping his hand in the water.  "You''re so relaxed a Solhorn could sneak up on you and you wouldn''t even notice."


    "My Lord??"  Dave lurched forward, splashing water everywhere and almost tipping over his drink.  "What are you doing here?  Do you need something?"


    Cole nudged the floating tray back toward Dave.  Maybe now wasn''t the best time to bring up his concerns about Hazel.  He should let Dave rest and experience life outside of running the dungeon.  But, what was he going to do about this on his own?  Stop giving Hazel any cool quests?  Give her more quests?  Change her class entirely so she had to fight?  He grimaced.  That was the worst option he''d thought of yet.


    Dave leaned back against the rocky mountainside again.  "This is about Hazel, isn''t it?"


    "How''d you know?"  Cole''s eyes widened.  "I mean, no, of course it''s not. I just wanted to see how you were doing."


    "If that was true, you''d have joined me in the hot spring instead of standing there awkwardly."


    Cole frowned, staring at the water.  "When did we even build a hot spring here anyway?  What purpose would it serve?"


    Dave took a long drink from the glass next to him.  "I added it for background scenery when you were building the boulder run.  Figured it couldn''t hurt to have random things for people to find.  Plus, hot springs are nice."  He slipped deeper into the warm water with a sigh.  "Very nice.  You should really add more of them.  An entire floor maybe."


    "So even more people can sit and be lazy instead of trying to get out of here?" Cole shook his head, but removed his layers of clothing anyway.  If Dave liked a place like this, then there had to be something interesting about it and Cole might as well find out while he had the chance.  He wouldn''t get to explore in this form often.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Steam rose from the water like fog, reaching out for him in wispy tendrils.  The water was verging on hot as he stepped in, sinking beneath the water until it lapped against his shoulders.  It reminded him of his flames, warm and comforting, seeping into every stiff muscle.  A sigh of contentment escaped his lips.  Maybe Dave''s idea of an entire hot springs floor wasn''t so crazy after all.  Warriors needed a place to relax and ease their aching muscles, right?


    "See? I knew you''d like it."  Dave took a drink, frowning at the glass.  "Honestly, you really should upgrade how things taste around here too.  This alcohol might give a buzz, but it tastes terrible."


    Cole nodded absently, still lost in the warmth of the hot springs.  Hazel would probably love this, but it would take a while for her to make it to this floor.  Especially when she was avoiding leaving the cafe entirely...


    Dave sighed. "Okay, spill it already.  What did she break this time?  You keep giving these intense looks and she''s the only one who brings out that kind of response in you."


    "She wants to be a monster therapist," he mumbled.


    Dave leaned forward.  "A what?"


    "Monster therapist!"


    Dave choked on his drink, sputtering. "Oh yeah? That''s interesting."


    "I''m pretty sure it was a joke."  Cole sank even further into the water.  "But I honestly can''t tell for sure at this point."


    "Anything else?" Dave asked far too politely, like he was waiting for the other shoe to drop.


    "Um, she said the dungeon sucks."  His voice was barely above a whisper and his face burned bright red.  He tucked a strand of long black hair behind his ear, sitting up straighter.  "She hates it here, okay?  It''s why she keeps breaking things."


    "Are you sure?  I thought you liked it when she breaks things?"  Dave took another sip of his drink and poured one for Cole too.  "You said it was entertaining, right?"


    Cole drank the alcohol quickly, coughing as it burned down his throat.  "Ugh, that really is awful.  Why are you drinking this?"


    "I needed a distraction."  Dave gazed out at the valley below from their perch high up the mountain.  "I''m sorry about what she said, but I can''t help you right now.  I need to figure some things out first."


    "Of course."  Cole nodded and they sat in silence as he fidgeted with the glass, the floating tray, and anything else in reach.  Eventually he sighed.  "But she thinks I suck!"


    Dave''s shoulders shook in silent laughter as he waved his hand back and forth.  "Sorry, I don''t mean to laugh. I just can''t believe you''re this worried about it. You''re really head over heels for that woman, aren''t you?"


    "I''m what?"  Cole lifted his foot up, staring at his heel.  "My head is always above my heels."


    Dave rubbed a damp hand over his face.  "Just let her level up and get out of here.  Once she''s gone, she''ll take all her weird ideas with her."


    "That''s the problem: her ideas are spreading."  Cole shifted closer, as if this had to be whispered instead of spoken out loud.  "Fiona hasn''t level in weeks.  First she was blacksmithing and now she''s at the cafe just helping out.  And then there''s Marvin."  He said his name with such disgust that Dave glanced over at him.  "Marvin''s that adventurer who''s been too scared to leave the safe zone.  Well, now he''s stuck at Hazel''s cafe, still not leveling there either.  He''s just training poorly and making her take pity on him and turn on me."  Dave''s mouth formed a silent O as Cole continued.  "They''re all just baking and gardening and having fun.  None of them are focused!  I''m worried that even after Hazel leaves, her relaxed vibe will remain."


    Dave scratched his horns.  "Um, are you sure you''re not just, well, jealous of this Marvin fellow?"


    "Jealous?"  Cole scoffed.  "I''m a dungeon.  What''s there to be jealous of?"


    "Nothing, absolutely nothing."  Dave cleared his throat, taking another big drink.  "Okay, so it sounds like you need a plan.  To remove Marvin from the equation."


    "Exactly!  Hazel was perfectly fine before he came along."  Cole rubbed his chin, thinking.  "But what do we do?  I can''t exactly send him away, he''s too afraid to fight.  So what else is there?"  He contemplated for a while, before the lightbulb went off.  "Maybe I should give him a new class too!  Something that will keep him motivated without needing to fight."


    Dave groaned.  "You can''t be serious.  You know Hazel''s the one breaking the dungeon, right?  Not Marvin?"


    "Doesn''t matter.  This is a good plan."  Cole stood up, water dripping off him as he reached for his clothes.  "Once Marvin gets a class he enjoys, he''ll work hard, stop moping, and be out of her cafe in a few days.  It''s perfect."


    "Perfect.  Right."  Dave finished the bottle of alcohol.  "I''m sure it won''t backfire at all either."


    Cole turned back to the satyr, shaking his head.  "You worry too much for somebody who''s on vacation.  Stay here and rest up.  I''ll take care of everything."


    "Somehow, that doesn''t reassure me."  Dave winced, but stayed where he was.  "Fine.  I''ll let you handle things.  But come find me if you need help.  I really don''t mind coming back if you need me."


    "You''ve already helped more than enough."  Cole opened a door back to the core chamber.  "Until next time."


    Dave sighed, muttering.  "Better not give me credit for any of this."


    Cole grinned.  The satyr was always so worried about everything, but for once, he wasn''t following along to make sure Cole handled things properly.  He really was trying to relax and explore the dungeon as a normal guy, not an NPC.  That made all the extra work Cole had been doing lately more than worth it.


    Now, onto the bigger question: how should he go about changing Marvin''s class?  He''d done it for Hazel because she picked the wrong item off the weapons'' table and it had only seemed fair, but Marvin was an entirely different story.  He was already a warrior, so now he was just going to be a...what?  A slime gardener?  Hmmm...Cole would need to think on that for a while and make sure he could pull this off before trying it out.  He didn''t want another dungeon-breaking class like Hazel''s after all.


    No matter how much fun she was to watch, her class was too dangerous.  If the dungeon got too unbalanced, the gods might stop by to check on it.  And if that happened, they''d want to know what was causing the imbalance.  He couldn''t let them notice her.  She just had to keep leveling up and leave the dungeon, safe and sound.  That was the best outcome for everyone.


    Plus, maybe if he did change Marvin''s class, Hazel wouldn''t think he sucked so much anymore.  Maybe she''d think he was nice.  Helpful even, like before.  This would all work out, he could just feel it.


    She just had to trust the system.


    Trust him.

 Chapter 33 - New Customers

    The last few days had gone by in a flash, with Marvin busy in the garden, Fiona off on a sudden quest, and the slimes and me in the kitchen cooking up a storm for all the adventurers stopping by.  It felt like there were a lot more people on this floor than usual, but who was I to complain?  They were making my new upgrade quests all the easier and I couldn''t be happier.


    [Cafe Expansion Quest - 18/50 customers served, 0/25 wood, 10/10 stone]


    [Second Floor Quest - 18/100 customers served, 0/25 wood, 10/10 stone]


    After picking up a few similar quests, I realized that I could use the same completion criteria for more than one at a time.  So, of course, I grabbed every single one that included serving customers!  Having the same customers count for multiple quests was brilliant and I was so grateful to Sweet Potato for allowing me to do it.  It was giving me such a good boost!  I assumed the wood and stone would only count for the first one I completed, but that was fine, I could always gather more.


    I should probably visit the Living Trees again soon for more wood.  Plus, it would be nice to see how they were doing.  I could make some tasty fertilizer in advance this time, but not anything that would boost growth.  I had a feeling I''d already done that enough last time.


    Matcha slurped up the last of his tea and hopped out of his tea pot, letting me wash it with the last of the other dishes.  I hummed as the bubbles coated my hands, enjoying the simple act of washing dishes after a good meal.  This was the life I wanted, not one full of fighting my way through the dungeon.  I''d still level up, but on my own terms, making sure to enjoy the quiet moments like this.  My cafe was starting to be well known around here, thanks in large part to Fiona and Velda spreading the word, and it filled me with such a sense of joy.


    The Slime Serenitea Cafe was not only open, but it was thriving too.


    "We''re going to be okay," I told Matcha.  "Every dish I cook gets us one step closer to getting out of here."  He chirped, bouncing onto my shoulder to nuzzle against my cheek.  "Aww, thank you.  I''m glad you''re here with me."


    Matcha cooed as I held him close.  I''d been so lucky finding him on my first day here.  Something nudged my leg.  Spark was staring up at me with big puppy dog eyes.


    "I''m glad you''re here too." I laughed, kneeling down to pet him.  "I''m glad you''re all here."


    Spark cheered, as if  calling out for the other slimes to join in on his little wiggly dance, but most of them were playing outside.  Since there weren''t any customers here right now, maybe it was time for a well-deserved slime break.  I picked up Spark and carried him and Matcha through the dining area, pausing before going outside.  There was a group of four people heading our way with the one in front skipping while she sang about an adorable little cafe in the woods full of monsters.


    Wait, was she singing about my cafe?


    I flung the door open, spotting Fiona with them too.  She waved, her armor covered in dirt and scratches.


    "Are you okay?" I asked, hurrying outside.


    She nodded.  "Yeah, these adventurers bailed me out.  I thought I''d bring them by to eat some of your delicious food as a thank you."


    Fiona was usually the one who bailed other people out, so what kind of trouble had she gotten into on that quest of hers?  Was she on another floor?  I''d have to ask her later, because the group was eying my cafe up like it was going to eat them for dinner.  The big burly man in front had a sword almost as tall as me and the mage behind him was tiny, but her staff was giant.  Then there was the singing blonde woman, who was leaning over the slime''s firepit so far that she almost fell in with them.   The slimes and her laughed together, making me a bit less worried until the mage moved closer, frowning at the cafe.


    "So this floor not only has abnormally strong tree monsters, but a bizarre slime cafe too, huh?"  She clicked her tongue against her teeth in disapproval.


    "I wouldn''t call it bizarre," I started, but froze as I noticed their levels.  They were all level 30 and above.  If anything was bizarre, it was them.  "What are you doing on such a low-level floor, if you don''t mind me asking?"


    Fiona winced, but the big guy in front is the one who spoke up.  "Dungeon extermination quest.  They happen from time to time when monsters get out of control."


    "Buttttt," the woman with long blonde hair said, "I thought we should get some food first.  Adventuring on an empty stomach is terrible for morale.  When little Fiona here mentioned your cafe, I just had to see it!"


    "Little Fiona?" I raised an eyebrow at her, but she just shrugged her very broad shoulders.  Yup, this group was definitely bizarre.  "Well, come on in then.  I''m more than happy to cook anything you want.  If I''ve got the ingredients, of course."


    The big guy in front grunted.  "It''s not like food tastes good, so I''ll have whatever.  Name''s Garrik, by the way."


    "And I''m Dahlia," the blonde woman said, pushing Garrik inside.  "Don''t mind him.  He''s always grumpy."


    "It''s fine." I smiled, waiting for all of them to file into the cafe before joining them.  "Welcome to the Slime Serenitea Cafe.  What can I get you to drink?"


    Dahlia smiled at Matcha, who was still sitting on my shoulder.  "Is he the slime on your sign?  How adorable!  I''d love some tea then to really get into the right vibe here."


    The others nodded, saying they''d take the same as they sat down.  Matcha hopped off my shoulder, slowly bouncing over by Dahlia.  They stared at each other for a moment before Matcha leapt right into her lap, wiggling into a cozy position like he''d known her all his life.  Her eyes widened, but she started giggling instead of screaming, so it seemed fine.  She wiggled along with Matcha while the other people in her party just sighed, as if she was always doing weird things like that.


    "Mind taking care of him while I make the tea?" I asked Dahlia, who shook her head adamantly.  "I''ll be right back then."


    Matcha was so good at putting customers at ease with his carefree attitude.  Some people really seemed to get attached to him, while others had watched him with suspicion the entire meal.  He was doing his best though, winning over whoever he could.  I''d have to make him an extra treat later.  Maybe add something to his tea?  Or make baked goods with tea as the main ingredient?  That could be tasty.


    Spark and I went into the kitchen to boil the water, grabbing four mugs.  I''d have to get more of these soon if we were going to keep getting so many customers at once.  I opened a canister of tea, inhaling the beautifully earthy scent of the freshly picked leaves.  The fire slimes had helped me dry them out quickly and the tea tasted delicious, so hopefully they enjoyed it.  While the tea steeped, I went back into the dining area to take their orders.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Dahlia was balancing Matcha on her head, holding her hands out on each side to catch him if he fell.  Matcha had the biggest grin on his face, giggling up a storm.


    "I see you two are getting along well," I said with a smile.  "I''m glad."


    Garrik sighed.  "Don''t encourage her.  She''s the reason we had to go back to the first floor to begin with.  Her and her weird antics keep getting us killed."


    "Oh hush." She waved a hand at him.  "You know it''s more entertaining traveling with me than without.  And you''d never have gotten that good quest if we hadn''t."


    "Good quest?" I raised an eyebrow, turning to Fiona.  "It sounded like you''d gotten a good quest too recently.  Were they related?"


    She rested her arms on her knees, staring at the ground.  "It was to exterminate the Living Trees you befriended.  The system is offering an even bigger reward than last time, pulling in adventurers from higher floors to deal with them."


    No, no, no.  I gripped the edge of my apron tight.  Had I really caused all of this?  Forced the dungeon to make a quest to exterminate those trees just because I''d interfered?  Those poor trees.  They hadn''t done anything to deserve that!  It was my fault...


    "Did she just say," Garrik paused, squinting at me, "that you befriended the trees?  Slimes I can see, okay, they''re weak and kind of adorable¨C"


    Dahlia patted Matcha.  "See, even Grumpy Garrik thinks you''re adorable."


    "Let him finish, Dahlia," the mage said, grabbing her staff from where it was leaning against the wall.  "We might be in danger here.  Those trees are not normal. If this woman''s a mage, she could have messed with them.  And if she did that, what else could she do?  And what evil plan does she have for those trees?"


    They all turned to me, even Matcha, who was currently upside-down in Dahlia''s lap like he''d tumbled off her head.  Fiona stood up, hand reaching back for her hammer, but she didn''t draw it.  The tension in this room had suddenly skyrocketed and I didn''t like it one bit.


    "Let''s just calm down and order some food, okay?" I smiled.  "I am a mage, but I''m a culinary mage.  As in, I make food, not evil monster plans."


    Dahlia nodded.  "You''re overthinking it, Camellya.  Let''s eat."  She turned to me, setting Matcha right-side up.  "I''ll have some fried rice."  She rummaged around in her item box, pulling out a massive bag of rice.  "Will this be enough?"


    My eyes widened as I took the rice from her, almost dropping it.  It had to be almost 50 pounds!  "More than enough.  I could make you all heaping plates of it if you wanted."


    "And poison us?" Camellya asked.  "No thank you."


    I plastered a smile on my face.  I''d dealt with customers like her before and I could do it again.  I just needed to keep smiling and cook the food, because nobody could resist once they smelled it.  Delicious-smelling food was a powerful magic all its own.


    "Ignore my sister," Dahlia whispered. "She loves fried rice and will eat it."


    The two glared at each other with a bit of warmth like only sisters who fought often but still loved each other could.  This was the first time I''d seen relatives in the dungeon, and now that I thought about it, that was really strange.  Unless I just hadn''t asked anyone about it maybe?  I mean, they were both blonde and had flower-inspired names, so it probably should have been obvious.


    Camellya leaned forward.  "Are you going to cook the food or keep staring at us?"


    I smiled one last time and escaped to the kitchen where there weren''t any judgmental adventurers.  I enjoyed getting to know new people, but it was always weird in the beginning until we got past their distrust of a slime cafe.  I was looking forward to having repeat customers who already knew the cozy vibes here and didn''t question it.  Or me.


    "Okay, Spark, time to get cooking."


    I dropped the bag of rice with a thunk and filled a pot with water.  Fried rice usually needed leftover rice, not freshly cooked, so hopefully my Perfect Timing skill could work here.  I opened the bag of rice, scooping out enough to make a meal for everyone with some leftovers, then started washing the rice.  My body seemed to remember doing this as I went through the motions with ease, washing and straining, putting the water on to boil, waiting for the rice to cook and then letting it steam.  It all felt natural.


    Once it was done, I held my hand over the pot of rice.  "Perfect Timing!"


    The steam disappeared and the rice clumped together a bit, as if it had been sitting in the fridge for a while.  Perfect.  I gathered a few eggs, vegetables, oil, and everything else I needed and got to work.  Fiona was keeping the adventurers chatting in the other room, diverting the conversation every time they got too focused on slimes being monsters or talking about how to kill the trees.


    My chest ached as I stirred the fried rice and not even the nutty scent of it could lighten my mood.  What was I going to do about those trees?  I couldn''t let them get slaughtered because of me, but I also couldn''t just leave them there.  They were way too strong for this floor and obviously causing some chaos.  If my food could make them grow, then maybe it could make them shrink back to normal too?  I had no idea how that would work though or if the system would even cancel the extermination quest if it did.


    What were my other options here?


    I plated up enough fried rice for everyone and carried them out to the dining area two by two.  Dahlia beamed, leaning over the plate to smell the food with an over-exaggerated inhale, but before she could take a bite, Garrik pulled her plate away.


    "Let Camellya try it first," he said.  "You know she''s got better poison resistance than you."


    Dahlia pouted.  "But it''s going to get cold!  And it looks perfectly edible."


    "It really is," I promised, being bold and taking a bite off Garrik''s plate.  I chewed it slowly, swallowing it with a smile.  "See?  All good."


    He grunted, waited a moment to see if I''d collapse or something probably, then nudged Dahlia''s plate back at her.  She dug into it with gusto, making happy noises as she ate.  She even fed some to Matcha, who was circling her plate like he was ravenous.  The slime cooed happily, so she fed him even more.  Dahlia really did seem like a nice person and her cheerful spirit was rubbing off on the others as they dug in too.  Camellya''s eyes widened at her first bite.  She quickly forced a frown on her face, as if she was trying to keep up the suspicious pretense, but the way she was wolfing down that food told the real story.  She loved it.


    Maybe now was a good time to bring up the Living Trees again, now that everyone was in a good mood with food in their bellies.


    "So, about that extermination quest," I said.  Fiona stopped eating, raising an eyebrow at me.  I took a deep breath.  "Do you mind if I come with you?"


    Dahlia shrugged.  "Sure, why no¨C"


    "No," Camellya said.  "Why would we bring a rookie like you along?"


    Fiona leaned closer to me.  "It was pretty dangerous.  The trees are drawing in other monsters, so you''d have to get through them before even making it there."


    "That makes me want to go even more," I whispered.  "This is my fault.  I should be the one to fix it."


    Garrik finished the last of his rice and leaned back in his chair, staring at me.  He glanced at Matcha and Spark, who was peeking out of the kitchen to see who was here, and grunted.  He stood up and the others followed.  I glanced at Fiona.  Was that a grunt of approval or disdain?  I couldn''t tell.  The man was a mystery.


    Dahlia hugged Matcha tight before setting him on the table.  "I''ll be back later.  I promise.  We''ll eat so much good food you won''t know how to get rid of me."


    The little slime chirped with a smile, but I still wasn''t sure what to do.  Fiona sighed, grabbing me by the arm and dragging me outside with them.


    She glared at Garrik.  "She''s coming."


    "I was hoping she would."  He motioned for us to lead.  "A good adventurer always takes responsibility for their actions.  If she really caused all of this, then it''s her job to fix it."


    Wait.  Had that been a test to see if I was a good adventurer or not?  I glanced at Dahlia, who just smiled and linked her arm through mine.


    "We''ll take care of you, so don''t worry."  She patted my arm.  "Let''s go see these trees of yours."


    I waved to Matcha and the other slimes in front of the cafe.  "I''ll be back soon.  Keep the place running for me, okay?"


    Camellya rolled her eyes, pushing past us to lead the way herself with Dahlia, Fiona, and me following behind.  Garrik took up the rear, his heavy footsteps grounding me.  I had a feeling he was the cornerstone of this group, keeping everyone safe and sound.  I''d never adventured in a party like this before, but it felt kind of nice being surrounded by people as we headed out.  Like a real team.

 Chapter 34 - Taming the Wild Trees

    The jungle floor was full of activity today with all sorts of monsters I hadn''t seen before from giant vine snakes to terrifying gorillas, Venus fly traps, and massive walking mushrooms.  I kept close to Dahlia as Fiona and Garrik rushed out to defeat them each time.  They were like a well-oiled machine even though they''d just met.  One would go high while the other went low or one would lure a monster as the other set up a trap.  They also had the support of Dahlia and Camellya''s magic.  It was all so well thought out, as if Fiona belonged with their party.


    I didn''t like it one bit, but fighting monsters was how they leveled and that''s what the dungeon was made for.  I''d made them promise to only go after monsters who attacked them first though.  I needed them to get me to the Living Trees, so there wasn''t much room for me to make demands.  We all knew I''d never make it alone, not with the dungeon this out of control.


    Plus, this was a system quest, so even if I convinced this group of adventurers to leave the trees alone, there would be more to take their place.  Apparently, that''s what happened whenever the dungeon was out of balance: a cleanup team showed up to fix it.


    Was that going to happen to my cafe one day too?  Or was I exempt because it was a mini safe zone?


    The dungeon had to of put it there for a reason, no matter how random it seemed now that I was thinking about it.  After everything I¡¯d learned about the dungeon, a cafe really did seem out of place.  There was nothing calm and comforting anywhere else that I knew of, so why on this floor?  Why my cafe?


    Maybe Dave had been behind it somehow.  He was the one who''d given me the key after all.  I reached into my inventory, holding the key tight.  It was still warm, as if it had been sitting by a fire, and for some reason it made me think of Cole all piled up with fire slimes sitting outside the cafe.  What had he been up to lately?  I''d assumed he''d be back for another meal soon, but it felt like a long time had passed.  Maybe he''d found something else to pique his curiosity...


    Fiona slung her hammer across her back, rejoining our group with a grim look.  "This doesn''t even feel like floor 6 anymore.  It''s like we''ve jumped ahead past floor 10."


    "Ohh, that boss is tricky," Dahlia said.  "It''s a creepy mushroom that has way too many spore attacks."


    "What''s after that boss?" I asked, realizing I''d made no effort to see the rest of the dungeon.  Besides the Solhorn floor, of course, and that had been a disaster.


    "Water, lots and lots of water," Camellya said.  "Hope you like swimming.  It''s a bioluminescent underwater adventure."


    "Really?" Fiona whistled.  "That sounds pretty awesome actually, but I think my hammer might weigh me down."


    Garrik shook his head.  "Everything''s weightless in the water.  You also can''t drown.  It''s a bit unsettling at first, never breathing but still swimming."


    Dahlia smirked.  "You should have seen him panicking the first time."


    "As if you were so put together," he snapped back.  "Why don''t you join us, Fiona?  We can help you get past the boss and onto those floors.  Honestly, with your skills, you could catch up to us pretty quickly."


    My chest tightened.  Fiona was going to go with them?  I glanced at her level and was surprised to see that she was already level 16!  How had I not noticed that before?


    She shook her head.  "Thank you, but I think I''m good here."


    "Strength stagnates if you stay in one place too long," he said.  "You''ve gotten too comfortable here.  I bet you haven''t leveled in a long time.  You get better XP from monsters who are stronger than you, but these are all so much weaker."


    "Is that true?" I asked.  "Have you been stagnating here?"


    Fiona caught a vine snake in her bare hands, tossing it aside before it could get to me.  My heart thudded in my chest.  I hadn''t even seen it coming my way!  She really was far too skilled for this low-level floor, wasn''t she?  Garrik gave me a knowing look, as if he expected me to do something about it.  Wait.  Was I the one who was holding her back?


    "Fiona," I started, but the words stuck in my throat.  A buzzing that had sounded like background noise at first was getting louder and louder the closer we got to the forest.  Giant fluffy black and yellow creatures flew around us on glassy wings that glittered in the light.  "Are those...bees?"


    "Sugar Stingers."  Garrik cursed.  "What are they even doing on this floor?"


    "Who knows, but keep your guard up."  Fiona gripped her hammer tight.


    Garrick drew his sword, Dahlia pulled out her spellbook, and Camellya held her staff at the ready, but I didn''t really have a guard to keep up.  Unless she wanted me to pull out Dave''s Lunch.  I had a feeling the others would leave me to fend for myself if I did that.  It didn''t seem like the bees were after us though.  It was more like they were flying formations around the forest, keeping guard.


    I hadn''t needed weapons against the trees last time and I wouldn''t need them now either.  We''d come to an understanding over good food and kindness, just like before.  The trees weren''t evil, just stressed out and tired, probably terrified too with adventurers coming from all over the dungeon to attack them.


    I had to do something.  Even if I had to feed a few Sugar Stingers in the process.


    "Remember that this is my fault," I said, striding forward, "so I''m going to be the one to fix it.  Don''t you dare kill any living trees."


    Camellya rolled her eyes, but let me take the lead.  "Do you even have the quest to defeat them?"


    "Doesn''t every adventure have it?"  I frantically pulled up my quest menu.  I hadn''t actually seen it, not once, even though Fiona obviously got it a while back.  I scrolled through the cafe upgrades, but there was nothing there.  "Umm...Sweet Potato?  Any idea why I don''t have a dungeon-wide system quest?"


    [You are a culinary mage]


    "Yeah, but I''m still an adventurer," I whispered.  "Shouldn''t everyone have it?"


    [...but you don''t enjoy fighting]


    My frown deepened.  "When has that ever stopped the system from trying to make people fight?  Did I do something wrong?"


    [No, of course not. You just kind of...break things sometimes and this really needs to get fixed]


    I stared at that blue message box until the color faded.  The system didn''t give me the quest because I broke too many things?  Seriously?  I shook my head, laughing to myself.  If it thought I''d been breaking things so far, it better buckle up, because I was about to break even more.


    "I''ll fix it, I promise." I crossed my arms, drawing stares from the rest of my party.  "Just give me the quest already."


    [...]


    [Adventurers don''t usually order the system around like that, you know]


    [But since it''s you, I guess I don''t mind.  You can have your quest...]


    [New Quest: Exterminate the raging living tree monsters on floor 6.  Reward: One full level up]


    The new quest appeared in my list, bright and shiny and ready to be broken.  I grinned, reading those words very carefully.  If the system wanted to get rid of the raging living tree monsters, then all I had to do was calm them down, right?  Once they weren''t raging, the quest would no longer make sense.


    "Thank you for the quest."  My grin stretched from ear to ear now and Fiona was giving me a concerned look. I picked up the pace as if nothing happened.  "I won''t disappoint you, Sweet Potato."


    [Are you sure?  Because your tone is kind of saying otherwise]


    [It¡¯s fine.  Just deal with the trees, please]


    And deal with the trees I would.  In my own way.  I searched through my inventory while we walked, relying on Fiona to guide me a bit.  I had some chamomile tea that Marvin had grabbed from the safe zone, which might help, but didn''t feel like enough to calm a raging tree down if it really was raging.  Hmmm...I had rosehips as well and just enough valerian root to really make this drink sing.  Or sleep, I guess.


    If only I had some nectar for the bees, then we¡¯d be set.  I glanced around the area, spotting big purple bell-shaped flowers growing on some vines nearby.  I hurried over, reaching high to pick a few.


    They smelled sweet and were hopefully fragrant enough to appease the bees.


    "If you''re done smelling the roses," Camellya said, "then maybe we should get going?"


    This time it was my turn to roll my eyes.  Her lips quirked up in a smile right before she raised her staff at a bee.


    "Wait!" I held the flower up instead, offering it to the bee and trying not to cringe as the massive insect flew closer to me.  This would work.  It had to work.  My arm trembled as the bee seemed to sniff the flower.  "We aren''t here to hurt anyone.  I just want to talk to the trees."


    "Do lines like that really work for you?" Camellya asked.  "Or have you just never been stung by one of those beasts? I promise you, it''s not sweet and sugary like the name makes it sound."


    Fiona stepped closer, but I shook my head, holding the flower up higher.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "I''m fine, but I''m glad to know you care, Camellya."


    The two sisters exchanged worried glances as the bee grabbed the flower, tugging it away from me as it took off towards the trees.  I let out a breath, almost collapsing on the ground.


    "I can''t believe that worked."  I laughed, shaking my head as the adrenaline swept over me.  "Let''s pick some more flowers, yeah?"


    Garrik snorted.  "Here I was thinking you knew what you were doing, but you were just flying by the seat of your pants.  You''ve got courage, that''s for sure."


    "Maybe a bit too much courage," Fiona said, putting a hand on my shoulder.  "Try to be a little more careful.  Not every monster is as nice as your slimes."


    I''d learned that the hard way after meeting the Solhorns, but I had to at least try.  If a monster didn''t attack me first, then I didn''t want to attack them either.  Changing the way this dungeon worked would take effort, but every little bit mattered.  Every time I befriended a monster, it let other adventurers know it was possible.


    After we each gathered a handful of flowers, we continued on towards the forest ahead.  Adventurers dangled upside-down from tree limbs with their weapons littering the ground while others were climbing the trees and getting swatted by painful-looking branches.  A group of Sugar Stingers was giving chase to about a dozen adventurers while a higher leveled party watched on from the outskirts, as if making their plan of attack based on everyone else''s failures.


    My stomach turned.  This was wrong.  I had to put a stop to it before things got even more out of hand.


    Garrik nudged me.  "If you''re going to do something, now''s the time."


    "Right, of course." I took a few steps closer to the trees.  "Hello, you remember me, don''t you?"  One of the biggest trees lurched forward, slamming its roots on the ground so hard I almost fell over.  "Okay, maybe not.  I made you some tasty fertilizer and you gave me wood in return.  Ring any bells?"


    The trees groaned as they moved closer to me, their wood creaking with the effort.  Roots cracked like whips, making me dodge more than once or get clobbered by them. Okay, maybe they remembered me, but they just didn''t like me. I was the one who''d put them through all this pain after all.  Maybe they hated me.  Maybe they wanted to send me back to Dave in the tutorial zone.  My pulse raced as my head started to spin.  What was I doing out here?  I was a baker!  I should be at home, in the kitchen making pies, not having a standoff with some angry trees.


    Fiona stepped up next to me, putting her hand on my shoulder.  "It''ll be alright.  Just talk to them.  If it doesn''t work out, we''ll jump in to back you up."


    I glanced over my shoulder to see them all nodding.  I took a deep breath to steady my nerves and pulled the biggest pot out of my inventory along with my travel heater.


    "Would you like some tea?" I asked, forcing myself to take another step closer to the angry tree who''d tried to knock me over.  "It''ll calm your nerves and reduce your stress.  You don''t have to keep fighting if you don''t want to.  I''ll help you."


    The trees swayed, noises traveling over the wind like they could somehow communicate through their leaves.  While I waited, the other adventurers in the area started whispering too: about me.  They thought I was an idiot about to get herself killed.  Maybe they were right, but I still had to try, so I sat down right in the middle of all the chaos and got to work preparing the tea.


    "This is my fault," I said, adding water to the pot.  "I only wanted to help you, but I accidentally overpowered you so much that the system took action to fix it.  I didn''t really know how my skills worked at the time and I used them without thinking."  A tree took a big step forward, branches swaying dangerously close to me.  I held my hands up.  "Let me make it up to you!"


    The trees stopped moving, as if waiting.


    I pulled out the chamomile tea leaves.  "See these?  They''re very tasty when steeped in water.  I''m sure you''ll like them."


    "You''re making tea?" Garrik asked.  "Right now?"


    "What else do you suggest?" I whispered back at him.  "The problem isn''t that the trees are overpowered, it''s that they''re raging.  If tea can calm them down, I might as well try, right?"


    [That''s your grand plan?  Sleepy time tea?]


    "Pretty much, yeah."  I couldn''t help but smile at that message, grateful that the system was interested enough to keep watching.  The whole thing hinged on me being able to convince it to cancel the quest once the trees were calm again.  "Keep your eyes on me, Sweet Potato.  I''m about to do something pretty impressive."


    [You have my full attention, as always]


    My hands froze, dropping the tea leaves in the water.  "As always?"


    But the system didn''t answer and the adventurers weren''t waiting.  A group of them charged the trees.


    "Wait!" I shouted, but Fiona was already darting out ahead of me to intercept them, just like when I''d decided to rescue Boss.  She was always so reliable, backing up every crazy plan I had.  I''d have to find a way to thank her.


    "The lady said she''d handle this," Fiona said as gripped her hammer, "so I''d suggest you stay back and let her try to calm them down."


    The adventurers eyed her warily as one of the guys spoke up.  "Those trees are using half our party as playthings.  I don''t care if she can calm them down or not. I''m going to kill them."


    I winced, adding the rosehips and valerian root to the pot as well.  They had a point, even if I didn''t like their plan.  The sweet floral aroma of the tea wafted out of the pot as it steeped.  I took a deep breath as one of the trees moved a bit closer, leaves reaching for the pot.


    "Careful, it''s hot," I said, taking it off the portable stove to cool.  "Why don''t you let the adventurers down first, then once the tea cools, I''ll make sure you all get as much as you want."


    Garrik sighed, joining Fiona as a defensive line between the two groups.  He seemed pretty reliable too.  I was glad they''d shown up at the cafe today.  The trees groaned, but eventually dropped the adventurers, who thudded to the ground painfully.  They stood up, rubbing their shoulders and backs before picking up their weapons.  Thankfully, they seemed too dizzy to attack right away, so they just stumbled back to their groups.


    "Is that good enough for you?" I asked the man who said he wanted to kill the trees.  "They gave you back your party members, now why don''t you let me do the rest?"


    Fiona and Garrik got into a fighting stance, as if to say they''d make them agree by force if they had to.  This quest had a really good reward of gaining an extra level, so I knew those adventurers wouldn''t back down easily.  Maybe if I gave them something else to think about?  I reached into my inventory again, pulling out some cookies I''d made earlier for Boss.


    "Here, take these as an apology." I walked over to the group, handing out cookies one by one.  "They''ll change your life, I swear."


    Dahlia rushed over, dropping her spellbook like she didn''t care about this fight at all.  "Ohhhh, you''ve got cookies?  I want to try one!"


    I laughed, handing her the rest of them.  When she bit into it, she moaned, rushing over to shove one into Camellya''s mouth too.  "You''ve gotta try this!"


    Camellya mumbled something I couldn''t understand around the cookie, but it sounded like she was irritated.  One by one, the other adventurers tried them too, even the dangerous one in front who wanted to kill my tree friends.  Their eyes widened as the delicious taste of chocolate started to win them over.  I smiled, going back to the pot of tea which was still warm, but not hot enough to burn the trees.  I''d normally strain it, but they might like the leaves and herbs too.  I think I''d leave it as is for them.


    "Okay, it''s ready."  I picked up the pot, lurching from the weight of it, and carried it over to the first tree.  Its branches swayed, curling around me like it wanted to drag me in.  "Ummm, should I just pour it on your roots?"


    That''s what I''d done with the fertilizer, so it made sense to do the same thing now.  I gently ladled the tea onto its roots, which shivered.  The trees'' branches shook, then settled as it seemed to sigh.  Its roots calmed down too, no longer thrashing the ground in anger.  It looked like it was working!


    I made my way around the forest of monsters, giving each tree a generous drink of the sleepy time tea.  When the pot was empty, I made another.  And a third.  Eventually every tree had had their fill and the forest was quiet, unmoving.  Their rage had dissolved just like this tea seeping into the ground.


    "She actually did it," Garrik said.  "I knew her food was good, but not good enough to calm a rabid monster.  That''s crazy."


    Dahlia rushed over to hug me, practically knocking me over as she did.  "I knew you could do it!  You''re the best baker ever."


    Fiona nodded, but kept her eyes on the other adventurers.  She must have expected them to attack still, so I needed to finish this quest for real.


    "Okay, Sweet Potato," I called out, "I finished the quest.  There isn''t a single raging living tree here."


    [...]


    [You just had to find a loophole, didn''t you?]


    I grinned.  "Isn''t that what you like about me?  It keeps things interesting."


    [That it does.  Congratulations, Hazel]


    [Living Trees Defeated]


    [Exterminate the Raging Living Trees Quest Completed]


    [Reward: 1 full level up]


    Music chimed through the air as my level went from 9 to 10!  Hunks of wood rained from the sky along with what looked like honey and maple syrup.  Now that was the kind of reward I could get behind!  The items all disappeared with a happy little chime as they got close to me, adding to my inventory.


    "I leveled up too!" Fiona said, hugging me from the side.  "You did a great job."


    Garrik grunted.  "I guess she did.  We all leveled, so we''re good."


    "More than good, we''re hungry," Dahlia said with a laugh.  "Got any more cookies?"


    I shook my head.  "Sorry.  I can bake more though if you want to stop back later and pick them up."


    "Sounds like a plan to me!"  She turned to Garrik.  "Ohhh please tell me we can come back."


    He frowned.  "I would, but it''s just not that simple.  It took a long time to come all the way back to this floor.  Maybe if she had a teleport or something, but without that, I just don''t see it happening."


    Dahlia''s face fell.  "You''re right.  Sorry. I just got excited, that''s all."


    "Well," Camellya scuffed her boots in the dirt, "I do have something that might help."


    She pulled two sets of lanterns from her inventory, shrouded in smoke with a flame flickering inside each one.  One set was bathed in a warm golden light while the other had deep purple flames, creating a magical aura like I''d never seen before.


    Garrik sucked in a breath.  "You''re really giving those up?"


    "What are they?" I asked, leaning closer for a better look.  There didn''t seem to be a wick or anything keeping the flames lit, they just hovered in the center of each lantern.  "And why are you giving them to me?"


    "For Dahlia."  Camellya shoved the golden set of lanterns at me.  "So she can eat cookies whenever she wants."


    Dahlia leapt into Camellya''s arms.  "Ohhh you''re the best!  I knew you liked that cafe too."


    "Oh shut it," she said, but hugged Dahlia back.  "Now are you going to take them or not, Miss Baker?"


    "Definitely taking them!"  I grabbed the lanterns before she changed her mind.  "But what do they do?"


    Garrik sighed.  "We''ll explain on the way since we need to link them to your cafe now.  Great job, Camellya."


    Dahlia grinned.  "Yes, great job, sister!"


    Fiona and I exchanged glances.  "Great job?"


    The others marched forward like we were on a new mission.  I hung back, staring at the trees.  Leaving them here would just cause more issues and they''d probably get enraged again, especially if people kept attacking them.  I walked up to the tree who''d loved my tea the most.


    "Would you like to come back to my cafe with me?" I asked, touching its bark softly.  "Nobody will hurt you and I promise you''ll get lots of tasty treats."


    The tree''s branches swayed as it turned back to the others who didn''t budge an inch.


    I smiled at them.  "It''s a monster friendly place as long as you promise not to attack anyone.  There are dozens of slimes there already, so why not at least come check it out?"


    The giant trees groaned as they inched closer, swaying back and forth until they surrounded me.  I leaned my head back, marveling at how tall they all were compared to the scraggly trees I''d first encountered.


    I patted the tree''s bark.  "Let''s go home."


    It wrapped a branch around my shoulders as its leaves patted me on the head.  I bit my lip, trying not to laugh at how absurd this must look.  A tree patting a woman on the head.  I knew these trees were kind, I just knew it.  I turned to head home, the trees following in my wake one by one like a line of very slow-moving ducklings.


    At least the slow speed would give me time to think on what to do with them once we got back.

 Chapter 35 - Settling In

    With the forest of Living Trees trailing slowly behind us, we didn''t run into any trouble on our way back to the cafe, but there was a soft buzzing in the background that made me think at least a few of the Sugar Stingers were following us.  A giant hive dangled from one of the trees, which made me hopeful for honey if the bees liked their new home enough.  Mmmm tea with honey.  I bet Matcha would love it.


    "You really are strange," Camellya said.  "You''re looking at that beehive like it''s delicious instead of dangerous."


    "Well honey''s good for a lot of things!"  I tapped my chin.  "I could make honey cake, baklava, toffee, all sorts of pies, you name it."


    Dahlia moaned. "All of them.  Make all of them and invite me over."


    I laughed as we walked up to the cafe.  The fire slimes were all cuddled together sleeping in their new firepit, but the rest must have been in the backyard or inside.  Which was probably for the best until I figured out what to do with the trees.  They towered over the cafe by at least ten feet, casting huge shadows that would probably concern any adventurer who came by.  And Marvin.  Possibly the slimes too.  Wait, did slimes and tree monsters even get along?


    Suddenly this whole plan felt a little haphazard.


    I turned around, smiling at the trees.  "Welcome to the Slime Serenitea Cafe!  Feel free to look around and see where you might want to settle in."  A soft breeze rustled through their leaves as if they were debating before one walked straight up to the cafe''s front door.  "Wait! I don''t think you''ll fit inside, I''m sorry.  Maybe we could go out back?"


    The tree creaked as it leaned over, touching the ground with one of its branches.  Leaves and twigs sprouted from it, twisting and curling into a cozy little bench beside the door.


    "Ohhh, that''s amazing!" Dahlia exclaimed as she stared up at the tree, patting its bark affectionately.  "You''re such a good tree monster."


    "I agree.  That bench looks wonderful!"  I hurried over to try it out, sitting down with a sigh of contentment.  It was perfectly shaped and much smoother than I''d imagined.  "Thank you for the gift."


    The tree patted my head with its soft leaves before rumbling off to rejoin the others who were wandering around the yard.  The fire slimes had woken up and were currently trying to use one of the other trees as fuel.  I raced over, snatching them away from the poor tree.


    "I''m so sorry!"  I held the fire slime tight, patting the spot where her flames had touched the tree.  It was warm, but not charred at all.  "The fire slimes just love to play, that''s all."


    The tree swayed, lifting its branches over the firepit.  Chunks of wood rained down, filling the firepit to the brim.  The fire slimes cheered as they climbed the giant pile of wood, bouncing and wiggling like they were the happiest little slimes ever.  I smiled, glad the trees were fitting right in and didn''t seem to mind sharing wood with us.


    "Hey, Hazel?" Fiona called out.  "Is it okay if we hang those lanterns up for you?"


    "Unless you''re busy hugging trees," Camellya said.  "I thought you''d be more excited about my gift, but no, you''re just trying out furniture and building bonfires."


    I winced.  "Sorry, but I don''t actually know what they do.  I''m guessing it''s something travel related?"


    Dahlia grinned.  "See?  I told you she probably didn''t know.  You can''t just expect every mage to be an expert in magical relics."


    "They should be."  Camellya marched over, holding her hand out for the lanterns.  "Give them here.  We''ll attach them to each side of the cafe''s front door, anchoring them to it.  As long as the flames are lit, we can create a portal to your door from any other door we link our lanterns to."


    "That''s amazing!" My eyes widened as I grabbed them out of my inventory.  "Are you sure you want to just give them to me? They sound pretty useful."


    Camellya nodded.  "Keep feeding us good food and we''ll call it even."


    "And," Dahlia joined in, "if you could make us a huge batch of cookies, I''d really appreciate it."


    "Deal.  Do you want any buffs on them?" I asked.


    Garrik raised an eyebrow.  "You can buff food?"


    I hadn''t been doing that for anyone at the cafe so far, but maybe it was time to put my skills to good use.  These adventurers had stood by and let me handle things my way, protected me while I was doing it, and had given me a great gift.  Plus, they were so powerful that there was no reason for them to be picking fights with weaker monsters like slimes anymore.


    "I can buff any one stat per batch of cookies," I said, nodding.  "I can even make them stay fresh for longer."  He stared at me for so long I started to get uncomfortable and decided to hold the lantern up next to the door for Camellya.  "Like this?"


    "Yeah, we''ve just gotta find something to hold it up with."  She started going through her inventory, but before she could grab anything, a large tree branch leaned in over her shoulder.  It tapped the wall of my cafe, letting the wood grow and curl around the handle of the lantern, securing it in place.  "Oh, well, that works too, I guess."


    Camellya shuffled over to the other side, motioning for me to hold a lantern there too.  I did as she asked, waiting to see if the tree would help us out here as well.  A branch slowly moved over my hand, bringing the cafe''s exterior to life as the wood grew around the lantern as if it was designed that way.


    "That is so cool," I whispered, smiling at the tree.  "Thank you for your help."


    Its leaves fluttered and I could have sworn I heard a happy little chirp.  Wait, no, that was one of the slimes.  Matcha rolled out of the cafe, bouncing against the tree''s trunk as a stopping point.  The tree reached out one of its leaves to touch the tea leaves on Matcha''s head.  The slime froze, then giggled as if the tree had tickled him.  He bounced happily as the tree carefully picked him up, setting the slime in its branches.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    "Glad you approve of our new guests," I said with a smile.  But something was still bothering me.  Garrik''s stare was burning a hole in my back.  I took a deep breath, turning to the burly adventurer.  "Is something wrong?"


    He tilted his head, frowning.  "I just don''t get it.  You can cook food that not only tastes good, but gives people buffs too.  Is that how you get XP?"


    "Yes?" Based on how hard he was staring at me, it felt like I should be keeping that information secret in the future.  I didn''t want to attract unnecessary attention. I just wanted to bake, level up, and play with as many slimes as possible.  "That''s how the culinary mage class works.  I level up through baking and get drops from feeding monsters."


    Camellya''s eyes widened.  "So that''s why all that wood and honey dropped even though you hadn''t killed anything.  That''s insane."


    "How''d you do it?" Dahlia whispered, moving closer.  "How''d you get a new class?"


    All eyes were on me, like I had the secrets of the dungeon locked away somewhere.  I searched for Fiona, but she must have wandered off somewhere.  So it was up to me to answer them.


    "Ummm...I''m not really sure." I shrugged.  "I just got to the dungeon and picked up a sandwich instead of a weapon."


    It sounded kind of ridiculous saying it out loud, but it''s what happened.  Honestly, me getting this class probably had more to do with the system than anything I did.  It had never really explained why it gave me the class, but it felt like it was bored.  Like it wanted to try new things.  Maybe it would be open to other new classes if somebody opened its mind to the idea.


    Matcha bounced in the tree, making a few leaves rain down on me.  The tree moved, walking over to the others with Matcha chirping out noises like he was directing them somewhere.


    "Matcha?" I called out, but they were on the move already.  I turned to the adventurers.  "Sorry, but I should probably see what they''re up to."


    Dahlia nodded.  "We''ll just wait inside with Fiona and discuss a few things."


    That sounded a little ominous, but I didn''t have time to think about it while the trees were heading towards the backyard.  Was Matcha bringing them to the garden?  They''d probably enjoy all the plants back there, so it was a good idea.  Maybe they''d want to settle in around it, like living guardians of the garden.  I bet the dirt slimes would love having new friends to play with too.  Just as long as they didn''t mess up the garden with their root attacks or something.


    I picked up the pace, catching up to the trees in no time.  "This is our garden.  Mossy, the big dirt slime in the middle, takes care of everything with his dirt slimes."  A few slimes bounced over, eying the trees like they weren''t sure what to do.  I patted their heads, smiling.  "Slimes, these are our new friends the Living Trees.  They''re going to stay with us for a while."


    Matcha rolled down a branch, dropping out of the tree like a rock.  I rushed to catch him as he giggled up a storm, wiggling like this was a new game.  I shook my head, laughing.  He was adorable, but such a handful sometimes.  When I set him on the ground, he hopped on an empty patch of dirt, nodding at the trees.  They dug their roots into the ground, ripping up the soil and flinging dirt everywhere.  I took a few steps back, but the dirt slimes literally dove in.


    They leapt under and over the tree roots like they were running an obstacle course and the trees obliged by moving into different positions to keep it interesting.  All wariness left the slimes as they sank into the freshly turned soil the trees had opened up for them.  I picked up the watering can, drizzling not only the dirt slimes but the trees too.  Their leaves perked up and one of them patted me on the head again.


    "You''re kind of adorable," I said, realizing it was the same tree who''d knocked me down at first.  It was the first one to drink the sleepy time tea too.  "Hmmm...do you mind if I name you?  It would be easier to tell everyone apart with names."


    The tree tapped a branch against its bark before bending forward slightly like it was nodding.  Which meant I now had to think of a bunch of tree names that they''d be happy with.


    "Ummm, what about Barkley?" I shook my head, already disliking it.  "Or Leafie?  Maybe Rootbert?"


    None of them really fit this tree''s vibes.  Sure, it had attacked me, but it had also been willing to try my tea right away.  After that, the tree had been nothing but sweet, giving me headpats and hugs with its twiggy branches ever since.  It had even gifted me that new bench and helped with the lanterns.  It deserved a good name, something sweet and kind so nobody thought of it as a monster anymore.


    "What do you think of Sappy?  Because you''re sweet as syrup?"  I frowned.  "Syrup is actually kind of nice too, but you''re not a maple tree so maybe it wouldn''t make sense."


    The tree held up a branch and it reminded me so much of a person holding up their finger to say wait that I couldn''t help but smile.  The tree started shaking, all of its leaves falling to the ground in a torrent of greenery.  My eyes widened.


    "Are you okay?" I asked, but it kept holding out its branch to keep me away.  "If something''s wrong, maybe I can help."


    The tree trembled, shaking until every single branch was bare.  My chest ached as the other trees watched on in silence.  Weren''t they going to help their friend?  Unless trees didn''t think of each other like that or maybe this tree wasn''t actually in pain?  It looked like new buds were forming on its branches.  New leaves sprouted, even bigger and healthier than the old ones and they were shaped almost like a star.  Or a maple leaf...


    My mouth dropped open as the entire coloring of the tree changed.  "Are you a maple tree now?"  The tree bobbed in a nod.  "You didn''t need to do that just for me.  Honestly, you never need to change for somebody else.  You were perfect just like you were."  The tree patted me on the head so softly that tears pricked my eyes.  I rubbed them away, smiling.  "Well, if this is what you want, then okay.  I''ll call you Syrup from now on."


    It threw its branches in the air and swayed in a happy dance.  The other trees turned to each other, wind rustling through their leaves as they discussed something.  Then they all started trembling, shaking off their old leaves and growing new ones too.  Some became maple trees like Syrup, but others grew glowing leaves like I''d never seen before, illuminating the garden in cool blue light.  Others turned white like birch trees and still others morphed into fruit-bearing trees full of apples, pears, and cherries.


    "Sweet Potato," I whispered, marveling at the beautiful myriad of trees in front of me, "what¡¯s happening to them?"


    [They''re evolving beyond the jungle limitations of this floor...]


    "Evolving?" I frowned.  "Like the slimes?"


    [Not quite.  More like they''re choosing who they want to be for now.  Living Trees can change with the seasons, but it takes a lot of energy, so they only do it when they feel safe.  They''ll need to rest and recharge if you want them to stay healthy]


    I nodded.  "I can do that.  Thank you."


    The trees were a dazzling array of colors now, some I recognized and some that felt completely fictional like the ones growing glowing berries like lanterns.  It was all so overwhelming, but I was happy that they felt safe enough to become who they really wanted to be here. It was beautiful and magical.  They started moving around the perimeter of the garden, creating a beautiful barrier between the dirt slimes and the rest of the dungeon.


    They slowed down, rooting into the soil at a snail''s pace, as if it would be their last time moving for a while.  I walked over to Syrup, patting its bark softly as the tree settled into its new home.


    "You''re safe here," I said.  "I''ll make sure you get all the rest you need."


    The tree patted my head one last time before going dormant.  No matter how long I was here, this dungeon kept surprising me.  I put my hand to my chest, appreciating my cafe more and more.  It not only let me level up, but it gave others a safe place to call home too.


    I wanted to keep providing that sense of safety in the middle of this crazy dungeon, so I''d work hard to make this cafe the best it could be.  This was my own little sanctuary in the dungeon, the one place that I could help anyone I wanted and meet all sorts of new friends.  I loved it with all my heart.

 Chapter 36 - Cookies for Everyone!

    The past few days had been extremely busy, but the Living Trees were all settled in and resting in the backyard, Dahlia''s party had left with a promise to return later for their cookies, and I was about to finish the most exciting quest ever: the quest that would give me an actual oven!  Finishing this quest so quickly had been a little exhausting, but the idea of an oven was just too good to leave sitting around.


    I laid out all the requirements on the kitchen floor, piling up the clay, stone, and wood.  They barely fit in the small space, which made me wonder how the oven itself would fit, but that felt like an issue for future me. Right now, I just wanted to bake cookies the proper way.  In an oven.


    [New Oven Quest - 25/25 customers, 10/10 clay, 10/10 stone, 10/10 wood]


    "Okay, Sweet Potato," I said, "time to do your thing.  Let''s complete that quest."


    [Quest Completed: New Oven]


    [Reward: Oven]


    The clay, wood, and stone lifted into the air, spinning and swirling around each other as they morphed into different shapes, becoming tall and rounded like a brick-style pizza oven.  The oven slid against the far side of the kitchen with a chimney that went through the cafe wall for venting.  A wide-open circle in front, big enough for a large cookie tray, revealed an open dome inside where I could place the food.


    Spark moved closer, bouncing up a set of tiny stairs built into the side of the stove, before hopping inside to explore for himself.  There were circular indentations perfectly shaped for him to rest on, like little slime chairs inside the oven itself.  Had the system intended for slimes to run the oven?  I leaned down, verifying that there was a place for me to add wood as well in case I wanted to bake the normal way, but with how Spark was wiggling I had a feeling I''d never need to.


    His big smile lit up the entire oven, casting a warm glow on the new appliance.


    "It''s beautiful," I said.  "Thank you, Sweet Potato."


    [No thanks necessary.  You did all the hard work yourself.  You should feel proud of what you''ve accomplished]


    I stepped back to admire the new oven, but it filled so much of the small room that I knew I''d need to finish that cafe expansion quest sooner rather than later.  I needed more space in the kitchen and dining area so I could work on more baking projects and serve even more customers. I wanted full counters lining the kitchen too, instead of the makeshift ones I''d made out of crates, and extra tables for customers.  Every time I upgraded one thing, it felt like there were ten others that could benefit from an upgrade too.


    Spark peaked out from the stove, chirping and bouncing like he wanted something.  With how much he enjoyed me cooking, I had a feeling I knew exactly what was on his mind.


    "Think we should try it out?" I asked the fire slime, who nodded before going back to his oven chair.  "Okay then, let''s make some cookies."


    I pulled out flour, butter, eggs, chocolate chips, and everything else I''d need for the cookies and started working on the dough.  While I mixed the ingredients together, Boss tried to squeeze through the kitchen door, but there wasn''t really anywhere for him to sit now that the kitchen was so much smaller.


    "Sorry, Boss, but I don''t think you''ll fit."  The big blue slime sighed, deflating a bit.  I scooped out a bit of cookie dough for him and held it out.  "Want a little snack?  We''re about to try the new oven."


    His eyes widened as he leaned forward to gobble up the cookie dough.  I laughed as his slime tickled my skin.  He settled down right outside of the kitchen, watching my every move as I shaped the cookies into balls.  Fiona had made me a beautiful set of baking pans that I hadn''t been able to use yet, so I pulled those out and filled them with balls of cookie dough.  Then I slid the pan into the oven where Spark nudged them into place perfectly centered.  The slime''s flames danced, bright and happy as he kept the oven at the perfect temperature.


    "You''re amazing, Spark."  I smiled at him and started on the next tray of cookies.


    Boss closed his eyes, apparently falling asleep as I rolled cookie after cookie.  I started humming that song Dahlia had made up about my little monster cafe in the woods.  It was actually pretty catchy.  I''d have to have her sing it properly next time she was here.


    When the first batch of cookies were done, I pulled them out and set them on the makeshift counter to cool while I put the second tray in for Spark.  It looked like the oven was big enough for multiple trays at once, but I had a feeling I''d need multiple fire slimes then.  Especially since there were three little slime chairs inside like the system had already thought of that.


    [Chocolate Chip Cookies Level 10 Acquired]


    [+15 XP]


    I reached back to snag a cookie for Spark since he was doing all the hard work, but the counter was empty.


    "What the..." I frowned, staring at the tray that used to be full of cookies. I held my hand over it, feeling the warmth emanating from it still.  I glanced up at Boss, but he was still snoozing outside the kitchen, too big to fit inside anymore.  "What happened to the cookies?"


    Boss opened his eyes blearily, blinking at me like he had no idea.  My frown deepened, but since the slimes couldn''t talk, I guess I wouldn''t be getting an answer anytime soon.  I rolled a few more cookies into balls, filling the next tray up.  I kept glancing back though, trying to spot anything unusual happening.  When the second tray was done baking, I set it on the counter next to the first, determined to keep an eye on it this time.  Whatever cookie shenanigans were going on, I''d find out.


    Except, nothing happened.  The cookies cooled on their tray like normal and Spark started chattering for more.  I added the next tray to the oven, glancing sideways at the cooled cookies.  Tiny blue slimes hopped up on the counter, grabbing a few cookies each, before scuttling off to Boss.


    I shook my head, grinning.  That tricky slime!  I had no idea he could separate at will now and send his little cookie bandits into my kitchen on their own!  I focused on Spark, giving the Little Bosses enough time to scamper away with all the cookies.  He deserved a good treat after everything he''d been through lately, even if it was a little devious to take them when I wasn''t looking.  Maybe he was just trying his new abilities out.  Or maybe he was sad that he was too big to fit in the kitchen with me now.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Either way, I''d let him steal as many cookies as he wanted.


    I baked another three trays of cookies, feeding some to Spark and eating a few myself before Boss snatched them up.  He seemed to be ravenous today, unable to fill his slime stomach no matter how many I made.  It was kind of worrisome, but each time I looked back at him, he seemed to be a little more....golden?  Like he was so full of cookies that his slime was becoming cookie-colored itself.  It reminded me of the time Jellybean evolved into Matcha actually.


    If Boss was trying to evolve as well, then I should keep feeding him as much as I could.  Cookies had always been his favorite after all.


    Dozens of cookies and many, many Little Boss cookie bandits later and it seemed like Boss was finally full.  At least, the last batch of cookies I made was still on the counter cooling without being snatched up even after the next batch was ready to cool too.  This was the first time I''d managed to get two trays cooling at once, so it felt like a good sign.


    "How are you feeling, Boss?" I asked as the slime continued to pretend to sleep.  "Want a cookie?"


    The big slime shook his body slowly, golden-brown slime jiggling back and forth.  Chocolate chunks dotted his body and there was no trace of his original blue slime left.  He''d completely transformed into a chocolate chip cookie slime, just like Matcha had turned into a tea slime!  A delicious buttery scent wafted off of him, as if he was the embodiment of a cozy cookie now.  I walked out of the kitchen to give him a big hug, burying my face in his golden body.


    "Aww Boss, you evolved!  Congratulations!"


    Boss wiggled, nuzzling closer to me until I was almost buried in his slime body. I laughed and pulled away before I couldn''t breathe, patting his new cookie slime form.  Matcha and a few other slimes seemed to hear our celebration because they bounced over to join in the fun.  We all danced, cheering for Boss'' evolution into a cookie slime.


    "Do you still like the name Boss?" I asked, glancing at the big cookie slime.  "I can think of something more fitting if you want?"


    He scrunched his face up, but didn''t make any noises, and eventually shook his body back and forth.


    "Okay, we can always think of something later if you want."  I gave him one more hug, squeezing him tight.  "Congratulations.  Now I think I''m going to go finish the cookies for Dahlia''s party while I''m at it.  Might as well keep going since I''m on a roll."


    And since Boss was too full to eat any of them anymore.  I chuckled to myself as I went back into the kitchen, gathering even more ingredients for cookies.  I wanted to branch out and make other kinds of baked goods soon, but for now, the warm comfort of a classic chocolate chip cookie felt like what people needed.  Something comforting and warm, that could soothe their souls and make them smile.


    I got into a groove of mixing ingredients, rolling dough, and putting them in the oven for Spark to bake, zoning out a bit as the process became more and more familiar.  The counters were filling with cooled cookies and the scent of chocolate filled the air.  Boss'' soft snoring was making my eyes feel heavier.  I should probably sleep after the next batch of cookies since I couldn''t remember the last time I''d gone to bed.  It was so hard to keep track of time in the dungeon and adventurers had been showing up frequently.


    I reached for the next pan to remove it from the oven, but yelped as the heat of it burned my skin.  I grabbed the pan without a potholder!  So stupid.  I ran my hand under water, cooling it off.   Thankfully, it didn''t seem too burnt, just a bit tender.  Boss was fully awake now and trying to squeeze into the kitchen, almost knocking over the makeshift counters and spilling all the cookies.


    "I''m fine," I said, holding my hand up.  "See?  Just a little accident.  Nothing to worry about."


    Spark squeaked from inside the oven, peering out at Boss as they chattered away at each other.  Boss nodded, backing out of the kitchen like they''d come to some sort of conclusion.  Once again, I really wished I could speak slime.  An acrid scent wafted over to me.  Dammit, the cookies were burning!


    I snatched them out of the oven, hating how dark they''d turned out.  I''d have to toss them, except, the slimes had been eating every scrap of leftovers we had.  So maybe they''d want them even if they were a little charred?  I set them aside to check later, but for now I had most of a bowl of dough left and couldn''t just let it go to waste.  I hadn''t managed to find a refrigerator quest yet, so once something was started, it had to be finished.


    After two dozen more cookies, the bowl was finally empty.  I let Spark hop inside it to gobble up all the crumbs, but he wasn''t as enthusiastic about it as usual.  He kept staring at me, like if he took his eyes off me I''d burn myself again.  Or like he thought it was his fault?


    "I''m sorry if I scared you." I patted the fire slime''s head softly.  "I''ll be more careful from now on. I just grabbed it without even thinking."


    Spark cooed, leaning into my hand, carefully avoiding the spot I burned myself.  I never meant to worry them, so I should probably heal it even though I wasn''t really that hurt.  I grabbed one of the cookies I''d put a healing buff on and munched on it, watching the slight redness on my skin fade entirely.


    I held my hand out to Spark.  "See?  All healed up."


    The slime chirped and Boss leaned back into the kitchen.  I shook my head, smiling as I held my hand out to him too.  He nuzzled against it, as if he could tell if I was injured or not by touch, until he leaned back and nodded in approval.  Sheesh.  These slimes were like mother hens.


    "Burns happen sometimes when you''re baking," I said.  "They''re not usually serious though."


    The slimes stared at me like they weren''t convinced, so I just moved on to the next step: storing the cookies!  I wasn''t sure what to give Dahlia''s party the cookies in since I didn''t have to-go boxes, so I''d decided an empty treasure chest would do the trick.  I lined the treasure chest with delicious chocolate chip cookies, piling them high.  I couldn''t help but grin as they filled the chest.  Cookies were the true treasure in this dungeon now, better than gold and weapons that''s for sure.


    "Hey Sweet Potato, you can steal my idea if you want," I said, adding the last few cookies to the chest.  "Your treasure chests can be full of tasty food from now on and people would love you for it."


    [Honestly, it''s not a terrible idea]


    My grin widened.  "Maybe I''d even want to explore more if you had treasures like these."


    [Deal]


    I blinked.  "Really?  It''s that simple to change the dungeon?"


    [...]


    [No, of course not. I was just already thinking about doing that myself...]


    Sure it was.  I smiled to myself, closing the lid on the treasure chest full of cookies.  This system was kind of adorable and I really wished I could meet them in person.  If they were a person and not just lines of code.  Even if they were lines of code, they must have some kind of main form.  Like a computer or a control room.  Now that would be worth exploring.


    I leaned down to grab the bowl Spark had been cleaning so I could wash it myself too, but the room started spinning a bit.  Black spots swept over my vision.  I reached out to steady myself on a counter, accidentally pulling the crate over. I stumbled and this time Boss did push himself inside to steady me.


    "It''s okay," I mumbled, leaning against him.  "I''m okay."


    But my entire body was saying the opposite.  It felt heavy, so I slid onto the floor, leaning against Boss as a backrest.


    "I''m just going to rest my eyes..."


    Darkness overtook me as I fell into a deep sleep.

 Chapter 37 - Is the Dungeon Smitten?

    The Dungeon of Eternal Embers'' Point of View


    When Cole saw Hazel collapse, he''d moved without thinking, transferring his mind into his human avatar and racing to her cafe like his life depended on it. He''d seen adventurers collapse after being attacked, but never when they were just standing there baking cookies. She''d seemed fine, just joking about cookie-filled treasure chests, and then she was on the floor! His heartbeat thundered in his ears as he jerked the cafe''s door open.


    In place of the main table was a mound of blankets and slimes, piled up so high he could barely see Hazel through it all. He rushed inside, pushing past Fiona to get to Hazel''s side. Her breathing was deep and even, and she was wrapped in a cozy blanket surrounded by slimes. He released a breath. She was okay. Hazel was just sleeping.


    So why had she collapsed then? Mana depletion?


    "Excuse me," Fiona said, shoving him away from Hazel''s side. "Who the hell are you and what gives you the right to barge in here like that?"


    Her hammer was drawn, ready to knock him right out of this cafe if he didn''t answer her correctly. They''d apparently never met in this form then, huh? That put a dent in his plans, but it was nice knowing Hazel had such a good bodyguard around her.


    "Sorry, my name''s Cole. I''m a friend of Hazel''s." He held his hand out in the way he''d seen many adventurers greet each other before. "I was worried about her and didn''t think, sorry for startling you."


    Her eyes narrowed. "You''re Cole, huh? I''ve heard a lot about you."


    Hazel had been talking about him? His heart soared as he peeked over at her sleeping on the floor. He wanted to check how she was doing closer, but he couldn''t move until Fiona trusted him. This being a human thing was so complicated.


    "Oh? Good things, I hope?"


    "Mixed bag. Can''t believe you took her to floor 28." Fiona gripped her hammer tighter. "If you''re going to do things like that, you need to be strong enough to protect her."


    His stomach tightened, remembering her falling off that cliff. "You''re right and I''m sorry. It won''t happen again." He frowned. "But, it was floor 38, not 28. That probably makes it worse though, so I''m just going to shut up now."


    "Guess you really are Cole then." Fiona relaxed, loosening her grip on her hammer. "Come on over and check on her. She''s fine. Just overworked herself trying to get so many quests done at once."


    His eyes widened. He''d given her those quests as a distraction, but instead they''d worn her down to the point of collapsing.


    Was this....his fault?


    He slumped onto the ground, accidentally disturbing Spark. The little slime squeaked, but then hopped into Cole''s lap, staring up at him in concern. Cole was in charge of the dungeon, in charge of these adventurers, but it felt like whenever Hazel came up, he lost all sense of control. He acted on instinct, throwing random new things at her like shiny toys to keep her busy.


    He''d only wanted to stop her from breaking the dungeon, but he never imagined he''d break her instead.


    "Sheesh, she''s not dying," Fiona muttered as she moved to a chair near the wall. "She''ll wake up soon, but before that, there''s something I want to know."


    He couldn''t seem to pull his focus from the way Hazel''s chest was rising and falling, breath going in and out. She was sleeping, not injured. Sleeping.


    "You ran in here like a bat outta hell." Fiona leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "But how did you know Hazel fainted?"


    His gaze jerked to Fiona as she tilted her head, studying his every move. His heartbeat raced again. What could he respond with that would make sense? Any form of he was watching her would be beyond creepy without explaining that he was the dungeon core, which would put them all at risk. But what else was there to say? Maybe he could make up a skill, something that would give him a special bond with Hazel so he''d know when she was in danger.


    Hazel shifted in her sleep, her hand falling out of the blankets. He felt the urge to reach out and touch her, to take her hand in his to reassure him that she was okay. But that would imply a bond he didn''t actually have with her yet. Sure, he watched over her, but that was his job. To her, he was practically a stranger. Just the unreliable adventurer who''d taken her to a dangerous floor.


    "I''m still waiting, you know," Fiona snapped. "There''s something not quite right about you, but I can''t put my finger on it. First, you can bring people to different floors and now you know things when you''re not even here. It''s definitely weird."


    Alarm bells rang in his head. This conversation was dangerous and had to be handled carefully.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "I brought her to that floor with a one-time item," he said, clearing his throat. "It was a rare drop."


    "And you used it on her?" Fiona raised an eyebrow. "Either you''re covering something up or you''re completely smitten. I can''t tell which yet..."


    "Smitten? With Hazel?" His face warmed as he shifted awkwardly, moving Spark off his lap. "Man, these fire slimes are really warm, huh?"


    Fiona dropped her elbows from her knees, sighing. "Smitten it is then. Okay, I get it. I''ll leave you be for now, but I''m watching you."


    She stood up, pointing two fingers at her eyes and then at Cole''s, before leaving the cafe. Which left him alone with Hazel and the slimes, honestly a bit puzzled. Was he smitten? He didn''t have access to his knowledge stores in this form, but he was sure that word meant he was attracted to her. Intensely attracted. But wasn''t he just watching out for her like he would do for any other adventurer?


    Hazel burrowed deeper underneath the covers causing her hair to fall across her face. Cole reached out, brushing it back behind her ear. His fingers grazed her skin, soft and warm, and he felt himself lingering. He cupped her cheek. She looked so peaceful sleeping like this, but he also missed the excitement in her eyes when she was baking. He enjoyed every version of her, appreciating all the new things she''d shown him. Honestly, he hadn''t been able to take his eyes off her since the moment she chose that sandwich as a weapon.


    Was that what being smitten felt like?


    If so, then he might be doomed. A dungeon in love? That was ridiculous. Unheard of.


    He slowly pulled his hand away from Hazel''s cheek, but she mumbled something that sounded a lot like sweet potato and reached for him, holding his hand tightly between hers like she refused to let him go. His heart pounded in his chest so loud he was surprised it didn''t wake her up. Hazel was holding his hand!


    He sat perfectly still, not wanting to disrupt this moment for anything, not even the slimes who kept shifting from Hazel to him. They bounced and chirped, making far too many little slime noises as they circled the two of them.


    "Shoo," Cole whispered. "She needs her rest."


    Matcha poked out from underneath the blankets, making Hazel shift in her sleep again. All this activity was definitely going to wake her up. Maybe he should go and let her rest in peace. He tried to stand up, but her grip tightened on his hand. He swallowed hard, staring at that beautifully calm expression on her face as she held onto him like he was hers, only able to come or go as she pleased. It made him oddly happy.


    Hazel made an adorably sleepy noise, her eyelids fluttering as she started waking up. She blinked at him. "Cole?" She started to pull away, then froze, staring at their intertwined hands. A faint rosy color tinged her cheeks. "What are you, um, what brings you here?"


    Cole glanced over at Matcha, who was snuggling up to a fire slime. "Me? I was just passing by..."


    "And decided to come watch me sleep?" she asked with a smile, gripping his hand one last time before letting it go so she could sit up. "I''m guessing somebody told you I''ve been overworking myself, huh?"


    "Well yeah, Fiona did mention that." He nodded, happy to have an easy excuse for being here, but already missing the warmth of his hand in hers. "If you''re really that tired, maybe you could take it easy for a bit? I''d help out around the cafe if you needed it."


    Boss bounced closer, moving behind Hazel so she had something to rest against. The poor slime must have really taken it hard when she collapsed on his watch. Cole understood that feeling completely and would have to reward the slime for taking care of her. He''d already evolved into a cookie slime though, so what else could he want? More food? A skill maybe?


    Hazel patted Boss''s side as the other slimes bounced closer, as if checking on her. She patted them too, smiling. "I''m okay, really. I just needed some sleep. I think I burned through my mana."


    She yawned widely, pointing out how little sleep she''d actually gotten. All the talking must have woken her up when she really needed her rest. She leaned back, settling into Boss and closing her eyes as she hugged Matcha tight. She looked so cozy and at peace. Did he really need to keep her so busy?


    He leaned back on his hands, watching her slowly drift off to sleep again. He''d been running this dungeon for so many years he couldn''t keep track anymore, but he''d never met anyone like her who consistently thought so out of the box. Everyone else seemed to follow the script he''d been told to set. Give them a class, let them fight hard to level up, and then let them leave with an intense feeling of accomplishment, knowing they''d earned every bit of their freedom.


    But Hazel was showing him a new way that still let her work hard and level up, but on her own terms. Was that really such a bad idea?


    The gods only cared about him keeping people busy and leveling, not how he did it. That was given to him by the last dungeon core. So why was he so set on following it, just because it''s what he''d always done? That felt like a terrible reason to keep doing something. Nobody could learn or grow with that train of thought, and he was starting to really enjoy this feeling of growth. Since he met Hazel, he''d felt so many new emotions: curiosity, joy, jealousy, and maybe even love. That''s what this dungeon was for, right? To give people a sense of purpose and drive, to make them feel like they accomplished things.


    That''s what growth was all about.


    So maybe, just maybe, Hazel wasn''t breaking the dungeon as much as he thought. Maybe she was opening it to new possibilities. Possibilities that could help the dungeon if he just gave them a try. Plus, if everyone was a little more unique, then Hazel wouldn''t stand out nearly as much. She''d be protected, far away from the gaze of those gods who wished to snuff out any abnormalities.


    Could it really work though? Could he change the dungeon that much without drawing their attention?


    He sighed, watching Hazel slip further down Boss'' side until she was back on her blankets. Cole reached over to tuck her in, pulling the blankets high over her shoulders. She snuggled into them, smiling and hugging Matcha close. Cole shook his head. How did he get so lucky meeting a woman like her?


    She was about to change his entire world, and he was kind of excited about it. Hazel felt like the key to so much that had been missing in his life. The key to having fun and enjoying his days instead of being so bored that time just slipped by without him even realizing it.


    Maybe that''s what being smitten really meant: finding somebody who changed your world for the better and not being able to look away as they did it. If so, he hoped everyone in this dungeon could experience being smitten one day. It was a feeling he''d cherish and hold onto as long as he could.


    Cole was absolutely, unimaginably, smitten.

 Chapter 38 - Food Catastrophe

    My blankets were soft and cozy, practically willing me to stay in bed and sleep for five more minutes, but sizzling sounds drifted from the kitchen like somebody was cooking. If Fiona was hungry, I should probably get up and make breakfast since she didn''t have any culinary skills to make the food taste good.


    I started to sit up, but Matcha chirped from under the blankets. I lifted them up so he could bounce outside, joining all the other slimes surrounding me. Dirt slimes, fire slimes, plain blue slimes I''d never seen before, it was like every slime in the area had gathered around me. And then there was Boss, the big ol'' cookie slime watching over me. He nudged closer, pressing against my back.


    Tears pricked my eyes as all their love surrounded me. "Thank you for taking care of me, but I''m all right now." Matcha tilted this way and that, as if unconvinced, so I patted his head and smiled. "Really. I feel great. You guys helped me sleep so well. I appreciate it."


    I stretched my arms up high as the sound of metal clattering on the floor pulled my attention to the kitchen again.


    "Dammit," a very male voice said, "how does she make it look so easy?"


    That sounded a lot like Cole. In my kitchen. Cooking breakfast?


    Now I had to get up and see what was going on. Flames shot up from the stove as something charcoaled in a pan. Spark and another fire slime danced in the chaos, making the flames even bigger like they were having the time of their lives. Cole''s sleeves were rolled up and he had a big smear of flour on his face while a bowl of dry ingredients lay scattered all over the floor. He looked utterly out of his element.


    "What''s going on in here?" I asked softly, not wanting him to drop anything else.


    "Hazel, you''re awake already?" Cole winced as I took in the absolute disaster of a kitchen. "Umm, I wanted to make you breakfast, but it''s my first time cooking. I''m sure you could tell that though."


    Flour dusted his long black hair, which was pulled back in a ponytail that looked far too good on him. Honestly, the whole vibe of him cooking in my kitchen would have given me butterflies, if only it wasn''t on fire.


    I picked up Spark and set him on the stove. The little slime sighed, then devoured the flames like a good little fire slime. Cole obviously didn''t know how to control the chaos a fire slime could bring when they were having fun, but it was an acquired skill. He''d learn if he was here more often.


    Wait, did I want him here more often?


    I shook my head, rolling up my sleeves with a smile. "Why don''t you let me make breakfast? I promise it''ll taste delicious."


    "You''re supposed to be resting." Cole frowned at the burnt lump of something on the stove. "Just let me try again. It''ll be better next time. Unless you don''t want me to?"


    His sad tone tugged at my heart. If he wanted to help that badly, I couldn''t really refuse. He had been nice enough to stop by and check on me, even staying to make breakfast too.


    "No, no, please keep cooking. I can rest while I teach you how to make..." I paused, trying to figure out what he''d been trying to cook. There were blueberries and lots of flour, cornstarch, potatoes, an entire cup of salt, and no sugar. "Sorry, what are you trying to make?"


    "Muffins," he mumbled, glancing awkwardly at the ingredients he''d laid out. "Is this not right?"


    "Well, you need more sugar than salt for one," I said, trying not to laugh, "and you definitely don''t need potatoes. Unless you''re making potato pancakes or something savory."


    "I thought potatoes made things sweet though?" he asked.


    "Only if you''re using sweet potatoes. But that''s a whole different thing." I chuckled to myself a bit over that, thinking of the system. "Let''s clean up and give these muffins another try."


    He gave me a sweet little half smile as he grabbed me a chair and a blanket from the dining area so I could get cozy while he cleaned up the entire kitchen by himself without me lifting a finger. It felt kind of nice sitting back while somebody else did the work, even if he was the one who''d made the mess. Vague half-asleep memories tugged at my mind of him holding my hand and brushing my hair out of my eyes. The butterflies from earlier came back with a vengeance.


    "What next?" Cole asked, turning to me. His expression was so eager and full of excitement, like cooking for me was the thrill of his day.


    I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly feeling dry. "Um, take the stems off the blueberries and wash them. Once they''re dry, you can coat them in flour. It''ll prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins."


    He nodded, picking each stem off the blueberries with care and precision before washing them. Then he turned to me again, awaiting instructions. Muffins were actually kind of difficult for a first-time baker who didn''t have a recipe, so I wished he''d started with something easier. Like eggs.


    "Why don''t I measure everything out for you?" I got up to help him, but he just shook his head.


    "You just focus on relaxing." His voice fell to a whisper. "And let me take care of you for a while, okay? You have no idea how terrifying it was seeing you collapse."


    His gaze held mine, dark eyes full of an intense emotion I''d never seen before, but it had my entire body feeling strange. Like I was waiting for something, but I wasn''t sure what.


    Honestly, what had gotten into Cole all of the sudden? It was like he was an entirely different person from the silly guy who got headbutted by a goat. He felt so sure of himself now and in control, like he knew what he wanted and nothing was going to get in his way. I hated to admit it, but it was kind of....attractive.


    I sat back down, feeling a bit uncertain. I was here to level up, not find romance, but he was just being so kind that I couldn''t help but let him stay. I had been working hard lately, so maybe I really should take a break. What''s the worst that could happen? The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Okay, I''ll just sit here and watch you work then." I pulled out my cookbook, opening to a new blank page. "Do you have something to write with though? This might be easier if you had a recipe to follow."


    Mine usually just filled in with magic as I baked, but I hadn''t made muffins in the dungeon before. I felt like I knew how though, so if I could just write it down, I knew he could figure it out. Cole flipped through his menus, pulling a black pen out of his inventory. It had smokey tendrils swirling around it and an amber stone at the top.


    "Try this." His fingers brushed against my skin as he handed me the pen. He smiled and dipped his head shyly. "In some stories, pens can fly and take notes for you on their own, but this one is just a normal pen unfortunately."


    "Just a normal pen?" I laughed. "That''s like saying a souffle is just a cake. This pen is beautiful!"


    Cole smiled as he started flouring the blueberries. I set the pen¡¯s tip against my cookbook and started writing a muffin recipe down. The ink swept across the page so smoothly that I almost believed it was a magical pen after all, with dark ink that shimmered in the light. Cole finished the blueberries far sooner than I finished the recipe, but he just waited and quietly played with the slimes. It was a comfortable kind of quiet, like we''d known each other for a long time.


    When I was done adding notes for everything I thought he might need, I handed the cookbook over to him. "Let me know if you have any questions."


    His gaze moved back and forth, reading everything I''d written, flipping the page to the notes section. "I think I''m good to give this a try. Thanks."


    "You''re welcome." I leaned over to the pan of burnt potatoes he''d set to the side to cool. There were a few bits that weren''t charcoaled, so I snagged a bite. It was absolutely tasteless, just like I''d expected, but I smiled anyway. "It''s not as terrible as I thought it would be."


    He grinned. "Gee, thanks."


    "I meant that you can''t expect anything to taste good without a culinary skill." I shook my head, laughing. "It was supposed to be a compliment."


    "You should work on those." He tilted his head, measuring out the flour. "And how do you know I don''t have a culinary skill?"


    I toyed with my braid, which had gotten pretty messy from sleeping with it in, giving myself time to think of a polite answer besides his food was awful. Based on everyone''s reactions so far, it felt like I was the only one in the dungeon with this culinary mage class, so he couldn''t possibly have any skills like that. Right? But once I finished rebraiding my hair, I had nothing left to be distracted by.


    "Well, I mean, your food tasted like all the other food in the dungeon," I said softly. "Without a flavor boost skill, it''s just kind of...bland? Sorry, I don''t mean to be rude. The dungeon just doesn''t have good food."


    "Hmmmm, that is a good point." He scooped flour into a bowl before adding in the other dry ingredients, then stirred everything together, mixing and mixing and mixing until I held out my hand.


    "You''re overmixing it!"


    He froze. "Sorry. I got lost in thought a bit."


    Cole pulled the cookbook over again, checking the next steps, before cracking eggs into the bowl along with the other wet ingredients. Then he added the blueberries last, carefully mixing them in so they didn''t get mushy like my note said. He really was trying hard, so no matter how it tasted, I''d love it. Nobody had ever spent this much time baking for me before. Maybe we could bake together next time and make something extra tasty.


    I handed him one of the muffin pans Fiona had made for me so he could butter and flour it, filling each cup up with batter. I wrapped the blanket around my shoulders again, curling into its warmth as Spark climbed the stairs into the oven with another fire slime. Their grins lit up the oven, shining brighter than ever before.


    "Careful not to overheat it, Spark," I called out as the slimes started doing that fire dance they''d been doing when I first walked in. Spark sighed, lowering the flames a bit. "Thank you."


    They giggled as Cole carried the muffin pan to the oven. He paused, turning back to me. "Why don''t you put them in? Maybe your skills will take effect then."


    "I don''t think that''s how it works," I said, but got up anyway. "We could try though."


    Flavor Boost said my cooking would have flavor as long as I had mana, but how much of the cooking did I actually have to do to trigger that? Just putting something in the oven really didn''t feel like enough, but I''d give it a try for Cole. I slid the pan in, letting Spark pull it into position. The slime nodded, smiling like he would bake them to perfection for me.


    "Now what?" Cole asked. "We just...wait?"


    "Pretty much." I went back to my chair, sighing as I sat down. "I kind of like this taking a break thing, by the way. I should make it a daily quest. The quest for relaxation."


    He laughed. "Careful, the system might add that for you if it overhears you."


    "Ohhh, that would be cool." I leaned forward. "What do you think, Sweet Potato? Want to reward me for being a bit lazy every day?"


    "I think it''s more taking care of yourself than being lazy, but sure," Cole said. His eyes widened. "I mean, sure, I think the system should do that for you. For everyone actually. Leveling is good, but overworking yourself to the point of passing out isn''t helping anyone, you know? Taking a break is a fine idea. Wonderful even. Maybe you should get a random item daily for it. Or XP."


    I smiled, leaning back in my chair. "Too bad you''re not the system, because that sounds like a great idea."


    [Calculating...]


    [Breaks do not increase your level so they serve no purpose]


    [Quest denied]


    "Well that was harsh," I said with a frown. "Why are you so sweet sometimes and so sour the rest of the time?"


    [Because I am an auto¨C]


    Cole walked right through the system message, obscuring it entirely. "Did it say no? I''m sorry. Maybe I can reward you instead?"


    "Ummm, yeah, sure." I leaned to the side, trying to see what the message said, but it was already fading. Spark was swaying happily in the oven though with his fire slime friend as the batter started rising. "The muffins are enough of a reward."


    Cole let out a breath, leaning against the wall as Fiona poked her head into the kitchen.


    "Something smells good in here," she said. "What are you making this time?"


    She was looking at me as if I''d made it, but I just shook my head. "The muffins are all Cole, he did the work while I just sat here resting. He insisted."


    Fiona''s lips curled into a grin. "Ohh, maybe he''s not so bad after all then."


    "Once again, gee, thanks." Cole shook his head. "These compliments the two of you give are a little underwhelming."


    We laughed and he joined in too. Having all three of us here, all cozy and warm in the kitchen while the scent of blueberry muffins filled the air was really nice. This was how every day should start. We continued chatting while the muffins puffed up, creating beautiful muffin tops, until they were finally ready to take out of the oven.


    Cole grabbed a towel and removed the pan from the oven, placing it on the makeshift counter to cool. Then we dug in. The streusel on top was buttery and crumbly, a perfect texture against the soft muffin and bright pops of fresh blueberries. The flavors practically exploded in my mouth, so delicious I couldn''t ask for anything better.


    "They''re amazing," I said after devouring my first muffin.


    Fiona frowned. "Didn''t you say Cole made them?"


    "She put them in the oven though," Cole said quickly. "So her skills would activate."


    I nodded, grabbing a second muffin. "I honestly didn''t think it would work that easily, but man are these delicious. Thank you for making them, Cole."


    He smiled, bringing the tray into the dining area so we could all sit down properly. He even filled three glasses of water and made sure my blanket was fully covering my shoulders. He was a lot more thoughtful than I''d realized before, taking care of everything before I could even ask for it.


    A girl could get used to this¡­

 Chapter 39 - Baking Lessons

    After a full day of mandatory rest, I was finally back in my kitchen with my hands in a bowl of dough.  Watching other people work was nice for a bit, but I really did enjoy baking and I was happy to be back at it.  Especially since Cole had decided to stick around for some lessons.  Right now we were working on shaping bread dough into buns, but Cole''s were all different sizes and a mix of round to square to flat.  I laughed under my breath, covering my mouth so he wouldn''t hear.


    "Something wrong with my buns?" he asked, glancing sideways at me with a smile.  "Also, you''ve got flour on your face."  I tried to wipe it off, but he just laughed, warm and bright as he reached over and brushed his fingers over my cheek.  "There.  All better."


    My eyes widened.  When had he gotten so casual with his touches?


    I focused on my bread, rolling it to a perfect shape as I tried to ignore the fuzzy feeling sweeping through me.  Having Cole here was kind of nice, fun even.  I grabbed the bowl of egg wash, brushing it over every roll before putting them in the oven.


    With that done, I went to wash the extra flour off as Cole did the same, his fingers grazing over mine every so often as we held our hands under the faucet.  His shoulder brushed against me and everything in me wanted to lean into him.


    What had gotten into me?  This was ridiculous.


    I dried my hands quickly, hurrying into the dining area where Fiona was playing with the slimes and waiting for our next creation.  She''d been our ever-dutiful taste tester for this baking adventure and she''d thoroughly enjoyed it.


    "What''s up next?" she asked, smacking her lips together.  "Something tasty, I hope?"


    "Fresh rolls with herb butter."  I leaned closer.  "If Marvin manages to pick some herbs, that is."


    "I heard that!" he called out from the backyard before coming in with an arm full of fresh veggies and herbs.  "And I''ll have you know, the garden is doing great.  The slimes are literally throwing food at me they''re so happy to see me."


    Fiona frowned.  "Don''t they throw food at anyone once it''s ripe?"


    "Well yeah," Marvin shrugged, "but I like to think we''ve got a special bond.  Don''t we, Strawberry?"


    The little dirt slime on his shoulder cooed, leaning into him with a giggle.  They really had been growing close lately, like he''d fully gotten over his fear of slimes.  Or at least, his fear of the slimes here.  Out in the dungeon was another story since he''d still been too afraid to leave our cozy little safe zone.


    Fiona pushed a muffin his way.  "Here, their muffins have gotten way better.  Try one."


    He sat down, breaking it apart to give some to Strawberry and try some himself.  He made an mmm noise and finished the muffin up quickly.  "I''m so glad you two are baking all day.  The food is amazing."


    "Glad you like it," I said with a laugh as Cole stepped out of the kitchen to join us.


    "Marvin?" He froze, eyebrows pinched together.  "What are you doing here still?"


    "Uh, he works here?" I tilted my head.  "Haven''t you noticed him wandering around while you''ve been here?"


    "No, I mean, I was kind of focused on you..."  Cole stared at the floor hard, not meeting my eyes.  "But I thought Marvin was gone on some big quest?  Or did I hear that wrong?"


    I tugged on my braid, not really sure how to answer that.  He''d been so focused on me that he hadn''t noticed Marvin at all?  That was intense and kind of sweet, but more intense.  Cole was so strange sometimes.


    Fiona pulled Marvin''s chair closer.  "What''s this about a big quest?  Got something you need to tell me?"


    "Uh, no?"  He wrung his hands, looking anywhere but at her.  "I mean, it''s not a big deal, really."


    "Oh?" She gave him a wolfish grin, leaning in even closer.  "Then why are you hiding it from us?"


    Marvin gulped.  "Because I know it''ll end badly no matter what I do."


    I couldn''t really refute that based on how his time in the dungeon had gone so far, but I had to try something.


    "Maybe we can help?" I offered.  "Like keep you company on the quest or help you through it somehow so it''s not as bad."


    Cole shook his head. "That''s not how quests are supposed to work."


    Fiona waved him off.  "Who says?  As long as it gets done, that''s all that matters.  Now spill.  What''s your quest?"


    Marvin took a deep breath.  "It''s a class change quest."


    "A class change quest?" I asked, kind of dumbfounded.  "Do those even exist?"The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Fiona shook her head.  "Nope, not that I''ve heard."


    "Well, that''s what it says." Marvin opened his menu.  "Class Change Quest: Go to the ancient training grounds and prove yourself to its guardian to receive a new class.  Your level will be reset to 1 and all skills will be lost."


    Cole leaned back in his chair with an appreciative whistle.  "Sounds like you got really lucky, especially since you don¡¯t have many levels to lose.  How great is it that the system wants to help you out?"


    "Help me out?" Marvin shook his head.  "No way.  Did you hear the part about proving myself to some guardian?  That has terrible time written all over it.  I''m just going to stay here and garden.  I''m actually good at gardening.  Right, Strawberry?"


    The little dirt slime nodded, bouncing softly on his shoulder as he pet her with his index finger.


    "Is that why you didn''t say anything?" I asked.  "Because you thought we''d make you leave?"


    He didn''t answer, but he dropped his hand and looked away.


    "Cheer up, Marvin!"  Fiona slapped him on the back, almost knocking poor Strawberry right off his shoulder.  "We''ll go with you and make sure you get out of there in one piece.  And if you hate all the classes still, then I''ll drag you back here myself and throw you back into the garden.  Sound good?"


    "Sounds a little violent," Marvin said with a sigh, "but okay.  If you''re both with me, then I''m sure it''ll be fine."


    I nodded.  "We''ll definitely go with you."  I glanced over at Cole, giving him a questioning look.


    "Fine, I''ll go too.  But only to keep you three out of trouble."  He sighed, giving me an odd look as if he thought I was the biggest troublemaker.  All I ever did was bake and play with slimes!  Before I could ask him about it, he offered me his hand.  "Ready to go?"


    I glanced back at Marvin.  "I don''t know, are we?"


    "Not really, but why not?"  He carefully set Strawberry on the floor.  "You should stay here where it''s safe."  Marvin leaned down to whisper, "I wish I was staying here too, so go grow lots of food for when I come back."


    The little slime nuzzled against his leg.  Marvin really was good with them and seemed to honestly enjoy gardening, far more than anything else the dungeon had tried to get him to do.  If he had the option to change his class, was it possible for him to get a unique class like mine?  If he could become some kind of plant mage, I bet he''d be so much happier.  But how could we make that happen?


    I''d gotten my class by choosing a sandwich from the weapons'' table, so maybe I should bring something gardening related with us just in case...


    I led the little dirt slime into the garden, casually picking up a hand trowel and adding it to my inventory.  If this class change quest was anything like the first time we''d chosen our classes, then maybe adding this to the weapons'' table would change things.  Give Marvin a class he actually wanted.  As long as the system didn''t notice me doing it, we should hopefully be okay.


    As I walked back inside, Spark chirped, reminding me about the rolls we left in the oven!  I hurried to take them out, cooling them on the counters.  We probably wouldn''t have time to eat them, so I took them out of the pans and laid them out for Spark.


    "Make sure to share these with everyone else while we''re gone, okay?"


    The fire slime nodded, eying the buns like he had no intention of sharing.  Oh well, he''d earned them after all the work he did, so if he didn''t want to share this time, that was fine.  I snagged a few, not wanting to leave without at least trying Cole''s rolls.  I split them in half and steam rose out of them along with the delicious scent of warm bread.  The butter melted as I spread it across, tossing the roll from hand to hand so I didn''t burn myself.


    "We''ll be back soon," I promised.  "Don''t go crazy while we''re gone."


    Spark giggled, nodding so hard he almost rolled over.  That was not reassuring at all, but I knew Boss and Matcha would keep things under control.  They always did.


    Cole was waiting by the door, feeding a slime some leftover muffins, but brushed the crumbs off his hands when he saw me.  "Ready to go?  I think it would be better if we didn''t drag this out..."


    Probably good advice since the longer I took getting ready, the more anxious Marvin had gotten.  He was now sitting on the floor with his knees pulled up to his chest while Fiona murmured reassuring things, staring at me with a do something kind of look.


    "Okay, Marvin, let''s get you a new class."  I smiled at him, offering my hand to help him up.  "I promise we''ll make sure you like it.  No matter what."


    The trowel had to work, it just had to.  Marvin was counting on us to help him through this, and I didn''t want to let him down.  Not that I minded his help at the cafe, but I''d rather him be here because he wanted to be, not because he was too afraid to go anywhere else.


    "The system is giving you a chance to be happy," Cole said.  "You''ve gotta at least try."


    Marvin stared at Cole.  "You really think so?"


    "Yeah, why else would you get a quest nobody else has ever gotten before?" He opened the door leading outside, motioning for Marvin to hurry up.  "It''s time to take charge of your life."


    Fiona pulled Marvin up.  "He''s right.  This is a great opportunity for you, exactly what you''d been hoping for.  Don''t waste it."


    "Okay, okay, I get it."  Marvin managed a weak smile and walked past Cole out the door.  "Let''s go change my class."


    When I passed by Cole, I paused, handing him a roll.  "That was kind of you."


    "Everyone needs a helping hand once in a while," he said, biting into the bread.  "Okay, this is really good.  It must be one of yours, right?"


    I smiled, shaking my head.  "Nope, it''s one of yours.  You''re a quick learner."


    "Only because you''re a good teacher," he said softly, closing the door as we walked outside together.  "After this quest is done, think you could show me how to make something else?"


    "Sure, anything you want."


    Baking with him had been more fun than I''d expected, and I wasn''t ready to call it quits so soon.  Teaching him let me get to know him better too, which was something I found myself wanting more and more of.  He was strange, but somehow so very familiar at the same time.  I couldn''t put my finger on it, but it felt like we''d known each other for a long time.  Or maybe we just got along really well.


    Once this quest was over, I''d ask him if he wanted to go somewhere.  Just the two of us.  Maybe I could really get to know him then and see what kind of things he did for fun.  He''d mentioned working with Dave once and that might be interesting to see too.  I just wanted to know more about him, get a glimpse into his life like he''d experienced mine through baking.


    There wasn''t any harm in getting to know somebody better, right?

 Chapter 40 - Class Change Quest

    Marvin''s class change quest came with a special key that unlocked a training ground full of stone statues covered in faintly glowing moss. There was a table in the middle loaded with different kinds of weapons that looked eerily similar to the one in the first meadow I''d woken up in. Add in the campfire and I half expected to find Dave lurking around somewhere ready to teach me how to be a better adventurer.


    Fiona walked out ahead, scouting the area, but she just turned back and shook her head. "Nobody''s here."


    "What now?" Marvin asked from inside the dungeon corridor. He hadn''t stepped out to let the door close yet, as if he was planning on dashing back to my cafe at any moment.


    Cole crossed his arms. "Now you come over here so the quest activates."


    "Sorry, but I think he''s right," I said. "This is your quest, so you probably need to actually step outside to start it."


    "Unless you want to give up," Fiona said. "That''s definitely an option. It''s not a good option, but it''s an option."


    Marvin seemed to take a minute to seriously consider that before shaking his head. "No. I want to do this. I want to get over this fear and move on."


    Good. It was nice seeing him take charge and step out of that corridor all on his own. Even if this wasn''t exactly what he wanted, it was still a really good step in the right direction for the dungeon. Offering a class change quest was huge, like it knew forcing people to stick with their original choice was wrong. After that, maybe it would realize that more choices were better too. And if it didn''t realize that on its own, then maybe I''d have to give the system a little nudge.


    As Marvin walked over to the table, the moss on the stone statues glowed brighter. The one in front depicted a chubby little dragon with a big smile on its face and a paw on its belly like it was laughing. Marvin stepped onto a round stone in front of the table and the dragon came to life, flapping wings of creaking stone and shaking itself like a dog that had just gotten out of a bath.


    Marvin fell back, landing hard on the ground as Fiona rushed toward the statue, hammer at the ready.


    "Who are you?" she asked. "Are you friend or foe?"


    "Friend. Probably." The dragon statue opened its mouth wide in a yawn. "Slept too long. Need food."


    The statue turned to me, leaping through the air on tiny stone wings that should not have been able to actually fly. It sniffed me, searching my pockets just like that little goat monster had last time.


    I calmed my racing heart and handed it one of the rolls Cole and I had made. "Here you go. My name''s Hazel. What''s yours?"


    The dragon ripped into the roll, devouring it in two gulps. It rubbed its stomach, making an mmmmmm noise. "Bread good. Name''s Smudge."


    "Hello." I held my hand out, but paused. It was a dragon, not to mention a statue, so it probably wouldn''t shake hands. I dropped my hand back to my side, fiddling with my apron as I glanced up at Cole, who nodded like I should continue. "We''re here for a class change quest."


    "All of you?" Smudge asked. "Or just the scaredy cat over there?"


    "Hey, I''m not¨C"


    "Rawr!" Smudge growled and pounced at Marvin, who scurried away. The little dragon laughed boldly, straight from its belly. "Sorry, sorry. Had to test your fighting skills. They''re bad."


    Fiona took a step back, guarding Marvin, but it didn''t seem like she really needed to. It felt like the dragon statue was part of the quest, not sure which part, but part of it. It didn''t seem violent either, because honestly, that little rawr was adorable and I kind of wanted to see it again. Maybe the dragon was like Dave, a helper meant to guide adventurers through their choices.


    I walked over to Marvin, offering him a hand. "I think this dragon is here to help you change your class. Why don''t you ask him about it?"


    "Okay..." Marvin stood on shaking legs, glancing between the weapons'' table and the dragon statue. "Mr. Smudge, I''d like a new class."


    The dragon flew over the weapons'' table upside down, smiling at him. "Would you? Then return your weapon and take a new one. Believe in yourself."


    Marvin nodded, stepping closer as the rest of us watched on. He pulled out his battered sword and dropped it on the table with an unceremonious thunk. Smudge sighed, landing on the table.


    "Respect the weapons," the dragon said. "Or they won''t respect you."


    "Sorry."


    Marvin held his hand out to take a different weapon, but he couldn''t seem to decide which. He hovered over swords, daggers, bows, spellbooks, staffs, but he didn''t touch a single one. The dragon eventually started thwapping its tail against the table and rubbing its belly.


    "Hungry. This is taking too long." Smudge leapt up, pouncing on Marvin''s hand and forcing it down onto a spellbook. The dragon gave a goofy grin. "There. Decision made."If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "Wait, no, you can''t just do that," Marvin stammered, backing away from the table. "What if I don''t want to be a mage?"


    I crossed my arms, staring the dragon down. "Isn''t this supposed to be his choice? Why would you do that?"


    "Just training," the dragon said, rolling its eyes. "No choices yet. Grab a weapon. Train. See what you think. Then decide."


    "Oh," I glanced around the area, realizing the other statues were set up like training dummies with targets on them and everything. "Ohhhh, so this is a new way of making sure people choose a class they like?"


    "Yes, yes." Smudge flew little figure eights in the air. "Hurry and train. Hurry and choose. Smudge is ravenous."


    I laughed, going through my inventory to see what I had for the hungry dragon statue. If this was a new quest, how long had Smudge been waiting here for us? Maybe the area had always been here, but served some other purpose? I didn''t know much about how the dungeon worked, but hopefully I could satisfy this little guy. I handed the statue a few cookies and its eyes widened.


    "For me?" The dragon''s mouth fell open, eyes shining even brighter. "For me!"


    Then it gobbled up the cookies and rolled around in the air, grinning. Everyone liked cookies, even stone dragons.


    While the statue was distracted, Marvin finally gathered up the nerve to pick up the spell book. The symbols on it glowed as it hovered in the air in front of him, exactly like my cookbook did. Was my cookbook a spellbook too? Huh, that was kind of cool. Good food was magical after all.


    "What now?" Marvin whispered, gaze begging Fiona for help. "Do I just say the spell?"


    She shrugged. "How would I know? I''m not a mage."


    Cole stepped in. "Yes, say the spell loud and clear, with intention. Feel what you want it to do and say it proudly. You can even shout it if you want."


    I frowned as his words tugged at my mind. I''d heard that somewhere before. It was similar to when the system had told me to shout my skills, but maybe it told everyone that. Wait, what class did Cole even have? I''d never seen him use magic before, so why would he know how a mage class worked? The more I got to know him, the less sense he made.


    Marvin stepped up to a statue, held his hand out, and shouted, "Fire blast!"


    Flames licked his fingers, rolling over his spell book and exploding in a big puff of smoke. He coughed, waving his hand to clear the smoke as Smudge laughed hysterically.


    "Ohhhh adventurer," the statue said between laughs, "that weapon is not for you. Try again. You''ll find one that fits you."


    The soot marks on Marvin''s face kind of said otherwise, but I hoped the dragon was right. I still had that trowel in my inventory, but I honestly wasn''t sure what it would do if I added it to the table. I should only use it as a last resort, if Marvin really hated every single other option. So I watched while he tried to throw daggers, ducking as he somehow threw them behind himself instead of forward, and as he fumbled with a bow string that snapped him in the face leaving a big red welt. Weapon after weapon wasn''t the right fit and Marvin was starting to get pretty frustrated.


    "I suck," he said, verging on tears. "I really am just terrible at everything. I should just go back to the safe zone and never leave. I''m a complete failure."


    The dragon statue flew lower, patting him on the shoulder. "Nobody is a failure here. Just experimenting. You''ll find one that fits you."


    Except, the statue had said that at least a dozen times now like it was on repeat, and Marvin definitely wasn''t finding anything that fit him. There were only a few weapons left for Marvin to try and they were pretty much the same as the others, more blades, more bows, more magical items. He didn''t mesh with any of them though because they were all focused on fighting and that''s just not who Marvin was. How could the system not realize that by now?


    Fiona leaned closer to me, whispering. "This is getting hard to watch. We need to do something."


    "Trust the system," Cole said. "It''ll find something that works for Marvin."


    "Will it really?" I asked, shaking my head. "I don''t think the system has a clue how people think. There''s more to life than fighting and until the system realizes that, people like Marvin are going to keep being miserable."


    Marvin yelped, dropping whatever weapon he''d been trying this time and sucking his finger like he''d cut himself. This wasn''t just painful to watch, but he was literally in pain. He couldn''t keep going like this. I took a few steps back, blending in with some training dummies behind us and opened my inventory to pull out the gardening trowel. If I just casually placed it on the table, maybe Marvin would choose it as his next weapon, and this could all end in something great.


    While Smudge was distracted teaching Marvin how to throw axes, I placed the trowel on the table. I half expected the system to yell at me or throw it back, but nothing happened at all. I let out a breath, stepping back as Marvin dropped the axes on the table, sighing.


    "I''m hopeless," he said. "I don''t even want a new class anymore. I''ll just go back to the cafe and pretend like this never happened."


    Glowing tears dripped from Smudge''s eyes. "No. I''m supposed to help you. I failed. Not you."


    Those tears tugged at my heart. "Neither of you failed. The system is the one who''s the failure." I patted Marvin on the shoulder. "Maybe you should try one more weapon. I''m sure there''s something here that you''d enjoy."


    "I really don''t think¨C" he froze, staring at the gardening trowel. "Was that here before? I didn''t even notice it. It looks just like the one I use at the cafe."


    I winced. It wasn''t just like it, it was it.


    Cole turned to me, eyes wide with horror. "What did you do?"


    Before I could answer, Marvin picked up the trowel. The table flickered, almost like it was an illusion that had grown unstable, and Smudge fell to the ground with a thud.


    "Are you okay?" I set the dragon upright, heaving the heavy stone into place. It didn''t move, didn''t blink, didn''t act anything like before. "What''s wrong?"


    The moss glowed so bright I could barely look at it. I squinted, turning away as the rest of the training ground flickered, bright lights shooting through the sky like lightning. Fiona pulled me away from the statue as cracks of light burst through it.


    My body felt strange. Lighter than usual. I ate a healing cookie hoping that would help, but it was tasteless.


    "What''s going on?"


    [Plant mage class does not exist]


    [Failure]


    [Failure]


    [Failure]


    The system messages scrolled through the air over and over for all of us to see while Cole seemed to pull at the campfire''s flames, tugging them this way and that like they were strings of light.


    "Cole, what are you doing?" I asked, frowning at how odd the flames looked in his hands, almost like he was controlling them.


    His gaze met mine, eyes wide in panic. "Sleep."


    And then everything went dark.

 Chapter 41 - All the Secrets are Revealed

    My eyelids felt as heavy as stones as I pried them open, blinking in the flickering light of a campfire. Fiona was on the ground next to me, breathing deeply like she was asleep. I turned to find Marvin further back, his chest rising and falling as he slept too. I let out a breath, happy they were both okay. There was something off about them though, like they were fuzzy and out of focus.


    I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, but froze when I saw my hand. It was translucent, the light of the fire shining right through my arm. No. That wasn''t possible! My heartbeat pounded in my ears as I flipped my hand back and forth, seeing through it no matter how I looked. My breath caught in my chest.


    "Am I dead?" The words felt like ash in my mouth as I searched the area for any other explanation. My gaze landed on Cole, who was still playing with the fire like he was some kind of god. "Did you do this?"


    He jerked his hands out of the flames. "Hazel? You''re not supposed to be awake."


    "Sorry to ruin your plans," I said, forcing myself to sit up even though the ground felt like it was swaying beneath me. "What did you do to us?"


    "Calm down," he said, holding his hands out. "I can explain everything if you''ll just hear me out."


    My tongue felt thick in my mouth, like I hadn''t drank anything in a while, so I just nodded.


    "The system glitched when you added that trowel to the table," he said slowly, "and that''s why everything started flickering. It''s under control now, but I had to put you to sleep so you wouldn''t see anything you shouldn''t."


    I ran a hand across my face, still a bit groggy. "Like you playing with fire?"


    "Yeah, like that," he said. "I''m sorry. I never meant to hide things from you, but it''s dangerous if you know too much. You should really just go back to sleep and forget this ever happened."


    "No way." I shook my head, clearing the last of the fuzziness. "I''ve already forgotten way too much. I won''t forget anything else, so just tell me the truth. Am I dead? And are you god?"


    Cole stared at me, blinking slowly, before a laugh burst out of his chest. "No, I am definitely not a god." He sat down cross-legged across from me. "And I don''t like the term dead. Nobody really ever dies, their soul just changes form, moving from one place to the next. Think of this dungeon like an in-between. A place where your soul can rest and recover."


    "In between what?" I asked, feeling like the answer was at the tip of my tongue. "In between lives? So I really am dead then??"


    He shook his head, reaching out for my hand, but I pulled away. He flinched as if I''d hit him. "No, Hazel, you''re not dead. You''re more full of life than anyone I know. Your soul is like an ember and this is where you get the fuel you need to shine bright again. You''re just in a different phase of your life right now, but you are very much alive."


    Maybe I was still half asleep, or maybe he was just talking nonsense, because none of that made sense. People lived and then they died. Right? Had I really even had a life before? It was so hard to remember anything, like my memories were smoke that had been slowly dissipating the longer I was here. When was the last time I even tried to remember something?


    "I want my memories back," I said, staring him down as confidently as I could. "If what you''re saying is true, then I had a life before. I deserve to know what it was like."


    His shoulders slumped. "I don''t have that information, I''m sorry. You''ve probably had many past lives actually, but they''re all stored away in the Hall of Memories."


    "Then let''s go there." I struggled to stand up. "I need to know who I was. You can''t just erase everything and expect me to be okay with it."


    He grabbed my hand, pulling me back down into a sitting position. "I didn''t erase who you were. I''d never do that. Your core self is entirely intact. The proof is in the weapon you chose and the life you''ve been leading here. You''re kind and caring, choosing to befriend instead of fight. You''re hard-working to the point of exhausting yourself and you''d do anything for a friend." His gaze met mine, his hand gripping mine a bit tighter. "That''s who you are, Hazel, and memories or not, nothing can change that."


    "But then why take my memories at all?" I asked.


    Cole sighed. "It''s just what I was told to do. Apparently it was different before, but the memories proved too painful to keep. Whether their memories were full of trauma or so amazing that it was a constant pain to remember what they''d lost, the souls of that time struggled to move on. The dungeon filled with them, all too stuck in their past to consider their future. It was too much and the gods took their memories away as a kindness. Now everyone starts their journey with a fresh slate."


    A fresh slate. Was that really worth forgetting everything about who I was before? I gripped the edge of my apron tight. I hadn''t forgotten everything. I still remembered the feeling of shaping dough in my hands and the joy I got from feeding other people something sweet. Maybe Cole was right and I really was the same me at my core, but I wasn''t ready to give up on my memories just yet.


    "There has to be something you can do," I said softly.


    Cole shook his head, but then frowned. "Well, maybe. I can''t show you your old life, but I can show you how you got here. If that makes any difference?"


    "Yes! Please!" I jumped up, not wanting to let him change his mind. "Show me whatever you can."


    He pulled a key from his inventory, ready to open a door for me, when my gaze fell on Fiona. I dropped to my knees, brushing her hair back and holding her close.


    "Wake her up too," I said, suddenly feeling far too alone. "She deserves to know just as much as I do."


    Cole shook his head. "It''s too dangerous. Even you knowing could end in ruin, but if she knew too? There''d be no hiding it from the gods. They''d make me wipe your memories all over again. You''d forget about the slimes and your cafe."


    "We''d forget, again?"


    He nodded solemnly.


    Fiona deserved to know who she was before, but I didn''t want her to forget about who she was now either. I swallowed hard as the way Cole had phrased life and death suddenly started making sense. We were just as alive now as any other time and forgetting this version of ourselves was too much of a risk. Fiona was who she was because of her time here. I didn''t have the right to risk taking that away from her.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Plus, I wouldn''t just lose the slimes and my cafe. I''d lose my memories of Cole and Fiona too.


    All of that meant that we weren''t dead. We were alive, making new memories every day. I wanted to hold onto that as hard as I could.


    "Okay," I said, pulling away from Fiona, "then let''s go see what you wanted to show me. As long as they''ll be safe here?"


    Cole smiled. "They''ll be more than safe. I promise. They''ll even be happy and well-rested when they wake up."


    "You promise, huh?" I frowned as he opened the door. "You said you''re not a god, but you obviously know more about all this than us and seem to be in control. So what does that make you?"


    "The dungeon''s core." He held his hand out with a smile, leading me into the corridor. "Think of me like the heart of the dungeon, the one keeping everything running smoothly."


    "If you''re the one keeping everything running, then are you¨C" I froze, eyes wide. "Are you Sweet Potato??"


    Suddenly all the pieces started falling into place. The reason he could take me between floors on a whim, how he seemed to know things he had no business knowing, and how he once in a while answered me when I was talking to the system. I shook my head, backing up a bit as he reached out for me.


    "Hazel..."


    "No way," I said. "You can''t be Sweet Potato. That would mean you''ve been lying to me this whole time?"


    Cole dropped his hand, leaning against the side of the corridor. "That''s exactly what it means, but I swear I didn''t want to. I kept it a secret so the gods didn''t suspect you were anyone special to me and I''ve been doing everything in my power to hide your unique ability to break everything I plan. The gods want the dungeons running smoothly to keep souls moving on to their next lives. When they see someone standing out, they investigate."


    His gaze was on the ground, hands clenched in his clothing. He didn''t seem like the kind of person to toy with me for no reason, so maybe I should give him the benefit of the doubt. Sweet Potato had done nothing but help me since the moment I entered the dungeon. If Cole was Sweet Potato, then I owed him everything. All the happy moments I''d shared with the slimes and Fiona were because he gave me a unique class after I chose that sandwich. He''d given me the chance to thrive here.


    I took a step closer to him, holding my hand out. "Hello, I''m Hazel."


    His gaze jerked to mine. "What are you doing?"


    "Just go with it.," I said, taking his hand in mine to shake. "It''s nice to finally meet you properly, Sweet Potato."


    "So you''re not mad?" His lips pulled into a grateful smile as he gripped my hand, shaking it so fast that I felt like my arm might fall off. "Thank you! You can keep calling me Cole, if you want. That way nobody will get suspicious."


    "That''s fair, but maybe I''ll keep calling you Sweet Potato when it''s just the two of us."


    He pulled me against his chest, hugging me tight. "You are a beautiful soul, Hazel."


    The scent of campfire smoke surrounded me as I leaned into him, daring to wrap my arms around him. He was the man who''d given me my class and kept me company whenever I was lonely. He''d joked with me, cared for me, and even baked with me. He was the reason this new life of mine had been so enjoyable and I felt lucky he''d spent all that time on me. Even if he thought I broke things.


    A smile tugged at my lips as I pulled away. "So back to this breaking all your plans thing. Have I really been that much of a menace?"


    "Oh, you have no idea," he said with a laugh as he led me down the corridor again. "All Dave has been talking about is Hazel''s feeding the monsters and Hazel overpowered the trees and Hazel this and that. My mind has been completely on you since you got here."


    The back of my neck warmed. "Sorry..."


    "Don''t be. I''ve been pretty bored all alone here, so you were a welcome distraction." Cole reached for a door handle in front of us, turning back to look at me. "Are you ready to see how you got here?"


    I worried my lip, fiddling with my apron as I debated if that really was something I wanted. Dying and moving on to this life was probably pretty violent, so I had a feeling this would be an unpleasant experience. Maybe I really was better off not knowing.


    "There''s nothing to fear," Cole said softly, "and I''ll be with you every step of the way."


    "Thank you."


    I took a deep breath and stepped forward, nodding at him to open the door. Warm lights filled a vast room with hundreds of glowing cocoons hanging from the ceiling like lanterns. Their golden light sparkled brilliantly, pulsing like a heartbeat. Some were faint while others were so bright I could barely look at them.


    Cole led me down a path to the middle of the room where the warmest light was. "This is the Ember Cavern. It''s where souls come when they first arrive in the dungeon. Think of it like a resting period between their old lives and the tutorial zone. It''s a time for them to transition and let go of the pain they felt before."


    I spun in a circle, staring at all the souls filling this room. There were hundreds, no, thousands, just waiting to become adventurers like me.


    "So I was here too?" I asked, transfixed by the beautifully pulsing lights. "I was a big ball of light like them?"


    He nodded. "And you''ll be here again. It''s the cycle of life and this is your time to rest."


    I tried to cover up a laugh, but couldn''t. "Sorry, but really? This dungeon is the opposite of rest. I''ve been so busy I can barely think since I got here."


    "Well, yeah, but that''s part of the point," he mumbled. "Okay, maybe rest isn''t the right word then. What would you call it?"


    I tapped my chin, watching all the souls shine bright. "Maybe soul-searching? This feels like a place to discover who you really want to be before you start a new life."


    "I like that." He nodded, watching me watch the soul lanterns. "The way you phrase things feels so new and exciting. It''s what drew me to you in the first place."


    I raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? If you like new and exciting, maybe you should let me help you fix the system up a bit. Add new classes so people can gain XP for things they love doing and maybe make the food taste better too. Nobody deserves to live in a place where the food tastes like cardboard."


    Cole held his hands up, laughing. "I agree with you there. I didn''t know what it tasted like until I went to your cafe, so I didn''t realize how important flavor was." He dropped his hands, looking a bit more serious. "If I let you help me change the dungeon, would you promise to keep all of this a secret? For both of our sakes?"


    Fiona deserved to know everything I''d seen, but if Cole was right and it put her at risk, then keeping his secret might be the only way. Especially if it meant I could help improve the lives of everyone here, shaping the dungeon into something a little cozier...


    "Deal." I held my hand out to shake on it. "We can start by figuring out a new class for Marvin."


    Cole sighed. "You just had to add that gardening trowel to the table, didn''t you?"


    "I thought you said you liked new things?" I grinned. "How do we get started?"


    "Well, first we summon Dave because he''s the best at designing new things that push the boundaries without breaking the rules too much." He opened his menus, tapping on something I couldn''t see, before leaning closer to whisper. "Plus, I kind of miss him. But don''t tell him I said that."


    "Secret''s safe with me." I nodded. "What next?"


    "Next, I show you where I spend all my time." He held a key out, summoning a black door that seemed to glow orange and red underneath, like it was a coal burning slowly. "After you."


    He motioned for me to walk ahead of him through the door, leading me to a place he''d probably never shown anyone else before. I had wanted to get to know him better and now I was finally getting my chance to see behind the messages. To see what Sweet Potato''s life was really like.


    Excitement rushed through me as I walked down the dungeon hallway. I wasn''t ready to give up on the memories of my old life just yet, but for now, I''d do my best to make this life amazing.  For everyone in the dungeon.

 Chapter 42 - Do You Like My Spark?

    The closer they got to the core chamber, the more Cole started freaking out. He not only told Hazel that he was running the dungeon, but he told her what the dungeon was for too and even showed her the Ember Cavern! What was he thinking? He was definitely going to get a talking to from Dave when he showed up and he deserved it. This was supposed to be the biggest secret in the dungeon and he just blabbed it to Hazel like it was nothing.


    He glanced over at her walking beside him with a happy smile on her face. No. It wasn''t nothing. Telling her who he really was meant everything. Now there weren''t any secrets between them or reasons to avoid seeing her. When she asked Sweet Potato for something, she''d know she was really talking to him. And he could answer her in his own voice.


    As they got closer to the core chamber, nerves made his steps slow.


    Nobody had ever seen this room besides him and the Daves. His true flame was inside and he had no idea how to explain it. Sorry Hazel, but he was secretly a ball of fire?


    "Everything okay?" Hazel asked, pausing outside the door. "You seem unsettled."


    Cole shook his head. "Just nervous. There''s something I have to explain when we get inside. Something you might find kind of weird."


    "Weirder than me being a soul who was wrapped in a cocoon of light before being sent out to level up in a dungeon?" She raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at her lips. "I think I can handle whatever you need to show me."


    "That''s fair," Cole said with a laugh. "Welcome to the dungeon''s Core Chamber then."


    He threw the door open, revealing the dungeon''s innermost sanctum. Warm light spilled into the corridor and Cole held his breath as Hazel stepped inside. This was the moment she truly learned everything. She wandered over to the large hearth that took up the majority of the room, trailing her fingers along the outer ring of stones. The flickering flames illuminated her face as she leaned over it, staring at the embers within.


    "These look like what''s in the walls of the dungeon," she said softly. "Are they connected?"


    "Yes. They''re how the system sees what''s going on." Cole took a deep breath, joining her in the room. "They''re how I see what''s going on, to be more precise. That fire is me."


    She tilted her head, glancing over at me. "The fire is you?"


    "Well, not me right now, but usually, yes." Cole stumbled over his words and scratched the back of his head. "I mean, my soul is usually in the form of the dungeon core, which is that fire. My flames fuel the system. This body I''m using now is just a temporary avatar."


    He motioned at himself, then shrugged and looked away. There was no way she''d understand or feel the same things he felt for her after learning that. He wasn''t human, not like her, and this body was just his way of pretending. Her silence was too much to bear though, so he peeked at her. She was gazing into the flames, holding her hands out like she was warming them. A smile lit up her face and her shoulders shook with silent laughter.


    "Sorry," she said, "I just realized why the fire slimes keep piling on you like you''re their leader. You''re literally made of fire!" Her laughter finally spilled out, filling the room with the wonderful sound. "Remember when they followed you to my cafe like ducklings? Then slime piled you and wouldn''t leave your side? Fire knows fire!"


    She doubled over like that was the funniest thing she''d ever said and even wiped tears from the corners of her eyes.


    Cole couldn''t help but laugh with her, shaking his head. "You are so weird."


    "What did you expect? For me to freak out and scream because you''re a dungeon core?" She gave him a pointed look. "Come on, you know me better than that. I''ve befriended everything I can in this dungeon, so why wouldn''t I befriend a dungeon core too?"


    "I guess that''s true."


    Hazel walked over, putting her hands on his shoulders. "Whether you''re a dungeon core or an adventurer, it doesn''t matter. You could be a soul still in the cocoon and I''d be your friend. You''ve more than earned that."


    He swallowed hard, daring to meet her gaze. Her eyes crinkled at the edges as she smiled at him. She really didn''t find it off-putting at all. She even stood on her tiptoes to hug him. Cole just stood there for a moment, dazed, then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. Her body felt good against his, comforting.


    "Thank you," he mumbled against her hair. "Thank you for being here with me."


    Her hands pressed into his back, holding him tight. "Thank you for watching out for me all this time."


    They stood like that for a while, just holding each other and smiling. Cole pulled back just enough to see her face, softly lit by the flames. She was beautiful and kind, strange and alluring. All the things he never thought he''d crave, but he did. He was one smitten dungeon core. Hazel bit her lip, a faint pink blush spreading across her face.


    A man cleared his throat and Cole leapt back, staring at Dave who held his hands up. "Sorry, sorry, didn''t mean to interrupt...whatever that was."


    "It was just a hug," Hazel said, her blush growing redder. "What are you doing here anyway?"


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    "Cole summoned me." Dave leaned forward, pinning them both down with a stare. "Better question is, what are you doing here?"


    Hazel opened her mouth, but snapped it shut. She turned to Cole, as if he would have the answers, but he just circled the hearth, running his fingers along the stones like he''d seen her doing.


    Dave sighed. "Not going to tell me then, huh? Well, I suppose her finding out the truth was bound to happen, but did you really need to bring her here?"


    "Circumstances demanded it." Cole paused, meeting Dave''s gaze. "She sort of broke the automated system."


    "Hey, I didn''t¨C" Hazel paused with a frown. "Actually, yes, I did mean to break it this time. But I wouldn''t have had to if the dungeon had better classes in the first place."


    Dave''s eyebrows shot up. "Ohh, so this is about that class change quest then? How''d you break it?"


    "I, um, added a trowel to the weapons'' table," she mumbled. "I thought it was a great idea at the time! But then failure messages popped up and the sky filled with lightning and we got all ghostly and stuff." She turned to Cole. "We''re not ghosts though, right?"


    He nodded. "Right. Just souls getting a little rest."


    "So, she knows everything then, huh?" Dave shook his head. "Honestly, it''s like you''re trying to get us in trouble."


    Cole winced. "Sorry, but we''ve got an idea that might help." Dave didn''t say anything, like he was waiting for Cole to explain. "Okay, so the reason we keep having issues is because Hazel''s class is the only one that gets XP from non-combat skills, right?"


    "So what if," Hazel jumped in, "we add other classes that don''t need combat skills? Like gardeners and blacksmiths? Then I wouldn''t be breaking the dungeon, I''d just be another adventurer with a non-combat class."


    Hazel shifted closer to Cole, like they could be a united front if they stood together. He resisted the urge to take her hand, focusing on Dave and the dungeon instead. If they didn''t set this up right, everything would fall apart. Her ideas were good though. They could improve the dungeon.


    "Just think about it," Cole said. "You more than anyone knows how frustrated some of the adventurers are with their classes. So why don''t we do something to change that? To make people happier?"


    Dave scratched the base of his horns. "Well, I probably should say because this is how the dungeon''s always been and we should keep following the rules, but honestly? I''ve been having a lot of fun on vacation and it''s been so refreshing. If other people can feel that too and still make good progress, then I''m all for it."


    Hazel grinned, grabbing Cole''s arm. "See? He''s on board! We didn''t even have to tempt him with good food either."


    "Good food? Now there''s an idea." Dave tilted his head, studying them. "Okay, I''ll help you change the dungeon, but only if you also make the food taste good."


    Cole glanced at Hazel, whispering. "Is that okay? Will people still go to your cafe if¨C"


    "Please don''t tell me you think my food is only popular because it''s the only food that has flavor." She crossed her arms, tossing her braid over her shoulder. "My food can handle a little friendly competition, thank you very much."


    Dave laughed in a way Cole had never heard him laugh before, light and carefree. The vacation really had been good for him, like a weight had lifted from his shoulders. Changing the dungeon was the right decision, for all of them, and Cole would do whatever it took to make it happen. If the gods showed up, he''d handle it. As long as they saw the benefits of their plan, they''d go along with it. They weren''t vengeful gods, just ones who wanted order and to make sure the dungeons weren''t overflowing with souls.


    This would work. It had to.


    "So what now?" Dave casually leaned against the hearth, as if that was a totally normal thing to do. This new chill Dave was going to take some getting used to. "How many classes are we thinking about? And do we release them all at once or one at a time as new adventurers get classes?"


    Cole stared into the flames, watching little snippets of daily life in the dungeon. "All at once. Let''s give everyone the option to change their class and make it a big event."


    "Like a game expansion," Hazel said, nodding. "I like it. Marvin deserves the first new class though, so let''s figure out a gardening class for him."


    "Think that''s really what he wants?" Cole asked. "Or was that just the easiest way to break my system?"


    Hazel chuckled softly. "Both? He seems really happy gardening with the slimes. And he could always change his class again if he doesn''t like it, right?"


    "Whoa now." Dave held up his hands. "There''s got to be a limit. We can''t have adventurers changing their classes every day, otherwise they''d never make it out of the dungeon. Keep in mind that that''s still our main priority here."


    "True, we need to find a good balance." Cole glanced around the room, wishing it had chairs. It wasn''t really well suited for human bodies wanting to discuss big ideas. "Resetting to level 1 should prevent too many changes in the higher levels, but it won''t prevent it in the beginning, which is where most adventurers get stuck in the first place. Maybe we add other quest requirements that take time to do?"


    "That might just add to the procrastination," Dave said. "What do you think, Hazel?"


    Her eyebrows pinched together. "What do I think? Are you sure you''re the same Dave?"


    "Of course, I am. The other Daves wouldn''t even entertain this idea. They''re a bit tight-laced if you ask me."


    Hazel''s eyes widened as she turned from Dave to Cole and back again. "Other Daves?"


    Huh, apparently he hadn''t told her all the secrets yet after all. This dungeon had been around for generations, so telling her everything would take time. Time he''d gladly spend with her, talking and baking and just enjoying their lives together.


    "There are many Daves," Dave said proudly. "There''s one of us for every safe zone and the tutorial zone, of course. We Daves keep everyone safe and sound, giving them a feeling of familiarity and solid ground."


    "Do you share the same memories?" Hazel asked, leaning closer to study him. "You know, I remember thinking you looked fluffier a while back. Was that a different Dave?"


    He sighed. "Oh yes, that''s fifth floor Dave. We had him deliver the cafe key to you. He likes his fluff."


    Hazel laughed. "I have so many questions, but I don''t want to leave Marvin and Fiona waiting for too long. So we should probably figure this gardening class out first."


    "Agreed." Cole scooted closer to her until their shoulders brushed up against each other. "What did you have in mind?"


    She glanced at him sideways, a soft smile on her lips, before lacing her fingers through his. "Something wonderful."


    The flames behind them burned brighter than ever before, dancing in the hearth like they couldn''t be contained. Cole had found a person to spend his time with and he couldn''t be happier.

 Chapter 43 - Designing New Classes

    "No, no, no."  Dave shook his head, taking a seat on the floor across from me.  "You can''t let him grow his own little plant pets because little pets become big pets and it''ll be the Living Trees all over again."  He gave me a pointed look.  "Don''t think I didn''t hear how you found a loophole in that quest.  Exterminating their rage, really?"


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about."  I gave him my best innocent look as I leaned back against the warm hearth behind me.  "If you don''t like plant pets, then maybe plant golems with buffs who can run around spreading their awesomeness to the rest of the plant life."


    Cole laughed.  "I feel like you''d enjoy that more than Marvin.  Honestly though, plant pets aren''t a terrible idea as long as they only level as the adventurer levels."


    "Ohhh, now there''s a good idea."  I leaned my head back, smiling up at him as he twisted the flames in the hearth into intricate designs.  "Maybe it could be a secondary path like my Slime Friend title gave me."


    Dave sighed.  "If we''re going to do that, we might as well let people pick two classes.  One that''s more focused on fighting and one that''s not.  That way if people change their minds about how they should make their way through the dungeon, they don''t need to start over entirely."


    We''d been going back and forth like this for what felt like hours, not really coming to any solid decisions.  There were just too many ways to go and each had an up side and a down side to it.  I turned the ember shard in my hands over, watching Fiona and Marvin sleeping in the meadow.  Cole had promised they were fine, but seeing them for myself made it much easier to take the time to sort this out properly.


    "Okay, let''s start at the beginning," I said.  "Plants need sunlight to grow and recharge.  Why don''t we make some kind of sun-based recharge skill?"


    Dave raised an eyebrow.  "Like how a cat naps in the sun and wakes up all refreshed?"


    "Wait, are there cats in the dungeon?" I reeled around to stare at Cole.  "Please tell me there are cats.  We could make a whole pet-based class for people."


    "Do cat monsters count?" Cole asked.  "Because I think monster tamer would be a very cool class.  Kind of like what you''ve been doing, but on purpose."


    I grinned.  "Yeah, let''s do that for sure."


    "And what about the plant mage?" Dave asked, tapping his hooves against the smooth stone floor.  "We can''t keep them sleeping forever."


    "Right."  I slumped back down, focusing on the ember in my hands.  Marvin and Fiona were both counting on me to do this, whether they knew it or not.  "Okay, how did you pick things for my Culinary Mage class?  Maybe we can start there."


    Dave leaned forward, elbows on his knees.  "Yeah, Cole, tell her how we picked things for her class."


    He focused on the flames, ignoring the satyr so much that it made me very curious.  I stood up, wandering over by Cole until I was so close that he couldn''t ignore me.  He glanced at me, then away, then back, until he finally sighed.


    "Fine.  I''ll tell you."  He took his hands out of the fire and crossed his arms.  "I just went with whatever sounded interesting."


    Dave snorted.  "You mean whatever Hazel thought sounded interesting.  He basically made the entire class based on what you were excited about.  Honestly, I knew he was in love with you way before he did.  It was so obvious."


    "Dave!" Cole shouted before waving a hand at me.  "Ignore him, he''s just being ridiculous."


    "Right, yeah, of course."  I held my hand against my chest.  It felt like butterflies were dancing in my stomach, fluttering and making me all tingly.  "Let''s go with the rule of cool then."


    "The rule of cool?" Dave asked.  "I''m not familiar with that one."


    The backs of my palms were sweaty and my face felt like I''d been standing over a bonfire.  Which I kind of was.  I backed away, leaning against the cooler outer wall of the chamber.  I knew Cole liked me, but love?  It was way too soon for that.  I''d only just realized I liked him back.  I couldn''t go around using words like that so casually.  Not even if he did make my heart beat faster whenever he came by me.  Nope.  Not even then.


    Cole flipped through invisible menus.  "The rule of cool isn''t in here anywhere, but I''m guessing you just go with whatever sounds fun?"


    I swallowed hard, determined not to let them see how much that love talk was throwing me off.


    "Basically, we should start with whatever sounds the coolest," I said, taking a deep calming breath. "Then we can decide what we need to set up to get there."


    Dave nodded.  "That''s a good plan.  You''re a lot more sensible than I gave you credit for."


    "Gee, thanks." I rolled my eyes at him.  "So what are some cool plant abilities?  Sun healing?  Vine attacks?  Faster growth?"


    Cole tapped his fingers against his thigh.  "What if we gave him multiple skill options to choose from with some that focus on combat and others that focus on non-combat options?  Like carnivorous pants on one side and calming flowers on the other.  Then he could get a mix of both kinds of skills, but focus on the area he wants to go after most."


    Dave grinned.  "Now you''re talking. That would give people more options without having to reset their class.  I''ve learned that making choices is important for life."


    "And what choices have you been making?" I asked, tilting my head.  "Cole said you''ve been off on vacation?"


    "Yeah, doing totally normal things."  Dave scratched his horns, staring at a corner of the room with nothing in it.  "Soooo anyway, I like the plan.  Let''s start with something simple like a growth skill and an emotional skill like the calming flowers.  Both of those can evolve into combat or non-combat things, depending on how he uses them."


    As we dove into the specifics, we realized that this would probably work for every class.  A blacksmith could be a craftsman and a warrior, depending on how they used their skills.  Same with a baker like me or a seamstress even, though that one sounded a bit scarier.  As long as it gave people more options, I was all for it.  Enough of the tiny box that only a few people fit into.


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    "Why did you make the dungeon like this anyway?" I asked Cole.  "It''s so rigid, only focused on fighting.  What does fighting have to do with souls resting?"


    "It''s how the dungeon was when I got here, so I just kind of kept doing it that way.  The god who introduced me to the system told me that fighting and getting stronger made souls feel like they accomplished something.  When an enemy was difficult to defeat, it made it all the more exciting when the soul eventually won.  By the time they got to the 100th floor, they were so full of pride that they were ready to move on to their next life feeling like they earned every bit of it."


    "That makes some sense," I said softly, "but how often do people actually get to floor 100?"


    "More often than you''d think."  Cole took a deep breath.  "I know you don''t like the system, but it''s worked pretty well for the most part.  No, it doesn''t fit everyone, but it works great for the majority.  I never realized how unfair that was until you came along though.  What works for one person shouldn''t have to be what everyone else does.  Every soul deserves a chance to feel accomplished in their own way, whether that''s through fighting or baking or even gardening."


    "Or drinking," Dave added with a sly smile.  "Don''t forget about making the alcohol taste good around here."


    I grinned.  "Wait, don''t tell me you went off on some drunken adventure?  No, you''re Dave the rule-following tutorial guy.  My entire world-view is shattered."


    He shrugged.  "What can I say? I''m a satyr of many mysteries."  He raised his eyebrows.  "We should make a distiller class."


    Cole ran a hand over his face. "Really, Dave?"


    "Hey, they work hard too," I said with a grin.  "Why not make a class out of it?"


    And from there we devolved into making up dozens of classes, laughing and joking all the while.  It was nice spending time with the two of them like this.  We still had a long way to go, but at the very least, we''d come up with a class for Marvin, which meant it was time to head back to the meadow where we''d left him and Fiona.


    Cole and I walked through the doorway leading to the training grounds.  The stone statue was slumped over in the grass beside Marvin and Fiona who were sleeping soundly, soft smiles on their faces like they were having the best dreams ever.  Cole was right.  They were perfectly fine.  I let out a breath, lying down next to them so they wouldn''t notice anything was amiss.


    "Okay, I''m ready." I smiled up at Cole.  "Wake us up, Sweet Potato."


    He blinked faster, opening his mouth and closing it like he didn''t know what to say as a rosy hue swept across his face.  It reminded me of when those system messages had turned pink instead of blue.  How had it taken me so long to put all of that together?  Everything about Cole reminded me of Sweet Potato.  They were both easily flustered, adorable, and fun to talk to.  Knowing the truth made everything make so much more sense and I was happy he''d felt comfortable sharing it with me.


    He was my Sweet Potato from now on, even if I had to keep it a secret for now.  I shifted into a more comfortable position in the grass, feeling a little guilty about not telling Fiona, but it was for the best.  I''d never seen her happier than when she met that blacksmith and started forging, so giving her the opportunity to get a blacksmithing class was really important.  It''s the life she wanted and that had to help on her way to her next life, right?


    I glanced up at Cole who was toying with the flames again, curling them into beautiful forms.  I wasn''t sure what a new life would hold for me, but for now, I was really enjoying this one.  I couldn''t wait to help adventurers find their true passion, bake wonderful food, and learn even more about Sweet Potato.  Yup, this in-between life sounded pretty damn good.


    Fiona mumbled something incoherent next to me.  She rubbed her eyes, staring blearily at me for a moment, before surging to her feet.  "What''s going on?  Is everyone okay?"


    "I think so?" I got up to join her, moving slowly as if I had been asleep this whole time too.  "That was so weird, but it looks like everything''s fine now.  Maybe I didn''t break anything this time."


    "Right and those failure messages were just for show."  Fiona rolled her eyes as she hauled Marvin up.  "What about you?  You good?"


    He patted himself down, as if he expected to be injured or something, then nodded.  "I think so?"


    "Good!" The dragon statue stretched its tiny arms wide with a yawn.  "Sleep is fun.  Time to work now though."  Smudge turned to Marvin, eyes glowing bright.  "Time to test your weapon."


    "My weapon?" He lifted his arm, staring at the gardening trowel gripped tightly in his fist.  "Oh, right.  I picked this up a little bit ago, but how do I use it?"


    The dragon statue paused, scratching its belly and staring up at the sky.  "Dig?"


    I tried not to laugh as the little statue wrapped its mind around how to train with a gardening trowel.  Cole walked over, moving closer enough to whisper.  "He''ll figure it out."


    "I hope so." I glanced sideways at Cole, who was smiling.  "What''s got you so happy?"


    He shrugged.  "Just enjoying being here with you and seeing a new thing about to happen.  We did this.  Together."


    Warmth spread through my chest as we watched Marvin dig a small hole in the ground and plant a seed the statue gave him.  His hands glowed green and the seed sprouted violently from the ground, shooting vines up that wrapped around Marvin like a cocoon.


    "He-help!" he shouted, struggling against the vines.  When Fiona ran over to cut him down, he shook his head.  "Wait, I don''t think they''re trying to hurt me.  It actually kind of tickles.  Wait, they''re hugging me?"


    Marvin laughed and patted the vines.  They released him, moving as if they had a mind of their own and he could somehow understand them.


    "Did we do that?" I whispered to Cole.  "I don''t remember us doing that."


    Cole shrugged.  "You never know what''s going to happen with new skills.  That''s half the fun.  Trial and error."


    I stood there watching Marvin go from confused to terrified to absolutely thrilled each time he planted something and tested out the skills of this class.  Eventually he turned to Smudge with a serious look on his face.


    "I''d like to take this class." He held the trowel against his chest.  "I think I''m going to like it a lot."


    The little dragon cheered, fluttering through the air in circles dropping confetti.  "Yes!  He likes the class!"


    "Congratulations."  Fiona clapped him on the back.  "Now we can start training all over again."


    Marvin groaned.  "Not that.  Anything but that."  He glanced at the various plants he''d grown.  "Well, maybe that.  As long as the training involves gardening.  I am a Botanical Mage now after all."


    "A botanical mage, huh?" I grinned.  "That sounds pretty amazing.  Maybe you can grow some flowers around the cafe for me and make things even more beautiful."


    "I can absolutely do that!" Marvin nodded quickly.  "I bet the dirt slimes would love it too.  We should go tell them the good news."


    "Really?" I smiled, patting him on the back.  "You''ve come a long way from the terrified adventurer we met on floor 5.  I''m proud of you."


    He dipped his head, smiling.  "Thank you."


    Fiona ruffled his hair.  "Come on, let''s go celebrate.  You earned it."


    "Ohhh, we should throw a party at the cafe!" I grabbed Cole''s arm, grinning.  "We could invite everyone we''ve gotten to know so far and celebrate all the new things about to happen."


    Cole smiled softly.  "And what new things are those?"


    Shoot.  I was supposed to be keeping the class changes a secret for now until he alerted the entire dungeon.


    "Marvin''s new class," I said, "and my cafe upgrade!  I''m super close to expanding the first floor."


    Fiona nodded.  "Sounds good to me.  Let me know what I can help with."


    "Are you sure?" Marvin asked, wringing his hands.  "You don''t need to go through all that trouble just for me."


    "Trouble?  Pretty sure that''s my job."  I grinned, opening a dungeon door back to the cafe.  "A party will be fun for everyone and a good way to show off my cafe, so all you need to do is have fun and show us all the cool new skills you got."


    Fiona pulled him into the dungeon corridor.  "Think you can handle that?"


    "I think so," he said softly.  "I''m really glad I met all of you."


    Me too.  I didn''t know what I would have done if Fiona hadn''t found me in that tree surrounded by crispy cluckers or if Cole hadn''t taken an interest in my strange class.  I linked my arm through Cole''s, strolling side by side through the corridor.  I was lucky to have found all of them and couldn''t wait to see what the future held for us.

 Chapter 44 - Party Time!

    Marvin had spent the past few days working on the basics of his new class, which included planting beautiful flowers outside my cafe.  From deep reds to calming blues, they added so much color to the area and the slimes loved them too.  I''d often catch them stopping to stare at the flowers, swaying in the wind with them like they were transfixed.  It was honestly pretty adorable.  I leaned down to smell one, inhaling the beautiful, sweet scent as the sound of a woman singing drifted over.


    "Took a wrong turn, lost my way.  Stumbled into a monster cafe."  Dahlia sang with gusto while Camellya and Garrik trudged on next to her, humming the tune as well.  "Fire slimes bake while tea slimes brew, the dirt slimes are growing something new."


    I found myself humming along as well as the fire slimes bounced in their fire pit, eager to greet our new customers.  I waved, welcoming them back to the cafe.


    "Hazel!" Dahlia stopped her song long enough to race over to me and give me a big hug.  "It''s so good to see you!"


    I laughed, hugging her back.  "It''s good to see you too.  I''m glad you could all make it."


    "Of course we''d make it," she said, leaning closer to whisper.  "Even though we took the long way around to get some XP hunting in first."


    "Is that where the took a wrong turn part of the song came in?" I asked, grinning when she nodded.  "Honestly, you''ll have to sing the whole thing for us once you''re done."


    "Hey, we were never lost," Garrik grumbled.  "But XP is important and now we get a nice reward for it."


    I raised an eyebrow.  "A reward?"


    "Your food, dummy."  Camellya rolled her eyes, but rested on the edge of the firepit where I had s''more ingredients laid out.  "What''s all this?"


    Dahlia''s eyes widened as she picked a marshmallow up, squeezing it between her fingers to puff the sides out.  "It''s so fluffy!  Is it really food?"


    Strange.  Even though nobody remembered their old lives, they usually didn''t question the food I made.  Could she have never had marshmallows in her old life?  But marshmallows felt so common.  Even if she hadn''t had one before, she should recognize it, right?


    Spark handed Dahlia a small stick to roast the marshmallow with, but she just frowned.  "What do I do with this?"


    "Spear the marshmallow."  I picked up my own stick, showing her how it worked.  "Then hold it out over the slimes so they can toast it for you.  The marshmallow will turn golden brown and delicious."


    "Ohhh, how exciting." Dahlia carefully added her marshmallow to the stick while Camellya stabbed hers soundly, holding it over the fire slimes like that had been pretty enjoyable for her.


    Garrik joined in too, smiling at the fire slimes who were eager to toast the marshmallows for them.  A little too eager, actually, as their flames burned brightly.


    "Careful," I said, right before Dahlia''s marshmallow lit on fire.  I winced.  "Sorry, that happens sometimes.  You can feed it to the fire slimes though, they love the charred taste."


    "But this one was mine," she said softly.  "I was supposed to make it golden."


    Camellya leaned over, eating Dahlia''s marshmallow right off the stick with a big bite.  She wiped sticky mallow off her face.  "Mmmm...nice and burnt, just like I wanted."  Then she held out her perfectly golden-brown marshmallow.  "Here, you can have this one.  It''s not quite done enough for me."


    "You''re the best, sis."  Dahlia smiled as she delicately removed the marshmallow from the stick.  She bit into it carefully, probably trying to avoid the sticky mess Camellya had gotten herself into.  Her eyes widened.  "It''s so sweet and warm, toasty too.  It''s amazing!"


    I grinned, passing them graham crackers and chocolate.  "Now try it with these next time.  The graham crackers go on the outside with the marshmallow and chocolate between them like a sandwich."


    Garrik raised his eyebrows.  "A dessert sandwich?  What will you come up with next?"


    "Tasty things, I assure you."  I smiled at them before turning to see Dave walking up with the seamstress from floor 5.  "Welcome to the Slime Serenitea Cafe!  I''m so glad you could make it."


    "Who could say no to a party?" Dave''s hair and fur were brushed to perfection, taming all the wild curls that usually fluffed up in random places.  He was even wearing a nice new outfit too.  He glanced at the seamstress.  "She really wanted to come too, so thank you."


    "Yes, thank you."  The seamstress held out a beautiful green ribbon, her button eyes shining.  "For you.  Nobody has ever invited me out before."


    "Well, it''s long past time then, and thank you for the gift."  I untied the last ribbon she''d given me so I could try the new one on.  "What do you think?"


    Her smile widened.  "It''s beautiful, just like you."


    Dave scratched his horns, glancing at the seamstress like he had something to say, but turned to me instead.  "So uh, is Cole here yet?"


    "Smooth," I whispered, shaking my head.  "He''s working on the last parts of that job we were talking about.  He''ll be here soon, I''m sure."


    "Oh, right, the job..."  Dave winked at me before leading the seamstress over to the fire pit.  "Have you ever had s''mores before?  They''re delicious."


    The woman shook her head.  "No, but I''m excited to try new things."


    "And I''m excited to show them to you."  Dave speared a marshmallow like a pro even though I had a feeling he''d never done it before.  He frowned at the fire slimes, holding his marshmallow out unsteadily.  "Like this, right Hazel?"


    I nodded.  "Exactly like that."


    The seamstress oohed and ahhed as they toasted the marshmallows, sheer joy shining out of her as she tried one.  I really should have visited her again, but life had gotten so busy since that shopping spree.  I could use more clothes though, so I''d make it a point to visit her and the other shopkeepers again soon.


    Speaking of, Fiona was heading over with the blacksmith she''d been training with. I think his name was Brennic?  Bright orange glowed underneath his skin, like lava beneath a rocky volcano.  He nodded at everyone as he approached, but didn''t say anything.


    "Looks like the party''s already started," Fiona said.  "Sorry we''re late.  This one didn''t want to leave the forge."


    The smith grunted, brushing soot off his clothes.  "And I wouldn''t have if you weren''t so damn stubborn."


    Fiona shrugged and stuffed a marshmallow in his mouth.  The smith''s eyes widened, but then he made an mmm noise as if he liked it.  He wandered over to the seamstress and took his own stick from Spark, who shone even brighter like they were kindred spirits.


    Excellent.  This was all going so well already!  If only Cole would hurry up and Marvin too.  What had he gotten sidetracked by?


    "Hey, Strawberry?  Could you go get Marvin for us?"


    The little dirt slime who''d taken such a liking to Marvin bobbed in a nod, the strawberries on her head tipping over and scattering over the ground.  She flipped them back up with a well-practiced bounce and headed for the garden to grab our new Botanical Mage.  We couldn''t have a party without the guest of honor after all!


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    "Did he really get a new class?" Dahlia whispered.  "I know that''s what your message said, but it doesn''t seem real.  Nobody''s ever gotten a new class."


    Not yet at least.  I could barely keep my excitement to myself, knowing that Fiona and Dahlia would both probably want new classes.  Dahlia felt more like a singer to me than a fighter, so we came up with a bard class for her.  It felt a little selfish just planning things for my friends, but Cole and Dave had planned a bunch of other classes too. There would be so many options that people wouldn''t even know what to choose now.


    Movement pulled my attention to the back of the cafe as Mossy, the big giant dirt slime that he was, bounced out of the garden for the first time since I''d come here, leading all the other dirt slimes with Marvin at his side.  The man couldn''t stop smiling as he held an arm full of fresh flowers that he''d grown just for this occasion.


    The slimes surrounded him, pushing him forward like they were more proud of him than anyone else.  Mossy was slow-moving, so it took a while for the group to make their way over to the fire pit, but when they did I couldn''t help but stand up and clap.  Everyone cheered, the slimes bounced higher than I''d ever seen, and Marvin just kept grinning and hugging those flowers tight.


    "Thank you," he whispered, eyes getting a bit misty.  "I grew these for you all."


    Marvin passed out the flowers, which had special buffs on them so they''d calm your senses, invigorate you, or even put you right to sleep.  We''d found that one out when I caught Marvin passed out amidst a dozen dirt slimes snoring up a storm.  His new class took a bit of trial and error, but that''s where the fun was.  He got to choose his own skills and really make it his own.


    It reminded me of the first time I was experimenting with my grilled cheese, shouting out my skills like nobody could hear me.  I still hadn''t talked to Sweet Potato about that little joke of his yet.  Where was he?


    As everyone congratulated Marvin on his new class, smelling the different flowers and smiling, I craned around searching for Cole.  He had to get here soon.  I promised I wouldn''t upgrade my cafe without him here and we couldn''t really go eat until I did that, so he better hurry up.  People could only eat so many s''mores.


    [Quest Completed: Serve 50 S''mores]


    [Reward: Upgraded Fire Pit]


    I whipped back around, staring at the group of people gobbling up all the s''mores I''d left out.  They were laughing and chatting, playing with the fire slimes and just having a good time while also finishing up my quest!  I hadn''t even considered that me laying out all the ingredients and showing them how to make the s''mores would count as serving them, but I guess making them yourself was part of the experience.


    "Everyone, stand back for a moment," I called out, lifting the slimes out of the fire pit.  "I just finished a quest and I have no idea what it''s going to do."


    The stones from the firepit rose into the air, spinning and reforming themselves.  Other stones got added in, dark ones like lava rocks and reddish-orange ones too, until eventually there were so many stones that we could make four fire pits.  The red ones flattened, pushing themselves into the ground around the old fire pit to make a giant patio.


    "What the hell?" Dahlia asked, eyes wide.  "Is that how all your quests work?"


    "Kind of?" I nodded, remembering the first cafe expansion and the stove.  "Things just reshape themselves I guess.  It''s pretty awesome, actually."


    Once the patio was done, the rest of the stones formed an even bigger fire pit with perfectly designed patterns of shapes and colors instead of my haphazard river rocks from earlier.  It was beautiful.  Absolutely beautiful.


    "Thank you, Sweet Potato," I said as the fire slimes leapt into their new home with squeals of joy.  "Thank you so much."


    "Anytime," Cole whispered so soft I almost didn''t hear him, but his warm breath sent a shiver down my spine.


    My eyes widened as I spun around.  "When did you get here?"


    "Right about the time your quest finished."  He grinned, leaning over the new fire pit to say hello to the fire slimes.  He turned back, still smiling wide.  "I''m glad you like it."


    "Like it?  We love it!"  Dahlia raced forward to play with the fire slimes.  "Hazel''s cafe is the best."


    Fiona laughed.  "Wait ''till you see the cafe upgrade itself.  That quest is ready to finish too, right?"


    They all turned to look at me with excitement in their eyes.  Even Dave had taken a small step forward like he wanted to get a closer look.  Guess it was time then.  I opened my menus and pulled out all the wood and stone I''d need to finish that quest.


    [Quest Completed: Cafe Expansion]


    [Reward: Larger dining area, more tables, and a larger kitchen]


    The wood formed itself into planks as the cafe''s walls literally came apart at the seams, making room for the new additions.  The stones lined up along the bottom, creating a good foundation and moved into the building for other areas too.  Some of the wood bent and curled into tables and chairs, floating through the doorway into the dining area.


    When everything settled down, my cafe was twice the size!  I couldn''t help but stand there and stare at it.  I could fit so many more slimes in here than before.  Even collosso slimes!


    Matcha bounced over, staring up at me with wide eyes until I picked him up.  He crooned in my arms, bouncing slightly like he wanted to get moving.  I laughed and took a few steps forward, opening the door to my newly upgraded cafe.


    Light shimmered through the windows, casting a warm glow on the wooden floors.  The lanterns were more spread out now, but added to the warm ambiance nicely.  Three tables and sets of chairs stood in the dining area, way better than the makeshift ones I''d made out of old crates.


    I hurried to the kitchen, followed closely by Spark.  We both gasped as we saw how spacious it was now.  Shelves lined one wall, ready to be filled with containers and cookware, while counters spread out across the other, perfect for cooling pies or cookies on.  The oven no longer looked massive and out of place either.


    Tears pricked my eyes and I blinked faster to stop them from falling.


    "We really did it, Matcha."  I held the little slime closer, hugging him tight.  "We found a safe place, met so many wonderful people, and built a home for ourselves."  He nuzzled against me, vibrating softly like he was purring.  "Thank you for taking this journey with me."


    We stood there like that for a while before I heard the others finally entering the cafe to see the new upgrades as well.  I wiped my eyes, ready to join them, but Cole pulled me aside before I could.


    "I''ve got a surprise for you, if you don''t mind coming with me for a moment."  His amber eyes sparked with excitement.  "I promise you''re going to like it."


    "Okay?"  I followed him out of the kitchen, turning into an area of the cafe that didn''t used to be there before.  It was a new room.  "What''s this?"


    He held the door open for me.  "It''s your bedroom.  I didn''t think you''d want to keep rearranging the dining area to sleep on the floor."


    Now the tears really did fall no matter how fast I blinked.  He added a bedroom to the cafe upgrade just so I didn''t need to sleep on the floor anymore?  In the middle of the room was a giant fluffy bed with the blanket I''d gotten from the seamstress on top.  A few slimes had somehow already jumped onto it, snuggling under the blankets while Matcha hopped down to join them.


    A dresser sat in the corner of the room with a small table next to the bed.  It was all so cozy and wonderful, exactly what I needed.


    I turned to wrap my arms around Cole''s neck, pulling him to me.  "Thank you.  For everything.  From giving me this amazing class, to helping me through the dungeon, to making sure I was taken care of.  This room means so much to me."


    "You are more than worth it."  He pulled back, leaning his forehead against mine and cradling my face in his hands.  "You''ve brought life into this old dungeon and made me happier than I ever knew I could be."


    His eyes were warm and bright, like the flames he was born out of.  How he found the time to dote on me like this while running an entire dungeon was beyond me, but I was so grateful for every moment I got to spend with him.  He''d literally changed my life.


    I leaned up, pressing my lips against his.  A small gasp escaped his lips and he pressed a hand against his chest.


    "Are you okay?" I asked, putting my hand over his.  "Is something wrong?"


    "No, far from it."


    The smile that spread across his face told me everything I needed to know as he pulled me close, kissing me with such tenderness that I felt cocooned by his kindness.  My Sweet Potato.


    Matcha squeaked from across the room and I would have ignored him, but the sounds of other people talking outside snapped me back to reality. I pulled away with a small smile, keeping his hand in mine.


    "Think it''s about time?" I asked.


    He nodded.  "Let''s do it together."


    He opened his menus, manipulating them so I could see them as well.  Three large blue buttons hovered in the air.


    [Upgrade Class System?]


    [Yes]


    [No]


    Our intertwined fingers hovered over the yes button.  Sweet Potato glanced at me, as if double checking that this was the right thing to do, before we pressed it.  Chimes rang out through the area as everyone''s system messages alerted them of a new optional quest to change their class.  Excitement broke out in the dining area mixed with shock and amazement.


    I gripped Sweet Potato''s hand tighter.  "This is the start of a whole new adventure for us, isn''t it?"


    "One I''m happy to go on with you."  His soft lips brushed against my cheek in the whisper of a kiss.  "This is our system now."


    My heartbeat pounded in my chest as the reality of this finally hit me.  I was dating the dungeon and had somehow convinced him to break everything for me.  I wrapped my arms around him, tucking myself against his side.  This was exactly how I wanted my in-between life to go.