Chapter 260: Other branches (2)
Melody! I can't deal with this alone and Melody is way better when it comes to talking to people.
<She is the epitome of kindness.>
With that decided, I take Jake along to go find my wife. She's still working so Navi can perfectly guide us.
"So, your wife works here too? Is she…you know."
"She's a normal human."
"Really? And she knows about all this?"
"She does."
"Man, that's so handy. Wish I had a wife like that too. Mind sharing?"
I stop and turn to look deep into his eyes. It's obviously a joke but I don't like it even if it is a joke.
"It was a joke! I would never! We're good man, right?"
"We are, but if you value your comfort you won't make such jokes."
"My comfort?"
"Navi asked me to see if I could help you get a useful skill or two. I happen to know that being repeatedly killed and respawned is guaranteed to give you a physical damage resistance as well as a potential addition of mental resistance. Interested?"
"I'll watch my words more carefully! No senseless murder please."
"That's what I fought."
I stop staring him down and continue walking.
<You can be surprisingly scary.>
I do not take kindly towards anything that may bring harm or suffering to those close to me.
We reach a door to a room where VR-capsules for guests are located and enter. Melody is busy cleaning so she doesn't notice us. I take a moment to admire the sheer speed and precision of her movements as she is wiping down one of the capsules. That cleaning skill is really strong, I wonder if it leveled up recently.
Since she has yet to notice us, I loudly clear my throat. Awoken from her concentrated cleaning activity, Melody looks over to me and smiles.
"You are a bit early to walk home with me after work. Did something come up again? And who did you bring with you? A friend?"
"A coworker, he was temporarily transferred here from another branch. There's also another coworker but she is a bit difficult to deal with so I thought…"
"You thought of using me as a shield?"
"I was thinking more along the lines of a secret weapon."
She smiles more radiantly now.
"Well if you put it that way, I can't let my dear husband face a rogue coworker without his secret weapon, can I? Give me a minute to put away my cleaning supplies."
I offer to help her carry some things but Melody insists on doing everything herself. Something about it being her job and not mine.
Then we leave the building and head along the street towards Valeria's horror mansion. I know I shouldn't call it that but it gives me the creeps! While we walk, I introduce Jake and Melody.
"Oh, so you are a newer employee as well? Then, please take care of my husband if he does something stupid."
"I'll try my best, but I'm not sure how much help I'll be."
"Really, Guy has only been here for a few months so there can't be so much of a difference, right?"
"Heh, how do I explain this? Some help here, partner?"
Partner? Ah, I suppose he means me. But how should I help? I have been holding back on looking at his status so I only know that he is weak. I should just ask permission.
"Do you mind if I take a look?"
"You didn't yet?"
"Apparently it's considered rude."
"Not for me, go ahead."
I can feel that he is weaker than me so his status can be fully displayed under the influence of my skill.
Status Jake Lv.14 (19) free bee
Mp 10+18+0
Strength 1+18+1
Constitution 2+18+5
Speed 3+18+30
Magic ability 0+18+0
Skills:
universal humanoid language, universal monster language, dungeon map, flight, hive connection
Honey production lv.8; hive construction lv.2; bee sting lv.2; bee venom lv.3; poison concoction lv.9
Wow, just wow. Does be sting have the side effect I think it does?
<It's as you suspect, a suicide attack.>
…
That must have been a real rough start.
<You tell me, he started as a bee being controlled by a queen bee through a hive mind. He basically got forced to suicide attack over and over until he leveled up and gained some independence.>
"Guy?"
"Oh, sorry. Look Melody, Jake's had a rough beginning, my level is more than double his, and his skills aren't very developed yet."
"Guy! Don't be so mean about it!"
"Aehm, miss Goodwin, he really wasn't being mean about it. That already was the nicest way of putting it."
"I see, I'm sure your luck will turn around soon. Also, call me Melody, miss Goodwin sounds so formal."
Jake gives me a questioning glance that Melody pointedly ignores while jabbing me into my side. Guess I might have come on a bit to strong. I curtly nod at Jake and he visibly relaxes.
"Sure thing, Melody."
As we get closer to Valeria's horror mansion, we see a figure fidgeting around the door. A bit closer and we hear the sound of fast-paced knocking.
"Valeria, are you still there? Why won't you answer me? Can I come in? Please? We haven't seen each other in… a while! Can you open the door? We can talk through the window too. Would that be better? Are you ignoring me? Should I have brought wine? But you always complain when I bring wine!"
Does she even need to breathe? The lady who is continuously bombarding the door with a flurry of words and knocks seems to have unlimited stamina. And are those bunny ears?
<F***! She's supposed to keep those hidden at all times!>
As we stop behind the lady who has yet to notice us, I take a closer look at her. She has white hair, much like Valeria, but her's more fluffy than the cold vampire's. She's wearing all white, white boots, a large white coat reminding of a kimono and a thick white fur scarf.
<That's not a scarf.>
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone