My Parasite Skill System

We talked about that last assignment I'd ascribed to myself. The quest. Part of the Game. Well, it would all pay off very well.

By the end of this little meeting, I'd be changed. Although only somewhat. Still though; all my figuring-things-out paid off fairly well.

Maybe I'd only get to enjoy myself however I like, after that.

'After that.' After what? After my explanation:

I wasn't at loss, here, but truth was, I didn't really think of a script beforehand. I was thinking as I was speaking. It made my explanation laborious.

"Oh, the 'quest,' huh? The one you kept talking to me about on your first days here…?"

"This one, yeah. … Well. We've tried to get comfortable, haven't we? (Nah, don't even try to understand. I promise I'm getting somewhere, though.) But it's never enough.

"So I've done my homework–and obviously since the very theme of this quest is a story; you should tell me one!"

Ring!

"Ah?"

❮ 'What lies behind the story…?' Main Quest – Let the Player head to Elina's apartments and get all comfy with her. 1/1 ❯

"Aah!"

❮ 'What lies behind the story…?' – Hear the ancient tales from Princess Elina. 0/1 ❯

Excitement grew within me. And from this point on, it wasn't so complicated anymore.

–At the same time, though; System, the hell's that?; I'd surely tried to do that, by now. Of course, I did. Maybe, simply, 'requirements' weren't met? I hardly know ... but this system of mine is tricky.

I made a mental note not to forget that, and let things continue.

"Ah?" That was her expressing her interrogations.

"This is that, big sis'! I can't believe how much I've been wondering and pondering upon that stupid quest … and it's just that! … You gotta tell me a story!"

"A story…?" she tilted her head inquisitively, before she continued, "Emerald. With seriousness. If it hasn't anything to do with your growth–"

"But it has, big sis'! I promise it has!"

"Emerald!" and she scowled again, stomping her foot on the ground, as she so oftentimes did, when annoyed.

She didn't try to hide it, at least. … Wait, was that a good thing, though? Let's say she's just an honest kind of person.

Well, well, well. Zooming out, zooming out.

I said that from then on, it wasn't so complicated. And I was right. From this point onward, I just had to be of annoyance some more.

That human princess, she really seemed not willing to help me in anything … as long as it had nothing to do with my 'growth.'

She loved to say that, 'growth.' "If it's nothing to do with your growth, then there is no bargaining," she made clear. If it was just for my own personal benefit, she wouldn't just give me anything.

And the same goes the other way around.

If it was for both of us, on the other hand, as per the contract we had agreed upon, back at the humans' battle against the orcs; of course she would help, it would be her duty.

I convinced her and promised it had to do with the contract. I had no reason to lie, and I knew not to be childish and annoying (only to her) when the time calls.

–And zooming back in, "Well, in truth, you only want some attention and love, don't you, little boy."

"… No. But–"

"I shall relate to you a story!–only one!"

"Oh– oh?! I shall be grateful. Promise!"

"Argh … and 'comfortable,' mmm? … You're not supposed to be dragging me down, you little punk. Drag me up instead!" she said, letting her back fall on her bed, pointing up with her hand. "… A story, huh."

At least some willingness in her. Young people nowadays hardly ever showed that.

Being happy, I made a comment about how I'd drag her up, someday, making a point of how she'd benefit from me. (If she deserved it.) But she ignored me. Instead, she went on thinking out loud to herself:

"A story … let me think of a story, mmm … An ancient story, you said…"

"An ancient story. … Just like the old fables Old Sipping tells Leafana about before she sleeps. She loves stories. I think I need the same kind of story. And System'll be satisfied after that, I promise."

"A story, a story, a story…"

And the princess thought. If thinking was an exercise; she did it over and over again. It surprisingly took a lot for her to come up with one. I don't actually know what she was trying to do, though? Didn't she just have to remember one from her childhood and tell me?

That was the kind of story I wanted, I guess. The kind of story the Game wanted. For it to proceed, it needed just that.

She thought no longer than three minutes. But that still was a lot. And by the end of these three minutes, she'd had enough time to actually roll further up on her bed and lie next to me, being comfortable, at once.

She mumbled some stuff about how she didn't care anymore. About how the people she was being needed with, on this afternoon, would just have to 'deal with it.'

Three minutes went by. She had adopted the right attitude. Being hurried and busy with duties was cool, but being thinking about which story to tell me was even cooler.

Glad she realized that at last: "This is kinda fun; I have your story, Emerald. A story that will educate you more than simply entertain your boredom. That is a story you want, humph."

Her voice was gentle. Lying on my back, from watching the ceiling, I shifted my eyes towards her without moving my head.

She stared at the ceiling, too, and kept staring at it.

"A story you want. And with that, I will have accomplished my duty as a 'big sister,' mm-hm! This shall be educating.

"When you're with me, Emerald, you're a bad Emerald. A bad little punk. Mhm? Won't you agree? Damn correct, I am! And now, know what? I have a story about you. About the bad little punk that you are.

"Listen up, kid. Your ears are wide open. You don't miss one bit of that story. Very important. Ahem, the story is simple … (but, um, how did my uncle begin the story again?) … hmm … right: 'To every misbehaving child–and I indeed said; to every one of you little misbehaving punk!' he said!

"(Huhuhu, that was exactly how he started it, each time. Same intonation and stuff. Pfft, and the chills I had, every single time!) 'This is the story about the vilest and most hideous monster Boramana (err, was that the monster's name again, though?) which was … very fortunately defeated by the eight most righteous knights, savior of the human race, in the ancient times!' my uncle always explained! '… And this is the story of you … if you misbehave still! Punks!' Hu-hu-hu … truth was, I'm sure he loved this story as much as we did, with my brothers, hah~.

"… Might not be giving its full right to the intonation and stuff, but gosh it was frightening. … And you still haven't heard the rest, Emerald! Don't you be too frightened, heh-heh-heh!"

Ring!

❮ Main Quest – Let the Player hear the ancient story – AND LET THE PLAYER REFLECT UPON IT! ❯

"… oh, Emerald?

"… Still here with me, Emerald?

"… wait … when did this kid even fall asleep! So quick!"

❮ 0/1 ❯

I don't know what happened either.

Truth is, she started to tell the story … and it all became just black. I saw nothing, heard nothing, sensed nothing.

All I knew, maybe, is that, right now … I was sleeping?

The darkness intensified. At once, I fell unconscious, diving to the deepest of my own mind–trapped by my fate?

Well–I did warn you: I was yawning only minutes ago!

And a final question for you–what does sleep do?

Sleep dreams.

I dreamed.