Living Life As A Game: Through And Through 104 Shower Thoughts, Kitchen Schemes

Giddy at the thought of trying out her new toy, Elizabeth brought her enchanted crystal over to her forging station and quickly polished it up to a presentable state. Activating it as soon as she was done, all her clothes immediately vanished from her body. Yrre was the only one present in the room and she had literally spent weeks cleaning her body, thus Elizabeth felt not a trace of shame as she began adjusting her new Magical armor and supplementary armor. When she finished dressing up, she activated the Transillusionary Return Enchantment several times over. Happy with the instantaneous transfer speed the Enchantment provided, she brought out her various weapons and also tested them with the Enchantment.

After she got used to the Enchantment's effects, she smiled at the thought that she had just taken a large step forward as a game character. In gaming terms, she effectively gave herself the ability to quickload her equipment. One moment she might be dressed as a regular young girl, but in the blink of an eye, she could trade that normal appearance and come out fully prepared to take on an army.

"Heh… Yrre, I'll take a shower now. Let's resume our practice later in the evening." As Elizabeth moved to enter the bathroom in her yacht's suite, Yrre blocked her from shutting the doors. She gave Elizabeth a most strict and even predatory stare down as she said, "What do you think you're doing?"

"..." Speechless and confused as to what she could have done wrong, Elizabeth though 'I just told you, didn't I?' She repeated her words with a bit of hesitation, "I'm… taking a shower?"

Without the slightest look of jest Yrre calmly said, "I know, but you tried closing the door without letting me in first, right?"

"Yes?" Answering honestly, an ominous chill tickled Elizabeth's ear as she anxiously waited for Yrre's response.

"As your servant, you should know that these kinds of matters fall into my hands… What kind of servant would I be if I didn't even take proper care of you?"

"..."

The look Yrre gave her conveyed a clear message. There was no way Yrre would accept not being allowed to perform her job as she interpreted it. That would be a disservice to her resolve and worse yet, it might displease her benefactor if ever they were to meet again. So, in an awkward manner, Elizabeth released the door open to let Yrre in and the two shared a nice bath.

Elizabeth couldn't lie to herself… this bath was amazing and her respect for Yrre's magical ways only heightened after experiencing her methods while awake. Although she took a Resting pill earlier to supplement her sleep and recover her fatigue, Elizabeth swore Yrre's soft fingers did more than any pill ever could. Not once did she feel annoyed or bothered with Yrre's management of her bath and with her mind left to wander odd thoughts entered her mind.

Thinking of anything and everything, after Elizabeth finished concerning herself over the ever-increasing pressures added to her life — the Cataclysm, her bloodline, the nearby reunion with her family, etc... — she eventually thought back to that insufferable moment P agitated. 'Che! A friend? Sure, but that idiot better think twice before a.s.suming I'll make any drastic changes to my preferences.'

Smiling at her denouncement of that "silly" G.o.ddess, her still relatively blank mind furthered that train of thought, seizing up her expression. 'Wait… No. Something's off. Before any of this, I wouldn't have a care about either s.e.x anyway. Why then… why did I… react that way?'

Repressing the immediate thoughts of disgust and dejection threatening to consume her, Elizabeth thought, 'Why can't I concentrate and think this through? Mhmm...' As Elizabeth sighed mentally, she moved to rub her eyebrows out of frustration. In doing so, she caught the attention of Yrre.

Gradually upping the volume in her voice as she was met with an unresponsive Elizabeth, Yrre almost finished screaming Elizabeth's ears off as she said, "Hey. Hey! Hey!!! h.e.l.lO!?!? Are you ok?"

"Huh?" Jolted by both Yrre's penetrative voice and gentle hands, which slightly shook her, Elizabeth came out of her thoughts. Staring directly back at Yrre, Elizabeth froze for a couple seconds before she turned around and quietly called out, "Uh… yeah. I'm… I'm fine." A barely noticeable red shade now present on her cheeks, she stopped thinking altogether after a final thought crossed her head, 'That pretty much confirmed things...'

Thereon, Yrre was left conflicted with Elizabeth's sudden withdrawn behavior as she finished bathing both herself and her master. Upon leaving the shower, Elizabeth activated her Transillusionary Return Enchantment and with utmost taciturn, she said, "Spirit Collecting Training..." Bemused, Yrre followed behind her until the two reached the deck.

At the time of her arrival, there were already several people here and there scattered about on the deck. Witnessing her arrival, several people visibly brighten up their expressions trying to give off good impressions. Sighing at the attention she was receiving, Elizabeth decided to begin her training with some cooking practice.

To all the people looking on at her with hope in their eyes, Elizabeth smiled as her mind thought up a nice little idea. She said, "If anyone's interested, I've decided to sell, uh… Martial Meals in exchange for Resting Pills." The response to her simple claim was utter chaos as people almost ran over one another vying to be first in line to hand over their Resting Pills.

Nodding her head in an extremely smug fas.h.i.+on Elizabeth lead the group of restless pract.i.tioners to the kitchen, where she used up some of the fished in her Spatial Ring. Feigning to take fresh fish from the refrigerator, Elizabeth cooked up a storm as the effects of [Blade Arts: Basics] translated into her showmans.h.i.+p as a chef.

With unheard of cooking speed, Elizabeth began delivering prepared Magical Meals before ten minutes pa.s.sed. She cooked several meals at a time, so everyone that showed up received a meal. But, before Elizabeth finished this round of cooking, a small surprise came her way.

Looking at the very last person who came to exchange their Resting Pills for a meal, Elizabeth's smile could not get wider; the one of schadenfreudian descent… With a tone that inspired feelings of punching the person speaking, Elizabeth said, "What? Are my eyes deceiving me, or have pigs learned to fly?"

Staring back at her in a mix of repressed anger, humiliation, and helplessness, Sophie said, "No… I'm here to trade for one of your… cheater meals."

"Huh? What was that? I couldn't hear you? You want to what?" Just when their relations.h.i.+p seemed to be turning for the better, her hateful little doppelganger just had to stir the pot. Elizabeth hadn't forgotten the unjust treatment her clone had shown her, and since she couldn't physically beat her in a match, now was the perfect chance to savor in victory, while still being the weaker of the two.

"I want a meal, understand? Now, will you accept or not? I don't have time to play games with you!"

A playful glint s.h.i.+nned across Elizabeth's crimson eyes as she said, "Mhmm… Only if you say pretty please."

Giving off a familiar squint of death Sophie began walking away as she said, "I'm leaving..."

However, before she got too far Elizabeth hurriedly said, "Wait! You don't have to exchange pills. Just say "Pretty please...""

Sophie froze before she started shaking from anger. She reasoned the benefits of eating one of Elizabeth's meals would be worth a small blow to her ego. Thus, after gulping a deep breath, she said, "Pretty… Please…."

Trying her luck, Elizabeth spoke at the verge of laughing. She said, "Pretty please master chef Elizabeth~"

Driven near the point of insanity, Sophie's platinum blonde hair rose like a frightened cat as she hissed, "f.u.c.k you!" Though she didn't even make it past the kitchen exit before Elizabeth's voice caught up to her. Struggling to stop her hysterical laughter, Elizabeth said, "Ok, ok! What do you want to eat?" Sophie was still a part of her dojo and while they were at odds with each other, Elizabeth wouldn't do something as detrimental as inhibiting her growth now that the tournament was around the corner.

Hatefully, Sophie barked, "Anything will do! Just get this over with so I can leave."

Ironically, Sophie a.s.sumed the role of the murderous bloodthirsty fiend as Elizabeth — the one who actually possessed a fiendish bloodline — cheerfully cooked like an angel. Soon enough, Sophie's meal was ready and after that came Elizabeth and Yrre's personal meals. Somehow, Elizabeth managed to finish cooking just before the 5 AM meditative training began.

Walking as she ate, by the time Elizabeth returned to the deck, she was through with her plate of food. Elizabeth handed her plate to Yrre, still somewhat timid by their earlier interaction before walking over to her formation. Now situated atop her Spirit Collecting Formation, Elizabeth drowned herself in one of her favorite activities; watching on entertained, as her various stats rose. With a just over six hours to temper herself Elizabeth indulged in the monotony of cultivation as the hours began to tick away.