Making Progress

''In the end... she didn't, huh?'' The fox complained. It was on a pillow onto the bed, licking its paw. It had been half an hour since Miran got dressed and left the room, and no, she didn't take off her wing-shaped holy necklace.

''Why don't you take off it by force?'' The fox asked.

''What's the point taking off it by force? I need her to willingly do it in order to complete the quest,'' I said and headed to the bathroom. I had rented this room for a day, and the room on prostitutes street had no bathroom.

While I was unbuttoning my shirt, the figure in the mirror caught my eye. I got close to the mirror to see myself better. It was indeed me but it was... different somehow.

It wasn't a shocking difference, but my lips were plumped and more reddish. It wasn't exactly red, but it wasn't pale as before. Were my lashes that long before? My black lashes were like lace surrounding my eyes now. My skin was smooth more than ever.

Then, I looked at my body. It was the same as before, and it wasn't at the same time. I wasn't sure what made the difference, my breasts seemed like I wear a plump bra and my body was toned better.

My abs weren't as pronounced as they would be in a man, those motherfuckers start life one step ahead when it comes to muscles. Yet, the two lovely lines on my abdomen were gifts of practicing martial arts. Hopefully, at level 3 I would be able to start practicing martial arts without harming myself.

Sadly, the rest of my skin wasn't as smooth as my face. Victories and losses of years adorned my body with scars that some lighter and some darker from my skin tone. ''Demonic bee pollen isn't with you? Boil the bathwater and pour the pollen into it,'' The fox said.

I walked away from the mirror and turned on the water to fill the bathtub. I went back to the bedroom to get the demonic bee pollen from the leather bag. I was sincerely wishing to get a storage item made using the space element. If it was made using both time and space, you could keep the plants fresh or even make them grow faster.

Of course, something like that was over my current budget. Looking out the window, I realized that the man from whom I bought my boots was right. It was snowing. I frowned when I thought of the non-existent heating system of the room I had rented for a copper per day. I couldn't settle in this hotel room permanently, I didn't have that much money.

''I missed being rich,'' I said.

''There is one more way, you know,'' The fox said.

''What's that?''

''Well, firstly you need an old man with some silver in his and has some gold to spare, as it was said in that old song. Then, you need to make sure his wife doesn't find out,'' It said.

I rolled my eyes and went back to the bathroom, ''I have no plans to rely on a man. Plus, if wives in, I'm out.'' I checked if the water was hot enough and poured some pollen in it.

''What a pity. I even prepared a list of targets for you,'' The fox sighed, ''Firstly, Give a boy who has just entered adolescence his first experience. Secondly, find a loyal man to his wife and fuck him while his wife is sleeping next to him. Thirdly, a threesome...''

''Sorry but I'm not that sick yet. How old are men entering puberty? Twelve? No way. We won't even discuss this issue.'' When the water got cold enough to bear it, I put one foot in the bathtub. It was still quite hot, but it had to be hot to work.

''So can we discuss the others?'' The fox asked. I clenched my teeth as the hot water burned my leg. The worst wound was on my left leg, if it would heal the others would heal too. I could not stop my eyes from tearing, but I didn't step back either.

''As long as it doesn't involve children, we can discuss almost anything,'' I said. I myself was surprised at my extreme honesty. ''Look at that, I'm getting degenerated because of you.''

I gritted my teeth and I got into the tub fully. ''Water, would you come, help my pain?'' I whispered. In fact, I didn't need to say it out loud but saying out loud was helping me to focus. Water didn't come.

After the skincare session, feeling boiled alive, I wasn't able to think about anything. I didn't even remember how I got to bed. I woke up a little after midnight.

I don't know what woke me up, maybe the wind whispered, maybe I felt the shadows. I woke up with an exclamation point flashing in my mind and I was aware that something was happening.

After making sure I'm alone in the room, I made a quick decision and put on the boots, the equipment that would benefit me the most, and approached the door but didn't open it. I could hear the footsteps of two people who didn't mind being quiet. They stood at the door opposite my room's door.

''Why are we doing this shit? I was trained to be a commander, not to be a postman,'' A male voice said.

''Would you please shut up for a second? Spending my night with you is not my greatest pleasure, either. Since Captain ordered us, there must be a reason. Carrying important news is also an important and dangerous duty.''

''Dangerous, my ass. Throw that letter under the door and get the fuck away here.''