Chapter 42: Stories…

“Your submission score unlocked another secondary ability,” Melody said, taking a deep breath. “Do you want me to tell you the options?”

Ah. I did sign away that right, didn’t I? Since Melody wanted to choose her ability… which she still hasn’t used… but do I want to know… I mean, I’d like to know, but I also know I’ll never be able to decide. Melody would end up deciding anyway, probably. And if I know the other option, I’ll keep thinking about whether I chose the right one… I think it’s pretty clear, at least for this secondary ability, I guess. “You can… choose.”

“You sure?” Melody asked. “What if I choose a bad ability?”

That won’t happen. It’s X tier. “There aren’t bad ones.”

Melody chuckled. “I guess that’s true. These are both things I’d love to have.”

Me too, probably, if I knew what they were. “Choose one.”

“You’re demanding today.” Melody kept chuckling, staring at a panel I couldn’t see. “I think we’ll go with… this one.”

Submission Level Up!

Having reached submission score 25, you have unlocked the following ability.

You are currently 66% of the way to level 3.

Secondary Ability: System Link (Level 1)

Allows one stat to be temporarily linked between Mistress and pet. When Mistress or pet reaches 1% of their max, automatically consumes from the other’s selected stat, down to 10% of the other’s max at a reduced efficiency.

If above 1% of max, can optionally consume the other’s stats down to 10% of their or your max, whichever is lower.

Time limit:

Active for 1 hour, with a 12 hour cooldown.

Consumption Rate:

3x default

That’s… doesn’t that seem similar to the other secondary ability option I was given ages ago? What was it… some swapping thing? BDSysteM, is it possible to see what that option was?

I suppose that’s fine.

Secondary Ability: Status Swap (Level 1)

When agreed to by both you and your pet, your primary stats (Health, Mana, Strength, and Agility) may be swapped for a set time period of sixty seconds for a cost of 50% reduction to both maximums for one hundred and twenty seconds following the end of the swap. This ability may not be canceled once activated.

Okay, so the swap has no cost, I guess that’s the difference? The link is a longer-term thing, but… ten percent of the lower max when above one percent. So if we linked mana, and I have say ten, while Melody has twenty… I’d only be able to steal nine mana? Since mine would be lower at only 1 mana.

The status swap would give me access to all twenty. I guess the link doesn’t let you surpass your abilities, just gives you a larger pool to use from. So it’s better for a drawn-out exchange, but it won’t give me the ability to end anything in one shot. It’s definitely similar though. Oh wait, that three-times consumption rate makes it suck ass.

I’d only be able to steal… three mana? I’m sure it’ll get stronger when it levels up… but right now it’s just a slightly larger pool of a singular stat. Hopefully that increases with level ups too.

“Satisfied?” Melody asked, her eyes looking over at my naked body.

I looked up from my status panels and met her eyes, nodding. “Yeah.”

Speaking of stats, I should probably look over that ability again.

Secondary Ability: Shared Spatial Inventory (Level 1)

Provides a no requirement shared spatial inventory of size 5cm x 5cm x 5cm for pet and Mistress, with both having access and the ability to add or remove any non-living physical items. Any living entity inserted will die immediately.

Progress: 52%

Fifty-two percent. Halfway there. Okay, back to Melody. “So… uh… what now?”

“Now we hang out.” Melody leaned back, laying her body flat against the bed and stretching her arms. “Anything you want to do?”

“Not really,” I replied, hesitantly lowering myself backwards, until my naked back was on top of Melody’s extended arm. Then I glanced over to make sure it was okay. She smiled back.

We looked at each other for a few minutes, me naked, and her fully clothed, before Melody asked, “What books do you read?”

Uh… smut, lesbian smut, bdsm smut, more smut, and shitty isekais. “...why?”

“I saw you reading things on your phone a few times,” Melody replied. “A lot actually.”

“Uh… fantasy.” The safest response ever.

“I’m sure…” Melody giggled. “What do you actually read?”

I blushed, replying, “Girls love?”

“That’s more like it,” Melody nodded. “Any suggestions?”

Uhhhhh… what’s the most normal girls love web novel I’ve read recently? Fuck, fuck, fuck… they all have fucking… okay okay, the other site that hates smut, what have I read there… oh! Yeah, that’s a normal one, doesn’t even have like litrpg or anything, just some cool sci-fi shit. And I think the fucking is kept to a minimum… “Song of the Void?”

Wait, is that one even girls love? Shit… I don’t remember… fucking wasn’t a core plot point unlike most stories… whatever. It's too late now.

“Never heard of it,” Melody said, pulling out her phone and tapping away. “Sci-fi, huh? For some reason I didn’t think you’d read science fiction.”

“Why?” I asked, sitting up a little before standing up so I could go grab my phone off of the floor where it fell out of my sweater pocket.

After I returned to lying against Melody, she continued, “I don’t know.”

“Okay,” I replied, before pulling out my phone and staring at the lock screen, some geometric shapes. “Any suggestions for me?”

“Hmm…” Melody typed away on her phone for a few minutes, eventually sending me a text message and asking, “Have you read Stray Cat Strut?”

“No…” I clicked the link she sent me, and it opened onto the smut-unfriendly site, sadly. Looks like this story won’t be too horny. “Magical Girls?”

“Magical Girls,” Melody confirmed. “It’s a cool take on our systems. Would definitely be fun if we had all the crazy shops and things. Not so sure about the Antithesis though. Those seem mean. Meaner than dungeon monsters. Ultra-capitalist stuff doesn’t seem fun either.”

Then, Melody smirked. “Although we’d be at the top, so maybe it’d be okay.”

“Ultra-capitalist? Like apocalypse corporations controlling the world?” I asked. “Doesn’t seem fun.”

“Well, it’d be fun if you're at the top, right?” Melody argued. “Lord over everyone, have everyone at your beck and call, although I guess it might not be better than right now… definitely don’t want to ever give in to people just because they’re strong. Or sponsor them, they should be honored to work for us.”

“That’s… a thought.” Can’t say I have the same fantasies as Melody. I prefer to be on the bottom… like… bottom bottom… not social status just… bottom… I’m too horny.

I shook out my thoughts, and opened up the first chapter, then began reading, right as Melody spoke. “Want to have a competition? See who can binge the entire story first? I’ll read your rec, you’ll read mine.”

“Sure…” I mumbled, already immersed and completely forgetting to check the word counts.

As we read, hours flew by pretty quickly. Like really quickly. At some point, Cindy the maid came in asking, “Are you planning to stay for dinner, Lady Celestria?”

Prompting both of us to check the time. It was already five. We’ve been reading for five hours, laying beside each other, and completely… not bored. I usually can’t get this immersed in a story. Is it because Stray Cat Strut is just that good? Or because Melody is beside me?

It must be Melody… and it must be me for her. I know I wasn’t ever this immersed reading Song of the Void. I think. I tend to lose track of time reading… whatever, it doesn’t matter. Lying naked beside Melody while we read is so… relaxing.

HOLY FUCKING SHIT! I’m naked! Cindy is in the doorway! She’s seeing me naked!

I scrambled up, finding the closest cover I could, which happened to be the hanging slightly-transparent sheets connected to each of Melody’s bed’s four bed posts. I tugged it until it untied itself somehow, and quickly wrapped it around… and this probably only made me look hotter. I was wearing transparent clothes.

I glanced toward the door, blushing, and saw a similarly red Cindy holding in laughs. Stupid dumb maid. Stupid dumb Melody… making me all naked all the time… And stupid body pooling liquid between my legs! Stop being horny! Bad!

Melody slowly sat up, her eyes scanning the room, spending a few extra moments on my body, where she raised her eyebrows, then met Cindy’s eyes. “We’ll stay, and tell no one or you’re fired.”

Cindy got her expression under control, and bowed her head. “Of course, Lady Celestria. Any dinner requests?”

“Have the cooks make a feast but with… common-people dishes… if that’s possible,” Melody said, tilting her head and taking another peek over at me.

“I’ll inform them,” Cindy replied, then quickly left the room and closed the door behind her.

Melody spun her entire body toward me, minus the legs that were still on the floor since she never took off her shoes. “You look cute in that. Should I buy you some transparent clothes?”

What? “No!”

Melody chuckled. “You’re right, you’re right, the transparent sheets will work just fine, no need to waste money.”

“Ugh…” I unraveled the sheets and slid over to rejoin Melody, then leaned against her, making a fist and lightly punching her chest. “Stupid.”

“That’s not very nice,” Melody smirked. “Are you liking the story so far?”

“Yeah…” I replied. I wish I was as confident as Cat. And I wish I had a magical shop I could buy weapons from. Having overpowered broken guns sounds so fun. “So… we’re just gonna read more until dinner right?”

“Sure,” Melody agreed, and we both laid back down… me still naked… for some reason… and continued reading for another thirty minutes or so, when Cindy knocked on the door instead of barging in like usual.

“The appetizers are ready, whenever you would like to come down, Lady Celestria.”