"Can I come in?" A voice suddenly asked and the Monster opened its eyes. "I don't... I don't feel comfortable in there."
Mark sat up.
Elisa was slightly blushing and her gaze seemed to be running away from his.
"So?"
"Well... It's just... After all this time, I don't feel comfortable sleeping alone-"
"I'm not sharing my bed."
"Huh? Why-"
The next second, a Lioness raced from behind Elisa and leaped onto the white-scaled Monster.
"UGG...!"
Mark struggled to keep his back from sliding off the bed of leaves as Krista jumped on him and licked his face repeatedly.
"Mm!" Elisa nodded. "Guess we're all sleeping here."
"No..." Mark struggled against the Lioness, pushing her head away. "We're not."
"I can't sleep in a Goblin's hut a lot. It's disgusting. Plus, it would be safer with everyone in here."
"As I said," He finally managed to push Krista away. "I'm not sharing my bed."
"Of course not."
"Then?"
"Then..." Elisa rotated her hands, expecting him to finish her sentence.
"What?"
"A gentleman would sleep on the floor."
"Ha! Well, I'm no gentleman. I'm a-"
"A Monster, yeah. I'm a Monster, blah, blah, blah. Now, can I get the bed?"
"No." Mark answered sternly as he lay back down and turned to face the hut's wall. "I said no." He added when the Lioness' mouth took hold of his hand.
"Thanks, Krista." Elisa chuckled as the Monster was slowly pulled off the bed.
"I said no." The white-scaled Monster repeated, without showing a sign of resistance as it was dragged away.
It didn't take long before Mark found himself on the ground and on the other side of the hut.
"It was too comfortable anyways."
"Yey." Elisa finally stepped into the hut and towards the bed.
"That..."
"That?"
"What you're wearing, it's what you first had on inside the Dungeon."
"Yeah, it is." Elisa pulled her white robe from the sides. "Looks nice, doesn't it?"
"I guess... Why... How do you have it?"
"I hid it at first. Then stored it in my Inventory upon leaving the Dungeon. Why, huh? Mmm..." She brought a finger to her lips. "To feel cozy? I'm not sleeping outside, so no reason to sleep in attire that isn't... Sleep... Uh... Anyways, it's more comfortable."
"Right..." Mark rubbed his eyes with a hand. "So I'm supposed to sleep on the floor with Krista when there are other beds?"
"Yes."
"That makes no sense."
"Princess' Decree."
"Capricious and self-centered Princess."
"Mm!" She nodded as she took a seat on the bed. "As all Princesses are."
"Not as they should be."
"Perhaps not." Elisa chuckled. "Still, you're there with Krista, so that's nice."
"Got to look at the bright side?" The Lioness that had been pulling on his hand was now licking it affectionately.
"You've got to."
Mark stared at the ceiling silently.
'Being on the bed did feel strange. Sleeping on it could induce some kind of weird dream...' Mark tapped the ground with a finger. 'This might be better for me anyways.'
Elisa yawned before turning to face the hut's wall with her eyes closed.
The white-scaled Monster's finger periodically tapped the ground.
'I still have a lot to think about but I should probably try to get some sleep...'
Sigh-
'How the hell can I sleep after seeing that? Those Goblins... Well, that Commander and, now that I think about it, the Dark Elves must have been the same.'
Mark clicked his tongue.
'Feels like even a Monster can-'
His mind shut off before that thought could be completed.
Mark shook his head and brought a hand to his forehead.
Was it fear? Perhaps.
The culmination of all his time inside the Dungeon, of all his experience as a Monsters, as he stared beyond the Lioness, as he stared at the Princess, it felt like everything could collapse.
'Would have been much easier without Elves in there... But I guess that's part of the Trial too, huh?'I think you should take a look at
Light was suddenly exuded by the Lioness, and she turned back into a white-furred cat.
Krista turned around.
'Seriously...?' The Moonlit Feline took a couple of steps before jumping. 'The roles were reversed? That fast? How am I the only one on the ground now?'
Krista lay by Elisa's side, and the latter stretched her arms.
Mark couldn't help but stare at the Princess' figure, beautifully and tastefully drawn by her robe.
He shook his head and turned around to face the wall.
The white-scaled Monster stared dead ahead at the wooden logs stacked on one another and kept together by numerous bands.
'And with my Title too, I... Tsk.'
The Monster forced its eyes shut and tried to fall asleep.
Elisa turned around and opened her eyes slightly.
'Feigning sleep... Why do I do that every time?' She asked herself.
A Moonlit Feline was found by her side.
'You left him for me? Aren't you cute?' She lay a hand on Krista's fur. 'Or, I guess you left him for a spot on the bed.'
Elisa gazed at what lay beyond the bed of leaves.
'Didn't expect him to give the bed that easily. I did expect him to try and get me into his bed though-' Realizing her thought, the blushing Elisa shook her head.
She wrapped her arms around the Moonlit Feline and pressed it against her chest.
Krista didn't seem to mind.
'I wonder how different things would be if he wasn't this ugly. Or if he wasn't a Monster, I guess. I would probably feel more... At ease. And I could trust him more easily.'
Elisa stared at the wide back covered by white scales.
'He said that he could control his body more easily now. Then, does that mean he can change his-'
The Princess hid her reddened face in Krista's pelt.
Her eyes suddenly widened as she raised her head.
'But if that's the case, then... He's choosing to be this way?'
Elisa let her head fall back.
'Why would he want to be this way? Scary, ugly, ominous... Well, I get the appeal of those for a Monster. But if he can change... He probably can't change his Species or Race altogether, right? But what if he could? Then... He would only be a Monster because he wants to be one, right? No, no, no! That's just called... Uhh... Body... How is that called again? Shapeshifting, right? Still a Monster thing. Even if you hide as a Beast or... As an Elf then... You're still a Monster.' She thought as she glanced at him.
With her lips pressed together, Elisa stared at him for a bit.
Without meaning to let them do so, her lips suddenly parted.
"You said you control your body better now-" Elisa's body shivered as she uttered those words.
Mark raised his head off the ground slightly before turning around.
"Yeah." He answered.
Elisa wanted to scratch her head, but it seemed to her like an obvious sign that would betray her embarrassment.
"What did you mean by that?"
"Mmm... Like what I did against the Commander." Mark bent his arm and stared at his hand for a bit.
"Ew. I forgot about that. You turned your arm into... A blade?"
"Something like that."
"So what, you can change turn into anything you want?" Elisa asked as she looked away.
"Mm... No, not exactly. That one... It felt special."
"Special? Turning your arm into a blade?"
"Yeah. I guess I've already seen something do that."
"So you can do it as long as you've seen something do it?"
"No, more like... It would be easier if I've Devoured that thing."
Elisa shivered slightly at those words.????????????????????????????????.????????????
"So it's like a copy thing?"
"I guess."
"That's handy. And incredibly creepy."
"You've already said that a lot."
"Doesn't it feel weird?"
"Well, my hand is twitching right now. I'm trying to make it change but it won't listen."
"Huh." Elisa turned on her stomach and stared at the Monster, her bent arms on the bed. "I'm glad you feel that way."
"Why... Is that?" The white-scaled Monster asked as it tried to ignore the beautifully exposed cleavage that the robe was revealing.
"It should feel weird. Changing yourself like that."
Mark's eyes widened.
Elisa expected him to say something, but he remained silent.
'Changing myself, huh?' The white-scaled Monster asked itself.
It lay on its back and stared at the ceiling.
'I guess I never minded that much. Change... When it came to me, at least.'
