Chapter 649: The Kraken’s Gift

“How is it... having a boyfriend?” Anne asked.

Charlie did not even have to think about it.

“It’s the happiest thing that’s ever happened to me,” she said with complete certainty. “And the thing I value most in the world. I love Master Luke.”

“Hm...” Anne murmured. “Then... I’ll help... make cheese. We have... an alchemist on board. If he won’t do it... we throw him to the sharks.”

Charlie laughed at the tiny joke and helped her finish washing the dishes. The barrels were filled with water Luke had purified, free of salt and safe to drink.

“Did your mother never talk much about romance with you?” Charlie asked.

“Human Mother, no. Doll Mother... sometimes,” Anne said.

“Your doll mother doesn’t have a husband?”

“No. And she doesn’t want one...” Anne said. “Dolls... are different...”

Dolls did not have emotions, at least not emotions in the same way living beings did. That did not mean they were heartless monsters who could not love, but the way they formed connections was different. It came through the passion of the soul. At least, that was what little Charlie had managed to learn and piece together.

“I am... strange,” Anne said. “A doll’s body... a human soul...”

She stared at her own hand, her skin bearing traces of porcelain.

“I am... ugly. I please... neither side. Not a doll... and not... a human.”

“You’re very beautiful. At least to me, Anne.”

“Thank you.”

Then they went back to cleaning the kitchen.

“You must... take care, Charlie,” Anne said. “Humans... have biological needs. If they do not... eat... they die.”

“I know,” Charlie said. “That’s why I wanted to learn how to cook.”

“But he has... a high level. He can go... a long time without eating,” Anne said.

They kept talking. Anne had learned a great deal about humans from her doll mother, and she kept offering Charlie little pieces of advice. For Charlie, learning to cook at the beginning, back when she was still a skeleton, had been hard. She could not tell if food was too hot or too cold, if it was burning, if it smelled bad, if it had gone rotten. That was why she valued her senses so much now. She knew exactly what it was like not to have them.

“Nutrients are... the key,” Anne said. “To keep them... strong.”

Anne’s profession level as a maid was very high. She could make food that left someone completely refreshed, or bread so dense with nourishment that a few bites fed more than an entire meal. She could also prepare dishes that strengthened muscles, sharpened reflexes, and helped heal injuries, on top of being an excellent healer herself.

“Nutrients and exercise,” Anne said. “Humans need... constant movement... to stay active and... not waste away.”

For evolved bodies like Luke’s, or anyone else’s, proper nutrition was genuinely difficult to maintain. Anne explained that the body had to remain healthy if it wanted to naturally replenish stamina, mana, and HP. A lot of people neglected that once they ranked up. They stopped eating regularly. They stopped sleeping. But if someone wanted their natural regeneration to stay at full strength, then staying healthy mattered.

“A Rank E body... is good, but... it needs care,” Anne said.

A Rank E body was even more complicated to maintain than a Rank F one. At that rank, a human body could begin regenerating wounds on its own, and even start the process of regrowing limbs and bones naturally. To do that, though, the body needed to be healthy. It needed blood, and blood was part of how the body rebuilt what it had lost. It needed nutrients to repair bone, flesh, and muscle tissue.

“A maid and... a healer... are equally... important,” Anne said.

“And you’re both,” Charlie said.

“Yes,” Anne replied, with quiet pride.

“Master Luke works out every day.”

“That’s good... he can’t be... like Jack. He’s sedentary... and can’t... run very far,” Anne said. “Weak, slow animals... get eaten... by lions in the wild.”

There was a knock at the kitchen door.

“Do you two happen to have any fat?” Jack asked as he opened it. “My dad says he can make soap out of it.”

Anne pulled a container from her storage item. “Here... lion food.”

“Hm?” Jack looked confused. “Thanks for the fat.”

Then he left the kitchen and closed the door behind him. Anne looked at Charlie and gave a small laugh. Charlie laughed too.

“Where were we?” Anne asked. “Ah... exercise. Lord Luke... needs to work out. I’ll give... everyone training routines. Training together... is a reason.”

“But... I don’t want people watching my boyfriend exercise.”

“Why... not?”

“Because he does it shirtless,” Charlie said, a little embarrassed.

“But he has... nice abs,” Anne said.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“You’re fine, but... there’s someone on this ship I think I need to keep an eye on.”

“Katarina...?”

“The plant? No.”

Anne pointed at Charlie’s head. “Lulie...?”

“No, not her either.”

“Jack...?”

“What? Of course not.”

And the two of them kept talking through Charlie’s suspicions.

“Humans... are a more... carnal race.”

“What do you mean?” Charlie asked.

“They like sex,” Anne said. “Elves... not so much. But humans...”

“And... undead? I’m one.”

“And you... don’t know whether you like it?”

“I do,” Charlie said.

“Then... there’s your answer,” Anne said. Then, after a pause, she asked, “And... what is it... like? To have... sex?”

Charlie felt her face go red.

Anne touched her stomach. “I have... the organs... but I’ve never used them. I’m... different... from the other dolls. Since I... evolved in rank... sometimes... I feel them... move.”

“That doesn’t happen to the other dolls?”

“I... don’t think so. Grandpa P once... told me I was... special. That I might... achieve... what he always wanted.”

“And what did he want?”

“I don’t know... Grandpa P... says very little. And he only... appeared to me... a few times. The last time... he said he was... looking for a blue fairy.”

“A blue fairy?”

“Yes. One that got lost... and went to O—”

***

It was morning. Luke was working out in his room.

“Now that’s a view,” Artemis said. “That’s it, my student. Keep exercising shirtless.”

“You’re going to mess up my sit-up count.”

“Oh, and if that happens, you have to start over? Good to know.”

When he finished, Luke looked at the item the system had given him for killing the kraken.

It was a dark green scarf.

[Scarf of the Sunken Kings (Mythic)]

Description: Sunken Krakens are creatures that prefer the freezing waters at the coldest edges of the planet. In seas where the surface is choked with icebergs and only the strongest survive, these creatures hunt. At certain times, these krakens lay their eggs in special ocean currents that carry them across the planet, through the Abyssal Zone, and, with luck, into a Volcanic Region, where the kingdoms of the Sunken Kings once flourished. There, the paralarvae grow and develop into Juvenile Sunken Krakens, until one day they attempt the long migration back to the planet’s cold waters.

In the days of their glory, the Sunken Kings would send the strongest knights of their royal court on a trial: the hunt for one of these Krakens. It was a way to keep those monsters from infesting their waters, and also a mark of honor for their loyal knights. As a reward, a special scarf would be crafted for the knight from parts of the Juvenile Sunken Kraken he had slain. The secret of mastering this equipment was lost with the ancient civilization, but perhaps... its new owner may yet learn how to wield it.

[Mana Repair (Rare)]: The scarf can repair damage by absorbing the user’s mana.

[Aquatic Perception (Rare)]: The user’s perception becomes better adapted underwater, allowing them to sense even the slightest vibrations in the water, react more effectively to attacks, and perceive their surroundings even in dark depths.

[Submarine Echo (Ultra-Rare)]: The scarf emits an echolocation pulse visible only to its user. For a brief moment, the outlines of everything within the user’s perception range become visible, even in dark water. Useful for reading the whole environment and spotting hidden shapes beneath the surface.

[Kraken Reach (Ultra-Rare)]: The scarf can stretch far beyond normal length by absorbing the user’s mana, though the secret of mastering it was known only to the Royal Knights of the Sunken Kings.

[Kraken Swim (Epic)]: While wearing this scarf, the user can swim with far greater ease. Their body gains natural bursts of propulsion in the water, allowing them to turn in any direction at will and move with almost no drag or weight resistance, creating a fluid, effortless stroke. It also helps protect against the cold of deep waters. Stamina costs while swimming are reduced by 50%.

[Juvenile Kraken Tentacles (Mythic)]: The tips of the scarf can transform into tentacles, inheriting the same traits as a Juvenile Sunken Kraken. In this state, the ends absorb the physical attributes of the one wearing it and act as extensions of their body. A perfect piece of equipment for the Royal Knights of the Sunken Kings.

Information:

Rarity: Mythic

Core: E

Type: Equipment

Requirement: Race Level 90+

I have absolutely no idea how to use this thing.

He wrapped the scarf around his neck. Luke could at least use the basic mana-repair enchantment, but the rest of it was a complete mystery.

I need to at least figure out Aquatic Perception. As for that Mythic-level enchantment, I’m not learning that anytime soon.

“Having problems?” Artemis asked.

“I’m trying to figure out how to use this thing. It’s just a piece of cloth, but it’s insanely durable. I’m probably going to throw myself into the ocean and run more tests.”

The equipment was bound to the kraken through the system, but it had obviously come from this world’s ancient civilization.

“I guess it’s the same as them not knowing how to use a computer. I don’t know how to use a complicated magical device from another civilization.”

“You remember in Avatar, where Jake Sully had to connect his hair to those flying bird things to ride them?”

“Vaguely, yeah.”

“That’s how certain equipment works. Especially something made specifically for Royal Knights. Nobody wants to leave a powerful item lying around for just anyone to use, especially when rival kingdoms exist.”

“So it’s like I need mana passwords to access the enchantments?”

“Exactly. And on top of that, it’s basically alien technology to you, and Mythic-level.”

“So what am I supposed to do?”

“Go to Pandora and reproduce with the natives.”

“I’m being serious...”

“Have you ever stopped to think about the fact that Jake Sully went to another planet and had sex with an alien? Now there’s a guy you could learn from.”

Luke went back to studying the scarf. As bizarre as Artemis was, there was usually real advice buried somewhere beneath the filth.

She’s not going to give me the answer directly. So what kind of cursed clue is hidden in that? What is having sex with an alien even supposed to mean?

While he thought it over, he opened the interface for his title, which had grown stronger.

[Myth Slayer]: Even legends can die. You encountered a mythological being and killed it. Some say myths are not real. You proved otherwise and reduced one of them to just another story. Your blade has also tasted the blood of some rather... juvenile mythological beings, proving that age means nothing once you decide something is your prey. Grants +9% to all attributes and the skill [Myth Sensor (Ancient)].

So the bonus went from 8% to 9%. If I kill more juvenile krakens, do I gain another 1% for each one?

The logic behind how the title evolved was still a mystery.

I’m not going to complain about another 1%.

When he was done, he took a bath and headed to the front of the ship. The ship was sailing through an archipelago of islands. They were close together, close enough to swim between them, small and packed tightly side by side. The trees were huge, and the route through them felt almost like a river. They were passing straight through it.

“Still the same direction?” Luke asked Layla.

“Yes. The thread is still straight.”

“Let’s hope your father is on one of these islands.”

“I’m hoping that too.”

Layla barely left the deck anymore. She was practically sleeping out there. Two hours later, they spotted a structure ahead. A massive wooden bridge. And a gate blocking the way.