Chapter 104: House tour

‘Tick… tick…. Tick…’ “I should stop looking at the clock. It’s starting to send me half-mad.” Averting my eyes before they slowly wander over the hands. I will see Cassie soon. I have no reason to be… so focused. Yet my back is damp with sweat, my mind fuzzy.

I know she won't hate me. Yet logic speaks otherwise, my mind a spiral of anxiety as I slowly tap my foot. My last life… was empty. I had a job, I had a family, but I never had a partner. My dating life was terrible, so this is new territory. She clearly likes me, and I sure as hell like her. But we haven’t agreed on anything, she hasn’t asked me out or I her.

Or am I reading things wrong? Maybe she considered me a brother, and I will ruin my chances with her? Yet my mind flashes back to that brief kiss. The emotions conveyed in less than a second was staggering.

Realizing my mind is running away from me, I focus. Holding my breath; before starting at a calm consistent pace. Holding my fidgety hands to my side, my foot still once more. I calmly breathe. I was never one for meditation, but here? It seems to work far better, calming quicker.

Finally, I hear the final ‘tick.’ Knocking on her door with hesitation. In less than a second, the door swings open. A beautiful woman stands before me. A long black dress with tinted red lipstick; a hint of makeup brings it all together, “He… hello.” Cursing my stutter should have known.

She smiles knowingly, inviting me in with a simple hand motion. I feel worse now, seeing such confidence. Sometimes I miss that anxious, shy girl. I step through her doorway, walking softly through the hallway.

I take a seat, my seat. The place I always sit when I visit. Enjoying the familiar comfort. Cassie walks through with purpose, confidence in every stride. Sitting in a closeby chair, just a reach away.

She speaks first, “You know, I could see you from my window. 10 minutes at my door, I admire your commitment to exact times.” She says with a smirk.

I sink into my chair in embarrassment.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to bully you.” She says, lightly touching the top of my hand. “Human today, I didn’t know vampirism was so easy to manipulate.”

“Yeah, I cheated a little.”

“May I ask how?” She says with a tilted head.

“Well, no point lying or avoiding questions now. I do a lot of dangerous things, obviously.” I say while gesturing at myself. That got a frown from Cassie. “Such things would be foolish to attempt without assurance. I have clone bodies, lots of them. If I die, I move to another body, my soul shifts.”

“And you made only one clone a vampire, that’s genius!” A ting of red colors my cheeks.

“Thanks.”

“Side note, with both the clones and vampirism, I am immortal.”

“That is awesome.” She says with childlike excitement. “Okay, tell me what you think is important for me to know.”

“I really like you,” I say without thinking. The final word-heavy, like a stone in my throat.

She replies with loud laughter, “rude.” I say as she holds her stomach in laughter.

“No… no.” She says between gasps of breath and laughter. “It’s just so damn obvious.”

“What do you mean?”

“You literally spend more time with me than anyone else, ogle me when you think I am not looking. And love it when I give you affection.”

Burying my face in my hands. Mumbling, “Fine, fine.”

“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t accept your affection if I didn’t like you. Although, with all the stuff you're mixed into, it’s probably stupid.”

“Sorry, I get bored,” I say sadly.

She just pulls me into a light, one-armed hug. “Well, I am still here. Undoubtedly you're going to be the death of me.” She says with a hint of nervousness. Her voice is less confident than before.

“At least I am rich,” I say in reply to her self-deprecating humor. She smiled beamingly at that. “Mother always said date someone rich. Although, she said it for inheritance. I don’t think you are going to die…. So.” She says with a shrug.

“Do you want to see my home?” I say suddenly.

“I've seen your home, the house over the market.” She says with a hint of confusion.

“No… my true home.” Which got me a distinct blink.

“Okay, suppose I should see what I am working with.”

Placing down a telepad. “Select home. Consider this your telepad; it only makes sense you can visit me if we are dating.” Thinking for a moment. “Keep it safe.” I don’t want my home robbing.” She nods in reply. Quickly stepping onto the telepad and disappearing.

Walking towards it, I mentally add to my notes. “Build a shield around the telepad with only me and Cassie allowed to pass it. With a click, I am back home. Stepping off the platform, I bump into a frozen Cassie.

Both of us stumbling to the floor in a tangle of limbs. “Sorry.” I manage to spit out. She just huffs as we escape the heap.

After getting to her feet, she wanders towards the front door. I chase her with a jog to catch up. As she steps through the large front door, she is stunned. Falling to a silent stop as she takes in the environment.

“Where is this.” She asks me.

“I don’t know.”

She turns to me, face in a frown. “Did you forget? I found civilization by random teleportation.”

She clearly accepts that as she turns back to the island. Slowly walking through the island to the other end. As we approach the edge, she looks over cautiously. Falling back in shaky anxiety after a glimpse of the fall. I catch her, “It’s alright.” Stroking her arm. “A shield surrounds the island. If you fell? It would hurt, but you would live.”

After her scare, we settle down onto some soft grass. One of the areas I’ve neglected to build on top of; Ideal for picnics and stargazing; I occasionally rest here when I am blessed with warm weather.

She simply lies back into the tall grass. We both enjoy the warm weather today. We have had a lot of cold days recently. It’s still winter, just a warm winter day. Soon, we will have snow. I miss snow; it’s always good fun.

She turns to me, “Quiet the home you have here.”

“Yeah, it’s alright.”

“Did you build it?”

I nod in reply.

“It’s impressive; I like it. Although, should I ask what all the structures here are for?”

“Not sure, likely no thought. I won't lie if you do ask. I do promise it’s nothing evil.”

“With all the flowers, who would have guessed.” She says sarcastically.

I just shrug; she has no idea how evil flowers can be.

“What's that area with the white pools of blue.”

“A mana generating area.”

“Whats the mana for?”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

She stumbles slightly, having leaned up on her arms before tumbling back down.

“Why did you build it then?”

“Well, it’s useful. Mana has a lot of things it can do. I could even use it to open a portal to alfheim.”

“I haven’t heard of that dimension.”

“Here, have a look at this book.” Pointing her to the page with lore about the elves. She takes my lexica botania carefully, flipping to the page I just showed. “It’s some things they say about the dimension and why it exists.”

“This book is interesting. Can I read it further?”

“Sure, I don’t see why not.” Mentally adding, “It’s my least dangerous book of mods I own.”

Imagining someone owning and reading the Necronomicon sends a shiver down my spine. I don’t have one currently but if it shares the changes other books have gotten. It’s likely a guide to the dimensional destruction of the overworld. Let’s not summon Cthulhu anytime soon.

She reads through the book for a while. I sunbathe while I wait. Hearing the occasional “hmm” and “Huh.”

Over an hour later, and I am checking how to make the Necronomicon. Finding a starling quantity of Necronomicon's to choose through. Selecting the book for abysalcraft, I am reminded of the recipe. The recipe is so easy; I would hazard a guess I’ve already made one.

“I will be right back Cassie, just want to check something.”

She nods, still engrossed in the book.

Checking my ME system, I find a Necronomicon. Guess I have one, after all. I should set up a ritual circle to gather potential energy at some point. Not that I am doing abyssalcraft anytime soon. But it would be handy to have in advance. Quickly looking through the book. I find a lot of information from the mod; and a lot of information about ancient entities. Including summoning rituals, I was half tempted to rip out. Thankfully the recipe is a little more intensive than a dabbler could achieve.

Returning to Cassie’s side, she has finally set the book down. She looks up at me, “I am hungry; shall we make some dinner?”

To which I reply, “Sounds good, I am starving.” Guiding her to my kitchen. She was amazed at how well-stocked it is. Quickly kicking me out, I tell her where my dining area is. Heading to it, I take a seat. Enjoying my dragon radio while I wait for food.

She comes out within 20 minutes with some kind of meat wrap. Beef and chicken with a spicy sauce and mayonnaise; she sets it down with pride. Sitting opposite me with her own meat tornado. Like an unspoken agreement, we dig in. It was a good wrap. Halfway through, “this is really nice, thanks, Cassie.”

“No problem, my dad made it for me often. He would always keep an extra in the fridge. It never lasted more than 6 hours.”

“I can see why.”

After finishing the meal, we spend a short while longer together before she goes home. Now, with easy access to visit my true home. Sadly, no sleep for me tonight. I have a cult to nurture. Having a few extra hours of daylight, I ponder on what to do.

The thought of fishing crosses my mind for a moment. The idea quickly squashed. Fishing gets me in far too much trouble. That reminds me, how is my fishing pond doing? I haven’t checked in ages.

Walking over to the small hill. I see subtle splashes even from the castle. Approaching, I see a sea of silver. It seems they have gotten a little overpopulated. Not a bad thing; I have unlimited fresh fish now.

Grabbing one of the fat ones. Wondering what they are eating. Looking around, I don’t see how they get enough food to sustain them; how strange. Another Minecraft mystery, I suppose.

Bringing the fish to my kitchen. I drive a metal spike through its skull, ethically killing it. I then remove the head and hang it to allow it to bleed out. While it bleeds out, I slice its belly. Carefully removing the innards. Disposing of them through a slimy bin called Sling.

Once the blood stopped dripping, I set it down. Taking a descaler, I remove the scales from the fish.

Removing the fillets from the fish with finesse, I dispose of the carcass. Taking the fillets, I run my knife along the skin. Removing excess moisture from it. Turning it over, I use some tweezers to remove the bones from the fish. Slicing away the smaller bones at the bottom.

Slicing the skin in a crisscross pattern to stop it curling, I then mount it on a thin metal spike. Seasoning with salt, pepper, and lemon zest; my favorite combination

Using an open flame, a campfire. I slowly roast it, watching as the fat drips into the fire. It doesn’t take long before a nice crisp fillet of fish lands on my plate. Dinners served.