With aed kiss, Katrina ran inside. “Great! I’ll get my guitar!”

  “Should you at least try it out before we leave?” Alicia asked, following.

  “Huh. Yeah, probably. Should definitely make sure it’s tuned, if nothing else.” As they arrived in the living room, Katrina moved the guitar case to the coud ope up. Inside, just like st night, sat a masterfully crafted instrument. Even had she not known it was ented, Katrina would have known it ecial. Everything about the guitar felt right, and when she curiously tapped the body, the instrument showed how ready it was to sing.

  She pulled it out of the case, set it in her p, then checked the case for accessories. Thankfully, they had included a strap, no doubt also ented for durability. After seg the strap, and standing up to adjust the height, she put her thumbnail to the lowest string and plucked.

  The sound was warm, rich, and filled with possibility. She could hear the other strings buzzing with anticipation, already in sync with the instrument, which was aestament to this guitar’s craftsmanship. Her thumb tinued dowrings, slowly striking ea turn as she listened for any possible errors or abnormalities. Apart from a tiny adjustment to the highest string, she didn’t o ge anything, which was incredibly impressive. She suspected the entment also preserved intonation, though she didn’t bother asking Alicia.

  Now finished with her diagnostic, she looked at her new girlfriend. “What do you want to hear?”

  After a brief pause, during which Alicia moved to the coud sat down, she spoke up. “Something happy.”

  With a nod, Katrina began pying.

  The song started with simple, repeated chords, sitting in a lister. Soon, higher notes mixed in as well, leading to much more excited arpeggio that had Katrina’s fingers flying up and down the neck. She found it much easier to py these faster notes, and had to stop herself from getting carried away. Her Inspiration activated, and she felt the magi her fiips as she gave Alicia a Stamina Regen Buff.

  With the arpeggio finished, Katrina smiled at how easy it had been, and then started the song proper. It was a slower melody, almost sounding like a bedtime lulby. Soft, simple tones sang through the house, peppered with the occasional small flourish. Lost in the moment, she could no longer feel a separatioween herself and the instrument. The melody slowly picked up speed, teasing a grand finale, with repeated bass notes paving the way for o excited arpeggio. Her fingers crept higher and higher, nding on a high note before ending the song with one, final bass tag. She froze, letting the energy from the musig in the air before finally letting out a small sigh.

  Katrina looked up at Alicia, who was literally on the edge of her seat. She was leaning so far forward, Katrina thought she was about to fall off. When she spoke, it was if she were scared to repce the music that was still lingering in their minds. “Kat. That was incredible! How did it feel?”

  With a smile, Katrina moved closer and started setting the guitar ba its case. “It’s amazing, Alicia. Normally instruments have minor quirks, personalities almost, that you have to learn and adapt to. Sometimes strings buzz a certain way, or certain spots on the neck have a tendency to pitch higher or lower, but not with this guitar. I don’t know what else to say other than it’s perfect; it’s like it was made for me.”

  “And you’re okay bringing it to the testing site? You’ll be getting a lot of attention, both because you’re a bard but also, well, look at you.”

  Moving closer, Katrina ran her fingers down Alicia’s cheek. “It’s more than worth it to keep my girlfriend safe and happy. Holy, it’s pretty lucky than I’m a Regen Bard, that’s probably much more helpful for you than a Stat Buff would be.”

  The two gathered everything they needed, mostly just paperwork and identification, then Alicia grew a differe of clothes and they headed out. It took Katrina a while to adjust to the new guitar on her back, she had left the case at Alicia’s. Her instinct was to protect it like a defenseless infant, but she kept reminding herself that it had been ented specifically to be brought into battle. She assumed it wouldn’t stand up to direct attacks, but an occasional bump against a wall likely wouldn’t do anything.

  Without the case, it was much easier to start pying at a moment’s notice, which is what she heir destination, like Alicia said, was thankfully only a few stops away. The instant the Dryad stepped orain, Katrina saw a ge in her expression. The train ride was incredibly difficult, but with the car fairly empty this far from the city, they found a space for themselves quickly.

  Katrina wasted no time and started pying as soon as they’d taken their seat. She did her best to py quietly, hoping only Alicia would hear, but several other passengers clearly took notice.

  “How’s that feel?” Katrina asked.

  “It’s iing. I still feel disected, but the music is absolutely making it less terrible. I’m still lost at sea, but at least I have a small raft now. It’s wonderful, Kat.”

  After only two stops, it was time to get off again. Katrina slid the guitar around her body, letting it rest on her back, and grabbed Alicia’s hand to guide her off the train. This far from the main city, the buildings were still fairly small, but people clearly lived and worked here. Alicia, still leaning against Kat, helped with dires until they’d found the Delver’s Registration building.

  It looked no different than the DMV, but shaped quite differently. Katrina wasirely sure how to describe it; it was definitely a rger building, but it also seemed somewhat small for its intended purpose. The mairance was incredibly rge, she guessed at least 15 feet tall, and led directly to a series of ropes and partitio to guide people to different ters. Much like eneric gover buildings, a series of chairs filled the lobby, but the seats were incredibly varied. Some were huge, taking up the space of six human-sized seats, but the others were much smaller. Katrina also noticed specific pathways for various tiny Races, meant to elevate them above ground level for safety reasons.

  Soon enough, Alicia and Katrina had checked in, received numbers, and began to wait. The seats weren’t fortable in the slightest, but they served their purpose. If nothing else, there was enough space for Katrina to pull out her guitar and resume her private performance for Alicia.

  Now that they were in a public building, she did her best to py quietly. Thankfully, this was something cssical guitars were very well suited for. Nylon strings always had a softer too them, and Katrina’s repertoire was expansive enough that she had plenty of appropriately timid songs to pick from. As she pyed, she did briefly wonder if the staff would say something about using Css Abilities ieically it wasn’t allowed, though the spirit of the w was normally directed at more disruptive abilities, like offensive or mind-alteriures.

  Alieeded the help, though, and Katrina was more than happy to take that risk.

  She also noticed that having her guitar made it easier to ignore her owations. She’d observed something simir orip to the city; spending all her time helping Alicia get around had distracted her from her hunger. Now, with an instrument in her hands and a girlfriend relying on her, she found it easy to ighe blood in the bodies surrounding her.

  Katrina did eventually notice that people seemed to enjoy her music. This was hardly surprising, but it art of her Css she often fot about. Bards certainly weren’t rare, but finding one was always a reat. She was eveed to open up her Inspiration for the extra experience, but decided against it. She hadn’t asked, for ohing, but she also o keep her Mana usage in check for whearted delviually, after Katrina lost track of how long she’d been pying, their numbers were called.

  The testing itself was retively simple, and focused almost entirely on knowledge. Practical tests had been sidered for a while, but with how expahe System was, they’d decided against them.

  In order to pass, you had to prove uanding of your own abilities, your Status, how monsters work, how Dungeons work, and often random other small details. Katrina found herself answering questions about on Status effects, Csses that more frequently delved, and even specifister types.

  Katrina also had to demonstrate familiarity with Delving Laws. When it was okay to use Css Features outside of the Dungeon, what o be done in the event of Monsters esg the Dungeon, things like that.

  After nearly half an hour of testing, after getting her picture taken and signing her name a dozen times, Katrina was handed her very own Delving Lise.

  She held it in her hands, turning it bad forth as she examined every inch of it. It looked no different than a driver’s lise, though with unique colors and markings to set it apart. After years of following Dungeon news, of wishing she could join in, she was now a Registered Delver.

  If I ever go doithout Alicia, I fly!

  Katrina stared at her lise for far lohan was necessary, and only stopped when Alicia returned from her ow. The Dryad seemed exhausted, like she had just finished a college preparatory exam, and buried her fa Katrina’s shoulder before sighing with relief.

  “Ugh, that test took forever!” Alicia said.

  “But you passed, right?”

  With a tired nod, Alicia held up her own lise, just as fresh and pristine as Katrina’s “I did! I’m just too tired to get excited about it…”

  Katrina ughed, ing her arm around Alicia and leading her outside. “Well, it is pretty te for you. , let’s get you home. Would you prefer leaning on me, or Inspiration while we walk?”

  “As much as I want to keep cuddling with you, I think the Regen is a bit more helpful,” Alicia said. She didn’t seem particurly happy to admit it.

  With a smile, Katrina pulled her guitar ba front of her and started pying again. She could tell how tired Alicia was ahe Inspiration going the entire journey home. The music seemed to keep the Dryad awake, if only barely, but it was enough to get her home safely.

  They were standing in Alicia’s living room when she spoke up, fighting through a heavy yawn. “Kat, this has been amazing, but I’m so tired. It’s been a really long day, and I o get to sleep.”

  The girls hugged, Katrina squeezing her new girlfriend tight. “You should rest in your Heart Tree tonight. I don’t want to learn that cuddling with me too much had adverse effects.”

  “Don’t say that! I mean, sure, I’ve never slept outside of my tree for more than a night, but I ’t stand the thought of not being able to cuddle up with you every night.” Alicia paused, thinking to herself for a moment. “This is going to be weird. I’ve never dated ahat was noal before. We’ll have to… I dunno, get pnners or something.”

  Alicia yawned again, and Katrina grabbed her shoulders to start guidio her tree. “You need your sleep, , in you go.”

  With o yawn, Alicia stepped inside her Heart Tree.

  Katrina watched her disappear, w how quickly she fell asleep when she was inside. Could she see anything? Could she sense anything? Katrina made a o ask about the details some other time, but for now, she was happy to see Alicia make it home safe.

  —

  Looks like we've made it though to the other side. Hope everyone did alright after that st chapter.

  "Nyx, it was so sad!"

  It had a happy ending, didn't it? In a way, everything that happened led her to you.

  "That doesn't mean it's not sad! I was g, like, the whole time!"

  How about we think about the future, then. What song did Katrina py for you?

  "Oh, yeah. She pyed Feuille d'album. Ad libitum by Giuliondi. I made sure to practice my pronunciation, I was so embarrassed st time! Anyways, I asked for a happy piece, and the melody that pys in the middle was so peaceful. It wasn't as light-hearted as I'd pictured, but the bittersweet nature of the music felt oddly appropriate after everythialked about that night."

  I'm gd she likes her new instrument. That was a really nice gift, Alicia.

  "And we're delvers now! Like, officially! I almost don't want to think about it. We're going to have to, like, fight things, aren't we?"

  At some point, yes. That's typically how delving works.

  "You be careful, madam, I hear that sass creeping into your tone."

  Until ime! Nyx <3