D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad

Chapter 2363 Little Lights

--- Kat ---

Kat and Lily had been surprised just how correct Grunkle had been. Lights shone all over the place any time he touched a bit of furniture. Splinters had ended up everywhere, especially the floor and ceiling. It was a sort of melancholy sight as despite how nice it looked that view came from the destruction of so much.

Luckily Grunkle didn’t seem too beat up about anything. Despite being somewhat of a hoarder, collecting all sorts of random bits and bobs he didn’t seem overly attached to any of it, or at least, none outside of what might be in his bedroom. As they continued the sorting with the lightshow as help, Kat asked, "So... how come you aren’t too bothered by this? I’ve known a few hoarders and they treat everything as sacred... even literal garbage sometimes."

Kat didn’t like to think about all the times she’d needed to take some crushed coke can from a crying child back at the orphanage. It always seemed like the most sentimental and hoarder mentally prone kids picked up all the most dangerous stuff. Why couldn’t it at least by like, stuffed toys or something instead of glass or rotting produce.

Grunkle shrugged, "I suspect it’s more that it’s a habit I picked up from my mother. Her house was, and presumably still is, filled with just all sorts of things. Apparently she did embody the hoarder idea that you mentioned. There was once garbage everywhere... but her husband, my father, put his foot down after a certain point in time and basically said ’Me or the actual garbage, one is leaving you have a week to decide.’ I will forever be blessed to know my Mum chose him.

"Still... while I don’t necessarily NEED to hoard things I find that buildings and homes just feel so... empty without things. I’d almost say that I have the opposite of claustrophobia whatever that is... but I’ve always enjoyed watching the open skies so I suppose it’s not like I actually have either, just strong preferences for extremes perhaps? Also don’t really like crowds that much, but that’s more of a noise level thing. My ears are overly sensitive compared to a normal elf and it caused issues growing up."

Kat nodded and continued to chat a bit as they finished up the sorting, asking Grunkle various things about his childhood, with Appoline joining in from time to time. Eventually though, everything had been cleaned up. The stuff that was slowly repairing had been pushed off to the side, the stuff that was mostly repaired had been added to the area near the kitchen, and the stuff that was completely repaired was left around the stairs. The garbage? That was thrown away, and Grunkle politely asked that Kat set it on fire and crush it to ice dust before she left.

Once everywhere was clean, Grunkle brushed off his hands and said, "Well, while you didn’t have to, you stuck around and helped with the mess. With that in mind... I can offer you the choice of two rewards. Firstly I can give you some old equipment to help you on your journey... or the second reward is a key left behind by my mentor. It might unlock something at the top of the mountain but well..." Grunkle gestured out the window towards the giant lightning bolt frozen in the air. "I don’t actually know if whatever the key unlocks survived the blast."

Grunkle twitched a moment then nodded, "Oh, and I suppose you can raid my garden for some food supplies if you want. No more than half of any one thing, but you can take that as an additional reward for helping out with the cleanup on top of whichever of the two you pick."

"Well... do you have a recommendation?" asked Kat.

Grunkle grinned back and laughed. "Haha! Just to come straight out and ask. Truthfully though, I’m not sure which is better. My mentor... he was a human who studied the weather like I did. He built his observatory at the very top of the mountain. It’s one of the main reasons I didn’t build mine there...

"But he was old when he taught me and never expected to live all that much longer. Thus, he entrusted me with a key that he claimed hid something important and valuable. Apparently if I went to the top of the mountain and held the key high it would direct me towards the lock and I could get inside...

"But frankly, I’m not sure if he died of old age before the lightning strike or survived afterwards, and I’m especially sure that I haven’t heard anything from him since the strike... but I also hadn’t heard anything from him personally before that. Though he did send research notes over at regular intervals that have long since stopped appearing but well..." Grunke once again gestured to the lightning bolt. "I’m sure there’s a reason."

"Anyway, point is, not sure what state the place will be in, nor if whatever the key opened still exists. Or heck, if it’s some super secret vault it might have ended up thrown into the sky with no portal to it, and the enchantments directing you to it might have broken when it moved, or still be set to the old spot. I can’t really check without breaking the key so... big mystery box.

"On the other hand, the equipment is kind of old but should still work. It’s meant to help with higher altitudes and colder temperatures. I once ordered a bunch of them all at once... and half of them don’t fit me. Not sure what went wrong with that order but when I got a hold of the idiots they at least refunded me half the gold I spent, if not any of the materials for obvious reasons.

"Still those sets might fit one of you..." Grunkle glanced at Wiggles. "Not everyone, but one set might work. I’d be willing to give away two... but well," Grunkle gestured at Lily, then Wiggles, and then Kat’s horns. "Not sure you have two people who CAN wear them even if they did fit."

Kat glanced at Appoline. "I’m perfectly fine using my potions. Though... I might need to request some delays. I was planning to make a few more cold resistance potions after I finished messing around... and then we got attacked. Didn’t even finish messing around either. Though the idea of creating a potion that floats things has seemed to work. Bit expensive on materials though."

"Alright I guess we’ll take the key then... and stay overnight if you don’t mind? I can cook something if you’d like?" Kat offered.

"Oh that sounds lovely. My own cooking skills are... barely acceptable. Truth be told a lot of the time I just eat whatever my garden produces raw along with the occasional roasted bit of meat from the safer monsters nearby. If you’re cooking dinner feel free to go down and grab whatever you need for it, separate to that half I said you could take... just be careful not to drain my reserves completely alright?" Grunkle said with a wink.

"Alright maybe I should have a look at that now? And freeze the trash?" mused Kat.

"Sure, while you do that I’ll go grab the key. I can hand it over soon. Oh and maybe a bit of string? For some reason the key can’t be placed inside of expanded storage so keep that in mind," Grunkle said before disappearing up the stairs.

Kat sighed and headed downwards, wondering if that last bit of information changed her mind in regards to the rewards. On the one hand, it was damn annoying but on the other hand if it had to be left out it was probably important. Heck, she wouldn’t be surprised if that was the only way to get one of the extra runes or something.

Kat then found herself testing the various bits of produce around the tower as she put together a menu for what to make. While there was a lot of variety from a visual standpoint, most of what Grunke grew here were clearly potato equivalents. He had like six varieties of them, which Kat supposed made sense from the angle of how easy it was to grow... though if they tasted similar it would be a bit boring to eat all the time.

At least he had a few other things. Mostly vegetables really, but there was some fruit trees... that were currently not bearing fruit. So that was quickly ruled out as possible uses for the dishes. Truthfully, she was thinking that mashed potatoes might be the main thing on the menu... but surely that was what Grunkle usually ate.

*Dammit, how am I meant to show off my cooking skills if half the ingredients are spuds? I’m not exactly a potato expert...*

[I mean, could always introduce him to chips.]

*Lily I have no idea what industrial magic is used to make potato chips.*

[Hmm... I might though. I could go digging in my memories. Pretty sure I looked it up. Though you’re right I can’t really remember what they need off the top of my head.]

*Maybe. I’ll consider it.*