Chapter 45: 45. Day 4: Choices, Choices (R-18)

45. Day 4: Choices, Choices (R-18)

Much, much later, once all my girls are satisfied, I’m thinking it’s finally time to get some shuteye.

*Gurgle, gurgle!*

I give the four monsters surrounding me a scathing look as I listen to their grumbling tummies.

“Well? You don’t want me eating your pet bunny, right? You’ve got to take responsibility!” Suka folds her arms and scowls back at me.

“Didn’t I just feed you?” I ask, echoing the sentiments of millions of ancient human dog owners.

“We did work up an appetite,” Cottontail happily agrees, no longer concerned by the predator’s words, but her stiff clitty clearly shows she’s turned on.

“Pregnant women eat for two,” Gabby solemnly announces.

“That’s right! Alex, take responsibility!” Suka eagerly latches onto Gabby’s logic.

“Oh, my! I still can’t believe that includes me,” Cottontail holds her face in her hands and smiles in amazement.

“I’m always hungry…” Flou says with a lingering edge of depression, then perks up as she continues, “But I’ve been snacking on spilled bodily fluids all night, so I’m doing quite well.”

Indeed, the bed, our bodies, and nearby surfaces are remarkably clean despite my, Gabby’s, and Cottontail’s repeated spectacular ejaculations. Wow, it’s fantastic having a hungry Slime around the house! I’m fairly certain she’s gotten bigger as well…

One out of four satisfied monsters is a pretty lousy review score, though.

Fine.

*Selected Maternal Mammary Control and Potency!*

*Choose one*

Sustenance

Pacification

Allure

*Selected Sustenance!*

Thankfully, I have a spare Female Breeder point thanks to Gabby, so I don’t feel bad about this expense.

My breasts swell by half a cup size as they fill to bursting with all the nutrition a growing monster needs. My girls’ eyes grow round as saucers, and they start to drool. Gabby and Suka, the dominant predators of my harem, lunge for my left and right nipples.

“Cottontail, you have a choice of taking your meal anally, or orally if your butt is sore from all the action tonight.” I at least try to be considerate.

My bunny girl smiles beatifically. “Bunny Stamina is for more than just the penis, Alex. I’d love another round, especially with this view.” She gestures at Gabby and Suka snuggling up close to me.

“Then hop on.” Having my tits played with and a willing cutie like Cottontail mounting my cock is more than enough stimulation to get me hard again. The bunny girl aligns herself with my tip and drops onto my rod.

““Ahn!”” We both cry out in pleasure as Cottontail hilts me in one go.

“Think of me as preemptively helping to clean the next mess,” Flou says as she pops herself onto Cottontails flopping clitty while the bunny girl bounces on my shaft.

Even though this scene is super sexy, we’re all tired at this point. My lovemaking with Cottontail is leisurely and relaxed. I even slip some Pacification into the Sustenance milk to make sure Gabby and Suka go down instead of rallying for another round.

The bunny girl bobs on my cock while clutching her cousin tight and thrusting into the Fuzzy Slime’s soft sheath. “Flou, how can you feel so incredible on my clitty?!?”

Flou answers between groans of pleasure as Cottontail rails her from behind, teasing, “I don’t know, maybe you have a thing for incest. I certainly do because you feel awesome inside me!”

“Good to know,” I say, fantasizing about finding Cottontail’s sister for a now very plausible threesome… or foursome.

Our last set of orgasms for the night flows through us like gentle breezes. Cottontail collapses atop me with a bulging belly as if already several months pregnant. Flou, now a five-gallon Slime, slips out from under the bunny girl. The Fuzzy Slime flattens to form a blanket that covers us and pools the remainder of her mass in a pillow inflating beneath my head. Flou’s softness and support are unmatchable by any man-made fabric or pillow stuffing.

Gabby and Suka use my breasts as their pillows, while Cottontail sleeps on my tummy.

My eyes close with utter contentment surrounded by my wife and lovers. I’m drifting off to slumber already looking forward to spending the winter bundled up with my Cinderwolf and Fuzzy companions when my eyes flutter open. I have one more thing to do.

I use Water Magic to drink like five cups before bed to ensure I wake before dawn. Several undesirable trips to the outhouse later, I’m staring bleary-eyed at my marks as the sky barely starts to brighten.

Funnily enough, using Slime Malleability to refund Orc Stature so I could enter the Warren gave me the Goblin mark I needed to do the experiment I had planned since yesterday morning.

*Selected Goblin Apprentice Quick Study!*

I light a candle with Ember Magic, borrow Gabby’s magic Spectacles from the nightstand, and grab the Book of Monsters while the others continue sleeping. I flip through the whole thing in a couple of minutes, recording its entirety to my newly acquired eidetic memory. If I keep the memories after refunding Quick Study, I’ll be able to identify monsters myself from now on.

As for monster evolutions, that situation turns out to be much more complicated than I previously understood. The Book of Monsters is less cut and dry than I’d hoped. It’s more like a work-in-progress data book with tons of observations the author used to interpolate sets of theoretical evolution requirements. The numbers come in ranges, there are comments with strikethroughs, and some evolution branches are construed to be either ‘Human Hunter,’ ‘Monster Hunter,’ or both.

Gabby has had more time to consider and absorb the data and the author’s logic (in addition to her own research), so she’ll still be the foremost expert on evolutions. My guesses will be rough approximations.

Next on my list is spending the last of my free marks. I’m holding onto my Breeder Marks for now. They’re permanent, so it makes more sense to spend them as needed.

*Fuzzy Marks – Two*

Rodent Nose (Bunny, Mouse, Mole-man)

Rodent Ears (Bunny, Mouse)

Rodent Stature (Bunny, Mouse)

Bunny Patron Stature

Bunny Patron Longevity

Bunny Patron Strength

Rodent Tail (Bunny, Mouse)

Rodent Legs (Bunny, Mouse)

Bunny Patron Legs

Rodent Cock (Bunny, Mouse, Mole-man)

Bunny Patron Cock

Bunny Stamina

Bunny Patron Stamina

Mole-man Earth Magic

Bunny Patron Earth Magic

Mole-man Claws

Mole-man Summon Shovel

Bunny Patron Summon Carrot

*Bunny Patron Cock is available because the requirements have been met through Paternal Malleability!*

*Spend a Fuzzy Mark to replace Goblin Stature with Rodent Stature using Slime Malleability?*

*Spend a Fuzzy Mark to replace Wolf Tail with Rodent Tail using Slime Malleability?*

Well, shit. There’re way too many options! And so many of them look amazing! Bunny Patron Longevity is just sitting there, taunting me with functional immortality. Peter seemed to imply he was centuries old or expected to live that long. The big cock option is always tempting. If I select third-tier Earth Magic, I could refund Mole-man Earth Magic to save a mark come sunrise, although taking multiple sources of Earth Magic has been additive so far…

I could go with the roulette wheel of selecting a random Rodent body modification and hope it unlocks a new ability despite my previous bad luck in that department. Then again, I have a straight path to Bunny Patron Stature and Strength once the sun rises. I have to assume Strength is also additive (though, with how high in the mark tree it is, that’s a costly investment). At least I could refund Rodent Stature in that scenario and save a mark there.

This raises two questions. Firstly, is bigger always better? Is the ideal ‘me’ a shortstack like Gabby, a fifteen-foot-tall giant, or something in-between? Optimization doesn’t factor into this; it’s a personal question, and I guess I’m the only one who can answer it. I have to say… ten feet tall is too tall. I don’t want Ogre Stature once I get it from Dura. Ogre Strength, sure, and the extra height may be fun for a day, but it’s not something I ultimately want to keep.

Call my preferences weird, but I can’t properly cuddle my Fuzzy lovers at that size. I want to be able to intertwine my legs with Gabby’s and Cottontail’s. Seven or eight feet is my comfortable maximum. Yes, winning fights is important, but I want to do more than survive now. I want to live my best life!

Second question: Do I want to invest in Orc or Fuzzy abilities? Taking Stature in one mark tree frees that mark point in the rival tree. Therefore, if I want Fuzzy abilities, I should take Orc Stature, with the reverse being true for Goblinoid abilities.

It’s Earth Magic that tips the scales for me. If the additive rule proves true, that’ll cost me two marks right there. Throw in Bunny Stamina, and I’ll have two marks left to play with. I want to make them count! There’s nothing in the Goblin tree besides Fast Learner I have to have, so I should use those marks to reach my ideal size.

Therefore, based on my totally personal whims, I should play Roulette again. I consider closing my eyes, but I can do a little better than that with some guesswork.

*Selected Rodent Legs!*

*Choose one*

Bunny Legs

Mouse Legs

*Selected Bunny Legs!*

*Selected Rodent Ears!*

*Choose one*

Bunny Ears

Mouse Ears

*Selected Mouse Ears!*

Oh! Oh, my. It appears I chose well this time. I’ve unlocked the following abilities:

Rodent Ears (Bunny, Mouse

)

Mouse Predator Sense

Rodent Legs (Bunny, Mouse)

Bunny Hop

Good Digger

Lucky Foot

Those are some interesting options. I already have my jump covered with Harpy Lightweight, so Bunny Hop is the least exciting. Good Digger may have interesting applications in excavation, but likely less so in combat. Lucky Foot and Predator Sense can’t be that strong because bunnies and mice are both prey monsters, right?

Or, playing devil’s advocate, mice and bunnies survive as a species when they’re being hunted by Dire Wolves and Harpy Matrons because Lucky Foot and Predator Sense are strong. That’s an interesting argument; one I’d be more than willing to test run for a day.

Yes, that feels like a good way to officially end Day Three.

I review my status.

*All Marks – Thirty-Four!*

*The Wolf Lord’s Toy                                            – Three Marks!*

*Harpy Lover                                                           – Two Marks!*

*Mermaid Bride                                                      – One Mark!*

*Married the Goblin Apprentice                      – Two Marks!*

*Fishman Slayer                                                     – One Mark!*

*Cancer Conquest                                                   – One Mark!*

*Pacified the Jellyfish Slime                              – Two Marks!*

*Overcame the Moleman                                     – Two Marks!*

*Dominated the Bunny Boy                               – One Mark!*

*Orcess Layer                                                          – One Mark!*

*Hobbled the Hobgoblin                                      – One Mark!*

*Roasted the Twisted Apple Treefolk             – Two Marks!*

*Barbequed the Pitcher Treefolk                     – One Mark!*

*Tamed the Cinderwolf                                        – One Mark!*

*Converted the Fuzzy Slime                               – One Mark!*

*Mouse Fucker                                                         – One Mark!*

*Trounced the Bunny Patron                            – One Mark!*

*Male Breeder Marks                                           – Five Marks!*

*Female Breeder Marks                                      – Five Marks!*

*Breeder Marks*

Paternal Malleability I

Paternal Seminal Control – Volume

Paternal Seminal Potency – Sustenance

Maternal Ovarian Control

Maternal Create Womb Seed

Maternal Mammary Control and Potency – Pacification, Sustenance

*Pets*

*Exhausted Pink Slime Core*

*Contented Fuzzy Slime*

*Offspring*

*Mermaids        – Two (Unborn)*

*Goblins             – One (Unborn)*

*Mandragora  – Two (Unborn)*

*Fuzzy                 – One (Unborn)*

I almost doubled my total marks today! I feel great! Let’s hope Day Four is equally productive, though I can’t expect to surpass my previous marks per day every day. I have a feeling getting new marks will become more difficult once I’ve collected the low-hanging fruit from the first and second-tier monsters in the region. I’ll have to aim my sights higher from then on!

“You’re up early,” Cottontail says with a yawn as she climbs off the bed and strides over to me. Suka and Gabby continue their deep and peaceful sleeping thanks to my milk. “And you look… different.”

Well, sure. I suddenly have bunny legs and mouse ears.

“I’m deciding what to do today. Basically, I’m playing with my marks.” Cottontail hums with curious interest as she observes me. “Hey, Cottontail, I’m sorry for outing you in front of your family.”

She meets me gaze, blinks, and looks away. “It’s alright. I… was scared. Honestly, I felt so relieved you did it for me. A huge weight vanished from my shoulders! Except…”

“You wish you’d done it yourself.”

The bunny girl nods. “I’ve always wanted to give him a piece of my mind, but it’s hard.”

Poor Cottontail. I’m glad my parents didn’t make my decision to become a Tamer more of an ordeal. Then I remember something from my experience in the Warren. “I heard your sister is missing. Want me to find her?”

Cottontail seems surprised by my offer at first, but she quickly realizes I’m being serious and responds in kind. “I’ve been ‘missing’ several times and been fine. When we’re spotted by a Harpy or Dire Wolf, we hide in one of the burrows scattered across the plains until the hunter loses interest. If she’s alive, she’ll return to the Warren today, then follow me here once she hears about yesterday. Although, if tomorrow comes without news I’d appreciate you finding her… however that turns out.”

The bunny girl bows to me as if in apology for asking too much.

I wave off the supplication. “Cottontail, you need to get used to being one of my women and a mother of my children. Your family is my family. Your needs are my needs. I wouldn’t say, ‘your wish is my command,’ but there’re few things I wouldn’t do to make you happy.”

She blushes scarlet and fidgets in place. “A-Alex, there is one thing I’d like.”

“Name it.”

Cottontail refuses to meet my eyes as she speaks. “Last night, I d-didn’t get to… um… t-taste…”

It clicks for me, and I motion her over. She eagerly rushes to my side and sits on my leg while I sit on a stool. I cradle Cottontail in my arms as she reclines in my embrace, leans in to take a nipple in her mouth, and happily nurses at my teat.

While I’ve heard it’s uncomfortable for some mothers, breastfeeding my lovers to me is an erotic, pleasant, and relaxing affair. Falling asleep last night was incredibly easy with my nipples in Gabby and Suka’s mouths. I struggle to stay awake until sunrise.

And yet, sunrise eventually comes.

In this golden hour, I explore my marks and make a new discovery. After selecting Orc Stature as a given, I attempt to refund Goblin Stature for the heck of it and find that it actually works! While a minor boon, I have to see this as a flat buff to my per-mark value.

See, in this case, Goblin Stature acted as the requirement for Orc Stature, and then still allowed me to refund it during the golden hour. That almost doubles the purchasing power of the spent mark! In other words, that means I’ll be able to select Mouse Predator Sense and Lucky Foot, then refund Bunny Legs and Mouse Ears (if I want).

Even if it’s complicated and difficult to understand, I’m happy my marks will go further! That’s what counts, right?

Alright, I need to decide what I’m doing today before assigning my marks. I’m ruling out searching for Megan because of Cottontail’s advice. It’s too early to go after the Wolf Lord or Bruke, and Dura should show up on her own eventually. That leaves…

Option One: Find Gale.

I’m really out of excuses to avoid Harpy Mountain after defeating Peter. If I meet the Harpy Matron, maybe I can’t secure a kill, but I like my odds of fending her off with ember spears to light her feathers on fire. When it comes to normal harpies, Crab Armor will protect me from their claws. Also, Slime Constitution plus Harpy Lightweight basically makes it impossible to die from falling, so the climb should be no problem.

I really want to apologize to Gale for making her drop me. She probably thinks I died. On the other hand, one more day probably won’t make that apology too much more awkward. There’s no hard reason to find her today.

Option Two: Visit Ariella.

She’s bound to have evolved by now! Yes, the ocean is scary as fuck, but I’ve gotten stronger. I can find Kani and Ariella at the Grotto, then explore the shallows with two second-tier monster companions. Sounds like a great way to grind a few marks.

Plus, if Ariella’s evolution has a bigger dick, and I grab it for myself, then I won’t have to switch cocks as often because my largest model will also be my ovipositor! Win/win!

Option Three: Go fishing!

Seriously, I can select Lure and Allure with my Breeder marks and dangle my dick over the brook to see what monsters pop out. I haven’t heard or seen anything dangerous in the freshwater stream, so the worst I’d expect are a few second-tier monsters. Whether they’re cute like Gale and Cottontail or mean like the Mole-men and Fishmen, I can handle them.

Option Four: Grind Slime Cores!

If I learned nothing else today (and I sure learned a lot), it’s that Slime Cores are super useful! I’d love to keep a few in my back pocket (so to speak) in case of emergency. I can save wounded bystanders from death, even if the process does bind them to me. There’s also Gabby’s intuition saying they could be used to evolve Olindia or maybe even Flou too. Altogether, I need to grab as many as I can get my hands on.

There’s also that point Gabby brought up earlier about a library in a dungeon rumored to be found in the Misty Grove. I could find out what an echinda is, or maybe learn more about my mark system. Any Slimes that get in my way while looking for the dungeon will be a sweet bonus.

Option Five: Get Mandragora essence so Gabby can evolve into an Herbalist!

A few books in my hometown describe an ancient human pastime called ‘Arr Pee Gees.’ It’s sometimes mentioned that when the hero finally gets around to doing a quest they’ve been ignoring after messing around for long enough, they realize they’ve ‘over-leveled’ on accident. They then proceed to crush the supposed threats without much challenge.

That’s how I feel about this task. It’s something I could’ve tackled on Day Two and struggled with, whereas now I’m on Day Four with new allies and a ton more marks under my belt.

I’d roll up to the Charlatan Forest with a Cinderwolf, a Goblin Apprentice who can use Ember Magic, and my ember spears. Nothing short of a third-tier plant monster would give us pause, but we’re fast and agile enough to escape anything like that. Even if one caught us with Plant Growth, Gabby and I could both use counterspell while Suka burns through the vines.

Still… a stomp could be fun! I’m sure there’re a bunch of cool monsters in the forest. I’d get a lot of marks, and maybe find a new source of food.

I suppose there’s the desert to investigate, but why go that far when I have so many good options on hand? That said, the best option is…