Chapter 468: Am I a Bad Daughter?

The pair stood and stared uncertainly at the box. Kat was pacing around in place as she thought while Kamiko was leaning against the wall and running her hands over her horns. "I think we're best leaving it" said Kat after two minutes of silence.

"Oh?" said Kamiko. There was no malice in the word just pure curiosity, and slight wonder, at how Kat had finally figured out the answer to the question.

"The way I see it, is that the chest isn't going anywhere. The rats couldn't get in before, and I doubt leaving it here will make them any more likely to succeed in the future. This isn't a dungeon, this is a mine owned by… well I don't know exactly who owns it but lets say Sloth. We aren't explorers right now but exterminators."

Kamiko's eyes widened and she slapped her face into her hand. "I can't believe I forgot that Kat I am so sorry…"

"Wait what?" said Kat confused, immediately stopping her pacing to turn to her friend.

"It's like… contracts 101 Kat. I just… I can't believe I forgot something so simple. I've been on a few dungeon runs" *Dungeons are real?! I mean I assumed but…* "and they've all be similar to this you know. Kill mobs, look around, rarely find loot before you fight a boss. I guess I slipped into dungeon mode at some point and forgot the current job is cleaning out the mine. Let's just leave this here and report it to Stone" said Kamiko with a slightly biting tone.

Kat nodded and headed out towards the door. *I can see Kamiko's actually a little annoyed at herself for this. Why though? It was a valid idea. If she CAN open the box I don't think it's bad to ask if she should. We don't need confidential documents from the mine so we'd just put them back no harm done.

Or is it a matter of professionalism? Like… like if somebody is a cleaner paid to go to houses and clean things but also a thief for fun on the sides. They don't open things they shouldn't when just doing the cleaning job, only when they're actually stealing things.*

Kat realised as soon as she thought it, that was a terrible example, because if you were both a thief and a cleaner, you'd certainly take advantage of it. You'd either use it as a way to case the place or somewhere nearby or just outright steal small things that would go unnoticed during the cleaning itself.

*Ok that example was horrid but maybe it still is a matter of professionalism. Like… um… hmm, maybe how Gramps wasn't supposed to favour any kids over each other. I mean sure he DID but pretty much only with me and it took him over a decade to get to that point and really, how can you resist.* 

Kat stood beside the door and waited for Kamiko to be out before closing it behind the other demon, then she looked at it for a second longer. "Should we seal it off with ice? We were told not to touch the walls like that though…" asked Kat

"Yeah… let's not. I don't know enough about rock composition to know if it's safe to inject demonic energy into. I mean I'd think it was because they could hollow it out but I don't know." Replied Kamiko with some bounce returning to her step.

*You know, I do wonder what it would take for Gramps to favour someone other than me now that I've left. Will he eventually pick up some other troublesome child that never gets adopted? Or will he just check in on me sometimes instead… you know. I should probably do that when I get back. 

Things have been so busy recently. Finishing my second big summoning or first with power, then straight into dealing with Minor and Major nearly dying, which was not fun, and then after that dealing with Xiang and his bullshit before finally ending up on Punishment duty. Man it feels like a lifetime since I've visited Gramps.*

Kat walked into the next corridor and was unsurprised to find it filled with rats. This one was even extra long so she just bent her knees and charged her hands with demonic energy. *Well I guess this gives me more time to think.* Kat had gotten more efficient with her energy since the first rat hallway. She knew she only really needed to keep her energy flowing with a little extra for her nails. She didn't need to hand over any extra energy to cut through the weak rats that she'd encountered so far.

She'd also tried dropping some of the energy she was pushing around her body by only empowering it when she was about to strike, but found that little idea failed spectacularly when she tried two hallways ago. Perhaps if her combat awareness was better, it had potential, but as she was, especially with her reckless strikes against the rats, it just wasn't practical at all.

The issue was, her movements always wanted to flow. As a Succubus, while she was very strong compared to when she was human, compared to most other demon types she'd lose out in strength majorly. Her nails were more than sharp enough to compensate for most combat situations, and her speed and grace were big helps, but this meant when she tried to limit either of these things, especially the easy grace her body had acquired, her instincts freaked out. It was something she was considering now.

*So, note to self visit Gramps. Other than that any interesting thoughts? Not really? Combat is what it is, and I wish I could improve somehow because this is not fun. Just… letting myself go… well not berserk but full instincts? Not good at all. I can see the difference between me and Kamiko really easily and I know I have no proper training. 

I just… I didn't think it was that bad. My instincts don't really let me get creative with things, or adapt to the situation. Oh sure, I bet I could dodge for days if I was fighting something of comparable speed, but attack wise I'm hardly better then a rabid animal. Sure it LOOKS more graceful, but it really isn't. 

I need to take Minor's grandma's offer up and learn how to use my weapons, or even just fight. I don't want to use up my break for it though. It's IMPORTANT sure. Quite likely VERY important, but I just… I feel like I'm already so separated from everyone on Earth already. 

I don't get to see Sylvie every day, or Lily most days, though if she has her way she might be joining me somehow. Anyway, for Sylvie… even though I do probably spend more time with her overall, just barely, it's not the same as spending a bit of time with her every day. For Vivian and Callisto it's much worse. 

I… I hardly no them. Oh sure, I don't regret being adopted by them, they've both been great even if Callisto is… Callisto… but they aren't parents to me, they certainly aren't Gramps… I… I don't even know if they're friends really? Callisto seems… friendly for what she is, but I wonder if it's more because I'm interesting then because she actually likes me. At least I know she does get along with Sylvie which I'm sure surprised her, but…

Vivian perhaps is the hardest. She's really stepped up. Not that I've seen too much of it but… she went from doing whatever she wanted, with Callisto even dealing with most of the meals, probably cleaning and laundry too, to having two children one of which is a demon and… and she seems to have done quite well. 

I mean, I don't see her much, and that's a bit annoying, but let's be honest here. Thought Kat as she sliced through another group of rats. I really was just tagging along. Not in a bad way… but Vivian knows I can take care of myself, and has just… sort of let me do whatever I want when I'm home… Am… Am I a bad daughter?* 

The sudden thought hit Kat rather hard and she hadn't been expecting it or the reaction that followed. A few rats even managed to bit into her arms, but she just slammed the disgusting things into the floor and splatter their brains around.

*Am I a daughter? I've said before she feels more like an older sister to me but… should I be treating her that way?* Now that Kat was thinking about it, she flashed back to the mall, and the insistence Kat pick up something for herself, all the times Vivian had gone out of her way to include Kat. That time Vivian had, with basically no questions asked once it was determined, driven her out into the middle of the WOODS just because Kat felt like it. Sure she was serious, and it was important but… Vivian didn't complain she just did it.

*Am I a daughter? And if so… am I a bad one?*