Problems (still a story chapter)

I’ve got a problem. Yet, it’s not what people would usually expect. Looking at me, one might think: Tentacles for arms and legs? How do you walk? I float. It’s actually really convenient. One might also think: Being a monster, isn’t prejudice a problem? Well, that might be the case if people weren’t so confused to the point of not actually knowing how to respond. In fact, a bigger issue is that I’m kinda famous already. No, my problem is something else.

“Lily, staring at the door isn’t going to solve anything.” 

“I know Sam, but I really don’t think I can go out.” 

“Too many people still?” 

“Yeah. I’m sorry. I think we need to wait until nightfall again.” 

My problem is severe social anxiety.

“I never would’ve expected this from our time together in the dungeon.” 

“Well, we never had more than 6 strangers in the room then, and the one time we did, there was a big fight. If this was a battle, I’d probably be fine, but stabbing people isn’t an appropriate thing to do when walking through a crowded dining hall.” 

I wanted to go out and see the world now that I was finally freed from my previous job as the boss of a dungeon’s tenth floor. I just can’t handle crowds. Which is a really big problem when visiting towns and cities. 

I did visit my daughter at the church… during the night. She was sleeping. Also only a year and a half old. It’s not like there could’ve been much conversation with her.

Spent a day at Sam’s parents house, and kept myself entertained by trying to sneakily fuck Sam without anyone else noticing. I think it was mostly successful.

Visited a few other towns… then finally realized: 

“I’m not having fun. Playing with adventurers in the dungeon was more fun.” 

“Sorry, Lily.” 

“It’s not your fault, Sam. It’s my fault. I’m just no good at this! I get sent to another world, and within a month of leaving the place I’d originally been stuck in, I find myself wanting to go back. I’m really not cut out for adventure. It’s so stressful! Having to worry about attacks when we rest, and dealing with people we meet as we travel. I thought I wanted to see the world, but really, I think I just wanted the world to come to me. I want to learn more about the world, but I think I hate travel. This really makes me miss the internet.”

So, we went back home.

“Mom? You’re back already?” 

“Yeah, Valia, we’re back.” 

“Lily discovered she has no love for adventure.” 

“I really don’t. I think I’d much rather read stories about it than actually experience any of it.”

“Maybe if we got a carriage and treated you like a pampered royal who no one is allowed to meet, you could enjoy it?”

“Sam, I don’t want to do that even if it would work. It causes so much trouble for other people, and we don’t exactly have much wealth to spend on the endeavor.”

“Mom, are you okay?” 

“I will be. I feel like this is the first time I’ve been able to really relax since I left. I don’t know why, but being outside is scary. I didn’t even realize how tense I had been until I got back.” 

Valia sighed. “I guess I’ll have to figure out how to fit you into the dungeon properly then, if you want to stay here. If you want, we can just make this a luxurious house.” 

“I liked having adventurers visit. Maybe I could be a first floor boss? Unless you’ve completely changed how the dungeon works?”

“We settled on something similar to other dungeons, but a bit more structured and easier to navigate. There are still floors and bosses though. It might work. I’ll have to discuss it with the dungeon master and Emmara when she returns.”

“Thanks Valia. For now, I need sleep. Didn’t realize how exhausted I’d gotten until I came back home.” 

Sam and Valia just looked at me worriedly as I headed to bed and passed out. I knew I’d always been bad with crowds in the past, but… I didn’t realize it had gotten this bad. Maybe the job I was given at the start really was better for me. *sigh* This… this is why I sometimes hated myself in my past life. I had forgotten about this.

***Author Note***

Well, that didn’t go according to plan at all. I was trying to start a new story and… well… it ended immediately. Wtf? I guess we’re back to encounters in the dungeon again? There was supposed to be an adventure! >_<