I stretch and squint as we finally reach the outside world, reacclimating to the sun bearing down at high noon. The cool breeze on my skin is like a healing wind, easing the lingering tensions from our battles less than a half hour and freeing me of the curse of troll stench. Though only the holy sacrament of baptism by bathwater will truly excise my defilement.

　　The older gentleman in the cowboy hat is the first to greet us, tipping his hat and bowing slightly before speaking.

　　"Well, ladies, I see the two of you are both scuffed up, but thankfully alive. Were you successful?"

　　"As far as we know, we defeated the troll boss," I say. "Though, in the scuffle, the others didn`t end up so well. One of them is dead, and the other two are seriously wounded. But, as neither of us has any healing magic, we decided it best to evacuate and seek help rather than try to carry them back ourselves."

　　If I were a little better at acting, I`d make a grand, melodramatic display of pleading, begging for these soldiers to save our fellow comrades, but as my acting skills are middling and I truly can`t be arsed, I leave it at that.

　　"I see. In that case, we will have an expedition enter later to retrieve them. For now, I am sure the two of you both need some rest, and I shall detain you no longer."

　　With a smile, the two of us slowly walk down the hill back into Rigatoni proper. Sammy helps me here and there with my footing, and while I am a bit more stable than I let on, I certainly don`t mind her gentle hands caressing my shoulders and back as we descend the foothills.

　　After taking a moment longer than necessary to steady myself as we finish our trek down the hill, we pass through the main gate into the town proper. A couple of townsfolk look at us - most likely, me, given how roughed up I am - with a mix of bewilderment and trepidation, though none obstruct our path or approach us as we pass through town on our way to the Mayor`s office. Though we get less than a hero`s welcome when we arrive.

　　"Halt!" the guard says. "Due to the recent attacks, His Honor is preoccupied with disaster relief coordination and other related matters. He cannot take time to meet with the townsfolk at this time."

　　Sammy shudders behind me and I start wondering if she has a bad case of androphobia. That much is never mentioned in the game, but given how imposing her father is, I can`t discount it. I take the lead in the conversation, figuring she won`t be one for talking to the guard.

　　I lower my head slightly. "Please forgive our sudden arrival. I am Ashley Lancaster, joined by my adventuring companion, Samantha Relford. By order of Mayor Rozziari, the two of us ventured into the heart of the Mt. Minestrone mines and killed the boss of the trolls that have plagued Rigatoni. We have come here to report on our success in this mission, as well as to report on the status of the others who were not so fortunate during our expedition." I`m rolling my eyes at this last bit - their only spat of ill fortune was getting greedy and paying for it with their lives.

　　"I see. I will inform the mayor. For the time being, you two may wait near the plaza."

　　I nod and the two of us make our way over to a nearby bench, taking a seat. I grimace as the pain in my chest and shoulders flares up. And here I can`t help but wonder how the characters manage to fight on sometimes just single-digit health. I feel like I just want to pass out when I still have nearly a third of mine remaining.

　　"You okay, Ash? Don`t be pushing yourself too hard on me, okay?"

　　"I`m okay. Just sore." I take a deep breath. "I could go for a nice nap."

　　"Do you want to head back to the hotel for a couple of hours? I didn`t get the impression the mayor was going to have a break anytime soon."

　　"I mean, I want to, Sammy. But as soon as my head hits that pillow, I`m going to pass out and I probably won`t wake up until tomorrow morning." Another truth - no matter when you go to sleep, you don`t wake up until the following morning unless there`s a plot-relevant event that forces a different time of day. I suppose that`s the magic of the world working to heal all injuries overnight. Gosh I wish convalescing were that easy on Earth.

　　"If you want, you can rest on my shoulder, Ash. Might be more comfortable than this flimsy bench."

　　It really wasn`t too bad - it wasn`t as comfortable as a bed or a nice padded seat, and the metal was a bit cold to sit on, but the design was sufficiently ergonomic, if a bit plain looking. The green paint was a bit gaudy, especially after dealing with so many trolls the past couple of days.

　　"Are you sure, Sammy?" Internally I`m screaming Yes, yes, yes!` but I struggle to maintain an outward demeanor of respect.

　　"I wouldn`t have asked if I didn`t mean the offer sincerely."

　　With a silent nod I close my eyes and lay my head on Sammy`s shoulder. It`s super soft, making me feel all warm inside, though that may also be the early-afternoon sun. But at the same time, she doesn`t buckle at all beneath my weight - we have both gained ten levels since the start of our journey just a few days ago. It`s surprisingly difficult to get a good grasp for exactly how much stronger we`ve become - even though our combat parameters and damage output are undeniably higher, I struggle to notice any real changes in my strength on a day-to-day basis outside of combat. I`ve yet to rip any doors off their hinges, and while I definitely can survive more damage than I ever could back on Earth, I don`t think I`d survive any sufficiently grievous bodily injury like a bullet to the head.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

　　I decide I need to test some things. "Hey, Sammy. I have a bit of an odd request for you, if you don`t mind."

　　"What is it, Ash?"

　　"Now that we`ve gained a few levels, I just want to get a feel for how strong we`ve gotten." I struggle back to my feet and relax my muscles. "Can you try to lift me up?"

　　"Uh&"

　　Sammy stammers for a bit, but I eventually convince her to try. And before I fully realize it, I`m being held like a princess in my crush`s arms. On the one hand, oh my goodness, this feels like a gift from the heavens - in some ways, it literally is. But on the other, this could pose some very big problems going forward if we don`t find a way to keep our strength in check. I wince a bit as she sets me back down on the bench and, after she sits back down beside her, I return my head to its heavenly resting spot.

　　"You`re quite a bit lighter than I thought, Ash. I`ve hauled bottles of water heavier than you."

　　I blush for a bit, taking that comment and riding its high. "No, Sammy. You`re simply a lot stronger than you think. We both are. Can you check what your unarmed strength stat is? You might have to fiddle with your status window for a bit."

　　"Uh& um&" Sammy trailed off for a while, humming some familiar tune or another as she pored over the various status screens. The random encounter theme from the game, if I recall.

　　"Oh, here it is."

　　Samantha Relford

　　Attack: 71 [Unarmed: 36]

　　Some more things are falling into place, things that could pose a very big problem down the line if we don`t rectify them now. At level 2, I had a base strength of 14, and now, at level 11, it sits at a comfortable 49. In a couple arcs, that`s going to be north of 300, and by then, I`m not sure how the two of us are going to function in human society. That part was all papered over in the game, sure, but being thirty times stronger than a layperson means we`ll have to start worrying as much about accidentally breaking drink glasses at dinner and having our hand graze right through drywall as we will against the increasingly sturdy monsters we`ll be encountering. Makes me wonder how the people in late-game towns manage to survive themselves without all being some stupid-high level also. Maybe they actually are. That provides some other sobering implications, but I choose not to worry about those.

　　"Sammy," I say after a few moments. "Before our adventures are over, the two of us are going to get a lot stronger than we already are. I- I don`t know exactly how yet, but we should both try to find a way to control our strength when we don`t need it."

　　"Control?"

　　"Sammy, if I had to guess, you`re about three times stronger than the average person. And I`m getting close to five. Though you have a lot more magical potential than I do," I quickly add.

　　"H- How? I mean, when? I- I know we`ve gotten a bit stronger in our travels, but three times stronger than most people? That doesn`t make any sense."

　　"I have a hypothesis, though, it may be& difficult for you to hear."

　　"I`m listening, Ash."

　　"I think there`s some force out there that wants to help us fight against The Calamity. And these levels, this& system, if you will, is its way of helping us out, granting us power as we prove our worth in combat. Giving us more strength in small doses as we learn to use what we have, so that we`ll be prepared when the time comes."

　　"We`re really going to fight the Calamity?"

　　"I- I am for sure. I think that`s the best chance I have of getting back home." At least, that`s what I was told at the Afterlife DMV, but I`m definitely not going to mention my reincarnation to this world right now, even to Sammy.

　　"Do you think we can succeed?"

　　"Yeah. It`s a daunting challenge, but I have a feeling things will turn out okay, as long as we prepare and plan accordingly."

　　Sammy`s hand grazes my arm. "If it were anyone else, I`d be skeptical. But, when you say it, somehow, something compels me to believe you. There`s just something about you, Ash. Something that makes me feel at ease."

　　Part of me is absolutely giddy at hearing these words from my crush, sending my mind wandering into dens of hope I dare not tread for long, while the other half frantically analyzes the situation, trying to figure out how to address our growing strength.

　　"By the way," Sammy says. "Looks like the mayor`s guard is looking for us. We should get going, but I have one question before then."

　　I invite her to continue.

　　"Are you worried that the two guys we fought earlier are going to mention something about us fighting them? That`s had me worried all afternoon."

　　"Not a chance, Sammy. I`ve had to deal with guys like that before, and if I know one thing about their type, it`s that they absolutely hate it whenever they lose to a girl. We might have to fight those two clowns again, but they`ll never be willing to admit their loss to anyone else. I promise you."

　　"Thanks, Ash. Shall we get going?"