"Scratching my belly a bit more would be nice. I’m in that half-asleep state, and just a little more scratching would help me drift off…"
As the clock struck midnight, Deri was peacefully snoring in my office, a sight I had grown accustomed to. He was the pet that I had trained to love me first above all else, and now, with my help, he had succumbed to sleep after a good scratch on his belly.
"Already level 20? How many rats has he caught? Did he go on some grand adventure?" Deri's level had indeed increased quite a bit. In the world of Paradiso, pets could level up alongside their players while exploring dungeons together. But I had never taken Deri into the dungeons myself.
In any case, participating in any 'hunting' activity yielded experience points, and it was clear that Deri had most likely been catching plenty of rats. With that, it made sense that his strength and agility stats had risen.
Having Deri drift off into dreamland, I leisurely sipped on some Kalakass flower petal tea, my mind wandering.
“Why is Duke Galadin seeking me out at this moment... and not just any kingdom, but an independent faction like ours?”