D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad Chapter 2353 Up the Stairs

--- Kat ---

The question of how long to wait was rather easily answered by the sound of someone stomping down the stairs like they had rocks tied to their feet. It was very loud and quite apparent to everyone. Especially with the advanced hearing they all had. There was no way to miss that someone was at least answering the door. Though, technically they didn’t knock. Turns out there was a doorbell so that probably explained how they were able to be heard by someone who did in fact live at the top of the tower.

It wasn’t a short wait either. Appoline had plenty of time to look over the crops growing in each of the planters, giving running commentary the entire time... but they were mostly just food crops. Potentially acceptable as substitute ingredients, or to help round out a potion. Just nothing truly special that you could build an entire potion, or set of potions, around like some of the other stuff she’d found so far. Most here would be good for more healing potions and perhaps some sustenance or nutrient potions. Lily and Kat were quite unclear as to what the difference between the two were.

Eventually the sounds from the stairs ended and the sound from someone walking over stone picked up instead. It wouldn’t last long, because the person on the other side would soon be at the door. The tower wasn’t large after all. The main issue, if it could be called that, was when Lily and Kat readied themselves for the door to open and even called Appoline over...

Only for whoever the owner was to spend five minutes unlocking the door. The sound of several deadbolts being unwound, button pressed, and likely a few enchantments dismissed continued to ring out for minutes on end. Sure it made sense to secure your things, but the gardens didn’t even have a gate! At least put a fence up if you were so paranoid you had all those locks on your door.

When it eventually opened, Kat and Lily had no idea what to think. The guy on the other side was either a mad scientist, or a hiker. Though in truth, ’fashion disaster’ rang out in both of their minds despite their lacking interest in fashion. It really was just that obviously bad, and his face was sort of included in that. Though perhaps not for the reasons you’d think.

Starting at the boots, they were massive combat grade things with puffy fur coming out of the top. Lily felt like you could kill a man just by dropping one of those shoes on someone. They were so thick it looked like she could fit inside one of them. Though that was mostly padding. They were clearly designed to keep someone warm...

So then why did the elf have shorts on? On the longer side sure, coming down to just past the knees, and his long socks stretching up past the same knees meant that no skin was uncovered but it just looked weird. Especially when you had the dark black shoes, grey-ish socks that might have been white, and then neon green pants. Not helped by the long sleaved shirt that was half red and half yellow but thinner then you’d expect if it was meant to keep you arm.

Then there was his face. To say he had no facial hair felt technically wrong, but was factually correct in a sense. He had no moustache, just some stubble. It was the other hair that looked quite so wild. The stuff on his head was brown and cut short... but he had massive eyebrows. They looked like someone had glued feather duster’s to his face. They were MASSIVE and only grew larger as they got out and away from his feather. They went out to his shoulders were they spread out as if they were peacock tails or something.

There was also the nose hairs. Lily and Kat didn’t really want to focus on them... but the whole ’no facial hair thing’? Well those nose hairs hung low enough to act as a moustache for his upper lip. It was... certainly a choice. They looked oddly well maintained though. Super glossy and as if they were brushed into place... but like... what the heck? If you were going to keep your face neat and tidy why wouldn’t you trim your nose hairs.

"Ah! You must be the couriers I’ve been waiting for. I’m a touch annoyed at how late my packages are, but I suppose it’s understandable given the circumstances..." cheered the elf.

"I’m afraid not," said Kat after she recovered from the... everything. "We were just adventuring around and stumbled on your house. It was... a rather obvious landmark and we thought it best to visit before going on our way."

"Hmmm? Not couriers you say? Blast those idiots are so late at this point... this is what I get for paying in advance..." the man sighed. "Well whatever, you might as well come in. My name is Grunkle and I run the observatory here studying all sorts of things. Mostly the weather and the stars."

"How long ago exactly did you place that order?" asked Appoline, something in her tone suggesting she had a better idea of the answer then Kat or Lily.

"Oh, a few decades ago I suppose?" mused Grunkle as Kat and Lily cringed. "You know how it is. You place a big order for some upgraded equipment, the world shifts, and suddenly the idiots think they can get away with not delivering. Might have to go chase them up at some point but eh... can’t be bothered for the moment."

Kat and Lily had no idea what to make of that... was he... did he... did he place the order before or after everything went crazy here? Did... surely he knew he was on a floating island right? But then why would he expect the delivery at this point? Unless it was new... but then...

Whatever best to just study the inside of the tower. It seemed to have some spatial expansion charms to help... or maybe it was contracted on the outside? It was awfully weird that it was as thin as it was. The lowest part of the tower was basically just the staircase with a small little section for storing shoes, showing off three additional copies of the same boots Grunkle was currently wearing, though in various states of cleanliness.

Otherwise, it was just stairs and the occasional window. Not all that safe stairs... or maybe very safe stairs? There was no railing on either side but the tower was so thin that if you fell sideways or slipped you’d just end up on the other half of the stairs as they spiralled around. There was also the fact that you could, like Grunkle was doing on occasion, reach up to touch the staircase above or to the side and use that as a handhold. There really was only space for one person to go up or down at a time. Kat had no idea what you’d do if two people were going opposite directions. Just slide off onto the lower part of the stairs or something?

Of course, Grunkle was stomping all the way up the stairs and it was not fun to be listening to while trapped in a long echoey tube. Kat wondered how the man could hear anything. It wasn’t like his ears were full of hair either. It was half expected considering the other questionable hair choices... but nope, none. Though that might just be because elves didn’t ever grow hair there? Maybe? It was hard to tell the guy was an elf sometimes with how his eyebrows would cover most of his ears. Though not in such a way that would impede his ability to hear... probably.

They did eventually make it to the top, and Grunkle pushed open a trapdoor and then kept walking forward. For some reason the stairs were designed to keep going until they were flush with the floor, but why not just have a normal door at this point or a small ladder? Whatever the case, it was fine, you just had to watch for the final step that was about twice as steep as all the others. The trapdoor was also huge to ensure that nobody hit their head as you went up the last segment of stairs.

The room they were let into looked fairly cozy... but also a bit of a mess. It was circular of course with some support poles but no real walls. There was a kitchen nearby, but also a graphic designer’s desk not too far from it, a bunch of couches and armchairs just scattered around. A bed that seemed to be set into the floor for some reason and a closet that just sort of... existed in the middle of the room. Kat could almost buy that it was there to act as a support pillar or something but it didn’t reach the ceiling... so why was it there? Oh and of course the other set of stairs. Because obviously this monstrosity of interior design had more stairs in it.