There is No Epic Loot Here, Only Puns

18: I am DEO!

Delta hummed as she added the second sticky trap that night to the fort room. After the spider attack, she felt hesitant to send her goblins out to gather until she could properly equip them. Delta didn't feel like it was the end of the world. Maybe she could ask Ruli to collect trash or if Quiss had any junk he wanted to be rid off.

Working with people, the idea was absolutely wonderful. Delta hoped both of them had many friends they could invite to her dungeon. Ruli might... actually she had boasted about being the rudest woman in town.

Maybe Quiss... Delta cut off that thought before it could even sprout and instead hoped Quiss would keep on visiting. He was nice and handsome but his attitude was like a cactus with anti-social behaviour problems., kind of prick and not suited to the unprepared.

Still, Delta didn't give up hope! She'd take precautions, fort up during the night and wait for the relative safety of daylight before sending Hob and Gob out for more collection. Contracted monsters were useful and somewhat odd. Waddles was gone. Delta could only guess he had gone through the water tunnel to... somewhere. Delta really needed to see what was down there one day. She just needed an aquatic monster that could speak.

Merfolk? Were they a thing? Usually dragons and merfolk came as a package, Delta hoped so. She wouldn't even mind if they were the more creepy kind!

"Under the pond... Under the pond..." Delta sang as she made sure Mr Mushy was okay. The giant bipedal fungi was having fun petting the Grove Guardian, to the boar's despair. Delta sneaked away before the boar could complain. With only 19 mana and 58 DP, Delta needed to pass the time until morning came. Moving back to the spider room, she opened the menu of the room. She hummed as she saw the message.

This room is inhabited by spiders only. This room is used for the purpose of webs. This room is near the front and to this menu finds it weird that it's so peaceful.

Would you like to upgrade this room to the "Spider Room"? *All things inside the room become bound and cannot be moved outside the room. Cost 10 DP.

Delta wanted to cackle. She tried and sounded like she was just having a good time. She hit yes and the room flashed but nothing truly changed.

She opened the menu again.

Spider Room:
Upgrade total number of spiders that can be in the room. 5 DPRestore trap after dungeon is empty. 8 DPMake Spiders' more durable and less likely to die. 10 DPMake a great amount of Berries wilt with each spider that dies. 5 DP

Delta really had to appreciate the sheer detail that her powers could go to. The ability to punish people who murdered her spiders was nice. Having the trap able to just fix itself was also nice. Delta wondered if that would always have been a choice or if her nature and point of view made such an option come into existence?

Delta hoped so. It meant that if she just kept trying to be herself, her powers would help her. It would be nice, not everyone was a comic book hero who could struggle with their awesome demon powers every chapter.

Delta also kinda liked her menu. It had spunk. She purchased the trap replacement and berry punishment options, reducing her total DP to 35. The tripwire made a twang noise as it pulled taut again. Delta cheered as her first home-made room became even better.

"I should hope that many first-timers have a great...trip into my dungeon!" Delta bent over and snorted hard as she tried not to laugh. Her cheeks hurt and her lungs protested but Delta managed to avoid making her spiders roll away in disgust.

Delta wondered if the puns were some form of sanity-protecting comping mechanism and decided that if they were, it was only right that she kept on enjoying them.

"Master!" Fran called and Delta was in the Boss room in an instant.

Fran was kneeling and looking nervous. Bacon the pig was also bowing.

"Master... I heard from Francois. You do not intend for me... to do my job?" Fran asked with concern and Delta just stared at him with confusion.

"Job?" she echoed and Fran's grip on his spear tightened.

"I must defeat invaders. I must make those who seek you out die," he stated and Delta felt a little lost as his tone became upset. Delta got on the ground with him.

"Fran, of course you will. I just don't want you killing those who surrender or flee," she consoled and Fran didn't meet look up.

"Then mans will speak and my tactics will become known. I will be... exploited," he responded and sounded angry. Delta could see how that would be an issue.

"But I don't want to kill people who simply want to explore," she added her own feelings and Fran squirmed. He looked at his metal spear.

"A Boss must protect the Core. I must protect you," he said quietly and Delta was quiet for a few seconds.

"Then protect my will. I need you to let those who surrender in earnest go. Those who challenge your strength should be offered the ability to grow and become stronger. I want them to become stronger. Fran... defeat is not failure in this case. Pushing those cannot handle the lower floors back is your duty," Delta explained and Fran was quiet.

"Those who spit upon your mercy? Master, those who would abuse your greatness?" he pondered and Delta hesitated only for a few seconds.

"Those who surrender and then attack or those who refuse to back down... I have done what I can. Treat them as scum or respectful warriors as you see fit. I cannot protect them from their own hearts or desires," Delta said, feeling the words a little odd and not really something she would normally say. Delta frowned and tried to think why she had said them. Nothing answered, and she let it go as a slip of the tongue or maybe the dungeon part she had merged with speaking out.

"Spare the honorable and unprepared. Punish the liars and fools," Fran translated and Delta could only smile weakly.

"If you kill someone mid-battle, I'll make sure I warn people and nobody can sue us," she waved her hands and Fran looked confused.

"I will stab this Sue! I will defeat it for you master!" Fran promised and Bacon snorted with determination. Her Mana and DP shot up and Delta blinked. Looking around, she saw Waddles had returned, spitting some red weeds onto the shore.

"Yes! Excellent, defeat the Sues! First name, Mary... uh be right back!" Delta said apologetically and rushed off to the Pond room.

Her menu rang out.