Alright so what now?

Yesterday was awful.

After that complete mess there really was no way of sleeping on the bed, but it's not like Kanami could afford another room, so the floor it was, They also had to leave early in the morning to prevent an angry and potentially murderous innkeep from demanding damage payments.

Not very well and fairly exhausted Kanami let herself down on a park bench and looked at her prince.

He really was completely useless wasn't he? I suppose the best you could say about him was that he was obedient. He didn't have any desire to return back to the castle. Although that was probably to be expected.

Still, if she wanted to take care of him, she needs to know a couple of things. “Hey..say...what's your level cap?”

Not very surprising, Poron hesitated. Well, duh. Given how much of a wimp he is, it must be super embarrassingly low.

“Yeah, yeah it's probably something lame like 9 or 8, right?”

“No it's...”

“What even lower?” Kanami had to grin, her level cap was the only thing she could truly feel proud about.

Poron shook his head. “I don't know.”

“Huh? What do you mean, you don't know? Haven't you ever visited a level shop?”

“I haven't. Apparently it is unsightly for a prince.”

Well, it would be pretty humiliating for a prince to have a small level cap. “Listen up then!” Kanami smiled, her fatigue all but vanished. “I have a level cap of 25!”

“Wow!” Poron's eyes started to sparkle at that revelation. “That's amazing, Kanami!”

“It is isn't it? Ehehehe.” The average human had a level cap of 10. At level 20 you are considered gifted. And Kanami was five level above that! It's really unfair that she always gets compared to Freya who had a cap of 42. I mean what the hell? Kanami was special too!

“Anyway, we need to know your level cap, so let's visit a level shop”, the ninja suggested with a sly smile. Oh, this will be good!

Each town worth it's salt had a level shop, where level up services and information such as level caps and a person's skills are provided, free of charge.

“...and that isn't all.” Kanami continued as the two are about to enter the shop. “I also have Ninja Skill Level 1!”

“Skills go up to Level 3, right?” Poron asked. “So Level 1 is ok-ish I guess?”

Wow, what a little brat, I can't wait to humiliate him with his pathetic tiny level cap.

“You really don't know anything, do you?” Kanami cleared her throat and remembered what Freya had taught her. “Skills go from Level 0 to Level 3, that is true. But make no mistake! Level 1 is plenty impressive. It means you are very good at your job. At Level 2 you are a master and Level 3, that one is left for the heroes of legends. Both Level 2 and 3 are extremely rare. Even Freya only has skills at Level 1!”

The shopkeeper, a friendly redhead, greeted the two with a bright smile. “Good day to you. My name is Willis. How may I help you?”

“We'd like to level up and get some information.” Kanami started. “Can we start with the level ups?”

“Certainly.” Ever expedient, the girl began to chant and initiate the level up ceremony. “Ura meta para horahora ranran horohoro pi harara!”

There was a short, blinding light, followed by a quite unpleasant buzzing sound. “I'm sorry, Kanami you don't have enough Experience to level up. I'm sorry, Poron. You don't have enough Experience to level up. Poron remains at level 1. Kanami remains at level 15.”

“Ugh...” Kanami grumbled. Also she was level 16 the last time! How the hell did she delevel that quickly again? Oh well, at least Poron was just as pathetic as she hoped. “Level 1, huh?” Kanami gave her biggest shit eating grin. “Even for a pampered princey boy that's pretty low. I mean you are pretty much a baby. Well, I suppose if you don't kill any monsters you don't level up.”

“Not quite”, Willis corrected. “Training with someone stronger can allow you to accumulate experience as well. It admittedly takes a lot longer tough. Do you wish a pamphlet on all the ways to gain experience outside of battle?”

“Yeah, no thanks.” Kanami was very well aware of all that. She trained minutes with Freya, with barely any results. It's much easier to just kill some monsters. Actually, even by just living daily life and growing up you should make it to at least level 5. Could it possibly be that Poron's level cap is as low as 1? Wow! That's like hero of legends level of rare, only in the wrong direction.

“At any rate. Poron here actually does not know his level cap, so if you would do a check on him?”

Kanami almost felt bad about being so vicious to the prince. But this is needed to establish dominance. She will buy him an ice later. Well, once she actually has money again.

“Certainly”, Willis nodded. This time no magic formula was needed as the shopkeeper simply pulled up the necessary information on her monkey-brain powered terminal. “Poron has a level cap of 50.”

Kanami started to laugh out loud at that pathetic...wait WHAT!

“Oh my. “ Willis herself looked surprised. “That was unexpected.”

Kanami couldn't believe it. How was such a high level cap even remotely possible for such a weakling? No, such things matter very little when it comes to a level cap. You could be the most skilled person in the world. If your level cap is crap you will never amount to much. And of course the opposite was true just as much. With Level 50, Poron was destined for greatness.

“Level 50...” Poron replied in amazement. “Even the captain of our guards is only at Level 30.”

“S-So what about his skills? I bet they are pretty pathetic!”, suggested Kanami, trying to get at least here a win in over the prodigious prince.

“Ah yes”, Willis began running another diagnostic. “Poron has Leadership Level 1, Fast Learner Level 1 and Unarmed Combat Level 2.”

At that point Kanami was just about ready to faint.

“Is that good?”, Poron asked innocently.

Of course it was good! Level 50 with unarmed Combat Level 2! At full level Poron could probably defeat a stone guardian with one punch! And what's with these other two? Leadership Level 1 means he excels in leading people and Fast Learner gives him a 20% XP-Bonus! What the hell!

“And incidentally…” Willis continued.

“THERE’S MORE?”

The level shop girl nodded, “Poron has his one personal level god. You don’t need to visit shops for a level up. You can just call her.”

Kanami moved out of the Level shop, completely defeated. Poron followed after politely thanking Willis for her work.

“So, do you think I can help you with your work?”

That's not even a question. Poron would be a tremendously valuable ally.

But Kanami can't just come out and say this! Her reputation is at stake here! She needs to make sure Poron understands that she will always be stronger! That's just proper guidance after all! It wouldn't do for Poron to become conceited.

“Kanami? Is everything alright?”

“Alright listen up, Buster! I accept you as my sidekick! But you better not think this will be easy! And you will do everything I say, are we clear?”

Poron nodded vigorously. “Of course! I won't disappoint you!”

“You better not! Or I will punish you harshly!”

So far so good. Now all that is left is to take him on a mission, to show Poron just how scary the real world is!