Grinding time.

"Well, if I'm going to get stronger, I'm going to need EXP, and right now the best way to do that is by fighting more of those rats. Do I need your permission to do it, or can I get started?" I ask Ariel, condescension slightly slipping into my tone of voice at the end. Ariel frowns. "While I may not like your tone, you would be doing my followers a favor by ridding these sewers of those vermin. Go ahead." With Ariel's support, I try mentally ordering my emanation to go on it's own and fight more rats. Even with my half my stats, it should be easy for it to take care of the rats down here. It's surprisingly easy to give my emanation the command, and it steadily makes it's way down the sewer. I, meanwhile, go the opposite direction with Ariel at my side.

About an hour later...

It took longer than I thought to track down enough rats to level up, but when I do I'm greeted by a notification that pops up in front of me.

[Class Level Up!]
[Sorcerer LVL 1 -> 2 (10/110)]
[HP & MP restored.]
[Received: 3 Attribute Points.]
[Apply Attribute Points Now? Y/N]

I was hoping for something more useful from leveling up my class, but some extra attributes isn't terrible. Not seeing any reason to not use them now, I hit select "Y" and put a point into Intelligence for extra spell damage, Constitution for extra health, and Libido just cause.

[Attributes Changed]
[Constitution: 5 -> 6]
[Intelligence: 5 -> 6]
[Libido: 5 -> 6]

I can immediately tell that improving those attributes had a real effect. I feel the membrane around my body get firmer, my thoughts are clearer, and I feel more ready for whatever erotic situations come my way. It's only a slight improvement in each category, but an improvement none the less. In addition to getting EXP, I also got some more materials from the rats.

[Scraps of rat fur x6]
[Scraps of rat fur: Clumps of rat fur. It's use evades you.]
[Rat tail x1]
[Rat tail: A tail from a rat. Not worth eating unless you were very ****.]

Again, not very useful materials, but since there isn't any inventory capacity I might as well grab all I can. This experience has also taught me that my emanation seems to not pick up items for me, as all of these I had to pick up myself. Annoying, but I guess it can't be helped. Ariel helps out a bit, mainly by casting a shield on me, but that's about all he can do since the shield absorbs any damage I take. After wandering the maze-like sewers for a while, I begin to hear something other than the flowing sounds of "water" and the occasional rat squeak. It sounds like footsteps, but too light to be from a human. I learned how to dim the light of the gem inside me in between fighting rats, so I do that and follow the sounds of the footsteps. It doesn't take long for me to find the source of the footsteps, which turns out to be a pair of goblins. I stare at each of them to learn what I can about them.

[Name: Hunstas]
[Race: Goblin]
[Classes: Novice Ranger LVL 3]
[HP: 19/19]
[MP: 3/3]
[LP: 0/75]
[Considered one of the more vile types of monsters, they are looked down upon both literally and figuratively by the other races.]

[Name: Majies]
[Race: Goblin]
[Classes: Novice Sorcerer LVL 2]
[HP: 12/12]
[MP: 8/8]
[LP: 0/85]
[Considered one of the more vile types of monsters, they are looked down upon both literally and figuratively by the other races.]

"Goblins?!" Ariel shouts upon seeing them. "Ugh, as if this place couldn't get any worse." I look over to the goblins to see if they heard Ariel, but they keep walking along. "Ariel, could you not be so loud? They're going to hear you." I whisper to Ariel. Ariel waves his hand dismissively at my request. "It will be fine. Aside from you and a select few of my chosen, no one else can see or hear me. Aren't you lucky, to be among the few able to witness my divine splendor?" I ignore Ariel's gloating and think about his explanation. That would explain why the rats never seem to target him.

I keep following behind the goblins for a little bit. The goblins seem to know exactly where they are going, since they take corners and intersections without any hesitation. Eventually, the goblins arrive at a dead-end. "Well, itz offishal. You gots usses lost." The female goblin, the one called "Majies," says. The goblin named "Hunstas," a male goblin, looks back at Majies and retorts with, "I didntz gets usses lost! He said the shinies was roight here." Hunstas gestures to the empty dead-end. "But de ain't nos shinies! Maybe one of dose thieving ratses took it." Neither of the goblins notice me right now, which means this is the perfect opportunity to ambush the two of them. I would probably win, especially considering I have Ariel to back me up if things go south, but there is still a risk involved. On the other hand, I could reveal myself. Goblins and slimes should be on the same side, so maybe they'll be friendly. Of course, I could just leave them to their arguing. There's no risk involved, but also no reward.