April 30, 2024
Start
Things had been so fast that his mind couldn't have kept up. He woke up one day on a grassy plain with nothing on his person but his clothes. Text windows were popping up talking about a tutorial. Masked aliens in primitive outfits with clubs started to pop up somewhere… and now he's in an interrogation room.
"So… got a name?" Kaeya's eye drilled into the person's head bruise. The young man was dressed rather strangely with fabric he couldn't identify. And that's saying a lot. Kaeya was not unfamiliar with the textile industry as he had dabbled in that business before. But that shouldn't be his concern. What should be his concern is what the hell is this young man doing alone in Starfell Valley? Without any camping equipment or any weapons on his person? And nearly beaten to death?
"I need to do something to call you, buddy. That is if you even remember your name. I'm Kaeya, one of the captains of the Knights of Favonius. We found you unconscious in the wilds. How you're alive is a miracle; had we not found you before daybreak… well, we don't need to know what would have happened instead, now would we?"
"… Where am I?" He seemed lost and spooked, like a lost pet who can't find its way back home.
"Mondstadt." Kaeya merely shrugged, but the young man's cautious head tilt told it all that his memory was not in the best state. "The nation of wine and songs. Ring a bell?"
"Mond… stadt? I'm sorry?"
It's one thing to act ignorant, but it's another level to claim ignorance in not knowing one of the seven nations. If this guy is a spy, then he's bad at it. Kaeya looked for any cracks in his facade. That is if there was. But there were no hints of facial forgery that escaped his notice. "Oh dear."
"Uhh…" The young man switched his focus to the blue window text in front of him.
[?]
[Level 1]
[HP: 63/100]
[Strength: 1]
[Constitution: 1]
[Dexterity: 1]
[Wisdom: 1]
[Intelligence: 1]
[Charisma: 1]
"Hello? You seem out of touch, friend." Kaeya waved his hand in front of him. "I want to make this easy for you, but I got no name to work with. Trust me, we just want to help." Kaeya kindly gestured his chest and said slowly, "I'll introduce myself once more if I must. I am Kaeya Alberich, Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius. And you are?"
"James." That's the name that slid out of his tongue. "Just… just James."
"James." Kaeya parroted. "How do you feel?"
"I'm hurt." James flexed his hand open and close. "I'm fine, though. Just… I don't know. I feel… I feel… uh." his words trailed into silence. There was something off about his body, he just knew it. But despite his injuries, he felt nothing too concerning. He was more confused than panicked. As if reading his mind, text windows popped up in existence as if it had its mind.
Menu:
[Stats]
-[Skills]
[Quests]
[Encyclopedia]
[Skills:]
[Gamer's Physiology]
Your biology doesn't work the same way as others, as you are not subjected to the laws of the physical realm. Your body has capabilities both anomalous and amazing.
[Details:]
Your body does not require sleep
Your body heals HP when you rest
Your body follows the attribute system
Your body-
"Uhh…" James stopped reading. There were a lot of details. There's mention of leveling mechanics. A perk mechanic. Some kind of healing mechanics system. There's more system than he has the patience to read. But from the gist of it… he's a video game character?
"Hello? James? Yoohoo~? You keep zoning out, pal. It's like you're seeing ghosts. Are you alright?" Kaeya smiled with concern. He raised his palms as a placating gesture, "Okay. I think we should stop there. There's no need to push it. You're breathing fine and that's what matters."
Kaeya sauntered outside the interrogation room and briefly came back with a wooden pitcher and tin cups. "I have water right here. Do you like it cold?" He placed everything on the table, then hovered his hand above the pitcher.
"What the fuck?" James recoiled slightly in hearing cackles of ice forming. The room felt less warm in an instant, and he was sure it wasn't his poisonous anxiety. "How did you…?"
"It's… my Vision." Kaeya didn't know how to react. He patted the icy ornament hanging on his hips. "Don't tell me you don't even know what a Vision is?"
[Kaeya Alberich's Cryo Vision]
An item that allows their users to directly channel the power of one of the seven Elements. This particular one lets their user manipulate Cryo, the element of icy coolness.
Magic… It's some kind of magic fucking wand. James' eyes were glued to the glowing ornament with a flabbergasted look. He didn't know what to make of it when someone can screw so freely with thermodynamics.
"That… look on your face tells me you don't." Kaeya sighed. He muttered, "Oh dear. What am I supposed to tell Jean?"
"Excuse me?"
"I… nothing." Kaeya pulled a chair and sat. "James, I'm going to ask more questions if you don't mind?"
James nodded.
The proceedings went dull. Kaeya asked personal questions. Does he remember where he lived? What happened previously when he was unconscious? What was he doing in Mondstadt? Does he have anyone he can contact? James dodged them all rather than lying; he didn't know how the locals would react that he was an otherworlder. Better safe than sorry. He used amnesia as a crutch, because what else was he able to do?
He has nothing on his person. He has no clue how to get back to Earth. He only has these video game powers he has some rough idea of how it works.
"James… we can help you. Mondstadt welcomes all." Kaeya grabbed the pitcher and poured a tin cup half-full. "We'll get you the support you need to get back on your own feet. Or until your memory recovers. Whichever is first, I guess. We can provide you with a room, food, and a roof. But you have to work for it."
"It isn't free. I'm aware." James cut in before Kaeya could further elaborate, as a way of showing that he's willing to take the initiative. "I'll… uh… what kind of jobs should I be expecting, sir?"
"That's… good." Kaeya's eyes widened in mild surprise. "For someone in your situation, I'd say you're adjusting quite fast."
"Thank you?"
"You must be mentally exhausted." Kaeya sincerely reassured.
"You have no idea." James' eyes had this thousand-yard stare.
"You're safe here." Kaeya breathed deeply, "After this, I'll have someone lead you to your bedroom. We also have healing potions that should help with the pain."
…
There were a lot of things in his tired mind. Home. Family. His abrupt death. His new life. His video game life, specifically.
James lay on his bed staring at the ceiling with eyes fully open. He sighed, feeling pointless. He stood up and lit the candle under the moonlight coming through the open window. The candle painted the room with warm amber light.
He couldn't sleep.
Not that he needed to, or that he wanted to; the mattress was awful to his back. His pillow felt more like a brick. Then again, you can't expect much from a seemingly medieval setting. He should just be grateful that they have a surprisingly modern plumbing system in the headquarters, otherwise… well, he didn't need to learn how people took care of crap in pre-modern times.
Even then, he has an actual tutorial quest.
At least he could use it to distract himself from his existential crisis.
[Quest!]
[Baby steps!]
Hello there, pal! Seems you failed your tutorial quest. Oof. That didn't give you a good first impression, huh? But don't worry! You'll get back on your feet in no time!
Welcome to Tevyat! A wonderful world of magic and… whatnot! Here in this world, a lot of things can bring you a bad day. That's just part of life. In this tutorial, we'll take a look into how you can grind your stats to prepare you for whatever kind of things to come!
Tasks:
Find a way to train each of your attributes.
Description:
Each of your attributes plays a role in your avatar. Use these contexts as clues.
Strength - this measures your physical power and carrying capacity
Constitution - this measures your endurance, stamina, and healthiness
Dexterity - this measures your agility, balance, coordination and reflexes
Wisdom - this measures your self-awareness, common sense, restraint, perception, and insight
Intelligence - this measures your deductive reasoning, cognition, knowledge, memory, logic, and rationality
Charisma - this measures your force of personality, persuasiveness, attractiveness, and leadership
Rewards:
10 stat points
Well…
It's not like he has anything else to do.
As he stared at the screen like some brain-dead fish, he took a deep breath. He didn't ask to be roped in this bullshit, but he didn't ask to die from his previous life either. At least he's alive, conscious in a new body rather than as a lingering ghost back on Earth.
Strength. Physical power. He read the text window. That sounds like a no-brainer.
He went on all four with the intent to do pushups. His entire weight went to his arms. He hadn't done anything and yet he felt giving out already. Each strained push off the ground made his chest feel like collapsing.
He gave out on the sixth push as he slumped on the wooden floor, wheezing in pain. Gym rats say no pain, no gain. But to James, it's all just pain.
Oh my fucking god, seriously? Nothing?
He felt laughably pathetic. His anticipation was dumped in disappointment. He didn't stop, deciding to do the things he remembered in P.E. Squats. Sit-ups. He did pull-ups using the top of his tall drawer as a hold. He used a loose brick as a dumbell. And then did more sit-ups.
Believing that consistency was key, he feared losing his momentum would reset some hidden threshold. He collapsed on the floor, sweat staining his armpits. He felt his lungs steaming like a boiler. Any more and his diaphragm might collapse.
By subjecting your body to intense calisthenics, you have earned 1 point in Strength!
The text window floated above his face, mocking him.
All that for a single point!?
If it took all of his willpower for a point in Strength, then what would it take to gain a point for Constitution!? Much less others!?
Endurance, stamina, and healthiness… whatever the fuck the last one mean. He reread the quest description. He was not the epitome of healthiness with all the fast food in his bloodstream. What exercises are there for endurance? Walking. Jogging. Running. James looked through the window. Well, he can't exactly run around at this hour. He'll just have to walk around the room…
For however long that may take.
By subjecting your body to prolonged fatigue, you have earned 1 point in Constitution!
He walked for one fucking hour. He double-checked his HUD. The clock in the corner of his vision told him it had taken him one full hour.
One hour.
Inside his room.
Around and around.
Like a patient in a psyche ward!
If he's going crazy, he suppose he might as well embrace the madness.
By balancing on a chair like a clown, you have earned 1 point in Dexterity!
Upon seeing the message, he stopped 'surfing' on the chair backrest and climbed down - his foot slipped as he flipped to the floor with a pained thud.
… If only he could punch that text window.
Hopefully, no one heard him.
By exercising your spatial cognition, you have earned 1 point in Wisdom!
He had a hard time figuring this one out, but he took the insight and perception part quite literally. It took him half an hour to fully memorize his room. He knew his room like the back of his hand. He can walk around blindfolded without bumping into things.
He's going insane.
By figuring out a general guideline for gaining stat points, you have earned 1 point in Intelligence!
Yeah… he was right from the start. Gaining stat points worked by doing relevant exercises and pushing through grueling mental and physical exhaustion, but he only gains a respective attribute by pushing beyond his limits. And he only gets one meager point after the entire ordeal.
He hates it.
While [Gamer's Physiology] reduced muscle strains that compensated for his lack of willpower, grinding wasn't as easy as pressing keyboards behind a screen. If only he could switch to autopilot.
At least using my brain doesn't cause me aneurysm.
Now for the last one.
Charisma.
He has some idea how to grind it… but maybe he can complete the tutorial tomorrow instead. His body and mind had been through the wringer already. He grabbed a towel and spare clothes the knights provided; a spare uniform minus the armor.
What he needs is a bath.
And rest.
…
He changed his mind.
He didn't need rest. He needed to grind.
It's only because the pain from his workout didn't take long to disappear at all, which is likely to be attributed to his [Gamer's Physiology]. So instead, he used his practically tireless body and mind to be productive. After a shower, what better way to get himself acquainted with Mondstadt than gathering information in the library?
"Hello there." James greeted the purple-hatted librarian. "I'm not expecting anyone to be up at this hour."
"The night's the only time you'll find me at the library." She fixed her purple witch hat, her eyes flashing green from the reflected amber light from the candles. "It's the most peaceful hours of the day. And you are...?"
He offered a hand to the lady sitting behind a desk. He can't but help feel enamored by her soft mommy aura. "I'm James."
"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, James. I'm Lisa." She shook his hand rather firmly. Her demeanor became a little less sleepy, "Wait. James? Oh! You're the person Kaeya rescued in the wilds. I've heard of you."
[Lisa Minci]
[Level 53]
An intellectual librarian who can never get enough naps. A proficient witch who enjoys everything related to the elements and items that would help her understand them. Sumeru Akademiya frequently refers to her as their best student in two hundred years, but left shortly after graduating, relegating herself to the management of the library.
James skimmed through her bio. The best student in some kind of what sounds like a learning institution, deciding to become some humble book manager after graduating?
She sounds interesting.
"… Hello~?" Lisa waved her hand in the air, "Well, I did hear that you tend to zone out. Is your head feeling alright? I might have a potion for that."
"Right. Sorry. I get… distracted a lot. But anyways." James shook his head. He gestured around the palace of knowledge. "This library is… it looks well equipped. I'm guessing it's got everything you need to know about this world?"
She smiled fondly, "This library is one of the largest collections of knowledge in Mondstadt. I'm very proud of that. So, you're looking to learn about the world. Anything specific you'd like to know?"
James hummed. He could use this chance to finish his little quest. The problem was… well, he had never flirted with women before. He felt stupid. Look at her! She looks way out of his league! His mind gathered whatever information his eyes observed that he could use to his advantage.
... Eyes? He could go for that angle.
"Hmm…" He gathered his confidence, placing his hand on her table. With a casual lean and a bored pout, he asked with his eyes locked on hers, "I wonder if you have a book about gems?"
"Are you a collector?"
"No." Speaking of collectors, he collected his nerves, "It's just… there's something about your eyes. They remind me of certain gems. I can't put a finger on it though."
He wants to dig a hole and bury himself.
"Oh? Now you've piqued my curiosity." She leaned a little forward with an amused grin as she knew where this conversation was going, "What's the name of this gemstone you're thinking of?"
"Emerald... Your eyes remind me of a pair of emeralds." He paused and made a casual smile. He did his best not to stutter, "Or maybe a peridot? Or perhaps jade? Bah. Regardless, I don't think no gemstone can match your eyes."
He wants to run away from the library, away from society, and survive in the wilds.
"… Are you trying to flirt with me, James?" She merely laughed it off, "Men who make their intentions too clear tend to bore me. Don't worry, I think you're quite interesting already, even if at the moment your intentions are still slightly... mysterious."
… Of course, it wasn't that easy. Or I just fucking suck. But he did notice her implications; being a librarian above level fifty, she must have high enough Wisdom that lets her read a person like an open book. Meaning to say, from her perspective, she doesn't know his intention to finish a video game quest.
By putting yourself in another one's shoes accurately, you have earned 1 point in Wisdom!
Even the System agrees. Maybe I should just be honest. Who am I playing but myself?
"Hmm." Lisa waggled her eyebrows as her lips twisted into a teasing grin, "So… you think I have beautiful eyes?"
Well, she's giving me a chance. So there's that. James smiled. He bobbed his head casually, "I don't want to sound desperate... but yes, you really do."
"Oh, no. Don't worry." She giggled as she shook her head languidly, "Desperate is when you send a love letter with a bottle of wine to a woman you've only ever spoken with once."
"Speaking from experience?" He paused a bit. "Wait. No. The answer is obvious enough. I mean look at you. Who'd blame them?"
"I-" Lisa burst into an elegantly soft laughter, "Now that is a proper way to flirt with a woman. If you're trying to charm me, it's working. Do you want a tip? Don't force a conversation. It never goes well. Just let it flow, darling."
By not acting like a creep towards a woman, you have earned 1 point in Charisma!
By making a woman amused and entertained, you have earned 1 point in Charisma!
By repeated flirting and flustering a woman WAAAY above your league, you have earned 3 points in Charisma!
What the fuck? James thought, keeping his face still. Five points just for talking? He didn't even flirt intentionally!
… That means he didn't need an intention to earn a stat point, as long as his actions were related to whatever attribute was relevant to the situation. Now that feels a little unfair. In terms of scale, the effort he needs to earn points for the other attributes seemed skewed.
A ping interrupted his thoughts.
[Quest complete!]
[Baby steps!]
You now have a general understanding of how to earn points in each of your attributes! Congratulations! May this experience help you guide in your adventure!
You earned 10 stat points
You leveled up!
You have earned 5 stat points!
What if... He relegated five of his points to Charisma. It's probably a stupid decision. Each point will affect his future. At least he didn't dump all fifteen. He might regret it later, but he's curious what a difference of each point can bring. Will it make him as attractive as it would make him strong if he poured points into Strength? Or maybe I'm just thinking with my dick.
[James]
[Level 2]
[HP: 100/100]
[Strength: 2]
[Constitution: 2]
[Dexterity: 2]
[Wisdom: 3]
[Intelligence: 2]
[Charisma: 11]
[10 stat points available]
Huh…
He felt a little strange; the closest descriptor is that he felt a little less… jumbled in both mind and soul. If he had put points in Intelligence, would he get a big brain time?
Lisa crossed her legs and propped her elbows on the table, leaning forward to rest her chin on her interlaced fingers. She spoke softly, "Now… You didn't come here solely to flirt with a librarian, now did you? Was the gemology book just an excuse?"
"Originally, I came here to learn more about Mondstadt. But then I found quite a distraction."
She rolled her eyes with a small scoff, "Me?"
"Yes. You. You're quite a head-turner." He nodded, "Ha, I bet you make men trip on their feet when they walk past you."
"Men can be silly like that." Lisa smugly refuted, "But are you telling me you're only interested in talking to me 'cause I'm attractive...?"
She's pulling the 'Do you only care about looks?' card. James stared at her blankly for a few seconds. He pulled a chair over. He sat and propped his arm on the table, "I'd say that looks is like... icing on the cake. It makes the cake look nice, but if you strip that, it doesn't make the cake have less… essence. Am I being too wordy?" He sighed sharply, "The point is, that looks are just a bonus because there's more to a person than that. There's a person's personality, philosophy, beliefs, interests, hobbies, passions, favorite food... and… stuff. They're what makes a person who they are."
"Aww. That's… sweet." Lisa softly hummed with a tender smile. She licked her lips, "I didn't think you were a shallow bastard, but I wanted to make sure."
"Ouch?"
"It's a compliment, silly. Although I do think you're trying quite hard at flirting with me."
By proving you're not some shallow pervert, you have earned 1 point in Charisma!
Ha. Ha.
By gaining respect from a woman you're flirting with, you have earned 1 point in Charisma!
By making a woman with a higher level take an interest in you, you have earned 1 point in Charisma!
"Hmm," Her hum sounded… playful. She waggled her eyebrow teasingly, "But honestly if you keep this up, I think you might have a shot at winning me over."
"Then I'll return that honesty with honesty." He propped his elbow and rested his chin on his palm, "I know I'll sound blunt, but I'll get straight to the point. Do you want to know my intentions? I'm not looking for commitment. At least not for now, I'm sure you understand. I'm just looking for people who'd like to have fun."
Lisa blinked, smiling thinly, "A lot of men lie to get what they want, James. Your honesty is… refreshing. You're not the kind to play games and let women do the guesswork, huh?"
"Communication is key, no?" He pulled the quote he vaguely remembered on the internet, "I'd rather all parties be clear with their terms… but, uh, that might be because I just suck at catching cues. Or I'm just weird hahaha."
She giggled, "I wholeheartedly agree. Communication is everythi-" A grandfather clock chimed. Her eyes widened, "Oh dear. It's that late already? Time sure flies."
"Oh." James turned to the clock, its long arm and short arm pointing straight up, "Is the library open 24-7?"
"Don't worry, darling. The library is open to anyone, anytime. Just do be careful with the books." Her chair groaned as she moved it back a little. She stood and stretched her arms up, looking down at him with her eyes glimmering with mischief emphasized by the candlelight, "So… you want to have fun with me, boy~?"
"Huh?" James was struck hard with excitement. His cool was practically thrown out of the window when all the blood rushed to his face. Is this what someone with a higher level can do, where a simple flirt from her can put him in a pink-minded trance?
"I'm just teasing of course." She leaned on one leg, bending down when she placed a palm on the table, gifting him a fair view of her cleavage. She tilted her head, "You're adorable when you blush. Maybe we can continue this next time?"
He nodded confusedly, but there was fervent desire.
"Good night then, James. Bye~"
Oh, she knows what she's doing. She walked to the doorway with feline grace, her hips swaying a little dangerously like some tempting bait for a dumb prey where every step has this… smooth undulation. But of course, he embraced the luscious sight of her rear. Her purple dress hugged her shapely form while revealing the side of her shorts and the exposed part of her thighs, as his focus switched to her long legs wrapped in black stockings. The clacks of her heels troubled the silent library just as it did with his mind. Holy shit she's fucking hot.
She exited the library, with the door gently clicking shut.
More than 10 points of Charisma got him a library date. Had he had more, what could it have gotten him tonight? He and Lisa, are both alone in the library. He felt his heart pound against his chest while more blood rushed to his cheeks and between his thighs. He imagined them breaking the quiet peace of the library with a creaking table and passionate pleas.
No. Down boy. Down!
He didn't care about his death anymore. Any emotional ties from his homeworld melted just thinking about her.
If only he dumped all his points in Charisma from the start. Earlier, he thought he'd regret dumping all 15 points, but now it was the opposite.
No. Stop thinking with your dick, me. He should save his presumably precious stat points for something more practical. He's not keen on using his stats to get some action; it wouldn't bring food to the table. He must be responsible if he wants to thrive. Besides, grinding Charisma was comparably easy. Meanwhile, attributes that help in physical work for tomorrow are not.
By realizing that thinking with your lower head is unwise, you have earned 1 point in Wisdom!
Oh har har.
He focused on something else to cool off his... excitement.
Books aren't going to read themselves.
End
Don't skip this AN, please. I know it's long, but I promise you I've kept everything concise and relevant.
From the same author of The Industrial Artificer, I shamelessly present to you, Maxing My Charisma!
To my readers, I'll get straight to the point. I want to set some expectations.
What can you expect?
-1 to 2 updates per week. No fixed schedule. 3000 to 5000 word count per chapter.
-If I'm not updating, assume something happened in real life or I'm writing my other story.
-Harem elements. Kinda a given.
-This is not a power fantasy with an OP protagonist. I like my MC to start as a coal before becoming a diamond. Also, don't expect much combat.
-A storyline with some depth. Yes, this is a smut with a plot story. The plot wouldn't be the focus, but I'd fail as an author if I used smut as a crutch.
-Mondstadt characters get all the attention first. It'd take some time before I get to other nations. And there's a lot of characters here.
-No guy-on-guy action… but if you asked nicely in the reviews, then maybe?
-Grounded interactions. And by that, I don't like pulling a deus ex machina where the MC can clap people just because. If the story wouldn't allow it, I shall not force it.
-Not a lot of game texts. I hate it when there's too much. I'm sure you can relate. I promise to minimize it. If you're curious why I even bothered with a 'Gamer System', I wrote an explanation somewhere below.
-Possibly cheesy and corny dialogues. Because, well, the MC wants to grind his Charisma stat enough. If it becomes unbearable, you're free to unfollow. But please explain why in the reviews before you do, if you don't mind. Thank you.
I'll explain the last one in more detail.
Maxing My Charisma is a practice ground to better my writing skills in particular areas; character interaction, character dialogues, character… body gesture interpretation, etc etc.
I want to have a mutual relationship with you readers. You give me relevant reviews and constructive feedback, and I give you quality chapters with gradual improvement in every update. Sounds good, right? That said, always remember: I am open to criticism. Always have, always will be. I wouldn't have the skills I have now had I not been.
You scratch my back, I scratch your… itch.
Heh.
Anyways. Moving on. I hope this was an impressionable first chapter. I'm aware that the pace is… a bit too fast, but I had reasons.
Why does it look like this chapter is rushed?
Gamer tutorials are boring, Gamer text windows are redundant, and the internet is oversaturated with isekai protagonists anyway.
Why give the protagonist a Gamer system?
It's to make the 'plot' a little less unbelievable. The Gamer System acts as a literary device; a tool for James to get what and who he wants. Without it, the pace of the story would've been a lot slower.
And because… well, his System would allow him to do inhuman things.
Why is the protagonist an isekaid MC instead of the Traveller?
It'd get too OOC if it was Aether. All that said, it would make it a lot harder as a writer to pull this off otherwise.
(To my new followers, you can ignore this section. This is related to my other work, The Industrial Artificer. But if you're going to check out TIA, don't expect the first few chapters to be… great. I did not have the skills I had back then.)
To my followers from The Industrial Artificer, hello there! I'm sure you have a clear idea of what kind of author I am, but technology in this story will be more of a side dish.
I'll answer some questions you might have.
Is James the same person as John Smith?
No. They're different people. For one, James is not familiar with technology compared to John. And for two, James spawned in peacetime, making his focus and perspective different. And three, he has a completely different, very simplified System that's curtailed for this story.
Is MMC a tech uplift story?
To some extent, yes. I just like technology. But as I said, tech will not be the focus. Expect guns though.
Why write MMC?
Horni.
No, seriously, why?
I'll keep it concise.
If you read my ANs, you'd know I write to improve, but TIA is a mishmash of everything. Geopolitics, industrialization, military tactics, gastronomy, firearms, technology… and those are just from the start.
As an analogy, TIA is this dish from Liyue oversaturated with seasonings and spices. Yes, I cooked. And it's fucking good as you guys pointed out in the reviews (love yall, btw). But there's just too much flavoring.
MMC is not just to balance it out, but also acts as a practice ground that'd let me focus on improving areas that TIA wouldn't allow. To add, writing two stories with different MCs with different 'gameplay' lets me learn to be flexible… but I do fear that it will burn me out.
Oh well.
… And because horni.