Chapter 256

It was Christmas day, and John was level 91. It was warm and cosy underneath the blanket when he awoke, largely thanks to his girlfriend being snuggled up to him. No feet in his face, no one else in his bed, just his girlfriend, resting her pink-haired head on his shoulder in a way that neither caused her most curly strands to tickle him somewhere nor made his arm numb.

If that wasn't a Christmas miracle, John didn't know what was. A window popped up, a Christmas greeting from Gaia. He read it, he used its reward, he smiled at the choices and shielded his thoughts from the elementals. He would keep that surprise for later.

Next, Rave actually woke up without John's influence. "Hey there, handsome," she purred and pressed stronger against him; "Is that a rocket in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"

"I am not wearing anything right now, so by exclusion of possibilities I will have to admit to the latter," John said, causing Rave to giggle.