NT veRse - Bad End Guide 8 - Milk (Patreon)

“L'oran, is there a pantry somewhere?” You asked.

The girl nodded. “Walk around any corner and think 'I want to go to the pantry.'”

“Right, because I saw Virise walking out with a bowl of milk.”

“That's from the 'Milk Book.'” L'oran offered casually, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

“The... Milk book?”

Lore smiled and floated down the foot or so she was hovering above while re-arranging shelves. She rested a hand on your shoulder.
“You want me to show you?”

-

The Pantry within the temple was a large kitchen. Nothing modern, there were several wood stoves, counters and cupboards with what you could assume were cups and plates and bowls.
“I guess even Cultivators have to eat, huh?”

“Just for fun.” Lore shrugged. You looked at her so she clarified.
“Don't really gotta eat to live. Just enjoy food like everyone else. So if there's a big feast or somethin' it's more the ceremony.”

“So why do you have a 'milk book?' Also... The hell is that?”

Lore wandered over to one of the counters and found a worn-looking tome sitting closed on top. “Milk tastes good...” She clicked her tongue as she picked it up.
“Can't believe she just left this out.” Lore handed it to you. It was no more or less heavy in your hands than any other tome.
“It'll get dirty...”

“How's it work?” You inspected it and found the the front of the Tome was completely written over with 'Milk' in big letters. Whatever it was before, that title was long gone. The pages all seemed stuck, aside from in the middle where it opened easily. As you pried those middle pages apart you were jarred to see a rather voluptuous pair of breasts with big, dripping nipples pop out. As they left the page they were almost bigger than the book itself, like they were squeezed in.
“What?”

“Yeah... I think it's a Minotaur?”

“You have a Minotaur trapped in a tome that you use specifically for milk, like she's a cow?” You knew from experience that depending on the horn size of the girl, being trapped and forced into that state could be mental torture.
“This isn't right!” You felt biased by your experiences and wouldn't hear no on this issue.

“It's a Core Beast... I don't know what the problem is, Eve.” Lore explained.
“Plus, being in the book doesn't actually feel like anything. They're replaying their triumphs and failures and stuff.”

“That's not nothing! Also, you're putting this part of her outside, so wouldn't she feel it every single time you used her like this?”

“Uh...” Lore did not seem to have an answer, or at least not one she was saying in the moment. You began to pry the stuck-together pages near then beginning apart. The book did not tear or bend, surprisingly. Lore Help out her hand.
“Hey, wait!” You pried it open completely and read the first page. One one thing stood out before it started glowing; in big capitalized letters 'Minotaur Queen.' You dropped the book on the ground. Lore did not look worried, but she did seem annoyed. She watched attentively. In a matter of moments, standing over the open tome was an incredibly tall, incredibly curvy and toned woman with the longest Horns she had seen so far. The grew out and then curled up. In total they were close to about a  foot and a half, maybe two feet. Around those ivory-white horns there were ribbons on either side in red with round bells hanging from them. She also wore a largish ring pierced through her nose. Her hair was brown and her eyes were also a deep auburn. She stood by, confused at first, with one hand resting on her cocked hip. She looked down at you, then at Lore.

“Hah! Free at last. Who are you ladies?” She asked.

“I'm Eve and this is L'oran.” You said.

“Eve, who is this? Did you even read the page?” Lore whispered.

“No.” You lied.
“I just opened it and skimmed. Do you know?” You probed, still being cautious, in favor of the captive woman.

“Always just been Milk. Still, biggest Minotaur I've ever seen.” The short ginger girl stared up admiringly.

“That's right, bask in it.” The Queen outstretched her arms proudly.

“So articulate.” Lore added.
“Who are you?”

“I am none other than M-milk? That's not right.” She rubbed her head.
“Milk... Milk... Damn Cultivators! They'll feel my wrath.”

“Really...” Lore smirked and began to walk away.
“Eve, she's your responsibility. Scream and run and think about me if anything happens.” Lore stopped as she was about to step out completely. She turned around and took long strides back towards Milk until she was right next to her. Her face was almost at breast level so she just got up on her toes and casually squeezed her right breast. A stream of milk shot into her mouth and a bit onto her cheek. She blinked.
“Better than usual!” She snapped her fingers and pointed to Eve.
“Good job!”

Milk stared at her with a stunned expression while all of that was happening and long after Lore had left. Eve looked up at the Queen awkwardly.
“You remember your name to be Milk?” You thought back to the name scrawled across the title.

“Yes... Why was that girl so insolent while you're behaving so meek and proper? Does she not know who I am?”

“Well, no... She doesn't and that's a good thing. She's a Cultivator and so am I, Technically.”

She gasped and turned sharply while taking a few steps back on her wide hooves. Her tail made a snapping sound.
“So... My enemy summons me! But for what cause? And why insult me by leaving me alone with you! I could dispatch of an entire Temple of you at once in my time. I feel a bit rusty but I could still maybe...” She stretched and made a face, seeming to feel something was off right away.

“I'm pretty sure she just thinks you're a particularly big Minotaur and no threat. She doesn't seem to know who you are. Everyone here has been using you as a way to get easy milk for... Who knows how many hundreds of years.”

“That's why I feel so drained! You damned cultists have been siphoning m-my energy, my life giving fluid for centuries to weaken me!” She covered her chest bashfully, her cheeks flushing. She seemed horrified.
“What about you, meekling?”

“I actually stayed a while with your kind and met a girl that was smart after being transformed. She explained how it all works to me so I feel sympathetic and want to find a solution between Minotaurs and other Species.”

Milk lifted a brow and uncovered herself. “You wish to join my Kingdom?”

“No... I said find a solution. I'm neither with you or against you.” You explained hurriedly while waving your hands in front of you.
“Though, I am more with you than I am against you.”

Milk exhaled hard through her nose. “Excellent. You'll make a splendid maiden in my command Cultist... Eve, was it?”

“Like I said, I'm not-” The Minotaur did not seem to be listening. She immediately began wandering the Pantry like she owned the place. You sighed.
“You still remember everything, just not your name?”

“More or less.” She nodded, looking through the cupboards. The woman found a bag of grain, took it out and just started shoveling it into her mouth as a snack while holding the bag in her arm.
“I feel a fraction of my former power... It's ridiculous. That damned Great Master...” She spoke with her mouth full.

“You fought her?” You asked curiously.

She grinned and lifted her chin proudly, swallowing before she spoke. “To a standstill! It was her trickery in trapping me in this book that won the day, I suspect.” After saying that she winged subtly and asked.
“She isn't here, is she?”

“Not that I know of?”

Milk tossed the grain onto a nearby counter and stepped towards you. She towered over you by almost two feet.
“You, meekling, I have to thank for freeing me. My strength will come to me in time. It may take a year, it may take a century. Regardless...” She leaned down with a bright expression and with a finger tilted your chin up as Milk leaned down and kissed your forehead. You gulped, your cheeks reddening.
“As a member of MY entourage I'm bound to protect you, regardless. Where shall we go?” She leaned back and stretched.
“Somewhere warm, I hope.”

“We can't go anywhere.”

“Why?”

“Because I have to stay here.”

“You're being forced?” Milk inquired.

“N... o. I chose to be here.” You furrowed your brow.

'Should I confide in her? She seems really nice and hyper protective. At the same time, I don't know how long I'll be able to keep her around. I may have to protect her from Virise and the Others.' Based on your bias you decided to just let it go. You groaned.
“Alright, can you keep a secret?”

“Make it a pact.” Milk lifted her hand and extended her pinky.
“I never break a bond.” She stated solemnly. You curled your pinkie with hers and shook. She nodded proudly and stared down appraisingly at you.
“Now what is it, Meekling?”

You explained everything to her. About your memories of back home, about your appearing in the body of someone that was familiar to those in the Temple. How you were gaining fleeting memories and knowledge of skills and traits that the body's original owner had, but that it was not concrete nor reliable. You even relayed the philosophical musings of  Mio and Lore, and your thoughts.
“... So, I don't know WHO I am. What if I am this Eve person and all those memories of the place back in the other world are just fabricated? What do you think?”

Milk closed her eyes, which could give the impression she was not listening, however her ears were twitching the whole wile. She nodded slowly and sagely.
“What are you afraid of, Meekling?”

“I'm afraid of being found out-”

“No.” She opened her eyes.
“What are YOU afraid of.”

You sighed. “I guess I'm afraid of committing to something that isn't right. Should I be making memories and learning things and enjoying the world or should I just be focusing on trying to get 'my' memories back fully. When that happens I'm afraid all the things in my head that feel so real that might be fake might disappear. Maybe I'll be a different person when the real Eve comes back.”

“That's quite a conundrum. I was also a powerful Master before I turned. I lapsed for a moment and as the horns were taking and heat overtook me I assumed that those were my last moments. However, those experiences that I had were still a part of me and my new perspective added onto those. I was changed, but not different. If what you have is any less than having your brain pierced by tentacles and reshaped then you may be fine even if the 'old' you returns. You'll have both the memories you make now and the ones from before and those will make you who you are and it'll not feel strange or frightening at all.”

“Huh. Thanks.”

“That being said, these people probably shouldn't know about all of that. Cultivators are a dense lot. They believe they are perpetually correct.”

You inhaled sharply. “I already told them. They are the ones that think those memories are fake.”

Milk blinked. “Point still stands, right? I guess instead we don't give them a reason to think those memories aren't fake. You're 'Eve' around them, right?”

“I don't have any other name.” You chuckled.

“Like me...” Milk uttered sardonically.

That made you think. “Y... Yeah... Like you, maybe.”

“Leave that thought for now, Meekling. I'll return to the Book for your convenience, however you are to carry it and summon me whenever possible and stop those Cultists from stealing my milk! Can you do those things?”

“I don't know how to return you to the book, but if I can...” You bit your lip.
“It's not really fair, is it? You shouldn't have to live inside a book.”

Milk stared down at you gently and patted your shoulder. “Life's not always fair, Meekling.”