Edward felt a soft sensation tapping his nose, causing him to twitch his face. As he opened his eyes, he was greeted by the sight of White's fluffy body on top of his chest.
"Outside..." Whitey's high-pitched voice rang inside his head, prompting Edward to glance at the window. "It's morning already?"
As Edward rose from the bed and wiped his face clean, he noticed the rest of his rabbit herd waiting patiently by the door. Without delay, he opened it, and all the bunnies eagerly bolted outside.
Edward watched as the herd of rabbits played around in the open, relishing their newfound freedom. It was clear that they preferred the outdoors to be cooped up inside. Edward stretched his limbs before stepping out to join them, strolling over to the patch of grass where they grazed the night before.
The grass appeared ordinary and had lost its luster from the previous day. He plucked a stalk of grass and examined it closely, but couldn't find anything noteworthy.
"Sigh... Why is everything so enigmatic in this world?" Edward lamented, about to toss the grass away when he was interrupted by a new information index that popped up in his vision.
Moonlight Dancing Grass (Inactive) - Silver Ranked Spiritual Treasure - Element: Darkness, Light - Energy Value: 18
Edward almost choked as he saw the information window. He had no idea that he could even see the details of plants!
"So, I can see the information of all living things?" Edward thought, wondering if he could see the information window of humans as well. "Maybe I should visit the city today..." With newfound enthusiasm, he explored the farm for more treasures.
After exploring the front part of the farm, Edward stumbled upon another type of special plant: Sun Bathing Weed, another Silver Ranked Treasure of the Light and Mystic element.
"Are Silver Ranked plants common, or did my parents cultivate them?" Edward mused, perplexed by the abundance of the two plants. "I should take a few of them to the city, maybe I can sell them..." Excited by the prospects of profit, he gathered a handful of each herb before finally heading toward the backyard.
The two cherry trees stood tall and imposing, drawing Edward towards them with an irresistible curiosity. As he approached, he reached out to touch the trunk, wondering about the origins of the trees. Summoning the information index, he was astonished to find that each of the cherry trees was a Diamond Ranked Nature Treasure, with elements of both Mystic and Darkness or Mystic and Light.
[Info Window]
Weeping Sprite Cherry Tree of Desires | Diamond Ranked Spiritual Treasure | Element: Mystic, Darkness | Energy Value: ?????
[Info Window]
Mornfull Sprite Cherry Tree of Dreams | Diamond Ranked Spiritual Treasure | Element: Mystic, Light | Energy Value: ?????
[Info Window]
Edward was not entirely surprised by the revelation, having grown accustomed to the mystical wonders of the farm. However, he couldn't help but feel a deep respect for his parents, who were clearly far from ordinary. "Mystic, Light, and Darkness... Those two trees are likely related," he mused, studying them carefully. "It seems that those two trees are influencing the area around them."
The more Edward thought about the trees, the more he felt he had to learn about them. He consulted the Compendium of Bloodlines and Evolution but found no mention of the Weeping Sprite Cherry Tree of Desires or the Mornfull Sprite Cherry Tree of Dreams. But, even the Sun Bathing Weed and the Moonlight Dancing Grass were absent, so he thought that the book simply didn't mention them, as there were too many plants to put them all in just a book.
Edward thought about getting some more books about plants to learn more about the two trees. He wondered if libraries existed in this world, and decided to go visit the city, as he needed to get some food and supplies.
Although there was work to do at home, it all could wait. He collected some more herbs and found twenty pieces of silver on the table. Just as he was about to leave Whitey came up to him, wanting to come along.
"Are you sure you want to come?" Edward asked, hesitant about taking the rabbit into the unfamiliar city. But Whitey nodded excitedly and disappeared into a spiritual energy vortex that opened beneath him.
Edward was surprised to learn that he could store Whitey inside what seemed like his soul, a new discovery in his understanding of monster taming.
With his things packed and Whitey with him, Edward walked through the fog toward the city. He felt that the mist was somehow connected to the cherry trees on his estate, which he wasn't sure if his parents planted or if they were always there, but it was clear that they were special.
As he approached the city walls made of stone and metal, Edward felt excited to finally explore the world he found himself in.
As he approached the city gates, Edward felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness. He wondered if there would be guards at the entrance who might give him trouble.
But to his surprise, he was able to pass through the gate without any issues, while the guards only stopped large carriages carrying goods. The city was a bustling hub of activity, filled with markets and people selling their items on every corner.
Edward was taken aback by how many people there were in the city, especially since the technology of this world didn't seem advanced enough to support such a large population. Without modern conveniences like flushing toilets and refrigerators, it seemed unlikely that people could live here.
"How many people live around here?" Edward wondered aloud as he stood on the sidewalk, feeling a bit lost. The previous owner of this body had few memories of the city, and so Edward was on his own to find his way around.
He wandered aimlessly through the streets, trying to stop passersby for directions, but they all ignored him and went about their business. Feeling like a lost soul, Edward decided to follow the carriages filled with goods, hoping they would lead him to the market square.
As he walked deeper into the city, the surroundings grew increasingly wealthier, with grandiose mansions lining the streets. He watched a convoy of carriages stop in front of one of these mansions and sighed, realizing that the convoy that he followed didn't lead to a market square, but, to a private residence.
Just as he was about to turn back, an armored man approached him and asked, "Sir, can I help you?" Edward felt a twinge of suspicion in the man's eyes.
But, nonetheless, he felt relieved that someone finally had the patience to talk to him. " Can you tell me the direction to the Library? And a place that I can sell some herbs too."
The armored man regarded Edward with a new-found respect as he observed the small energy vortex that had opened up in front of them. "Well, I'll be damned," he murmured under his breath, taking a step closer to get a better look.
"You're new around here?" the man asked, giving Edward an awkward look as he let out a deep breath. "Follow me, I can take you to the market plaza."
Edward bowed in gratitude to the man and followed him eagerly. "Thank you! I live around here, but I'm not used to the city yet."
The armored man, whose name was Julius, assumed that Edward lived in one of the many villages that surrounded the city. "As for the Library, do you mean a common one, right?" he asked.
"A common one? Do they have some books about monsters there?" Edward inquired, hoping to find some useful information about taming and controlling monsters.
"Well, common compendiums and other books that you would find selling in normal stores," Julius explained, "but if you want the real deal, you would need to enter the Monster Association Library."
Edward's eyes widened in surprise. He had already suspected that some kind of organization like an adventures guild existed in this world, but the confirmation still left him quite shocked. "Monster Association? So, what do I need to enter there?" he asked.
"Well, firstly you will need to be a tamer..." Julius trailed off, shaking his head sadly. He had seen many young men from the countryside come to the city with big dreams of becoming tamers, but they all eventually returned empty-handed.
"Just a tamer? There is no level requirement, right?" Edward asked eagerly, hoping that his trip would be successful.
"Well, there isn't a level requirement, but your tamer level will influence what information you have access to," Julius warned him. "From your energy levels, it seems that you aren't a true tamer yet. It's better if you go back and continue cultivating. The members of the Monster Association don't like common people hanging around their offices."
Edward was taken aback. "Low levels of energy? But, I already have my first pet!" he protested. "Didn't you say that there wasn't a level requirement?"
Julius was about to scold him for lying about being a tamer, but before he could say anything, a small energy vortex opened up in front of them. A black rabbit jumped out of it, landing directly on Edward's arms.
Julius let out a sigh and turned around, preparing to give the young man a scolding for falsely claiming to be a tamer - a serious offense. But before he could say anything, a small energy vortex suddenly appeared and out jumped a black rabbit that landed directly in the boy's arms.