Drusilla didn't seem to be in a great mood. And so against his will Saad had to open the suggestion box.
[Suggestions]
*You have freedom to choose any response or even give a custom response at any given moment."
1. "Can you stop glaring like that? It s making me angry."
2. "I'm sorry. I had no intention to cause trouble, my lady."
3. Ignore the situation
Saad wasn't about to call her, 'my lady' so he opted for a custom response. "I'm sorry," He tried his best to make his voice apologetic. "I didn't mean to cause you trouble."
Drusilla shook her head. "Humph-No need to apologize. It's going to be 15 quills. Now, where is my encyclopedia?" She said as she thrust the small bottle into his hands.
"15 Quills?" Saad stared in disbelief. He hadn't even received the reward for his quest, and yet now he was already losing more money. "Did you think I would treat you for free? My encyclopedia." She glared so haughtily that Saad closed his eyes before putting the bottle into his inventory as he paid 15 Quills with a bleeding heart.
[You have acquired a low rank healing medicine 'Verdant Soothe'. HP +15]
Saad pursed his lips, but he couldn't say anything to Drusilla and begrudgingly took out the encyclopedia to hand it over to her and just get done with the quest.
[You have completed the quest 'Drusilla's Encyclopedia'.]
Experience points +10
The message [Your familiarity with Drusilla - the novice herbalist has increased] flashed multiple times as a result of having given better items and increased to the level of being acquainted.
Drusilla looked thrilled as she held the encyclopedia, not believing what she was seeing. "Oh, how incredible! To think you would be able to do so well. Is that why you got so hurt?" She mumbled to herself and then scurried back inside the shop, coming back with a pouch. "Here you go!" She said, and Saad grabbed the pouch, soon receiving the 10 Quills and Hesperia flowers.
"You have done well! Now go. What else do you want? I even gave you medicine." As expected, Drusilla had a brusque personality for such a young girl. He really wanted to have nothing to do with her and huffed but held back any insult to avoid dropping their familiarity. After a quick nod, he left her shop. As he got out, it was dark outside, with only a few lamps lighting up the streets.
[The negative status 'chirping stars' has lifted. Your focus returns to normal.]
Saad was thankful because it had become really hard to put his foot on the right position. He wondered just how much time might have passed in real life. But first, he needed to take a look at his profile. So he opened his profile to check it once before he could log out for a quick break.
[Character Window - ID: 1221]
==============================
Name: Kael Emberflame
Age: 15
Race: Human
Title: Young Master of Emberflame (Passive)
Level: 1 (40/50)
HP: 50/50
Attributes:
----------------
Stamina: 5
Strength: 6
Agility: 5 (+5)
Intelligence: 6 (+3)
Charm: 8 (+10)
Dexterity: 6
Fame: (+10)
Additional States: Locked
SP : 0
Potential: locked
Skills: 3 empty slots
Wealth: 9 Spheres 25 Quills
----------------
* A mysterious and ominous fate is at play.* (Additional details: Locked)
Familiarity:
Lavinia: Ally
Drusilla: Acquaintance
Ashen Witch: Acquaintance
Saad couldn't believe that he was only 10 experience points away from his first level up. 'I will do just one more quest before taking a break.' He couldn't stop himself as he marked the abandoned garden as his stop and made his way back to the Ashen Witch's hut. The night had deepened, but he knew he had to return and get those sweet experience points. When he arrived, the Ashen Witch seemed surprised to see him again.
"Young one, you've returned," she said, her eyes studying him intently. "I thought you wouldn't be returning today boy. It's so late!"
"I couldn't sleep when I thought about the condition of the garden," Saad replied quickly, wanting to earn more familiarity. "I couldn't forget the promise I made. I'm here to help you now, even if it's late. The thought of the garden just isn't leaving me alone."
A small smile touched the corners of the Ashen Witch's lips. "Better now than later, I suppose. Your heart seems true, and that counts for much. Very well, I accept your offer of help."
[Your familiarity with Ashen Witch has increased.]
The Ashen Witch then issued him a new quest: to make soil beds for planting twenty different herbs. Saad's interface lit up, displaying the details of the quest
[Cultivate the Herb Beds]
Create soil beds for planting twenty different herbs and help make the Abandoned Herb Garden come back to life.
Quest Details
Soil Beds: 0/10
Difficulty: E
Rewards:
Experience Points: +20
Recipe of Grandma's Special Moonflower Soup
Lunar Dust Seeds +5
"I accept the quest," he said firmly, the system registering his response.
The Ashen Witch handed him a vial filled with strange, magical soil. "Use this soil to create the beds. The herbs require specific conditions to thrive, so be precise in your work."
Saad carefully accepted the vial, feeling the magical energy emanating from it. He thanked the Ashen Witch, and his interface updated with the quest details.
Quest Progress: Cultivate the Herb Beds
Herb Beds Created: 0/10
With determination in his heart and the rewards in mind, Saad set out to complete the quest. He found a suitable spot near the Ashen Witch's hut and activated his crafting skills. The magical soil seemed to enhance his efforts, making the task more manageable than he had anticipated. Each time he created a herb bed, a notification popped up.
Quest Progress: Cultivate the Herb Beds
Herb Beds Created: 5/10
After hours of dedicated work, he finally completed the beds. He returned to the Ashen Witch with a sense of accomplishment, eager to show her what he had achieved.
The Ashen Witch inspected the beds and nodded approvingly. "Well done, Young one. You have shown dedication and skill in your work. I am impressed."
A notification appeared:
Quest Completed: Cultivate the Herb Beds
Experience Points Gained: +20
A warm feeling of pride filled Saad's chest as he accepted the additional rewards: the recipe for Grandma's Special Moon Flower Soup and the precious Moon Flower Seeds.
Rewards Obtained:
Recipe of Grandma's Special Moon Flower Soup (Temporarily increases Stamina and Agility)
Lunar dust Seeds (x10) (Rare herb with enhanced mana restoration properties)
More than the rewards, his heart felt light as silver pair of wings appeared on his head and silver dust fell on him.
[Congratulations! You have leveled up!]
Saad couldn't believe his eyes as the silver wings appeared on his head and the silver dust adorned him. "Congratulations! You have leveled up!" He had finally reached level 2! The thrill of accomplishment surged through him, and his body tingled with newfound power. He quickly opened his character window to see what rewards he had received for reaching this milestone.
Character Window - ID:1221
==============================
Name: Kael Emberflame
Age: 15
Race: Human
Title: Young Master of Emberflame (Passive)
Level: 2 (10/100)
HP: 60/60
Attributes:
----------------
Stamina: 5 (+5)
Strength: 6 (+5)
Agility: 5 (+5)
Intelligence: 6 (+3)
Charm: 8 (+10)
Dexterity: 6 (+5)
Fame: (+10)
Additional States: Locked
Status point: 10
Potential: locked
Skills:
1. [New Skill Slot] (Empty)
2. [New Skill Slot] (Empty)
3. [New Skill Slot] (Empty)
4. [New Skill Slot] (Empty)
Skill points: 5
Wealth: 10 Spheres 25 Quills
----------------
* A mysterious and ominous fate is at play.* (Additional details: Locked)
Affection:
Lavinia: Ally
Drusilla: Acquaintance
Ashen Witch: Acquaintance
His stats had increased significantly, and he had gained 1 sphere, 10 stat points, 5 skill points, a new skill slot, and a silver box that probably held either equipment or resources along with the chance to choose 2 free passive skills. He felt the surge of power, knowing he could allocate his stat and skill points wisely to strengthen his character. Without hesitation, Saad decided to save his status point for now and decided to build them up with tasks. He wanted to have a choice later if he got stuck in a situation. He was going to see just how much he could increase his stats to reach their maximum potential. The buildup right now was going to be crucial for his future endeavors.