[Now I'm using the last of my abilities to scan this forest. This might be the last time I can use my powers, so take the chance to ask any questions you have.]
"The last time, huh... Could you explain how this world works?"
[Alright. I'll scan the forest first and then introduce this world to you. It might be hard for me to communicate with you after that, so take the time to observe the village...] As the system finished speaking, Perry felt his connection with it weakening.
After stepping out of the house, Perry figured he should ask more about Henry, but on second thought, it seemed that the people he just spoke to didn't know much about Henry. Hesitating for a moment, Perry decided not to disturb them again for now. Rushing into things might raise unnecessary suspicion.
He looked up at the sky. The blue expanse remained unchanged, much like Earth's. The clear sky gave him a sense of familiarity, offering some comfort.
[I'm back.]
"That was pretty fast." Perry was shocked.
"Did you find where the Mushcat is?"
[Sorry, Host. My ability can no longer fully scan the entire forest. I only have information on a portion of the creatures and plants.]
Perry sat down on a wooden bench in the center of the village, watching the villagers pass by. These people looked just like humans from Earth, though their clothing was somewhat old-fashioned. His curiosity pushed him to ask the system, "So what do you know about this big tree, this village, and this world?"
The system quickly responded, [Due to my current level, I can't obtain too much detailed information about this place. But I can give you some basic info about this world—Duras.]
Perry listened patiently as the system continued, [In this world, leveling up and gaining abilities isn't achieved by fighting monsters or training. Instead, it's done by eating special, delicious food. Chefs hold a high status here because they control people's ability to level up. However, being a chef is a dangerous profession. If they fail at cooking, not only will the food taste terrible, but it can also cause the eater to lose levels—sometimes even dropping back to level 1. That's why people here are extremely cautious about what they eat. Any dish that doesn't meet standards can lead to dire consequences. Chefs responsible for downgrading others are usually sentenced to death.]
Perry couldn't help but comment, "That's a weird setup. Cooking can be that dangerous?"
The system ignored his remark and went on, [Fighting monsters doesn't directly raise levels. It only gives experience, which helps improve combat skills and knowledge of monsters' weaknesses. But actual leveling up requires an increase in physical strength and magical power. While some people are skilled enough to defeat higher-level opponents even at lower levels, it's rare, since higher-level people have more stamina and magic to burn.]
Perry frowned. "So, people without a chef would have a hard time leveling up, and even eating becomes a hassle? Having to identify suitable ingredients yourself sounds like a pain."
The system replied, [The ingredients on Duras are indeed different from those on Earth. Each ingredient has its own attributes—though there are also ordinary foods without any attributes. If you cook carelessly, you could cause poisoning or allergic reactions due to mismatched attributes. Most chefs here only serve specific people, often working as private chefs, because a mistake could be fatal. But if you don't aim to level up, eating non-attribute foods is still fine. However, if you want to level up, you must consume special dishes.]
Feeling relieved that eating regular food was still possible, Perry relaxed a bit.
[There is, however, an alternative for leveling up: nutrient solutions. Although they taste bad, they help people level up. Typically, you need to take them for three months straight—300 milliliters per bottle—and after three months, you'll level up. But during that time, you can't consume any other types of nutrient solutions. Overdoing it would cause your power to go out of control.]
Perry sighed helplessly. "Sounds like a hassle."
He thought for a moment and asked, "What level is Henry?Can I know about this guy?"
The system responded calmly, [Here's the current data on Henry. Full name: Henry Gilbert. Human. Magic apprentice at Walkedis Academy, specializing in plant magic. He has a decent knowledge of plants. Thanks to his excellent performance, he became an assistant to Professor Ron. His current level is 22, which is quite impressive for a sixteen-year-old. For more information, you'll need to interact with those around him.]
Perry was about to ask more when he suddenly felt a chill down his spine. He turned around to find someone sneaking up on him, their hand reaching out as if to do something.
Startled, Perry stared at the figure. "Who are you?"
The person hesitated for a moment, then forced a smile. "Ah, sorry, didn't mean to scare you."
Perry's heart was still pounding as he kept his eyes on the stranger, curious to see what would happen next.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the trees, casting a soft glow on a young boy not far away. He had long, golden hair cascading over his shoulders, lightly swaying in the breeze. His eyes were particularly striking—blue with a hint of green, like the serene waters at dawn, both clear and mysterious. His features were exceptionally delicate, almost sculpted in perfection. If not for his clear voice, Perry might think he is a beautiful girl.
A light wind ruffled the boy's golden hair, and he casually brushed it aside with his fingers. It was then that Perry noticed something unusual about his ears—they were slightly pointed, revealing the boy's elven heritage. This realization stunned Perry. The boy in front of him might be a member of the elves.
The boy seemed to sense Perry's distraction and waved a hand in front of his face to snap him out of it. Perry quickly regained his composure, realizing he had been staring rudely, and hurriedly averted his gaze.
"Who are you?" Perry broke the silence first.
"Me... I'm Rufus, from the Elven Village up there." Rufus smiled, pointing to a delicate treehouse not far away.
Rufus?What a simple name. I thought it would be a complicated name.
"Hi, I'm Pe..." Perry almost introduced himself but quickly realized the situation wasn't right. He changed course and said, "I'm Henry."
Rufus's smile brightened. He seemed to know about Perry's identity. "I know who you are—you're the human boy who recently arrived in the village. Thank you for healing the sick and injured here."
Rufus sat down beside Perry without hesitation, his demeanor friendly. He continued, "Recently, monster activity around the village has been increasing. The elves have been busy protecting their hunters, leaving the rest of the village, especially the non-combatants, vulnerable to attacks from Flame Wolves. Although we managed to fend them off, many were injured. Without your timely help, we might've suffered casualties. So, I came to thank you personally."
Rufus's eyes sparkled with sincerity, and his smile was warm. Perry, though unsure of the full details, could sense that the young elf was genuinely kind.
"No problem. I actually enjoy helping others." Perry forced a smile, still uncertain about what Henry had done, but he decided to go along with it.
At that moment, the system's voice suddenly rang in Perry's head, startling him. [I gathered some new information from Rufus's conversation, this is a short memory about what happening at here .]
Perry's thoughts were immediately drawn into one of Henry's memory fragments. Three days ago, Henry had entered this village for the first time, shocked by the sight of parts of the village still burning, with claw marks and blue flames left behind by Flame Wolves. Without hesitation, Henry rushed into the village to help treat the wounded. Though the villagers were wary of him at first, Henry persisted, healing them with his magic, and eventually earned their gratitude.
When the memory faded, Perry snapped back to reality, noticing Rufus looking at him curiously. "It's... It's nothing. I was just doing what I could," Perry replied awkwardly, realizing that his brief distraction might have seemed odd.
Rufus didn't press the issue. Instead, he smiled warmly and said, "I actually wanted to invite you to my house for something to eat as a token of appreciation, but you seem pretty busy lately, right now you free?"
Perry looked at the young elf in front of him, silently amazed by the contrast in his appearance. If not for the bow and arrows Rufus carried and the lean muscle on his body, Perry may have thought he was a scholar.
"No need, thank you. I really do have something urgent to take care of. I need to go into the forest to find something," Perry politely declined. Despite Rufus's sincere offer, he had a more pressing task at hand—finding the Mushcat. But he also knew that the forest was full of dangers. The threat of Flame Wolves was already enough to worry about, and if there were other monsters, he might be in real trouble.
[Host, you can communicate with him to get more information, it will be more convenient] At this time, the system instructed.
System is right, he is not so reliable now.
So, Perry slightly lowered his guard and asked Rufus about the forest. He figured that as an elf, Rufus would know the forest better than anyone else.