With Phoebe's help, the face-spiders had nowhere to hide. In just over an hour, Aflra found their lair once more.
As soon as Aflra appeared, the entire lair erupted in panic, and the fear flooded into her, converting to mana. Looking at the trembling face-spiders, Aflra felt a bit embarrassed.
The face-spider leader stepped forward, her voice both seductive and aggrieved, "Honorable witch, we have already given you our lair. What more do you want?"
She posed as if ready to die nobly, but the tremor in her legs betrayed her fear. Aflra stood there quietly, her face under the hood as calm as water, while Phoebe trembled in sync with the face-spiders.
Finally, Aflra spoke, "I came today to make a deal with you."
The face-spider leader breathed a sigh of relief, "A deal?"
"Yes, I know you lack food," Aflra said. "If you help me renovate my living quarters, I will give you the stored food."
The face-spider leader was furious inside: That was their lair, and the stored food was gathered by their children! But she dared not resist and sent a group of spiders to help Aflra renovate the rooms.
Watching the spiders follow Aflra, trembling, the face-spider leader waved her hand in distress.
Soon, all the spiders returned with the stored food, except for the temporary leader—the large face-spider. According to one spider, the temporary leader had been scared to death and was now likely Aflra's meal.
The face-spider leader was so angry she almost spat blood.
In the cave, to celebrate the completion of the new living quarters, Aflra roasted the legs of the large face-spider. The taste was similar to the smaller ones, but there was more of it. After eating half, Aflra was full, and she gave the rest to Phoebe.
After the meal, Aflra felt the food in her stomach beginning to digest, and she tried to capture something with her mana.
*Ping...*
* New skill discovered, +1 experience, please name...
* Naming successful, Gourmet Spell...
* **Gourmet Spell (0/10)**: +1 health, -1 mana, casting speed 0 seconds, range stomach, effect digestion, capture ability...
* Effect activated successfully, captured talent Vibration Sensing, [Gourmet Spell] proficiency +1...
*Ping...*
* Level up Aflrailable, do you want to level up?
* Confirm level up...
Aflra unlocked the [Quick Casting] proficiency after [Meditation], reducing the casting time by 10% per level, speeding up spell casting.
**Personal Attributes**
* **Name**: Aflra
* **Level**: 2 (2/4)
* **Health**: 11/10+1 (+1)
* **Mana**: 10/10 (+1, +2 in Meditation state)
* **Talents**: Lightning Reflexes, Vibration Sensing
* **Proficiencies**
+ Meditation (1/10) → Quick Casting (1/5)
* **Skills**
* ① Frost Jet (62/100): -0.7 mana per second, casting speed 1.4 seconds, range 3 yards in a cone, weak attack, effect: freeze
* ① Flame Jet (53/100): -0.75 mana per second, casting speed 1.5 seconds, range 3 yards in a cone, moderate attack, effect: burn
* ① Shock (13/100): -4.75 mana, casting speed 4.75 seconds, range 0, moderate attack, effect: paralyze
* ① Fear Spell (70/100): use any method to frighten the enemy, capturing their fear and converting it into mana upon success
* ① Gourmet Spell (1/10): +1 health, -1 mana, casting speed 0 seconds, range stomach, effect digestion, capture ability
Her efforts had not been in vain. Both [Frost Jet] and [Flame Jet] had improved significantly, especially [Fear Spell]. The new [Gourmet Spell] not only increased her health but also enhanced her physical condition, which delighted Aflra.
She began to consider staying in the forest a bit longer to feast on the local monsters. The face-spider leader had mentioned that 15 kilometers east, halfway up a mountain, was the territory of the Flame Monkeys. These monkeys produced Flame Wine, which significantly reduced the mana cost of fire magic and was highly palatable.
Aflra had never drunk alcohol, but from the records, she knew it was a noble and delicious beverage. She decided to visit the Flame Monkeys' territory.
The next day, Aflra set out alone. Phoebe refused to follow, having once encountered the Flame Monkeys and losing half her fur, leaving a lasting trauma. Unaware of this, Aflra thought Phoebe was simply being timid.
Aflra moved through the dense fog, and various beasts avoided her. A venomous snake dropped from above, but she caught it by the neck and used [Shock], causing it to convulse and then tossing it aside.
As the fog cleared, the sun shone brightly, and Aflra entered the Flame Monkeys' territory. The area was rich with fruit, and it was summer, with trees laden with ripe produce. Aflra climbed a tree, plucked a bright red fruit, and took a bite, savoring the sweet and tangy juice, her eyes closing in delight.
Suddenly, her Vibration Sensing alerted her to something approaching at high speed. Aflra slightly tilted her head, and a fruit pit flew past. She caught it and threw it back, hitting the target.
The Flame Monkeys, intrigued by her presence, began to gather around, chattering and gesturing. Aflra, using her newly acquired Vibration Sensing talent, could feel the subtle tremors in the ground, giving her an edge in understanding their movements and intentions.
She approached the leader of the Flame Monkeys, a majestic creature with fiery red fur and piercing eyes. Using a combination of gestures and the few words she had learned from the face-spiders, Aflra communicated her desire for the Flame Wine. The leader, impressed by her boldness and the respectful manner in which she had handled the initial confrontation, nodded and led her to a hidden cellar.
Inside, rows of clay jars filled with the precious Flame Wine lined the walls. Aflra's eyes widened with excitement. She carefully selected a jar, and the leader handed it to her with a nod of approval.
With the Flame Wine in hand, Aflra made her way back to her lair. The journey was uneventful, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. Once back, she opened the jar and took a cautious sip. The wine was indeed delicious, with a rich, smoky flavor that complemented its fiery nature.
Aflra decided to test its effects. She cast [Flame Jet], and to her delight, the mana cost was significantly reduced. The wine lived up to its reputation. She spent the next few days experimenting with different spells, finding that the Flame Wine enhanced her fire magic considerably.
Her time in the forest had proven fruitful. With her improved skills and the benefits of the Flame Wine, Aflra felt more powerful than ever. She knew that her journey was far from over, but with each challenge she faced, she grew stronger and more confident in her abilities.
As she sat by the fire, watching the flames dance and crackle, Aflra couldn't help but smile. The future was uncertain, but she was ready to face whatever came her way.