The sun was barely peeking through the trees when Daena nudged Liria awake. "Rise and shine, little warrior. We're going to town today."
Liria groaned, rubbing her eyes. "Town? We don't even have neighbors, and now we're going shopping?"
Daena chuckled. "The town's a bit farther off, but yes. I can't have you traipsing through the woods in those ragged clothes forever. We need supplies, and you need a few things that don't look like they've been through a goblin brawl."
The mention of goblins made Liria flinch a little, but she grinned. "Alright, I'll try to look a bit more... civilized. If we must."
They gathered what little they had, securing their coin pouches and hiding Liria's small sword beneath her cloak. As they set off, Liria decided it was time for a quick check on her stats.
[Status Update for Liria Silverthorn]
Level: 8
Experience: 70/500
Health: 450/450
Magic: 300/300
Attributes:
Strength: 15
Agility: 18
Endurance: 15
Intelligence: 12
Magic: 20
Abilities:
Swordsmanship (Level 2)Endurance Training (Level 2)Fireball (Level 2)Ember Swipe (Level 1)Blade Mastery (Level 1)
[Observation: Congratulations, you've graduated from "frail forest waif" to "somewhat formidable waif."]
Liria snorted at the System's comment. "Frail waif, huh? Look who's talking."
[Your current stats say otherwise, but fine. Next milestone: reach Level 10 to qualify as a "Junior Threat."]
"Well, I'll just have to keep working my way up to 'Supreme Threat,'" she muttered back with a smirk.
By midday, they finally reached the outskirts of Eryndale's town center. It wasn't a grand capital, but the cobblestone streets bustled with traders, knights, and children darting between the stalls. The buildings, mostly half-timbered houses with cheerful blue or red shutters, gave the town a cozy, welcoming feel.
Daena tugged her cloak a little tighter. "Remember, Liria, we're incognito here. The Kingdom of Eryndale isn't known for its open-mindedness. We blend in, we shop, and we leave without any fuss."
Liria grinned, pulling her hood over her head. "Got it. Incognito. Just a couple of ordinary forest folks doing a bit of shopping."
Their first stop was a stall overflowing with bolts of fabric in every color imaginable. The merchant, a stout woman with an impressive moustache, eyed Daena and Liria up and down. "You looking for clothes, eh? Bit of everything here. Though, no offense, you two look like you've seen better days."
Daena offered a polite smile. "Yes, just a few essentials for my granddaughter here. She's due for something a bit… sturdier."
The merchant pulled out a bundle of dark green fabric and held it against Liria's shoulder. "Hmph. Bit scrawny, but she'll do fine in this. Tough weave, hard to tear good for rascals who like to fight trees."
Liria smirked. "More like goblins, actually."
The woman blinked, surprised, but Daena intervened smoothly. "She's got quite the imagination."
[Note: Suggestion: Try not to mention goblins. Ordinary humans find it "concerning" if a twelve-year-old claims to be fighting monsters.]
"Oh, fine, spoil my fun," Liria thought. She focused instead on the clothing. Daena, it turned out, had an eye for practical yet flattering styles. Liria ended up with two sturdy tunics, a pair of trousers with reinforced knees, and a thick cloak lined with a soft, mossy green fabric that almost felt magical itself.
Once they'd gathered enough clothes to satisfy Daena, Liria's stomach growled, reminding her she'd skipped breakfast. They followed the tantalizing smell of roasted meat to a food vendor selling rabbit skewers and honeyed bread. Daena handed over a few coins, passing Liria a skewer.
"Eat up, little warrior," she said with a smile. "You'll need your strength for the next stop."
Liria took a bite, savoring the smoky, salty flavor. "What's the next stop?"
"Weapons."
Liria nearly choked on her rabbit. "Wait, really? We're shopping for swords now?"
Daena chuckled, leading the way down a narrow street that opened into a small alley where a row of weapon stalls gleamed in the midday sun. Swords, daggers, and even a few ornate spears were laid out on display, each gleaming as if daring someone to pick them up.
Daena raised a brow. "Every warrior needs a weapon that feels like an extension of themselves. I want to see if any of these… speak to you."
Liria glanced over the display, her hand itching to touch the polished hilts. One sword in particular caught her eye a slim blade with a hilt wrapped in dark leather and silver engravings running along its length. She reached out, feeling the weight of it in her hand.
"Careful, little miss," said the smith, an old man with arms like tree trunks. "That one's got a wicked bite to it."
Liria grinned, swinging the blade experimentally. It was lighter than she expected, and somehow, it felt… right. She looked up at Daena, a question in her eyes.
Daena nodded approvingly. "Good choice. We'll take it."
The smith raised his eyebrows. "Not a typical choice for a child. She must be tougher than she looks."
Daena gave Liria a small smile. "You could say that."
With their purchases secured, they wandered through the marketplace a bit longer, taking in the sights and sounds of Eryndale. Liria couldn't help but marvel at how different it was from their quiet forest life. Here, there were so many people, each with their own stories, and so much energy.
Yet, amid the crowds, Daena kept an eye out, her gaze ever-watchful. Liria noticed her grandmother tense slightly whenever a knight or city guard passed by. Despite her demon queen past, or maybe because of it, Daena seemed keen on staying out of trouble.
[Alert: Local security levels: moderate. Minor threat. Maintain caution in crowds.]
Liria mentally rolled her eyes. "I'm twelve and buying clothes. I think I'll survive."
[Suit yourself. Recommendation: obtain sweets from the vendor nearby. Nutritional value: questionable. Enjoyment level: high.]
"Now that's advice I can get behind," she thought with a grin, tugging Daena's sleeve. "Can we get sweets before we leave?"
Daena raised an eyebrow. "What, the rabbit wasn't enough?"
"Just a little something?" Liria gave her best wide-eyed, innocent look, and Daena sighed, relenting.
"Alright, but just one."
They stopped at a sweets stand, and Liria picked out a small bag of candied nuts and a slice of honey cake that smelled divine. As she bit into it, the sticky sweetness filled her mouth, and for a moment, all her worries vanished.
With their shopping complete, they headed back toward the outskirts of town. The forest felt like a welcome reprieve after the bustling energy of the market, and as they walked, Liria felt a strange sense of contentment.
Daena glanced down at her. "Not bad for your first trip to town, eh?"
Liria grinned. "Not bad at all. I might even get used to this whole 'civilized' thing. But next time, I want more than one slice of cake."
Daena chuckled. "I'll make a deal with you. Keep training hard, and maybe I'll throw in an extra treat now and then."
[Achievement unlocked: First Human Town Visit! Reward: improved social awareness, minor increase in charisma.*]
"Oh, please," Liria thought, rolling her eyes at the System's overly dramatic announcement.
[Oh, don't worry. I'm just here to make sure you don't bungle things too badly.]
"Keep it up, System, and I'll see if Daena can give you a good smacking too."