“Huh..?”

Erika’s sight turned blurry on the way to the third NPC. Her senses have been growing duller for a while, but only now it started to get in her way.

“What’s happening...?”

“Huh? What’s wrong, Titan?”

“I feel... kinda... dizzy...”

Erika leaned on a nearby wall in order to support herself. She didn’t feel like she’d collapse any time soon, but the haze was unsettling.

Is something wrong with the VR gear...?

A screen in the game’s menu informed the player about any potential issues with the equipped VR headgear. However, all the fields were green and no problems were reported.

“Like, Just how stupid can you be?”

Vivi put her tiny hands on her thin waist and struck an arrogant pose.

“Just because you’re so pitifully brainless, the generous Vivi will enlighten you! Like, it’s the rune in your big forehead. It’s been active all this time.”

“The rune...?”

Erika ran her fingers across her forehead. She couldn’t see the magical sigil drawn on it, but she felt the energy emitted by her [Communication] rune. Ever since she activated the rune to understand Vivi’s language, Erika hasn’t turned it off even once.

“Oh! Yeah, she’s right, Titan! These dumb runes sure know how to suck the soul outta ya! My right hand was paralyzed a few times because of this dumb shit.”

“Hmm... it sounds like the game’s equivalent of mana points.”

Erika brought up the game menu and opened【Status】. Her [Communication] rune was flagged as “active” at the moment. She intended to turn it off, but her finger hesitated.

“If I turn it off... how will I understand what my beloved Vivi has to say?”

“Like, as if I’d even bother to speak with brainless kid like you!”

Vivi crossed her arms and raised her chin in arrogance.

“Like, all this talking you do with witches bores me to tears! When are we setting out to Zelin City anyway?!”

“My, Vivi is so impatient~ Like a little kid~”

“W-what was that?! Hmph! Like, I have loads and loads of patience! I can even wait the whole day if I have to!”

“Then there’s no problem, right?”

Erika smiled after luring Vivi into her trap.

“H-hmph! Fine! Like, you can talk until your tongue rots! But, I’d much rather wait by the temple's entrance, hmph!”

Vivi turned her back to Erika and darted away. Erika felt sad about separating from the adorable tiny girl, but now there were no worries with turning off the [Communication] rune. Erika disabled the rune and proceeded toward the third NPC. The haziness that clouded her mind quickly dispersed.

“Hi there, cutie pie~”

The third NPC, Silveria, was a very friendly woman. She patted Erika’s head and gently pinched Erika’s soft cheeks. Erika has long since forgotten the feeling of being patted by someone taller who wasn’t her gigantic father. Therefore, she enjoyed the gesture while it lasted.

Along with Silveria’s gentleness... there was creepiness too. Silveria’s wide grin exposed her sharp teeth. When Silveria examined Erika’s soft skin, she licked her lips with a long tongue as if eying a meal.

“Whoa! Someone just made an NPC based on you, Titan!”

“My, I’m not scary as that, Mini...”

“No, no! Ya totally the same! Ya have that same creepy face when ya look at me!”

Erika wasn’t sure how to respond to this accusation. Besides, she was preoccupied with maintaining a defensive stance against Silveria. Erika felt that Silveria could instantly swallow her whole with her menacing maw.

“How can I help you, cutie pie?”

Silveria finally removed her hands from Erika, after she squeezed and pinched every part of the little girl. Erika rejoiced that she didn’t have to experience the death event of being crushed to bits by Silveria’s blade teeth.

Erika was going to inquire about Silveria’s services, but she was stopped by a peculiar sound.

“Oink! Oink!”

Erika spotted little piglets roaming nearby. She dashed toward the wooden fence behind Silveria, almost ramming into it.

“Ah, so cute~”

There were furry boar piglets locked behind the fence. They walked around and chewed on big plants with their tiny mouths.

“Peep! Peep!”

On the other side of the field, there were fluffy baby chicks. They ran around and ate seeds off the ground. Erika stretched a hand to pat them, but the chicks cutely skipped away.

There were even more domestic animals up ahead. The area stretched all the way out of the temple. There must have been a small farm outside, but that area appeared blurry and foggy like a distant mirage.

“Are you selling them?!”

Erika’s eyes sparkled as she turned to Silveria.

“Haha! They aren’t for sell, cutie pie. I’m only raising these cuties here.”

Silveria patted Erika on the head, grinning widely in a half-friendly, half-creepy manner.

“Do you love animals, cutie pie?”

“Yes! Very much!”

“Haha! So do I! Especially, I like it when they grow all big and chubby~”

Silveria licked her teeth with her long tongue. Her yellow eyes glinted sharply for an instant.

At that moment, Erika realized that her hobbies were a world apart from Silveria’s. Erika loved these animals because they were small and affable, whereas Silveria loved them because they could grow into a delicious meal.

“If you ever happen to catch some younglings, don’t hesitate to ask me for advice. I’ll make sure to teach you how to raise them big and meaty~”

“Sure..”

In truth, Erika preferred some advice about preserving the animals in their adorable baby state.

“You can also leave some younglings in my farm. I’ll make sure to take rea~lly good care of them for you.”

Silveria’s exposed sharp teeth which made Erika gulp. Erika imagined how the gluttonous witch whipped defenseless critters, turning them into meat slices with each strike.

“Speaking of which, cutie pie. I’ll be glad if you land me a hand, for the sake of the poor little younglings.”

“Helping these cuties? Gladly!”

“You see, the little chicks rea~lly love them some Windflora seeds. They are special seeds you can get from Windflora flowers. They grow near the temple.”

I see. It’s a newbie quest, isn’t it?

It was a generic quest of gathering materials for a lazy NPC. The materials were conveniently near the temple too. In order to feed the starving baby chicks - Erika gladly accepted the quest.

【Silvera’s Farming Series: Windflora Seeds】

【Be a doll and bring me 10 Windflora Seeds, will you? I’m sure the little chicks will rejoice~

You can find Windfloras right outside the Water Temple. They are big flowers with green petals.

Reward: 50 pieces + something extra if you do it quickly~】

With a new quest in hand, Erika left Silveria’s farm.