Grind 2

Next to the town of Loom are multiple large forests, home to beasts, animals, herbs, and stuff like that.

What started of as a brief conversation with the Captain and Adam about flowers led me into the woods with a band of riders and archers.

“Should be somewhere here…” One of the archers led the way. His band of soldiers patrol this part often, and therefore it’s relatively safe. Relatively.

It took about three hours, then we found it.

A purple flower, like a cross between a rose and an orchid. It’s unique and popular because it’s shaped like two hearts stuck together.

Two Hearts

Blue

+10% Affection for Blue, +5% affection for all other females, Affection boost applies once a month. Can be combined & further processed, Wrap in a bouquet for extra boost

Ah…

“That’s it!”

“It’ll make Anne happy. It’s her favourite flower, but it’s not common in our part of town.” The captain says, he’s more helpful since the day we had a drink, so that’s the tip he gave me, and even offered to help find it.

Well, the reading next to him says 10% now..

One of the archers lean down, and extracts the flower.

“Well, let’s go.”

After that, I quickly head to the workshop. It’s actually where the blacksmith works, but I’ve decided to rent the space from him, while a room back in the mansion is being renovated.

Of the four rocks I bought from the market, one of them is a dud, containing nothing. The other rock contains a small shiny rock, but does nothing other than “can be combined”.

The other shiny rock contains a tiny quartz like crystal.

Clear crystal, Neutral, Boosts magic regeneration by 3% when set as a ring or pendant.

The small emerald, now extracted from the rock, is a bit more useful.

Small emerald, Green, +4% affection to green. Can be further processed. Affection boost is higher when set in jewelry.

The other one, is a jade.

Small jade, Green, +3% affection to green. Can be further processed. Grants small defensive bonuses, and higher chance of learning Jade-series skills. Affection boost is higher when set in jewelry.

I don’t have silver or gold on hand to process into the next step, but I suppose if this is how it works, a jeweller would be a candy store for me. Sadly, there’s none in Loom. It’s too small a town, and if one does come by, it’s probably the travelling merchants from the larger towns.

I guess they can’t make it too easy for me, eh.

Still, I don’t have any green targets to give to, so I keep them inside my magical pouch. It’s one of those hammerspace pouches, with expanded storage capacity, far larger than how it actually looks and feels.

Then I turn to the flower. I take out a few pink pieces of cloth and paper, ribbons and some other common flowers, transformed it into a bouquet.

Two Hearts Combination Bouquet, Blue, +15% affection for Blue +5% affection for others, Usable once per person.

Oh. A single use item. But that works.

You’ve gained a skillpoint!

Later that evening, I ask the other maids to organise a private dinner for myself and Anne, in a cozy room in the mansion.

“Huh?” Anne walks in, surprised when she sees a nicely lit dinner table. Unlike the normal, large, long tables common for royalty, I insisted on a more… intimate setting. A small round table, a small pot of fresh flowers,, and a small candlelight.

“Thought you’d like to have dinner with me…”

“But… this… this feels…”

“Please sit.” I stand, and guide her to her seat. She sits, obediently, but still a bit shocked, as I take the seat opposite her. A maid serves the food. Not many dishes, just three, in fact, it’s just our usual dinner dishes, either a chicken, some vegetables, and a soup.

She’s speechless.

“Please, let’s eat together.”

She pauses, and then she nods. She seems to have momentarily forgotten where the utensils are, so she fumbles.

I smile, and intentionally help her to it, touching her fingers.

“Relax…”

She blushes. “...yes, prince.”

I start to eat, and she too joins me. But she looks nervous, thinking what’s going to happen. “I went to the woods today.”

“Oh… how’d it go?”

“It went well, the captain brought me there. Saw quite a few animals, and tried to hunt, but I didn’t manage to get any. I kept missing with my arrows.”

She smiles, “Ah… you’ll get them next time.”

I shrug, “Heh, I think I’ll stick with swords and shields. How’d yours go?”

Anne pauses, and then starts, “Ah, I spent some time sorting out some logistics for shipments to the other town at the administration office, then I was at the farming superintendent’s place to help out with sorting through some of the villager’s requests, then I went to the barracks to get a report on their patrolling schedule to the other villages…”

I smile, and I then touch her hand. “So, it went well?”

“Ah… erm.. Yes. yes it did.”

We stare at each other for a moment.

And then I took out the bouquet. “For you.”

She freezes as she holds the bouquet, and I think I see a small tear in her eyes. “... this…”

“I thought you would like this flower. We found it in the forest…”

She stares at it, I could see her hands shake, as she tries to hold it. “It’s… it’s beautiful.” She looks up at me, and gives me the most genuine smile I’ve ever seen from her. Of course, I smile back.

The affection numbers on her head change to 57%.

I smile, and look back at the plates of food. It’s not finished yet, so I resume eating. Anne however, keeps admiring the bouquet in her hand, and she didn’t want to part with it. At least, not yet.

I lean in, “Anne. It’s yours okay. The food’s getting cold though, so let’s keep eating.”

Ah! On hindsight, what a lousy way to break the moment!

You’ve gained a skillpoint!

Yay! I have two skillpoints now!