Dinner time was almost silent. Occasionally, the clinking sound of the cutlery echoed in the room. Two figures sat facing each other on the dinner table, immersed in the awkward silence.

Her eyes moved as she followed the movement of the figure in front of her. Lady Rethe put down her cutlery and stood up from her chair.

“I’ll do the dishes, don’t worry.” Luna stood up and started to clean the table.

“Oh, thank you.” Lady Rethe put down the dishes in her hand and left the dining room.

‘This is really awkward. Sigh…’

The night was long and cold, Luna was grateful that Lady Rethe had insisted her to stay the night. She tried to raise the subject, but a part of her couldn’t help feeling more embarrassed when Lady Rethe handed her a black linen dress, a pair of animal skin boots, healed her wounds with a bottle of potion that taste like strawberry and invited her over for dinner when Little Devil couldn’t stop grumbling.

A lantern next to the couch where she laid illuminated the living room. The shelf was stacked to the ceiling with books full of peculiar symbols and titles.

“Spells and Enchantment for Dummies, How to Curse Your Neighbor, Herbalist Guide for Beginners, Advance Alchemist…”

She read the titles one by one, tempted to open the book. On one corner, a black cauldron and bottles of potions nicely classed according to their colors. A broomstick was hanged behind the door. A messy wooden desk next to the fireplace with assorted crystals, quill and parchments, and candles all over.

She tossed and turned for the whole night, and when dawn came, she finally fell asleep.

***

“My aunt, Madam Gelmia run an inn in the town. Will you be willing to help me deliver this letter to her?”

New Quest

Deliver the Item II

You have been requested by Lady Rethe to deliver a letter to Madam Gelmia at Pearlsmore Inn, Sleethallow Town

Accept or reject?

“Of course, I will be more than glad to help you.” Luna took the letter from her hand and kept it in her pocket.

“Please take this too, payment for your kind assistance.” She said. She stuffed two small bottles of potions and a heavy brown pouch into her hand.

You have received a new item: Healing Potion (Common Potion) x 2

Cure shallow wound and restore HP by 50 point

You have received a new item: 20 Gold Coin

Gold coins for purchasing necessity because stealing will get your hand chopped.

“Thank you for your generosity.” Luna smiled at Lady Rethe. Her hand filled with potions and brown pouch.

“You’re not going to hold them just like that, are you? Oh, wait. I think I have something else for you.”

She rummaged the pile of stuff at the corner of the living room before she came back with a worn-out brown backpack.

“It seemed to me that you don’t have any pouch or bag to keep your stuff. How about I give you my old backpack? It’s old and worn-out, but it’s good to use for a while before you got a better one.”

You have received a new item: Worn-out Backpack

Old and worn-out, it will be just a matter of times before it ripped apart.

‘Beggar can’t be picky,’ She reminded herself.

“No, no. It’s good enough. Thank you again for your kindness.”

“Oh, please... Stop saying thank you.”

Luna kept everything she had inside the backpack before she waved goodbye, heading towards the town in her black dress. A pointy black hat and broomstick were what she needed to complete the typical witch mode.

“The town is nearby, I’ll reach there before noontime.”

‘Another day, another adventure. Let’s go slay some dragon and catch some unicorn!'

***

The journey to Sleethallow Town was rather free and easy. There was no monsters in sight. Once in a while, she met with fellow travelers on the road.

She strained her eyes at the sight of bustling movement in the distance. People and carts, and buildings.

Her lips curved upwards. She had enough of greens for an entire morning.

“Civilizations!”

Luna jogged towards the town. Her blistered feet was magically cured by the excitement in her heart. She raised her head and looked up at the wooden watchtower towering over the town. Inside were few town guards in armors keeping watch over the town.

A few more guards stood on the ground. Some were making their round, while others were stopping and checking the horse-pulled carts. All sorts of items filled the carts; Barrels of what she guessed were wines and beer, livestock, crops, and stacks of boxes of who-knows-what-inside.

She was greeted by the guard at the gate when she stopped there and read the writing on the big plate by the arched gate.

[WELCOME TO SLEETHALLOW TOWN]

“Pedestrian, walk on the left side. Please do not obstruct the traffic.”

The guard sneered at her. He was busy inspecting the cart.

Realizing that she was standing in the middle of the road, she hastened her step and made her way into the town.

Rows of wooden buildings were built along the narrow and busy streets, signboards hanged on the door displaying the varieties of business in the town. She strolled through a market district crowded by figures in all sorts of garbs parading along the cobbled pathway that was wide enough for two horse carriage to travel alongside. Humans, orcs, dwarves, elves, and humanoid figures roam freely on the road.

‘Elves! Dwarves! I wonder if there’s unicorn here? Pegasus? Perhaps dragon too?’

“Pearlsmore Inn,” She murmured, reminding herself of the unfinished quest, “Finish the quest first, then I can roam around.”

She walked over to the stall under the tree and asked, “Excuse me, sir. Do you know where’s the Pearlsmore Inn are?”

“Pearlsmore Inn? Is it that building over there?” The old man squinted his eyes and pointed to a building across the street.

Luna turned around to the direction the old man pointed at. There was a two-story wooden building there. Its signboard was hidden between the pine trees and a stall.

“I see now, that one. Thank you very much, sir. Have a prosperous business.”

The old man nodded before he hurried to tend to another customer.

The inn was located right next to the lively town square. Citizens of all ages and races filled the square. The merchants called out their wares, displaying all sorts of goods in their store.

The wooden door creaked when she pushed the door. Her head popped out from between the door.

“Hello, welcome to Pearlsmore Inn. How can I help you?” The young lady in red dress smiled and greeted the strange head popping on the door.

A small table sat on the corner next to a wooden chairs. A couple of elves sat on the other corner, gracefully sipping a Cup of Widow's Tears next to boiling teapot fuming with blue smoke. They were discussing about their next meal, their mouth casually munching on Mourning Biscuits.

Luna walked over to the long reception counter where the girl stood. She hold a thick logbook in her hand. A painting was hanged on the wall – A girl riding a dragon up in the sky. The painting looks rather alive, occasionally the dragon will breathe fire and the girl swung her sword in the air.

She looked the humanoid rabbit in front of her. Luna was sure that she had arrived in the right place.

“Hello there. Is Madam Gelmia around?”

“Yes, please wait for a moment while I fetch her. You are…?”

“I’m Luna. I have a letter for her from Lady Rethe.”

The lady nodded. She rushed toward the back room. A few minutes later she appeared with a middle-aged humanoid rabbit.

“Greetings. I am Madam Gelmia. May I know what brings you here?”

“Greetings. I am Luna. I have a letter for you from Lady Rethe.” She replied and passed her the letter in brown envelope.

Congratulations! You have completed the quest! 

Lady Rethe has requested you to deliver a letter to Madam Gelmia at Pearlsmore Inn, Sleethallow Town

You’ve earned 40XP point! 

Congratulations! You have earned enough experience to advance to Level 3!

Through hard work and perseverance, you have gained enough experience to advance to the next level.

You have 4 stat points available for distribution

Allocate stat points now?

[Total available stat points: 8+)

She closed the screen and leave the stat points for pondering.

‘I’ll deal with you later. First and foremost, I need foods.’

“Thank you for your kind help. Please take these gold coins as your reward.”

Madam Gelmia took out five pieces of gold coin and handed it over to Luna before she excused herself and turned back to the back room.

‘Quest is done. Now its playtime!’

 Her stomach grumbled, the little devil was hungry. Today’s breakfast wasn’t enough to satisfy her devil. The young lady noticed her rubbing her tummy. She offered her a plate of Mourning Biscuits which she ate happily.

The taste wasn’t up to her expectation. Perhaps the foodie inside her missed all those cookies and sweets she always had, she sat down sadly on the chair and sobbed. The couple of elves next to her saw her, and soon, they sobbed too.

Perhaps, it wasn’t a good idea to serve your guest Mourning Biscuits.

It was only after another guest ran down the stair shouting that the sobbing stopped. He hurried out from the inn, his mouth was cursing all the way out.

Luna looked down on the empty plate. She was still hungry. She thanked the young girl and headed to the market.

She strolled lazily now that her quest had been completed. Her ears was eavesdropping on everyone’s conversation, her eyes followed every single movement.

A young dwarf next to his stall shouted, “Unicorn’s breath, dragon’s tears, angel’s wrath, we have everything in stock…”

A humanoid bear held bottles of potions in all sorts of colors and shouted, “Fire breath, Thunder Potions, Frosted Potions and all sorts of potions for half price…”

Luna stopped by at one of the stall and looked at the items spread on the table. Mushrooms of all colors and shapes, berries, flowers, herbs, and all sorts of stuff she couldn’t identify. A small signboard with writing placed on the corner of the stall, “The Hidden Merchant.”

‘This seems to be a nice, decent place. Except that scary Queen, everything is quite acceptable. Perhaps if I didn’t go near the forest, I’ll be safe. Maybe, I can settle down here. Oh, wait? What am I thinking about? Settled down here?? Have I gone mad???’