[ Velvet was guided from the prayer room to her friend Verosala. They both exited the temple. After exiting the temple, their paths diverged at the entrance to the blacksmith shop area, with Verosala heading home and Velvet stepping into the blacksmith's establishment. ]
"Goodbye, Verosala! Thanks for walking with me," Velvet called out, her voice echoing slightly in the bustling city street.
"Anytime, Velvet! See you later!" Verosala waved, already heading toward her own home.
[ Velvet turned around, her eyes landing on the doorway of the blacksmith's shop. She steps inside the blacksmith store. There she met the young blacksmith once more. ]
"Welcome again, miss! How are you today? Need anything?" the blacksmith said with a warm smile while his face is covered in soot.
"Good afternoon, uncle" Velvet answered as she walked towards him. Her gaze glanced over to the new collection of weapons and armor.
"I'm interested in buying an iron sword and a wooden shield," she said while still gazing at the new collection.
"Excellent! It is a solid gear for any new adventurer. Though since you are still five to seven years old, this set should suit you fine," the blacksmith nodded, reaching for the requested items. He presented them to her, the iron sword gleaming under the workshop's light, the wooden shield stout and reliable.
"That would be 1,000 kindlers in total," said the blacksmith.
[ Velvet paid the amount that the blacksmith needed to get the items she needed. Leaving her with a total of 13,200 kindlers left in her money pouch. ]
Once the transaction was finalized, Velvet's curiosity was sparked. "Uncle, if I may ask, what is your name? I didn't catch your name last time."
"The name's Shabon," he said with a touch of pride. "I'm currently the fourth-generation proprietor of Odin's Blacksmithing Workshop. My great-great-grandfather is none other than Odin himself. Ah, don't get confused with the god called Odin; the Odin I'm talking about is the Odin who founded this business, not the actual god himself."
"Odin's Blacksmithing Workshop," Velvet thought, while admiring the exaggerated heritage. "Thank you, Shabon."
"Be careful out there!" he shouted as Velvet stepped out of the shop, her new equipment feeling sturdy and comforting in her hands.
[ With her gear in place, Velvet made way for the inner gate, planning to step out into the outer world. The city noises gradually decreased as she entered the less populated streets. A strangled sob echoed in her ears. Turning a corner, she saw a young boy fighting with two larger men. ]
"Let me go! Please!" the boy wailed, his voice trembling with fear. "Someone! Help!"
Without a second thought, Velvet stepped forward. "Hey! Leave him alone!" she ordered, her voice firm.
[ The kidnappers, caught off guard by her unexpected arrival, let go of the boy and moved towards her, ready to kidnap her too. But to their dismay, she fought back using the martial arts that the dragon taught her and left them unconscious in the alleyway. ]
[ The little boy, who looked to be not more than seven years old, looked up at Velvet, his eyes brimming over with relief and admiration. ]
"Thank you for the help" he said, his voice still shaking. "By the way, my name's Pharcel. If you ever need me, just ask around, and I'll appear!"
"You're welcome, Pharcel," Velvet smiled, a small sense of gratification warming her. "And I'll keep what you said in mind."
[ On her journey to the inner gate, she saw two familiar female guards as she handed over the two kidnappers. ]
"Good afternoon," Velvet said, holding out her hand to display her badge. "Velvet of the Sunblaze household. These two tried to kidnap me before coming here; can you handle them?"
"Ah, Lady Velvet. Please, pass through; we will handle the rest," Josephine, one of the guards, said, her gaze briefly resting on the Sunblaze emblem before gesturing her forward. Dandelion, the other guard, offered a polite nod.
[ Her journey to the outer gate was uneventful. Thus, once she reached the outer gate, Velvet met two more guards that were familiar to her. ]
"Melvin, Mark, good day," she said, with a bright smile on her face.
"Lady Velvet, where do you plan to go?" asked Melvin.
"To the forest to forage some flowers!" Velvet said innocently, without showing what she actually planned to do.
"Alright then, you may go." Melvin acknowledged, gesturing to the path leading into the forest. Mark simply nodded in agreement.
[ For the next five hours, Velvet diligently explored the forest using her apparatus skills and meticulously gathered resources. ]
--Harvested Resources--
Herbs: 105
Basil – 18
Parsley – 9
Thyme – 7
Rosemary – 10
Oregano – 12
Cilantro – 6
Mint – 11
Chives – 4
Dill – 5
Sage – 8
Tarragon – 3
Bay Leaves – 2
Edible Mushrooms: 210
White Button Mushroom – 40
Shiitake – 25
Portobello – 18
Cremini (Baby Bella) – 22
Oyster Mushroom – 28
Enoki – 10
Maitake (Hen of the Woods) – 14
King Oyster (Trumpet) – 12
Beech Mushroom (Shimeji) – 9
Chanterelle – 8
Morel – 6
Lion's Mane – 7
Wood Ear – 5
Black Trumpet – 6
Rare Herb: 1
Ashitaba - 1
Ding!
Foraging Level – 4 (316/320 exp)
"That will have to suffice," Velvet grumbled to herself, switching on her personal panel—a skill learned from the dragon. With a few quick gestures, all of the herbs and fungi disappeared from her satchel and reappeared in her inventory. "Such a relief not to have to carry it all."
[ As dusk approached, Velvet ventured into a nearby forest dungeon. These dungeons were known to house Goblins and Rats as common targets, with Wolves being a rare encounter. ]
[ Guards Silvia and Xenon stood watch at the dungeon's entrance. Two other guards she is familiar with. ]
"Evenin', Silvia, Xenon," Velvet acknowledged as she approached.
"Lady Velvet. Be careful in there, it's getting late," Silvia warned, her gaze wary.
"Just a quick look around," Velvet replied; while they were not looking, she pushed open the heavy wooden door and descended into the gloom.
--Current Status--
HP: 100
DEF: 0
Equipment: Iron Sword (100 durability), Wooden Shield (100 durability)
Enemy HP: Rat – 30 HP, Goblin – 50 HP
[ After a short walk, the dank air of the dungeon enveloped her. Suddenly, she heard scuttling sounds and guttural growls. ]
"Looks like my first welcoming committee," Velvet whispered, drawing her iron sword and raising her shield.
Four creatures emerged from the shadows—three rats and one goblin.
Dungeon Encounter: Round 1
Velvet lunged forward, her sword flashing.
"Take this!" she shouted. "Twenty damage to Rat 1!"
The rat squeaked in pain, but Rat 2 retaliated—"Ten damage!"—biting into Velvet's arm.
She quickly raised her shield as the goblin charged.
"Block!" she grunted. "Ten damage blocked."
The goblin struck again. "Fifteen damage!" The hit connected, and Velvet grimaced.
She spun and struck again. "Die already! Rat 1 defeated! Thirty EXP gained, five Kindlers gained!"
Rat 3 bit her. "Ten damage!"
Velvet thrust at Rat 2. "Twenty damage!"
The rat shrieked but bit her back. "Ten more damage!"
"Block!" Velvet managed. "Ten damage blocked!"
"Twenty damage—Rat 2 defeated! Thirty EXP gained, five Kindlers!"
Rat 3 bit her ankle. "Ten damage!"
"Twenty damage—Rat 3 defeated! Thirty EXP, five Kindlers!"
The goblin swung again. "Fifteen damage!"
Velvet stumbled, her HP dangerously low.
"Okay, that's enough for now," she grumbled, eyes racing around for an exit. She saw a huge tree trunk jutting into the ceiling of the dungeon. "Time for a tactical retreat!"
[ With unexpected quickness, she clambered up the gnarled bark. The goblin, not able to locate her, lost track after some time. ]
[ Velvet waited a few more minutes before descending. Her heart still pounded, but she was safe. She carefully made her way back to the dungeon entrance. ]
Post-Encounter Summary:
Player HP: 30
Currency Gained: 15 Kindlers
EXP Gained: 90 EXP
Iron Sword Durability: 94/100
Wooden Shield Durability: 98/100
Back outside the dungeon, once again without being seen, Velvet left the area. Soon Velvet accessed her panel once more, reviewing her gains. "Okay, so 90 EXP total, and 15 Kindlers. And my gear took a bit of a beating."
The dragon's voice, a familiar presence in her mind, prompted her. "Remember the leveling system, Velvet. Player level, skills, bonus stats. Player level is cheapest to start."
"Right," Velvet murmured. "Player Level it is, twice."
EXP Allocation Ratios:
Player Level: 1 EXP = 1 Player Level EXP (cost doubles each level)
Skill Level: 100 EXP = 1 Skill Level EXP (cost triples each level)
Bonus Stats: 10,000 EXP = 1 random stat increase
She quickly allocated her EXP, feeling a subtle surge of energy.
Updated Stats:
Strength: 20
Dexterity: 6
Constitution: 5 → 6
Intelligence: 8
Wisdom: 2 → 3
Charisma: 5
Luck: 2
Perception: 2
Agility: 5
Endurance: 4 → 5
[ With the sun's final rays descending, Velvet set out on her way back to the city. The Sunblaze mansion seemed to be a beacon, a promise of a warm bath and a well-deserved night's sleep after a day of sword shopping, boy-rescuing, herb-gathering, and fleeing from goblins. ]