[PP-F01] Demonic Quarry | <<Earning A Living | Forager>>

[Acanthus 0]

She thought about those two towns. From what she’d heard, the former was nothing more than ten buildings and a quest. And Town of Beginnings was over a kilometer in diameter. Charting it out would be a massive undertaking.

“I’m not giving up on my quest. I just don’t think I have to do it all in one day, you know?”

She sat at a table outside The Sweet Tooth, soaking up a warm sunbeam. In front of her sat a rougeberry parfait and a fruit skewer. Tomathon nodded sagely.

“It’s certainly best to pace yourself. Everything in moderation.” He looked down at the two desserts. “Including moderation.”

She laughed warmly. “You’re right, Tomathon. Plus, I vowed to return. I never go back on my word.”

Tomathon joked, “I thought it was more about fruit skewers and less about unflinching morals, but business is business. I’ll leave you to enjoy.” Tomathon disappeared back into the shop, where a long line of customers awaited.
 

[Acanthus 0]

Acanthus took a bite of the parfait and was pleasantly surprised. The strawberries—rougeberries, rather—had a pleasant flavor. Not as good as real strawberries, they tasted like the artificial flavoring in overly sweet candies. Distinct from strawberries, but close enough to enjoy the flavor all the same.

Finished with her parfait, she leaned in to bite the skewer, before stopping mid-bite.

Hold on, she thought. That tasted good. Her realization was different from her previous observation about the flavor of the rougeberries. Rather, this was the first time she’d eaten something—anything—without an awful aftertaste or unintended texture. Two years of choking down fake food, gone in an instant.

But how?

“Am I… interrupting something?”

Mouth open, teeth still pressing delicately into the fruit and juice dripping down her chin, she looked up. It was Edict.

“I, ‘ell—‘o, I ‘ust ‘id-’ite—” She laid the fruit skewer down gingerly on the plate. Edict was trying his hardest not to laugh.

“Can I sit down? I feel like I made a poor first impression over at Cobblestone Curiosity. I saw you out here and was hoping for a second chance.” Acanthus thought about her time with Mayor Dorian. If an NPC can give me a second try, then maybe I can too. She nodded for him to sit.

[Acanthus 0]

Relieved, he pulled up a chair. It groaned under the weight of his armor. Peeking at her desserts, he said “I don’t blame you for the fruit skewers. I had a revelation the first time I had one too. But I had the benefit of nobody bothering me mid-bite.”

Acanthus was already busy with the skewer again. The sauce was amazing. It had a delicate sweetness, but the sparkling was not just a visual element. She felt the sauce popping and fizzing gently, adding a light and intriguing texture to the fruit. Edict regarded her voraciousness with a hint of awe.

“I have to say, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone enjoy them quite as much as you.”

Acanthis swallowed. “Well, it’s a bit complicated, but I wasn’t really enjoying the food in-game up until now.”

Edict tilted his head. “I don’t think any of the recipes here have changed since the game started.” So Acanthus explained her situation as well as she could. Edict seemed thoughtful.
 

[Acanthus 0]

“That’s really interesting! There seems to be a lot about the game no one has really figured out yet. I haven’t met a lot of people on the frontlines with similar reservations about the food, but I haven’t pried either. I’d be curious if any of them experienced the same problem. But you said it’s gone now, right?” Acanthus nodded, her mouth full of cantaloupe (or whatever they called it here). “Maybe it only affects people at lower levels. Ah—again, I don’t mean to—”

Acanthis cut him off. “No offense. You didn’t say anything wrong back there. I took it a little personally because I’ve spent so long cooped up on the first floor. I’m just glad to finally start my journey.”

“Better late than never, they say.” Edict looked at her approvingly. “Well, if you’re finally enjoying the cuisine of Aincrad, I know a few places that really go above and beyond. Or maybe that’s just me talking after a week of field rations.”

“That sounds great. Just let me know when.”

Edict suddenly went flush. “Also, that’s a casual, platonic offer. I’ll bring some friends along. It’s not a date.”

Acanthus looked up at him puzzled. “You didn’t say it was a date when you offered. I assumed it wasn’t one.”

Edict returned her puzzled look, “You’re an awfully straightforward person, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

Edict smiled. “Here, let me add you as a friend. I have to do some shopping on the upper floors, but when I’m done, I’ll message you. If there’s anything you need before then, just let me know. We’ll get you up to the frontlines as soon as possible.”
 

[Acanthus 0]

“Actually, I do have a question. If you have a moment.” Edict returned to his chair. “Of course.”

Acanthis shared her experience in the woods with him. She kept many of the sordid details to herself, but shared her encounter with the strange voice, and the awful things it said. At the end of her story, she asked a simple question.

“Did that happen to you?”

Edict paled. “I… Not exactly. I took that same quest, but I never heard a voice telling me I was worthless.”

Acanthus sighed. Then Edict continued. “But… that was not a comfortable quest for me either. I found my shard pretty quickly, and even still, the dark compass really threw me off. That whole quest, I kept wondering: would I be able to protect the people I cared about in the game? Was I willing to risk the lives—the real lives of the strangers around me—just for a chance to persist?”

“It sounds similar to me.”

“Maybe. But the way you’re describing your encounter, the voice came from somewhere else.”

“Yes, but… At the worst of that event, it was like… I don’t know. It was like the voice *was* me. It started taking over my thoughts and replacing me.”

“I see.” Edict stared into the distance in concentration. “I can’t say my experience was as bad as yours. But I do know a few people reported odd things about the quest. On the other hand, I know a number of players that cleared the foraging quest and confidently reported nothing at all. The fact is, there is so much we don’t know about this game. It could be a random event, it could be a glitch in the system. It could even be a quirk of your brain chemistry reacting to the code.”

“All comforting thoughts.”

Edict shifted his gaze to her. “Acanthus. I’m sorry I wasn’t much help. But the next time you start to hear that voice—message me. I want to help out however I can.” He pressed a few menu buttons and a notification popped up on her HUD. [Friend Request: Edict.] She accepted.

He stood up. “Thanks for giving me another chance to talk, and for trusting me with all of this. I can tell it’s a lot to take in.” Acanthus nodded. “I look forward to whatever restaurant you select for our ‘outing with your friends that is definitely not a date.’”

Edict stammered, “I—really just a friendly—truly,” and his face turned the color of the sauce on the fruit skewers. Acanthus laughed; Edict left, grumbling as he went. He was awfully easy to tease. Just like my brother. She looked forward to seeing him again.

But there were things to accomplish before then. While he prepared for another venture to the frontlines, she needed to pick up her crafting profession. Distracted, she selected one of the listed professions, and wound her way lazily to the quest marker.
 

[Acanthus 0]

THREAD SUMMARY
 

Acanthus

• EXP: 300 (Quest) + ((5,800/10) * 1 * 1) = 880 * 2 (recruitment event) = 1,760 EXP
• Col: 400 (1 page * 400) = 400 col
• Items Gained
  • Demonic Shard
  • (2) materials

<<Profession: Forager>> Unlocked.

Edited August 4 by Acanthus