[F01 | SP] Chasing Money | <<The First Lesson>>

[Yume 0]

<<Quest | The First Lesson>>

The day began as most others. Waking, completing her morning routine, finding food. Ensuring that she wasn’t bothered by the various men and women who seemed to flock towards her. Or, at least that’s how she viewed it. In reality, it was nothing more than NPCs who wanted to sell her things, but the way she voiced it always made her feel more important than a simple point of income. She’d waved away another one as she smiled politely, before finding herself facing an empty courtyard.

”Sheeesssh, you’d think they’d grow tired of it all!” Yume sighed as she stretched a bit, the bow on her back tapping against the backs of her legs as she moved. She’d considered purchasing a few of the odd trinkets and baubles that they had been presenting her with, before remembering that she was – entirely – out of money. Which meant that she was going to have to spend her day actually being productive, and heading into the wildlands in search of something that would be beneficial to her continued survival. Not that she didn’t normally bring in at least some valuable pieces, but aside from her general sales worthy items, she’d never really found anything of value. At least, nothing that she could consider keeping for herself.

”Hiya Zenji!” She smiled at waved at the confused guard as she passed through the gates of the Town of Beginning. She’d never actually learnt the NPC’s name, but had always seen people passing by and waving towards him, calling out and having a general conversation once in a while. She’d come up with the name during one of her passings, a spur of the moment decision which had stuck in her mind. She had assumed that he had enjoyed the attention, although he always seemed confused at the name itself. Not that it bothered Yume at all. ”Wow, it’s beautiful out here today!”

She’d stopped as she passed into the danger zone of the fields, the protection of the town left behind and the rolling hills before her. Yume had wandered the plains around the Town of Beginning numerous times over, going so far as to travel across to Tolbana – the other major town on the floor – before returning. She’d heard that there were numerous quests to complete in the other town, but had yet to find them in her previous travels. Whether that was pure bad luck, or something she was doing wrong, Yume hadn’t stopped to consider.

”Maybe today I’ll go find that mayor folk that everyone keeps talking about. Seems like a good place to start…plus, I hear it pays decently for the small amount of work you have to do!” It was enough of a decision for Yume, and she took off into the wildlands with a determination that carried her forward quickly. The longbow pulled from her back, she moved with a swiftness that bespoke her smaller stature, dancing around creatures that she decided weren’t worth her time right now. She had places to be, and things to do, and although hunting down the creatures of the field held an appeal on some days, today was a day to focus on reaching her destination quickly.

----

  

Statblock

Hide contents Notes [Theme] Yume | Lv. 1 | P. 0 | HP [20/20] | EN [20/20] | ACC [1] | DMG [4] | EVA [0] | LD [+1] Tier 1 | Tier 1 Equipment Longbow [Projectile Weapon | Tier 1] Enhancement: Accuracy [1 Slot] Cloak [Clothing | Tier 1] Enhancement: Loot Die [1 Slot]  TBD [TBD | Tier 0] Enhancement: TBD [0 Slots] Battle-Ready Inventory Starter Healer Potions {5} [Potion | Tierless | Heals 50 HP] TBD {0} [TBD | Tier 0 | TBD] Skills   Hide contents Utility Skills N/A Combat Skills Projectile Weapon [Rank: 1. Active: Passive. Effect: +3 DMG] Armour Skills N/A Active Extra Skills N/A Inactive Extra Skills  N/A Combat Mastery N/A Familiar Skills N/A Estate Buffs N/A Sword Arts   Hide contents [x4] ST-I (4 EN) | A single-target sword art. [x3] AOE-I (1 + [2 * targets] EN) | AOE | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once. [x4] TECH-A (5 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that stuns an enemy. Housing Buffs   Hide contents TBD [Home] TBD [TBD.]

[Yume 0]

Tolbana wasn’t overly exciting to Yume, after having explored the Town of Beginnings. Although the second largest town on the floor – and all of Aincrad, some had whispered, although she didn’t believe that for a second – it was somewhat underwhelming. The shops were similar, if not identical copies, of those found in the Town of Beginnings. Some player run shops stood out a bit, but they were far and few between – most players preferring the busier avenues within the main town over those of Tolbana. The one appeal that Tolbana held, at least that Yume had been able to determine, was the beginner’s questline. A simple questline, focused on providing players an introduction into the world of Aincrad, and its necessities. Everything from how to handle sword arts, to crafting items – an introduction that most games held as soon as one started playing.

”Alright…I’m here!” She giggled as a few nearby NPCs glanced her way, before turning back to whatever conversation they’d been having among themselves. She’d hoped that finding the mayor would be easy, but after nearly an hour of wandering around the town without purpose, she was beginning to think that she was missing something. A soft sigh, and she leaned against a nearby wall, her feet sore even though she knew the game didn’t normally allow such feelings. ”You’d think a mayor would be easy to find. Especially one who was supposed to start one of the main quests in this area!”

She glanced about the courtyard she’d stopped in, taking in the various players and NPCs that moved throughout, some in a hurried manner and others with a laze to their step that signified their lack of desire to go about whatever plans they had for the moment. She knew better than to judge them as lazy, it was quite possible that many had been out hunting during the night, or spent the last few days grinding towards their continued growth. Still, she found it oddly funny to see them drag themselves about, a testament to their continued desire to strive forward.

Yume pushed off the wall, deciding that she had rested enough as she watched the last of the lazed players disappear around a corner. She had her own work to do today, and sitting about on a wall wasn’t going to get it done. Shifting the bow on her back only slightly, using her leg to move it into a more comfortable position, she headed off down another nearby alleyway. The mayor was somewhere in the town, and she was determined to find him before the day was done – even if she had to traverse through every single corridor, alleyway and street of the town in order to locate him.

Hours had passed when she’d finally located the mayor, the man bouncing from player to player in an attempt to locate someone who would help him. Most seemed to wave him away, either having already completed the quest, or simply having no interest in what he had to say. Yume waited until he had spotted her, before taking a single step towards him. His voice called out almost immediately as she moved, a desperation in its tone that Yume couldn’t help but feel a measure of pity at. ”You there! Stop, please!”

”Pardon me, but I am in need of some assistance!” Long, purposeful strides had brought the mayor towards Yume, and she found herself nodding to his words as she considered the confidence of the man before her. She listed as he introduced himself, before speaking about monies owed to the mayor after he had lent it out to someone. Yume smiled, realising where this was going – someone owed the mayor money, and she was being asked to collect it after they had failed to repay it. It was a simple fetch and return quest, easy enough.

”The thing is…I can’t quite remember who I lent it to! I believe it was…maybe Zackariah, the alchemist? That’s as good a place to start as any, I think!” Yume’s smile faltered for a brief blink of a second as she realised that she was not only being sent on a fetch and return quest, but that she was being sent out blindly, by a man who had apparently lent money, and kept no track of it. She wanted to respond, but the mayor seemed to have already accepted that she’d take the quest, and begun to move away. Sighing heavily, she hit the acceptance button and turned towards her new reality, shaking her head in wonder before heading off in the direction of the mini map’s pinned location.

[Yume 0]

The alchemist’s shop was anything but attractive. Yume had taken a somewhat wandering path to the final destination, locating it after she had detoured into a collection of shops along the way that had displayed various edibles, clothing and assorted goods for those passing by. While she’d been unable to purchase anything immediately, she’d been certain to mark down the things she’d want to come back for, once she had completed the quest and obtained a modicum of coins towards her future shopping spree. At least, she hoped there would be a future shopping spree.

As she stood outside of the alchemist’s shop, however, she began to wonder if there was going to be any money to retrieve. The exterior of the building appeared cared for enough, a fact that the Cardinal system was maintaining its relatively appearance so as to match the various areas surrounding it. What it didn’t have, however, was any foot traffic heading into, or out of, the location itself. In fact, in the five minutes she had waited outside, not a single other body had made its way towards, or from, the shop itself. Yume glanced up at the shop’s sign, confirming that it was the right location, before sighing to herself.

”Well, it is an NPC shop. So they should have the money, even if business is…less than busy. I guess the only thing I can do is head in and see what’s going on.” She shrugged to herself, as much to drive away the thought that this place was somehow going to be a complete bust on the money, and that she would need to return to the mayor empty handed, as to try and make the entire impression she was getting of everything go away. Setting a smile upon her face, she moved into the shop’s interior, passing through the doorway and stopping as a waft of smoke and scents hit her, clearing only as the air from outside pulled it out and away.

”Uhm, hello? I was sent by mayor Dorian to collect-“ She was cut off as a voice responded from the dim lit area a little further into the shop, the figure visible only as Yume peered further inwards.

”Are you looking to order something? I’m quite busy right now, and unable to take on any further orders. I’ve almost run out of supplies, you see.” The man was elderly in appearance, and yet somehow youthful all at the same time. Yume figured it was a measure of the potions and assorted other things that he was working on. Before she could respond to deny the apparent idea that she was little more than a customer, the elderly man continued speaking. ”Gather a few materials for me, would you? Flowers, herbs, rare woods…whatever you can find out in the fields beyond the city walls. I promise I’ll help you once you return with those. Actually, I’ll even show you how to make your own!”

His commentary completed, the man turned back to whatever he was working on, the form of Yume clearly forgotten with his little speech ended. She considered trying to get his attention again, but with the updated marker flashing in the corner of her eye, she knew it would be fruitless. He’d said what little he had to say right now, and although she could likely engage him in some extremely basic conversation, Yume knew that attempting to drag the money from him now would get her nowhere. As realistic as the game was, it still had some basic limitations in the interactions between player and NPC.

As she turned to leave, the man suddenly came alive again, waving towards what appeared to be a fountain of fondue on the table’s corner. ”Feel free to take a bit of that, I’ve been told it gives good luck with finding things! Although I’ve not tested it myself…”

Entirely confused, but not willing to turn down free food, Yume grabbed a few pieces of bread and divulged into the offered piece, noticing the slight cheesy taste that it contained as she did so. Her eyes shifted back to the man as she considered her next step, before realising that he had completely finished acknowledging her presence now.

”Sure thing, I’ll…head out and get that! Then we can talk about the money you owe the mayor, okay?” She beamed a smile at the man who was paying her no attention, before heading back out the door and waving. She doubted anyone was watching, but she felt like she needed to at least pretend to accept his request – if only because then it made it seem like it was her own decision. ”Okay…outside the city walls. That’s doable. I head out there a lot, so this should be a piece of…”