Midnight weaseled out from the meadow, brushed away the stalks stuck to his hair and clothes, and furtively scanned his surroundings.

Right now, he was beside a great forest known as The Northern Pine Woods. It was one of the four ancient forests surrounding Lesotte. Together with the mountain ranges beyond, the holts encircled the village and kept it locked in a hollow. A topography that brought the village the benefit of protection and the drawback of isolation. There were no merchants or travelers. Over time, the natives developed a self-sufficient lifestyle, centered mainly on hunting, foraging, and harvesting timber. While the economy stagnated, to the point where no items above the grade Rare could be seen in the stores.

As for this particular forest, it couldn't care less for such matters. To express its carefree feelings, the trees started abruptly overthrowing the reign of the grass. They changed the landscape faster than the blink of an eye.

After his geography knowledge passed through his head, Midnight concentrated on his next exploration. A certain something riled him up.

Anna mentioned another name for this forest. She said that Lesottians call it 'The Lord's Garden'. This makes me curious...The designation of Garden probably means that it is rich in biodiversity of flora and fungi. I expect to harvest a lot. However, what does the Lord refer to? Is it the AI that the natives worship as a god? Or perhaps it is an unknown powerful creature?

Heh, I may be overthinking and scaring myself. I have always been cautious, and I did plenty of research. The Northern Pine Woods are hardly a popular tourist destination, but occasionally there are visitors. According to the records and rumors, the strongest monsters here should be Overweight Blue Bears, Killer Bees, and Maleficient Jaguars. Excluding the bees, the rest are solitary monsters who never form groups. With my magic proficiency, I should be able to deal with a sudden encounter, or at least successfully evade it or flee...

Even so, let's proceed calmly and see what will happen...

He grimaced, scratched at the tiny cuts and the bug bites dotting his exposed skin, and approached the nearby trees.

He had a reason to attempt to conquer the North.

After his first hunt, he changed his approach. To earn enough coins, he gave up on competing with others for the rabbits and boars in the western grasslands and instead turned his eyes to these lands.

The meadow here was twice taller and denser, reaching the upper chest of an adult human male. It was a tricky and harsh environment. One that fully concealed the relatively small monsters, while obstructing the player's sight, movements, escape routes, and attacks. Be it swinging a weapon, casting magic, or running away, the clingy grass was a physical obstacle.

However, this was only from the perspective of tall species; like humans and elves. What did it have to do with a child-like half-ling like him?

His stature, speed, reflexes, and mana sensitivity worked wonders in this particular set-up. He didn't stick out like a sore thumb beyond the grass level. Nor did his obscured vision prevent him from detecting the enemies. His success and earnings for the past couple of days proved him correct.

Now, he was done with his preparations and finally could explore a bit further. Of course, he still had to be careful.

In just a few short steps, he reached the closest Pine tree, stretched out his hand, and ran his fingers across the yellowish-grey bark. It was coarse, moist, sticky, and cool to the touch. He had a lot of theoretical knowledge but, in fact, he had never seen a forest before. For a moment he felt overwhelmed by these foreign, but surprisingly pleasant sensations.

No, no, I don't have time for casual sightseeing. My pockets are too dry. I have less than a scop!

Urged by his poverty, he regained his bearings. He clicked his tongue in self-deprecation, glanced at his shiny new bag with mixed feelings, and carefully recalled what he had learned.

This evergreen is a conifer with light-colored scaly bark. About 30-35m tall. I see quite a few representatives that are a bit taller, probably reaching 40m. Judging by the characteristics of the cones and the stacking, number, and length of the needles, I'd say it is a typical scotch fir. It isn't a mystical species. However, it seems richer in mana. Do common plants possess certain special traits in Euclex?

He made an educated guess, based on the numerous encyclopedias, journals, and notebooks he had read. Even before joining the game he had such inclinations, and he spent a lot of money and time on brushing this knowledge in Matilda's store. Now, he felt rather confident in his observations.

Parallel with his thoughts, as if to admit his insight and to praise him, a translucent window materialized in front of his eyes.

Ping

|Pinus sylvestris

A common Baltic Pine. The predominant tree species in the Northern Pine Woods of Lesotte. Its tar is fragrant and rich with a thick amber color, excellent adhesive, and intermediate antibacterial properties. It can be used in medicine, or as a glue. The Baltic Pine cones have nutritional value and are the favorite food of the Rogue Squirrels. The bark has mana depo functions and is utilized in certain concoctions. You can also make honey from this pine's early spring needles.|

Retracting his hand, he scanned the information and his lips curved in content.

Indeed. It is not just the monsters. Even everyday plants, fungi, and animals can have applications. Besides, the information window revealed some nice information. It's just a tree and not a strange monster. Phew, for a moment I imagined that those trees may be the so-called 'Lord' ruling this place. After I enter they will come alive and extend their branches to squeeze out my juices. Heh, that would have been a true horror story. Thankfully, there is no danger for the time being...

He heaved a silent sigh of relief, caressed his prided and sorrowful 3-nickels bag, and pulled out a tiny glass flask and his dirk. Then he chipped some of the bark, waited a second, and collected the oozing-out resin. It wasn't a valuable material, but perhaps he could find a good use for it later. He screwed the flask, threw it back in his bag, and confidently entered the forest.

Instantly the temperature fell, and he shivered. The tall pines grew huddled, their high branches interlocking to cast a deep, nearly impenetrable shadow over the ground.

In less than a hundred meters the climate took a sharp turn. With the sun blocked, the humid cool spring returned once again. It was a great contrast to the stifling dry warmth he was used to.

But, most importantly, an entirely new ecosystem reared its head.

Creepers, moss, lichen, and mushrooms grew out everywhere and anywhere. From the protruding thick roots, under the brown needle carpet blanking the uneven ground surface, in hollows and holes, near the base of the trees, or even on top of the lower branches that poked in his eyes. As for the occasional tufts of herbs, fragrant flowers in full bloom, or the still green and sour berries, they fought hard with one another to compete for the rare beams extending under the trees.

A variety of sounds and smells assaulted his senses. And a strange feeling of familiarity and yearning awoke in his heart. It wasn't a sensation born from his memories, it was closer to an instinct deeply ingrained in his genes. The echo of the olden days, when humanity was much closer to nature. When people were merely one of the countless species of animals walking the land.

The atmosphere was peaceful, mysterious, eerie, and crude.

I had an inkling of this when I saw Leandriel's hut, but it is breathtaking. I wonder if the parks back on Earth have the same feeling...Hmm, this odd sentiment may not come from myself, but from my race as a half-ling. The system mentioned something about half-lings being closer to nature and peace-loving species. I should find an opportunity to converse with other brethren or elves. It is a bit nerve-wracking and scary if even my emotions can be affected by such a negligent and fictional thing...

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Sigh, but even so, this is an eye-opener. I have never felt such a strange yet pleasant atmosphere before.

He stamped on the ground and inhaled deeply. The air felt fresh, cool, and moist, yet somehow thick and musty as well. And the ground was very springy and soft. Layers upon layers of needles had fallen for decades or centuries, creating this prickly coat.

At least I won't have to worry about the sound of my footsteps. That is unless I step on a branch or trip in the roots... He lampooned softly to extricate himself from the daze, scanned the vicinity, and found one particularly plump and black mushroom. With nothing to lose, he walked over and plucked it from the base of its stem. Then he brought it close to his eyes and seriously observed it. Yet, even after a full minute, he didn't see the familiar window emerge. There was not even a sign of an incoming notification.

Slightly perplexed, Midnight narrowed his eyes. His first thought was that the AI had crashed.

Half joking, half serious, he ran and picked yet another strange mushroom. This one had a milky white cap covered in red stripes. On top of the cap stood a large transparent sphere full of slushing thick and murky pink liquid. It resembled a strawberry milkshake and looked rather delicious.

Still nothing? Hmm... He rubbed his chin thoughtfully and pondered. Until now, the system always reacted accordingly. Unless there was an inexplicable error, he suspected that there was a logical explanation for the sudden turn of events. As for the chance of a bug, it was abysmally small. Euclex was managed by a super-intelligent AI.

I have appraised three groups of items before. The first was my initial reward - some clothing and a...weapon?... The second was the materials from slayed monsters. And the last one was the recent pine tree. Is there something in common for all of these cases? Something I overlooked or took for granted?

Two minutes later he came up with a vague idea. His notion was born from the basic laws of Euclex and from what he had already seen.

Excluding the initial reward, for the rest I had enough knowledge about the materials even before I appraised them. It was most obvious with the pine. The system just confirmed what I have already deduced to a certain extent...

Yes, perhaps it's not just about knowledge. Or, to be precise, appraisal accounts for all different aspects of understanding. For example, possession in the case of the clothing, and confrontation in the case of my hunts. Battle is the best way to grasp the opponent's data. This includes characteristics, behavior, movement patterns, and skills. As for the possession, you naturally should 'know' what is yours? Erm, this may be a bit of a stretch...Perhaps, the initial reward is just an exception...

With this new train of thought, he felt eager to try and verify this assumption. If he was right, then to truly gain the skill to appraise, he had to analyze and guess a certain number of items solely relying on logical deduction and lore!

Scrutinizing his 'harvest', he racked his brain to remember if he had seen similar mushrooms before.

In no time a few guesses bubbled and popped in his head. Based on the unique outer appearance of the fungi, and his enhancing memory as a Scholar, he narrowed down the suspects to two.

The black one can be a Nightmare Shroom or a Doom Parasite Trap. Ergh, both sound equally disgusting... The other one resembles a Fairy Object or juvenile Rainbow Cap... No, it probably isn't the second. Rainbow Caps have a white body with rainbow-like stripes that gradually emerge when they mature. However, the first stripe should be on the purple side of the spectrum. There shouldn't be such a strange globule as well. Then is it a Fairy Object?

With the spirit of exploration, he sniffed the odd mushroom, before carefully biting its rim. A distinctive trait of the so-called Fairy Objects was their disgusting taste of rotting up flesh. It was a taste one would never expect from their pretty appearance and honey-like scent.

Blergh

Definitely...

He bent down and retched, but at the same moment, his ears finally rang with a non-verbal confirmation proving his point.

Ping

|Fairy Object Rare (B+)

You plucked it nicely, but your teeth left an ugly mark on the cap!

A Type of alluring mushroom that grows slowly, sucks the nutrients of its surroundings, and concentrates them in an orb on top of its cap. When mature, the globe will turn fragile and transparent, revealing the murky pink liquid inside. This liquid is a rare ingredient used in hallucinogenic medicine. It can directly strengthen familiars!|

Heh, I guessed right! Am I so lucky as to stumble upon a rare ingredient right off the bat? I bet it is expensive! Wait, what? Familiars? One can have a familiar? Is that a racial privilege or a type of high magic? A summoning or subduing?

Midnight jumped in excitement but then his emotions cooled down. The second part of the description was unknown information. It brought up several questions and revealed a curious possibility.

It will be very cool if I can get myself a familiar. I have always wanted a pet. Hmm, perhaps a cat or a hedgehog? Raven sounds nice...

He mused, but the next moment he felt something and turned to look up.

Half hidden inside a hollow on a nearby tree, a brown squirrel munched on pine seeds and silently looked back at him. No, it was looking at the mushroom in his opened-up palm. There was unconcealed desire and greed in its tiny black eyes.

A Rogue Squirrel? They are harmless but often steal things... Midnight's eyelids twitched imperceptibly and he hurriedly put away the rare material. Getting robbed by a rodent was not in his plants. I can't get distracted! I will consider what to do with my harvest when I am back in Lesotte. Yes, I should go through my bag and decide what to sell and what I should keep. Some of these will definitely come in handy when crafting.

Reminded of the obvious fact that he was still in the wild, he didn't waste time. He narrowed his eyes, let his mind roam, sensed his surroundings, and used the trees as a cover to avoid bumping into monsters. Then, he carefully proceeded deeper into the forest, occasionally picking up things, or digging the ground.

The Lord's Garden didn't betray his expectations. He had a bumper harvest and his bag gradually grew heavy.

Meanwhile, his exploration was a safe sailing. He successfully hid from the powerful enemies and killed the small fry. His only annoyances were the occasional squirrels, for they proved too bold for their own good. They never gave up their pursuit, and nearly stole a few of his items. In the end, he had to grill a couple of them to discourage further attempts...

After an unknown period of time, he finally felt satisfied. He took out an apple to calm down his stomach and scoffed. I can't stomach any more apples. Tomorrow, I will treat myself to some meat. Heh, otherwise, am I to add malusdomesticaphobia to my list of disorders?! The word for fear of apples is a mouthful as well!

To save the three nickels, despite hunting and butchering rabbits, he sold everything and purchased the cheapest green apples. And now, with such a great harvest, he could finally breathe and escape from his poverty.

Deceiving his stomach and dreaming of steak, Midnight glanced at his bracelet and furrowed his brows. It was long past 3 in the morning.

I lost my sense of time. Was I too excited about my harvest? The so-called gambling spirit? It's the same as opening treasure chests or erasing lottery tickets. You just want to try one more time, in the hope of hitting the jackpot. However, this can't fully explain it. Don't tell me it's another foolish mistake. Did that Clumsy skill strike once again? But it's not even daytime!

With a bad taste in his mouth, he looked up. The two moons were barely visible through the evergreen canopy. Their light was weak, illusory, dream-like, and deceiving.

Suddenly, his thoughts boiled and he had a new hypothesis. The fault still lay with his skills, but this time he couldn't blame Clumsy.

It must be the Nightwatcher. Unlike normal people, when it is dark I don't feel tired or sleepy. Besides I have a night vision...

Yes, when I hunted in the meadow after sunset, I still could see the moons and use them as a time reference. But this is the dense Northern Pine Forest. It stays gloomy even when the sun is out and about. My Nightwatcher has always been rather active. Thus, I didn't notice the enhancement in my senses and stamina. This explains why I covered quite a long distance despite taking detours, wasting time collecting materials, and my weak constitution...

One thought after another traversed through his mind as he grasped the underlying logic and reasons. This situation didn't worry him much. After all, he was stronger at night. He wasn't scared or nervous. Besides, he had even deliberately come to the forest in the later afternoon hours. What irked him was the fact that his passive skills were constantly affecting him to a certain extent. He despised the feeling of such subconscious and imperceivable guidance.

With this in mind and his aim more or less fully accomplished, he decided to retreat his steps, leave the forest, and go back to Lesotte. He pulled up the map and noted down his current location. He was about 3 kilometers away from the edge. Adding the meadow which spanned a bit more than two kilometers, he would need quite some time to return.

At least I scared the squirrels. The return trip should be much calmer. For some time they haven't bothered me in the slightest...

In the next moment, Midnight felt that something was wrong. It wasn't just the squirrels, there weren't any monsters in the vicinity of his mana perception. And his perception at night covered at least three hundred meters in diameter. In the day there were quite a few monsters and animals, after all this is a mostly undisturbed forest. At night, even more creatures with nocturnal behavior should remain active. This is the Lord's Garden. The Lord...

As this thought passed through his mind, Midnight heard the sound of the wind. Before he could even react something heavy, cold, slippery, and covered in scales slammed hard at his body. Like the cork of a champagne bottle, he was flung through the air and crashed into a tree. The sound of bark and bones breaking intermixed and inundated the night.