With only a mouthful of beer left, they finally arrived at the Inn. "This horse is such a nuisance. We barely made it here," Kit grumbled as he and Mars dismounted.
They quickly unloaded the barrels at the back of the Inn and Kit used the last bit of beer to coax Pint into his stall. Finally free from the stubborn horse, Kit patted him happily.
"Thanks for pulling the wagon, Pint. But I'm glad this will be our first and last trip together," Kit said with relief.
Pint snorted and shook his head in agreement, causing Kit to laugh at his antics. "Well, you weren't all bad. Just had a strange love for beer and luckily didn't run off on us."
Kit said goodbye to Pint and headed indoors to find Iris. He was eager to share the news about their success with the Spectral Nile Reptiles. When he arrived, Iris was chatting with a customer while cleaning a cup. As soon as she saw Kit and Mars, she put away the cup and walked over.
"How did it go? Were you able to distract them? It's okay if you couldn't, those reptiles are quite difficult to handle. They've been causing trouble for me for a while now." Before either of them could answer, Iris gave them a sympathetic smile, as if she already knew they weren't successful. Kit chuckled at her reaction.
He didn't blame Iris for thinking they couldn't do it. Even he had doubts when he first saw the huge crocodiles. He couldn't wait to see her surprise when she found out that they managed to kill both of the beasts.
A wide grin spread across his face at the thought of Iris' reaction when he shared the good news. "Well, you won't have to worry about them anymore, Iris. Mars and I took care of both of them."
Iris' expression of sympathy immediately turned into one of shock. Her mouth fell open and her eyes widened in disbelief. Kit started to get worried when she remained frozen in that state for a whole minute. "Iris, did you hear me? Are you okay?"
She closed her mouth and opened it again, but no words came out. A chuckle escaped Kit's lips at her dumbfounded look. He figured the surprise must have been too much for her. Finally, Iris composed herself and tears began to well up in her eyes.
"Oh, Iris, please don't cry. It's okay. I'm not playing a joke on you- we really did kill them." Kit started to panic after seeing her reaction.
"No, no, I'm not upset, my dear Kit. I'm just so happy!" Iris came around the counter and embraced them both in a tight hug. Kit felt warm tears drop onto his face. He glanced at her face- her watery eyes were a stark contrast to the wide grin plastered on her face. "You boys are incredible! How did you do it? Wait, first let me get you some food. And a reward, you definitely deserve a big reward."
Ding!
[CAL]
Quest complete: Iris’s Spring Water, uncommon.
Rewards: 2000 experience, 20 silver crowns, 50 reputation points with Inn keeper Iris.
Ding!
[Congratulations, you are now Level 4]
Ding!
[Congratulations, you are now Level 5]
Ding!
[Congratulations, you are now friends with Inn Keeper Iris]
“Lucky king crabs! Look at those rewards. We hit the jackpot with this quest.” Kit couldn't help but feel shocked by the outcome. He glanced at Mars and could tell from his stunned expression that he was thinking the same thing.
As he looked over the last line of information, Kit couldn't help but be curious about what rewards being friends with Iris would bring.
He hoped it would be something useful, as he didn't quite understand the benefits of befriending an NPC. While Kit and Mars were engrossed in their notifications, Iris had slipped into the kitchen. Kit decided to check out his stats while he waited for her to return.
“CAL open stats menu.”
Kit
Level: 5
Class: Swordsman
Sub class:
Money: 20 silver 70 bronze crowns
Free points: 10
Health: 200/200
Stamina 15/15
Magica: 50/50
Experience: 0/2000
Attack + 14
Speed + 9
Intelligence + 14
Agility + 10
Defence +7
Weapon: Rusty knife
Clothing: White apron
Oh my gosh, what an amazing surprise! The gifts kept coming. His health had increased by 100, stamina by 5, and magica by 20. This was an amazing boost for only his second day of playing the game. Plus, he had gained a new skill - incapacitating stab - which added +8 to his attack stat. He couldn't help but wonder if it was possible to upgrade a skill; he made a mental note to investigate it later.
The quest had definitely been worth it - he had gained four levels in just two days of gameplay. Kit felt proud of his progress; he was already a level 5 swordsman and had even started earning money towards his dream of opening a restaurant.
Mars interrupted his thoughts when he spoke to Iris. Kit was too focused on his menu to notice her return. "We unloaded the barrels out back and put Pint back in his stall," Mars reported. "But Iris, we barely had enough beer to coax him back in. We literally used the last drop just to get him inside."
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Iris set two hot meals of roast on the counter in front of them. "Sorry Mars, I thought I gave you enough beer. But even if you did run out, Pint would've stayed put until you brought more alcohol. That horse is stubborn about moving without some liquor." She chuckled as she talked about the large horse. "And I'm really relieved that I don't have to worry about collecting water anymore. You boys were a blessing when you walked through those doors."
Kit blushed at Iris' words. "Thank you, Iris. Mars and I were happy to help."
"Look at you being so modest," Iris replied with a smile. "Well, as promised, I have some rewards for you."
Kit looked at her curiously - they had already received their rewards for completing the quest. He glanced over at Mars to see if he had any idea what was going on, but Mars was too busy eating to give anything away. Kit didn't feel like they needed anything else; he didn't want to take advantage of Iris' kindness.
"Iris, we really don't need any more rewards. We're friends, so helping you out is enough for us." He looked over at Mars, hoping he would agree with his refusal. But Mars' face was still buried in his food.
Iris began shaking her head at Kit's rejection. "Thank you, Kit, for being so kind. But just because we're friends doesn't mean I can take advantage of you. How about this - I'll give Pint to Mars as a thank you."
Mars' eyes widened with fear, and he finally lifted his face from the plate. Kit could tell he didn't want to be stuck with the troublesome horse, but it made him smirk thinking about Mars dealing with Pint's antics.
"Iris, really, that's not necessary. You should keep Pint," Mars quickly protested.
"Don't be silly, Mars. He's all yours now. I noticed you two didn't have a mount yet, and it will be hard to travel without one." Iris beamed proudly at her thoughtful gift for Mars. Kit couldn't help but find the whole situation hilarious!
Mars hesitated, his face displaying his clear rejection of the offer. "I won't take no for an answer, young man," Iris stated firmly, giving Mars a stern look. Reluctantly, Mars bowed his head in defeat. "Thank you, Iris. I'll make sure to take good care of him." Kit couldn't help but chuckle internally at Mars' misfortune, but he made sure to keep a neutral expression so as not to offend Iris.
Just then, Iris turned to Kit with a playful twinkle in her eyes and Kit's mouth twitched in anticipation; perhaps he would have better luck than Mars at receiving a reward. "Now it's your turn, young man. I know you're eager to learn something in the kitchen." At those words, Kit's excitement began to bloom - he was going to learn his first recipe! Maybe it was because they had become friends with Iris that she was being so generous.
"Come to the kitchen tomorrow morning and I'll teach you how to use some of those magical appliances you love so much." A pang of disappointment washed over Kit as he had been hoping for something more exciting, but he quickly pushed the feeling away.
After all, learning about magical equipment was still thrilling for a magic enthusiast like himself. "Thank you, Iris. I would love that," Kit replied with a grateful smile.
"Look at you, always so easy to please," Iris chuckled, "I'll also teach you how to make beer - otherwise you boys will go broke in no time feeding that horse." Hearing this, Kit's heart skipped a beat before soaring with joy. He was overjoyed and starting to feel a little dizzy from all the emotions.
Unable to contain his silly grin any longer, he exclaimed, "Iris...!" but couldn't seem to form any coherent words due to his overwhelming happiness. Both Iris and Mars laughed at his lack of response and the look on his face.
"It's alright, Kit. I know you're just too excited to talk right now," Iris reassured him with a smile, causing Kit to nod like a bobblehead doll in agreement. She then walked off to attend to another customer while Kit finally calmed down enough to resume his meal.
As soon as they finished eating, Mars suggested they head into town to sell the ingredients they had collected at the grocer before dinner service began. "Good plan! I almost forgot about that with all the distractions from turning in the quest," Kit exclaimed, eager to receive more money for their hard work. They waved goodbye to Iris to let her know where they were headed before stepping outside into the bustling streets filled with people going about their daily tasks.
Mars led them down a familiar path, seemingly knowing exactly where he was going while Kit followed behind at a leisurely pace. Eventually, Mars came to a stop in front of a building that stood out from its smaller neighbours. As Kit looked at the building, he couldn't help but think there was something different about it compared to the other stores in the village.
The building was made of stacked field stones, creating intricate patterns on its walls that resembled a jigsaw puzzle. Kit was amazed by the level of craftsmanship required to construct such a unique building. Compared to the surrounding wooden and twig structures, this one looked much more upscale and impressive.
Unlike the other shops in the area with their straw roofs, the Green Bundle Grocer had a wooden one. A large stone plaque engraved with the shop's name in bright green caught Kit's attention. Underneath was a shiny golden star that glowed softly. "Mars, is this a level one store?" Kit's voice revealed his amazement.
Mars chuckled. "Yes, my little magic junky friend. Are you going to get just as excited as you do with Iris' magic items?"
Kit simply nodded, unable to deny his enthusiasm as he followed Mars inside.
The moment he entered, a mix of scents assaulted his senses - the strongest being floral. Beneath it, he could detect hints of sweet fruits and spices. The overwhelming aroma made him sneeze, forcing him to breathe through his mouth to avoid further allergy attacks.
As he looked around, he noticed hanging woven baskets filled with flowers and barrels overflowing with blossoms against the wall.
The store was divided into sections for produce and flora. Herbs displayed similarly to the flowers while on the other side were colourful fruits and vegetables in wooden boxes. In the middle was an open area that Kit felt was a waste of space but kept his thoughts to himself.
He couldn't help but notice that everything in this store was of higher quality compared to Iris' Inn - from the wood barrels to the polished floor. It was clear that even at first glance, there was a noticeable difference between a one star and non-starred store.
This only made Kit more curious about stores with even more stars, but unfortunately there were none in this village. His gaze shifted back to the fruits, and he walked over to examine them more closely.
The delectable scent of fresh produce wafted through the air, making Kit's mouth water. He eagerly wanted to try each fruit to see if they tasted as good as they smelled. He began picking up various fruits, bringing them close to his nose for a better sniff.
His companion Mars chuckled at Kit's actions and teasingly remarked, "Kit, you're sniffing everything like a dog trying to decide where to put its nose first." Embarrassed, Kit realised what he had been doing and quickly put the fruit back down, trying to act nonchalant.
Mars shook his head with a smile on his face, indicating that Kit's behaviour didn't bother him. As Mars went over to the counter to sell their harvested ingredients, Kit followed suit. However, he couldn't help but feel disappointed when he received a total of 43 bronze crowns for their efforts.
It wasn't worth the time and effort they put into collecting 17 purple hearts, 25 yellow bulbine, and 25 slipperwort. Quests usually provided much better rewards at this point in the game; if this was all they were going to get from harvesting ingredients, it would be a slow process earning money.
Kit reminisced about the generous monetary reward they had received from completing the Spectral Nile Reptile quest. They were lucky that time, but he knew not to expect such high rewards in the future. He needed to lower his expectations.
Unlike Kit's disappointment, Mars seemed content with their earnings. He noticed Kit's expression and reassured him, "Don't be disappointed, Kit. We got a good price for these ingredients. Remember, we hit the jackpot with Iris' quest. Not all quests will have such great rewards; it's actually quite rare."
Mars' words confirmed what Kit was thinking. "I know, it's just disheartening to think about how long it will take to save up enough money."
"Kit, you just started. It'll be a while before you have a comfortable amount of funds. And even when you do, you'll most likely spend it on equipment for exploring." Kit sighed, knowing Mars was right. He thought about the rusty knife he currently had; it would need an upgrade sooner rather than later.
If he wanted to leave Sweet Meadow and explore other parts of the game, he would need to spend money. As impatient as he was to open his own restaurant, Kit knew he needed time to save the necessary funds. His frustration bubbled out, "There's already so much I want, Mars. It's overwhelming to think about how long I'll be struggling financially."
Kit's mood darkened as thoughts of failure crept into his mind. If he failed in this game, his dream of owning a successful restaurant would end, and he wouldn't be able to play CAL anymore. It had only been two days, but Kit was already attached to the pleasant feelings and experiences this game provided him.
“Relax, everything will work out as it should. Come on, let’s go back to Iris’ place before we miss dinner,” Mars reassured Kit, who followed behind in a gloomy state of mind.