Bianca
As Bianca entered the dungeon, she thought she was getting used to the grand entrance, the carvings in the hallway, and the feeling when she entered the portal. However, she still couldn’t get used to the sight before her.
She liked this place even though it was a dungeon, the smell of herbs and plants, the warm light just right, and the feeling of the soft dirt beneath her.
She thought about how she came here
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One day, her master told her they were moving somewhere and that they were planning on settling for a long time or even permanently. At first, she thought the old man had finally gone senile. They were living and traveling from place to place the longest they have ever lived in one place was a year.
He adopted her, well forcefully at first. She didn’t know who her parents were. The last memory she had was in the slums with kids like her, following some adults learning to beg for money and pickpocket on the streets as they took everything they earned with just enough to not starve.
She thought it would go like this her whole life and she would die in the slums until one day he showed up and beat the adults that were giants to her back then and when all the kids were taken to an orphanage, and for some unknown reason he decided to adopt her.
Since then, they have been together as master and apprentice. Though she considered him more like her father and him her daughter, they will never be the first to admit that. She later figured out that he was some kind of a legendary herbalist and botanist, always moving from one place to another, seen in the strangest places, looking for exotic plants.
There has been more than once she wanted to ring that old man's head for the places she has been brought by him. She has still not forgiven him for that time when she gagged at her own stench for a week after being sprayed on by some weird plant they had harvested.
Anyhow, one day after returning from gathering some herbs, she saw her master reading a letter. A few minutes later, he declared we were moving as he packed his bags, and she followed, packing their stuff. She was already used to them moving without notice, though she did have to stop and question her master once he told her that they would settle down.
After packing everything, I thought it would take a while for us to arrive at our destination, but for once, we were actually taking a carriage and using portals to travel. They could always afford it, but he never allowed it, saying you never knew what interesting thing you might encounter traveling on foot. She tried so hard not to roll her eyes every time she heard him say it since such an encounter only happened once, and it was absolutely not worth all the trouble.
Normally, she wouldn’t ask and just follow, but she had to ask where we were going this time. The letter was from an old acquaintance mentioning a new, never-before-seen dungeon containing a variety of unique plants. The letter said the Alliance is willing to provide precious and rare herbs if master settles down and shares some of his findings on the dungeon.
So, now, after going through several portals and passing several security and identification procedures, as they were led through with our sight and hearing blocked, to finally go through the last portal.
Once they arrived, they were assigned a residence as they unpacked their stuff, and she wasn’t complaining because she was finally settling down. Also, after seeing that her room was the highest quality she had ever had, she definitely wanted to live here for a long time.
Three days later, she was entering the dungeon of desire for the first time. She read multiple times the pamphlet guide written by a very well-known dungeon inspector who was also the mayor of this town, and she considered what she learned after asking her master about his findings.
She checked her satchel of potions and salves, daggers, and small pieces of food to counter the curse. She looked to her left and right, where two boys her age were also checking their equipment. She was grouped up with them to create a three-person party: Randy Llyod, a half-human and half-dwarf boy wielding a mace and shield, and Travis Dean, a tiger beastkin equipped with a bow and quiver. They met together yesterday, getting acquainted and practicing their teamwork in the Adventures Guild training grounds.
Up ahead, the town adventure guild master Varkana led them. I was anxious when I heard she would be leading and training us. All the people settling into town are legends in their expertise, well known only to those in their professions. As for her, I heard stories and songs about her, you didn’t have to be an adventurer to know about her.
However, after meeting her, she was surprisingly easy to get along with, nothing like the stories she had heard. Once we arrived, we were all surprised when we got the side quest to the core, even though we had been informed beforehand.
Once we went through the portal, she was amazed by the scenery, the smell of plants, the dirt, and the light warming her. The endless greens were magnificent to her. Although the start of her learning botany may have been forced, she truly came to love it all. This place was simply a paradise for her.
She had to try hard not to scream when she met the ruler of this floor, a talking, sentient, massive tree. She had only heard of things like this in stories and myths, but she was actually witnessing it. Not to mention, the fruit she ate was pure bliss.
After a few warnings from Varkana, she left with the trainees focused on combat classes, leading them to more dangerous areas ahead. Meanwhile, the few groups focused on non-combat classes, like hers, started to go back to the entrance. The then groups split up into their respective parties once near the sections they wanted to explore.
It was decided beforehand they would try the herb section due to her interest and since it was the easiest one. Leaving the safe zone and setting foot quests popped up just like the pamphlet said it would.
Side Quest: Levi’s Herb Haven
Welcome to Herb Haven, where all sorts of herbs grow and thrive. Let the soothing scent calm your weary heart, let the gentle breeze and warm light lift your spirits. But, beware, the lord of this section does not take kindly to those who take his herbs.
Mission Goal
- Defeat the lord of Herb Haven
Reward for Completion: The defeated floor boss will drop the rarest loot
Penalty for Failure: None
Will you accept the quest Side Quest: Levi’s Herb Haven?
Yes
No
Side Quest: Gathering Herbs (Repeatable)
You're in Herb Haven now, what else to do than to harvest herbs?
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Mission Goal
- Harvest five pieces of thyme within one hour
Reward for Completion: One duplication of the lowest quality herb harvested for the quest
Penalty for Failure: Mild hunger for 10 minutes
Will you accept the quest Side Quest: Gathering Herbs (Repeatable)? (Will automatically select No once 5 minutes have passed without input.)
Yes
No
The first one was given to everyone the first time they stepped into a section, while the second one was different every time. The pamphlet said the quest would be given daily, and the penalty was feeling like you had starved for a day.
Before she accepted, she mentioned what her mission goal was.
“Mine’s collecting five pieces of thyme in a hour. What about you two?”
Randy was the first to speak, followed by Travis.
“I got to harvest 13 sages within two hours.”
“15 parsley, two and a half hours.”
Randy was boisterous and cheerful, always with a smile on his face, while Travis barely talked and rarely showed anything on his face. She couldn’t figure out if it was due to shyness or aloofness.
“My vote is that we all take the quest since we have different herbs to collect and I’m quite confident in finding them within time.”
She looked toward them to see if they would agree.
“Sure, you're the expert when it comes to this!”
“Okay.”
With that, they accepted the quest as they headed forward. Travis was behind on the lookout, Randy was ahead ,and she was in the middle. Harvesting some herbs as she saw them while using Search Herb in between. Then she found one of the herbs they were looking for as she gestured toward her party, following her directions.
Soon they found a bush of thyme up ahead as she got closer to start harvesting, mid-way through Travis Danger Sense caught something, quickly alerting them as they formed a defensive formation agreed beforehand.
Soon, varying pleasant scents wafted in on them as Randy and Travis quickly put a cloth over their mouth and nose where, whereas Bianca focused on the scent using Analyze. Even with multiple scents, she quickly found out its effect, sleepiness and muscle relaxation, taking out salves to resist them and spreading them underneath her nose. She gave them to her party members to use as she used Herb Sense to find the enemy.
Soon, caught in her senses, she used Appraisal to confirm them.
Species
Lavender Shade
Description
A plant-type monster based on the lavender herb uses its scent to put its prey to sleep and drain their energy
Affinity
Arcane, Nature, Life, ◼◼◼
Skill
Sleeping Scent, Camouflage, Masking Scent, Grapple, Tangle, Drain
Trait
Dungeon Born, Mob
Species
Relaxing Chamomile
Description
A plant-type monster based on the chamomile herb uses its scent to immobilize prey and drain their energy
Affinity
Arcane, Nature, Life, ◼◼◼
Skill
Relaxing Scent, Camouflage, Masking Scent, Grapple, Tangle, Drain
Trait
Dungeon Born, Mob
“One in front and the other in the left, Randy, you hold back the one in the front, Travis, you support me.”
Soon, she pulled out her daggers, using her fire affinity to heat them up as she threw two of them, one forward and the other to her left. Soon, they hit the bushes, cutting a part of it as they unfurled, becoming 3 meters high and moving towards them as Randy confronted the one in front.
Shield Charge
Shield Bash
With a shield in front and rushing forward, using the momentum to crash into it. While Travis also unloads his knocked arrow with a vial attached to it aiming for the one on the left.
Soon, the arrow hits, and the vial shatters, drenching it with the liquid contained. Bianca then casts her skill right after.
Spark
Soon, the liquid catches on fire as it burns the monster. Travis does the same to the one Randy is confronting as Biance shouts.
“Randy, move!”
Soon, Randy moves back as Bianca uses Spark, causing it to catch on fire. Soon, the fire spreads burning half of their bodies as they fall, and burst into mana, each leaving behind loot.
After making sure there were no more threats, they soon relaxed as Bianca checked on Randy.
“How are you doing?”
Randy moves his body, nodding to himself as he answers.
“Good, I could bear at least a hundred if it’s this much.”
The pamphlet explained that this floor had a special characteristic: All monsters drain the energy of whoever they touch. The amount depends on the monster, the area of contact, and the resistance made. They didn’t know how much it would affect them but were relieved it wasn’t serious enough to be a hindrance.
Bianca then began to take the loot as agreed beforehand. She would take all the loot related to herbs and pay for it afterward. Finishing harvesting the thymes, she completed the quest as one of the thymes she harvested duplicated.
Lavender Shade
Lavender, imbued with life and nature mana with a rich and calming aroma, has excellent properties for increasing sleep quality and helping with insomnia. Very fragrant
Relaxing Chamomile
Chamomile imbued with life and nature mana with a rich and calming aroma, has excellent properties for muscle relaxation and relieving muscle soreness. Very fragrant.
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One hour later, the three of them finished their side quest and were about to head back. Bianca felt her Dagger Mastery proficiency grow as she checked her status.
Name
Bianca Lin
Age
19
Race
Human
Title
Nature Lover
Class
Journeyman Botanist, Apprentice Herbalist, Novice Mage
Affinity
Fire, Water
Skill
Analyze, Appraisal, Apprentice Dagger Mastery, Journeyman Search Herb, Journeyman Search Plant, Adept Inspect Plant, Journeyman Inspect Herb,...
Trait
Perceptive, Nimble
However, as they were going back, Randy’s ankle was wrapped around, knocking him down and dragging him, which Travis quickly stopped by shooting an arrow and cutting it off, letting Randy free. Randy quickly stood up as the party got into position, Bianca using Apprasial to confirm what it was.
Name
Levi Panra Seraphim
Race
Herb Amalgamation
Titles
The Herb Lord, Aroma Mixer, Master of Fragrance
Affinity
Arcane, Life, Nature,◼◼◼
Skill
Sleeping Scent, Healing Scent, Confusing Scent, Invigorating Scent, Dulling Scent, Relaxing Scent, Camouflage, Regeneration, Thorn Volley...
Trait
Dungeon Born, Floor Monster, Protective
“It’s the Floor Boss, get ready!”