As Edén observed these floating words, reminiscent of notifications in video games indicating a level gained, he found himself unaffected by the supposed transformation. The words persisted, refusing to fade away. In the midst of his contemplation, Freya's concerned voice pierced through the air, rousing him from his thoughts. Turning his attention away from the persistent system messages, Edén met Freya's gaze, prompting the words to recede and the system to close down.

"Is your leg okay, Edén? I heard from Gruff about what you did down there," Freya inquired, genuine worry evident in her voice. “It’s good, it needed to be done. See? We all made it up” Edén answered with a calm demeanor.

Observing the wound on his leg, Edén reached for an elixir on his belt and applied it over the injury. However, with his magical reserves drained and lacking potent elixirs, the treatment proved ineffective. As the pain started to grip him, Freya, noticing his discomfort, produced some bandages and skillfully wrapped his leg. She insisted, "You need to rest; your adrenaline wears off. I know you've done a lot for my brother and father, but they are safe now, thanks to you." With Freya's reassuring words, a wave of relief washed over Edén.

Knowing all were safe ones again, a heaviness settled into his eyelids, and Edén felt an irresistible pull towards unconsciousness. Each passing moment intensified the drowsiness until slumber claimed him, and he succumbed to sleep with Freya keeping a watchful eye. Surprisingly, his sleep was swift, devoid of dreams or nightmares, existing as an empty void where time passed quickly in the absence of any perceivable events.

Upon awakening, Edén found himself in his lab, a blanket draped over him, and a steaming cup of warm liquid placed nearby. The familiar surroundings and the comforting warmth of the beverage welcomed him back to consciousness. For what felt like the first time in a long while, he had experienced a restful sleep.

His eyes wandered around the lab, taking in the scene before him. A curious blink and a scratch of his eyes revealed an abundance of herbs and ingredients scattered in a way that, while not aligned with his usual meticulous arrangement, held a certain charm. The surprise of finding his lab transformed with an abundance of herbs was a welcome one. Edén had anticipated some changes, but the extent of the transformation surpassed his expectations.

As Edén sat up, he became aware of a soft chime, the familiar sound of his system coming to life once again. A holographic window appeared before him, prompting him to click 'OK' to continue. With a curious yet cautious click, he initiated the system's explanation, revealing a plethora of information that he had overlooked until now.

The screen displayed his basic stats, reminiscent of a character sheet in a video game. Edén reflected on the distant memory of his arrival, recalling that he had glanced over these stats but never delved into their significance. The numbers were mostly modest to his understanding.

image [https://i.imgur.com/vvld8Kd.png]

As he scrutinised the numbers, Edén's thoughts meandered through the peculiar nature of these stats. In a world where arcane forces and mythical creatures existed, these numerical values seemed oddly mundane. Nonetheless, with this newfound level, a subtle change had occurred. The numbers had shifted, marking an enhancement in his capabilities.

Edén couldn't help but marvel at the improvements. All his stats had gone up, and to his surprise, he had gained a Job. “Alchemist, that suits me well,” Edén thought to himself while looking over the other changes.

The screen displayed not only his elevated stats but also introduced him to a host of new elixirs and concoctions. Each recipe held potential, promising effects that surpassed the limits of his previous understanding. It was as if the system had unlocked a hidden vault of alchemical knowledge, granting Edén access to a myriad of possibilities.

As he delved deeper into the system's revelations, Edén noticed titles associated with his newfound status. True Owner of the Sanctum, Champion of Azalor, and Survivor of the ??? adorned the screen. While the first two filled him with a sense of pride, the last one left a lingering mystery.

A fresh skill, Appraisal, materialised on the interface, seizing Edén's curiosity. Eager to explore its potential, he activated the skill, and in an instant, a wealth of information about the surrounding objects. The herbs strewn across the lab disclosed their names, properties, and prospective applications. It felt as though a veil had been lifted, unveiling the concealed mysteries of the ordinary world to his alchemical senses. The level of detail provided by Appraisal surpassed any information his system had previously offered, opening up a realm of insights that further fueled his alchemical expertise.

While the complete significance of these alterations remained elusive, Edén couldn't ignore the unmistakable sense of empowerment that came with them. The system's interface gradually dissipated, leaving Edén with many unanswered questions. Slowly, he got up, the cosy blanket sliding off his shoulders as he stood. The familiar surroundings of his lab greeted him, and a desire to explore the sanctum tugged at his thoughts.

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Edén cautiously peeks out from the entrance of his lab, captivated by the distant murmur of voices and the irresistible aroma of food that gracefully drifts through the air. The savoury scent beckons him irresistibly, and as he takes hesitant steps into the main area of the sanctum, the origin of the inviting fragrance becomes unmistakable. Hilda, a familiar figure, is gracefully manoeuvring around a crackling fire, working her magic into a bountiful meal.

By her side, Freya and Ethen work on other things. Even though just a toddler, participate enthusiastically in the lively preparation of a spectrum of vibrant vegetables. Even at his tender age, Ethen appears to be happily engaged, playfully interacting with the colorful vegetables as they prepare the feast.

Entering the room, Hilda is quick to spot him and offers a warm greeting. "Good morning, Edén. Do you feel any better after getting some rest?" she inquires, handing him a glass of water.

Taking the water, Edén begins to speak. "Yes, all is well now. I was just wondering, what's everyone up to? I don't see Gruff or Dolgrim anywhere around here." He gestures to the sanctum, noting only Freya and Ethen are present. "And what happened to the woman from the sanctum below?"

"The others are around; Gruff and Brogar are currently the only ones outside the sanctum. They mentioned something about tending to personal matters for a while. As for that woman, she's doing well. However, she's still resting in the back" Hilda explains. Just as she finishes her sentence, Borin is spotted wandering by, making his way down the stairs into the depths they once emerged from. Observing the change, Edén speculates, "Maybe he's just exploring what lies down there now"

"Thank you, Hilda. I'll go see what they're up to. We'll be back soon for a bite to eat," Edén expresses his gratitude, setting the glass of water aside. He follows Borin down the stairs, noticing the distinct changes more clearly now that stress doesn't cloud his perception. The door leading downward appears intact, resembling his lab door, and the walls of the staircase are as smooth as the ones above.

As Edén descends into the lower chambers, he observes the noticeable size reduction, a transformation perhaps attributed to his newfound ownership. The once labyrinthine space has simplified into a large room with a few adjoining ones. Borin, busily stacking various supplies to the side, catches Edén's attention. Curious, Edén approaches and initiates a conversation. "Hey there. How's it looking down here now that all the monsters are gone?"

Borin, with a weary demeanour, responds, "Everything seems intact, no dangers. This place is perfect for storage, just as Dolgrim suggested. I’m in the process of moving supplies down for now" Borin's fatigue is apparent, indicating that he has been awake for a considerable amount of time. Edén inquires, "I haven't seen Dolgrim yet. I thought he might be out in the back or somewhere. Where is he now?"

"He's working, set up a little workshop, funny enough. It's off to the side. I caught a whiff of Hilda's cooking, so I guess it might be break time. I'm heading up. Could you pass the word to Dolgrim?" Borin says as he heads for the stairs. "Of course, I'll let Dolgrim know," Edén replies as Borin ascends the stairs.

Approaching the workshop, Edén discerns the rhythmic sounds of clinks and bangs emanating from within. Intrigued, he cautiously peeks into the room, discovering Dolgrim clad in an entirely different outfit than before—something more befitting a blacksmith, Edén muses. The attire suits him well, prompting thoughts of whether this is the role Dolgrim had aspired to before becoming a king.

Knocking on the door and stepping inside, Edén catches sight of Dolgrim engrossed in his work. Dolgrim greets him, "Well, hello there, Edén. Look here." He turns around, presenting an unfinished yet intricately crafted belt. "Working hard to get it together for you," Dolgrim proudly announces.

"Sounds good. It looks beautiful. But put it to the side, I want you to eat with the others now. Hilda has made food for us," Edén suggests, patting Dolgrim on the shoulders and motioning for him to set his work aside and join him for a break upstairs.

"Sure, I guess it can wait. We won't go out like that again for some time, so I have a long time to fix it. Maybe with Gruff's help, I can make it even better," Dolgrim muses as they join together and walk up.

Setting foot in the makeshift kitchen once again, Edén notices that Brogar and Gruff are yet to arrive. He suggests going out and finding them, bringing them back to enjoy Hilda's cooking. "Sounds good, Edén. Tell Gruff that it's Hilda's special cooking; he'll run faster than you've ever seen him," Freya teases before continuing with the vegetables.

Walking outside, the sun still bright in the sky, Edén instantly has an idea of where Brogar might be. He heads to the fishing hut down the stream. As he walks, he notices that the forest is more alive than ever. Might be for the newfound light that eminent from the sanctum but who knows?

As Edén emerges from the forest onto the side of the river, he spots Brogar, peacefully asleep with a fishing rod in hand. "Unbelievable," Edén thinks to himself. Approaching quietly, Edén accidentally steps on a branch, causing a jolt that wakes Brogar. He sits up, hand instinctively reaching for his crossbow. "Well, I guess you're not quite over what happened down there, Brogar?" Edén remarks with a wry smile.

"Give me a break, Edén. This is my only free time. Can't I even rest here?" Brogar gives Edén an annoyed look, putting the fishing rod away as he stands up. "Let me guess, is it about food?" Brogar laughs.

A little astonished, Edén responds, "Yes, how do you know? Do I smell?" He sniffs his arm but doesn't detect any unpleasant odor. "No, no, Edén, it's just that Hilda is so on point with when we eat. It's in my internal clock by now; I knew that food was done soon." As Brogar starts walking back to the sanctum alone, he adds, "By the way, Edén, can you help me with something after we have eaten?"

"Sure, just ask away later. I'm going to try to find Gruff now. Have you seen him?" Edén shouts after Brogar. Before Brogar disappears into the forest, he shouts back, "He said something about going into the north forest. Good luck, Edén!"

"The North Forest, a lot of different herbs are there. But other than that, I have not been there too often," Edén thinks to himself before wandering off into the northern forest. Looking for Gruff and whatever he would be doing in here…