Bloom Haven was bigger than Aya had initially expected.

"This must be even bigger in VR." She says walking through the market.

"How am I going to find anything in this mess?" She asks. Pulling up the map she studies it to discover the town was divided into different segments.

Of the different sections, Aya had only been to two of them. The market District she stands in and the Floral District that was slowly withering away.

"I wonder what this area is." She says looking at one of the sections just beside the Floral District.

Aya's character soon stands in front of the large exquisitely carved arch that marks the entrance to the Artisan District.

The large structure looks to have been shaped from precious metals intertwined in three strands to create the illusion of braids.

"Wow." Aya gasps, Bloom Haven was supposed to be a small starter town, but how many players stuck around to explore its secrets before leaving for other areas?

"The merchants here might have the tools I need!" She says

The differences between the Artisan, Market, and Floral Districts aren't immediately apparent to Aya, the core building structures remain the same until Aya takes a moment to really observe the new area.

She notices the finery and small details of the buildings. Some are white marble inlaid with precious metals, others are carved out of light and dark wood giving an air of splendor.

Walking through the district, the merchant's wares are different as well, gone were the rowdy stalls and kiosks of the Market District, replaced with big clothing shops and restaurants selling delicious food.

Only now could Aya see the difference between the three districts she had been to so far.

The Artisan District is full of people, teeming with life and businesses, unlike the Floral District. Happy people walk the streets, chattering with each other.

Aya only has one thing on her mind, farming tools.

"Time to talk to some NPCs."

The NPCs are different within the area too, fewer and fewer of them wear plain clothes and prefer to dress mostly in finery.

Aya could make out gold thread embroidery, or higher grade armor and tunics, unlike her newbie garbs.

"I still think my rabbit fur cloak is nice." Aya mutters.

Trying to approach the people within the area is a different problem entirely. A lot of them pay her no mind and the others only blow up in her face.

"How do I get someone to talk to me?" Aya asks, pausing to stand beside a building. More guards patrol the area too, Aya didn't see many of them in the Market District and there weren't any at all in the Floral District.

She walks toward one of the more modest stores, deciding to take a chance with one of the merchants.

"Hello and welcome to Risel's Apothecary." A young blonde girl greets with a cheerful smile, her bright green eyes.

She welcomes Aya and the player can't help but think they were similar in appearance.

"Oh, you're an elf too!"

[NAME: Risel

RACE: ELF

OCC: Alchemist, Merchant]

Risel smiles, her green and white robes moving with the breeze as she waves Aya over.

"Bloom Haven is close to one of the major elven towns where my brother and I are from." Risel says.

Aya nods, taking note of the information for later. She wonders if simply chatting with the merchants is an option.

It would be useful to be able to get more lore of them.

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Up until now, Aya did not see another elf in any of the other districts.

Risel beckons Aya closer to take a look at her wares. But Aya has other plans.

She rushes forward asking questions.

"How far is the nearest elven town?" Risel is taken aback by the incessant questions, her face falls.

"Sound like you're interrogating me!" The elf girl says folding her arms and glaring. "I hate when adventurers do this."

[Affinity with Risel decreased -1]

[Risel is wary but not hostile]

The system Informs Aya.

Aya notices the way Risel narrows her eyes, folds her arms, and pouts her lips. The NPC is genuinely upset with her.

This game is way too life like.

Aya winces.

"I guess in real life I wouldn't barge into someone's store and start interrogating them, so why would I do it here?" Aya says to herself.

"I'm sorry Risel! I just haven't seen another elf in Bloom Haven so far and I got way too excited." Aya says trying to make her character as apologetic as she could.

It was as though the game could sense her intentions and Yvlena begins to rub her hands together placatingly.

Risel unfolds her arms, brightening up at Yvlena's words.

"I guess I could understand that. I forgive you, Yvlena." She says.

[Affinity with Risel increased +1]

[Risel is neutral]

Aya exhales in relief.

"The AI in this game is too realistic."

"Would you like to buy something? Or perhaps sell?" Risel asks.

The menu pops up

[Buy/Sell]

Aya clicks 'sell' first, curious about what she could sell to the alchemist.

"Oh, I can sell my herbs." She says. Risel nods.

"That's right, the forests are really dangerous now, a lot of the beasts there have gotten a lot stronger than most can handle."

'Come to think of it didn't Beatrice say something similar?' Aya thinks. 'But the creatures in Bloom Forest aren't that strong right?'

"Do you mean Bloom Forest?" Aya asks, Risel shakes her head laughing.

"Come on, do I look that helpless? I'm talking about the Verdant woods, the forest that leads to the next village."

"Oh, new area." Aya says listening attentively to the elf maiden.

"Rare herbs grow in the Verdant woods but since you can find a few of them in the Bloom Forest, I haven't bothered going." Risel says.

Risel is a lot more talkative than Bernard as a merchant and Aya much appreciates it.

"I'll certainly bring my herbs to you from now on, Risel." Aya says. The elf nods.

[Affinity with Risel increased+1]

Exiting the sell menu Aya clicks the buy option.

A lot of the herbs on display are quite expensive but even stranger are the different creature parts Aya sees.

"Wow, this must be for alchemical recipes. Come to think of it, don't I have that skill?" Aya says to herself.

Asides from the parts and herbs on display, Risel's Apothecary also had various food, elixir, and potion recipes.

"I'll definitely have to come back for some of this stuff."

The next thing Aya finds is a cauldron.

They come in different shapes and sizes along with different rarities and grades.

"What are these cauldrons for?" Aya asks.

"They're for making potions and elixirs and in some cases for cooking basic meals." Risel explains. The elf puts a hand to her chin on thought.

"Might I suggest you get the black beginner cauldron, it's great for the basics of potion and elixir making as well as extracting plant essences." The elf tells her.

Aya nods buying the basic cauldron for 1500 Moon Points.

"Thank you for your help." Aya says.

[Affinity with Risel increased+1]

"Oh I see, different interactions affect the NPCs, I wonder what would happen if I hugged her?"

Aya tests her luck with idle chatter.

"Have you been able to go home recently?" Aya asks. Risel's face falls again, she sighs dejectedly and Aya worries she might have offended her again.

"Unfortunately no, the way to the town from Verdant Woods is blocked by a thick miasma." Risel explains.

"Miasma?" Aya asks.

Another customer walks in and Risel rushes over to attend to them, leaving Aya to think.

"This became a lot more complicated." Aya says. "How did the other players get out of Bloom Haven then? Ah well, it's not like I care about them."

Waving the elf goodbye for now, Aya returns to the roads of the Artisan District.

"Ugh, I should have asked if she had any idea where I can get some farming tools." The girl says.

"Maybe I can find Beatrice and ask. I did see her at the Rose Manor after all." Aya says.

Running back to the Market District, Aya begins her search for the old woman or anyone who can tell her where the lady is.

She encounters Tom again.

"Searching for Beatrice are you? She lives in the house near the Rose Manor." He tells her.

"You're a lifesaver Tom!" Aya says. The man laughs.

"Glad to hear."

[Affinity with Tom increased+1]

Aya heads towards the Rose Manor area looking for the row of wooden houses Tom told her about.

She looks for a cottage fitting the description he had given of a modest run down place once covered by flowers.

Finally after a bit of searching she finds it, a small wooden house not too far from the Rose Manor.

She heads up the stairs and knocks on the door prompting the old woman to reply.

"Oh Yvlena, come in, come in." The old woman says, shuffling Aya into her home. The small cottage reminds Aya of the home she used to share with her grandmother.

Beatrice comes to stand beside Aya, taking the girl's hand she leads her to an old wooden chair and invites Aya to take a seat with her.

"Would you like some Orchid tea? I brewed it from the herbs you got me." Beatrice says. Aya accepts and soon the NPC brings her character a cup of piping hot tea.

[Affinity with Beatrice increased+1]

"Now what do you need my dear?" The old woman asks, sipping her tea.

"I was wondering where I might get some farming tools." Aya says.

"Have you already started in the Rose Manor?" The old woman asks in surprise, as though she wasn't expecting Aya to get to it so soon.

"That's right, I've already started with the front of the manor but it's proving difficult." She explains. "I found some tools in the old shed but they're not much help."

Beatrice gives a gentle laugh.

"Well of course they aren't doing much, they've been in there for years." She says. "Covered in rust from a bygone era."

"So where do I get new tools?" Aya asks.

"They used to be sold right here in the Floral District, but so many of our merchants and shops closed down."

"How come the town has fallen on such hard times?" Aya asks.

"Well, it's been this way ever since the war of the gods." Beatrice says.

Aya recognizes some potential lore info and prepares herself to listen.

[War of the Gods 0.7% completion]

"What was the war of the gods?" Aya asks. Beatrice is once again surprised by Aya's statement, she places her cup on a nearby table and begins the story.

"I suppose you wouldn't really know. You're quite young after all, only as old as my Twyla."

"It all began hundreds of years ago." Beatrice starts.