A Comforting Meal

As he went through the various missions available, Sora realised just how trying his experience in the forest had been. The memory of that strange feeling of oblivion still hovered in the back of his mind, like a light veil. He knew that the Alfa Of Oblivion were truly dangerous, and he understood why so many young recruits failed this task, even though it was considered so basic.

He himself, if he hadn't had the help of his system, would probably not have succeeded in this mission and would have lost many memories.

His eyes fell on a new plant collection mission, this time for Etherium leaves, used to concoct healing potions. The reward was slightly better than that of the Alfa Of Oblivion, but he wasn't ready to return to the forest just yet. His thoughts were still too clouded by flower pollen to risk another similar mission.

So he moved on to the protection missions and found one where he had to escort a merchant to a nearby village. The task was simple and didn't require any advanced combat skills, which would allow him to rest a little while earning a few extra écus.

As he took the mission and made his way to the counter to register his quest, he noticed Emma looking at him with a big smile from behind the counter.

"I see..." she sighed in dismay. "You really don't want to rest, do you? Am I to understand that my training was too easy for you?"

"No, absolutely not, your training really wore me out, but I really need the money, so I do as many missions as I can. And if, on top of that, they allow me to improve, then I have all the more reason to accept them."

"Relax, I was just kidding," she agreed, with a big smile on her lips. She picked up the mission Sora had just placed on the counter and inspected its contents. "A protection mission... It's not bad for training, it'll teach you to sharpen your focus over a long period of time. Even if the route you're about to take is reputed to be fairly quiet, you never know what might happen. Good luck, Sora."

"Thanks for your advice, I'll do everything I can to make my mission a success."

Thinking about the advice Emma had just given him, he left the Order to find the merchant at the starting point. The merchant, a stocky, jovial man called Garin, greeted him with a broad smile.

"Ah, at last some company for this long journey! I thought I'd have to travel alone, which is never a good idea in these parts. Are you ready, kid?"

Sora nodded, carrying only his sword strapped to his back. "Yes, I'm ready. We can go."

The journey to the next village took no more than two hours. The path wound through a plain, bordered by light-coloured woods, a far cry from the oppressive atmosphere of the Alfa Of Oblivion forest. Sora walked alongside the merchant, his thoughts wandering, while Garin talked endlessly about his past adventures and exotic wares. Although the tales were entertaining, Sora remained on his guard, his senses heightened by the experience of the previous mission.

As they neared their destination, a strange noise caught Sora's attention. Rapid movement in the nearby bushes. He raised his hand to signal Garin to stop.

"We're not alone", he whispered, drawing his sword.

Garin fell silent immediately, the expression on his face hardening. Sora moved cautiously towards the bushes, his sword ready to strike in case of danger. He slowly pushed aside the branches, revealing a creature resembling a small rabbit, which leapt up and fled in a flash.

'Phew... We were lucky. Even if it was just a baby, I don't know if I'd be able to beat it just yet.' Sora thought as he put his sword away.

"Nothing dangerous," he lied as he turned back to the merchant, who breathed a sigh of relief.

The rest of the journey went smoothly, and they reached the village without further incident. After thanking Sora, Garin handed him a small purse of ecus by way of thanks.

It wasn't much, but combined with the reward awaiting him at the Order and that from his previous mission, he probably had enough to afford a few nights' sleep in the Order and perhaps a proper meal too.

Back at the Order, Sora felt both satisfied and frustrated. Although he was making progress, his victories were only small steps, and he knew that he would need much more than just Leather rank missions to become truly strong.

He headed towards the counter to collect his reward and spotted a young man behind the counter who seemed to be telling him to come closer.

Sora approached the counter, intrigued. The young man waiting for him was wearing an Order uniform, but his casual expression and unkempt hair gave him a more relaxed air than the other hosts and hostesses.

"Hi, you must be Sora, right?" he asked in a friendly tone. "Emma told me about you. I'm Kieran."

"Yes, that's me. Pleased to meet you, Kieran," Sora replied, nodding.

Kieran handed him a small purse of ecus, the reward for the mission, and a folded parchment. "Here's your pay for the escort. It's not much, I know, but it's a start. Emma also asked me to give you this." He nodded towards the parchment.

Sora took the parchment, curious. As he unfolded it, he discovered that it was a quest that would allow him to upgrade to Obsidian rank. After yesterday's bitter failure against the Assassin's Nettle, he hadn't expected to receive one so soon. A big smile spread across his face as he addressed Kieran. "Emma really wants me to try a rank change quest again?"

Kieran looked him up and down with a kindly gaze and replied, "She does. According to her, you're at the right level to be able to move up to Obsidian rank."

As Sora continued to look at the mission sheet he'd just received, Kieran continued to talk to him. "If it's yesterday's mission you're worried about, and you're worried about failing again, you've got nothing to worry about. I went and checked for myself this morning and it's definitely an Obsidian mission."

"Oh no no, that's not what I was thinking. I was just really excited about going." Like a child unwrapping those Christmas presents, Sora held up his mission straight in front of him and smiled to the point of tearing his lips. "I can't wait until tomorrow so I can go. Thanks Kieran!"

The young man returned the smile and went back to his papers, leaving Sora alone to contemplate his brand new mission. However, the joy didn't last long, as he once again felt hunger in his stomach.

When he didn't even know how many écus he currently had, he looked at the 2 small purses he had just collected and emptied them onto a table in a quiet corner of the Order.

The reward for this quest was 5 écus and, in the purse he had obtained from the merchant, there was a further 4 écus. With the 3 ecus he had earned this morning, his total was just under 12. That was more than enough to rent a room for a night, but he didn't know if it was enough to buy food.

On his last quest, he had spotted a tavern with a pleasant smell of food, but he suspected that with just 10 écus, he wouldn't be able to afford a meal. Nor did he feel like going back to eating blue grass. Sure, it filled his belly, but it wasn't nearly nutritious enough for him to keep it up for long.

With no real alternative, Sora returned to reception and addressed Kieran again. "Excuse me, Kieran, could you tell me where I could get a good meal without breaking the bank?"

Kieran looked up from his papers and gave him an understanding smile. "Of course I could! If you're looking for something good and affordable, I'd recommend the Silver Horn Tavern, not far from here. The food there is tasty, and they offer quite a varied menu."

Slightly embarrassed, Sora looked at Kieran and spoke a few words. "Do you know if they have a menu for less than 10 écus?"

Kieran thought for a moment, his gaze going blank. "Unfortunately, with only 10 écus, you won't be able to eat much. A piece of bread at the most."

Expecting this answer, Sora was about to reply when Kieran spoke up again. "If money is your problem, you can also eat at the Order. Of course, the price is more than 10 écus, but we can write you a bill that you can pay back later. It probably won't taste as good as the taverns around here, but believe me, it'll fill your belly nicely."

Sora thought for a moment, weighing up the pros and cons of this option. On the one hand, he didn't want to go into debt, even for one meal. On the other, the idea of spending a hungry night in the Order didn't appeal to him.

"I'll do that, then," he finally said, the hesitation slowly dissipating. "I'll try the Order meal."

Kieran nodded with a smile. "Very well, your debt will be 35 écus, but don't worry, we'll give you a month to pay it. You can go straight away. I'll prepare a note for you."

Even though he hoped he would have to pay less than that, Sora thanked Kieran, who began scribbling on a piece of paper. Meanwhile, Sora felt his stomach growl again, reminding him how hungry he was. Once Kieran had finished, he handed him the note and wished him a good appetite.

"I'd advise you to get the special of the day, it's often the best thing they do and still fits within your budget."

"Thanks for the advice!" replied Sora with a smile, before heading towards the Order's dining room.

The interior was warm, lit by large windows that let in the daylight. A few recruits were sitting at tables, talking about their adventures. Sora felt a little nervous as he entered, but the tempting smell in the air quickly made him forget his anxiety.

He made his way to the counter where a cook, a portly man with a bushy beard, beckoned him over.

"Hello, young man! What brings you here?" he asked in a jovial voice.

"I'd like to have the special of the day, please," Sora replied, holding out Kieran's bill.

The cook glanced at the note, then grinned. "Ah, Kieran recommended you, did he? All right, sit down and I'll make you something."

Sora took a seat at a table near the window, his heart pounding with anticipation. He watched the other diners: some seemed to be discussing past missions, others their future plans. He wondered what kind of quests awaited them and whether one day he might be part of those conversations.

Shortly afterwards, the cook brought out a steaming bowl of stew accompanied by a piece of crusty bread. The spicy smell filled his nostrils, and Sora immediately felt comforted.

"Here you are, young man. A hearty home-made stew. Eat as much as you like!" announced the cook before walking away.

Sora thanked the cook warmly and dipped his spoon into the stew. The first bite revealed an explosion of flavours, a mixture of herbs and tender meat. His taste buds perked up, and he couldn't help but smile.

As he savoured his meal, his thoughts returned to the mission ahead. The promotion to Obsidian rank was a turning point for him, and he knew he would have to prepare seriously. The failure against the Assassin's Nettle still weighed heavily on his mind, but this time he was determined not to let fear paralyse him.

Once his bowl was empty and his stomach full, Sora stood up, thanking the cook once again for the meal. He was already feeling better. His worries were gradually fading.

In the Order, he went to a quiet corner to carefully reread the quest parchment Emma had given him. The instructions were clear, but he wanted to make sure he understood every detail before embarking on the adventure.

It was a mission more or less similar to the one where he had had to face the Assassin's Nettle, only this time its content was much more complete and included more descriptions.

Given that he knew it was Emma who had advised him on this mission, he suspected that she was the source of all these instructions:

Mission Title: The Tangled Vines

Mission Type: Combat Quest

Content: Kill the Tangle Vines that are invading the surrounding clearing near Grimpoint. They use their long stems to wrap themselves around anything that comes near, both humans and plants.

Reward: 14 Leather Ecus + Promotion to Obsidian rank.