hotmtlnovel Chapter 13 Into the Kingdom of Eryndale
Chapter 13 Into the Kingdom of Eryndale
The sun was barely peeking through the trees when Daena nudged Liria awake. "Rise and shine, little warrior. We're going to town today."
Liria groaned, rubbing her eyes. "Town? We don't even have neighbors, and now we're going shopping?"
Daena chuckled. "The town's a bit farther off, but yes. I can't have you traipsing through the woods in those ragged clothes forever. We need supplies, and you need a few things that don't look like they've been through a goblin brawl."
The mention of goblins made Liria flinch a little, but she grinned. "Alright, I'll try to look a bit more... civilized. If we must."
They gathered what little they had, securing their coin pouches and hiding Liria's small sword beneath her cloak. As they set off, Liria decided it was time for a quick check on her stats.
[Status Update for Liria Silverthorn]
Level: 8
Experience: 70/500
Health: 450/450
Magic: 300/300
Attributes:
Strength: 15
Agility: 18
Endurance: 15
Intelligence: 12
Magic: 20
Abilities:
Swordsmanship (Level 2)Endurance Training (Level 2)Fireball (Level 2)Ember Swipe (Level 1)Blade Mastery (Level 1)
[Observation: Congratulations, you've graduated from "frail forest waif" to "somewhat formidable waif."]
Liria snorted at the System's comment. "Frail waif, huh? Look who's talking."
[Your current stats say otherwise, but fine. Next milestone: reach Level 10 to qualify as a "Junior Threat."]
Daena nodded approvingly. "Good choice. We'll take it."
The smith raised his eyebrows. "Not a typical choice for a child. She must be tougher than she looks."
Daena gave Liria a small smile. "You could say that."
With their purchases secured, they wandered through the marketplace a bit longer, taking in the sights and sounds of Eryndale. Liria couldn't help but marvel at how different it was from their quiet forest life. Here, there were so many people, each with their own stories, and so much energy.
Yet, amid the crowds, Daena kept an eye out, her gaze ever-watchful. Liria noticed her grandmother tense slightly whenever a knight or city guard passed by. Despite her demon queen past, or maybe because of it, Daena seemed keen on staying out of trouble.
[Alert: Local security levels: moderate. Minor threat. Maintain caution in crowds.]
Liria mentally rolled her eyes. "I'm twelve and buying clothes. I think I'll survive."
[Suit yourself. Recommendation: obtain sweets from the vendor nearby. Nutritional value: questionable. Enjoyment level: high.]
"Now that's advice I can get behind," she thought with a grin, tugging Daena's sleeve. "Can we get sweets before we leave?"
Daena raised an eyebrow. "What, the rabbit wasn't enough?"
"Just a little something?" Liria gave her best wide-eyed, innocent look, and Daena sighed, relenting.
"Alright, but just one."
They stopped at a sweets stand, and Liria picked out a small bag of candied nuts and a slice of honey cake that smelled divine. As she bit into it, the sticky sweetness filled her mouth, and for a moment, all her worries vanished.
With their shopping complete, they headed back toward the outskirts of town. The forest felt like a welcome reprieve after the bustling energy of the market, and as they walked, Liria felt a strange sense of contentment.
Daena glanced down at her. "Not bad for your first trip to town, eh?"
Liria grinned. "Not bad at all. I might even get used to this whole 'civilized' thing. But next time, I want more than one slice of cake."
Daena chuckled. "I'll make a deal with you. Keep training hard, and maybe I'll throw in an extra treat now and then."
[Achievement unlocked: First Human Town Visit! Reward: improved social awareness, minor increase in charisma.*]
"Oh, please," Liria thought, rolling her eyes at the System's overly dramatic announcement.
[Oh, don't worry. I'm just here to make sure you don't bungle things too badly.]
"Keep it up, System, and I'll see if Daena can give you a good smacking too."