Day Thirty-Seven, Noon
"These are gorgeous!" Amerella squealed, lifting dress after dress out of the basket. "We could not afford these after a month of work!"
A prompt appeared as the girls surrounded the bed, pulling dresses from each other and fighting.
You have completed the quest Dress the Mess
You have been awarded 250 experience points
You have increased to Level 3
You have 14 level points and 60% characteristic percentages to distribute
Choose wisely, once your points have been distributed, they cannot be taken back.
Amerella pulled Eve out from the middle of the battle, watching the girls strip their tattered clothes off and slip the new dresses over their heads.
"They are perfect," she cooed. "How do you do that?"
"I grew up making my own clothes," Eve explained. "I made my own business after I got out of school and-"
"Wait, wait!" Amerella interrupted. "You could afford to go to school?"
Eve quickly remembered that schooling wasn't readily accessable for many since few had proper education to be teachers, more people became shop owners or farmers than have an education.
"Oh, well I..." Eve stammered. "My parents tried their hardest for my brother and I."
They were interrupted by the girls squealing and screaming over each other and they all ran down to the bar to show off their new clothes.
"I am glad they like them," Eve laughed, her hand resting on her baby bump.
"How are you doing?" Amerella asked, putting her hand over Eve's. "Feeling alright?"
"Just the usual, I suppose." Eves hand instinctually held on to Amerella's as she shook. She stared at the dingey dresses on the floor.
Amerella put her arm around Eve's shoulders, gently guided her out of the room and down stars to the bar. "How much do I owe you?"
"What?" Eve and Amerella never discussed payment. Eve thought she was just making these for Amerella and the girls and would maybe start a business like she did before.
Amerella handed her five gold pieces, one for each dress, and folded her fingers over the cold coins. "Here, for you and the baby."
"I can't-" Markium walked over and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his hands on her belly.
"How'd they like them?" he asked and kissed her cheek softly.
"Well, they are wearing them," Amerella joked and walked away calmly.
Eve looked down at the coins and slipped them in her purse. "I'm going to Armand's, get some more fabric."
"Want me to come?" he asked.
"No, you get something to eat, I'll be back in a bit."
"I'll save you a pie." He kissed her cheek again and sat at the bar, asking Amerella for an ale.
Eve walked through the crisp, autumn air, breathing deeply in the smell of the drying leaves and couldn't help but crave a pumpkin spice latte. 'Stupid white girl,' she thought.
Children ran through the town chasing each other or dogs, playing in the warm sun, not a care in the world. Back on Earth, children would be in school, learning multiplication and reading and such. 'What kind of world doesn't care to teach their children?' she thought. 'Farming may help, shop keeping may teach them basic math but they may need to learn more.'
She stopped in front of Armand's shop as a prompt appeared in her vision. It looked like a simple scroll with school doodles on the edges, tic-tac-toe board, spirals and that weird pointed S thing everyone just magically knew how to make.
You have created a quest for yourself:
Learn the Basics I
You've noticed the lack of education in the village of Ommaxam and want to help.
Open the doors to a new schoolhouse and help the village children grow.
Reward: Increased reputation in the village Ommaxam
200 experience points
Do you accept? Yes or No
She never thought she'd make a quest for herself. How was she supposed to make a school house? The prompt slowly faded to the corner of her vision and a feeling of something needing her attention came to the back of her mind. Maybe she didn't need to respond right away, it could wait.
She walked into the shop to see Armand slowly packing some weapons away, his face full of sorrow and regret.
"Armand?" she spoke softly, making her presence known.
He turned and smiled half-heartedly. "Hello, my dear Eve," he answered, standing slowly. His eyes were swollen slightly like he'd been crying and they fell on her belly. "Well, he was not lying. Congratulations!"
"What's going on, Armand?" she asked, putting her hand on her belly.
"Oh deary." He sat in front of the counter on his step stool and wiped his balding head with a rag. "I have to close down; our Lord's taxes are draining my shop dry and I cannot afford to stay open. I need to move on."
"Oh no, Armand, I'm so sorry."
He stood and walked around the counter. "I held on to something for you, deary. A little present a traveller dropped off with me for room and food money. Thought this would be perfect for you." He came back around with a burlap sack almost as large as him and half carried, half dragged it toward her.
She reached over and lifted the bag with little strain. "What is it?" she asked and untied the bag.
He didn't answer, just smiled at her as she lifted yards of different fabric each making a prompt appeared
Enchanted Fabric x2
Durability: 100/100
Rarity: Rare
This fabric has been enchanted to increase charisma by 10%
Enchanted Fabric x2
Durability: 100/100
Rarity: Rare
This fabric has been enchanted to increase dexterity by 10%
Enchanted Fabric x2
Durability: 100/100
Rarity: Rare
This fabric has been enchanted to increase strength by 10%
"Wow, these are amazing!" she breathed, looking at Armand lean against the counter. "How much did you pay for them?" She lifted her coin purse and began to pour the contents out.
"No, no no no, no," he assured her and put the coins back in her purse. "It is a present, that means you do not pay."
She put the fabric back in the sack and hugged Armand tightly. "I wish I could help. What are you gonna do?"
"I will probably build a new shop somewhere, a different village or somewhere. I do not know for sure." His face fell again. He didn't have a plan, he didn't know where he was going, he didn't know what to do.
Eve saw the sorrow in his face and looked around his emptying shop. "How much for these potions?" she asked, pointing at the multicolored bottles on a shelf.
"Wa-what?"
"How much?" She picked up a bottle of red liquid and a prompt appeared.
Potion of Stamina Regeneration
Durability: 10/10
Rarity: Common
Refills stamina to 100%
"Well, with my closing sale, two copper pieces."
"What about this?" She picked up a blue potion.
Potion of Mana Regeneration
Durability: 10/10
Rarity: Common
Refills Mana to 100%
"Four copper pieces."
She picked up a green potion.
Luck Potion
Durability: 50/50
Rarity: Uncommon
Increases luck by +10 for 2 hours
"One silver piece."
She put the three bottles in the sack of fabric and handed him one gold piece. She looked around the shop and stopped on a sword standing up by a book shelf. She walked over and picked it up.
"Now that is something I can not sell to you," Armand spoke softly and took it from her.
"Why not?" she asked.
"It is best to start with a short sword. Get comfortable." He handed her a simple short sword and a prompt appeared.
Short Sword
Damage: 5-7
Durability: 98/100
Rarity: Common
Weight: 0.9 kg
Requirements:
Strength - 15 (unmet)
Dexterity - 15 (unmet)
"It's heavy," she gasped. "I don't meet the requirements for it."
"Here, I will throw this in for free." Armand ran to the bookshelf and took down a scroll. Eve set the short sword down and took the scroll.
Scroll of Short Swords
Durability: 10/10
Rarity: Common
Learn the ability Short Swords
"This scroll will immediately get you to meet the requirements for the sword, no problem," Armand explained.
"How much?" she asked.
"Well, closing sale, plus my favorite customer, one gold." He smiled and placed a hand on her baby bump. "You need to worry about this little one. Less about this one." He put another hand on his head and laughed.
Eve smiled, placed another kiss on his bald head and put two gold coins on the counter. "Take care of yourself, Armand." She put the scroll in the burlap sack and went to pick up the sword.
"You may want to read that scroll before you go; that thing will start slowing you down if you try carrying it before meeting the requirements."
"You're too sweet," she laughed and took the scroll out again. She opened the scroll and a prompt appeared.
You have learned the skill Short Blades LVL 1
Strength increased +5
Dexterity increased +5
The writing on the scroll disappeared and the scroll rerolled itself. Eve smiled, picked up the short sword easily, sheathed it and tied it to her waist. "How do I look?" she asked Armand, smiling.
He looked over and whistled.
She stuffed the scroll back in the sack and picked it up. It lifted easier and slung over her shoulder like it was nothing. 'I like this increase in strength,' she thought. She gave Armand another kiss on the head and walked out his store for the last time.