Farmhouse returns

"They killed off the cows."

I nodded, "Kinda of a shame maybe we could've helped them evolve like I did. Though that is likely why they killed them."

Merli gagged, "I'll bury them."

I looked at Merli, "I don't suppose you can strip them for materials? Horns, Hooves and their spines."

Merli gagged again, "Oh god, weren't they like your family?"

I shrugged, "Want me to be honest."

Merli shuddered, "yes, NO! Eh.... yes."

"Imma make bone broth, its really good for you. Combine that with spinal fluid it will likely garner something."

Merli stared at me. "That is sick, but.... I can't help but feel you are right. Lizard men often eat their fallen comrades to gain their skills."

I pointed, "That would be awesome, but I doubt that is what I will get."

Merli eyes widened and the air around it made a snapping sound. "An achievement! That is clever! Since you were once a animal you are likely to skip the taboos of the action."

I nodded, looking around feeling a little tense seeing all the corpses. "Let's uh get to work. I'll check out the house."

Merli nodded and looked around. While I grabbed the doorknob of the house. The window right next to it was still boarded up. It was because of the time I had broke through the window. I opened the house and looked around. The house was a wreck in itself. Looted by the knights obviously.

There was a broken statue on the ground along with several flipped chairs and tables. The pictures on the walls were smashed and removed off the walls. The whole place was searched well except I knew it wasn't.

The fire wood for the fireplace was scattered, but the fireplace it self looked untouched. I reached up into it and reached around. I found nothing, so I tapped each floor board and found no hollow areas.

The basement wasn't any better no bricks misplaced nothing that indicated a passage of some kind.There was some herbs and plants stocked onto shelves and baskets. I decided to grab them. I could eat 1 of each later and get the entries using the skill munch.

I scratched my chin going back to the first floor. I stared up at the ceiling at a lamp bolted to the roof of the first floor.

Prying off the lamp I found a small key, I expect more, but....

I walked up to the second floor began searching once more. Under carpets, inside mattress and in the walls. I was about to give up when I heard Merli's telepathy. "Hey! Akira come here and check this out."

I saw Merli by the barn the place the cows used to sleep and my eyes widened as I realized where the key went. Merli was jumping up and down in excitement as i walked over. "Akira I found a secret trap door! You think you can pry it open?"

I smiled, "Don't need to I got the key!"

Merli pranced in circles, "Perfeect~!"

I lumbered over to the trap door that was previously buried under the food trough. As I put the key in Merli spoke, "Was the key the only thing you found?"

"Pretty much, all the valuables I had previously seen are gone. There is some herbs and plants from the basement. I put them outside the house, so remember to grab them." Merli nodded as I lifted up the trap door.

"Wow that's fucking dark down there..."

Me and Merli stared at each other. I broke the silence, "Rock paper scissors to see who goes down first?"

Merli looked at me, "I don't have hands! flip a coin."

I shrugged, "I don't have a coin."

Merli cursed in a language I didn't understand. "Fine."

My eyes widened as a small pink bubble began forming on the tip of its unicorn horn. "Hrgk! Mrmm, Ugh!"

I watched as the bubble began to get bigger as Merli finally huffed. As the bubble formed completely.

With completely confusion, "What is that?"

Merli was breathing deeply before speaking, "Its a spell called oracle bubble. I can control it with my telekinesis. Let's see what is down in the hole shall we?"

Merli careful floated the bubble into the hole, it stuck its tongue out as the bubble slowly floated down. "Is this supposed to be slow?"

Merli sighed, "I'm just being careful the bubble can pop if it hits something and it takes all my mana to create one."

I nodded it just continued to sink into the darkness. We sat their for a second before i asked yet again. "What's supposed to happen?"

"Shhhh! Now that its out of my sight I am seeing through the bubble."

So I sat there until Merli jumped. "Holy Bagoly!"

Merli fell back onto its back and I helped it back to its feet. "What's up?"

Merli straightened up. "Their is a statue down there. Its face is frozen in terror so it spooked me. Other then that, all I saw was a rusty axe and some dust."

I looked at Merli, "So we go down there or come back later?"

Merli took a second before answering. "I don't think we could get the stuff out of there even if we tried. The axe is kinda big, I think we come back later."

I sighed, "I'll lock it again. Do you know of anyways we can come back and remove the stuff? and why not just smash into it?"

Merli shook its head, "I found the trap door exposed, I think someone already tried. Best we leave it, honestly if I had any more mana I could cast Tracing on it."

"What does that spell do?"

"Its like a tracking spell, except you can recover the item and see what the item went through." Ah it was psychometry. Merli really had all kinds of psychic tricks.

I looked at Merli, then looked back at the house. "Are there herbs that restore mana?"

"I mean yeah, but... You don't think?"

"My skill munch can give me the chance to see."

Merli and I ran out of the barn over to the herbs I had left. Before I even had the chance to go through them Merli picked up one of each and shoved them into my mouth.

<You have eaten Molding Herb, A herb used to prevent molding on meat. Entry added.>

<You have eaten Autric, A grass commonly used as seasoning. Entry added.>

<You have eaten....>

After a dozen notifications my eyes caught it. <You have eaten White Mint, A herb that can restore mana and stamina. Though it is extremely bitter. Entry added.>

"Found one! The white ones!"

Merli jumped, "Perfeect~!" Merli shoved some into its mouth and I saw its face twist. "Agrm, That's bitter you asshole!"

"Can you cast the spell?"

Merli nodded, "Just about.... oh man those are awful."