After a good night's sleep, I was awakened by Ruthia's insistent knocking on the door, announcing:
—"Breakfast is on the table!"
I quickly got ready and went to eat, having started to appreciate Ruthia's culinary delights. After breakfast and some lively conversation, I decided to extend my stay for a good two months, arranging to pay everything at the end. With that settled, I headed to the central square, where Jina was already waiting with her famous notebook in hand.
When she saw me, she smiled and came to greet me:
—"Good morning, Ishida! Sleep well?"
—"Good morning, Jina! Slept like a rock! Passed out as soon as I hit the pillow. Really needed it. What about you? How was your night?"
—"Slept well too! Just couldn't stay awake during my dad's scolding," Jina said, making a funny pout.
—"Hehe, so he was really mad?"
—"Yeah, super mad! All over a tiny little burn. He's come back with way worse himself! Said if I want to go hunting again today, I'll have to gear up with some armor and healing potions."
—"Hehe, so it looks like we're going shopping instead of hunting, huh?"
—"Pretty much... first, let's trade in our cores."
—"Alright, let's go."
After quickly returning to the inn to grab my 10 brown cores, I followed Jina to the town hall, where she mentioned her friend Nathalie handled the rewards.
—"Sis Nath!" Jina called out, waving and smiling.
—"Sis Jina, long time no see!" Nathalie replied, returning the wave and smile. —"What brings you here?"
—"Came to trade some brown cores and also show my friend how the exchange works." Jina pulled me closer and introduced me. —"This is Ishida, a cultivator helping us with the slimes."
—"Ohh! Hello, Ishida, nice to meet you. Thank you in advance for your help!" Nathalie said with a warm look.
—"No problem, hehe, I'm getting so much help that it's the least I can do," I replied, a little embarrassed.
We started exchanging the cores; Jina handed over 12, while I gave 13.
—"Alright, Jina, you'll get 120 copper coins, and you, Ishida, will get 130. Deliveries above 50 cores earn a bonus of 5 healing potions. They're great for slime burns," Nathalie explained, pointing at Jina's arm.
—"Thank you so much, Nathalie," Jina and I said in unison.
After saying goodbye to Nathalie, Jina grabbed my attention.
—"Great! Now we just need to get some equipment. Come on, Ishida, let's go to Uncle Drew... he lives on the east side of town. He's Zherwood's best blacksmith," Jina said, walking ahead excitedly.
As we approached Uncle Drew, Jina made the introductions animatedly. I was visibly surprised to see Uncle Drew—a towering bearkin with thick, glossy brown fur and bear ears that stood out against his human-like face. I'd never met anyone like him before.
—"Uncle, my dad said I should buy some armor to protect myself from the slimes... do you have any recommendations?" Jina asked hopefully.
—"We've got a new leather set. It's around 500 copper coins," Drew replied while stroking his thick beard.
—"We don't have that much, do you have anything more affordable?" Jina asked, a little worried.
—"Hmm, let me check the back, young Jina. I think I've got something that'll work," Drew answered before heading to the back of the shop.
After a few minutes, he returned with some old, worn-out armor—still better than the regular clothes we were wearing. The pieces were covered in marks but sturdy enough to offer some protection.
—"This armor won't fully protect you, but at least it'll keep you from getting burned by slime hits. The set with leather boots costs 100 copper coins. We've got different sizes for you to try," Drew explained with a welcoming smile.
—"What do you think, Ishida?" Jina asked, looking at me expectantly.
After some thought, I decided the purchase was necessary. Though a significant expense for my current budget, the extra protection would be invaluable for slime hunting, allowing for greater financial returns.
—"Great, we'll take one set each," I declared to Uncle Drew, deciding for Jina as well.
After trying them on and finding the right sizes, we headed to our last stop before the hunt: the potion shop. There, Lin Xue, the friendly alchemist, greeted us warmly. I ended up spending my last coins on two burn potions, essential for our safety.
—"Alright, Ishida, this time we can't come back with fewer than 50 cores. We've got to save on potions—I'm not paying for your dinner every time. Hehe," Jina teased, winking at me.
I nodded with an embarrassed smile—
—"Sorry about that, hehe," I replied, feeling my face heat up.
—"Hehehe. I'll forgive you, but on one condition: you have to treat me to dinner before we leave... and not at Ruthia's inn, but at one of the city's big restaurants," she continued with a challenging look.
—"You got it, I promise to take you to the best restaurant in town," I assured her with a slightly embarrassed but determined smile.
We started heading toward the city exit, finally ready to begin our hunt. Just as we left, we spotted a familiar figure: Gareth, Jina's father. As we approached, Jina said:
—"See, Dad? Bought everything you told me to."
Her father nodded and gave her equipment a thorough look before examining mine. He didn't seem overly impressed, but he seemed to accept it.
—"I see you're prepared to head out," Gareth said with an analytical gaze. —"But I didn't come just to check if you followed my instructions. One of the guards reported an orange slime spotted in Zher Woods. Probably around Qi Gathering Level 2 or 3. Be careful, and if you find it, retreat."
—"Orange? It's been a while since the last one was seen... that's not a good sign," Jina said, a little disheartened.
—"Should we call off the hunt until the orange slime leaves?" I asked Gareth.
—"No need to cancel, just avoid the big lake in Zher Woods. It was seen in that area, and they usually don't leave."
I nodded and sighed in relief, thinking: 'Thank goodness, because I really need some cores today—can't let Jina pay for my dinner again.'
After exchanging a confident look with Jina, we bid Gareth farewell and set off for our hunt.