Zhenyel sat with crossed legs under a thick tree, her back pressed against the trunk as she stared at the list, still undecided what to craft.
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Easy Crafting Items :
1.) Healing Salve
2.) Forest Healing Poultice (DELICATE)
3.) Twisted Vine Rope
Normal Crafting Items :
1.) Minor Mana Salve
2.) Feathered Wooden Arrow
3.) Camouflage Cloak
Hard Crafting Items : (DO NOT ATTEMPT!)
1.) Enchanted Thorn Whip
2.) Elixir of Sylvan Might
3.) Forest Sentinel's Bow
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Zhenyel hummed thoughtfully as she chose to craft Minor Mana Salve. She stood up and went to find the resources needed for the items. She ventured deeper into the forest, where the trees were dense and foliage thick.
She noticed that the path grew narrower with every tree she passed, and she had to make a stop to look around for the herb she needed. She then heard a stream from the distance.
With careful and focused attention, she followed the sound at that time, and she arrived in a small clearing with a stream of water leading deeper into the forest. Zhenyel went to the water and used her bottle to scoop the spring water, obtaining one of the resources she needed.
After a few minutes of roaming around the stream, she saw the Brightleaf herb. She plucked a few of them with a mindful touch, internally thanking no one in particular just in case.
Zhenyel then looked for the last thing she needed, wandering around and checking corners, crevices, and other possible spots where she could find a soft moss pad.
In all of the places that she looked, there was no soft moss pad. So she tried going to the other side of the water stream, meticulously searching for the last resources.
"Finally… Now I can make the Forest Healing Poultice." She murmured quietly as she came across a patch of soft moss pad.
Zhenyel didn't waste any more time, walking back to the other side of the stream as she began processing the items. She first crushed the brightleaf herb into a moist pulp, then she soaked the moss pad for a minute in the stream.
After that, she spread the herb paste evenly on the moss pad, folding it into a poultice. And it's done, the Forest Healing Poultice is ready to be used.
Zhenyel grabbed a broad leaf and wrapped the poultice in it, using her knife she always carries in her person, extracting a tree bark nearby and carving it hollow to use as a natural container.
To make sure that the poultice won't be crushed or ruined, Zhenyel cuts a thin vine from a nearby source and secures the tree bark, tying the thin vine around the wrapped poultice to ensure it won't unwrap itself, doing a double knot just in case.
Then she grabbed another vine, as thin as the one earlier and twisted it around her waist, creating a makeshift belt for the poultice, making sure that it won't fall off when she moved excessively.
Once the first item was made and stored, Zhenyel went to make the next one. Since the Forest Healing Poultice was on the Easy Craft Items, she chose her second item from the Normal Craft Items.
Zhenyel bought her manual out and skimmed through the contents to find the possible sources of the needed resources. She couldn't help but grimace because despite the difficulty being in Normal, it looks a little more than what it says.
Regardless, Zhenyel treaded the path deeper into the trees. She was keeping a lookout for a blossom that glows softly with a pale blue or silver light.
According to the manual, it is usually protected by a magical creature or two. Zhenyel ranged the forest with caution as she occasionally switched her gaze from the forest path to the manual in her hand.
While she was resting after hours of looking for the ingredients, scavenging for edible foods occasionally when she needed as she focused on getting her hands on the resources.
For what felt like a day or two, Zhenyel arrived at the secluded clearing. There was a glowing stream by the distance and a group of radiant trees, seemingly enchanted.
She approached the thick foliage and found the moonpetal bloom, just like she read in the manual: she saw a bunch of luminous magical creatures that shed a glow similar to an orb of light.
It seems that the creatures noticed her presence and immediately darted towards her, their glow shining brighter as it momentarily blinded her while she winced in mild discomfort.
"Hi… My apologies for disturbing you all…" Zhenyel greeted them softly, rubbing one of her eyes to get rid of the remaining effects of the blindness from the lights.
The creatures' attitude seemingly shifted while they reduced the brightness of their glow, allowing Zhenyel to speak.
"My name is Zhenyel. I am an exam taker of the Adventurers Guild Qualification Tests. And I was wondering if you'll let me grab three moonpetal flowers and one silverleaf extract." She asked softly while nodding to the patch of moonpetal blooms being cared for by the other magical creatures.
It seems to be contemplating her words, levitating in the air in front of her before it shuddered as if to tell her no.
"Look, I know it's your job to protect the blooms and the leaves, I don't want any complications. I want to pass this exam. Please help me." Zhenyel says quietly, almost pleadingly while she glanced at the patch of the sources she needed.
The magical creature seemed to be contemplating her words again, if this doesn't persuade the tiny orb, she'll be forced to make something else.
Before Zhenyel could even turn on her heels to give up, the ever glowing creature went up to her face level and slowly flew backward, as if telling her to follow it.
This made Zhenyel blink in confusion while she followed the glowing orb's lead, hearing a bunch of bells ringing from the ball of light.