Brain bloom

"Probably not, but not friends either—we don't have any friends."

"I see."

"Mori, what are you going to do?" Dandelion looked at Mori curiously, sensing something in her words.

"I'm not doing anything, just thinking about the future. What if I said I would kill them all one day?" Mori's amber eyes remained fixed on the nobles.

Dandelion thought for a moment before clearly saying softly, "I won't stop you—but I won't be so happy that I'll laugh, nor will I be sad... I will only respect you the most."

It reached Mori's ears so clearly, more clearly than the curses of the countless angry people around him. Time passed once more, and the group of nobles had already gone quite far.

Afterwards, they traded the boar's head for a reward of one hundred silver coins in the bustling government office. They were both surprised that the office could handle such a small matter during such a busy time, and their orderly work process was remarkable. In any case, they had secured a considerable sum of money, and both of them were relieved.

Half of the money was given to Mori, who asked for it herself, in order to arm themselves together. The current situation wasn't good enough; she was just a decorative vase who could use some magic, and she needed to become more useful. Of course, she also needed to make a certain high-level nature mage stronger.

Mori knew exactly what this town had to offer, including several essential items for beginners. These were unique to the town, and when combined properly, they could provide tremendous help in the early game. After obtaining the hidden treasure chest, she was confident she could also acquire these resources.

The first is the Sea God Temple located in Frozen Bear Town, where entering the inner area requires some so-called prayer price.

They arrived at the rather magnificent temple of the sea god, where the smell of octopus was never lacking. From the entrance to the main shrine inside, octopus offerings brought by fishermen were everywhere. The largest octopus caught each year was placed here as an offering to the sea god.

The priest will also cast a long freezing spell to keep the octopus fresh.

There weren't many people here today, but Sen Shi and Dandelion still each paid ten silver coins to be allowed to venture deeper into the temple to pray. Dandelion didn't quite understand why their ancestor had come here, but she obediently followed them into the courtyard where the main shrine was located. An octopus, probably several meters long, was frozen there, emitting a strong, fishy stench.

In fact, there is a trial waiting for players here—if someone can pull up the inconspicuous vine next to it, they will get a pretty good staff called [Gift of the Sea God], which can be used as a staff of various attributes. Because of this convenient feature, some players still use it even after reaching the level cap.

This is how it should be.

But Senshi stared blankly around, seeing only weeds, and couldn't find that thing...

Volume 1 #018 Plants Need Proper Care

"Is this octopus our goal? I think it will be delicious." Dandelion asked half-jokingly when she saw Sen Shi standing still. "Octopus is quite popular in the famous snack shops in Silvermoon City."

"Let's talk about the octopus later. Wait a minute... there should be several vines growing here, right?"

"I don't know, I've never been here before."

"This is incredibly troublesome. Why is it so difficult to get you a weapon?"

Although her complaints continued, Morishi kept scanning her surroundings. They pretended to be travelers praying for a safe journey, but there was a time limit for being allowed to enter and pray. She was a little sad, not wanting to have paid ten silver coins for nothing.

Mori had no choice but to walk around the courtyard extensively, finally finding traces of vines growing in the grass—though they were quite old. She was a little discouraged, because this was the best staff she could acquire early on; if she missed it, she'd have to resort to dungeons…

Speaking of which, I wonder what the dungeons from the game era look like now, and whether those familiar boss monsters are still around.

The dandelion had no idea what its ancestors were anxious about, so it had to find ways to amuse itself to pass the time.

She held no reverence for any deities worshipped in the world, for those beings had never protected the Kingdom of Flowers. She knew better than anyone that they were merely figments of human imagination. So, without any hesitation, she flipped over the offering octopus, wanting to see how such a large creature could grow.

She had always been curious about what the octopus was trying to hide by growing so many disgusting tentacles.

But it was this action that made Mori notice something—the octopus's several thick tentacles were bound by something that looked very familiar, and Dandelion was about to untie them.

Mori immediately went over and touched the thing binding the octopus for a while. It was a tough, thick vine, about two fingers wide, with pale gold vines; it was indeed what she was looking for.

The name of the item, "Sea God's Beard," popped into Mori's mind. It was indeed correct.

Sen was initially overjoyed; his trip hadn't been in vain. But he quickly became a little disappointed, after all, the long-standing shrine proved how many believers the sea god had. Stealing their offerings might cause trouble.

"Should I go and ask them if they're selling? That would be so awkward."

"Senshi, do you want these vines?" Dandelion muttered again, "What a strange hobby, I don't know what you're going to use them to tie up."

"It's not an ordinary rope; it can be used as a magic staff for you to use."

Upon hearing Sen Shi's words, Dandelion immediately brightened up. In fact, she was well aware that the oak staff she was using was really too tattered.

Without hesitation, Dandelion looked around and, finding no one, quickly untied the vines. Then, she cast a nature spell, using her mental energy to create vines to bind it, making it look no different from before.

This shouldn't be exposed; the two of them are probably the only ones who would dare to be so disrespectful to the sea god.

Seeing his princess so brave, Mori felt relieved and thought to himself that he was a big shot after all, being known as the coffin bearer.

"Hmm, nature magic is indeed great." After handing the two vines to Mori, Dandelion snorted smugly—but she soon discovered that her hands were covered in the fishy smell of octopus.

"Ugh, it stinks."

"It's alright, just consider it fertilizer." Sen Shi, who had grown flowers and plants himself, continued based on his experience, "Seafood scraps can be fermented into a pretty good fertilizer that can make the flowers bloom better, so don't be so sad."

The dandelion's tiny mouth was crooked and twisted, clearly dissatisfied.

"Hmph, that's just wishful thinking on the part of humans; they haven't considered the feelings of the flowers at all."

As a fellow seasonal being with grass growing on her head, Mori couldn't refute it at all. She could only use gentle wind magic to blow away the scent from her hands, and thankfully, after the scent dissipated, she returned to her normal smiling face.

After that, Mori put the vine into his magic bag and left with the dandelion.

Ten silver coins for a staff that lasts a long time is well worth it. Before returning to the inn, Mori stopped by a magic item shop and bought many necessities from the mysterious astrologer who owned it. He also purchased various simple materials and specialized tools for life skills from the general store.

These will be essential expenses in the future.

……

Back at the hotel, it was almost sunset, and most people were finishing their busy day and hurrying home.

Security at the inn was tighter than during the day. At the main entrance stood a disheveled man who looked malnourished but possessed considerable strength. Moreover, he was surrounded by many items meant to ward off evil—such as a salt shaker, silver ornaments, sapphires with bubbles, strings of garlic, and seawater taken from the temple of the sea god.

He also held a real weapon, exuding a menacing aura unique to desperados.

If it weren't for the fact that every inn on the street had similar guards, Mori would definitely have considered him an enemy. Undoubtedly, this man was there to guard against the ghosts that roamed at night—the ghosts those dandelions spoke of.

Once inside her room, Dandelion explained, "Those are high-quality slaves used in battle, which is why they attract more travelers looking for peace of mind to rent rooms here."

"……high quality?"

Sen Shi didn't think this was a word to describe people, but after thinking about it again, he felt relieved. Every world has its own system that is most suitable for it to operate, and slavery may be one of them.

The first thing the two did after entering the room was, of course, to take off their outer clothes.

After all, the plants on their heads had been stuck there all afternoon, and now that they were finally free, their bodies felt much lighter.

Dandelion wasn't idle; she used small water-based spells in various corners of the room to increase humidity and create a better environment for her dandelion. Then, she sat in front of the mirror and began washing the dandelion. Mori gradually learned about the habits of the Four Seasons People; even the strawberry vines on her head were yearning for clear water.

"Would you like me to water the plants for you, Princess?" Mori asked considerately.

"That would be too much trouble. I'll wipe the leaves for you later." She smiled in response.

Sen Shi fetched clean water and watered the dandelion roots little by little, while trying to avoid wetting her soft, beautiful hair.

Each time a water droplet fell, the princess would let out a lovely purr, indicating that she was feeling comfortable. Sen Shi patiently wiped the dust off the leaves, gently stroking the fluffy dandelions with her fingers, holding her breath as if afraid that even the slightest breath would send them scattering.

"Don't worry, my downy hair is as strong as human hair, you can't pull it out no matter how hard you try," Dandelion said with a shy smile after seeing Sen Shi's every move clearly in the mirror.

"Okay, that's good. I just think it's very cute..."

"Don't touch it too much, because it's itchy."

After Sen Shi's careful tending, Dandelion's dandelion stood tall and graceful again, regaining its vitality. Dandelion stood up and took Sen Shi's hand, inviting her to sit down.

"It's definitely more enjoyable to do things with fellow countrymen. Thank you for the care and protection from our ancestors. Now it's my turn to help you."

"Ah."

Dandelion's fingers parted her long hair, gently cradling each vine in her hands. She skillfully cared for Mori's vines, wiping away every speck of dust and carefully misting the roots. A cool sensation coursed through Mori's body, making her feel as if her soul had been lovingly caressed.

"My technique is pretty good, isn't it!"

"Mmm, it feels so good."

Feeling pampered by his princess, Moritoki felt incredibly comfortable and thought that living as a Four Seasons Person wasn't so bad after all. If he could experience this kind of joy every day, he could endure anything.

……

(Thank you all for your recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Starting next month, I will open a bonus chapter for recommendation votes and monthly tickets. The requirements will not be very high, so I think I should be able to maintain two chapters a day.)

……

Thank you, Heaven Also Rains Blade

Many thanks to Lulutia-Zejin for the 6888, Deep Sea Admiral Marisa for the 5000, and the author for the 200 reward obtained by selling their asshole, OTZ)

Volume 1 #019: The Master's Practice Night

There was still some time before the inn started serving dinner, and regardless of which world she was in, Mori's stomach could only hold a small amount of food, and she wasn't particularly interested in food.

Now there were more important things to do. First, she took out many things from her magic bag, preparing to offer a staff to Dandelion.

Of all the skills Sen Shi possesses, magic is perhaps the most convenient and currently the most useful. Although it was initially considered by many players to be a very difficult and expensive skill to master, it offers rich rewards and can accomplish many things. Not only is it used to make potions and some magical items, but it is also needed for magical weapons.

Mori entered a state of magical mastery, and one could see spiritual energy, like light and shadow, spreading around her two hands.

She sat on her bed, which was covered with many things.

For example, the two vines we harvested this afternoon—though they reeked of octopus. There were also the magical fusion agent we bought, condensed spiritual energy crystals, and other necessities.

The crafting process of the staff "Gift of the Sea God" then came to mind.

It's actually not complicated to make. You just need to intertwine two vines, soak them in a magical fusion agent, and then infuse them with a crystal of spiritual energy. After all, it's just a low-level staff, so it's not that difficult.

She was completely absorbed in the process of making it. The two vines were twisted together by Mori Shi like a braid, and then solidified with a magical fusion agent.

This step was relatively simple, but the subsequent process was a bit tedious. Fortunately, Mori, with beads of sweat on his forehead, lived up to his master level and, after some effort, poured in the spiritual energy crystal—and the creation was successful.

The vines intertwined to form a staff approximately 135 centimeters long – [The Gift of the Sea God].

It appears to be of good quality, with clearly discernible colorless spiritual energy swirling around it, enhancing the effects of magic. It is a staff without any special effects, possessing natural attributes, and requires an equipment level of 25.

This restriction is too high for Mori, but too low for Dandelion—in any case, it's better than what she has.

The most distinctive feature of this staff is its versatility. By simply inserting the corresponding crystals or gems into the top of the staff, its attributes can be altered.

In the magical world of "Silent World," while low-level and mid-level spells can be freely cast, once a spell reaches a higher level, it becomes much more difficult to cast. For example, to use high-level water elemental magic, one must use a water-attribute staff, and the same applies to other spells.

"Oh, so that means as long as I have crystals of other attributes embedded in it, I can use it to unleash the corresponding advanced magic?" Dandelion asked after listening to Mori's patient explanation.

“Yes, isn’t it convenient? If you don’t inlay it, it’s naturally occurring, a perfect match for you.” After saying that, Sen Shi, like a craftsman presenting a treasure to an emperor, offered his prized possession to Dandelion, “Drop your oak staff.”

"Wow... a staff! They actually made a staff." As if waking from a dream, Dandelion finally witnessed the reality in Mori's hands.

"It didn't cost too much, don't be shy, take it." Mori Toki smiled confidently.

"But it smells awful." Dandelion's eyebrows furrowed like a rag. "That fishy smell... can we get rid of it first?"