The northern gate of Silvermere was quieter than the southern one.
By the time Luciana and Raizen passed through it, the city had already begun to fade behind them.
The road stretched between low hills before gradually narrowing into a forest path.
Luciana checked the quest notice again.
“Fifteen Crystal Petals.”
She folded it and slipped it back into her notebook.
“Fifty silver coins.”
Raizen glanced at her.
“You’re still thinking about the reward?”
“Of course.”
She looked at him seriously.
“We’re adventurers.”
“We are.”
“Money is important.”
“I agree.”
Luciana smiled.
“Good.
At least you understand.”
They continued walking.
The northern forest was cooler than the southern woodland.
Tall trees covered most of the sky, and the air carried a faint scent of pine and damp earth.
Luciana slowed down when she spotted something moving between the trees.
A small creature with a long tail and tiny antlers peeked out from behind a trunk.
She stopped.
The creature stopped.
They stared at each other.
Luciana whispered,
“Are you a deer?”
The creature tilted its head.
“…Or a rabbit?”
Raizen looked at it.
“Neither.”
Luciana turned to him.
“Then what is it?”
“A forest creature.”
“That wasn’t helpful.”
“It was accurate.”
She sighed.
“You really are weird.”
The creature suddenly bounded away.
Luciana watched it disappear.
“Goodbye, whatever-you-are.”
They continued deeper into the forest.
After another hour, the path became less obvious.
The trees grew thicker, and patches of pale moss covered the ground.
Luciana took out her compass.
Then she looked at it.
Then at the road.
Then at the compass again.
Raizen noticed.
“Something wrong?”
“No.”
She turned the compass slightly.
“…I think.”
Raizen looked at the needle.
“You’re holding it upside down.”
Luciana froze.
She slowly turned the compass around.
“Oh.”
Raizen said nothing.
Luciana cleared her throat.
“I knew that.”
“Of course.”
“I was testing you.”
“I see.”
She put the compass away.
“Test successful.”
Raizen almost smiled.
The farther they traveled, the more unusual the forest became.
Some trees had silver-colored bark.
Small flowers grew beneath the roots, their petals glowing faintly in the shade.
A stream crossed their path, its water so clear that Luciana could see tiny luminous fish swimming beneath the surface.
She crouched beside it.
“Beautiful.”
Raizen stopped beside her.
“Yes.”
Luciana looked at the water for a moment before standing.
“Do you think we’ll find the Crystal Petals near here?”
“Possibly.”
According to the quest description, Crystal Petals usually grew around places where natural magic gathered.
Streams.
Old trees.
Caves.
Areas where several types of magical plants grew together.
Luciana began paying closer attention to her surroundings.
This time, she wasn’t simply wandering.
She was learning how to search.
They followed the stream for another half hour.
Then Luciana suddenly stopped.
“Wait.”
Raizen looked at her.
She pointed toward a cluster of bushes.
“Something is shining.”
They approached carefully.
Behind the bushes was a small patch of flowers.
Their petals were transparent, almost like thin pieces of crystal.
Sunlight passed through them and scattered tiny reflections across the leaves.
Luciana’s eyes widened.
“Crystal Petals.”
Raizen nodded.
“Looks like it.”
She crouched immediately.
“Then we found them!”
There were six flowers.
Luciana carefully checked the quest instructions.
Collect only intact petals.
Avoid damaging the flower itself.
She hesitated.
“How do we pick them?”
Raizen crouched beside her.
“Carefully.”
“That sounds easy when you say it.”
He pointed to the base of one petal.
“Hold here.”
Luciana followed his instructions.
She gently pulled.
The petal separated without damaging the flower.
She held it up.
“Perfect.”
Raizen nodded.
Luciana placed it into the collection pouch.
“One.”
The next few were easier.
Two.
Three.
Four.
By the time they finished the patch, they had six intact Crystal Petals.
Luciana looked pleased.
“Six already.”
“We need fifteen.”
“I know.”
She looked toward the forest.
“Seven, eight, nine…”
She began counting imaginary petals.
Raizen looked at her.
“You’re counting ones we haven’t found.”
“I like planning ahead.”
They continued searching.
The forest became increasingly beautiful as they went deeper.
They passed a small clearing filled with blue grass.
They crossed another stream.
They found several magical flowers, though none were Crystal Petals.
Luciana was beginning to understand why the reward was higher.
The flowers weren’t particularly dangerous.
They were simply difficult to find.
By late afternoon, they had collected eleven.
Luciana sat on a fallen log.
“Four more.”
Raizen stood nearby, looking toward the trees.
“We should continue a little farther before returning.”
Luciana nodded.
She opened her bag and pulled out a small snack.
Raizen glanced at it.
“Croissant?”
Luciana looked offended.
“Obviously.”
“You still have them?”
“Grandma Martha packed too many.”
Raizen looked at her.
“You complained about that.”
“I was wrong.”
She took a bite.
“Grandma Martha is never wrong about croissants.”
Raizen said nothing.
Luciana offered him one.
He looked at it.
Then at her.
“No, thank you.”
“Your loss.”
She happily ate it herself.
After their short break, they continued.
The forest gradually became quieter.
Even the magical insects seemed less numerous.
Luciana looked around.
“It’s strangely peaceful.”
Raizen nodded.
“Stay close.”
Luciana glanced at him.
“I can take care of myself.”
“I know.”
“Then why—”
“Because this part of the forest is less traveled.”
She considered that.
Then nodded.
“Fair.”
They walked side by side.
Neither noticed that the trees ahead were slowly becoming covered in faint crystalline growth.
Luciana was the first to see it.
She stopped.
Raizen stopped with her.
Ahead, between two enormous trees, stood a small natural stone arch.
Crystal-like flowers grew around its base.
Luciana stared.
“There.”
Raizen looked at the flowers.
More Crystal Petals.
A lot more.
Luciana’s face brightened.
“Let’s finish this.”
She hurried forward.
Raizen followed.
Neither realized that something else had been watching them from deeper within the forest.
Two bright eyes appeared briefly between the trees.
Then disappeared.
Luciana reached the flowers and crouched.
“Four more.”
She carefully began collecting.
Twelve.
Thirteen.
Fourteen.
She reached toward the final petal.
Just as her fingers touched it—
A loud rustling came from behind them.
Luciana froze.
Raizen slowly turned his head.
The forest suddenly became very quiet.
Luciana whispered,
“…Please tell me that’s another harmless potato.”
Raizen looked toward the trees.
“No.”
Luciana slowly stood.
“That’s not the answer I wanted.”
Something moved behind the bushes.
Branches snapped.
Leaves scattered.
Luciana tightened her grip on the collection pouch.
Raizen remained completely calm.
Then a pair of glowing eyes emerged from the shadows.
Luciana swallowed.
“…Maybe we should have taken the flower quest that was closer.”
Raizen’s voice remained steady.
“Probably.”
The creature stepped forward.
And Luciana finally realized that their simple collection quest might not remain simple for long.