On receiving the silk thread Yvlena couldn't help but peer at its grade using her Adiri specs.

  "This is like the most useful thing I've bought so far," she said equipping them, she was disappoio find the game's description of her test creation.

  "Poor silk thread! Unbelievable! So long as I still make the silk rag I need," she grumbled reading through the description.

  "Uo be used for much," she read, her expression darkened in disappoi. She put the thread and specs ba her iory with a frustrated huff.

  "Nothing to get sad about, I'll just have tain," she said, but the pain of frustration stung as she walked towards the Rose Manates on her way back to the Artisan District.

  On Yvlena’s way there she noticed the streets were a lot quieter without Ricardo there to eain the crowd, a smile tugged at her lips as she remembered the fn mert fondly.

  "I hope he visits Bloom Haven again, even if his stuff was a bit more expensive," she said. Her feet carry her down the familiar path to Risel's Apothecary.

  "Finally here," Yvlena pushed the door, expeg the bell to tinkle as she ehe door didn't move. "Eh?"

  She tried again, pushing until a wooden board dangled in front of her.

  "Out for supplies," the sign read, Yvlena frowned, much like Risel her long, pointed ears drooped as she realized Risel wouldn't be here to help her figure out the mystery of the S Balm.

  "I know, maybe I'll pay Iris a visit, it's been a while since I saw her, and I do o see how the Floral District is doing," Yvlena stretched, still feeling the effects of the rexation potion course through her as she walked back the way she came.

  On her way out of the Artisan District, she passed by Madame Pratt's shop and stepped io see the woman w away at yet another dress.

  The bck gown seemed to shimmer uhe store lights, lined with colorful feathers at the ends of the sleeves and hems.

  "Wow," Yvlena gasped w if the gown was for a noble woman or a of some sort.

  The aged woman's gaze nded on Yvlena, Madam Pratt gave a weling smile and beed the elf into the store.

  "How may I help," she drawled.

  "I have some silk threads, it's not very good though," Yvlena said.

  A shop window opened allowing Yvlena to sell the bundles of threads to the woman. Madame Pratt held the skeins in her hand, examining them ily.

  [Yvlena Acquired

  ***

  Moon Points x200]

  "Not the best but, you've only just started. Why not try weaving fiber into linen?" Madam Pratt suggested. The woman the behind her ter and deposited the threads into her drawer possibly for future use.

  "But I have to get the silk rag!" Yvlena whined. "I for something important,"

  Madam Pratt only chuckled.

  [Affinity with Madame Pratt increased +1]

  "Well then you certainly better get practig," she said, "Silk from the Spiders of the Verdant Woods is not so easily woven,"

  "How did you know?" Yvlena asked with wide eyes.

  "My dear I too used to be an adventurer, but that's a story for a ter day," The old woman wi Yvlena but it did not ease the girl's worries. Now she was down two quest items.

  "I have to figure out what's wrong with the balm and fight more spiders," she grumbled.

  Yvleed the shop w what Madame Pratt's life was like when she was young, an adventurer retired as a tailor. Yvlena shrugged, maybe Madame Pratt was just too old to be an adventurer and wanted a quiet and respectable profession.

  ----------

  "Hi Iris," Yvlena said walking into the Tea House, the grumpy older woman turned around and Yvlena could make out a ghost of a smile as she walked towards the serving ter.

  "Always a pleasure Yvlena," Iris said drying some of the teacups she had just washed.

  "You work with herbs, you wouldn't happen to know how to make a balm would you," Yvlena asked the woman, she gripped her hair at wit's end on what to do with the inplete balm.

  Iris paused, thinking.

  "Well since I know you're the ohat put Dyn Brackett up to gettihe herbs I need for my Tea House I'll tell you," Iris said with a smirk. She leaned over the ter watg Yvlena sputter.

  "I thought you could use the help since I couldn't be around to help all the time," Yvlena said with an embarrassed grin. She scratched her cheek nervously, thinking Iris was angry with her.

  [Affinity with Iris increased +2]

  "Thank you for thinking about me Yvlena, not many remember an old broad like me," Iris said, she lit her wooden pipe, drawing in the smoke and puffing white clouds towards the Tea Houe's ceiling.

  "The secret to making a balm is heating the mixture at the end, I used to make them for Jonathan all the time," Iris said.

  Yvlena's eyes sparkled as she listeo the old eak. Iris frowned, purple lined lips drawing into a thin line.

  "What is it?"

  "Oh nothing, you've just been super helpful!" Yvlena said fshing Iris a wide grin as a weight lifted off her chest.

  "You anything or what?!" Iris said suddenly flustered by Yvlena's gratitude.

  "I guess I'd like to try the Sweet Bloom Tea," Yvlena said, sitting at the ter and waiting for Iris to brew her a cup of tea.

  Yvlena watched the woman dry the herbs and grind them down into tea leaves, she boiled the water and began steeping the tea until it was just right. Iris sprinkled a dash of sugar and pushed a por cup of hot liquid towards Yvlena.

  "Here you go,"

  Yvlena lifted her cup, gesturihanks, and sipped.

  [The tea soothes your soul, and reminds you of a peaceful meadow]

  [+Temporary HP Boost

  +Temporary Increased resistao poison]

  "Ah, thank you, Iris. Your teas are the best!"

  [Affinity with Iris increased +1]

  "Now get outta here and go do whatever elves do in their down time," Iris said taking the cup away. Yvlena saluted and hopped off her seat rag out the door.

  Iris shook her head, instantly reminded of when her brother used to do the same.

  ----------

  "Ugh why didn't I think of that, a balm is not a potion it's solid!" Yvlena said. "Though I guess I might be thinking of lip balm, but anyway I know what to do!" She k on the soft grass of the manrounds to begin her experiment.

  Yvlena took the inplete balm out of her iory, it sloshed around the jar in its still liquid form.

  "I'll use the burner from the alchemy kit to heat it up!" Yvlena said already setting the kit out beside her.

  She rested the jar in the burner's holder ring and watched the magical fme e to life. Slowly the liquid begaing, bubbling, and bubbling until it dried out from the heat.

  Yvlena watched with bated breath as the balm slowly cooked to pletion, hardening into a paste one could rub onto their skin.

  [Yvlena Acquired

  ***

  S Balm (Epic) x1]

  "Yes!"

  AnnouChapters 84-91 is now on my Patreon if you're enjoying the story you tip me here