[PP-PT-F1] Old Man Kingsley | First Few Lessons

[Kingsley 0]

Kingsley often stopped by the Town of Beginnings when his pantry needed replenishing. It was a gold mine for staples, if you knew where to look, and Kingsley did. Everything he needed to make the bases of his Imperial Quarter Blend, Fortaleza Chai, and Lavender Cream Tea could be found right there in the city.

Colleagues of his were also located in the city. Old tea folk like himself were a rarity in a world so dominated by the youth, so they had to stick together. They shared rumors, and secrets, and mastered recipes together (not all of them, of course; every tea master had their specialty). They were associates rather than competitors, and this could only mean higher quality tea for all.

Begrudgingly, Warden had agreed to man the shop whilst Kingsley was away. They worked perfectly together; Warden did all of the heavy lifting and security while Kingsley crafted perfection. Of course, the shopping came down to him as well, as no other could tell the subtleties that made a product great. God forbid he send someone to buy him jasmine petals, only for them to be too dry or poorly grown. 

His first stop was Melwich's, an alchemist who, oddly enough, carried a variety of herbs and plants as well. He was a regular customer, in love with the chestnuts that Melwich harvested from the forests on Floor 2. They were a key ingredient in his Yomi Dragon Tea, a blend he took pride in and a favourite amongst his patrons.

"G'morning, Melwich. Six bags full, if you wouldn't mind. Lots of blending to do this week."

She sauntered to the back where she kept the chestnuts.

He took a seat by the window, watching people pass by, and wondered what they were doing on such a fine day.

| KINGSLEY  | Lv. 9 >> P. 0, Lv. 9  | Status: [ // ]  Notes:  PT active. Kingsley's SP total is set to 185.

Hide contents Kingsley | HP: 185/185 | EN: 36/36 | DMG: 10 | ACC: 4 | PAR: 1 | LD: 16 | EVA: 1 equipped Herding Wolf DMG II, PAR I Basalt ACC III battle-ready inventory skills   Hide contents mod count: 0/5 POLEARMS | RANK 5/5 UNHINDERED extra # specialization KEEN SIGHT | 15 data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== buffs   Hide contents statue # | # consumables # # paragon # data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== sword arts   Hide contents en cost matches multiplier unless stated otherwise. shift underlined. ST | x8 -> x11 AOE | x7 TECH-A | x8 | STUN | 9EN data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== misc/housing buffs   Hide contents # fishing # data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==   data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==

 

[Himiko 0]

Very few things brought Himiko from her shut-in style. She seemed to be determined to stay within the safety of her own home, however. Something lured her out this day. She had heard rumors of a flower on this floor, the children of the orphanage spoke like usual. She never cared for rumors of legendary weapons or armor or...Whatever the like. This flower though, even the name made Himiko's eyes sparkle like jewels: The Pneuma flower, said to be able to resurrect even the farthest gone of players. Was such a rumor true? Himiko lacked any knowledge on the game, hell she didn't even know how to open the menu. Such knowledge has faded away as the years passed, reality and game blending into one. But first, she had to check the stores. Maybe they had pretty flowers? Maybe even the one the rumors heard of.

Shop by shop, they all said the same: They either hadn't heard of the flower or didn't sell it. It was so frustrating, she was beginning to lose hope. Maybe it was just a rumor, but she had one more store to check- Given it was an alchemist's shop, she had little expectations. Especially given she had very, very little money. Mostly given to her by the visitors of the orphanage. She slowly entered Melwich's. her movements very, very slow. Like an anxious prey animal, she stared at all the patrons like they could kill her with a mere glance. What brought about such intense paranoia was anyone's guess. She approached the front, her voice meek and warbling. The girl could barely see over the countertop, she seemed to be exceedingly short- And completely unarmed. A strange sight for this late into sword art online. Everyone else seemed to be armed to some extent in the shop.



"E-Excuse me...Do you sell Pneuma Flowers here? I-If not i-it's okay...I can...U-Uh...Go search.."

Even just suggesting leaving the town made Himiko weak at the knees, the instant the words left her lips she swayed, almost falling over as she grabbed the counter to prevent herself falling. It was like she had completely left her body for a moment. True fear overwhelmed her, she had heard horror stories from the orphanage. Kids being taken and forced to be bait for orange players to kill players, having to deal with that...Having friends who helped them only to watch them die and be too scared to leave the town thereafter. Himiko was mortified of the idea of stepping out, but...If this flower could bring someone back from the dead, maybe it was worth it? 

[Kingsley 0]

Melwich returned with the first of the six bags, propping it up on the counter for Kingsley. He smiled beneath his long white mustache, and went back to staring outside, completely ignorant of the girl who had wandered inside. He wasn't one for eavesdropping; her business was her own, as far he was concerned. But mention of the Pneuma flower caught his attention.

The shopkeeper, unsurprisingly, had no information to share. In fact, she wasn't sure such a flower really existed. Kingsley knew, however, and he thought he knew where they could find one.

He had never gone looking. No one he wished to see could possibly have been brought back by a virtual flower. He didn't put much stock in rumors of that sort anyway. They almost always turned out to be false--disinformation spread by the ill-intended.

"Excuse me--did you say you're looking for the Pneuma flower? I'm afraid you won't find it in town. No, you're better off scavenging the woods. But you're a bit young to be traveling alone, aren't you? Where are your parents, child? Brothers and sisters?"

[Himiko 0]

Himiko was too stuck in her own head, gripped by the fear of leaving the safety of the town until she noticed the old man looking at her. She just...Stared at him like he had just spoken in a foreign language to her. She froze up, she hadn't spoken to anyone outside the orphanage like this in a long time. She had to work up the courage to even leave, so when he addressed her specifically, her brain just seemed to shut down..Eventually, she did come back as he mentioned scavenging in the woods. Once more, it felt like the air was being snatched from her lungs as she began to shake like a leaf in a tornado. 



"....."

She gripped the edge of her sleeve tightly, nails pressing into the worn fabric as her voice caught in her throat. She wanted to respond—really, she did—but the words were buried too deep beneath the weight of her fear. Woods. Alone. No one to help if something went wrong. No one to even notice if she didn’t come back.

Her lips parted, but no sound came. Only a faint, trembling breath.

Don’t cry, she told herself. Don’t mess this up now.

Eventually, after what felt like an eternity, she gave the faintest shake of her head. A silent answer to all of his questions at once.

No parents. No siblings. No one.

Just her.

And a flower she wasn’t even sure was real.

Her gaze dropped to the floor. She shifted her weight awkwardly, curling in on herself like she was trying to disappear right there in the shop. The warmth of town already felt far away. The thought of stepping into the trees alone made her stomach twist into knots. But she had to. Didn’t she?

"I...I don't have any family, I live at the orphanage, sir. I'm sorry for bothering you.."

She finally whispered, the words barely audible, as if afraid speaking them too loud would shatter her resolve completely.