"Florie, how are you feeling?" I wondered.
"Ah… Planta… Everyone…" Florie noticed us as I spoke, we remained mostly silent because we didn't wanted to interrupt their moment. "I am… a bit tired, that's all… Sniff… I am sorry for all the trouble I caused to you… I-It wasn't me when it happened… She… She tried to take over my mind, my soul… my body… It was so painful I couldn't do anything but scream, but even screaming didn't work, my screams couldn't come out no matter how hard I tried."
I touched Florie's little hand with my finger and quickly imbued some spiritual essence into her as well.
"Ah… Your hand is so warm…" She said.
I inspected her body and mind, and they seemed all cleansed by now. It was a total cleansing… The power of the Great Spirit was really amazing, truly something else altogether. I never thought it would be this effective. I am glad she's healed, but I am sure whatever she had was different than the disease/curse thing everybody else might have in here.
"It seems you're alright for now." I said. "You should rest for now, Florie. We'll take care of things from here."
"Thanks for being so nice…" She sighed. "Despite everything I've done, you don't hate me?"
"Of course not, how could we?" Asked Nieve. "It wasn't your fault, come on… Don't act like this anymore."
"Yeah, personally, I can't really hate someone so cute like you." I said with a smile.
"Hm, I agree." Said Titan. "Leave the rest to the adults, Florie.
"Yep, we'll get it done and beat that ugly snake." Said Rita.
"Thank you… I wish I could be there for you…" Sighed Florie. "I am so weak… I wish I could fight and protect those I care for, and pay back what you've done for me…" Florie began weeping a bit like a baby girl again, as Nieve hugged her tightly and caressed her head.
"It's alright… Calm down now…" She sighed.
As I saw her comfort Florie, a sudden System Notification appeared.
Ding!
[You have gained the affection and friendship of [NPC: Florie]
[You have unlocked a Secret Reward Item: [Fairy's Regretful Tears (B Grade)] x1]
[NPC: Florie] might have the possibility of joining your Party in the future]
Ooh?! W-What is this? Did I get an item?
I looked into my own Inventory, finding a small, pink-colored bottle with a transparent liquid inside, it looked like water at simple sight, but as I inspected it, I realized these were the tears of Florie.
[Fairy's Regretful Tears (B Grade)]
A special Item, it is made by gathering a hundred tears from a beautiful and young fairy who was heartfully regretful of something they had done and wanted forgiveness above all. This item can only be made by the tears of an innocent soul that has been mistreated by the darkness of the world. An incredible rare item, it can be used as a material for potions, its special effect might grant the power to easily dispel curses or diseases.
Wait a second… Could this be used by Acorn?! Is this… a secret reward for choosing to help and save Florie instead of killing her like the original quest implied that I should had done?
I looked into the flask as I took it out of my Inventory, admiring its beauty. It was even shining bright pink in color. This item might really be a good ingredient for the Elixir Acorn is trying to make!
"Everyone, we need to go look for Acorn right now!"
.
.
.
Countless ingredients dissolved and boiled down inside a large Magic Cauldron, their essence mixing into a lustrous and sparkling liquid that began to unleash a deliciously sweet and herbal aroma. A troubled-looking Squirrel-kin alchemist, Acorn, seemed to not be enjoying the wondrous aroma and beautiful appearance of the Elixir he was making, something that only Experienced Alchemists could even fathom to make with the most premium materials available.
A sick-looking fairy resting over a bed nearby was made to drink a bit of this liquid, but after half a day, there were no improvements other than his stamina and health, but the curse and the disease within him was still strong. At most, this Elixir could be used as a treatment, but it was certainly not a cure. It could stop the disease from becoming worse, but it wouldn't cure it, and it was too expensive to be made constantly to treat everybody.
"I-It is not working…" Sighed Acorn, his face filled with despair. "What do we need anymore?! I've used every single thing… My recipe… I've rewritten it three times now. I feel like I am disappointing everybody, that I am failing Planta…!"
Acorn looked at everybody, they were tired and had been helping him make this Elixir all this time. They seemed just as depressed as him. Their hopes had banished already and seemed to be giving up already. It simply seemed utterly impossible to create a cure to the curse inflicted on the fairies.
"Acorn…" An old fairy lady petted Acorn's shoulders, as the small Squirrel-kin flinched for a few seconds. "You need to rest; you have not slept for three days now."
"No… I have to continue; I can't fail you now… Not now!" Acorn cried, as tears began flowing out of his eyes. "I can't fail you like I failed my grandma…" He cried. "I won't give up! I…"
"But there are no more materials, we have emptied our reserves now…" She sighed.
Acorn looked around; it was all empty.
"Ah… T-Then I'm going out! I'll go pick up more herbs!"
"Like this?! You're too tired! You'll become prey for snakes easily like that!"
"L-Let me go! I have to…! I have to!"
As Acorn cried and tried to crawl outside of the room to get out and seek herbs to use in the potion, someone suddenly entered. Acorn saw her, as he moved his head upwards.
"Acorn! I brought something that might be useful!"
"L-Lady Planta…?!"
