Yvlena left the apothecary weighing her options in her mind whilst she walked through the cobblestone streets of the Artisan District.

On one hand, she could kill two birds with one stone if she went to the Verdant Woods, getting the spider silk and helping Risel.

On the other hand, the Verdant Woods were more dangerous than the Bloom Forest's Depths and would no doubt have devastating mini bosses to face.

"But the rewards would be great and there would be more lore, I could find out if Rael went that way trying to find a cure for Viseli,"

"I also need the silk rag for the kitchen too, I bet if I used it to clean I'd restore the Rose Manor more quickly," Yvlena said to herself.

"It's my duty as Harvest Guardian to clear the Miasma up anyway, so let's do it!"

She walked through the district, looking for any shop she could purchase a basic loom.

On her way out of the Artisan District, she walked past a narrow building in-between a bakery and an item shop that read: 'Madam Pratt's Clothing and Apparels' 

"This has to be a tailor's shop," Yvlena said walking into the shop to find a single woman at the counter.

The older woman at the counter was draped in a red flowing material with an audacious bird hat. Her regal aura gave the impression she was a noble of some sort although possibly of lesser rank.

She sat measuring a mannequin, then cutting fabric to the measurements she had written down.

Yvlena watched her work for a moment before entering the shop to catch the woman's attention.

"Excuse me," Yvlena called, lifting her hand to draw the madame's sullen eyes towards her form.

The older woman stopped her cutting and stared at Yvlena for a moment before a window popped up signifying a new NPC.

[NAME: Madame Pratt

RACE: Human

OCC: Tailor/Merchant]

"Hello," Yvlena said nervously as the woman stared at her with an appraising expression. She appeared to be studying Yvlena's dress and after a moment, the aged woman nodded in approval.

"I like your style," she said, "I haven't seen a Willow Dress in Bloom Haven since the time of the Harvest Guardians,"

Yvlena kept that at the back of her mind, Madame Pratt was around Beatrice's and Iris' age. She could probably remember Rael or even the other Harvest Guardian she was investigating.

[Madame Pratt is fond of your fashion]

[Affinity with Madame Pratt +3]

"How may I help you, my dear?" Madame's voice is smooth, low tenor Yvlena didn't think she had ever heard before online or offline.

"I was wondering if you had a loom to weave silk?" Yvlena said.

"I have just the loom, it also allows you to spin wool and other threads, I will also purchase them if you're interested in selling them, my dear,"

The woman rose from her seat and went to one of her shelves, Madame Pratt stood running her fingers along the old shelves until she grabbed a device that appeared to be a wooden wheel on a rack.

She lifted it from its resting place and returned to her counter.

Madam Pratt presented the wheel to Yvlena who picked it up unsurely. The loom was something she had only seen in glimpses on the wide screens at Nue Corp, it was so alien to have one in her hands now.

The game would have to guide her on weaving it seemed.

Yvlena purchased the Loom for 1500 Moon Points then nodded to the woman and added it to her inventory.

[Yvlena Acquired Basic Loom x1]

"Your crafting is a bit low to weave silk, but in time I'm sure you'll manage," 

"Thank you, Madame Pratt," she said politely, the woman waved her off and went back to cutting her cloth.

'Maybe I can get some quests from her sometime,' Yvlena thought as she left the shop.

----------

Aya was suddenly logged out of the Revista as Mars lifted the VR Gear from her head.

"Hey I was in the middle of planning my strategy," Aya said, turning to face the other girl's dark eyes.

"At one am?" Mars asked, lifting an eyebrow. Aya rushed to pick her phone up, checking the device to corroborate Mars' statement.

"What?" Aya muttered, allowing her eyes to rove over the numbers displayed on the LCD screen.

"I didn't realize the time..." Aya said.

"I know," Mars said, helping her disconnect and put away the Revista and its wires. She patted Aya's head.

"You should get some sleep," Mars said. Aya nodded, rubbing her strained eyes. Only after logging out did the long hours start to affect her.

"I didn't realize it had gotten so late,"

Mars chuckled.

"It's always like that, you'll grow out of it or you won't. Now get some sleep," Mars said heading out the door. 

Aya crawled into the bed, listening as Mars shuffled around checking the doors and windows of the two bedroom apartment.

She heard Mars' feet walk into the bedroom, shutting the door for the night. Aya allowed herself to drift off to sleep

----------

Aya woke to the sound of a pan sizzling and the smell of fried meat floating into her room as Mars prepared breakfast for the both of them, she got up, rubbed her eyes again, and groaned from the grogginess.

"Hmmm," she huffed, grumbling as she stood up to check on her new roommate.

"Mars," Aya called

"Morning," Mars said already dishing out the toast and eggs for herself and her roommate.

Mars rested her elbows on the table observing Aya's sleepy face and tired eyes. The girl's eyebags had grown bigger while her cheeks remained pale and sullen.

Mars tsk'ed lifting herself off the table and sliding the plate towards Aya.

"You sleep okay?" She asked, Aya nodded, picking at her food.

"I guess I should have slept earlier, I don't feel like myself," Aya said holding her palms over her eyes.

"Make sure you take a nap before you play some more Moon Valley," Mars said. "I won't be able to watch over you today," 

"Where are you going?" Aya asked, lifting her head from staring at her food.

"I have some business to attend to," Mars answered while chewing on a piece of toast.

"How long will you be gone?" Aya asked.

"Until noon, don't worry. I'm sure time will fly by once you take that nap," Mars smirked. "And you better take that nap,"

She lifted a finger, pointing at Aya with a stern expression.

"Right," Aya said leaning back against the seat. "I do feel like a nap would do me some good,"

Mars got up and packed up their plates to put on the sink. 

"I feel like things are changing too fast," Aya blurted out. Mars slowly turned around, trying not to startle the girl who by now was staring at her lap in contemplation.

"One moment I'm a girl working a terrible job in the mail room and now I've quit my job to pursue farming items in a game,"

"It must be a lot for you," Mars said softly.

"I just hope it works out in the end," Aya said, she shrugged her shoulders tiredly and rested her head on the table.

"Okay, it is definitely time for you to lie down," Mars said.

----------

Yvlena found herself on the busy streets of the Artisan District, where she had been logged out of the game by Mars.

"Only two more days before Ricardo has to leave Bloom Haven, right?" Yvlena said running to the Market District.

She found the caravan already packing up its good and preparing to leave Bloom Haven. Ricardo hummed as he strapped his cargo to the top of his roof and the sides.

"You've got to be more careful with that," Yvlena said to the man as she stood near the caravan.

All around her NPC whispered and watched the merchant pack up. Their sad faces told Yvlena they would be sad to see him go.

Ricardo was after all one of the first signs of the town's returning prosperity.

More travelers were finding their way to the town due to the open entrance. The guards greeted them as they stepped through the large wooden gates that formed the opening to the small town.

Bloom Haven must have been one of the border towns on the way to the Verdant Woods and with the Miasma still blocking the way there was no way for them to access the Western path.

Yvlena couldn't help but wonder how they were getting through the caves.

"Don't worry my dear, this time the caravan is completely secure, not even the caves will loosen these knots," Ricardo said.

The caravan's weight had shifted to one side but Ricardo assured her the caravan would have no problems transporting the myriad of goods tacked onto it's back.

Yvlena nodded her head and observed the caravan filled to the brim with Bloom Haven goods the merchant would trade around Moon Valley's other towns and Kingdoms.

After some more tying, he faced her with a question.

"Is there something you wanted to ask me Yvlena?" He asked.

"Did you know of any Harvest Guardians?" She asked.

Ricardo placed the spare ropes inside his caravan and paused to think.

"I'm not quite sure Yvlena," he said.

"Do you remember meeting anyone from Bloom Haven even once maybe?" Yvlena asked. 

Ricardo beamed, his lips curving into a wide smile as he recalled someone.

"There was a girl about your age, well in the sense she was a human, not an elf," Ricardo said. "I did notice she was a long way from home when I learned she was from Bloom Haven,"

Yvlena pumped her fist in the air at the information, she knew asking a well travelled merchant would yield some answers.

Ricardo seemed pleased with himself as well, folding his arms and nodding as he finished speaking.

"Do you remember her name?" Yvlena asked. She had her suspicions but wouldn't know until Ricardo confirmed them.

"I do not, but I'm sure if I heard it again I could confirm it," Ricardo said.

"Was it Twyla?"

Ricardo gave a sound of surprise so loud it turned heads in their direction.

"Yes, it was! Twyla Flores!"

[Beatrice's Daughter 7% completion]

"And she was on her way to Rosenheim?" Yvlena asked eagerly.

"That's right!" Ricardo said with his usual enthusiasm and now that you mentioned it I did speak to her,"

"Did you find out why she was going to Rosenheim?" 

"To find a Harvest Guardian,"