Mythic Kingdoms

CHAPTER 9 | The Weaver

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," Serafina begins to explain, but I hear Yumi cut her off.
"Don't mind Mai. I know she comes off as harsh sometimes, but she's had a rough life. All she wants is for us is to get some rest, and she's right. It is getting late and we won't be of use to the guild if we're tired. If you ever need someone to talk to, we'll always be here for you," Yumi says in a low voice, even though I can still hear her.

I should agree with her, but I can't bring myself to utter those words. How could I help someone when I couldn't even help myself?

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After a strangely restful night, we meet again in the Plaza of Memories, dressed and ready to take on the day's challenges. Serafina runs towards us with Mist staggering closely behind, small brown bags of food carried carefully in their arms. Based on the buttery smell, I assumed they stopped by the bakery to pick up breakfast. My stomach rumbles on cue and all I can think of is tearing into the mystery food they've brought us.

"This was all we could afford," Serafina says, handing a bag to each of us. "This one's for you, Mai. It's got mozzarella inside it," she adds, noticing I'm watching it suspiciously. "Yumi mentioned you're lactose intolerant. We can't have our only mage getting sick."

"Thanks," I reply, taking the food she's offering. Despite it being bread with cheese, the flavor is heavenly. When I take my first bite, I'm met with a soft, cloud-like texture. Ribbons of melted mozzarella are spread throughout the bread, revealing hidden flavors of garlic, parsley, and a subtle tomato sauce that reminds me of my favorite food, a caprese sandwich. Instinctively, I start humming to myself, as it's something I always can't help but do whenever I taste something breathtaking delicious. No words can describe how overjoyed I am.

I catch myself when I see Yumi snickering at me, having known all my habits. I glance at Serafina, who appears like she's just seen something phenomenal. Braeden's jaw nearly drops to the ground in shock, while Mist stares in amusement.

"Do you like it that much?" Serafina asks, her eyes watering.

I clear my throat, uncomfortable with all eyes on me. "It's okay," I lied, hoping it would get them to stop watching me so intently. "The bread could be a little firmer."

"Oh, stop it!" Yumi exclaims, facing the others. "Mai does this all the time when she thinks something tastes good. You're just lucky she's not doing her little happy dance."

"There's a dance?" Braeden asks, bewildered. He turns around towards the bakery and adds, "Maybe we should get more. I could always kill more creeps before we go to the fifth floor."
I glare at Yumi, sending her a single thought with my murderous stare: traitor. "No, this is more than enough," I reply before anyone else gets any other bright ideas.

Braeden lets out a loud groan as he stretches his arms as far as he can. It's annoyingly loud, but I'm noticing he does it every couple of hours. Every time, he stumbles back and Mist is there to catch him.

"Should we get new equipment for this new floor?" Yumi asks.

"With what money? Serafina probably spent the rest of what little we had on food," I retort. She shrinks back at my words, so I explain, "What I mean is we're low on money after spending it on what we need. There's nothing to prepare at this point until we can get more gold, unless you want to find some secret dungeons to fight in."

"Mai is right. The next floor is relatively easy and is a great place to pick up new gear for free, granted we win the competition. The drops have been pretty cruddy for most players, but I have a feeling the RNG will work in our favor," Braeden chimes in. "Is anyone good at weaving? If not, we're totally screwed."