Wolf's Tail: A LEO Journey

Chapter.23-Calm Before The Storm

    Of course, this was all tested on my way to the apothecary. The directions led me to a small hill in the middle of the city. Upon further inspection, I realize that it isn't a hill, but the shop I am looking for. A place called Hoppy's Happy Hollow. From what the guards told me, the alchemist here is very... eccentric. They wouldn't tell me why, but they did say I would find out once I saw him.

    I walk around the hill until I find a large circular door with two windows on either side of it. I open the door and walk into the building. The inside is a neatly organized shop with potions and ingredients neatly placed around on shelves, like a convenience store. Right in front of me is a large desk that separates the customer from accessing the shelves. No one is behind the desk, but there is a bell on it. I walk up and lightly tap the bell. A ding resounds through the air. I wait for a moment before something delicious enters my nostrils. Is it a rabbit? I am kinda hungry, right now, so I could go hunting.

    As my mouth starts to water, a large white rabbit hops into the room. When I say large, I mean a human sized rabbit. It even has on a tailcoat, a tophat, and a pair of glasses. My mouth waters more as I start to think of the great meal I'll get out of him.

Just as I am about to use [Shift] and pounce on him, the rabbit speaks. "Can you stop looking at me like a ravenous wolf? It is disturbing." He hops closer to the counter and stands behind it.

It can talk? This breaks the laws of nature! How can I, knowing full well it can talk, hunt this creature down and eat it? Simple, with A1 sauce. "Sorry, I wasn't expecting a huge hare to hop up here from nowhere."

The rabbit waves its paw at me. "It is fine. I am used to it; however, it has been a hassle in the past. How may this humble hare help you?"

"Righto, I need thre- no, make that four ingredients. I need Harken's Heart, Hallowed Holy Water, Hydrok's Hair and Halish Honey. Around 30 of each should do it." These are all ingredients to making a poison that I remember from my past. It should be weaker than normal since my alchemy skill is low, but it will still pack a punch.

"I would give handfuls to you, but they are all highly toxic, harmful ingredients. I have to have had made sure you have had the proper training on how to handle toxic entities. Have you?" The hare asks me.

I simply nod my head in reply. Something weird is happening here. Why have we used words that start with H so much?

Almost as if sensing my confusion, he answers my unasked questions, "As a hare, I have been cursed to affect those around me to use H as much as humanly possible. Sometimes it doesn't make sense like how I have said humanly possible. You are obviously a heroic elf, not a human. I'll go grab those harmful things now." The hare hops happily deeper into his hollow.
    I hate this harmful curse! It would be fine; however, his curse has breached even my thoughts! This is almost as worse as those elves in that horrible arrow shop! This is seriously a hassle!

He hops towards me a hundred and twenty items in his han- paws. "These will cost 29 silver and a hundred copper."

I quickly have to pay a handful of coins so I can get out of this horrible hole in a hill. I hand over a hundred coppers and twenty-nine silver coins. I put three of the ingredients into my inventory after moving both of my new books out. I put both books and the last remaining ingredient into my satchel for safe keeping.

Just when I think I am out of the door and safe, I hear behind me, "This has been a harrowing trade! Come again!"

Why can't any shop be normal! Wait... is the curse over? Is it safe now? I can finally speak and think without H's! I have defeated the horrible hard difficulty boss!