The run to the Floral District got her there quicker than she had expected. From the entrance, Yvlena heard the soft murmurs of customers as they sat themselves and ate while they chatted with each other.

  Pushing the door open, the scent of herbs and sweetness wafted through the air and into her nose. The Tea House smelled heavenly, like a mix of the fragrances from the Floral District and the pastry scents of the Artisan District.

  “Wow.” Yvlena sighed, breathing in the smell. She wouldn’t have minded staying there for a while just breathing in the scent.

  "Well, well, look who dropped by. " Iris said with a sly smirk.

  At the sight of the old woman, Yvlena fshed a smile gd to see Iris still had a little spice to her.

  The woman stood at her usual pce behind the counter grinding herbs into tea balls she would serve to her customers. As Yvlena came closer, she could see the herb drying rack was now filled with all kinds of herbs, thanks to Dyn, no doubt.

  The Tea House’s dark wood gleamed in the light streaming from the rge windows. New decorations, trinkets and potted pnts slowly filled the spaces and gaps within the shop. Much like the Floral District, the Tea House had bloomed.

  The tables were filled with customers, each sipping from a cute cup and chatting amicably with others or sitting by the window staring out into the slowly bustling streets of the Floral District.

  It’s improvement reminded Yvlena a lot of Rolfe’s cafe. Having enough of standing around, Yvlena approached and took a seat ready to order some refreshing tea.

  "I was just dropping by to see how you were doing and to find the local bcksmith," Yvlena said, skipping over to the counter. “Gd to see the ol’ Tea House is doing well.”

  Iris lifted her chin smugly, smirking as she spoke.

  "I heard from Olivia you took Dyn to see his father's grave." Iris said as she wiped down the table littered with crumbs from the dry herbs.

  "He asked me to and I felt I sort of owed it to him after delivering the letter to his mom." Yvlena said.

  The old woman looked at her with some sadness in her eyes. She might have wanted to make that journey too, to see her brother’s final resting pce. Yvlena would have to ask ter when the main quest wasn’t taking up her time.

  Iris snapped out of her sadness and began speaking again.

  "I don't suppose it was an easy journey, that kid’s stubborn. "

  “You don't know the half of it!” Yvlena said. “Almost got himself killed more times than I could count.”

  Iris threw her head back in ughter, partly at Dyn’s antics and partly at Yvlena’s annoyance at said antics.

  “Sounds just about right, his father was the same.” Iris said. She looked as if she was about to unch into a story about her youth, but only served Yvlena a cup of tea in a pearl white cup. Lic coloured liquid sloshed gently in the cup topped with petals from what Yvlena knew by now to be a Luna Orchid.

  “On the house.” Iris said as she went back to work.

  “Thanks, you have no idea how much I need a cup of tea right now.” Yvlena said, taking the cup gently by its handle and bringing the cup to her lips.

  One sip of the tea had her sighing in bliss. The subtle fragrance of the Luna Orchid combined with a hint of sweetness.

  [The tea refreshes you, a wave of exhaustion has been lifted off your shoulders]

  The game told her.

  [+Temporary HP Boost

  +Temporary Exhaustion Resistance]

  “Fantastic.” Yvlena sighed, pcing the now empty cup back on the table. With her mind stress free, she began searching the customer’s faces, looking around the Tea House to see if she could spot Soren.

  It wasn't long before she saw the rge man sipping tea quietly in the corner of the shop, he seemed so out of pce there, but who was she to judge?

  As soon as she spotted him, they locked eyes, Soren began waving eagerly for Yvlena to join him. Shaking her head fondly, she of course obliged and left her seat to go and join him in the empty chair across from him.

  Soren sat by a rge round window decorated with climbing pnts and little lights that illuminated the area. It was quite homey and Yvlena understood why he chose it.

  She felt a little bad bothering him while he was having some time to himself, but he loved weapons and she knew his insights would be valuable regarding the Moon Sickle.

  The weapon that had belonged to the previous Harvest Guardian would be of great interest to him, usually a sickle would be a farming tool, but now it was something she took into battle, and she needed to know if she could make it stronger.

  “Hi Soren!” she said cheerfully. The man greeted her back with as much excitement as she had come to expect from him.

  “Oh, Yv it's been a while. Where have you been? I was actually beginning to get a little worried.” He said as he sipped his cup of tea from a rge brown mug.

  “I had to escort someone to the Outskirts. But the most important thing is I need you to take a look at this weapon that belonged to the previous Harvest Guardian.” She said wincing as she asked the favor. She really hoped he didn’t mind.

  All Soren did was pce his mug down and hold his hand out for her to hand over the weapon. Yvlena retrieved her weapon from her belt and pced it in his rge hands.

  Soren looked over the sickle in her hand, using his thumb, he ran it along the curve of the bde. He gripped the handle next, studying the hilt and the Moon shaped gem in the middle.

  “I can tell this is a very special weapon, undoubtedly left behind for you the Harvest Guardian.” Soren said. He tapped the gem. “A weapon like this requires a delicate touch.” he swung it suddenly, forcing Yvlena to dodge.

  “Hey, watch it!” She yelped, recalling when he had returned her sword the first time.

  Yvlena felt her heart beat faster, she knew bringing the Moon Sickle to Soren was the right choice. His knowledge of weapons was of course exactly what she needed, even if he was a little too eccentric.

  “Did you ever meet the previous Harvest Guardian?” Yvlena asked, she realized she had never asked Soren this question because she had been too busy trying to fulfill Ricardo's quest.

  But if that mysterious ore she had seen st time was within his possession, then he definitely had something to do with the Harvest Guardian.

  Soren shook his head, handing her back her weapon.

  “That was before my time, you’re asking because you saw the Rose Ore in my workshop, didn’t you?” he said with a ugh.

  ‘The Rose Ore? So that’s what that stone was.’ Yvlena thought. She nodded in response to his question. Soren sipped from his mug again.

  “Very well, let me tell you about it.”

  Sunghost