The sun had barely risen when the Guild Master summoned the group for a mission that, according to him, would be perfect for easing the absurd debt left behind after the last adventure. Vespera was the first to react when we heard the word "simple." She crossed her arms, as suspicious as ever.
"Simple like the last time we were almost crushed by a living statue?" she asked.
The Master sighed, ignoring the comment. "No. This one really is simple. You just need to go to the Misty Grove and collect rare herbs. Nothing more."
Lyannis blinked a few times. "Herbs? Just that?"
"Exactly," the Master confirmed. "Lúmen Flowers. They only bloom early in the morning. They're valuable, very valuable, and I have a buyer waiting."
Liriel raised an eyebrow. "And why hasn't anyone else taken this mission yet?"
The Master cleared his throat. "Minor details… nothing serious. The forest spirits have been a bit irritated. That's all."
"Ah, of course," Vespera muttered. "Irritated. Not aggressive, not cursed, just irritated. Wonderful."
Takumi tightened his grip on the sword hilt and took a deep breath. "Let's go. The sooner we do this, the better."
The trip to the Misty Grove took a little over an hour. It was a beautiful place, with tall trees covered in bluish leaves that swayed gently in the wind. Small green lights glimmered in the air, moving like fireflies. It was a peaceful scene—at least on the surface.
Lyannis tilted her head. "It's so beautiful… it doesn't seem dangerous."
"It's always when it looks beautiful that the trouble shows up," Vespera muttered.
Elara walked beside Takumi, trying to control the mana that insisted on fluctuating. "I hope I won't have to use much magic today. I haven't fully recovered yet."
"I'll handle the heavy stuff," Takumi said with a smile.
Lyannis, walking a little behind, blushed discreetly.
Liriel stopped at the edge of a clearing and gestured with her hand. A small circle of light appeared on the ground, trembling slightly like a weak flame. "The spirits are nearby. They don't want to fight… but they don't want intruders either."
"Let's just grab the flowers and leave," Takumi suggested, stepping in carefully.
The Lúmen Flowers glowed like little stars trapped in the soil. They were beautiful, radiant, and highly sought after. Vespera approached the first one and crouched down to pick it.
That's when the first spirit appeared.
A small creature made of wind and light, with big eyes and an indignant expression, emerged from the nearest tree. It flailed its tiny translucent arms in the air, as if complaining.
"Oh no," Vespera said. "Don't start."
The spirit flew up to her and pushed her forehead with a tiny hand.
"Hey!" Vespera protested. "I'm just going to take ONE!"
The spirit shrieked. Another appeared behind it. Then another. Two more. Seven. Ten. In seconds, we were surrounded by small, glowing, irritable creatures absolutely determined to expel any adventurer who dared touch the Lúmen Flowers.
Elara took a step back. "I don't like this."
Liriel raised the light in her hands. "Don't attack. They're not evil. They're just… in a bad mood."
"Like me when I don't eat in the morning," Vespera said, dodging another little shove.
The spirits circled us, emitting sounds like muffled squeaks. It was impossible to understand what they were saying, but the tone was very clear: leave.
Takumi stepped forward slowly. "Can we talk?"
The spirit stared at Takumi as if he had said the most foolish thing in the world. Then it smacked its tiny hand against his face.
Vespera laughed. "He hit you! He actually hit you!"
Lyannis looked horrified. "Takumi! Are you okay?!"
"He weighs less than a feather…," Takumi replied, rubbing his forehead.
Liriel stepped forward, trying to calm the creatures with a gentle glow. Her light magic trembled a bit, but it still worked. "Calm down… we don't want to hurt you. We just need to collect a few flowers. We can take only the mature ones, without pulling out the roots. That won't harm the forest."
The spirits glanced at one another.
The largest one—or the least small—approached Liriel. It touched her luminous hand, and the light changed color. It was as if it were evaluating her words. Then it made a small gesture, as if indicating something.
"He's saying we can take some," Liriel interpreted. "Only three. And without stepping on the moss circles."
Vespera looked around. "Circles of moss? What circles?"
She took a step back.
She stepped on one.
Instantly, the spirits screamed.
Vespera froze in place. "I… I didn't do it on purpose…"
The largest spirit flew up to Takumi and hit his forehead again, indignant.
"Hey! That was her mistake!" Takumi protested.
But to the spirits' eyes, everything seemed to be his fault.
Elara sighed. "Takumi, I think you're the group's spokesperson… and the one to blame as well."
Lyannis tried to defend him. "He didn't do anything!"
"The spirits think he did," Liriel said, frowning.
The larger spirit gestured energetically in front of Takumi, pointing at Vespera, at the moss, and then making a gesture of punishment.
"He wants you to… apologize for her," Liriel translated.
Takumi put a hand to his face. "Of course he does…"
Vespera, leaning against a tree trunk, gave a thumbs-up. "Good luck there, boss."
Takumi took a deep breath and approached the larger spirit. "I'm sorry, on behalf of my companion."
The spirit thumped its little hand against its chest, proud, and all the others backed away, less irritated.
Liriel smiled. "It worked."
"Great," Elara said. "Let's pick the flowers before something explodes."
With extreme care, the group harvested three Lúmen Flowers. The spirits watched attentively, but without attacking. When we finished, they escorted us to the edge of the forest like little guards.
When we were almost back on the main path, Vespera tripped over a root.
And fell face-first into a puddle.
The spirits laughed. All of them.
Even Takumi had to hold back his laughter.
Vespera stood up, spitting water. "Great. Absolutely great."
Elara put a hand on her shoulder. "At least we didn't destroy anything today."
"Almost," Liriel added.
Lyannis looked at Takumi with a shy smile. "You handled them really well."
Takumi smiled back. "I try."
The group walked back toward the city with the flowers in hand and a light feeling in the air. It hadn't been a dangerous mission, nor a desperate one. Just… confusing. Light. Natural.
And that was exactly what they needed.