Day 2 - Firstday

Marron spent the morning at the Guild's administrative office, filling out paperwork for her leave of absence and paying her apartment rent two months in advance—400 gold that made her wince, but necessary for peace of mind.

Current funds: 596 gold, 24 silver

Not comfortable, but enough. She'd need to be careful with her spending during the journey.

After the administrative work, she headed to the Guild library—a massive space on the fourth floor filled with cookbooks, culinary histories, regional ingredient guides, and archived records.

She found the cartography section and pulled out maps of the northern territories.

New Brookvale wasn't marked on any of them—it was too new, and mimic settlements weren't exactly advertised—but she could identify the general region. The Whispering Forest, about a week's journey north of Lumeria by cart. Dense woodland, few established roads, known for being tricky to navigate due to natural magical interference that affected compasses and direction sense.

No wonder Alexander said the forest was tricky, Marron thought, studying the map. We'll need a guide or very careful navigation.

She copied the relevant map sections into her notebook, noting landmarks, water sources, and the few settlements that existed along the northern road.

While she was there, she also searched for information about pre-cataclysm artifacts, hoping to find anything about "kitchen treasures" or Legendary Tools.

The results were frustratingly sparse. A few references to "master craftwork," some legends about "tools blessed by the old gods," and one interesting passage in a historical text:

"The master craftspeople of the pre-cataclysm era were said to imbue their greatest works with intention so powerful it became indistinguishable from magic. These items were not enchanted through spell work, but through skill, dedication, and understanding elevated to transcendent levels. Such works were rare even in their time, and most were lost during the cataclysm. Collectors have sought them for centuries, though few authentic pieces remain."

Marron copied the passage into her documentation notebook, underlining "collectors have sought them for centuries."

Alexander's warning echoed in her mind: Be careful. Tools of great power attract attention, not all of it friendly.

She was beginning to understand that danger wasn't just about the journey itself. It was about what she was collecting, and who else might want it.

Day 3 - Secondday

The Lumerian Ingredient Market was bustling when Marron arrived with her shopping list. She needed to stock up for two weeks of travel, plus have ingredients for cooking demonstrations if needed.

She worked systematically through her list:

Staples:

Flour (10 lbs): 8 gold Salt: 2 gold Sugar: 3 gold Dried beans: 4 gold Rice: 5 gold Cooking oil: 3 gold

Preserved Proteins:

Dried sausage: 8 gold Salted pork: 10 gold Dried fish: 6 gold

Vegetables (dried/preserved):

Onions: 3 gold Garlic: 2 gold Dried mushrooms: 5 gold Root vegetables: 4 gold

Spices & Herbs:

Black pepper: 3 gold Dried thyme: 2 gold Bay leaves: 2 gold Various other spices: 5 gold

Fresh (for first few days):

Eggs: 2 gold Cheese: 4 gold Fresh bread: 2 gold Vegetables: 3 gold

Miscellaneous:

Tea: 3 gold Coffee: 4 gold Honey: 3 gold

Total: 95 gold

Marron counted out the coins carefully, watching her funds dwindle.

Current funds: 501 gold, 24 silver

Still above five hundred. Barely.

She packed everything carefully into her cart's storage compartments, utilizing the preservation runes to keep the fresh items from spoiling too quickly.

As she worked, she couldn't help but feel grateful for the cart's magic. Without it, traveling with fresh ingredients would be nearly impossible. The preservation runes kept things at optimal temperature and freshness—not forever, but long enough to make the journey feasible.

One Legendary Tool helping me prepare to find another, she thought. I wonder if that's intentional. If these tools are meant to be found together.

+

Day 4 - Thirdsday

Marron met Millie at her moon cake cart in the late morning. The rabbitkin was training her cousin—a younger rabbitkin named Iris with brown fur and enthusiastic energy.

"No, no," Millie was saying patiently. "The stamp goes on before you bake, not after. See? Press gently but firmly, like this."

Iris tried again, her movements careful and deliberate. This time, the moon-and-stars pattern came out clearly.

"Better!" Millie praised. "Keep practicing. You've got two more days before I leave, and I need you to be confident with the technique."

She turned to Marron, wiping flour from her paws. "Hey. Come to check on my progress?"

"Came to see if you needed help with anything. And to coordinate our departure."

"Good timing. Let me finish up here, then we can talk."

They found a quiet corner of the market and sat at one of the communal tables.

"I've arranged everything," Millie said, pulling out a small notebook. "Iris will run the cart while I'm gone. My landlord knows I'll be away. I've paid rent in advance, packed my travel gear, and requisitioned some basic defensive supplies."

"Defensive supplies?"

"We're traveling through the Whispering Forest to visit a mimic settlement. I'd rather have precautions and not need them than need them and not have them." Millie's expression was serious. "I'm bringing: a short sword—I'm trained, don't worry—two signal flares for emergencies, a basic first aid kit, and three vials of antidote for common forest poisons."

Marron felt embarrassed. She'd been so focused on cooking supplies and route planning that she hadn't even thought about defensive measures.

"I should get—"

"Already got extras for you," Millie interrupted, pulling a wrapped bundle from her bag. "Consider it a travel gift. Sword for you—it's lightweight and easy to use even without training. Signal flares. First aid. Antidotes. And—" She pulled out one more item. "—a compass enchanted to work even in magically-interfered areas. Cost me twenty gold, but it's worth it if it keeps us from getting lost."

Marron stared at the supplies, then at Millie. "You didn't have to—"

"Yes, I did. We're partners in this journey. Partners look out for each other." Millie's voice was firm but kind. "Besides, I know you spent most of your gold on cooking supplies. This is my contribution to our survival."

"Thank you," Marron said quietly. "Really. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Probably wander into the forest with nothing but a pot and a dream," Millie teased. "Which is very on-brand for you, honestly."

They spent the next hour coordinating final details: meeting time (dawn on Seventhday), meeting place (Millie's cart), expected travel duration (seven to nine days to reach New Brookvale), return date (approximately three weeks from departure).

"One more thing," Millie said as they were finishing. "What should I tell people when they ask where I'm going?"

"What do you want to tell them?"

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