"I'd be more than happy to stay for a few days to finish my trading. I'm not sure about staying for good, though." Lizzy dipped her chin. She summoned some of the [Beast Shards] and [Healing Moss] from her inventory and laid them on the table.
Little stones of varying colors clattered to the table. There was a difference in quality with some of the stones being bright colors with shining surfaces and others being dull and lifeless. Despite the vast differences, Asena clapped in delight. "These are good! You've gathered a lot more than I expected. I thought I'd see two poor quality ones at most, but here you are with at least ten of these. Where did you get them all?" Her eyes turned appraising, assessing Lizzy once again. "Did you defeat the beasts yourself?"
Lizzy gave a small shake of the head as the origin of [Beast Shards] became clear to her. They are gathered by defeating beasts. Then, it's a miracle that I didn't run into any on my way here. I wonder why? "No. I found them littering the forest floor when I was searching for something to trade."
Mother Asena paused. She gave a small nod of her head and looked at Lizzy in concern. "Can you perhaps share where you came from, child? You seem a long way from home and I worry. Are you running from something? Or maybe running from someone?"
The implication that Lizzy had run from anything had never crossed her mind. Was she running from something? Honestly, she wasn't sure. Her memories of the time before this planet still came to her in waves. She clearly remembered some facts and interesting notes about her life on Earth, but she couldn't recall details like how she died or if she had been in a relationship. "I don't think so. I just want to start over fresh and gain experience." That was close enough to the truth that she could see the matriarch's shoulders drop as she relaxed.
"I understand. Many females seek to distance themselves from their home villages and cities when they're ready to find someone. Here in the village, we have many males to choose from should you be interested and I promise that we will ensure you have what you need." Asena reached forward, grabbing Lizzy's hand in her own. She gripped it tightly once before letting it go and moving to a small chest that had been hidden in the corner. "First, I will trade you one pair of beast hide shoes, a chest wrap, and a bedroll for the [Beast Shards] that you have shown me. These are of great value to the cultivation of our village. Or, if you should like, I will trade you the beast hide shoes and chest wrap for half the stack and you may keep the rest to feed the cultivation of your young or gift your mate."
{Ding}
{New Quest Unlocked: Find a mate}
{Objective: Take a willing male into your harem}
{Reward: Did you forget the name of the Games? More details will be provided on your class, Basic Bed x 1}
More details provided on my class? Lizzy thought about the rewards offered on the new quest. She only had seven days - less than six now - to find her first mate. Given that description from the System for the first quest she had been assigned, she worried that if she failed to do that she would end up slaughtered by someone else competing in the Universe Games. It wasn't called the Conquer All Tournament for nothing. She still found it easy to think of it as the "Games" as the system had shortened it too, but the original name she had been given for it hinted at death and slaughter.
Her eyes skimmed the last reward and she smiled softly. After sleeping on a bed made of leaves the previous night, Lizzy was more than eager to rest in a real bed. Her new ample curves made sleeping difficult and the idea of having some cushion for those curves was tempting. A throat clearing brought her back to the conversation at hand and she nodded slowly. She had to pretend to know how exactly a [Beast Shard] would assist in cultivation. If the matriarch was offering this option to her, she could only assume these little gemstone like shards would become even more important later on. "I think I'd like to settle down near here. For now, I'll trade half my stack for the shoes and chest wrap. Can you tell me how I can find a male? I think finding one willing to be with me for even just a night would be a blessing."
"My dear, you must have come from a very different place indeed if you think not a single male would find interest in your...assets." The elder wolf woman sniffed the air and glanced at Lizzy's figure while she handed over the shoes and chest wrap. "Why, Phantom has been searching for a decent female for many moons. Given the fact that you acquired so many [Beast Shards] on your own leads me to believe you'd be strong enough to handle an alpha like him. You both would have my blessing." Asena scooped up half of the shards, making sure to include many of the dull ones in the batch, and slipped them into a pouch which she placed in the chest.