Chapter 11: More Tasks!

Chapter 11: Chapter 11: More Tasks! Isabella barely had time to process her miserable situation before the system chimed in again. [Incoming Tasks Assigned] • Find Clean Water Source – Locate and collect a source of drinkable water. (Reward: +30 Points) • Make a Fire Without Crying (or Cheating) – No lighters. No magic. Just struggle. (Reward: +25 Points) • Cook an Edible Meal – Prepare food that will not cause immediate regret or death. (Reward: +110 Points) • Sleep Outside Without Complaining – Survive the night without whining. (Reward: +5 Points) • Gather 10 Edible Herbs Without Poisoning Yourself – Identify and collect safe herbs. Consequences for failure may include dizziness, nausea, or a premature funeral. (Reward: +35 Points) Isabella stared at the floating screen, her mind blank for a full three seconds before she nearly screamed. "Are you kidding me?!" She had so many questions. And secondly—would this stupid system even give her a chance to breathe before handing her another death sentence disguised as a ’task’? "Hey, Bubu, what are all these tasks?" Isabella crossed her arms, glaring at the air. The system: "..." "Answer me." She smirked. "And yes, I’ll call you Bubu from now on. No arguments. If you don’t like it, stop giving me tasks." The system: "I refuse to be called—" "Bubu." "No." "Bubububu." "I said—" "Bubuuuu~" Isabella sang. "ENOUGH." Silence. Then— [...The system will accept this name with great resentment.] Isabella grinned. "Good. Now, first question—do they use magic here?" [Yes, but not in the way you think.] "...Meaning?" [Magic is used, but they do not cultivate it like in traditional fantasy worlds. Instead, this society prioritizes physical strength over magical abilities.] Huh. That was... surprising. But it also made sense, considering how absurdly ripped the people here were. "Alright, next question." She pointed at the screen. "Why do I need to find a ’clean’ water source? Can’t I just drink whatever’s available?" The system took a suspiciously long time to respond. "..." "Bubu." [...The system believes you will find out soon enough.] That did not sound reassuring. "Right. Moving on." Isabella squinted at the second task. "Make a fire without crying or cheating." "Why? What’s the point?" [Basic survival skills.] "But I—" [Basic. Survival. Skills.] "Fine, fine! No need to be so dramatic." Her eyes moved to the third task. She immediately frowned. "Okay, what’s with the crazy high points for cooking something edible? 110 points? Are you expecting me to catch a dragon and make gourmet steak?" [...The system sees no need to explain this task further.] "What?" Isabella narrowed her eyes. "What are you hiding?" [Nothing.] "Bubu." [Stop saying my name like that.] "Bubububu—" [MOVING ON.] She rolled her eyes and scanned the next task. Then stopped. Read it again. Her jaw dropped. "Excuse me? ’Sleep outside without complaining’?!" [Correct.] "Absolutely not." [You cannot skip quests.] "What do you mean ’you can’t skip quests’?! Since when?! Where is the skip button?! I demand a skip button!" [The system does not negotiate with whiny hostages.] "I AM the hostage!" Isabella nearly pulled her own hair. [Then stop complaining.] She inhaled deeply, mentally counting to ten. She failed. "Next." She deadpanned. "Gather 10 edible herbs without poisoning myself. Wait—so you want me to gather herbs? Do I look like a pharmacist?! What if I pick the wrong one and drop dead?!" Isabella frowned at the system as she waited for a reply. But when none came, she realized there was nothing she could do. "Great. Wonderful. No pressure or anything." She rolled her eyes. [The system believes in your ability to avoid an early death.] "Really? Because it sure feels like you’re trying to kill me." [Incorrect.] "Lies." [Moving on.] Isabella groaned, rubbing her temples. This was her life now. Okay. Which one was she doing first? Fire. Yes, fire. Isabella took a deep breath and turned to the unlit torch on the wall. How hard could it be? People in ancient times did this all the time. If a caveman could do it, surely she—an intelligent, modern woman—could, too. She grabbed two random rocks from the ground outside, and smashed them together. Nothing. She tried again. Still nothing. Okay, maybe she needed something dry. Isabella looked around the room. No dried grass, no twigs—just cold stone and the questionable fur on the floor. Her eye twitched. Would the fur burn? Before she could start debating the morals of setting her own bed on fire, she spotted a few dried leaves in the corner. "Perfect," she muttered, gathering them into a little pile beneath the torch. She grabbed the rocks again and smacked them together. Nothing. She gritted her teeth and tried harder. Still nothing. "Come on, come on, come on," she growled, furiously striking the rocks together like a woman possessed. Tiny sparks appeared. Hope ignited in her chest. Then... the sparks fizzled out immediately. Her fingers ached. Her arms felt like they had been put through a medieval torture device. And most importantly—there was still no fire. Isabella wanted to scream. But she needed those 25 points. If she wanted to unlock the shop and maybe buy something useful, she had to do this. She took a deep breath, wiped her sweaty forehead, and glared at the torch like it was her mortal enemy. "Okay, listen here, you stupid piece of wood," she muttered under her breath. "You will burn, even if I have to sell my soul to make it happen." Then, with renewed determination, she got back to work. Her fingers moved mechanically. Strike. Strike. Strike. A spark. Another spark. And then— A tiny, flickering flame appeared in the leaves. Isabella froze, eyes wide. It was working. IT WAS WORKING! She immediately leaned in and blew on it gently, hands cupped around the baby flame like a proud mother. The fire caught. The torch slowly lit up. And then— WHOOSH. A bright flame roared to life, and Isabella nearly jumped out of her skin. She had done it. SHE HAD ACTUALLY DONE IT. [✔ Task Completed – Make a Fire Without Crying (or Cheating)] [+25 Points] "HAHA!" Isabella threw her hands in the air. "Bow before me, you pathetic ancient peasants! I am a fire-making GODDESS!" She turned dramatically, expecting applause. No one was there. She cleared her throat and straightened. Right. Time to move on. Next task: Finding clean water. And she really hoped it wouldn’t be as frustrating as this one.