Chapter 27: Isabella’s Ways Of Herb Picking

Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Isabella’s Ways Of Herb Picking Ten feet. That was the distance Isabella had forced them to maintain from her. Ophelia, Shelia, and Asael trailed behind like a silent, anxious support group, watching Isabella stomp into the wilderness with the determination of a woman on a mission. She had zero experience in hunting, gathering, or even surviving in the wild, but what she did have was instincts, a healthy level of paranoia, and a lifetime of beauty product knowledge that she was about to apply in the most ridiculous way possible. The first potential hazard appeared sooner than expected. Isabella spotted a plump, deep-red fruit dangling innocently from a low-hanging branch. She narrowed her eyes. She knew this one. She has seen many like it yesterday. It was the wild equivalent of a landmine—press too hard, and boom! Face full of fruit guts. She crouched low, rolling her shoulders like she was in an action movie. Then, without hesitation—she ducked. SPLAT! The fruit exploded right in front of her, missing her by inches and spraying the air with sticky juice. "Why are you doing that?" Shelia asked curiously. Isabella didn’t look up. She wiped a non-existent speck of dirt off her arm, then dramatically tilted her head. "Watch." Ophelia, Shelia, and Asael exchanged glances but remained silent. The second she spotted another one of those treacherous little fruits, she did it again. Duck. SPLAT! This time, the fruit detonated with even more force, painting the leaves ahead a deep crimson. [+3 Agility] Ophelia gasped softly. "It... bursts when you press too hard?" "Mhmm," Isabella hummed, standing up like she had just dodged an assassination attempt. "A self-defense mechanism. Pretty impressive, right?" They actually looked impressed. Asael, who was still semi-scared of her, finally muttered, "Clever." Isabella smirked. Damn right. She continued forward, navigating like an expert, ducking whenever necessary, avoiding any fruit with the precision of someone who had learned the hard way. She didn’t pick any, though. They were useless to her. Her real challenge? The herbs. Isabella started noticing strange plants—some with glowing blue leaves, others with twisted, vine-like stems. She squinted at them, hands on her hips. She had no medical knowledge. None. But she did know skincare. So she did what any modern woman lost in the wilderness would do—she compared them to ingredients she had seen in overpriced face masks. She reached for a bright green plant with an oddly sticky stem. "Looks like something with hyaluronic acid," she murmured. "Good for hydration. Maybe it won’t kill me." Ophelia blinked. "What’s hyaluronic acid?" "A magic ingredient that makes you look ten years younger." That seemed to stun Ophelia. "Then we should take it!" "No, no, no," Isabella tapped her chin, examining it like a scientist. "If it has hyaluronic properties but is sticky, it might actually be like—what’s that thing?—aloe vera?" "Isn’t aloe vera good?" Shelia asked, tilting her head. "Yes." Isabella frowned. Then why was she getting a bad vibe? She hesitated. Alright, time for the ultimate test. She pressed her hands together, muttered a small prayer, then reached out. The plant didn’t react. Good sign. She inhaled deeply and squeezed gently. Then, with the confidence of someone who had dodged ten fruit bombs, she swiftly ducked to the right. SPLAT. Except— It didn’t shoot forward. Instead— It blasted her directly in the face. A thick, greenish-blue mush splattered across her forehead, dripping down her nose in slow motion. For a long, painful moment, nobody spoke. Then— Shelia SNORTED. Her laughter exploded from her chest, full and unapologetically loud. She stumbled back, clutching her stomach. "O-oh my gods," Shelia wheezed. "I—I can’t—your face—" Ophelia winced in sympathy. She hesitated, then gently whispered, "I hope this ends quickly for you." Even Asael, the eternally tense one, cracked the tiniest smile. Isabella stood completely still. Her entire life flashed before her eyes. She slowly wiped the mush off her cheek, exhaled through her nose, then muttered under her breath— "Gosh, I miss Earth." They didn’t hear it, but her soul felt it. After gathering herself, she grimly wiped off the remaining plant guts, straightened her posture, and continued. She would not be defeated by this godforsaken forest. Isabella continued her reluctant herb-hunting, but this time— She was warier. When she finally found something useful, she tried to act cool about it. A smooth, soft-leaved herb glistened under the sunlight. It looked safe. She reached out. Paused. Glanced at it. Okay. This time, I’ll squeeze gently and move nowhere. If it explodes, fine. If it doesn’t, also fine. She inhaled deeply and squeezed. ... Nothing happened. Victory. "Got one!" Isabella grinned, holding it up. "Finally," Shelia exhaled. Ophelia smiled. Asael simply nodded. Isabella dusted herself off and held her head high. She may have lost a battle. But the war was far from over. Isabella saw some deep purple leaves with a waxy shine, clustered at the base of a twisted root. They looked eerily similar to the aloe vera plants she used back on Earth for her hair masks. But something was off. Her eyes narrowed. The color was too rich, almost artificial, and the shine was unnatural—like it had been dipped in oil. A gut feeling told her this was not aloe vera. "Mm, no thanks," she muttered under her breath, stepping back. [+1 survival instinct] "Why not?" Sheila, ever curious, leaned over her shoulder. Isabella sighed, tapping her chin. "You see how glossy it is? That’s not normal. Plants don’t glow like they’ve been in a skincare commercial. If it’s too pretty, it’s probably deadly." Sheila blinked, then slowly backed away, as if the plant might jump at her. Ophelia, who had been watching quietly, tilted her head. "So you can tell what’s poisonous just by looking at it?" Isabella flipped her hair. "Of course. Poisonous plants always try too hard to be attractive. It’s like the universe put a giant ’DO NOT TOUCH’ sign on them." Sheila frowned. "But... you’re attractive." Isabella gasped. "Are you saying I’m poisonous?" Sheila smirked. "Maybe." Still, Isabella moved on, making a mental note to avoid anything that looked suspiciously too perfect. She continued her search, this time spotting a familiar-looking plant. It had broad green leaves with a reddish tint along the edges. She gasped, crouching beside it. It looked like mint. Excitement buzzed in her chest. "Oh, please tell me this is safe," she whispered, reaching out cautiously. She sniffed it. A crisp, cooling scent filled her nose. It really was mint! Not only was mint great for flavor, but it had medicinal properties too. She could use it for teas, freshen her breath, and even create her own skincare masks. Carefully, she plucked a few leaves. [+3 Cooking] She turned to the others triumphantly. "Okay, this one’s a keeper. Mint is a miracle plant—it helps digestion, clears sinuses, and keeps you from smelling like a swamp." Sheila leaned closer to sniff. "It does smell nice..." Even Ophelia seemed impressed. Asael just nodded, but the corner of his lips twitched, as if resisting a smile. Encouraged, Isabella kept going.