As they made their way through the bustling streets toward the Adventurer's Guild, Johnn quickly bounced back, practically vibrating with excitement. To him, this wasn't just a successful A rank Quest. It was a literal miracle. A legendary rumor that had existed only in tavern tales, something no seasoned veteran had ever proven or achieved, and they had just pulled it off.
"I still can't believe it, Maddy," Johnn said, looking up at the sky, his eyes wide with lingering awe. "We actually found the Special Bloom. We proved the stories right. No one else could do it, but we did."
Maddy listened to his eager chatter, keeping her gaze fixed on the road ahead. Inside her mind, the reality was entirely different.
"Because it was a lie," she thought. "A beautiful, perfectly orchestrated fabrication."
She had woven that flower out of her own raw magic, using the very powers the world feared. Yet, looking back at the girl's rosy cheeks, Maddy felt no regret.
