Putting everything else aside, Arya felt that a D-grade monster crystal core was something no one could obtain right now, because it meant fighting a Grade D monster to get it.
At present, most people's levels were only around three or four. Some, like herself, had played casually ever since the "server" opened and never actively engaged in combat, so their level remained stuck at Level 1.
Sending a group of people like this to deal with Grade D monsters was clearly impossible.
More importantly, what kind of Grade D monsters even existed at this stage?
So far, the monsters everyone had encountered in the Abandoned Forest were mostly E-ranked demons. She couldn't understand how the system expected them to leap such a massive gap in strength.
Arya shook her head. After carefully balancing the tray in her hands, she flew out of the room carrying a bucket.
Some might say that Arya shouldn't have revealed the potion upgrade conditions because doing so would only drive prices higher. But to her, this was never a real problem.
If a problem couldn't be solved, it only meant that the number of potions she was supplying wasn't enough.
As long as the quantity was sufficient, there was no material in this world that couldn't be bought.
For example, E-grade monster crystal cores, which had once been almost impossible to find, were now appearing everywhere.
The potion industry was naturally extremely profitable, so she was never worried about losing money.
Arya didn't pay attention to the regional chat anymore. She was fully focused on filling large containers such as water tanks, crucibles, and stockpots with clean stream water.
No one knew what would happen when the novice protection period ended.
It might become a massive beast tide, like the scenes described in novels, or it could be something far more terrifying.
But no matter what, Arya had already decided that she wouldn't leave her shelter for a while. She intended to let others stumble through the deadly traps and dangers that came after beginner protection ended.
Staying at home offered very little entertainment besides reading books. That was why she chose to hoard water in advance. This way, when she grew tired of reading, she could switch to brewing potions.
It was a perfect balance between work and rest.
After filling all the containers with stream water, Arya went to Albert's basement and carefully collected all the glowing mushrooms growing there. She gently sprinkled some stream water over the roots that remained in the soil.
When she returned, she went straight up to her room on the second floor.
She still hadn't decided how to use the third floor, so she continued sleeping on the second floor.
Beside her mattress stood a bookshelf that she had built from a blueprint she had acquired earlier. Because she didn't have curtains and fabric was too troublesome to obtain, she placed the bookshelf at the head of her bed to block the harsh morning sunlight.
Although this made the space behind the bookshelf completely dark, at least she no longer had to worry about getting blasted awake every morning by what she jokingly called the "Sun Fist."
Holding a book titled "Basic Magic Circuit Studies," she walked out onto the balcony and sat down on a lounge chair next to a large winnowing basket that was filled with snakes, insects, rats, and ants.
Under the last warm glow of the beginner protection period, she quietly read in the sunlight.
The lounge chair had also been crafted from a blueprint, and it suited her body perfectly.
As the sun slowly set and the sky was dyed a fiery red, Arya flew down to the first floor and walked toward her Magic Desk.
She sent a message to Rogers, ordering dinner and paying in advance with ten Healing Potions.
It was no exaggeration.
Rogers' food really was that expensive.
Arya only learned this after waking up earlier that day and trading with Shang Chuan.
Since Rogers had started selling food after obtaining a stone bowl, her cooking had become just as famous as Arya's potions in District 666.
The entire channel had been buzzing about it nonstop.
But unlike most people, who were obsessed with power and survival, Arya simply craved good food.
Ever since she had eaten the silver fish and potato noodles the day before, she had completely approved of Rogers' cooking skills.
She even gave Rogers some kitchen items she no longer needed, such as a steamer, a small double-handled clay pot, a ladle, a cleaver, and several ingredients that still needed processing.
She had even given her the enamel mug.
At first, Rogers refused. She believed strongly in not accepting gifts without giving something in return. But after Arya persuaded her, she finally accepted them.
In Arya's words, those things were useless to her. All she truly needed were her chopsticks and her bowl.
Of course, Arya still kept her instant food.
After going out every night for the past few days as the mysterious "Green Phantom," she had hoarded enough instant food to last for an entire month.
More accurately, it was emergency food.
In a strange and dangerous new world, it was always better to be prepared.
In fact, Rogers had already delivered a homemade meal at noon. But because it was midday and it was difficult to get good ingredients at that time, she told Arya to wait until evening for something truly delicious.
Even so, the Cross-Bridge Rice Noodles she made at noon were extremely tasty.
Rogers didn't make her wait long.
Just a few minutes later, a tray appeared on Arya's Magic Desk. On the tray sat a small clay pot, a bowl containing several steamed buns, and a small dish of chili powder.
There was also a pair of chopsticks and a small soup spoon.
They looked very familiar.
They were the ones Arya had given to Rogers the day before.
Rogers sent a message:
"Boss, from now on, all your ordered meals will be served in this clay pot. Just return it to me after you finish eating, and I'll wash it."
Rogers was, of course, aware of the situation with the Healing Potions.
However, when that chaos had happened, she had been busy cooking at the stove. By the time she heard about it, everything had already been snatched up.
She had felt a little regret at first.
But then, when she realized that Arya was paying one Healing Potion per meal, she became incredibly happy.
Arya agreed to Rogers' suggestion.
The clay pot was a small one-liter pot that could easily hold about two catties of food, so it was the perfect size to use as a personal bowl.
After checking the food with her small system screen and confirming that it wasn't poisoned, Arya wiped the pot with a towel and gently opened the steaming lid.
Inside the clay pot was a whole, large chicken drumstick.
There were bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and slices of sausage as side dishes. The soup itself was crystal clear, and thick steam rose into the air.
The rich, fragrant aroma instantly made Arya's appetite surge.
She picked up a steamed bun and her chopsticks and prepared to eat.
However, she quickly realized that it was impossible to pick up the entire chicken drumstick with chopsticks.
Fortunately, the meat was cooked until it was incredibly tender. With just a gentle poke, she could easily pull a piece of meat away.
She dipped it into the chili powder, then took a bite of steamed bun followed by a bite of meat.
The satisfaction was overwhelming.
Whenever she almost choked, she would take a sip of the clear soup, which carried a faint herbal fragrance that refreshed her mouth.
She could immediately tell that the soup was made with Bug Rhombus Grass, Heavenly Shun Flower, and Sanma Grass, along with one or two other herbs she couldn't immediately identify.
A true connoisseur could recognize these things at a glance.
Although she didn't know what kind of monster the chicken drumstick came from, as someone who worked with herbs all day, Arya could recognize most medicinal ingredients from just one sip.
These were all materials or substitutes commonly used when brewing Healing Potions.
No wonder her system screen had rated the dish as food that could restore 2 health points every 5 seconds for 10 minutes.
If eaten before a long battle, it could continuously restore up to 240 health points, making it an incredibly rare treasure during this early stage.
Rogers sent another message:
"This is a steamed chicken pot made from a Rainbow-Feathered Chicken. Although it's an improved version from another world, the taste is very similar to a traditional steamed chicken pot. I also added Yellow-Ringed Legless Worms and Slime Mushrooms, which help promote blood circulation. That's why the whole pot of soup is not only delicious, but also beautiful, perfect in color, aroma, and taste."