Chapter 30 – Coming back to the shrine
There was the sound of footsteps walking closer. The shop owner had just come out of the dark warehouse. He quickly locked the door because no one wanted to see the ranges. He didn't appear to be carrying anything. Darren thought he had a large quantity of what he wanted in one of his pockets and would buy it at any price.
The shop owner sighed.
"Huh... I'm sorry young master, I only have one fruit," replied the shop owner as he took out a small object.
The blackberries were round like in the previous world, even closer to the medicine that witches in the towers often made, but they didn't have a strong smell or texture. He almost thought that what was in front of him was like a river stone. Fortunately, the characteristics of the fruit are like those in a library book.
"Is this a blackberry?" Darren asked, making sure.
"Of course," he answered.
"Look at the size. It's much bigger. If I trick you, you will know for yourself what my reputation as a shop owner is." he added again.
Darren just glared at the shop owner. He felt it would be better to disguise himself before entering the shop. Because he knew the middle-aged man was dealing with in front of him. Give a valuable item to one of his business rivals.
"How much does it cost?" he asked again, pointing at it. He was eager to keep it.
"Sorry, but this is not for sale, Youngman," replied the shop owner, immediately taking the blackberry from his hand.
He was not surprised by his behavior and understood it.
"This is just, for example, a genuine item," he continued, showing it to Darren.
"Well. It's tough to tell the difference between real and fake. You know that I often find very similar imitations."
"That's why I keep this as a comparison with the original," he said again to assure his words.
"Look!" the shop owner took out an item similar to the earlier one.
The color and texture are not much different, but the fruit looks more considerable when the two are side by side.
"Real fruit will be close to each other, but one of them is not real, so the two will not be together," said the shop owner, bringing the two hands that contained blackberries together.
Right as he said, they didn't even move, no reaction.
"Real blackberries will stick to each other even if they are far apart. You can see for yourself now."
"Their differences are also so obvious, oh I almost forgot to say. Counterfeits can stick together but pay attention to the pivot points. If you want to buy them elsewhere, there will usually be iron powder and magnets centered."
"It could also be because of using adhesive magic. We're still having a hard time getting the real thing. So don't think that I won't sell it to you." It was as if he understood Darren was suspecting him now.
"You just put one real blackberry, and the adhesive magic will break." Back to explain.
"S.T.U.P.I.D people will be easily fooled by their true form," glancing at Darren.
He felt uncomfortable listening to the emphasis on the stupid word directed at him. It was only natural for him to say that because sometimes his family's envoys would often find fake goods in their search.
Darren was silent, listening to the shop owner's explanation, and the conclusion was that they were the same as objects in the previous world.
"Where can I get real blackberries?" Darren asked in a severe tone.
"You know for yourself, my son, what I sell here is just a step-by-step item, and it takes my life to get it."
"Well ... if you insist, I will tell you where it is," said the shop owner while looking at the pockets of his bag.
Darren saw the shop owner's movements and facial expressions, knowing that the information he needed had to be purchased. He immediately took out ten coins and placed them on the wooden table.
"Blackberries only exist in the iron forest, where…" suddenly, his words were cut off, and he looked back in the same direction.
'It turns out that information like this is a step, huh?' Darren said to himself.
'You mercenary,' he mumbled again.
He took out 50 gold coins and placed them before, eyes shining from seeing the amount of money spent. The shop owner gave all the information about the fruit, when it was in season, and how to harvest it.
After getting the information he needed, Darren finally went towards the shop's exit.
[Kliing] heard the doorbell ringing for a moment, and his footsteps paused in front of the shop to think, then look at his waiting horse. He approached him and started stroking. There was a loud snoring sound and a spoiled movement, and felt a little calm.
Darren still can't go to the iron forest because the forest is so far away that it took him about six months to get there, not to mention facing terrible creatures there that have never been met to get it.
"After all, there will be a meeting soon," he said, speaking to his friend who accompanied him.
"I have to finish my business here first," he added.
Satisfied with caressing his body, Darren untied the reins and prepared to continue his other business. The goal this time was to go to the shrine to meet the Saintess.
Luckily the location to be visited is near the capital. It is enough to reverse the direction of the horse's speed to another road.
Tracing the places he had been with Pino. Darren stopped at the entrance, dismounted, and led him into the courtyard. Not far from there is a place to park the vehicles of people who want to visit the temple to pray after tying the reins with the others and leaving them.
Once again, he entered the temple, looking for the forest that brought him to meet the god during his business yesterday and the log cabin surrounded by herbs. The holy place has not lost its existence. It is crowded with pilgrims who want to vent all the problems and grief that befell him.
The place didn't feel familiar, although it took a few minutes to find it because it was so vast that even Darren could see the solemnity of the people praying inside or the baptisms.
The protective Mana shrouds the body again.
"Why is it active in a place like this?"
Darren looked around. There was no one to be seen passing by or danger threatening, only himself and the sunlight illuminating the path in the hallway. Then it turned into the Moore family's signature light green.
Darren found the thread of Mana belonging to Noah's family a light blue purplish as if welcoming when arrival had just arrived and led him inside.