The hardwood floor was gently illuminated from the light of brightly glowing crystals evenly spaced along the side of the walls. Today was such a strange day. All because of that annoying dream, everything reminded me of it. Even this pathway Gin was taking me on reminded me of the stone path from my dream where I seemed to walk for an eternity.
I slapped my forehead to snap my brain out of it. Gin turned around and asked, "you okay kiddo? I heard a loud slap?" Smiling, I replied, "oh nothing just I swatted a bug."
With a huff, Gin complained about his son, "that Alex! Has he not been cleaning like I told him too!? I'm going to make him redo the whole place after this!" Quietly, I grinned evilly at my master plan working as I evilly laughed inside, "Ha! Ha! Payback Alex."
There were many rooms in the back with heavy doors and complicated-looking locking mechanisms. The path went downstairs shortly leading to a single door of metal. Gin placed his hand on an orb engraved into the metallic door that glowed to his touch. The metallic door opened to another similar metal door in a small room.
Repeating the process, we went through another three similar doors before finally entering the actual room. The immense and expansive place never ceases to amaze me no matter how many times I've seen it. Treasure upon treasure was organized as they floated atop of another on an engraved magic array permanently etched on the wood floor.
This wood here was special. It was crafted from the same fibers as the tree I live in, but obviously my tree's fibers were alive while these were long dead. The wood from this specific type of tree was was as strong as the magical metal, hyperium, and conducted mana even better. Few, were those capable of even cutting these trees let alone be willing to make the dangerous journey to do so.
Regardless, Gin must of spent two lives worth of fortunes to make this room. There was not many who could steal something from here. Even a dragon would have a difficult time stealing a treasure from here. The entire room was a warehouse full of the magic arrays that kept all his treasures locked behind an invisible barrier.
We made our way towards the back as i enviously salivated over the precious and priceless treasures. Gin laughed, "just seeing your face is worth bringing you down here." "You can bring me anytime to drool over your treasures Gin! Never would have thought I'd have the chance to acquire something from here." I responded and again and Gin laughed deeply.
Gin had a particular pattern with the layout of his rooms. He had a table or counter at the back middle area of a room. From his store front to all the other rooms I've seen till now, a table or counter would always be in that spot. I'm pretty sure he did something to them as well. That man doesn't do something randomly. I was curious to ask, but curiosity was not going to kill this cat!
We eventually made our way to the luxurious deep chestnut-colored table he made using the same wood as everything else in this room. I sat in the front of the table as he sat on the opposite side from me. Once sitting, he placed his hands together and turned on full businessman mode.
"Show me the product," Gin commanded. I sighed internally.
I knew Gin was good at heart until it came down to business.
He wasn't necessarily evil, but the old man never gave me any discounts or leeway. I needed to make sure I got more this time as I knew I had something good he would never find. "Count your blessings old man, you won't be able to see Nota's root again," I said as I pulled out a perverted looking root the length of half my arm from my sack.
How should I put this? Or rather how should I describe Nota's root? Whatever, I'll be frank. It looked like an uncut hairy phallus. Rather thick and veiny too.
I immediately laughed at Gin. His face was priceless! "Hahahaha! What old man? Never seen such a big one?!" Gin coughed, "I guess the legends were truly literal. Nota's root really does look like a man's reproductive organ. Let me get the scope identifier to confirm. If it's real, then you, my lucky friend have found a mythical plant unseen in ages!"
Gin scooted back to open a drawer and pulled out a book with a compartment attached to the spine that held a monocle with no glass. "Yup and it would be priceless huh?" The old man froze and unfroze so quickly I nearly missed it. "It's worth a lot more than I thought," I whispered to myself.
Taking out the monocle whose chain was attached to the spine of the book, he opened the book as he hovered the monocle over the root before moving mana through the monocle causing it to fill in the lens with a glow. The light shown down and seeped through the plant as Gin moved the monocle over the whole root a couple times before putting it down and looking expectantly at the pages of the open book.
The pages moved and flipped on their own before landing on a certain page. I saw Gin's eyes grow big as he looked at the page. "Definitely worth a lot." I said to myself. His business self tried to mask his excitement but he couldn't contain it.
I get it, it was not easy to procure this goodie I found. Miraculous even to find it actually, though I had some help. "Where did you find it? Is there more?" Gin asked. "Deep in the forest, past the Alcove Mountains. Could be more, but that area probably doesn't have any more currently." Silence filled the room. The old man always got like this when he did business.
"Currently you said. Then there could be more, right?!" His voice jumped an octave. I wasn't worried if he tried to go find it. I knew he knew better as that area was a no-man's land where few returned if ventured.
"Possibly yes. I left some larger root hairs so maybe in a few centuries it would grow another perverted-looking root." I immediately saw his shoulders droop and I laughed loudly. "Did you need some too old man?!" Immediately Gin perked up in defense. "You brat! what nonsense are you spewing now?! I'm fine with my member! Though I'm sure all men have had the thought cross their minds!"
I was guilty so I agreed. "True, the thought did cross my mind. I legends are true I suppose, though a few hairs won't make too much of a difference." Gin laughed so hard he teared up. I never seen the man do so before.
"What?" I asked confused. "You used it didn't you? And you measured!" I shut up. Gin continued to laugh. "Ha, I finally got a secret out from you!" I was embarrassed and kinda annoyed so I barked back.
"Shameless old man! I know you're going to try too!" Curiously stroking his chin, he replied, "Maybe I will? I'm curious now. I'd regret not trying a little. I could take a few hairs and I still have more than enough to still make a killing."
"A killing you say, eh?" Gin slipped up.
"...Alright, it's true worth is unknown but enough to get the stuff you've been wanting here."
"No way!! Old man, did that root posses you? Are you actually giving me everything that I want from here?!" I was ecstatic, i couldn't care about anything else.
"Ha! Don't push your luck kid! I'll get you everything you asked for from here last time. That's it. You know how precious all that you asked for are."
"Che! Stingy!"
"Hey I still need to make some money off this. Lucky brat, I'm actually not going to haggle you over it."
"Knowing you, you already got a good bargain off me! But fine, if you add on that dungeon crystal and all the stuff I wanted from last time then we have a deal."
"Deal!" Gin responded immediately.
I blankly looked at Gin.
"Shit!" I'd been had!