Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 358 Intimidation is worse than threats, the Rose Emblem

The nights in Giethoorn are very quiet.

The quietness was so intense that Xia Nan, who was used to the noisy environment of the White Sparrow Tavern, felt somewhat out of place.

But in any case, a stable resting environment is always a good thing.

Xia Nan was allowed to sleep a little longer than usual.

I fell asleep in the first half of the night and it took seven hours for my body to fully recover.

When he woke up, it was still early morning.

He quickly gathered the necessary equipment and tools, dressed, and left the hotel. He went to a secluded and rarely visited forest near the town, which he had scouted beforehand, to conduct his daily training.

The action plan was temporarily changed in consideration of the town's special circumstances and the fact that pastel gems can provide energy to the Dream Corridor.

Xia Nan slightly modified his training routine, increasing the proportion of skill training in order to conserve as much energy as possible.

The [Gravity Etching] skill, which was originally used during training in River Valley Town with a cooldown period of almost six hours, was only used late at night or in the early morning. During the day, the skill was used to ensure that there were three full charges to prepare for possible battles.

[Whirlwind Slash] is a warm-up, and [Fang Hunt] is a physical activity. Even though these two combat skills have been mastered, they still occupy a significant portion of the training plan. Combined with some basic swordsmanship practice and advanced [Gravity Control] combat skills...

When Xia Nan finished his daily training, washed himself in a stream on the way, and returned to the town with his wet, black, tousled hair, it was just dawn.

The townspeople also get up very early. The streets, which were empty when they set off for training, are now filled with many early-rising residents who are busy with their work.

Even the owner of "Cashmere Rust Nails," a middle-aged man with a round face, got up early and stood behind the counter tidying up his plates and glasses.

Seeing this, Xia Nan couldn't help but have a thought.

I went up to the bar and sat down, asking for breakfast.

Located on the border of the province, far from large towns, its economy relies almost entirely on tax revenue from passing adventurers and merchants.

Even though it was the most upscale hotel in Giethoorn, the variety of its food was only average.

Fortunately, the price is relatively affordable.

A large plate of dark bread baked with rye, a glass of lemonade, a bowl of thick stew made with onions, beans and local vegetables, two eggs, a small piece of cheese, and three finger-length pieces of bacon.

Oh, and he also asked the owner for a few more tangerines that were fully ripe and had a sunset-red color.

All of these together cost just over one silver coin, only slightly more expensive than the basket of mandarin oranges Xia Nan bought yesterday.

Compared to the White Sparrow Tavern, it couldn't be more affordable.

The taste was generally above average.

Even the coarsest rye bread becomes a rare delicacy thanks to the iron anvil honey that Xia Nan specially spreads on it.

Meanwhile, throughout the meal, Xia Nan didn't say a word to the tavern owner, who was still slightly wary of him because of yesterday's experience, and just kept his head down and ate his rice.

He only noticed the tavern owner, whose body had been slightly tense, relax a little after he had cleared all the plates on the table.

While peeling an orange, he casually began to deliver the “exquisite” conversation he had prepared for a long time the night before.

"Boss, this place is getting way too boring after nightfall," Xia Nan said, trying to sound like he was bored out of his mind. "Isn't there any lively place in town?"

Knowing his identity as an adventurer, and given the stereotypes that ordinary people in this world have about people in this profession, it's perfectly normal for him to ask such a question.

The other party didn't think much of it, and even showed a smile on his face: "Hey, it's a small place in the countryside, what kind of entertainment venues can there be? People are busy with their own work in the fields all day long. There are always a few who have the time and energy to come to my tavern for a drink after they finish their work."

"Understood, understood."

Hearing this, Xia Nan nodded and put the orange segments she had broken into pieces into her mouth.

While savoring the burst of sweet fruity aroma on my tongue, I followed the conversation I had prepared the night before and steered the topic to mandarins.

"Speaking of which, the oranges here are really good. They taste much better than the ones I had in Panyun Province before."

“It’s a gift from the goddess,” the boss replied.

"The output shouldn't be low, right? Haven't you considered selling it outside the town to provide another source of income?"

"Of course we've considered it. In fact, most of the shops in town have partnerships with the orchards." The tavern owner glanced at the mandarin oranges in Xia Nan's hand. "It's just that although it's called a 'specialty,' these kinds of oranges are quite common in Suobin Province. The ones further south even taste better, so there's no market for them."

Seeing that the conversation was gradually moving in the direction she had hoped for, Xia Nan changed the subject, and with a hint of curiosity, asked the other person:

"However, after wandering around for the past two days, I found that the town doesn't seem to have any other industries? Unlike the other towns I passed through before, which had mining and specialty handicrafts, your income mainly comes from the fields and passing merchants?"

As if he had heard a certain keyword, the tavern owner paused almost imperceptibly while wiping the glasses, then resumed his work with a chuckle.
"That's right, it's just a small place, what kind of industry could it possibly have?"

"It's good enough to just farm and live a peaceful life."

Noticing the details of the other party's expression and movements, and knowing that the conversation had reached a critical juncture, Xia Nan decided to press his advantage.

Leaning slightly forward, deliberately lowering his voice, he exerted invisible pressure:
"To be honest, I've been to quite a few places, but I don't see many places like Giethoorn where the overall atmosphere is so... well, peaceful."

"It seems like everyone is lacking in desire, which is quite unusual."

The tavern owner frowned slightly, put down the glass he had already wiped clean, and his smile faded: "Guest, the residents of our town are all honest people, and they have no ill intentions."

"Of course!" Knowing that the other party had become wary, Xia Nan waved the tangerine in his hand and smiled, "Don't misunderstand, I'm just praising you."

However, perhaps yesterday's abrupt questioning had made the tavern owner, whose perception was seemingly deeply influenced by the pastel gemstones, suspicious of Xia Nan.

Even though it was only a slight involvement, they became wary again and reverted to their cold, polite, and distant attitude.

No matter how much Xia Nan asked, he only replied with short and uninformative words.

"It shouldn't be..."

Somewhat puzzled, Xia Nan returned to his room on the second floor of the hotel, increasingly feeling that "dialogue" was a science.

Even if you have a high level of perception and can clearly notice changes in the other person's expression, actions, and emotions, if you fail to accurately grasp the timing and tone of your words, you will ultimately be doing nothing of value.

However, it's still early, and there are many ways to gather intelligence.

Minor setbacks were not enough to make him lose confidence.

After resting in the room for a while, Xia Nan, dressed neatly, went out of the hotel again when she saw that it was already bright outside the window.

This time, however, his target was not the deserted woodland on the outskirts of the town, but a location closer to the center of the town.

...Giethoorn, blacksmith shop.

Although a conflict just occurred yesterday, it must be admitted that if Xia Nan wants to obtain detailed information about gemstones and minerals, the blacksmith, one of the few in the town, is the best person to ask.

When Xia Nan arrived at the blacksmith shop, the burly shop owner seemed to be taking a break during a forging session, holding a piece of cloth in his hand and wiping his shiny head.

His brows furrowed unconsciously when he saw Xia Nan walk into the shop.

"what's up?"

His tone was harsh, and his attitude was not good; he was clearly still bothered by what happened yesterday.

Xia Nan remained expressionless, simply reciting the explanation he had prepared beforehand.

He drew the small dagger from the Rockhammer blacksmith's shop, which he usually used to strip materials from spoils of war and cut up odds and ends, and placed it on the counter, his tone sincere:

"Excuse me, this thing of mine has been used for too long and it's gotten a bit dull lately."

"I heard from others that your skills are the best in town, so I'm wondering if I can come over for some maintenance."

Thanks to Xia Nan's exaggerated armor drop rate, he had to visit the blacksmith shop almost every few missions, so he naturally knew what to say to tickle the blacksmith's itch.

Sure enough, when Xia Nan mentioned "the best craftsmanship in town," the bald, burly man's previously stern face instantly softened.

Nodding, he professionally dismissed the conflict with Xia Nan from yesterday, strode forward, picked up the dagger, and examined it.

He had heard the compliments from apprentices or ordinary customers in the shop countless times, and he no longer reacted to them.

However, if the same words were spoken by this seasoned adventurer in front of us, who was dressed in excellent equipment and whose strength was unfathomable... the effect would be completely different.

However, after a moment, the bald blacksmith gave his judgment.

"That dagger of yours must have been expensive, right?"

"Although it doesn't look particularly special on the outside, both the materials and the forging process are excellent, and it must have been made by a highly skilled craftsman."

He spoke quite honestly, not hiding the gap between himself and "The Rock Hammer" Barnes.

"To be honest, there are many details inside that would be difficult to replicate even if I tried to copy them."

"But if it's just maintenance, there's no problem."

"It won't be long, just come and pick it up before dinner this afternoon."

Hearing this, Xia Nan nodded slightly, "Okay, then I'll trouble you."

But instead of leaving immediately, he pretended to want to buy other equipment, walked to the shelf, and looked around.

After circling twice, his gaze fell upon the pile of iron and coal in the corner of the shop, and he asked, seemingly casually:

"These materials look quite good, with very few impurities. The finished product you forge will definitely be of high quality."

"It shouldn't be from ordinary iron ore, right? Could it have some special origin?"

Xia Nan's questioning was, of course, carefully designed. He cleverly avoided sensitive topics related to "gems" while steering the conversation toward the blacksmith's most familiar area, expanding the topic from "gems" to the broader category of "minerals," hoping that the other party would reveal some information about pastel gemstones under his guidance.

Unexpectedly, the other party seemed particularly sensitive to words such as "mineral" and "source".

No sooner had he finished speaking than the bald blacksmith's face, which had just softened, hardened once more.

"Maintenance fee: 1 silver and 7 copper."

"Or find another craftsman, it's up to you."

He left a cold remark.

He then stopped looking at Xia Nan, turned around, grabbed the heavy forging hammer, and continued to immerse himself in his work.

"Dang! Dang! Dang!"

The crisp sound of the hammer striking the anvil shattered Xia Nan's last glimmer of hope.

……

"how come……"

Walking down the street, Xia Nan's face was expressionless, but he felt extremely depressed.

With a charm rating of at least 6 out of 10, coupled with his professional-looking attire as a seasoned adventurer and his undeniably striking, cold features, he might not be universally loved, but he certainly wouldn't leave a bad impression.

Not to mention, he had also meticulously planned his lines of conversation in advance, taking into account the identity and personality of the person he was trying to find out.

Even if things differ from reality, it shouldn't be like before, where a few casual words freeze the conversation and completely kill it.

He lost two consecutive attempts to persuade the examiners to submit his application.

If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have wasted so much effort. I could have just changed "persuasion" to "intimidation," which might have been more effective.

As Xia Nan pondered this in his heart, he unknowingly followed the main road of the town and arrived at the central square of Giethoorn.

The square is paved with rough bluestone slabs, and you can see the marks left by time on its surface, but it looks like it is regularly maintained, and there are not many damaged areas overall.
As the intersection of several roads in the town, it is, to some extent, a microcosm of small-town life. You can see several farm women sitting on the stone steps at the edge of the square, chatting and laughing. In front of them are small baskets filled with vegetables and eggs, and further ahead are children playing and frolicking.

Xia Nan's gaze swept over them, finally settling on the northernmost side of the square.

There, a towering church was quietly bathed in the morning light.

It was the very building I saw last night.

The church itself is not particularly grand, far from being as magnificent as the Church of the Sun in Caranfur or the Church of the Moon in Neum. It only stands out because of the contrast with the surrounding bungalows.

The building's lines are soft and smooth, lacking the sharp verticality that large buildings should have; it's as if it lies prostrate on the earth, closely connected to the land.

The main structure uses warm-toned stone and wood, and some areas are covered with fired red terracotta tiles, giving people a warm feeling under the sunlight;

The exterior walls are covered with various vines, and even the roof is covered with low, lush green grass. But from a distance, it doesn't look messy or dilapidated at all. Instead, it looks natural and full of vitality.

The door was closed tightly.

The surfaces of the two massive, heavy wooden doors are carved with the emblems of the deities worshipped in this church:
—A rosebud surrounded by the rising sun.

(End of this chapter)