Brain bloom

Before Dandelion woke up and realized something was wrong, Mori put his doll into his bag, then snuggled into Dandelion's arms, pretending that he hadn't actually done anything and hadn't gone anywhere.

Clearly, Dandelion hadn't noticed anything amiss either, otherwise Mori wouldn't have been greeted with a good morning kiss, but rather with the wrath of the Four Seasons.

"Let's go have breakfast, and then we'll discuss the trip to the Land of Flowers."

"The wish is to be fulfilled in about three days. Is that enough time?"

"There's still time. With your mighty Thundercloud Worm, you can make a round trip in a day and a half. Eliminating the pollution of the Flower Kingdom isn't too difficult, as long as we work together."

Sen said thoughtfully, "Then let's set off again tonight."

Dandelion noticed something amiss in her expression and squinted, asking, "What little scheme are you plotting now? When you have something on your mind, it's all reflected in the strawberries. Haven't you noticed how the leaves become unusually shy, and how the fuzz on them seems to carry a hint of hostility, like needles?"

"...There's such a thing?" Feeling guilty, Mori immediately touched the top of his head.

"I was just kidding. No one is that sensitive to the four seasons. But your reaction... hehe, there's obviously something wrong." Dandelion's eyes gleamed with wisdom, and she asked coldly.

Mori couldn't help but sigh; things weren't going well at the start.

She could only answer half-truthfully: "This is the capital of the Holy Coffin Kingdom, which is also the largest and most prosperous place in the entire human world, right? There should be a lot of rare treasures and such. You know, we'll be dealing with the curse of wish in a few days, so I need to arm myself to the maximum extent possible, collect materials, and make equipment."

“…Oh? That makes sense.”

Dandelion couldn't find any fault with it either, and since the feelings from last night still lingered, she didn't delve too deeply into the matter, simply making a joke about it.

"The master craftsman who usually avoids work whenever possible, preferring to daydream rather than work on equipment, has finally become diligent today?"

"...Ahem." Embarrassed, Mori couldn't deny that she had indeed neglected her skills. But she couldn't entirely blame herself; after all, she usually had powerful backers by her side, and relying on her debt-collecting abilities, she had indeed become a bit arrogant...

"Shall we go shopping?"

"...I want to go by myself, is that okay?"

"I'm sorry, no."

……

The Kingdom of the Holy Coffin boasts a rich culture that stands proudly in the world. After all, only when people have enough to eat do they have the leisure to indulge in art and entertainment. Among these, music is the most renowned, often based on religious themes, but also drawing heavily from the stories of various adventurers.

No matter which street his boots echoed on, Mori always had the illusion that his footsteps could blend into the songs of all the bards and street musicians.

The departure of a true god is a major event, and if he chooses to make a grand display, it's probably not a bad thing. After all, the people of the Holy Coffin Kingdom are quite wealthy and enjoy pomp and circumstance, and being able to meet a true god up close is an incredible thing.

Kesen was shy and could only bury her face in her cashmere scarf, wrapping herself up in simple winter clothes and a long hat. Along with dandelions dressed similarly, she blended in unnoticed into the bustling streets.

Sen couldn't think of a good reason to ask the Pope or a big shot like B for rare materials. Besides, Dandelion had a lot of money, and it wouldn't be bad for the two of them to take a walk in the streets together—provided they didn't pay attention to the ubiquitous Holy Letter SB.

Even though he has gradually gotten used to it, Mori still can't help but laugh.

The holy city truly lives up to its name; it lacks the obvious vibrancy and extravagance of other cities. Whether it's the vendors doing business or the tourists passing by, there's a palpable sense of solemnity. Much of the wealth is transformed into religious symbols, adding a sacred atmosphere to the straight, crisscrossing streets.

In particular, the coffin bearers are often seen appearing in real life, and people can often be seen crying and calling out the name of God, as if that is the entire meaning of life.

"It feels like everyone's singing about the coffin bearers." Dandelion was in a great mood, and her aversion to the country had lessened considerably.

"That's good."

"Haha, after hearing all this, won't the coffin bearers blush?"

"...If it does, it will be frozen red."

The street that specializes in selling materials and equipment is located in the suburbs of the holy land, and I heard it's quite large.

On the way, Mori would occasionally pull out his notebook to jot down his inspirations for forging new equipment. He had spent the entire previous night brainstorming how to arm himself and improve his strength. Indeed, the presence of Helpful Will was a significant factor.

But more importantly—she wanted to rebel against the dandelion.

Even if it sparks a second war among the flowers, she will fight against her own destiny.

She accepted Dandelion's love and cherished the princess beside her just as much, but that didn't mean she would become a caged bird in Dandelion's harem. Everything should be reversed; God is capricious and should allow oneself to decide the world, rather than passively being at the mercy of others.

Mori clenched his fists, gazing at the bustling trading market, feeling as if a fire was burning within him.

"By the way, Mori Toki."

"Ok?"

"Has the Holy Pigeon Kingdom paid you compensation yet? Didn't you ask for ten thousand gold coins?" Dandelion asked curiously.

Sen Shi was taken aback at first, then shook his head helplessly, because he hadn't received the money yet.

She opened her bag and felt around inside; it seemed a little empty… Just then, Dandelion handed her the bag from the secular king—his secret stash of wealth, the culmination of his years of accumulating riches. Sen Shi had no choice but to accept it.

The fighting spirit that had been ignited earlier was extinguished by the color of the gold coins.

The two entered the market with mixed feelings of joy and worry, where the solemn atmosphere was somewhat lacking. Most of the people coming and going were adventurers, but there were also mages and knights belonging to the church. In addition, nobles of all ranks, accompanied by guards, were also very important guests here.

Each stall was filled with meticulously crafted weapons and equipment, as well as a considerable amount of magical jewelry from Silver Ring City.

But Sen Shi didn't care for those. Her eyes swept critically over each stall, looking for some excellent materials. As for steel, she still had a bag of black walnut wood steel left. Ideally, she would collect some finely polished high-grade gemstones, as well as some rare and special materials.

"Hey coffin bearer, little sister, are you looking for something?" A very charming seller, adorned with jewels, made eye contact with Sen Shi.

“Your gems are all wonderful.”

"A foreigner from a distant country? Little sister, you must pray to the gods before doing business here. Well, since no one can see, let's skip that... So, do you want jewelry made for your wedding? Or for the banquet? My gems aren't cheap, but I don't mind if you just look around. Gems should be appreciated."

Senshi was picking through the dandelions one by one, while Dandelion seemed to be reading books at another stall, mostly magic books.

These gems are of very high quality; they can be used not only as ammunition for slingshots but also to make many kinds of jewelry. She still has nine fingers missing, enough for one more around her neck, two earlobes, wrist ornaments, and a brooch. She needs to equip all these places, so she doesn't mind buying more gems.

"You're quite picky, you've touched thirty-seven already... So, which one do you want?" the seller asked with a chuckle.

"Here's two hundred gold coins for everything I just touched. Keep the change."

Thus, the loss of two hundred gold coins in attack power was clearly reflected in Sen Shi's Trillion Star Spectrum Book. In short, to become stronger, you must first spend money—this is an ironclad rule that no world or era can escape.

“You are truly…wealthy and generous. Would you like to see something more valuable?” The shopkeeper’s eyes gleamed. “I don’t usually bring these out.”

"Bring it all out, I want all the good stuff."

Just then, Mori heard the dandelion beside him muttering something, the rhythm clearly a magical incantation. Looking in the direction of the sound, Mori saw the dandelion holding a strange magic book, studying something inside.

"Frondes, flores and gramina,

(Tender branches, fresh flowers, and green grass)

nam mea languet anima.

(You sing in the lazy breeze)

Ver purpuratum exiit,

(The purple glow left behind by Chunxi's disappearance)

ornatus suos induit,

(Entering us into the intricate embroidery)

aspergit terram floribus,

(The intoxicating fragrance of flowers merges into the earth)

ligna silvarum frondibus.

(The branches and leaves gather together to form a lush tree)

tu s altim veris gratia

(Young people dance gracefully)

Dandelion didn't infuse her spiritual power into it; she was merely silently reciting an incantation. Sen Shi shrank back, because the level of this incantation was extremely high, definitely top-tier natural magic.

"Mori, give me the money pouch!" Dandelion exclaimed excitedly. "There's a book of nature magic I've never seen before! It was probably written by some sinful, banished seasonal being! It's incredible! If I learn this page, I'll become incredibly strong!"

"...Damn it, how did this fortuitous encounter trigger on you?"

Volume 1, Chapter 392: 900,000 words already, no more waiting!

Dandelion read the book in front of her with great interest, as if every line of text on the page contained an unprecedentedly profound secret, waiting specifically for her, the princess, to explore.

Whether it was the incredibly obscure incantation or the illustrations depicting the diagrams, everything was beautiful and captivating in Dandelion's eyes. Of course, she didn't forget to keep waving to Moritoki, because the money pouch was still in his hands.

"How much?" Mori walked over and asked, forcing himself to be brave.

"It's very expensive."

The owner of the magic bookstore stood with his arms crossed, his monocle and double-breasted thick winter coat giving him an air of erudition.

But the shrewdness in his eyes told him he saw a business opportunity. Sen Shi's magnanimous acceptance of the pile of gems from the stall next to him, coupled with the beautiful girl's unwavering focus on her book, convinced even the most naive person that he could make a fortune.

Unexpectedly, this book, which I thought was just a plant cultivation guide, actually holds great value.

"How much is very expensive?" Mori asked again.

"To the one who delivers the coffin, three hundred gold coins." He held up three fingers, waiting for Sen Shi to haggle, but spoke with the shrewdness of a merchant, "This book has a very important background. You know about the appearance of the true god, right? The great and supreme true god is actually..."

Listening to the stall owner's various fabrications, Sen Shi looked "bitter" and tugged at Dandelion's sleeve.

"It's too expensive, we don't want it. Let's learn magic from your people, there must be some who know it."

"Haha... It's only three hundred, there's no need to be so frugal."

After finishing her story with a smile, Dandelion naturally took the money bag, counted out three hundred gold coins, and spread them out on the other merchant's wooden table under the envious gazes of the surrounding merchants. Then, she took the wondrous book and began to study it diligently.

Sen felt regretful. If he had paid the money readily, at least the loss of three hundred gold coins would have brought him some debt collection power... He failed to stop Dandelion from increasing its strength.

"Are you looking at gems? I just saw you asking about that," Dandelion suddenly looked up and asked.

"Ah."

"That's great! I'd like to help Yuan too... Shall I go buy some magical items to decorate myself? I'm going shopping now, oh right, I'll give you some pocket money."

After saying that, Dandelion counted out a thousand gold coins and put them into Sen Shi's bag. It was like a wife in charge of finances finally plucking a few hairs to allocate funds for her husband to buy the game console he had been begging for for so long.

After paying, Dandelion happily walked away, as if the entire market and every stall in this sacred place were a dreamland waiting for her to strike it rich. Through Dandelion's departing figure, Mori vaguely realized that this might be a difficult battle.

She couldn't fall behind either—besides those exceptionally precious magic gems that could be used to craft the highest-level equipment above level 90, she was also searching through the magic bookstore for some dusty pearls that recorded advanced magic, but good fortune never seemed to favor her.

Two hours later.

Mori and Dandelion met up again at a nearby restaurant. They spent a lot of money to choose a private room, and before the food was served, they showed off their haul to each other.

On Sen Shi's table, besides the dazzling gems, there were also unknown magical materials that shimmered with brilliant light. She had spent all of her thousand gold coins of pocket money and even hastily made several magic scrolls before she could buy enough materials to barely arm herself.

"Wow, the core of the Azure Star! I've heard of this kind of gem before, and it's quite large." Dandelion played with one of the most valuable ones, marveling at it.