The group prepares themselves to head out. Both Tatsuo and Darren styled in a proper collared shirt, with a trench coat worn over. Darren has a scarf draped over his shoulders. Victor and Sharon have already been dressed up; Victor wearing a black vest worn on top his collared shirt and Sharon wearing a blue and white knee-length puffed sleeve dress with a pinafore worn over.
The city of Argonaut consists of buildings resembling a Punk-Victorian theme aesthetic. Pipes of various sizes run throughout the buildings and city, with smoke puffing over houses. A giant clock tower towers at the city's center. Civilians dressed in Victorian fashion roam along the streets.
The group waits in one of the streets of Argonaut until a small, bobbled-headed person whose size only comes up to their knees wearing a lab coat approaches the group. His large blue hair poofs up from the red and blue goggles, where there is a constant glare constantly hiding his eyes.
After confirming the identity of the group, the small old man introduces himself.
???: My name is Dr. Crogsbell, head engineer of Argonaut and "I", shall be your guide for today!
Dr. Crogsbell: Before we begin, is there anyone that has any questions that they want to get out of the way?
Sharon and Tatsuo both raise their hands.
Dr. Crogsbell: Well, on with them!
Tatsuo: Do you know anybody by the name of Veloren Aund Gerfuden?
Sharon: Is it true that a fruit that can cure any ailment exists here?
Dr. Crogsbell: No to the lad, and for you lassie, I believe we do have the fruit that you've asked for. In fact, how perfect.
Dr. Crogsbell takes out a spherical device. He throws the device at the ground, shattering it. Out comes a gift basket, filled with sweets, chocolates and fruits and many other confectioneries. The utter action of an object appearing out of thin air baffles the group.
Dr. Crogsbell hands over the basket to the surprised Sharon: Allow me to give you all a gift basket! It contains the finest sweets and delicacies here in Argonaut, along with the "Argonaut fruit" that you inquired about just now! You can't find these fruits anywhere else!
Sharon: U-unbelievable...! What was that...?! Thank you so much for the gift! To think you'd just hand over the fruit like that!
Dr. Crogsbell smugly rubs his tiny nose in Sharon's response.
Tatsuo abruptly swipes one of the fruits from the basket, startling Sharon and takes a bite out of it.
Tatsuo: Mmm...Delicious...But I taste nothing special about it.
Sharon: ...Huh?
Sharon had an inkling of a grim feeling based on Tatsuo's unimpressed reaction.
Dr. Crogsbell: Well, of course! It's just a facade afterall. A miracle fruit like that doesn't exist yet.
Sharon twists her head back to the Doctor slightly mortified.
Sharon: But...Then what are these fruits...?
Dr. Crogsbell: A lab-made fruit! Designed with enriching flavors! In the end, all of those rumors that you've probably heard about have been just a marketing scheme to attract tourists, much like you!
Dr. Crogsbell taps his lips with his index finger: Well...It does contain a lot of nutrients...But that alone can't cure everything as exaggerated.
Sharon (disappointingly): Oh...
Sharon (flustered): I mean of course! There's no way such a fruit could even exist! It just sounds too good to be true...!
YOU ARE READING
Veloren
FantasyOne day a boy named Tatsuo was greeted by the wishing goddess. Sharon, an adventurer later finds Tatsuo unconscious by the riverside and saves him. Tatsuo reveals that he is searching for a person named Veloren Aund Gerfuden, and when he finds this...
