GDC 139

‘I didn’t think he’d be this happy.’

Walking beside the visibly excited Loic, I felt a bit guilty.

After refusing the village elder and residents’ offers to send a guide about ten times — worried for our safety in the dark — we finally set out alone toward the Elfberry forest.

The night air was cool, but the soft starlight over the snow made the path look beautiful.

“Annette, look at this.”

Loic held up a small magic-stone lantern under a snow-covered branch. Beneath it hung small, faintly pink berries, each about the size of a little finger.

“Wow! Amazing!”

I couldn’t help but exclaim. In the daytime they’d looked like dried fruit, but at night they swelled full and round.

“So that’s why they’re harvested at night.”

I plucked one and popped it in my mouth. The skin was a little sour, but the inside was sweet and tangy…