The Adventure Of Eric (The Rescue of the Elf Princess)
Chapter 49. Dispute at the Tea Shop

Erick's entourage was astonished in the city. The view is in stark contrast to outside the walls. That place is very crowded. Many traders and people go back and forth. The sellers shouted out to those passing by, to stop by and see the merchandise on display.

“The food looks delicious,” point Eric to a food stand. The smell of roasted meat, oozing in the air, causes turmoil in a hungry stomach.

“We don't have their currency.” Robert warned.

“Can we barter with something?” ask Eric. He was very curious about the food in the restaurant.

“What time is this, still barter,” chirps Dimas.

“Look at this city. What can we barter again? Everything we have, they have even more variations.” Arjun pointed to the row of roadside shops.

Hakon just accompanied Eric's step, without saying much. He was admiring the unique beauty of the city in that barren place.

“If we want anything, why enter here?” surgik Eric was not happy.

“We will want to ask about the wall of light towards Fantasy World.” Robert reminded.

Eric turned to face Robert. “How to ask? Did we just ask them?”

“Why not?”

Robert asked back in astonishment. He started to show people how to ask. He intercepted someone and asked.

“Have you ever heard of the light wall?” ask Robert.

“What light wall. Are you crazy?” The man left with a grunt.

“That's what I mean. Asking carelessly on the road, will only end miserably!” Eric turns around and leaves Robert still trying to intercept others for questioning. Arjun pulls her away, follows Eric.

“That's no teahouse. There is a strategic place to get information!” Eric stepped confidently into the shop.

“Can make us all your delicious tea?” asked Eric with a beaming face.

“Please, Sir. The shopkeeper served quickly. Takes Eric and his entourage to a fairly large table, in the middle of the room. Just in front of him was a small stage, where a beautiful dancer was bending the body following the beat of the rhythm.

Eric clapped his hands to the beat. His bright face clearly showed he was very happy. While four of his other friends put their ears to steal the hearing, the conversation of people around.

Until the night rhyme and the dancers had stopped, the information they hoped would not come. The shopkeeper came to the table.

“Gentlemen, we have to close shop. So, can you go home?”

Eric looked at the waiter who seemed to have trouble saying that. “Of course. Let's go.” He issued several pieces of rupiah notes and gave them to the waiter.

“This is for tea and its entertainment.”

The waiter stared at the paper sheet confused. “What's this, Mister?” tanyanya convinced herself.

“Money. To pay for the tea we ordered.” Eric showed serious experience. Hakon also looked serious, until the servant was unsure of himself.

“You better pay directly to the store owner.” The waiter immediately went to call the shop owner.

“I think they won't accept our money,” whispered Dimas.

“I have a coin store in Port City.” Hakon showed me his coin.

“Save your coins. I also have some,” prevent Robert.

“Let's just go there,” invite Dimas. They walked towards the exit and waited for the Shop owner who was still talking to other customers.

“Are you guys done?” the shop owner's face beamed, imagining profiting more than five happy-looking guests in his shop.

“Yes, we're done. We'll pay,” Robert ahead of Eric talk.

“How much all the tea we drink?” ask Dimas politely.

“Two hundred!” the shopkeeper replied, after counting all the drinks and small meals that ran out at the table of the five guests.

“Two hundred what?” ask Eric.  His hand still showed his hundreds of thousands of rupiah notes.

The waiter pointed at the money and said something the five of them did not understand.

“Do you want to steal food here!” hardik the shop owner was angry.

“Hey, steal what? Here we want to pay!” Eric held up his hand that was holding onto the money sheet.

“Shortly, Sir. In our place there are several payment currencies. If you can't accept the money, how about this money?” Robert pointed out the copper coins commonly used in the Port City and its surroundings.

The store owner took Robert's coin and observed. “What money is this! Not valuable!” the coin was thrown by the shop owner on the floor. Hakon quickly looked for her under the table. It was a very valuable medium of exchange in their place.

“Then I pay for this!” snapped Eric who was getting annoyed at the impolite attitude of the shop owner.

“You want to cheat in my shop. I'll report to the guard!” yelled the man angry. He told the waiter to go find the security guard.

“Who cheated? This is payer money in our place!” Eric is still tight.

The store owner grew impatient and hit Eric. His hands moved so fast they were almost invisible. And poor Eric couldn't escape.

Robert who was initially stunned, immediately regained his senses and pushed the man away from Eric. “Please once you beat him!”

Robert was not as patient as usual. Either because of the hot air, or the influence of caffeine from tea that they have swallowed several glasses of sesorean it.

The store owner fell down on the floor, near where he used to serve payments. The loud sound of his screams, invited the people around. They are more crowded and more trusting of the owner of the store that Eric and his group are trying to steal food in his store, because they do not want to pay.

It does not create a sense of solidarity between them. Soon Eric and his little troupe, cornered. Eric's still-labile young soul, quickly made the ancestral soul come out. Dimas.

“Do not do such a thing. Your anger could bury an entire city!” Dimas's sharp gaze and hand checks, softening Eric's anger.

The two men did not know of the approaching danger. A man who knows who, raises a chair and wants to hit Dimas and Eric on the head.

“No!” Robert jumped in to protect the two men. As a result, the chair broke on Robert's back, making himself fall to the floor.

“Robert!” Shouted Arjun surprised.

Now he started to get angry and stood protecting the three people behind him. Hakon stood not far from there, ready to receive the cues from Arjun, if he had to attack all those people. And the people who swarmed were indeed afraid to see Arjun and Hakon standing confidently, as if they were just little ants.

“Uncle Robert!” call Eric while crouching. Doctor Dimas immediately examined Robert.

“She fainted!” His hand examined Robert's back, checking if there were any injuries or broken bones that might endanger Robert's life.

“So far, his back is fine,” is clear Dimas.

“How about his head? Could it be that the blow hit his head?” Eric is worried.

“What is this?” a man in uniform, like a gatekeeper uniform, came splitting through the crowd. Behind him appeared the servant. The waiter pointed at Arjun's group standing defiantly in front of the store, until the shopkeeper himself dared not approach.

“What do you guys not want to pay after eating?” ask the guard sharp.

“We don't want to pay. We are from a far away city. We try to pay with the money we have. The shop owner accused us of stealing. Now our friend Robert passed out from being hit by one of them!” arjun report growled.

“Who did you say earlier?” The guard looked inside the shop.

“Robert! She's fainted. Doctor Dimas is checking it there!” show Arjun.

******