On the dining table, stacks of empty plates with traces of oil and dried coconut broth showed that they had finished eating. Fredd, Rian, and especially Catty had eaten heartily. Catty was stuffed, having forgotten proper portions because of the wild boar curry Fredd had cooked it was just that delicious.
"Ughhh, I'm so full…" Catty leaned back in her chair, stretching like a lazy cat while patting her stomach in satisfaction. Her eyes grew drowsy. With a full belly, sleepiness followed.
"Help Fredd clean up first, Catty. After that, you can rest," Rian said gently, smiling in amusement at her.
"Roger that!" Catty replied briskly. She immediately stood up, gathering the empty plates and leftover bowls to take them to the kitchen.
Watching Catty leave, Rian shifted his attention to Fredd. Something important had just crossed his mind.
"Fredd, how does the currency system work in this kingdom?" Rian asked.
"Ah, that. It's pretty simple," Fredd said, fishing through his pocket. He pulled out three coins of different colors and placed them on the table. Bronze, silver, and gold. Each had King Fulakmi's face engraved on one side and the kingdom's emblem on the other.
"How does the calculation work?" Rian picked up the bronze coin, feeling its solid weight in his palm.
"Like this: one silver coin equals one hundred bronze coins," Fredd explained while picking at his teeth with a toothpick. "And one gold coin equals one hundred silver coins. So, to put it simply, one gold coin equals ten thousand bronze coins."
Rian nodded, understanding now. Fredd's straightforward explanation made it easy to grasp. He could now imagine how much he'd need to earn from missions to buy Catty the treats she wanted earlier.
"So, what's your plan now that you've truly quit being a bandit?" Rian asked, curious about the man he had given a second chance.
Fredd fell silent for a moment, his gaze distant."I'll focus on earning money the right way, as an adventurer," he said firmly. "And then, I'll look for some of the victims from my past. I want to return what I stole from them. Maybe not all, but hopefully they'll accept it as an apology."
"I believe goodness always finds its way," Rian said with a warm smile, touched by Fredd's determination. "Don't worry about that. For now, just do your best."
"Yeah, I believe that too," Fredd replied. "And you? What will you do once you're officially accepted as a guild adventurer?"
"I plan to start missions right away. My goal is simple earn money to buy necessities and, well, to fulfill Catty's wishes," Rian said, his smile widening at the thought of Catty's delighted face when he could finally buy her grilled wild boar skewers.
Fredd nodded in understanding."That's a good goal. But there's something you should know. Most high-paying guild missions are given to complete parties, usually six or more members. Full parties are trusted with dangerous missions and naturally receive far higher rewards. I sometimes join other parties temporarily for large missions."
"So, if we don't have a party, or if it's under six members, the payment is low?" Rian asked, frowning slightly.
"Yeah, much lower," Fredd confirmed. "Most of the time, it's beginner-level work. Gathering herbs in nearby forests, delivering letters, or exterminating sewer rats. The pay is tiny, maybe enough to eat for a few days."
"Oh, I see. Alright, I understand," Rian said. The information was valuable. He realized the road ahead wouldn't be as simple as he imagined."Thanks, Fredd, for everything."
Rian rose from his seat, bowing his head slightly in gratitude, then excused himself."I'll head to my room to rest."
"You're welcome. Good luck tomorrow."
Outside Fredd's house, the creak of wagon wheels on cobblestones, the murmur of conversations, and the bustle of villagers filled the air. Sunlight streamed brightly through the window of Rian's room, landing on his face, signaling the arrival of morning.
Rian slowly opened his eyes. This feels… like my old apartment, he thought. Except there are no blaring car horns. And most importantly, today I have a clear purpose. No more dull routine. I'll become a true adventurer, alongside a beautiful girl who will become a hero.
He sat up, his eyes sparkling with newfound hope. Yesterday's disappointments had turned into motivation.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
The door rattled under a firm knock.
"Rian, wake up! Come eat breakfast!" Catty's voice called from outside.
"Yeah… I'll be there in a minute," Rian replied, his voice still rough from sleep.
After breakfast together, Fredd left the house first, as he already had a scheduled mission with his new party. Soon after, Rian and Catty set off, walking toward the guild hall to take their first mission.
As they approached the guild, they noticed a small crowd gathered. At its center, a large man shouted in frustration.
"Why won't you join my party?! Even if you're weak, it doesn't matter! Come on, we need two more to complete this mission! COME ON!" he roared, trying to force those around him to join.
But the people he approached kept declining."No, sir, I already have a party.""Sorry, I'm busy with another mission.""Apologies, I prefer solo missions."
Every attempt was rejected.
Rian and Catty walked closer, intending to head inside and check the mission board. But the man, wearing a green-marked adventurer's necklace—the mark of Epic tier—locked eyes on them.
"Hey, you two! New adventurers, right? Haven't seen you before," he said, his deep voice halting their steps.
"Yes, we registered yesterday. We're here to take a mission and earn some money," Rian answered politely.
The man was massive, his arms tattooed and scarred from countless battles, proof of his experience. Behind him stood three others, clearly his party members.
"How about joining our party for now?" he offered. "We need two more members. There are four of us, including me. The mission we want requires a six-man party, and we're short."
Rian glanced at Catty, silently asking her opinion. By chance, this seemed like an opportunity. Catty met his gaze and nodded slightly.
"Alright, we'll join," Rian agreed.
"Good, excellent!" The man looked relieved. "I'm Saga. Unique Skill: Roaring Provocation—it forces enemies to attack me."
He pointed at a lanky man holding a staff."This is Berlin, a Mage. Unique Skill: Fire Lightning creates both fire and lightning at once."
Next, he gestured to a muscular man wielding a massive sword."That's Gustin, a Sword Master. Unique Skill: Debuff Attack slows enemies struck by his blade."
"And lastly," he pointed at the only woman in his group, who held a short staff."She's Rinrin, a Support. Unique Skill: God's Blessing temporarily boosts someone's speed and strength significantly."
Saga then turned to Catty."What's your name and skill?"
"My name's Catty. Unique Skill: Dark Shadow. Its abilities are still unknown," Catty explained.
"Oh, Dark Shadow, huh? I've heard of that one. Supposedly it lets the user merge into shadows. Perfect for reconnaissance," Saga remarked, immediately assigning her a role.
Then he looked at Rian."And you?"
"I'm Rian Kaelon. Unique Skill: Unlimited Storage. I can store any non-living object up to one meter in diameter," Rian explained calmly.
Saga's eager expression twisted into disappointment."Storage? That's such a lame skill," he scoffed. "But fine, it'll do for hauling stuff. You'll be logistics."
Once again, underestimated, Rian thought, feeling a sting to his pride. But he brushed it aside quickly. He caught Catty's displeased look at Saga's remark.
It's fine. This is for Catty. My role is to support her.
"Alright," Rian said, accepting it without complaint.