A Fierce Night After Our First Earnings

Around the time the sun set and the western sky turned red.

Liricia and I returned to the Royal Capital.

We went straight into the Adventurer Guild and laid the leaves, mushrooms, and the red orb on the counter before the receptionist.

“We’ve completed the request. This is the proof.”

The receptionist’s eyes flew wide.

“Wha—! Th-this is a Hell Lich core! Don’t tell me you defeated it in a single day!?”

“Yeah, we were lucky enough to find it.”

“You didn’t do it with just the two of you, did you!?”

“We did. There wasn’t any problem with us taking it down alone, was there?”

“W-well, no, that’s fine! It’s just incredible…! As expected of the fo—no, thank you for the subjugation. Now then, I’ll do the calculation, so your adventurer cards, please—”

“Hold on. We also picked up some grimoires and silver dishes—can you buy those as well?”

“Yes, the guild can buy them, but items like that are handled at a separate appraisal counter.”

“Ah, so that’s how it works. Got it. For now, just process these.”

Liricia and I handed over our adventurer cards.

The receptionist began calculating.

“All right, then… Thirty-five bundles of medicinal herbs for 7,000 Gort, request completion bonus 1,000 Gort. Six Dreamcap Mushrooms for 24,000 Gort, request completion bonus 5,000 Gort. One Hell Lich core for 250,000 Gort, request completion bonus 700,000 Gort. That makes a grand total of 987,000 Gort.”

As she spoke, she placed nine large gold coins, eight gold coins, and seven large silver coins on the counter.

I swept them into a pouch.

That brought our funds to thirty large gold coins, eight gold coins, twelve large silver coins, and one silver coin—a total of 3,092,100 Gort.

On the cards returned to us, both my and Liricia’s adventurer rank had risen to E.

After that, we headed for the appraisal counter.

I could hear the surrounding adventurers whispering.

“They seriously took down a Hell Lich.”

“Who is that guy? He’s insane.”

“Well, he did one-shot Barial.”

“Damn, glad I didn’t mess with him…”

Somehow, we’d become the talk of the place.

Well, whatever.

I laid five books and two small silver dishes on the counter.

A middle-aged man in glasses picked them up and examined them one by one.

“Hoho. Books on necromancy, I see. Hm, what a shame. The crucial fourth volume is missing. Did you search the place where you found them carefully? As it stands, I can offer 80,000 Gort for the set. Is that acceptable?”

“How much would it be if the fourth volume were there?”

“A complete six-volume set would fetch 300,000 Gort.”

“Then I’ll pass on selling the books. What about the silver dishes?”

“These don’t have any artistic value, so I’ll weigh them and buy them at the standard mithril-silver rate based on purity and weight. Is that all right?”

“Yeah, that’s fine… Unless you need mithril silver for anything, Liricia?”

“No, working it ourselves would be difficult. Buying ready-made or secondhand pieces would be cheaper.”

“Makes sense. Go ahead and buy them.”

“Right then… Purity’s on the low side… Weight, eighty… subtract the normal silver… 240,000, then add in the value of the silver itself… 266,600 Gort. Does that work for you?”

The man placed two large gold coins, six gold coins, six large silver coins, and six silver coins on the counter.

I glanced at Liricia. She nodded; the price seemed fine to her.

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

I packed the coins into my pouch.

That brought our total funds to thirty-two large gold coins, fourteen gold coins, eighteen large silver coins, and seven silver coins—for a grand total of 3,358,700 Gort.

We’d earned over a million Gort in a single day.

It made me think this adventuring business was surprisingly easy, but that was only because we’d had such a simple Hell Lich assignment.

If we’d only gathered herbs, we would have earned just 8,000 Gort.

And even that was thanks to Liricia’s finger monocle.

Before I realized it, I murmured:

“This line of work is awfully unstable…”

“But it’s a job where you can make full use of your power, Master!”

“That’s true… Hey, appraiser. I’d like to ask you something.”

“What is it?”

“Could you tell me about a cheap inn, if possible?”

“Have you not yet received a map of the Royal Capital that lists the inns adventurers frequent?—Here you go.”

He handed me a map of the Royal Capital, covered in notes.

“Do I owe you anything for this?”

“We charge a listing fee to the businesses on it.”

“I see.”

So the shops paid to be included on the map.

Naturally, the guild must screen them as well.

It seemed safe to assume that the places on this map were trustworthy.

I turned to Liricia.

“Sorry, but from today on we’ll be staying somewhere cheap.”

“Anywhere is heaven as long as you’re there, Master!”

Liricia hugged my arm tightly, the charming curves of her alluring body pressing clearly against me.

Feeling pleasantly moved by her devotion, I studied the map as we stepped out into the Royal Capital’s night streets.

Night.

After a decent meal (700 Gort for the two of us), we checked into a cheap inn.

It was a no-meals, room-only budget inn. The price for two was 3,000 Gort.

We at least chose a private room, but it was very cramped.

The bed and the table practically filled the entire room.

The sheets weren’t in great condition, and the walls were thin.

Standing close beside Liricia, I leaned in, brushing aside her silver hair to whisper in her ear.

“You can’t be as loud as you were last night and this morning.”

“Uu… You’re the one who makes me loud, Master…”

Liricia gazed up at me, her drooping eyes glossy with tears; her violet irises shimmered adorably.

With a face like that, there was nothing to do but shower her with love.

I slipped an arm around her slender waist, guided her to the bed, and gently laid her down.

Her white habit in disarray, Liricia looked up at me, cheeks flushed.

“You’re… even bolder than yesterday… Master…”

“That’s because you’re far too cute, Liricia.”

“Master…”

Embarrassed, she still spread her slender arms wide to invite me to her.

—But.

As I was climbing onto the bed while undressing, my hand hit the wall.

“It really is cramped.”

“It can’t be helped.”

“And if your wings come out… we can’t stay face to face the whole time.”

“You mean… with me turned away?”

“But I don’t want to lose sight of your beautiful face, Liricia.”

Face turning bright red, Liricia pushed her delicate upper body upright.

Her long silver hair fell down to hide her ample chest.

“It’s embarrassing, but I’m happy you say that, Master. —In that case, just a bit… ngh, ngh…”

She tucked a pillow and cushion under her hips.

She lifted her slim waist several times to adjust her position, letting out little sounds that were irresistibly cute.

Then Liricia smiled and lifted her face.

“There—now my wings will be fine even if they come out.”

With the cushion propping up her hips, her torso tilted, leaving space behind her back.

“You really are clever, Liricia—”

When I leaned over her and kissed her, Liricia gasped softly in my arms.

“Mmh—Masteeer…”

Her sweet, needy voice was adorable.

We showered one another with kisses, letting them rain down on bare skin.

They say animals, when they sense danger, become all the more eager to leave offspring behind.

I’d thought I’d been composed, but perhaps today’s battle had made me feel my life was truly on the line.

As a result, I loved Liricia even more fiercely and many more times than yesterday.

Along with her stifled moans, white feathers continued to drift about the cramped room for a long time.

Remaining funds: thirty-two large gold coins, fourteen gold coins, fifteen large silver coins, and zero silver coins.

3,355,000 Gort.