Chapter 31: Capital, you win

“Tch~ You really don’t know what’s good for you~”

Helos Olivia puckered her lips, the silver tips of her hair swaying gently with the motion of her head.

Suddenly, she squinted slyly, her slender fingers lightly tapping her chin. “How about this—you help me with something, and consider it repaying your life debt!”

Julius stepped back cautiously, his dark eyes full of distrust.

“…First, tell me what it is.”

His mind involuntarily recalled the few times he’d been blown up recently, and his voice unconsciously rose in pitch. “If you want me to be your safety test dummy again, I absolutely refuse!”

“What? Do you think I’m that kind of person?”

Helos stamped her foot in anger, hands on her hips, her pale purple eyes wide as saucers. “In your heart, I’m just a dangerous troublemaker who blows things up?”

“Hey, why are you suddenly looking away?”

“Nothing.”

The young man shifted his gaze back to Helos. “So, what exactly is it?”

“Ahem, it’s actually not a big deal…”

Helos cleared her throat and shot him a displeased glare. “I need a whole Magic Crystal.”

“The Mana Core I made before was just an unstable, bare-bones version. To achieve proper effects, it has to be made from a complete Magic Crystal.”

“A Magic Crystal?”

Julius rubbed his chin thoughtfully, the black sleeve of his uniform gleaming under the sunlight. “That shouldn’t be hard to get, right?”

“For me, it’s like climbing a mountain!”

Helos sighed dramatically, her hands falling limply to her sides.

She kicked the toolbox at her feet, making a clattering sound. “There’s actually plenty at home, but it’s all locked up in Father’s Magic Warehouse—”

She made a throat-cutting gesture. “If I dare go near there, I’d be caught immediately!”

“Then just buy one in the city?”

Julius raised an eyebrow and tilted his head as he studied the girl. “Could it be you’re under house arrest?”

“House arrest is not the main problem…”

Helos rubbed her hands together like a big annoying fly.

The silver strands of her hair fell over her blushing cheeks as she lowered her head.

Her voice grew quieter until it was almost a whisper. “The biggest problem is…”

“Hm?”

Julius leaned in, trying to catch her murmured words. “What problem?”

The workshop suddenly fell into an eerie silence.

“I have no money!”

Suddenly, Helos looked up sharply, her face flushed deep red, pale purple eyes flashing with both embarrassment and irritation.

“Surprised? The proud Noble Daughter of a Duke actually has nothing to her name!”

Julius’s mouth twitched uncontrollably.

“You spend your days blowing things up, and the Art Duke doesn’t even make you pay for damages… uh!”

“What do you mean by that!”

Before he could finish, Helos elbowed him precisely in the ribs.

The boy grunted softly, clutching his side and staggering backward, a grayish elbow mark quickly appearing on his black uniform.

“Anyway!”

Helos stood with hands on hips, her silver hair glowing with a frizzy halo under the sunlight, grinding her teeth. “I haven’t seen so much as an allowance in ten years, okay?!”

“You have to help me figure something out!”

The girl’s shoulders slumped in defeat, her thin frame looking even smaller under the mottled sunlight. “Besides, I’m nothing like my sister who’s favored.”

Julius rubbed his aching ribs, his gaze settling on Helos’s trembling fingertips.

“Sigh… fine.”

He sighed, unable to bear seeing her like this. “I’ll help you think of a way.”

“By the way, Julius…”

Hearing this, Helos suddenly lifted her head.

She squinted her pale purple eyes like a fox who’s spotted its prey, staring at Julius.

“Don’t Saint Knight Squires get stipends?”

“Yes, but—wait, what are you trying to do?”

Julius answered instinctively, but soon realized. “That’s supposed to be my retirement fund!”

“You’re thinking about retirement at your age?!”

“You don’t get it! It’s called planning ahead!”

Julius wiggled a finger in front of her. “Besides, with my stipend, even if I lent you everything, it still wouldn’t be enough to buy a Magic Crystal!”

“How much do you get a month?”

Helos tilted her head, silver strands falling beside her shoulder.

“Five hundred Soli.”

Julius answered honestly.

The air stiffened once again.

Helos’s expression went through a rapid rollercoaster of shock, confusion, and anger—her eyebrows shot up, pupils contracted fiercely, and her mouth twitched uncontrollably.

For reference, the cheapest Black Bread sold in the market—dry, hard, something even commoners hesitate to buy—costs 4 Soli per piece.

Five hundred Soli?

That barely covers the bare essentials!

“These hypocrites are worse than capitalists!”

Helos punched the doorframe, wincing at the pain.

Her voice trembled slightly with rage. “Training ten-plus hours a day, always ready to give your life, and this is the pay?”

Julius was startled by her sudden outburst, instinctively rubbing his nose.

“Actually… the Church provides food and lodging…”

“That’s the least they should do!”

Helos’s voice rose sharply as she grabbed Julius’s collar, forcing him to look at her. “Do you know our gardener makes at least eight thousand Soli a month?!”

“And he gets eight days off every month! His job is just pruning flowers and plants!”

Julius saw the flicker of fire in Helos’s eyes, and beneath it, a barely visible hint of… sympathy?

The boy suddenly looked away, swallowing hard.

“A Saint Knight… shouldn’t be concerned with money…”

“Nonsense!”

Helos stomped furiously. “Those old bishops feast in silks and satins while you kids risk your lives for a few coins?”

“Someday, I’ll pull out every last hair on their heads!”

Catching her breath, her voice softened slightly, “Sigh… truly, money is the downfall of heroes.”

“Keep your stipend, then. Even if you gave me all of it, it wouldn’t buy half a Magic Crystal.”

“Uh, that’s true.”

Julius scratched his head awkwardly. “So, that means, all our combined possessions aren’t even enough to buy one?”

“More or less… yeah.”

The two exchanged a glance, falling into a shared silence.

Suddenly, Julius’s eyes lit up and he broke the quiet.

“Wait, I just thought of a great idea!”

“Even if we don’t have money… why don’t we ask wealthy people for sponsorship?”