“I think it’s time to rest for a bit.”
It was always at moments like this that danger crept in.
Soren knew better than anyone that he had to guard against laziness.
The more he felt like resting, the more he had to stay busy.
“This is your share, Mr. Soren. Please count it.”
Still, no matter how prepared he thought he was, it was impossible not to get excited when a hefty sum of money landed in his hands.
A large pouch, big enough to cover Soren’s small palm, was set down in front of him.
Even the heavy sensation of it sliding onto the table was thrilling.
The clinking sound of coins sent him into a momentary daze, but Soren quickly set the pouch on the table and untied it.
Under the soft light of the dungeon administration office, countless copper coins sparkled, mixed with a few silver ones.
“It’s more convenient to carry coins like these than to exchange them all for gold. If you flash a gold coin around, it’s hard to get proper change. It’s better to have small coins for day-to-day purchases.”
Moss’s advice made sense.
No one would hand over proper change if you tried to buy a single apple at the market with a gold coin.
Besides, Soren didn’t need to carry much money when entering a dungeon.
It made more sense to safely store the pile of copper and silver coins.
It wasn’t even that inconvenient to carry around.
Thanks to Moss mixing the coins in a good ratio, the pouch felt balanced.
‘Still… this much money really is mine…’
Soren leaned over the table and pressed down on the pouch.
Through the barely tied opening, copper coins with an appealing bronze hue spilled out in a satisfying trickle.
No matter how many times he saw it, it filled him with a comforting sense of security.
At this rate, he wouldn’t have to worry about food and lodging for a while.
He had gone on two dungeon explorations so far, and this second one had been especially rewarding.
Not only had he secured a visible mountain of treasure, but he had also obtained a new rune.
A new rune meant a new path forward.
On his next dungeon expedition, Soren would be a different person compared to before.
Yesterday, he was better than the day before, and today, he was better than yesterday.
Tomorrow, an even better Soren would be waiting.
For a better today than yesterday—Soren never forgot his father’s words.
While he was busy gathering up the coins, Moss handed pouches to the other two and grinned broadly.
“The loot we divided up inside the dungeon is yours to keep, and the money has been split like this.”
“No problem,” one replied.
“I agree,” said the other.
All three sets of eyes turned toward Soren.
Still playing with the pouch in his hands, Soren smiled slightly at Moss and nodded.
“I agree too.”
This was their second successful dungeon expedition.
Soren felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his heart.
On the day they escaped the dungeon, the first priority was always to return to the inn and collapse into sleep.
For Soren, who was now on his second expedition, it had almost become a formal rule.
But this time, he managed to avoid wasting an entire day lying around.
The first time had been rough because everything was unfamiliar.
Now, things were different.
Soren was gradually getting used to the dungeon environment.
Adapting quickly to one’s surroundings was something you had to be born with.
Soren had that gift.
The gloomy, dark environment of the dungeon no longer felt strange.
In fact, it was starting to feel more familiar than the bright, sunny world above.
Still, this had only been his second expedition.
Soren knew he wasn’t fully accustomed to dungeon life yet.
***
“Ugh…”
The morning after collapsing into bed like a dead man.
Soren woke up, looking disheveled, and the first thing he did was check his money pouch.
His mental fatigue had mostly faded, but the stiffness in his body was no joke.
It was the price of running for his life from packs of kobolds.
Though nearly five days had passed since that mad dash, once he escaped the dungeon and his adrenaline wore off, the exhaustion hit him all at once.
‘So… what am I supposed to do with all this money?’
Rubbing his creaky lower back, Soren stared at the pouch in his hands.
Earning a lot of money was great.
It truly was a blessing.
Thanks to that, he had already paid next month’s rent in advance, and there was still plenty left over.
But Soren had no intention of spending it all.
Not that he would even know how to.
He wasn’t exactly a miser, but he certainly wasn’t someone who spent recklessly.
He had never lived with enough surplus to develop that habit.
If the money wasn’t needed immediately, the best policy was to act like it didn’t exist and save it.
The real problem was that he couldn’t just leave it lying around in this shabby inn room.
Logically speaking, worrying about theft might seem like an overreaction.
Most of the guests here were too drunk to even remember their own names, much less pull off a theft sober.
‘Still, better safe than sorry.’
The world was full of crazy people, and those crazies often loved to hang around red-light districts.
And Soren’s inn was smack in the middle of one.
The dungeon administration office wasn’t far either.
If an explorer decided to rob Soren’s room, it wouldn’t even be surprising.
Someone like Loreia, a skilled thief, could clean him out in a heartbeat if she wanted to.
With the amount of money Soren had now, it would definitely be considered a major score.
***
After thinking it over for a while, Soren realized he needed advice.
Advice from someone familiar with dungeons.
Naturally, the first place to turn was the strategy guide.
Without wasting another second, Soren opened the guidebook.
It felt a little ridiculous to be doing this first thing in the morning, but he had to sort this problem out before the next dungeon dive.
[Once you accumulate a certain amount of money, storing and managing it becomes a burden. Leaving it at a fairy bank is an excellent solution, but if you don’t have enough for that, things get tricky.]
It hit Soren like a brick.
His situation was exactly what the guide described: too much money to leave lying around, but not enough to justify using a fairy bank.
[There are three remaining options: leave it with the innkeeper, deposit it with a knight order, or store it at the administration office. If you trust the innkeeper, that’s easiest. If you have ties to the knights, that’s safest. If neither, go with the administration office.]
The innkeeper, the knights, or the administration office.
All of them sounded terrible.
Soren pictured the burly, greasy innkeeper stirring his horrible stew downstairs.
‘Trust that guy with his fortune?’
‘What a joke. Not a chance in hell.’
No way.
As for the knights, Soren had no connections there.
That left only one option: pay the administration office to store his money.
The storage fee was one silver coin per month, plus a 40% lien on the deposited amount.
If he ever missed a payment, 40% of his money would become the property of the administration office.
The rest would probably be claimed by the city council.
It felt like being ripped off, but it was still better than getting robbed blind.
Having made up his mind, Soren sat up in bed.
He already knew what he had to do today.
***
After escaping the dungeon, Soren found himself back at the management office just a day later.
He glanced around the place with a sour expression.
The Dungeon Management Office was packed with people as usual.
Madmen who gambled their lives in hopes of turning their fortunes around.
Normally, no one would wager their life so easily, but most of the adventurers here had long since lost any sense of danger.
Soren was now one of them.
He clutched the money pouch in his arms even tighter.
The reception desk was relatively empty.
Morning dungeon entries were over, and it would still be a while before the afternoon entries began.
Soren walked straight to the counter.
The receptionist, looking bored, gave him a side glance.
“Hey.”
“Welcooome. What can I dooo for you?”
“…Excuse me?”
“What brings you here?”
The receptionist spoke as if simply being alive was a bother.
Considering the number ticket war that must have happened earlier in the morning, it was understandable.
“I’d like to deposit some money.”
“Sure. How much are we talking about?”
“Should I exchange it first?”
“No, just tell me the actual amount.”
“Ten silver drachma coins and two hundred and forty copper coins.”
The heavy pouch landed on the counter with a thud.
The receptionist’s gaze sharpened as she looked at the money.
She took the pouch and handed it over to another receptionist behind her.
“Ten silver coins and two hundred forty copper coins… We’ll need to verify the amount. Would you like long-term storage?”
“What’s the difference from short-term storage?”
“Short-term storage costs one and a half silver coins per month. Long-term is just one coin per month, but there’s a contract period.”
If Soren withdrew before the agreed period, he would have to pay a penalty.
Withdrawing beyond a set limit would also incur fees.
After all, personal vaults at the management office weren’t unlimited resources.
Reserving a spot meant assuming some risk.
‘I don’t want to deal with penalties just to save half a coin.’
Soren hesitated.
Money matters needed careful thought.
The management office wouldn’t scam adventurers, but they wouldn’t go easy on them either.
“I’ll go with short-term storage.”
In the end, Soren chose the safer option.
He didn’t plan to keep his money there forever anyway, and he’d eventually find a better place.
Besides, in case of emergencies, it was better to have flexible access.
“You can store it for up to three months. Extension fees apply, and if any loss happens due to something other than our fault, you’ll be responsible for twenty percent.”
“Understood.”
“Please fill out your name, initial deposit amount, and current residence here. If you’re a mage, list your associated Tower for a small management fee discount.”
The receptionist handed him a crisp form.
Soren also received a quill and ink and began filling out the paperwork without hesitation.
There were a lot of detailed fields, and mages seemed to enjoy more perks than he expected.
As a sorcerer, Soren got no such benefits.
He merely filled in the blank for ‘Master’s Name’ with a single word: ‘Jun.’
“I’m finished.”
“Thank you. We’ll verify your deposit and assist you shortly. Please wait in the lounge.”
Though the receptionists weren’t particularly motivated at this hour, Soren’s deposit included a lot of small copper coins.
It would take a while just to count it all. Soren relaxed a little.
‘Still, it’s a relief.’
Clutching the pouch had made him so anxious, but now that it was deposited, he could finally breathe easier.
While wandering around the somewhat quiet lounge, a familiar face approached from the exchange area.
“Loreia?”
“Choco.”
“Hey, I told you to call me by my name.”
It was Loreia, Soren’s party member.
“What brings you to the management office?”
“Had to cash in yesterday’s loot.”
“That’s surprising.”
Soren had expected her to be lazing around at the inn.
He resigned himself to Loreia clinging to him like a doll.
She was small, and she got treated like a stuffed toy often enough.
It was too late to get mad about it now.
“Surprising? Why?”
“Nothing. Anyway, where are you keeping your money?”
“Deposited it with the management office.”
“Short-term or long-term?”
“Long-term. I have a trusted contact.”
Apparently, Loreia shared an account with someone reliable.
It was probably more economical that way since long-term storage had no deposit limit.
“I just finished signing up too. I don’t have any connections, so I opened a short-term deposit under my name.”
“Smart choice.”
Shared accounts came with risks.
Soren preferred not to trust anyone.
Even if it was cheaper, keeping everything under his own name gave him peace of mind.
***
“So, did you save up for anything before the next dungeon?”
“Hmm… maybe the Shroud Hood?”
“…Isn’t that super expensive?”
“Almost never shows up at the marketplace… it’s tragic.”
Loreia’s expression turned a little gloomy.
The Shroud Hood.
A cloak that let the wearer briefly blend into shadows.
Soren had read about it in a guidebook once.
It was rare, extremely useful—and ridiculously expensive.
“Choco… do you have a spending problem?”
“Spending problem? Not really.”
Soren didn’t have much to spend on anyway.
His immediate needs—food, clothing, shelter—were now taken care of for the time being.
Otherwise, he didn’t really crave anything.
Maybe, if he had to pick, he’d spend money at a store dedicated to sorcerers.
“The Sorcerer’s Shop? I think there’s one in the Silver Street district…”
Soren and Loreia chatted idly for a while.
Opening a vault account took time, and besides, it was nice sharing a peaceful conversation on their day off.
***
“Oh.”
“What is it?”
“Look over there.”
Their conversation broke off when Soren noticed something.
Loreia turned her gaze to follow his.
An adventurer in shabby clothes held something shiny in his hand.
“A watch?”
“Wouldn’t it be nice to have one?”
It was a watch—closer inspection revealed delicate engravings that made it look incredibly expensive.
Soren’s eyes naturally drifted upward.
But the man’s face was hidden by a deeply pulled hood.
“Looks super tough.”
“Yeah… total pro. You can just tell.”
The man’s exposed hands were covered in tiny scars.
Soren’s eyes lit up with curiosity.
He caught a glimpse of two swords at the man’s waist.
‘Dual swords? Those are supposed to be really hard to master.’
If both swords had been on one side, it could have been a backup weapon.
But this mysterious swordsman had one on each hip, alternating sides.
He must be insanely skilled, the kind who treated lower-level dungeons like his backyard.
Soren figured he wouldn’t be meeting someone like that any time soon.
“Adventurer Soren!”
Before he could observe any further, someone at the reception desk called his name.
Soren reluctantly tore his gaze away from the mysterious swordsman.
Loreia stood up to follow him.
“Mind if I tag along?”
“I’m bored anyway…”
As Soren headed for the counter, an unseen gaze followed him.
But before he could even notice, the gaze dispersed.
Soren glanced back instinctively.
The mysterious swordsman was already gone.