Several hours had passed since Arix left the Adventurer’s Guild.
He walked through the capital without any particular destination.
For once, he wasn’t being chased.
Wasn’t training.
Wasn’t fighting.
He was simply walking.
And observing.
Arix’s eyes moved from one shop to another as he passed.
A bakery.
A clothing store.
A small weapons shop.
A food stall.
He didn’t stop at any of them.
He simply listened.
“Fresh bread!
Two copper each!” “Simple meals!
Five copper!” “Decent meals, one silver!” Arix continued walking.
Two copper for bread.
Five for a simple meal.
One silver for something decent.
Useful information.
A clothing store caught his attention next.
“Simple shirts, three silver!” “Boots, five silver!” Arix glanced toward the display.
Then continued.
He wasn’t shopping.
Not yet.
He was calculating.
Food.
Shelter.
Equipment.
Information.
Money.
Those were the things he needed.
Nothing complicated.
He already had equipment.
His sword was sufficient.
His storage ring meant he didn’t need to worry about carrying supplies.
Information could be gathered gradually.
That left money and shelter.
Arix had spent ten years with Veyr.
During those ten years, he had never needed to worry about either.
Now he did.
He mentally added another item.
Find a place to stay.
Arix looked toward the road leading out of the capital.
The Whispering Forest wasn’t far.
He still had a quest to complete.
Ten bundles of Moonshade herbs.
Twenty silver coins.
Not an impressive amount.
But enough to start.
Arix smiled faintly.
Twenty silver for gathering plants.
Adventuring might actually be easier than he expected.
The pay wasn’t great.
But if low-rank quests were this simple…
It was reliable.
And reliable money was useful.
— The capital gradually disappeared behind him.
Arix followed the marked road toward the Whispering Forest.
The forest stood ahead, its trees packed closely together.
Wind moved through the branches.
Leaves rustled.
Arix stepped beneath the canopy.
He looked at the quest paper once.
Ten bundles of Moonshade herbs.
He remembered the description.
The herbs were commonly used in potion-making.
That explained the reward.
Arix looked around.
“Shouldn’t be difficult.” He moved deeper into the forest.
He didn’t rush.
He didn’t need to.
His eyes searched the ground and the roots of the trees.
After a few minutes— There.
A cluster of pale leaves growing beneath a large tree.
Arix crouched.
“Moonshade.” He carefully collected the herbs.
One bundle.
He stored it.
Then continued.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
The work was surprisingly peaceful.
No monsters.
No ambushes.
No idiots challenging him.
Arix almost found it relaxing.
He found another cluster.
Six.
Then another.
Seven.
He continued deeper along the marked path.
A strange sound echoed somewhere farther into the forest.
Arix stopped.
He listened.
Something was moving.
Branches breaking.
A distant roar.
He looked toward the sound.
Then at the quest paper.
He sighed.
“Not my problem.” He turned around.
There were still three bundles left.
He had no reason to investigate something that had nothing to do with him.
Arix continued searching.
Eight.
Nine.
And finally— Ten.
He checked the bundles carefully.
All ten were intact.
“Done.” Arix stood.
He looked toward the deeper part of the forest one last time.
Another distant sound echoed.
He ignored it.
Then started walking back.
— The journey back to the capital was uneventful.
Exactly how Arix liked it.
By the time he reached the gates, the sun had already begun moving lower in the sky.
Arix entered the city and headed directly toward the Adventurer’s Guild.
The moment he entered, the familiar noise greeted him.
He walked toward the reception desk.
The same receptionist from earlier looked up.
“You’re back already?” Arix placed the ten bundles on the counter.
“Quest complete.” She counted them.
“One…
two…
three…” She finished checking.
“All ten are here.” She smiled.
“Excellent.
The quest is complete.” She handed him the reward.
Twenty silver coins.
Arix accepted them.
He weighed the coins in his palm.
Not bad.
He put them away.
“That’s it?” “That’s it.” Arix nodded.
“Easy.” The receptionist blinked.
“For an F-rank quest, yes.” Arix turned away.
Twenty silver.
Now he needed somewhere to sleep.
He left the guild and began searching for an inn.
After asking around, he found a modest one on a quieter street.
The room wasn’t impressive.
A bed.
A small table.
A chair.
A window.
Nothing more.
Arix looked around.
“Price?” “Eight silver a week.” Arix immediately agreed.
“Done.” He paid.
The innkeeper handed him a key.
“Room twelve.” Arix took it.
He entered the room and closed the door behind him.
Silence.
Finally.
He sat on the edge of the bed.
Then looked at the remaining money.
Twelve silver left.
He had already paid for a week.
Food would be the next expense.
He left again.
A simple meal cost five copper.
Arix bought one.
He sat alone at a nearby table and ate quietly.
Nothing special.
But it was food.
And for the first time in a long time, he was paying for everything himself.
Arix leaned back slightly.
He began calculating.
Eight silver for a week of shelter.
Food was relatively cheap.
Low-rank quests weren’t difficult.
Even if the rewards were small, completing several of them would slowly build up his money.
He smiled.
“Adventuring isn’t bad.” He finished his meal.
Then stood.
There was no training waiting for him tomorrow.
No Veyr.
No survival test.
No thousand beasts.
Just another day.
Another quest.
Another step forward.
Arix returned to the inn.
He unlocked his room and entered.
The capital was still noisy outside.
People shouting.
Carriages moving.
Adventurers returning from quests.
A completely ordinary night.
Arix lay down on the bed.
For the first time in ten years, he had nothing he was required to do.
He stared at the ceiling.
Then smiled.
“…This is nice.” And for once— Arix simply went to sleep.