Chapter 73: Nutritious Breakfast

Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Nutritious Breakfast

A chill was in the night air as they left the Adventurer Guild.

Hulk said, "I’ll take the materials from the Thorny Wild Boars to a merchant I know tomorrow. Once they’re sold, I’ll split the money and get it to you."

Belte perked up. "No problem, Captain! I’ve been waiting for this payout. The mission reward itself will be gone after a few rounds of drinks."

Laila shot him an annoyed glare, then turned to Hulk. "Captain, when you go to sell our stuff to that old man tomorrow, let me go with you. I still feel like that old fox lowballed us way too much on those Demonized Wild Wolf pelts last time. You’re too honest; you always get the short end of the stick when you haggle. I’m going to watch him like a hawk this time. He’s not getting a single extra copper nail from us."

"Ahem."

Hulk let out a slight cough.

But he knew Laila was always blunt and a master at haggling.

"Fine. Come find me at my place tomorrow morning. The address is still 43 Firefly Lane."

Belte immediately chimed in, "I’ll go too! There’s strength in numbers. Let’s see if that old geezer dares to try any funny business!" He paused, an expectant smile spreading across his face as he looked at the others. "Oh! Once we sell these materials and get paid, how about we all go to the tavern to unwind? My treat!"

However, Belte’s suggestion was met with dead silence.

Hulk was busy checking his Money Bag, Hesia was thinking about his plans for the next day, and Zoya seemed to not have heard him at all.

An awkward silence fell.

The smile on Belte’s face stiffened. He quickly added, "Uh... Laila already said yes!"

Hulk looked up. "Sure."

Hesia: "No problem."

Zoya nodded from beneath her hood.

With the matter settled, Hulk, Belte, and Laila left.

Considering he still hadn’t found a place to stay and Zoya’s luggage was still at their previous inn, Hesia said to her, "I have a few things to take care of tomorrow during the day. Once I’m finished, I’ll come find you at the Tree Heart Inn. We can go look for a place together then, how does that sound?"

Zoya gave a soft "mhm."

The two parted ways at the guild’s entrance, each disappearing into the evening crowd.

Hesia led Bruce back into the same alley they’d visited earlier.

This was why he hadn’t suggested staying at the Tree Heart Inn with Zoya.

They were both inns, but for him, the Stone Toad at just 80 copper nails a night was a much better value.

After all, he still had a lot of things he needed to spend money on.

.....

The bed at the Stone Toad Inn was hard as a board, but Hesia still managed a rare, sound sleep.

He slept dreamlessly until the rising clamor of voices, wagon wheels, and vendors’ cries from the street below gradually woke him.

’Perhaps this is the point of towns and cities.’

No matter how many mountains you climbed or rivers you crossed in the wilderness, no matter what terrifying Demons you faced on a mission, the moment you returned to this nest of brick, stone, and order, your frayed nerves could finally unwind.

Human settlements offered all sorts of conveniences the wilderness couldn’t—

a sound sleep, a hot meal, a dazzling array of goods, and most importantly, a sense of security.

Of course, enjoying all this required one crucial thing: money in your pocket.

And that was the most practical motivation for countless Adventurers to risk life and limb, fighting Demons time and again for the promise of a hefty reward.

But Hesia didn’t sleep in.

Hearing the world outside his window gradually come to life, he rolled over and sat up, forcing himself to get started.

For an Adventurer, the first day after a mission was always filled with trivial but necessary errands.

While Captain Hulk was taking care of the Thorny Wild Boar materials, Hesia had his own loot to deal with.

The dark red Crystal Core that had dropped from the boar leader needed to be appraised and sold.

He also had a long shopping list to go through, and a decent Magic Wand had just shot to the top of it.

Hesia actually enjoyed this process of taking stock of his earnings and planning for the future, even if it meant running errands all day.

Perhaps this was another appealing aspect of the adventurer’s life—

using the rewards earned from a life-or-death battle to gradually improve yourself and prepare for the next journey.

Most Adventurers lived in this constant cycle.

Of course, the moment they probably looked forward to most was after all the dust had settled, when they could walk into a tavern with their teammates, raise a glass, and drink to their heart’s content.

...

After washing up, Hesia left the Stone Toad Inn with Bruce.

In his past life, he’d developed the bad habits of sleeping late and skipping breakfast. But this body had just reached adulthood and was in its prime for growth. ’I need to get taller and stronger,’ he thought.

’At least taller than Zoya!’

He found a small, reasonably clean-looking food stall by the side of the road.

"One savory wheat soup and two pieces of white bread," he said to the vendor.

"Right away, sir! That’ll be 26 copper nails." The vendor deftly ladled the soup and pulled two fresh-looking pieces of white bread from a nearby basket.

The white bread cost 8 copper nails a piece—a full eight times the price of black bread! But the texture was, of course, a world of difference.

The vendor was even kind enough to heat it for him, a luxury not afforded to black bread.

Soon, a bowl of steaming savory wheat soup, fragrant with the scent of grain, was placed before him, along with two pieces of soft, delicious bread toasted to a light golden-brown.

The so-called savory wheat soup was actually a thick, hot soup made by simmering wheat berries with various beans and a few wild root vegetables. It was a common, comforting meal in Rose Town.

Hesia broke one piece of bread into small chunks and placed them on the ground for Bruce, who was watching eagerly. He then picked up the other piece, dipped it in the hot soup, and began to enjoy his Otherworld equivalent of a "bread and porridge" breakfast.

The taste was nothing spectacular, but the hot meal warmed him from the inside out, filling him with energy for the day.

"Let’s go, Bruce." After breakfast, Hesia clapped his hands, calling to his canine companion, who looked a little disappointed at the lack of anything greasy.

Man and dog headed toward the southwestern part of town.

According to what Hesia had heard, the Four Seas Currency in the center of town bought materials from Adventurers, but they tended to offer low prices. It was better suited for Adventurers who weren’t strapped for cash or just wanted a quick and easy sale.

Furthermore, while the Quality of their goods was guaranteed, their selection wasn’t very wide, and their prices were relatively steep.

Copper Nail Lane, in the town’s southwestern corner, was a different story entirely.

It was a hub for old, established shops, jokingly nicknamed the "Taobao" mecca by Adventurers.

The rumor was that if you had a good eye and enough patience, you could negotiate a much fairer price in those shops, whether you were selling materials or buying gear.

There were even rumors that these old shops were only willing to be flexible on price because the arrival of Four Seas Currency had introduced competition, forcing them to fight for the business of more frugal Adventurers.