Chapter 92: Deal

Chapter 92: Chapter 92: Deal

Tolu watched the door after she left.

A small smile appeared on his face.

"You should listen to your sister."

Kenny immediately groaned.

"Don’t start."

Tolu chuckled.

"I’m serious."

Kenny rubbed both ears.

"She pulled them so hard."

"You deserved it."

Kenny looked at him in disbelief.

"You’re supposed to be my friend."

"I am."

Tolu picked up his food again.

"That’s why I’m telling you to listen to her."

Kenny whined softly as he continued rubbing his ears.

"Everyone is against me."

Tolu laughed.

"Maybe everyone is right this time."

Kenny gave him an offended look before returning to his meal.

Tolu continued eating for a while before looking at Kenny.

"Kenny."

"Hm?"

"How would someone make a lot of money?"

Kenny looked at him.

"How much is a lot?"

Tolu thought for a moment.

"About a million gold."

Kenny stopped chewing.

He stared at Tolu.

Then he laughed.

"A million?"

Tolu said nothing.

Kenny kept laughing.

"That’s not a lot of money."

Tolu continued eating.

Kenny’s laughter gradually faded.

He looked at Tolu again.

Tolu wasn’t laughing.

His expression was completely serious.

Kenny slowly put down his spoon.

"Wait."

Tolu looked at him.

"You’re serious?"

"Yes."

Kenny stared at him for several seconds.

"Then just steal it."

Tolu frowned.

"I’m serious."

"So am I."

Kenny spread his hands.

"What do you want me to say? A million gold isn’t something you make by selling a few things."

Tolu leaned back slightly.

"Then what can I do?"

Kenny thought about it.

"A million?"

He shook his head.

"I honestly have no idea."

Tolu sighed.

Kenny raised a finger.

"But..."

Tolu looked at him.

"If you’re willing to start with a few thousand gold, I might have some ideas."

Tolu’s expression became more interested.

"What kind of ideas?"

Kenny smiled.

"Now that’s a conversation I can actually have."

Tolu nodded.

"Tell me."

Kenny picked up his spoon again.

"Finish eating first."

Tolu stared at him.

Kenny grinned.

"You’ll need energy if you’re planning to make thousands of gold."

Tolu shook his head with a small smile.

"Fine."

....

Kenny leaned back in his chair, thinking for a moment.

"The best thing I can think of is looking for resources in an open dungeon."

Tolu raised an eyebrow.

"Open dungeon?"

"Dungeons that are open to the public," Kenny explained. "People can enter them, explore, hunt monsters, and gather resources. Some are controlled by the government, some by guilds, and others by powerful organizations. As long as you pay the required fee and follow their rules, you can enter."

"And there are valuable resources inside?"

"Of course. That’s why people go there." Kenny shrugged. "If we’re lucky, we might find some rare herbs, ores, crystals, or other materials. We sell them, make some money, and use that money to buy more resources to trade."

Tolu considered it.

It sounded simple.

Too simple.

"There must be a catch."

Kenny laughed.

"The catch is that you can get lost or killed."

Tolu’s expression became serious.

"That’s quite a catch."

"Open dungeons are dangerous. That’s why the resources are valuable." Kenny leaned forward. "But if you want to make money quickly, it’s probably the fastest way I can think of."

Tolu nodded.

"Thank you, Kenny. That’s enough for me. It’s even better than I had hoped."

"Enough for what?"

"You’ll see."

Kenny stared at him suspiciously, but Tolu simply finished his meal.

The next morning, Tolu had already made up his mind.

He packed his belongings, checked his war hammer, and prepared to leave the manor.

He had barely stepped outside when he heard footsteps behind him.

"Wait!"

Tolu turned around.

Kenny was running toward him with a bag slung over his shoulder.

"I’m coming with you."

"No way am I letting you come with me."

Kenny stopped.

"What do you mean, why wouldn’t you let me come ?"

"I said no."

"But you need someone who knows the capital and also has general knowledge of the open dungeon."

"I can manage. If it’s general knowledge I’ll learn about it on my way there, it isn’t so hard."

"I know the dungeons around here."

"I said I’ll manage Kenny ."

"I can help find resources. I have pretty good perception and I’m good at finding things. "

Tolu sighed.

"Kenny, you’re a merchant. Not a perception master."

"And you’re a cultivator."

"Exactly."

Kenny opened his mouth to argue again.

Before he could, another voice came from behind them.

"Take him."

Both of them turned.

Kemisola stood at the entrance of the manor, her expression calm.

Kenny’s face immediately fell.

"Sister..."

Kemisola walked toward them.

"Take Kenny with you."

Tolu looked at her.

"You want me to?"

"Yes."

Kenny stared at his sister in disbelief.

"But you were the one who told me to be careful. This is a long way from being careful."

"I did."

"And now you’re telling him to take me into a dungeon? A place where we could loose both our lives of we make a wrong move?"

"Yes."

Kenny looked completely betrayed. He did want to go but not because she convinced him.

Kemisola ignored his expression and looked at Tolu.

"He has almost no experience with combat. He has spent most of his life being protected by our family."

"Sister..."

"He’s still a boy."

Kenny’s face tightened.

"I’m not a boy."

Kemisola gave him a look.

"You are."

Kenny immediately fell silent.

She continued.

"I want him to start becoming a man. A strong man who can stand on his own feet. Perhaps one day he’ll marry and have a family of his own. He cannot spend his entire life depending on other people to protect him. I have always wanted the best for him and although his reason for wanting to follow you isn’t right as he just wants to have fun. It’s the right move as it’s the first step to gaining experience."

Tolu glanced at Kenny.

Kenny looked away.

Tolu understood what she meant, but he still had reservations.

"I understand," he said. "But it’s going to be dangerous. I might not be able to protect him. I’m just at the adept rank."

"That’s the danger I want him to face."

Kemisola’s voice remained calm.

"He has been pampered all his life. He’s kind, and he has good manners, but he’s naive. He doesn’t understand how dangerous the adult world can be, and he isn’t prepared for it."

Tolu frowned slightly.

"We’re the same age."

Kemisola looked at him.

"But you have experience."

Tolu didn’t answer.

She was right.

Whatever their age, their lives had been very different.

"You’ve fought monsters," Kemisola continued. "You’ve fought cultivators. You’ve traveled through dangerous places. Kenny has spent most of his life learning how to trade. He might not be a genius but he has the potential to reach great heights only if he has the capability to strive for it."

Kenny scratched his cheek.

"I’ve been on caravans."

"With guards protecting you."

"...That’s true."

Kemisola turned back to Tolu.

"If you take him with you and bring him back safely, I’ll give you two hundred gold coins."

Tolu’s eyes widened slightly.

Two hundred gold. Just for taking Kenny with him? That’s more than a tenth of all his live savings

That was already a considerable amount.

But Kemisola wasn’t finished.

"I’ve also heard that you’re interested in resource trading. Kenny said you traded resources back in Ilebi."

Tolu nodded slowly.

"I am."

"The Omimi family has more than enough stores. Buying resources from one more trader isn’t a problem."

Tolu stared at her.

His thoughts immediately changed.

Two hundred gold coins was already tempting.

But becoming a supplier to the Omimi family?

That was worth far more.

If he could establish a reliable business relationship with a family of their standing, the opportunities would be much greater than the initial payment.

Tolu answered immediately.

"Deal."

Kenny’s head snapped toward him.

"You agreed that quickly?"

"Who would decline? That deal is so good if I wasn’t heading it from her mouth I won’t believe it. "

Tolu said it without hesitation.

Two hundred gold coins alone was worth accepting.

But if the Omimi family began buying resources from him regularly, the profits could easily become worth more than a thousand gold coins over time.

And more importantly, it could give him exactly what Folami had told him to build.

Influence.

Connections.

His own name.

Kemisola smiled.

"Good."

She looked between the two of them.

"Then both of you should prepare everything you’ll need. Don’t rush just because you’re eager to enter the dungeon."

Her expression became slightly more serious.

"And be safe."

With that, she turned and walked back toward the manor.

Kenny watched her leave.

Then he looked at Tolu.

"You really agreed to take me just for two hundred gold?"

Tolu adjusted the strap of his bag.

"No."

Kenny looked relieved.

"Good."

"I’m taking you because your family might become one of my best customers."

Kenny’s expression went blank.

"...That’s even worse."

Tolu smiled.

"Come on. We have a dungeon to raid."