Chapter 79
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: 1 Gold
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After pulling all-nighters for two—no, three—days straight, using up every last drop of my vitality, I felt like I was on the verge of death.
One day hunting the ogre. One day with Winia. And now this one.
Two women had completely drained my true essence energy.
Death was closing in. My vision was going black.
Lying in bed like some old man reciting his last words, I spoke in a hollow voice.
It sounded like the faint rustle of bare branches in the wind.
"Yeah, that's why I got mad. You were just casually trying to hand me off to another woman. Our thinking's a bit off on that. You absolutely can't do that."
Claudy lay beside me, holding me close. She replied in a gloomy voice, her long ears drooping.
"Yeah... I see. I just thought you might want kids... Sorry. Since you're my first guy, I guess I jumped to conclusions."
You're my first woman, too.
"Fine, whatever. Shibal. Monogamy's the norm anyway—one man per woman, one woman per man. Your boyfriend's not some thing you can just pass around. You're with me for life."
"Got it. I'll apologize, so forgive me now, okay?"
"Yeah."
I stroked her ear. The drooping ear perked right back up. Was this voluntary surrender?
"Ahh."
Anyway, I decided to forgive her. She'd apologized all night long. That was punishment enough.
"You're forgiven."
Now I could finally close my eyes in peace.
It had been a short life.
I'd lived over twenty years without much excitement, but my final days in this other world had been intensely thrilling. After surviving so fiercely in that harsh place, this was how it ended.
I wanted to see my hometown one last time.
It flickered before my eyes, but I didn't even have the strength to reach out.
I'd barely escaped death by exhaustion before, but now it was impossible.
They'd sucked me completely dry.
My eyes were closing.
Death was near.
"This is death."
I'm dying li—
.
.
.
—No, fuck, if I close my eyes here, I'm really done for!
"Gasp!"
I shot up, sucking in a breath.
"Gasp... gasp...! Holy shit, I almost died for real just now!"
"K-Katt? What's wrong? What happened?!"
"Haa... haa... Nah, it's fine. Just had a spasm."
Lately, these spasms felt like they were coming more frequently.
Maybe from seeing too many corpses. I might need some regular meds. If the Teletubbies start showing up again, I'll have to seriously consider it.
My body felt bloated. I stretched, and my neck cracked with a pop. Everything ached. After moving that intensely, muscle soreness was no surprise.
After a quick stretch, I pulled my wallet from my discarded clothes and took out the 1-gold coin.
"Hey, Claudy. Here's 1 gold."
That's right. It was the 1 gold I'd earned for baiting the ogre decisively. Lady Isvant finished it off, but she'd rewarded me with it. The coin gleamed.
"Let's split it."
Of course, it was money to split. If Claudy hadn't yanked me out at the end, I'd be dead. She came up with the plan in the first place.
"...Do we have to split it? You can just hold onto it. I was waiting around on purpose to give it to you..."
"Nonsense. You manage your own money. That's more secure."
If I got pickpocketed, I'd regress to infancy, shibal.
"Plus, if I hold it all and croak, you'd be pissed."
Couldn't split the gold coin, so we'd need to exchange it first. What to do with the money? Maybe swing by the Swordsman Guild.
"Hmm, then, Katt."
"Yeah?"
Claudy sat up. Naked like me, she stretched too—bending at the waist until her fingertips touched the floor. Watching from behind stirred me again, but I desperately suppressed it.
One more time and it'd be a one-way trip to Beimang Mountain, no bullshit.
Cross the Sanzu River after.
Finished stretching, she started dressing.
"With that, let's go get a nice room."
Oh yeah, we said we would. Fine. With money now, no need to slum it. Thinking of the inn with Winia yesterday, better living really improved quality of life.
"Sure, whatever. Let's do it."
So we headed out. We wandered the city, grabbing food and snacks. Destination: the district packed with quality lodgings.
"Bet they give a good discount for a full month upfront."
True to the high prices, it was a clean neighborhood. Arm-in-arm with Claudy, I entered a suitable place.
A neatly dressed staff member—not quite an innkeeper, more employee. Like a big hotel. I spoke to him.
"Looking to stay a month. How much?"
"Long-term stay? Pay a month upfront, it's 4 silver."
Holy fuck, that's expensive.
Thought I was gonna faint.
But Claudy wanted it, so I could stomach the cost.
"Hm, mind if we see the room?"
"Of course."
The staff led us to a second-floor room. Decent-sized living area with shower and bathroom attached. The room itself was great. Just having a shower was worth 30 copper. Bathhouse entry was 1 copper, so a month saved that much.
"What do you think, Claudy?"
"I love it."
"Then we'll take it."
Cool payment. I handed over the gold coin.
"G-gold coin?"
"No change?"
"No, please wait. Actually, follow me."
Followed to a small first-floor room. He pulled out a leather pouch and poured silver coins on the table, counting them.
"Exactly 96 silver coins here. Please verify."
Thorough. Counted—no issues. Pocketed them in my wallet. He handed over the key.
"Ah, but we'll be storing gear inside sometimes. If there's theft, do you handle it separately?"
"Manage valuables yourself. For other items stolen, we compensate based on responsibility."
Long-term first-timer, so I asked essentials. Needed specifics.
"How much compensation exactly?"
"Planning to leave a golden calf lying around?"
"Nah, clothes and such. Stuff hard to carry."
"That's covered. But don't leave valuables. Hard to compensate for those."
"Got it."
Won't be an issue.
Adventurers always carry their wallet—their entire fortune—like it's their life.
"Ah, right."
"More questions?"
"Soundproofing good here?"
At my last question, he glanced at Claudy, face stiff, and nodded.
Satisfactory.
I got one key, innkeeper the other. Lose it, pay up—don't lose it.
Entered the room with Claudy. Dodged her attempt to hug from behind.
Trying to kill me?
"Katt?"
"Sleep first. Gotta shower."
Stripped and entered the shower. Wooden tub connected to a pipe—pumping groundwater somehow. Cold water only. Still satisfying.
Washing up, Claudy entered.
She wanted to wash together, so I sat her on a stool and washed her back.
"H-Hey, I can wash myself..."
"Stay still."
Claudy's hair was pale purple. It contrasted mysteriously with her brown skin. No shampoo—such a shame.
"Your hair color's gorgeous. Whose genes?"
"...Mom's. Hers was a deeper purple."
"Yeah? So you take after Mom? Dad human?"
"Opposite."
"Surprising."
Dark elf dude, huh.
Per Claudy, her homeland Schrudik had humans, dark elves, desert orcs. Orcs enemies, but humans and dark elves got along.
"Eek!"
While she explained, I rubbed her long ear with my finger. She flinched visibly, so I went harder. Oh yeah, she wore six gold earrings—three per ear.
No other jewelry or tattoos. Likes earrings?
"These earrings mean something? Whoa."
Been mindlessly playing with her ear, lost in thought. Snapped back—her face beet red, panting against me.
"Haaah..."
"Wh-What? Your ears are sensitive?"
Elf as expected.
She was totally limp.
Toweled her off roughly, scooped her up, and dropped her on the bed. Lay beside her and passed out.
Slept a full day straight.
Felt refreshed, like I'd died briefly and respawned. Zombie revival from corpse state. Understood why the dead resent the living—pure bliss sleep.
Dressed. Today: Swordsman Guild. Greet the guildmaster, tell him I passed regards to black mage Lisha. Hadn't visited since.
Money now—might learn some swordplay on the way.
"Hmm~ If I could teach you, that'd be great."
She floated the idea when I mentioned the guild.
"Sadly, been solo so long, never taught anyone. Too hard. Don't get others' senses."
"Eh, everyone's got specialties. Not every good student becomes a teacher."
Last time I asked her to teach swordplay, she couldn't grasp my moves at all. Being good doesn't mean you teach well.
"Anyway, thinking of relearning basics today. Got money—time to invest. Otherwise, no point earning it."
"Good mindset. A real man always pursues strength."
Claudy dressed too. Curious about the guild. Headed out together.
"Might be at it a month straight once I start. Cool?"
"Doesn't matter. Got money, place to stay. Watching you train sounds fun."
"Aw, embarrassing."
Sword-for-a-living folk obsess over improvement always.
True swordsman: lifelong training. Skill is wealth—intangible asset that follows, helps forever.
Invest when you can—common sense.
Someday, life-or-death on skill alone. Inevitable for sword-lifers. Prepare to win, survive.
Truth: with money, not much else to blow it on. No drugs or gambling—spend right. 50 silver total fortune; half to guild? No loss.
Arrived at Swordsman Guild.
Opened the door amid the usual shouts.