Chapter 21

"Money? I'll just earn more later anyway. Ding!"

"Anyway, now I just gotta sell this, right? How much was the golden dolphin again?" I slowly crawled out onto the beach and headed back to the shop where I'd bought the fishing rod earlier. For reference, the rod's durability was almost gone—probably would have broken after three or four more casts. It really was the hero's luck. But hey, luck is skill too.

"Hup. Oh... five hundred thousand won."

I sold the golden dolphin at the shop and suddenly had five hundred thousand won. Five hundred thousand. That's fifty gold in playground terms. A total life-changer. But paying off debt is great and all. Money? The more the better.

"So what now? Back to the mines?" With gear sorted and debt slavery escaped, what else was there to do here?

I tried piecing together next steps from viewer suggestions, but opinions were split, so I decided. Honestly, mining and fishing were getting old after nearly three or four hours of it. Meeting people was still tough. I'm shy, and a crowd approaching would make me panic for sure. So what was left?

But even if I have money... where would I spend it? Gotta have a place to use it.

First, pay off the debt. Just five gold. Pocket change with fifty gold on hand.

"Then shall we head to the plaza? Hope there's something to spend on."

"Wonder if it's crowded... Hmm. Hold on."

Money? I'll earn more later. I came here to heal, not grind. My dream's hoeing fields and farming. Farming doesn't need much—make an iron hoe myself, buy land later when I save up.

Not like I'm farming right now anyway.

No real place to spend right now. But for someone else? Someone who knows the playground well and has a bit of rapport with me? We'd only hung out three-ish hours, but still, we did it together.

"Felt like Akira-senior would know where to spend it." More like backroom dealing, but giving to others counts as spending, right? Give her all 45 gold, she pays debt, uses the rest wisely on KR members maybe.

Soon after, Akira's nameplate popped up on the beach map.

[Moonie!]

"Akira-senior."

Spotting me, she bolted over and circled around. Ow, dizzy.

[So? What'd you call me for? Actually I'd love it even if just to chat!]

"Maybe next time just for fun. But now I got something for you."

[Right right! Said you caught something weird? What is it?]

"Hold on."

To the now-calmed Akira, I pulled out the 45 gold from my inventory and tossed it.

"Caught a golden dolphin earlier. Sold it for 500k... dunno what to do with it, so here, senior."

[Wha, wait! H-hang on!]

"Use 5 ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gold for your debt, rest to invite KR members maybe. I'm still kinda... shy. Haha... Or use however. I'll head out then."

She'd refuse for sure, so I bounced quick.

[U-Uwar? Let's talk a sec—.]

Using a return scroll, her voice cut off as I vanished.

"Felt like you'd use it better than me. Money? Catch another dolphin."

Think positive for mental health. And so my first day in the KR Maerchen playground ended.

I didn't hear the wail laced with lamentation.

(Photo of Uwar entering the village hall)

It's just starting fr this season hyped af recommend 19923/ dislikes 334

(Gif of KR Maerchen members rushing to village hall)

(Photo of Tsupi and Byakdugi rushing in the middle)

Baby hero panicked and ran lololol wtf and what's with Tsupi that bitch and Byakdugi lolol recommend 8192/ dislikes 31

No bugs. Last time this crashed the whole server for a day afaik. recommend 213/ dislikes 1

(Photo of very tired Uwar)

Straight-up drained by big E lolol recommend 1832/ dislikes 93

Senior chasing like that I'd wanna bolt too recommend 129/ dislikes 3

(Photo of Uwar catching S-rank golden dolphin)

Fr lmao recommend 9123/ dislikes 34