Alex complied with what he said and he poured all the cores inside his bag to the floor. Soon, many round-shaped gems rolled to every corner in the room.
"Ah...!" Yuna was surprised, she never saw this many cores at the same time.
"But guild master, how do we count this?" he scratched his head looking at this mess.
But the guild master only said, "It's easy." The guild master then surrounded this room with Mana.
"In total, you have collected 121 for rank 0 cores, 165 for rank 1 cores, 286 for rank 2 cores, 780 for rank 3 cores, 1014 for rank 4 cores, and 10 for rank 5 cores. As for the price, we give 3 coopers for each rank 0 core, 10 coopers for each rank 1 core, 50 coopers for each rank 2 core, 2 silver for each rank 3 core, 30 silver for each rank 4 core, and 1 gold for each rank 5 core. And for the total are..." the guild master was calculating a bit.
"It's 331 gold coins, 43 silvers, 13 coopers," Yuna suddenly said. "Ah... I'm sorry for stepping out of my bound," she then apologized for fear of being impolite.
The guild master surprised and stopped her. He said it's fine and he tried to calculate himself. After a few minutes, "She's right, it's 331 gold coins, 43 silvers, 13 coopers."
Alex nodded, he tried to do mental arithmetic and the number came up the same.
"How do you know?" the guild master asked Yuna after he finished making the calculation.
"I...Since I was a child, I was always good with numbers and I can remember things faster," Yuna said embarrassedly.
Alex and Bernard were astonished and Alex said, "Congratulations guild master, you got a capable secretary."
"Haha, it's because you've introduced her to me, young Alex. I won't even notice her skills before," Bernard said happily.
"That's not true, I take no part in it. I'm sure with her capability, soon someone will notice her."
Yuna was so embarrassed because she was praised by two great people at the same time. One was her hunter guild master and the other was a Sword Saint and also a soon-to-be gold rank hunter.
"Young Alex, are you going to make a base here and continue becoming a hunter?"
"No, I still need to go back to the academy."
"Academy? You are a student?" Bernard was surprised, seeing Alex who nodded at his question. He then asked again, "I heard, the dean of Acacia Royal Academy got a successor, and he is called Alexander. Do you..." he just noticed that Alexander and Alex might be the same person and one was the full name while the other was his short name.
"Yes...That's true," he scratched his cheek embarrassedly.
"Haha...No wonder you are so capable. Alright, since you need to go back to the academy, I won't hold you," he turned to Yuna and said, "Yuna... I will call you by this name, is that fine? Please get the money for young Alex and also a golden badge."
"Yes, I will do that Sir," Yuna immediately got them for Alex.
"When are you going back?"
"Possibly, tomorrow morning."
"I see, how about we drink tonight?"
Alex shook his head, "I don't drink...For now."
"That's a bit of a waste, well I remember the academy always holds an event in the dungeon every year. I will welcome you again during that time then?"
"Thank you, guild master."
Soon enough, Yuna came back, "This is the money and your badge, Sir Alex." She handed the money and golden badge to Alex.
"Thank you," he received them and he didn't forget to ask, "If I want to buy herbs, where should I go?"
"You can try them in the market, the opposite direction of this guild from the dungeon. It's only a half-hour walk."
"I see, thank you. I will go back now," Alex said.
"Sure, I will see you off," the guild master said, sending Alex off.
The three of them went back to the first floor. As soon as they came down from the stairs, some people shouted.
"Alex!" three people were coming to him at the same time.
Alex looked to the side, but one of them suddenly tackled him. Alex fell and he recognized the three of them who were shouting his name. They were Alicia, Firia, and Butler Ji. Of course, the one who tackled him was Alicia. Alex looked down and he saw Alicia was hugging him, but her hand was shaking.
"Why are you not coming back? It's already been a month since two days ago," Alicia teared up.
Alex didn't know what to say at this point, "I...I thought one month is only the time in the dungeon. Not accounting with the time on the surface."
"It's obvious you need to count them! You...I thought something happened to you, IDIOT!" she cried.
Alex tried to search for help and he looked at Firia, Butler Ji, Bernard, and Yuna.
"I'm just accompanying her," Firia said.
"I'm just protecting Her Highness," Butler Ji replied.
"This is a personal business, not hunter guild," Bernard responded.
"I...I... I'm just an insignificant person," Yuna just looked down.
They all betrayed him and he didn't know what to do in this situation, he could only apologize sincerely, "I'm sorry Princess."
"Alicia!"
"Eh...?" Alex was confused.
"I will forgive you if you start calling me Alicia again."
Alex was speechless but then, "Umm... I'm sorry Ali..cia..."
"Hehe..." she laughed a bit while wiping her tears.
Alex was only frozen, but suddenly Butler Ji gave out a threatening aura. Alex looked at him and he noticed Butler Ji's eyes were saying 'This is your only chance to wipe her tears.'
"...." Alex tried to wipe her tears with his fingers awkwardly.
"Hehe..." Alicia gave a big smile, the world seemed brightened with her smile now.
Alex suddenly froze again and he was mesmerized by her smile, "I'm sorry for worrying you Prin...Alicia," he almost said princess out of habit.
"Mmm..." she just realized, she made a big scene in here. She blushed and looked down embarrassedly.
"All of you, please get out of here!" Bernard drove away from the crowd.
"Al...Alex, let's go," she was still embarrassed, so embarrassed that she wanted to dig a hole to hide.
"Sure, let's go, Alicia."
All of them went outside the guild.
"Then good day to you, Princess Alicia, Raji...no... Butler Ji right? Young Alex, and Miss Firia. And give my regard to the grand duke," Bernard said and Yuna wanted to kneel after hearing the woman who hugged Alex just now was a princess, but suddenly she was stopped by Bernard. He knew that Alicia didn't like the formalities too much.
"You know each other?" Alex looked at Butler Ji and Bernard.
"Hoho...We met in the dungeon and became friends after that and also with the master."
"Oh..." Alex was astonished to find out that they were old friends. And apparently, the grand duke was one of the friends too.
"Goodbye Uncle Bernard," Alicia said, she also seemed to know this guild master.
After they said goodbye, Alicia said to Alex, "Let's go back home now."
"Alicia, aren't we a bit late?" Alex said.
She realized that the sun was almost set, "Then, let's go to the inn first and go back tomorrow."
"Umm...That sounds like a better idea," Alex nodded and he just remembered he had booked an inn for a month, but only used it one time. He wanted to go to the inn immediately, but Alicia quickly grabbed his collar.
"Alex, where are you going now?" she smiled beautifully, others may see this smile as beautiful but Alex only felt a chill came from this smile. This was the first time he saw Alicia like this.
"I...I just remembered I booked a room at an inn last month. So I want to go there, to give the room's key back and I want to search for some herbs in the market as well."
"Then, we can go together," Alicia said happily.
"This..." Alex looked at Butler Ji for the second time.
"Sure, Sir Alexander. But please bring Her Highness back, the knight already booked a room in Silveria Inn, it's behind this building," he pointed at the building at his side.
"O...Okay," Alex said. Alicia already dragged him when she saw Butler Ji permitted them to go out.
The two immediately went on their way and Butler Ji suddenly turned to Firia, "Miss Firia, you don't want to go together with them?" he asked.
Firia sighed and shook her head, "When I see Alicia like that in the hunter guild, I feel like I can't beat her feelings for him. I will give up for today."
Butler Ji didn't say anything more and they went back to the inn together. While Alex and Alicia go to Trican Inn.
"Ah...You are the one from last month?" someone suddenly said once Alicia and Alex arrived at the inn.
"Yes, I just remembered this is my last day so I am planning to give the room's key," Alex said.
"Eh...Actually, when you didn't come back for 3 weeks, we thought you were dead, so your room was already rented to another hunter," she guiltily said.
"What! How can you do that!" Alicia was now angry on behalf of Alex.
"This...This is because..." the girl was trembling, she was the same girl Alex met for the first time when he rented a room in this inn.
Alex sighed and he stopped Alicia for overreacting, "It's only a room, I don't leave any item in there anyway."
"I will give the money back," the girl said.
Alex shook his head and said, "It's alright, you can keep it". He then persuaded Alicia to leave the inn. But before he left, someone came.
"I see that you are such a beautiful girl. Hey girl, come give me some services," the guy vulgarly said to Alicia.
Alex frowned and Alicia was mad, "You... I will kill you", Alicia made an ice spear and the spear went toward him.
But the guy used his sword to destroy the spear, "Hehe.. a mage huh? And you are using chantless to boost it. With your body, you are perfect to be my woman to please me every night. Just throw away that kid, I am a silver rank hunter, and I'm still 25 years old. I have the potential to become a platinum rank hunter, this is your honor to become my woman."
"You..." Alicia was angrier and she wanted to make another magic but Alex stopped her.
"Haha...Even your man doesn't want to defend you!"
"Alicia, what is the punishment for the charge to a Princess?"
"Umm..." she suddenly became timid. She forgot when she wanted to kill that guy a moment ago. "De...Death. But Alex let's just forget it this time."
Alex ignored her and used a mini boost step, he instantly arrived in front of the guy.
"You," the guy was surprised, but Alex already kicked him. That guy crashed to the inn wall.
"You bastard, I am a silver rank hunter. Are you going to challenge the hunter guild? The hunter guild won't let you off."
"Hunter guild..." Alex took out his golden badge and showed it to the guy, "You mean this?"
"Gold...Gold rank? No, it's impossible, there is no gold rank for people as young as you!" but he suddenly recalled some scene in the hunter guild before. "You... You are the new gold rank hunter, the guild master has even personally given you the badge. You...Aahhhh!"
"You just insult Princess Alicia with your vulgar words," he killed him instantly and brought Alicia away from the inn.
"What happened?" a middle-aged man came and shouted. This middle-aged man was the inn owner.
"There are 20 gold coins in here, that should be enough to compensate for the damage. That guy just insulted Princess Alicia," he coldly said, he didn't forget to throw a purse to the inn owner.
The man passed out and the girl's face became so pale. The inn got 20 gold coins which were the same as one year's revenue. This was more than enough to compensate for the wall. But she knew Alex would never come back here anymore. If she could choose between gold rank hunter or 20 gold coins, she immediately chose the gold rank hunter. This could become a good advertisement for the inn. And the benefit she got will be higher than some 20 gold coins.
"Alex...Aren't you a bit too extreme?" she said with a low voice.
"Hehe...who was the one who kept saying she wanted to kill the guy?" Alex teased.
"You...You...Are you teasing me? I will ignore you for now, hmph," she pouted and her face was red.
"Well, the kingdom's rule already determined his life. I will say it to Butler Ji later," he righteously said.
The two went to the herbs store in the market and Alex managed to buy the herbs he needed. He planned to make a rank 2 body foundation pill. He got 30 sets of ingredients, but the price was also high. He bought them for 200 gold coins. He didn't know whether it was a normal price or because the herb was rare. If this was normal, his teacher must be so rich since he was the one who supplied all the ingredients all this time.