Zero counted the coins that were inside the coin pouch he just received from the guild.
He counted a total of 10 silver coins and 48 copper coins. He made the calculation and estimated that one slime core sells for a total of 3 copper coins - and that five copper coins are equal to only one silver coin. He doesn't know if that was cheap or not, but he took the coins without much thought anyways.
And now, he had left the guild and continues to walk inside the bright town of Azir.
While flipping a coin in his hand, he looks above the sky - and notices that the sun is starting to come down. The light barely now touches the ground and it wasn't hard to stare at the sky anymore.
( Should I go back to the weapons shop...? ) he thought. But as his eyes wander around, he also wandered on a different topic -
( Now that I think about it... I still can't log out or anything... I really am in a different dimension or something, huh...? Maybe another world... But how did this happen...? It was that Zereal, right? The self-proclaimed God... If he was at fault at this, then, can he be really? ) at first, there was no chance of him believing, but now with the circumstance that he's in, he's starting to reconsider.
He had seen his name twice for up until now.
First - was back when his game errored, and the second is in the crest of the scrolled-message he received as a reward.
[ Hmm... ] he looks at the said scroll inside his pouch as he ponders about the thought.
[ Just who are you, Zereal...? ] he mutters to himself the question.
"Are you really a God?" - That was the only thought that came on his mind.
***
There were stalls aligned on the side of the road. There are some that are selling some carvings, charms, and other items, but most of them sell only food.
The smell of freshly cooked meat enters Zero's nose as he continues to walk. And the heat of the flames used to cook them also seems to have reached his skin. He followed where the most dominant scent is coming from and he saw there a small stall that sells meat on a stick. The word 'barbecue' was the first thing that entered his mind as he saw it.
And out of all the scents he can smell in the area, its scent was the most dominant.
Zero hadn't eaten anything at all since he had arrived in this place in the morning, he can actually already feel his stomach grumbles.
And with the thought of filling it up, he walked towards the stall. And as he reaches closer, the sweet smell of cooked meat grew stronger.
[ How much for one? ] he asked the old shop keeper.
[ That would be two copper coins for one, mister! ]
( ... )
[ Isn't that a bit expensive? ]
Considering how many coins he has, he couldn't help but feel that its price was 'too expensive'. It was real to say that it's hard to spend the money you earned from hard work. Although in reality, Zero was really just the cheap kind of person.
In-game, he had never bought anything with real money, everything he owned then was hoarded with his endless grindings and PK-ings of other players. He was the cheapest and purest kind of player there was in the game, and he continues to practice it even now.
[ Well, it's meat, so it's bound to be expensive, mister. ]
[ I guess so... Anyway, give me three. ] as he said that, he took six copper coins and gave it to the shop keeper.
[ Un! ] the shop keeper nodded.
( Haah... I'll just double it tomorrow... ) Zero said with a sigh. Feeling a bit of regret in spending his coins.
[ Here. ]
Not a second later, the shop keeper wrapped a total of three in some kind of wrapping Zero had never seen before and gave it to him.
[ Hmm... ]
Immediately as he receives it, he tried to unwrap it, and he did so much easier and faster than he thought he could.
Still standing in front of the stall, he took a bite and immediately taste its sweetness.
( Ohh... Isn't this good...? ) with that thought, he ate and finished it completely.
That phrase actually sealed off the fact that he is now in another world. He can't find any better proof other than the taste he tastes from it. But either way, he didn't put much thought about it as he already knows that he is not inside any kind of game anymore.
( Really... I can't get enough of it... ) as he mutters those words inside his head, he also unwrapped the other two and ate them.
[ Hey, ojii-san, this is actually pretty good, give me two more. ]
[ Oh! It's been a while someone had praised these... I guess you liked it, huh? ]
[ Well, it isn't the best, but it's good. ]
The shopkeeper held to him his order as he replied, and he gave another four coins as payment.
( That's 10 copper coins... I already wasted 1/4 of my copper coins... I need to spend it wisely... ) he stares at the food he's now ready to eat, but because of this thought -
[ Hmm... I guess I'll save this for later... ] he tried his best, saving the other two for later.
[ Umm, by the way, ojii-san, are there any inns here? ]
[ An Inn? Well, there's only one in this town... Just go straight ahead and you'll see a tall building... ]
[ Just straight ahead, huh? Then, thank you, ojii-san. ]
[ Un, I'm always in this place so if you want to fill your stomach, just visit here. ]
[ I'll do just that. ] as Zero replied those words, he finally turned the other way and left. And before he knew it, it was already starting to get dark.
( Hmm... It's really starting to get dark now... I guess I'll visit Gerald's shop tomorrow... For now, I still have another thing to do... )
Zero was talking about the scroll he received as a reward. He's been thinking of opening it for a while now, not because it was a reward and he would get something from it, but because it might get him a clue of what's going on.
The name of the person who was presumably the one at fault for his current situation was written in that particular scroll and he's guessing that it would give him the clue he's looking for.
He could've opened it when he turned level 5 earlier, but he was so caught up in grinding that he forgot to. Now, he thought that it would be best to open it after he got a place to settle and when he's mind is already cleared up. Because for now, he needs to prioritize his survival.