The inn's common room was abuzz with quiet conversation and the clinking of mugs as Seraphina stepped inside— it was a sight she had grown used to by now.
Her violet eyes swept the room, immediately finding Samuel and Edwin at their usual corner table. Samuel waved her over with his characteristic grin, while Edwin simply nodded in acknowledgment.
"Back already?"
Samuel teased.
"Don't tell me you're bored already? Haven't seen you in the arena lately, not fighting anymore?"
Seraphina ignored his remark and motioned toward the stairs.
"We need to talk. In private."
Her tone left no room for debate, and the two men exchanged a glance before following her upstairs to their shared room. Once inside, Seraphina closed the door and turned to face them, her expression serious.
"We need to discuss our funds."
She began, crossing her arms as she leaned against the wall.
"What about them?"
Samuel asked, his grin fading slightly.
Seraphina's gaze flicked between the two of them.
"While we're not broke, we're running lower than I'd like. Between the inn, food, supplies, and my library visits, we've been steadily chipping away at what we have. At our current pace, we'll last a few more months, but that assumes nothing unexpected happens."
While a few months might seem like a long time, that wasn't the case— more often the not, they would need to spend money for something or the other and chip away further at their funds.
She wouldn't want such a situation to happen, making them desperate for money.
And that's not even her mentioning other things that drained the funds, she refrained from mentioning the additional strain on their finances caused by the supplies she'd purchased for her group in the slums.
That was a secret she intended to keep from them for now.
Edwin's brows furrowed.
"I thought we were being cautious with our spending."
"We are."
Seraphina said.
"But cautious or not, expenses add up. And we can't afford to run out of funds, especially not with the situation in the forest escalating. We need to start earning more— not to mention we need funds for our plans, which we haven't even started yet."
Samuel leaned back in his chair, tapping a finger against the table.
"Well, the obvious choice is the guild. We've done a few quests here and there, but if we make it a weekly thing, we could start bringing in more coins."
Edwin nodded.
"It's practical. The guild offers a wide variety of quests, not all of them dangerous. We can start small, build a reputation, and work our way up. Eventually, we could even handle separate tasks to maximize efficiency— simple ones, nothing that puts us at risk."
Seraphina considered this, she had already gone over the possibility and actually found it to be the most practical choice— especially since it would allow her to gain experience.
It was a sound plan.
Working together initially would allow them to gauge their collective strengths and weaknesses, while smaller solo tasks could bring in additional income without too much danger.
"That's one option."
She said, because she actually had another idea, one she just came up with after remembering some information she learned in the library.
"But there's another way we could earn money— more stable and potentially more lucrative."
Samuel raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued.
"Oh? Do tell."
"Out-sourced knights."
Seraphina said, her voice steady.
Edwin's expression shifted to one of understanding, while Samuel looked intrigued.
"Out-sourced knights?"
Samuel repeated.
"You mean like hired muscle for nobles or merchants?"
"Not quite."
Seraphina corrected then went on to explain more in depth.
"It's more prestigious than that. Some smaller noble families or merchant houses can't train their own knights. Maybe they lack a knight training method, or their methods are too weak to produce proper knights. Whatever the reason, they hire knights from outside to serve their family."
She paused, letting her words sink in, and allowed the man to understand it.
"These families pay well. Often better than the guild, and the work tends to be more stable. Escorting caravans, representing the family in minor disputes, or protecting their property— tasks like these are safer and more consistent than guild quests."
Samuel leaned forward, his interest clearly piqued.
"So we'd basically be glorified bodyguards?"
"Think of it more as contracted retainers."
Edwin said, his tone thoughtful.
"It's not a bad idea. The stability alone would be worth considering, especially if we found a family with a good reputation. Plus we gain access to information which we could use to further our goals."
Seraphina nodded.
"It's not without risks. These families might try to pull us into their personal conflicts, and we'd need to carefully vet any offers before committing. But it's an option worth exploring."
Samuel thought for a second, his grin returning.
"So, what's the plan, boss? Do we start taking guild quests, sign ourselves up as noble errand-runners, or both?"
"Both."
Seraphina said firmly.
"We'll start with the guild. Build our funds and reputation there while keeping an eye out for potential offers from noble or merchant families. If we find a family worth working for, we can decide then."
Edwin crossed his arms, his silver eyes sharp.
"And if no suitable offers come?"
"Then we stick with the guild."
Seraphina said.
"Either way, we'll ensure we're not relying solely on what we have left."
The three of them sat in silence for a moment, the weight of their situation settling over them. Finally, Samuel clapped his hands together, breaking the tension.
"Well, sounds like a plan to me. Let's hit the guild tomorrow and see what kind of work we can find."
Edwin nodded in agreement, and Seraphina allowed herself a small smile.
"Good. Rest tonight. We start tomorrow."
As her companions settled in for the evening, Seraphina actually entered her mental space to fuse more books— it was her daily task. She fused just enough to avoid the mental strain and doing so daily allowed her to completely use up the books she had collected.
Once she was done fusing, she would read through books she had stored in the library and deepen her understanding.