Eli, with his loot in tow, approached the front desk of the registration center, ready to translate his hard-earned spoils into credits. The clerk behind the desk, a man whose demeanor was as unwelcoming as his appearance, barely glanced up from his ledger as Eli approached.
"I'd like to sell some items I've collected," Eli stated, maintaining a polite tone despite the clerk's evident disinterest.
The clerk, upon inspecting Eli's low-class registration card, couldn't hide his condescending smirk. "And what would those items be?" he asked, his voice dripping with skepticism.
Eli, recognizing the familiar look of disdain, chose to ignore it and got straight to the point. "What's the going rate for scorpion chitins and poison stingers these days?" he inquired, his annoyance masked by a veneer of patience.
The clerk, with a sigh of exasperation as if he were addressing a child, replied, "Chitins are 35 credits each, and poison stingers are 75. But given your... standing, I assume you're only selling a handful?"
The remark stung, but Eli let it slide off him. "Perhaps someone else could assist me then?" he suggested, already turning towards another clerk who seemed less preoccupied.
Walking over to a female clerk who appeared almost relieved at the prospect of having something to do, Eli repeated his request. "Could I sell some items to you? I have 1432 chitin and 1432 poison stingers."
The clerk's initial professional facade faltered, replaced by a look of sheer incredulity. "I'm sorry, how many did you say?" she asked, certain she had misheard.
Without a word, Eli began to unload his haul from the storage ring, the mountain of chitin and stingers materializing before her. The sight was so astonishing that it silenced the bustling hall, drawing the eyes of everyone present.
Maya and Lucas, who had been observing from a distance, shared a look of utter disbelief. "How did he get so many?" they both muttered under their breath, their shock mirroring that of the onlookers.
The clerk, now fully attentive, scrambled to calculate the total value of Eli's massive inventory. "Just give me a moment," she stammered, her fingers flying over the calculator. As she announced the staggering sum owed to Eli, whispers and murmurs spread through the crowd, a mix of admiration and envy filling the air.
After meticulously counting and recounting Eli's impressive collection of scorpion chitins and poison stingers, the clerk, still in awe, finally announced the total sum Eli had earned. "You've amassed a total of... well, it's quite the fortune. Your haul comes to 151,700 credits," she stated, her voice betraying her surprise.
Eli, standing calmly amidst the stir he'd caused, couldn't help but smirk at the turn of events. Not only had he managed to sell his items, but he had also inadvertently made a statement. In a world quick to judge based on superficial labels like 'low class,' Eli had proven that determination and skill could defy expectations, earning not just credits but a measure of respect from those who had witnessed his unexpected triumph.
Curiosity getting the better of her, she couldn't help but ask, "How did you manage to collect so many? The Scorpion Den, you said?"
Eli, packing away the remaining items, replied casually, "Yeah, cleared it out."
The clerk's eyes widened, mistakenly assuming Eli had cleared the dungeon multiple times to accumulate such a bounty. Little did she know, it was the result of a single, albeit thorough, expedition.
Their exchange was interrupted by the approach of the previously rude clerk, his demeanor markedly changed. With a strained smile, he offered Eli a lukewarm apology, "I... may have misjudged you earlier. I'd be honored to serve as your contact here. We offer specialized services for our distinguished clients—skip the lines, direct pickups, that sort of thing."
Eli listened quietly, his expression unreadable. As the clerk finished his pitch, hoping to salvage the situation, Eli turned towards the female clerk who had processed his sale. "I think I'd prefer if she were my contact," he said, nodding in her direction.
The woman, taken aback by the sudden turn of events, quickly recovered, her face lighting up with a mix of excitement and gratitude. "Of course! I'd be happy to assist you with anything you need. My name's Clara," she replied, handing Eli her contact card with a smile.
Eli accepted the card, offering Clara a reassuring wink before turning to rejoin Maya and Lucas, who were still trying to comprehend the scale of Eli's success. The male clerk, left standing in silence, could only watch as Eli walked away, a sinking feeling of regret settling in his stomach for underestimating Eli and missing out on an opportunity to elevate his own standing within the registration hall.
As Eli approached his friends, their expressions of astonishment mirrored the clerk's disbelief. "You guys ready?" he asked, breaking the silence. Their response was a pair of nods, still somewhat dazed but ready to follow Eli into whatever adventure lay ahead. Together, they stepped out of the registration hall, leaving behind a buzz of whispers and speculation, their camaraderie and Eli's newfound prestige marking the beginning of a new chapter in their journey through the dungeons.