Charly was dressed casually in black pants and a gray T-shirt. Elliot, on the other hand, wore a blue shirt and matching pants that looked quite luxurious. Aaron sported an orange shirt and gray pants.
After the introductions, Charly and Elliot invited Marcos to play cards. The game was called "Light and Shadow," a popular game in Teria accessible only to those with enough money.
"So these people must have quite a bit of money, as the 'Light and Shadow' card deck should cost around a silver coin," thought Marcos, recalling the monetary system of this world.
In Teria, trade and transactions were based on a monetary system organized into four types of coins: copper, silver, gold, and platinum. Each coin had a specific value and was used for different levels of transactions.
Copper coins were mainly used for small purchases, like a loaf of bread or a meal. Silver coins were employed for more significant purchases, such as clothing, tools, and lodging in mid-range inns. One silver coin equaled 100 copper coins.
Then there were gold coins, used for important transactions like property purchases, magical items, or significant contract payments. One gold coin equaled 100 silver coins or 10,000 copper coins. Finally, platinum coins were used in high-level transactions, especially in international trade, payments to elite mercenaries, or the acquisition of extremely valuable artifacts. One platinum coin equaled 100 gold coins or 10,000 silver coins.
The "true Marcos" inhabiting this body had lived in the slums of the town of Stalvar and barely scraped together one or two copper coins—barely enough for a loaf of bread. Whenever he thought about the "original owner" of this body, he couldn't help feeling sad.
Marcos shook his head; right now, he was playing cards with Charly and Elliot, who were explaining the game rules in detail. Aaron had left after Marcos arrived, saying he needed to use the restroom.
Meanwhile, Charly and Elliot enthusiastically shared their backgrounds with Marcos, who nodded or responded with an "okay" to everything they told him. He felt somewhat uncomfortable since he wasn't used to talking to people his age. Charly was the first to notice and asked:
"Marcos, where do you come from?" Charly asked kindly.
"I come from the northeastern border of the kingdom, from a small village called Stalvar," Marcos replied, sounding a bit nervous.
"Stalvar? Is that the village near the entrance to the Lumin Forest?" Elliot chimed in, joining the conversation.
"Yes, that's it. I lived in the slums, always struggling to survive. Hunger was constant, which is why I'm so thin."
"You must have suffered a lot. I apologize if that question offended you in any way," Charly apologized. Elliot nodded and also apologized to Marcos.
Marcos hadn't expected them to apologize. If he was honest with himself, he had anticipated mockery about his origins.
"No need to apologize. After all, aren't we companions now?"
Charly glanced at Elliot, who was sitting next to him, with a threatening look. Elliot finally said:
"You're right, Charly… we should support each other," although his thoughts were different.
"Why am I forced to be friends with this street rat? I, Elliot Ravenswood, shouldn't associate with this kind of people, but…" he thought as he observed the bracelet on Marcos's wrist, a simple white band.
"This person has awakened a gift. I shouldn't make an enemy of him, as he could become someone important in the future," thought Elliot.
Marcos remembered how he had obtained that bracelet.
"What is this bracelet for?" Marcos asked the guard who had given him the black bracelet.
"This bracelet is given to young people to identify that they have a gift," the guard explained calmly. Marcos simply nodded and started following him again.
Back in the present, after more than 30 minutes, Marcos realized that Elliot and Charly treated him very well.
"Do we have to wait until everyone arrives?" Marcos asked, already somewhat bored. Charly pointed to his luxurious watch.
"When it strikes four in the afternoon, they'll call us all outside," Charly replied with a somewhat suspicious smile, but Marcos didn't notice.
"It's only 3:30 PM, so there's not much time left," Marcos thought before hearing that someone had opened the door. Aaron rushed in, sweating profusely. Seeing his condition, the three of them ran to his side.
"What happened?" Charly asked, surprised by Aaron's state.
"I just followed my instincts; I didn't want to…" Suddenly, an angry voice interrupted Aaron.
"You!" The voice sounded nearby. Marcos began to sweat nervously, fearing that this idiot would get him into trouble on the first day.