The guild master and his two companions sat in stunned silence, their expressions betraying the shock of the information Rian, the Blackmerchant had just revealed. A moment later, the guild master, still processing what he'd heard, leaned forward and asked, "Are you serious about this, Blackmerchant? Because if this information is true, it's going to cause massive waves in the world. It could skyrocket my guild's fame and following."
Rian smiled confidently and said, "It's completely true."
The moment Blackmerchant confirmed his words, the guildmaster stood up and said, "Wait a few minutes while I transfer the gold coins to my account. I'll be right back." With that, he logged out to move funds from his bank into the game.
As the guildmaster logged out, the vice guildmaster, DeathParadox, turned his attention to Rian. He leaned in slightly, his tone more personal. "Blackmerchant, now that the guildmaster is gone for a minute, how about we make a side deal?" he said, pausing for a moment before continuing, "My sister will be starting the game tomorrow, and I want everything ready for her. I'll give you her in-game name, and whatever she needs gear, supplies, anything just provide it to her. Don't worry about the cost. I'll make sure you get paid, no matter how much it is."
DeathParadox's eyes were sharp, and Rian could sense that he was protective of his sister.
Rian smiled and nodded. "Of course, why not? I'll keep a tab on all the items I sell to her and settle it with you later."
DeathParadox smiled back, satisfied with the arrangement.
A moment later, the guild master, Deathiswithme, logged back in and sat down again. He took out a large gold pouch and handed it to Rian. "Here's the money. Thanks for the information, and rest assured, your name will be all over the news tomorrow," the guildmaster said, standing up with a grin. "Well then, I have a lot to take care of now. You guys can carry on with whatever you want. Blackmerchant, we'll meet again after the update, in the bigger world."
With that, the guildmaster and the others left the room.
Rian, still holding the hefty gold pouch, watched them leave, but his eyes never left the pouch. His mind was racing with excitement he had just earned a fortune with a single piece of information. He couldn't help but imagine how much more he could make in the future. This was only the beginning, and he felt immense gratitude for having chosen the Merchant class.
A wave of relief washed over him. His family wouldn't have to worry about anything now. He had earned a million, and he knew that the future held even more.
Rian quickly transferred all the gold coins into his system account, eager to see the number grow. Once the transfer was complete, he opened his system panel and took a moment to appreciate the sight:
System Panel
[Name - BlackMerchant]
[Class - Merchant]
[Level - 2]
[Exp - 0%]
[Race - Human]
[Stats -
Strength - 15
Agility - 15
Mana - 15]
[Skills - Merchant Shop]
[Remaining Stats - 10]
[Gold Coins - 1,002,100]
He stared at the impressive amount of gold coins listed, a sense of accomplishment swelling within him. Without wasting any time, he logged out of the game, eager to share this victorious moment with his family.
The thought of celebrating with them brought a warm smile to his face. After everything they had been through, this was the turning point they all deserved.
Rian sat at the dining table, initially amused by the familiar warmth of his family's laughter. He had planned to surprise them with the news of his recent success, but as he listened, his sister Lila's teasing words suddenly threw him off balance.
"Wow, Mother, she looks really beautiful, and I'm sure she'd be great as a sister-in-law," Lila said with a mischievous smile, casting a glance at Rian. Her words hit him like a brick, leaving him momentarily dumbfounded.
"Wait, what?" Rian thought, trying to process what he had just heard. Before he could ask, his father Johan chimed in, his booming laughter filling the room.
"I'm sure she is, and that's why I chose her!" Johan said proudly, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "Her father's an old friend of mine, so we already know each other well. It's a perfect match!"
The laughter continued, but Rian was frozen in shock. Chosen her? Sister-in-law? What's happening? He turned to his father, mouth slightly agape, trying to understand the situation. His heart raced as he realized that they were talking about arranging a marriage for him.
Rian's mind scrambled for clarity. He'd been busy focusing on building his future in the game, and now it seemed his family had taken it upon themselves to build his future in another way one he hadn't even considered.
Rian's mother smiled warmly, a look of relief washing over her face. "I'm now eager to meet her," she said, her tone gentle but filled with anticipation. "Dear, you mentioned that your friend and her family are from the city of Sesa, right?"
She paused, glancing at Rian as if to reassure him. "With that being said, I'm sure their financial situation is similar to ours. And I'm glad about that, because rich people... well, they only care about money. They don't understand love, and they discard everything else for wealth."
She sighed, her expression softening even further. "But I trust she's not like that. I expect that she knows the value of both love and money the real balance that makes for a happy life."
Rian listened in stunned silence, his mind whirling. His family seemed to have thought through this match carefully, weighing values beyond just wealth. Yet the thought of a possible marriage, arranged without his input, still felt overwhelming.
His mother's words tugged at him she wanted the best for him, something deeper than just financial stability. But Rian hadn't expected any of this, especially now.
Rian's parents and sister burst into laughter, unable to hold back their amusement. His sister, Lila, grinned mischievously as she leaned toward him and said, "Relax, brother. Dad is just teasing you. But," she added with a playful wink, "the talk about a sister-in-law is real. Just don't worry about that for now."
Rian let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, feeling both relieved and slightly embarrassed. He gave his dad a mock glare, realizing the whole setup had been a joke to lighten the mood. The tension in his chest eased, and a small smile tugged at his lips.
his father chuckled, clearly enjoying Rian's reaction. His mother smiled softly, the warmth in her eyes letting Rian know she'd never pressure him into anything without his input.
Still, Lila's words stuck with him. The prospect of a future sister-in-law wasn't just an idea it was something real, even if it wasn't immediate. It was a lot to take in, but at least they weren't pushing him into anything just yet.
After the teasing subsided, Rian decided it was time to drop his own surprise. He pulled out his phone, a mysterious grin spreading across his face as he tapped into his banking app. "Here, look what I've got," he said with a teasing tone, extending the phone to his parents and Lila.
Curious, they all leaned in to see the screen. For a moment, there was nothing but silence, and the room felt as though it had frozen in place. Their eyes were glued to the large sum displayed on the screen, numbers they'd never even imagined seeing in their own lives.
His father, Johan, was the first to react, standing up in shock. His eyes flicked from the screen to Rian's face, suspicion mixed with disbelief. "Is this real? Or am I just seeing things because I'm getting old?" he asked, still unable to fully process the amount of money.
Rian's mother, though equally stunned, seemed to believe her son wouldn't lie about something this big. Still, the shock lingered on her face as she wondered how in the world her son had managed to get that kind of money.
Lila, however, had the most dramatic reaction of all. Her eyes were wide with disbelief, her mouth hanging open like she'd just won the lottery. "Is this... is this real?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. A thousand questions seemed to be racing through her mind, chief among them: How did her brother, who was just like her, suddenly become so rich?
Rian couldn't help but chuckle at their reactions. The look of amazement on their faces was priceless, and he felt a warm sense of pride wash over him. He had worked hard, and now, finally, his efforts were paying off. "It's real," he said softly. "I made it in the game."
Rian took a deep breath, a proud smile tugging at his lips as he revealed, "I earned this million dollars by making a deal with the guild master of Apocalypse." He paused for a moment, letting the weight of his words sink in before turning to his father.
"Dad, now you don't have to worry about anything. You can finally retire just like we bet on. I didn't just earn $10,000; I earned a million!" His voice carried a sense of triumph, a fulfillment of the promise he'd made.
Then he looked at his mother, his tone softening with affection. "Mom, now you can buy anything you want. You don't have to worry about money anymore."
Finally, he turned to his sister, his smile widening. "And Lila, no more saving up to buy something. You can go on every trip you want without any worries."
After a brief pause, Rian addressed his family as a whole, his voice filled with pride and excitement. "From now on, we don't have to live like this anymore. We're going to live a new life one without the struggles we've faced."
Hearing Rian's words, Father Johan became overwhelmed with emotion. He sat down, his eyes glistening as he simply said, "I'm proud of you, son."
Rian's mother, Elara, wiped away tears of joy, her voice soft but filled with pride. "You did great, son."
Rian smiled warmly at them, feeling the depth of their pride. With a playful grin, he added, "Well, now that I've earned the money, when will Dad retire and start playing games with me to help run the shop?"
Father Johan chuckled, the seriousness of the moment fading as he glanced at Elara and said, "I think it's time to retire and enjoy my life a little, don't you think?"
Elara laughed softly, nodding in agreement, "You've earned it."