The archivist's sharp voice cut through Elliot's swirling thoughts, snapping him back to reality.
"Don't tell me you're just a poor, pretty-faced boy who can't even afford 200 silver coins," she remarked with a raised brow, her tone both mocking and unimpressed.
Elliot felt his entire being freeze for a moment before shame came crashing down on him like a tidal wave.
What the fuck?
Did she just casually say 200 silver coins as if it were pocket change?
Elliot could hardly process it. In this world, there were three forms of currency: copper, silver, and gold. Copper was the lowest in value, silver was in the middle, and gold was the highest. That much he had pieced together.
But here was the problem—he had barely scraped by with just copper coins and had felt rich owning ten of them.
Back when he first transmigrated into this body, he had inherited those ten copper coins from the original host and assumed they were a reasonable amount. He hadn't really needed to spend money since arriving at the academy, so he never truly questioned how the economy worked.
He had naively thought that possessing ten whole coins made him an average student in terms of wealth. But now? Now, this casual exchange had obliterated that illusion.
If books required silver coins—not even copper, but silver!—then what did that mean for the actual value of copper?
Elliot swallowed hard as the realization sank in.
Copper coins are practically worthless here.
And by extension, he was dirt poor.
Wow.
This wasn't just unfair—it was humiliating. Not only was he struggling with magic, but now he was officially poor too.
Just great.
Being utterly broke had now been added to the list of unfortunate things about this new life.
Sob.
Embarrassment surged through him like wildfire. Just as he was about to open his mouth and say something—anything—to salvage his dignity, a familiar voice interrupted.
A black card was swiped across the payment console with an effortless flick. The archivist glanced at the confirmation screen and gave a nod.
"Payment successful," she announced.
Elliot blinked.
Then blinked again.
What just happened?
He turned his head and found Charles standing beside him, looking smug as ever.
Wait. What?
Elliot's head snapped toward Charles in pure shock.
This guy had just... casually spent 200 silver coins without blinking?
For reference, Elliot was panicking over not having silver coins, and Charles had just waved a card and erased the problem like it was nothing.
"Wow, Elliot, it seems you won't be able to survive in this academy without me," Charles said, his voice dripping with amusement. Then he smirked. "Don't tell me you actually thought the books would be given to you for free, huh?"
Elliot stared.
He had definitely thought that.
So wait… so they're NOT free?!
"I mean… yeah?" Elliot admitted, blinking in confusion. "Aren't they supposed to be? It's an academy, right?"
Charles let out a chuckle, shaking his head. "You're a funny one, Elliot. Having you around wouldn't be so bad."
Elliot squinted at him.
He wasn't sure if that was supposed to be an insult or a compliment, but he let it slide.
Right now, his emotions were a tangled mess of gratitude and overwhelming debt anxiety. Charles had casually dropped 200 silver coins like it was nothing.
Was this guy insanely rich?
Elliot swallowed his pride, knowing he owed Charles a debt he couldn't immediately repay.
Charles had saved his ass!.
"Ah… thanks so much," Elliot said sincerely, managing a sheepish smile. "You've really helped me a lot today."
For the third time since meeting Charles, Elliot felt grateful for this ridiculous, smug, but strangely reliable guy.
But then another thought crossed his mind—he needed to pay Charles back.
Yes! That's the right thing to do! I should repay him for—
The thought barely formed before his own brain brutally rejected it.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME, ELLIOT?!
Repay him? With what? Hopes and dreams?!
You literally just found out you're broke!!
Yes he was broke! He was a poor mage! How in the world was he going to cough up 200 silver coins to pay Charles back?
Yeah… nope.
That idea was immediately scrapped.
And judging by Charles' next words, he didn't even expect repayment. "Yeah, yeah, you've said that a lot already," he said, clearly enjoying Elliot's predicament. "I told you, helping lost souls like you is nothing to me. And really, those coins really weren't that much."
He shrugged effortlessly, radiating pure confidence.
Not that much?
NOT THAT MUCH?!
Elliot nearly choked.
200 silver coins were a life-changing amount to him!
And Charles had spent it casually, like tossing spare change into a fountain.
Elliot made a mental note right then and there.
One: He was definitely not repaying Charles. He's clearly too rich to care. And plus if the guy said it was nothing to him, then who was Elliot to argue?
Two: Find a way to make money ASAP. If he wanted to survive here, he needed his own damn funds.
There was no way he'd survive in this academy if he remained broke. Hell no. This situation had been humiliating enough—he refused to let it happen again.
"I'll see you around in cultivation class," Elliot said, eager to escape before his pride suffered any more damage. He gave a small, awkward chuckle. "Since, uh, like you said, we both attend it… hehe."
Then, before Charles could say anything else, he hurriedly turned on his heel and fled.
Charles watched him go with an amused expression. He gave a lazy nod and muttered, "Sure."
Meanwhile…
What should have been a casual encounter between two mage classmates had already ignited an entirely different storm elsewhere.