As soon as they reached the town gates, Grimwald, Draven, and Serephina who had been waiting for their return waved them down. Valerius guided his horse toward them before slowing to a stop. The city guards stepped forward, carefully helping Bart Vance down from the saddle.
Draven was the first to speak. "So? How'd it go?" He looked between Valerius and Bart expectantly.
Bart dusted off his coat before turning to Valerius. "Now then, young man, let's talk about your compensation for the Lycan."
Valerius folded his arms, rubbing his chin. "I've never sold a monster corpse before. I have no idea what the right price for this would be."
Before Bart could respond, a smug voice cut in. "Well, that's where I come in!" Grimwald grinned, jabbing a thumb toward himself. "This is my area of expertise."
Bart raised an eyebrow, amused. "Oh? And how experienced are you, young man?"
Draven chuckled, answering for him. "Grimwald, worked at a monster trading center back in our hometown for a few years. That's where he picked up his weird obsession with monsters."
Grimwald cleared his throat, ignoring the remark. "Right then. Let's see…" He put on a thoughtful expression, eyes narrowing as if he were solving an advanced equation. "I've never seen a calamity-class monster sold before, but the highest price I ever witnessed for a predator-class beast was 85 gold coins. So, if I had to guess… maybe two or three platinum coins?"
Bart let out a deep chuckle. "Huhu… Not bad, Grimwald. You have a good eye for estimates." He paused, then smirked. "But you just severely undersold your friend."
"What?!" Grimwald's jaw practically dropped. "You're joking, right?!"
Bart shook his head. "To be fair, you were both right and wrong. If this were an ordinary Lycan corpse, hunted by a unit from the mercenary guild, it might have sold for that price. But this," he gestured toward Valerius, "was a perfect hunt. The body is in pristine condition, which means I can salvage nearly all of the materials. That alone increases its value significantly."
Draven crossed his arms. "So what's your final offer, then?"
Bart stroked his beard for a moment before glancing back at them. "Let's say… ten platinum coins."
The group went silent.
Grimwald's brain practically short-circuited. "T-TEN?! Did you just say ten platinum coins?!" His hands flew to his head, processing the numbers out loud. "That's a hundred gold coins! And one gold coin is a hundred silver coins… which means ten thousand silver… and one silver is ten bronze coins… which means a hundred thousand bronze coins!"
Serephina sighed, shaking her head. "Oh, so you do remember math. Is this the first time you've actually used that useless brain of yours in years?"
Grimwald shot her a glare, but she just shrugged.
Valerius, meanwhile, remained composed. "That's a lot of money," he admitted, turning back to Bart. "Are you sure that's reasonable?"
Bart nodded without hesitation. "Absolutely. Your friend's estimate wasn't wrong he just didn't account for the difference in value between a predator-class monster and a calamity-class one. The gap is immense. And considering I can utilize ninety percent of this Lycan's body, it's well worth the price. Trust me, you're not getting swindled here. If anything, this is a win for both of us."
Valerius thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright then. I'll take you up on your offer." He extended his hand. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Bart."
Bart clasped his hand firmly, grinning. "Likewise, young man."
Then, his expression turned slightly more serious. "Actually… there's something else."
Valerius raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Bart chuckled. "Ever considered working for me? I'll pay you a top salary. With your skill in hunting, my business would thrive." He paused, then added, "I don't have any children to inherit my trade. If you're interested, I might even pass the business down to you one day."
Draven, Grimwald, and Serephina all turned to Valerius in surprise.
But Valerius only smiled slightly and shook his head. "I appreciate the offer, Mr. Bart, but I'll have to decline. I've got my own path to follow."
Bart let out a slow breath before nodding. "I figured as much. A shame, really." Then, he pulled out a pouch and tossed it to Valerius. The clink of metal inside confirmed its weight. "Here. That's your ten platinum coins. Don't worry about the corpse my men are already on their way to retrieve it."
Valerius caught the pouch with ease, giving Bart a small nod. "Thanks."
Bart grinned. "I hope our paths cross again, Valerius." With that, he turned and disappeared into the crowd.
Grimwald exhaled, still trying to wrap his head around the situation. "What a considerate old man… I thought all those big-time merchants were crooks, but he seemed pretty decent."
Draven shrugged. "Yeah, he seems fair, but who knows? He could've still undersold the monster's price."
"Oh, come on, Draven," Serephina groaned. "Ten platinum coins is already a fortune. You could live comfortably for years on that!"
Draven sighed. "Yeah, yeah, I get it." He turned to Valerius. "So? What do you plan on doing with all that money?"
Valerius hummed in thought. "For now… nothing. I don't have any major expenses, and I'd rather not waste it. Guess I'll just find a decent inn and take things one step at a time."
Grimwald groaned. "Boring."
Valerius smirked. "I prefer to call it practical."
Practical for now, at least. He wasn't about to tell them the real reason he'd need that money.
"You're right. Let us find an inn the best one in town!" Serephina declared excitedly, practically bouncing on her feet.
Valerius narrowed his eyes. "Wait… us?"
"Eh?" Serephina blinked innocently.
"What do you mean 'eh'?! You just said us. What's that supposed to mean?" Valerius asked, suspicion creeping into his voice.
"Like I said, we're finding the best inn. You do have the money, right?" Serephina grinned.
"Serephina, that's enough," Draven interrupted, rubbing his temples. "You can't expect him to pay for us when we didn't even help him earn that money." He turned to Valerius apologetically. "Sorry about that. She has a habit of chasing after comfort. She overstepped a bit."
Valerius sighed, scratching his head. "Well… it's true that you guys didn't help me hunt the monster, but you did suggest selling the corpse and even found me a buyer. That's worth something, right?" He crossed his arms. "I'll cover your stay and food while we're in Vihadi. What do you think?"
Serephina's eyes lit up like a child who had just been handed a bag of sweets. "Seriously?! You're not joking, right?" she beamed, grabbing Valerius's hands.
"Yeah, it's fine, so let go of my hands." He pulled away, shaking his head. "Let's find the best inn we can. Make sure it has a restaurant too."
"Hell yeah! Leave it to me!" Serephina pumped her fist in the air. "This is my area of expertise finding the most comfortable places to stay!" She turned on her heel, hopping with excitement.
The three men exchanged a look.
Wasn't she limping just a moment ago?
"You guys wait here," Serephina called over her shoulder. "I'll come get you once I find it!" Then, she disappeared into the crowd.
"Alright, while she's doing that, let's split up and see if there's anything useful to pick up in town."
"Got it," Grimwald and Draven said before walking off.
Valerius waited a moment, watching them disappear into the busy streets. Once he was sure they weren't looking, he quietly reached into his horse's saddlebag, pulled out a cloak, and draped it over himself, pulling the hood low over his face. He tied the horse to a nearby wooden post, then slipped away unnoticed.
Moving through the streets like a shadow, Valerius stopped in front of a small shop, eyeing it from a distance like a predator stalking its prey. His stomach growled in anticipation. After a quick scan of his surroundings, he stepped inside.
The scent hit him like a tidal wave.
Meat. Bread. Stew. Spices.
His mouth watered as he marched straight up to the counter, dug into his pocket, and slammed a gold coin down on the counter.
"Bring me everything you have. Right now." His voice was serious, almost commanding.
The shopkeeper nearly jumped out of his skin. "Y-Yes, sir! Right away!" He scrambled toward the kitchen, leaving Valerius to tap his fingers impatiently on the counter.
Minutes later, a parade of steaming dishes arrived. Bowls of thick, aromatic stew. Plates of roasted meat glistening with juices. Loaves of fresh bread, still warm from the oven.
"Haaah…" Valerius exhaled, inhaling the heavenly scent. "This is bliss." His stomach practically sang in anticipation. "Bring it all to me!"
The shopkeeper stepped back cautiously. "Here you go, sir. We appreciate your patronage…"
But Valerius wasn't listening anymore. He grabbed the first piece of meat, sank his teeth into it, and his eyes practically sparkled. The tender flesh melted in his mouth, the rich flavors bursting across his tongue.
"Thank you for existing, Mr. Owner," he mumbled through a mouthful of food, tossing another gold coin onto the counter.
The shopkeeper's eyes widened. "S-Sir! One gold coin is already more than enough! But… we'll gladly accept it. The staff will be going home with very full pockets tonight."
Still, Valerius paid no attention. He was lost in pure satisfaction, devouring everything in front of him like a starving beast.
And then
A hand touched his shoulder.
"Valerius?"
His body stiffened. That voice…
Slowly, he turned his head.
Draven.
Damn it. These guys took way too long to bring my food.
Draven squinted at the hooded figure. "Is that you?"
Valerius swallowed his food, cleared his throat, and tried to speak in a higher pitch. "No, you've got the wrong person."
Draven crossed his arms. "…Really?"
"Yeah. Totally." Valerius kept his back turned.
Draven sighed. "Look, you might have covered your head, but you didn't shrink overnight. You're not exactly small, Valerius." He reached forward and pulled the hood back.
There he was.
Mouth stuffed with food, cheeks puffed like a squirrel hoarding nuts, eyes darting between Draven and his plate.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Draven blinked. "Oh… Ohhh… so… I see… right…"
He took a slow step back.
Valerius swallowed the huge bite with difficulty, still looking at Draven with wide, guilty eyes.
Draven let out an awkward cough. "W-Well… um… it looks like I made a mistake. You are definitely not Valerius."
He turned to leave.
"Stop right there."
Draven flinched as Valerius grabbed his wrist.
"You saw it, didn't you?" Valerius said in a low voice.
"Saw what? I don't know who you are," Draven stammered. "And that food looks really good, so I won't interrupt your meal. We'll, uh… find our friend elsewhere."
"Can you forget this happened?" Valerius asked, his expression filled with pure desperation.
Draven hesitated. Then, he sighed. "O-Okay, fine. I won't say a word. I won't even tell the others. Just… finish your meal. I'll wait outside."
Valerius finally let go of his wrist. "Thanks." His expression softened.
After finishing his feast, Valerius walked out, adjusting his cloak and wiping his mouth. His usual composed demeanor was back in place as he approached the others.
"I found the inn!" Serephina announced excitedly. "You're going to love it!"
Valerius nodded, then asked casually, "What about the food?"
Draven stiffened.
Didn't he just eat enough for ten people?! Draven screamed internally.
Valerius, of course, was fully aware of what Draven was thinking but made sure to avoid his gaze.
Serephina, oblivious to the entire situation, grinned. "Oh, don't worry. The inn has the best food in town!"
Valerius let out a small hum of approval. "Alright then. Let's go."
As they started walking toward the inn, Draven stayed silent.
Meanwhile, Valerius smirked to himself.
A victory, barely secured.