Chapter Seventeen — Money at Last
"Now, on to the rewards..."
"You already know that a gold coin equals one thousand silver coins, and each silver coin equals one thousand copper coins. That's why the kidnapper rushed at you, Daniel, when you tricked him—simply because you showed him something that looked like gold."
"And to make the value of a gold coin clearer to you: know that the value of a dollar in our world is roughly fifty copper coins, which means a single gold coin is worth about twenty thousand US dollars."
"Since you arrived in this world suddenly, the kingdom normally gives each newcomer half a gold coin as initial assistance. But what happened to you was a rare exception. Because of the special incident you experienced, it was decided that each of you would receive a full gold coin."
"As for you, Daniel... you will receive an additional half gold coin from me personally, as an apology for the threat to your life. The commander also decided to grant you another half-coin as a reward for your help in killing that madman."
"That's about it."
.......
Daniel, Lucas, and Sanjay left the Knights' center, walking as if they had returned to a dark past of study they preferred not to remember after all they had heard inside.
They hurried back to their home, and once they were reunited under its roof, a long silence settled among them.
Sanjay finally broke the silence, speaking thoughtfully: "So... what now? Should we go to the Noble Mercenaries? Or look for ordinary work?"
Daniel and Lucas answered in unison, without hesitation: "Mercenaries!"
Sanjay was surprised by their quick reaction, then smiled and said, "I think I'll go with the Fire element... it feels right for me."
Lucas looked at him, thinking, then said, "I'm torn between Earth and Air... I really don't know which to choose."
Daniel smiled and said, "I chose Lightning."
Sanjay sighed, "I had hoped to pick Light... but that seems out of reach."
Daniel looked at him. "I'm Lightning, you're Fire... if Lucas chooses Earth, we'll complement each other well."
Lucas nodded, "Alright."
Daniel laughed, "Good that our wishes differ... imagine if we all wanted the same element?"
Lucas considered, then said sarcastically, "Yes... that would be a disaster."
---
They left the house and boarded a cart bound straight for the Noble Mercenaries' headquarters.
The headquarters was huge, built in an old style like stone castles with high towers. At the gate stood armed guards wearing armor rougher and less elegant than the Knights', but it looked effective. Above the entrance hung a wooden sign, boldly inscribed: "Headquarters of the Noble Mercenaries — Courage Begins Here."
Inside the place bustled with life. Mercenaries of various ages moved in every direction; some sat at tables eating and swapping stories, others gathered around the mission board where task sheets were carefully posted, each carrying a danger rating.
The three approached the reception desk, where a weary-looking clerk sat; he raised his head with a formal smile as Daniel stood before him.
Daniel said confidently, "We want to join as mercenaries... the three of us."
The clerk looked them over, then took three thick sheets like old parchment from his drawer—rough to the touch and stamped with the kingdom's wax seal. Each sheet bore strict rules and clauses, including that if someone dies during a mission, the death is not the responsibility of whoever assigned it; each mercenary bears his own choices.
The three read the papers carefully, nodded in agreement, and pressed a drop of blood onto the designated spot on each sheet.
At that moment the clerk produced a small blue stone that emitted a faint glow... and suddenly the sheets vanished as if absorbed into the stone.
The three stared in silence at the spot where the papers had been.
Then the clerk asked quietly, "Which house will you choose?"
Daniel answered without hesitation, "Valdrin."
Lucas said, "Drakovin."
Sanjay said, "Nemaris."
The clerk produced three small emblems—colored discs: one red, one brown, one white. Each bore the letter F, the mark of the lowest rank.
And so the three officially became F-rank mercenaries.
They headed straight to the market for this kind of gear. The market was packed with mercenaries and monster-hunters. The air smelled of spices, monster blood, and hot metal. In the center stood a shop selling mana stones, its wooden sign carved: "The Best Mana Stones in the Kingdom — All Elements."
The shopkeeper was a thin young man wearing tiny glasses; he smiled at them as they entered, "Welcome, fresh faces? I greet you at your first step."
Lucas replied, and the three began to inspect and buy.
Each mana stone was about the size of a palm, smooth like polished glass but harder than steel. When you held one, you felt a faint warmth from within, as if it cradled a slumbering energy.
The stones differed not only in color but in the attributes of the element they embodied:
Fire stone: glowing red, small tongues of flame danced inside like fire trapped behind glass. When you held it, your fingertips felt a gentle heat, as if eager to burst forth.
Lightning stone: pale sky-blue and lustrous, threaded with flickers that you only notice when you move it. It seemed to contain tiny lightning flashes colliding inside, and it hummed faintly to anyone with a magical sense.
Water stone: clear blue, almost transparent, with tiny slow-spinning whirlpools within, like a miniature imprisoned sea. If you looked deeply, you felt as if you were diving in with your eyes.
Earth stone: grayish-brown, cracked with tiny fissures that hinted at strength, sometimes dimly glowing. It felt unnaturally heavy for its size, as if gravity itself weighed more around it.
Wind stone: pale, almost translucent gray, with a slow, steady mist current turning inside. If thrown in the air, it hovered a moment before falling, as if reluctant to submit to gravity.
Each mana stone contained a limited amount of mana. When its energy was exhausted it would fade in color, become brittle as broken glass, and be discarded or recycled at specialized enchanters' workshops.
Daniel bought twenty lightning stones for sixty copper coins.
Lucas bought twenty earth stones for fifty copper coins.
Sanjay bought twenty fire stones for sixty-five copper coins.
When Daniel held a stone and voluntarily called up its detail screen, he saw:
[ Mana Stone ]
[ Type: Lightning ]
[ Level: First ]
[ Purity: Weak ]
[ Accumulated Mana: 1 mana points ]
Daniel already knew this: low-level mana stones usually contain three mana points. He also knew that finishing the refinement of a stone doesn't mean you gain all three points—the refinement process wastes a portion of the mana.
Prices varied according to the rarity of the natural element and market demand, and they could change at any time without notice.