Leon had managed to get a silver coin for each of the thirteen poison glands he had left, and when he got back to the guild where Noel waited, they managed to sell the sap and cash in the slime cores for another nine silver coins. In total, he was able to make two gold coins and two silver coins.
That was a good sum of cash, and thanks to it, they won't need to spend a night on the street. But then there was a problem...
Leon looked to his side, where Noel sat, and then beside her was Beatrice, the girl who blew her back trying to use her skill beside the river, and she looked pale and troubled.
The guild healers treated her, but the cost had left her dry, and even now, she can barely wiggle her toes and move on her own. She would need to rest for a few days to recover, and there was a big problem.
She... had come to this city to make it big. To start her adventuring career, show her powerful skill, and make a lot of money. Until now, she had been sleeping in the guild hall while trying to master her skill and supporting herself by gathering herbs daily.
This incident had sucked off all of her saved money, leaving her both penniless and homeless. When Leon was away, Noel had suggested to Beatrice that she might be able to join their party, just by name, allowing them to take higher quests.
Three F-ranker can take quests of a higher rank, and especially now that Leon and Noel proved to the guild that they can slay slimes. It is illegal to let people join just to inflate their numbers, but Leon should be able to find a way around.
Looking at Beatrice, he sighed. "You should be able to move in a few days, and I'm sure your hands can still move." He looked at her with a smile. "Fine. You can, but on one condition."
Hearing that, Beatrice's eyes sparkled. "Really!? You'll let me in?"
"Hear the condition first. We're also struggling for money, so you'll have to bear with less-than-comfortable living conditions. I was planning on renting just one small room at an inn, and we're not going to splurge on food or a fancy bath either." He stared at her face with a tired look. "I want to gather enough money and leave this city as quickly as I can, so I don't need someone who will slow me down."
To Leon's surprise, Noel was the one to speak. "One small room!?! We're going to sleep on the same bed?" He didn't know if she was disgusted or thrilled, but he had one response anyway.
"Fool, I'm going to sleep on the ground. You two will use the bed." But the moment he replied, Noel replied once more. "Then what about the food and bath?"
"The forever soup they serve is the cheapest, and we'll get it with some dry bread. For the bath, I'll just ask the inn owner for a bowl of hot water and some old clothes so we can wipe ourselves with them. For our clothes, washing them in the inn's backyard should be enough."
"I'll wash the clothes then! I also learned how to repair armor and sharpen swords, so I can do that while I can't move." Beatrice smiled. "That should allow you two to be able to take more quests in a shorter time and make more money."
With that, Noel carried Beatrice on her back, and they headed to the cheapest inn in the entire city. It was an old, almost crumbling building run by an old couple. A sweet grandma and angry grandpa.
The room cost them three silver coins, and the food was a total of three iron coins and nine copper coins. The money itself was simple to count, but as it seemed, many people in this world were illiterate.
1 Royal Seal = 10 Platinum Coins = 100 Gold Coins = 1000 Silver Coins = 10,000 Iron Coins = 100,000 Copper Coins. So it is a factor of 10 better for each denomination. One piece of old bread cost them three copper coins each.
The room they got was tiny, just two and a half meters wide, had a single bed, a large box, and nothing more. It was dusty, and probably not that far different from the room Leon saw in the abandoned inn. As he sighed and went down to bring them hot water to wipe themselves off, Noel started cleaning the room with Beatrice's help.
Then night came, and both Noel and Beatrice slept on the small bed, while Leon himself rested by the wall and closed his eyes. Trying to rest a bit while thinking about what they should do next. He was used to not sleeping much from the days of his noble education, so this wasn't the first time he slept sitting, but it was still uncomfortable.
The closed window opened slightly, and Leon's eyes opened, seeing this tall blond woman with short hair squatting in the window frame. He could recognize those red eyes anywhere now.
"Shit..." He growled. "Reaper, don't tell me you're here to kill me? Or did you just come to visit?" Her eyes moved, glared at him, and then spoke in a cold tone. "The targets should've been only two people. You, Leon Demorian, and Noel Cromwell."
He slowly stood up, and gulped, "Which one of those fools was it that hired?" He growled, speaking in a slightly elevated voice to try and wake Noel up.
"The second oldest one, Alex. Ten platinum coins for your head, and I managed to get him to pay me another five to silence Noel as well." She smiled and showed Leon the bag of coins. "I even got paid beforehand."
She then jumped into the room. "We need to leave the city, now."
Leon blinked several times. "We? What are you talking about?"
"Of course, I'm not going to kill you. I got the money, and I'm already finding it hard to work here with all the guards coming after me, so I'm bailing out."