Roughly a month had passed since that fateful fight against the sludge slime.
I’d learned my lesson, and ever since then, I chose my quests very carefully. Even the bronze quests were pretty doable for me by now, and everything was progressing smoothly.
My morning routine began with checking the quest board, and once I selected a quest, I’d head straight to the designated location and finish up no later than the afternoon. In the evening, I’d return to the Adventurers’ Guild for my reward and get ready for the next day of adventuring.
Whenever I had some spare time, I’d practice swinging my sword or stop by the pharmacy or Healers’ Guild to learn more about botany. I felt like I was making the most of my time.
Every day, I’d make at least four silver coins. Sometimes I’d even make up to eight. Minus my living expenses, I’d managed to save up twelve gold coins.
Sure, I’d had to work nonstop for a month to make those coins...but the thing was, I’d never even dreamed that I could make that much money when I’d started out here in Realzahd.
Adventuring was a dangerous line of work, and considering that any injuries I sustained would be entirely my problem to deal with, the money I made was probably paltry compared to the risk. Still, it felt like an awful lot of money, and I was honestly just grateful to have it.
In any case, I now had enough money to pay off my debt to Lugentz at the Seven Fortunes. I could even take some time off from adventuring for another expedition into Patia Forest to conduct further research on its poisonous plants.
So, my plan for today was to stop by the Seven Fortunes, then eat half of the plant samples I’d preserved and go to the church for another assessment, since it had been about a month since my last one.
Once I’d gone over everything I needed to do, I left the hotel.
The backstreets had seemed seedy and full of ne’er-do-wells when I’d first visited, but by now, I was used to it. I headed to the Seven Fortunes with an easy spring in my step.
I’d visited the shop several times over the past few months, so Lugentz and I were pretty friendly now.
“Well, if it isn’t Chris,” he greeted me. “Back to peruse the weapons?”
“Actually, I’m here today to pay off my debt. Sorry for keeping you waiting so long.”
“You’re ready to pay it off already? I know I told you to come back as soon as you had the money, but I don’t mind if you want to pay it off little by little, you know.”
“That’s all right. I’m making some good money now with adventuring, so I can afford it. I really appreciate you offering this arrangement.”
I bowed my head deeply, then handed Lugentz the three gold coins I owed.
If Lugentz hadn’t offered to let me pay for Otto’s autobiography at a later date, it was unlikely that I ever would have bought it—and if I’d never bought it, then I would have never realized the effect that the poisonous plants had had on me.
I probably would have been adventuring just to survive, never realizing my potential, until one day my life would end with nothing to show for it.
Lugentz had made the offer for me to pay for the book later, knowing full well that there was every risk I might never come back. And for that, I was so grateful to him that I couldn’t even bring myself to lift my head.
“Well, if you’re sure... I won’t turn away your coin, then. Thanks, Chris.”
“No, thank you,” I said. “I owe you a lot.”
“So, how did you find the book? I trust it was an engaging read?”
“You could say that...though ‘engaging’ is probably an understatement, considering it contains the most useful information I’ve come across in my entire life.”
Lugentz chuckled.
“I’m sure the author would be thrilled to hear it’s been of such use to you,” he said, sounding so pleased and proud that you might have thought he’d written the book himself.
“Now then, did you just stop by here today to pay for the book?” he asked.
“No. There was also something I wanted to ask you, actually. Do you sell any grimoires?”
“Grimoires, hmm...? I’m pretty sure I’ve still got something around here somewhere. Wait there a minute and I’ll have a look,” Lugentz said before heading into the back of the shop.
I’d wanted to see if he had any grimoires for Hester, and from the sound of it, it seemed like he might.
“Ah-hah! Knew I had one lying around here! This thing’s probably been around for centuries, but it’s a grimoire, all right.”
“So, this is a grimoire? It really doesn’t look like just your average book, does it. I mean, it’s even got fancy decorations on the cover.”
It was obvious at a glance that the book was very old, and from the gold and silver decorative flourishes, it was obviously not just any old book.
I’d been thinking about buying it if the price was right, but I could tell that it was way out of my league.
“That’s grimoires for you, son. Hester pleaded with me to put it aside for her, so it’s been gathering dust in the back of the shop.”
“Hester asked you to?” I stopped, considering the implications of this. “You didn’t offer to let her pay for it later?”
Lugentz chuckled again.