Chapter 35: Copper Coins Symbolizing Friendship and Trust

The girl ran through the dense forest, the Death God chasing close behind her.

Thorns tore at her clothes. A vine snagged her bare foot, sending her frail body crashing into a muddy puddle. She struggled in the muck, her face covered in dirt, but her eyes sparkled like stars in the night sky.

A massive scythe mercilessly pierced the girl, extinguishing the radiant light in her eyes.

The Death God had caught up.

The girl turned to dust and scattered in the wind, leaving behind a faint but unextinguishable Flame. She would undergo resurrection within the Flame, and the Death God stood beside it, clutching his scythe as he waited.

The Death God felt a hint of impatience toward the Undying girl. He did not know how much longer this Silent pursuit would last, but the girl was getting closer and closer to her destination.

"Whoa! As expected of the Adventurer’s Guild, there’s a huge variety of materials. No, wait!"

"There’s way too much! This is just the beginner’s area, right?!"

Blaze couldn’t help but marvel at the sight before him.

Rather than a warehouse, it looked more like a massive meat processing plant. Various Monsters were either hung up or laid out on the ground as dedicated staff dismembered them. The harvested materials then underwent Identification by an Appraiser on standby and were sorted according to their quality and category.

"Sir Black Beast Knight, do you think Ordinary People are important in the eyes of the Blessed?" the Guild Master suddenly asked.

This question was a bit difficult for Blaze because he had once been one of the Ordinary People himself. He rarely had the chance to interact with any of the Blessed other than the Foreigners.

However, he could easily guess the answer.

"No..."

"They’re incredibly important."

"Ahem, yes, exactly. Incredibly important," Blaze coughed awkwardly.

The Guild Master didn’t give him a hard time. Instead, he clasped his hands behind his back and hunched over, leading the way for Blaze and Herbie.

"After the Blessed defeat a Monster, they instinctively absorb its soul. This turns the Monster’s body to dust, causing precious materials to disappear with it. It’s quite a waste," the Guild Master explained, handing an oval-shaped item to Blaze.

[Paralysis Trap]

[Inflicts an anesthetized state on any Monster that enters its trigger range. A high-quality item featuring two modes: venom paralysis and Magic paralysis.]

"This is an item that only a [Trap Developer] can craft, right? But its Effect only works on Monsters around Level 50."

Blaze handed the trap back. A [Hunter] could also unlock the Skill to craft traps, but they definitely wouldn’t be as good as those made by a specialized Profession like the [Trap Developer].

"That’s because our guild’s [Trap Developer] is only Level 40," the Guild Master waved his hand, signaling for Blaze to keep the trap.

"Even the Blessed get headaches over the fact that most of the materials turn to dust after they risk their lives to defeat a Monster. That’s why we provide [Capture] commissions."

"And then you profit from the price difference, right?" Looking at the meat processing plant-like scene before him, Blaze finally understood the purpose of these [Capture] commissions.

"A Griffin has about 200 feathers that can be used as materials, but if you give the Foreigners just seven or eight, they’ll be overjoyed. Sometimes, if you give them a Griffin’s heart, they’ll drop to their knees on the spot and tearfully thank the Gods.

"Even if we don’t give them one, they’ll just curse the Griffin for being heartless. They won’t blame us at all."

"Because normally, they wouldn’t get this many materials when they defeat a Griffin, right?" Blaze looked at Herbie, who discreetly flashed him a V-sign for victory.

It was self-evident who had proposed this [Capture] commission.

"That’s just too..."

"The [Capture] commissions allow us to accumulate a massive amount of materials. Most of them are handed over to [Hermes’ Travel Hat] to be sold, so you’re free to pick whatever materials you like."

Herbie nudged Blaze with her elbow. Although her face was expressionless, Blaze could practically see the wicked smirk radiating from her.

"Do you have any objections to this policy?"

"UGH! No."

Why did the future Lady turn a blind eye to Herbie’s wicked deeds? Because Herbie simply paid too much.

This time, Blaze had come for the chicken’s secondary growth. It was about time for that little guy, who only knew how to hide in the Lion’s mane, to make a slight contribution.

However, making the chicken grow to the size of a Fast-Walking Ostrich was still too much of a stretch, so Blaze settled for the next best thing.

"First is the nictitating membrane, then the nasal cavity bones, sturdy bones, and sharp feathers," Blaze held a basket, picking out rare materials as if he were shopping for groceries at a market.

He was gathering the essential materials needed for the fastest bird for the chicken.

A nictitating membrane to protect the eyes during high-speed flight. An external nasal tubercle to prevent air from bypassing the nostrils during high-speed flight, allowing airflow to smoothly enter the nasal cavity and reach the body. Bones capable of withstanding the immense pressure generated by high-speed dives, and sharp feathers to reduce wind resistance.

For the sharp feathers, he used the plumage of the avian Demon, the Sharp Rain Eagle. Even though this Monster had "Rain" in its name, it had absolutely nothing to do with rain; it was a genuine Wind Attribute Monster.

Blaze spent quite a while on his zero-dollar shopping spree, but he knew his limits. The only thing he took a bit too much of was the Sharp Rain Eagle’s feathers.

"Did you get a result you’re satisfied with?" Blaze asked Herbie on their way back to the tavern.

Getting materials for Blaze during this trip to the Adventurer’s Guild was actually just a bonus. The real objective was to confirm the Guild Master’s stance, which was why she had specifically brought Blaze along as a bodyguard.

"It went alright," Herbie clicked her tongue. "People who are too loyal are actually unreliable. They don’t think or act for themselves. Profit-driven supremacists like the old Guild Master are much better.

"Based on their loyalty to me, they will do everything in their Power to protect their own interests."

"You... have never completely trusted anyone, have you?"

Herbie paused in her steps and turned back, revealing the most complex expression Blaze had ever seen on her face.

It was expressionless, yet it told a long, profound story.

"Sorry."

Blaze realized he had misspoken. As one of the Ordinary People, Herbie had climbed to her current position in the dog-eat-dog struggle for Power and wealth within [Hermes’ Travel Hat]. He didn’t know how many times she had trusted others, nor how many times she had been betrayed.

"I trust Audrey. And I trust you."

"Oh." Blaze was somewhat flattered.

"I have no choice but to trust you, you know!" Herbie tapped her finger against Blaze’s Chest Armor. "You should feel honored! Even if there’s a time limit, my trust in you is the most valuable thing on your person right now.

"You penniless Ghost of an exiled Fallen Knight!"

"That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think? I still have some money." Blaze patted himself down and pulled out three Copper Coins.

"..."

Herbie stared at the three Copper Coins and fell silent. Feeling a bit guilty, Blaze tried to pull his hand back, but Herbie’s petite body erupted with immense Power as she grabbed his hand.

"HEHEHE—"

Herbie’s face broke into the most sincere, enthusiastic, and simultaneously most sycophantic smile Blaze had seen so far.

"Sir Knight, just one Copper Coin a day is enough to maintain the trust and friendship between us."

"Why is friendship suddenly part of the deal?"