Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons

Your journey continues with empire

Arthur groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Impeccable taste? You're literally licking the plate clean."

"It's called not wasting food," Jasmine said matter-of-factly, holding up the now-sparkling plate. "You should be thanking me for my frugality."

Arthur couldn't hold back his laugh anymore, shaking his head as he muttered, "Incarnation of gluttony, I swear…"

Jasmine leaned back, folding her arms behind her head like she'd just won a debate. "Hey, someone has to balance out your stingy personality."

Arthur's head snapped toward her, his eyes narrowing. "I'm not stingy! I'm just... reserved!"

"Yeah, right," Jasmine muttered under her breath, her lips curling into a sly grin. "You've got at least 20 gold coins to your name, yet here you are complaining about a single silver coin. So petty."

Arthur glared at her for a long second, his lips pressed into a thin line. "You know what? I'm leaving."

"No, no, I was joking!" Jasmine shot up from her chair. "Don't leave. I didn't mean it!"

"I'm leaving," Arthur said firmly, already walking toward the door.

"Wait!" she called, reaching out instinctively and grabbing his wrist.

Arthur froze, his heart skipping a beat. A faint blush dusted his cheeks as he glanced down at her hand holding his.

Jasmine's eyes widened as the realization of what she'd done hit her. She quickly let go, her own face heating up as she stumbled over her words. "I-I didn't mean to—sorry."

Arthur cleared his throat, brushing off the moment as if it didn't happen. "Okay."

He turned back toward the door, determined to make his exit. Reaching the handle, he opened it, he stepped halfway out but paused.

Without looking back, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a small pouch and placed something in it.

With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it over his shoulder. It landed perfectly on the table in front of Jasmine with a soft thud.

Then, without another word, he closed the door behind him.

Jasmine stared at the pouch in disbelief, her mouth slightly agape. She hesitated for a moment before picking it up with both hands. The soft clink of coins inside made her eyebrows shoot up.

Opening the pouch, she gasped. "Ten silver coins?!" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

A soft smile crept onto her lips as she held the pouch close to her chest. "He's such a tsundere," she murmured, her cheeks still flushed.

Sitting back down, Jasmine's grin widened as she thought about Arthur's flustered reaction. "He pretends to be all tough, but deep down… he's actually kind of sweet."

Outside the inn, Arthur sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair.

"This girl…" he muttered, glancing back at the inn. His lips curved into a faint smirk. "I'm investing in her, but honestly, I'm not sure if I'm nurturing a future queen or just being scammed."

The sound of his boots echoing softly against the cobblestones.

"She's got layers," he admitted, his voice low. "Probably more than she's willing to show. But that's fine. I've got time. For now, I'll keep her around and see where this goes."

A passing villager glanced at him curiously, but Arthur ignored it, walking further down the street.

...

Arthur pushed open the creaky door of the alchemy shop and stepped inside.

The pungent smell of herbs, oils, and faintly charred materials filled the air. Behind the counter stood a petite woman, her frame barely visible behind the tall stacks of jars and books.

"Good day, Player," she said in a chirpy tone, her voice carrying a contagious friendliness. "Welcome to my humble alchemy store! How may I assist you today?"

Arthur approached the counter and gave her a nod. Without saying a word, he opened his backpack and began pulling out the wolf bodies one by one, laying them on the floor with soft thuds.

The woman's eyes widened slightly before she tiptoed on her heels, trying to get a better look over the counter.

"Here," Arthur said, dusting off his hands. "I've got these. Interested?"

The woman leaned further, balancing on her toes as she examined the wolves. Her keen eyes swept over the fur, the glinting teeth, and the slightly singed patches of fur where Arthur's attacks had left their mark.

"A level 6 wolf?" she said, her voice tinged with surprise. "That's quite impressive, Player. Not many can take those down. At least only one person has given me that body before."

"Someone gave that to her before? Does that mean there's someone else in this village strong enough to take down these wolves? Then again, when I think about it, maybe it's not so surprising after all." He shrugged, before asking her about the wolves.

"So, what's the price for these? Don't tell me they're worthless."

The woman straightened up and crossed her arms. "Hmm. Let's see. I'll buy one wolf for two silver coins and fifty bronze coins."

Arthur raised an eyebrow, his voice dripping with scepticism as if she was scamming him. "That's it?"

"Yes," she replied, her tone matter-of-fact. "You see, the entire body of the wolf isn't what we alchemists are looking for. Most of it is, well… let's say, less than useful."

She pointed a small finger at the nearest carcass. "We're mainly interested in the claws, the teeth, and the fur."

"Sometimes the liver and the heart are in demand too, depending on the recipe. But everything else?" She gave an exaggerated shrug. "It's a waste."

Arthur tilted his head, thinking it over. "Hmm. Not bad, I guess. I didn't really expect much in the first place."

He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I've got five of these in total. Didn't have the space to carry more." He paused, a wry grin spreading across his face. "Maybe I should start collecting bodies from now on. The way you describe it, I'm basically moving like H.H. Holmes."

The woman blinked at him, clearly not registering his joke. "If you plan to continue hunting, I would recommend investing in larger storage. Having more space will allow you to bring back the specific parts I mentioned instead of the entire body, which would yield a higher profit."

Arthur waved a hand dismissively. "I'll keep that in mind. So, five wolves for..." He did a quick mental calculation. "Twelve silver coins and fifty bronze coins?"

"Correct," she said, pulling out a small pouch from behind the counter and counting the coins meticulously before handing them to Arthur. "Pleasure doing business with you. Feel free to return with more."

Arthur pocketed the coins and picked up his empty backpack. "Noted. Don't worry, I'll be back."

Arthur stepped out of the shop, glancing at the small pouch in his hand. "Twelve silver coins for five wolves? Not bad for a start."

After careful contemplation, Arthur decided to spend 50 bronze coins and rent a room in the inn.

"It's a good investment," he muttered to himself as he strolled through the bustling streets of the village. "I don't want to keep spawning in the middle of the village every time. People are starting to recognize me, and the attention is getting annoying. It's better to have a small room I can spawn in."