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DH : [27] Breaking The Curse!
🕑 Added 2024-06-30 04:00:04 +0000 UTCUnder normal circumstances, adventurers are accustomed to exchanging their magic stones for valis after each dungeon run. Among the higher-level adventurers, many have far more magic stones in both quantity and quality than Aiden. The key difference lay in the size of the magic stones Aiden brought for exchange... they were all very small, clearly harvested from goblins and kobolds found on the first to fourth floors. In modern terms, it was akin to taking a sack full of pennies, nickels, and dimes to the bank to exchange for hundred-dollar bills.
A team or individual capable of gathering so many magic stones on the first to fourth floors would be much better off going deeper into the dungeon, where the rewards and experience points would be significantly greater. For novice adventurers, however, they simply lack the strength and stamina to collect such a large quantity of magic stones.
Typically, no one would care how many magic stones you brought out; there are always a few who exchange them only every few days. However, with the mysterious clearing of the third floor now known to adventurers returning to the surface, word had already spread around the plaza.
This was why so many people were surprised.
Could it be that he brought out too many? Aiden silently speculated. It was clear that they weren't eyeing his magic stones out of greed. The older adventurer was well-equipped, and his own bag looked quite full. Moreover, the guild staff had seen all kinds of quantities of magic stones. Then why were they looking at him like that? Suddenly, he remembered how Bell could only gather a few magic stones per day when he first started.
"Oh, these aren't all mine. They're from some newbies in my familia. They're a bit shy, so they asked me to exchange them. Since they gather so few each day, coming here daily to exchange them is time-consuming and troublesome. These two bags have been saved up for quite a while." Aiden quickly concocted an explanation, his eyes darting around as he spoke.
"That's quite considerate of you, kid. Newbies do have it tough." The older adventurer seemed to empathize deeply with the struggles of newcomers.
"Yes, it's quite challenging. They need training but also need to stay safe." Aiden responded, playing along with the small talk.
"200,000 valis. Please take it." Came the calm voice of the guild staff from behind the counter.
"Thank you." Aiden weighed the gold coins in his hand, his mood instantly lifting.
Much like many fantasy worlds, the common currency in Orario was gold coins, though they were referred to as valis rather than simply gold coins.
Unlike many fantastical tales that use gold, silver, and copper coins, valis in Orario were made solely of gold, with different denominations based on size. This suggested that gold was abundant in Orario, or possibly in the entire world, allowing it to serve as the sole material for their currency.
What made the economic systems in many fantasy stories so remarkable was their complexity. In a world without a unified country, and with a continent inhabited by various races in addition to humans, their economies could function in rather mysterious ways.
Across the entire continent, all races and nations, regardless of their alliances or ancient rivalries, uniformly used and issued a common currency. The form, quality, and exchange rate of this currency were completely consistent. Gold, silver, and copper coins were used, arranged from largest to smallest for exchange, and their value remained unchanged despite market fluctuations.
With his pockets full, Aiden walked home with a spring in his step, pondering two things.
"Yesterday, I spent nearly all my money, leaving me with less than 10,000 valis. Today, I've earned so much again. It's amazing to be able to both kill monsters and make money."
"Speaking of which, Dante and Nero were always poor. If they came here, they would be overjoyed every day. They could kill monsters to their heart's content without worrying about losing money. This place could break the Sparda family's curse of poverty."
"Dante, I'm not going to be poor anymore!"
"And Hestia, nicknamed the Goddess of Poverty by Loki, what kind of expression will she have when she sees how much money I've made on my first day?"
As twilight approached, the clouds on the horizon were painted in brilliant gold and red hues by the setting sun, casting a reddish glow over the city. The chirping of birds returning to their nests could be heard, signaling that the night life was about to begin.
Address number 233 in the Amor Square was actually closer to West Street, in a residential area not far from there.
After leaving Babel Tower, Aiden wove his way through the bustling crowd in the plaza. He hummed an old celebratory song, "Today, the common people are truly happy~" in a low voice, his steps light until he reached the building.
Aiden opened the gate, walked along the cobblestone path flanked by grass on both sides, climbed the steps, and gently opened the door. "I'm back, Hestia."
Hearing Aiden's voice, Hestia immediately set down her novel and rushed toward the entrance.
Aiden had just stepped inside when he heard the sound of hurried footsteps not far from the entrance, likely the sound of flip-flops slapping against the floor.
Hestia, her adorable face beaming with joy, ran toward him. "Welcome back, Aiden-kun~"
Before she even finished speaking, Hestia leaped towards him like a swallow returning to its nest, as if she were a child who had been home alone for a long time, finally welcoming her parents back.
Although Hestia was over a hundred million years old, she still maintained an innocence and charm akin to that of a child. How she managed to do so was a mystery to Aiden. Yet, now he faced a more pressing concern.
Greeted by the adorable goddess with an equally adorable smile, anyone's mood would be uplifted, except perhaps for demons lurking in the abyss.
However, the significant collision between Hestia's substantial frontal armor and Aiden's abdominal muscles left him reeling, despite experiencing it several times before. Unable to withstand such impact, Aiden quickly averted his gaze.
Hestia held Aiden tightly, although he seemed unscathed, she was somewhat displeased. "Aiden-kun, why did you take so long on your first exploration of the dungeon today?"
"Do you know how worried I'd be if I stayed home alone?"
"How did it go? Did you get hurt?"
Aiden seemed somewhat awkward under Hestia's care. After gently setting her down, he cleared his throat. "Don't worry, Hestia. Though I'm not as formidable as a high-level adventurer, I possess Inborn Divine Strength. Moreover, I'm cautious. Today, I only made it to the third level... Also, please refrain from hugging me so casually like that, and don't get too close."
