How Much Can I Get

When Raegar heard Cauis's words, he gulped while thinking, 'They're still following me! What the fuck is it with these creatures? I thought I dealt with them a week ago.'

The older man handed Leo a steaming cup of tea, his expression calm but his eyes sharp with intent. As he sipped, the man gestured toward him. ''May I see the gold plate the king gave you?''

Raegar handed it over, and after examining it briefly, the man nodded in acknowledgment as he revealed. ''This is the real deal. I can feel the king's aura all over it. Some fakes we've seen out here would shock you.''

Cauis smiled before handing it back before continuing, ''The royal family has sent us instructions to grant you full access to any of our services. However, I feel obligated to warn you…''

His voice lowered slightly as he continued nervously. ''Devils have been sighted on the northern road and within Bloodfang Forest. Travel with caution, young master. It's no longer safe to go alone.''

''Okay, thank you for telling me Cauis,'' Raegar replied before taking a sip of the tea, which he liked.

''I'm being serious,'' the older man reiterated with a worried expression. ''We've lost many patrols over the past week and some have been found ripped apart along the border of the forest. Now we're waiting for the Devil Hunters to arrive from the capital.''

He looked at the commander before speaking in a confident tone. ''I've fought and killed several of them already. Grandfather said I was a hunter but have taken no tests until I join an academy when I turn sixteen.''

When Cauis heard this his eyebrows rose is shock, ''You are? That doesn't surprise me since you're related to the Blonde Demon.''

Raegar started laughing as he offered with a knowing smirk, ''I can look for your soldiers when I return to the forest, but you'll have to pay me.''

The older man started laughing before answering, ''I'll give you two gold coins to bring back anything that helps us solve their disappearance.''

''Okay deal,'' he replied while sipping on the tea.

Following that, the two of them continued talking until another alarm went off causing the commander to jump up and speak in a hurried voice, ''Try not to cause trouble as it will be on my head and do not get involved with the gangs that infest the city.''

'Gangs? This is a fortress, not a city?' he pondered with a confused expression.

Cauis chuckled when seeing his reaction but spoke with a smile, ''You'll see what I mean when you cross the bridge, young master.'' 

Moments later, the older man hurried out of the shack while shouting orders to the surrounding soldiers as war machines starting firing, prompting Raegar to step outside and head toward a nearby bridge just a few meters away.

It led to yet another wall that was heavily guarded by the vampire soldiers. ''What the hell? Two defensive walls? Is it truly that bad out here?'' he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.

A group of guards allowed him to cross when motioning. As Raegar reached the other side, he flashed the gold plate, which surprised the onlookers, but soon enough he stopped in his tracks, stunned by the sight before him.

It was a bustling, compact city, alive with activity. He glanced around, his eyes widening as he took in the sight. The city resembled a Victorian-era town from Earth's past. Aether Lamps adorned the fronts of buildings made from dark grey stone.

'Why does it remind me of old London?' he mused.

Raegar saw all kinds of stores and stalls from blacksmiths, general stores, magic shops which interested him. Moments later, his gaze landed on a building he knew as an Adventurers' Guild.

'Finally, I can sell some of this stuff and free up some space in my bag,' he thought before approaching it.

When getting close, he noticed dozens of men and women hanging around the front while sitting at the tables as bar staff brought out drinks while taking the people's coin as they were slurring their words.

As he approached the guild, a few people glanced his way, their expressions betraying curiosity or mild amusement. Dressed in basic leather armor with no helmet, he stood out among the more seasoned adventurers clad in elaborate gear.

'Grandfather said I don't need better armor because I'm fast,' he thought when noticed the gazes the older people were giving him.

Raegar paid no mind to their looks, brushing off the silent judgment as he stepped through the doors. Inside, his eyes took in the lively atmosphere. The hall buzzed with chatter, the clinking of tankards, and the rustle of paper as people pored over some boards.

There were several with quests posted on them. On the other side was a counter with six men and women waiting for adventurers to approach. The place looked like any guild from the novels he used to read back on Earth.

'Did someone from this world get reincarnated back there? How come it's all so similar?' he pondered.

Raegar approached the reception desk, where a blonde woman sat organizing a stack of papers. Noticing him, she looked up with a friendly smile before greeting him warmly. ''Hello, young man. I'm Mary. How can I assist you today?''

Without hesitation, he replied, ''Where can I sell monster materials? I have a lot of stuff that won't fit on the counter.''

Mary's face lit up with a curious expression as she replied in a professional voice, ''Follow me. There's a room in the back that the guild uses to appraise everything brought in.''

Raegar nodded and started following her after she spoke to another member of staff. Five minutes they stepped into a large room that was free from any furniture and had a few stacks of boxes.

She turned around and motioned for the floor. ''Deposit the materials there while I go get the appraiser to check it out.''

''Okay,'' he replied before dumping out the eel's scales, teeth and other stuff alongside the goblin ears and Aether Cores.

By the time Raegar finished dumping out his magic bag, Mary's jaw dropped open as she muttered, ''How did you kill the River Eel? Those monsters are Tier One, but some are as strong as Tier Two creatures.''

''That thing? It tried to attack me after a group of weird ape-looking monsters,'' he replied with a sigh. ''But those Forest Widows hold a grudge which I have to deal with when i return to the forest.''

Mary's eyes widened even more. ''You're hunting in the Bloodfang Forest?''

''Yes,'' Raegar replied before asking, ''How much can I get for all this?''

The young woman gave a nod and pressed a nearby button, her voice calm as she replied, ''You'll need to give us a little time. I've called for the appraisers. They should arrive shortly. Why don't you wait in the bar in the meantime?''

Raegar nodded silently and exited the room while heading for the bar. Moments later, a man and a woman stepped inside. Mary immediately turned her attention to them and began speaking.

When stepping into the busy place, he looked for a table and found one in the corner. He sat down and got comfortable while waiting for his coins. While sitting there, an older man approached him.

''Hello there, I'm Marcus. You look like you've been in the wild for a while, young man. Would you like a hot meal?'' the stranger spoke.

He looked up while answering, ''I haven't got a coin to my name. I'm waiting for Mary to finish sorting out my haul with the appraisers.''

The older man smiled as he offered, ''Just give me a silver when she returns.''

''Thank you Marcus,'' Raegar replied with a surprised expression.

Following that, Marcus walked back to the kitchen while he started people watching. He noticed there were several adventurer groups that were Tier Three, while the rest was Tier Two.

Their aura gave them away as Raegar could sense their strengths. While sitting there, he pulled out the book that his grandmother bought for him called The Last Chronicles: Techniques for controlling Aura.

'Maybe I can hide my aura, like she suggested all those years ago? That could fool people and give me the upper hand,' he mused, with glowing red eyes that sparkled with mischief.

Raegar began reading while he waited for Marcus to bring the food he had offered. As he did that, he discovered that a person's aura reflected their overall strength. The more powerful the mage, the greater their aura's influence.

After a while, the aura could affect those nearby, forcing the mage to exercise control when around ordinary people to avoid overwhelming them. As Raegar continued reading, he tried to test it out moments later.

[Drop some powerstones, comments, and gifts to help the novel grow; I appreciate all the support you can give]