Chapter 16: Handbook

“Twenty goblins and one bear goblin, bounty is 17 gold and 4 silver.”

“Mission 701 investigation task, reward is 30 gold coins.”

“Total comes to 47 gold and 4 silver coins.”

The short-haired girl’s flat voice reached my ears as I weighed the heavy coin pouch in my hand.

A deep sense of satisfaction and achievement welled up within me.

I slightly opened the pouch, glimpsing the gleaming gold inside, my lips curling unconsciously.

I didn’t count the coins on the spot.

For one, the Adventurer’s Guild, spanning the entire Ephara Continent, was an undeniable colossus, unlikely to shortchange me a few coins.

And judging by the girl’s swift handling, the tallying of loot clearly wasn’t done manually, so errors were unlikely.

On the other hand, with people coming and going in this hall, I knew better than to flash my wealth.

If I wasn’t sure, I could count it carefully once I settled down.

As I pondered, the girl’s bored voice came again:

“Team badge, want to cancel it?”

Unfamiliar with the process, I asked curiously:

“What’s the impact of canceling it for me?”

“The team leader needs to pay 20 gold annually.”

“Cancel it!”

It wasn’t just that I was reluctant to spend 20 gold coins… okay, it was a bit pricey.

Mainly, the Rotten Fish and Shrimp team was down to just me, and as a rookie adventurer with no mission experience, keeping the team alive was pointless and I couldn’t recruit anyone.

What I really needed was to find a team suited for my growth, joining as a regular member to learn everything I needed about this world; or go solo, starting with the least dangerous, simplest tasks and taking it step by step.

So, I handed the black iron badge to her without hesitation.

With many things still to handle, I stuffed the coins into my pack, about to leave, when I remembered something and asked:

“Healing potions, do you know where to buy them?”

The health potion from the bear goblin fight, used by Maji, left a deep impression—almost miraculous.

It healed light injuries instantly and could stabilize near-fatal wounds.

Having a bottle was like an extra trump card, a layer of protection for my life.

If I could buy one, I wouldn’t pass it up.

“Right turn, furthest in,” the girl replied lazily, not lifting her head.

My eyes lit up, and I thanked her before heading off.

Sure enough, in the hall’s corner, a small shop with an “Alchemist’s Guild” sign sat among the crowd.

It retained the guild branch’s natural, Mist Forest-like style, but its shelves were packed with bottles and jars:

[Truth Serum]: 150 gold

[Poison Potion]: 200 gold

[Light Resistance Potion]: 300 gold

[…]

A glance at the prices made my head spin.

“These prices aren’t for low-tier adventurers like me.”

I moved cautiously through the shelves, fearing I’d accidentally break a bottle and lose my entire fortune.

Then, at the shop’s most prominent spot, I found my target:

[Health Potion]: 50 gold

“Not bad.”

After the shock of those prices, the potion wasn’t as expensive as I’d feared.

But considering my total wealth was barely under 50 gold coins, the cost was still steep.

Noticing my hesitation, the shop’s owner—a bald man in a beige robe—strolled over, hands behind his back.

“Newbie?” he asked casually.

I nodded, and he pointed to the shelf behind me:

“Health potions aren’t cost-effective; you won’t use them often.”

“I’d recommend this instead.”

My gaze followed.

In a corner of the shelf, a few leather pouches with classic herb symbols were casually stacked.

[Medical Kit]: 5 gold

It contained bandages, ointment, and splints for ten uses.

“I don’t have much stock. Nobody buys these here; general stores outside are full of them.”

“Thanks for the tip,” I said, nodding, though my eyes drifted back to the health potion.

In my mind, such a life-saving item was top priority.

It was pricey, but there was no rush.

I still had loot to sell and hadn’t taken another mission.

Once I sorted my funds, I could decide whether to buy.

“Are all potions here this expensive?”

Seeing the bald man’s approachable demeanor, I voiced my curiosity.

“You get what you pay for,” he said, waving a hand. “All crafted by professional alchemists in the guild, quality guaranteed.”

He glanced toward the stairs at the back of the hall:

“What I have here is just cheap stuff.”

“The real top-tier items are upstairs!”

“[Keen Eye Potion], [Gaseous Form], [Hill Giant’s Strength], tsk tsk,” he nodded, hands behind his back, listing them like treasures. “But those prices… not for folks like us.”

“Upstairs?” New to the guild’s ins and outs, I was clueless.

“The second floor is where real adventurers with professional ranks take missions.”

“You can’t expect those guys to scrape by on the forest’s outskirts like you lot, right?”

Knowing he meant no insult, just stating facts, I felt no unnecessary offense.

I was about to ask more when a shout came from the shop’s entrance:

“Where’s the owner? Checkout!”

“Coming,” the bald man replied calmly, strolling over, adding one last tip:

“There’s a stall outside the guild selling handbooks. For a newbie, it’s worth a look—should help.”

With my business done and planning to leave the guild, I followed his advice.

After a quick chat with a vendor, I found the “handbook” he mentioned.

3 silver coins.

Not too pricey, so I gritted my teeth and bought it.

The cover was quite refined, printed neatly in an unknown font with two bold lines:

[Adventurer’s Handbook]

(River Valley Town Branch Special Edition)

Below, in smaller white text, was a note:

“21st Day / Duskclaw Month (Ches) / Arcane Calendar Year 1019, Revised Edition”

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