Chapter 249: Allowance
Auric took a few steps back, startled by Ellia’s words.
He looked up before shaking his head. "You’re teasing me. Well, you already know my plan now, so we should go back. I have taken a look at the barrier for the wind temple as well, so we won’t have any problem entering there tomorrow."
Ellia didn’t say anything else. Milinda might call her a hypocrite, but at this time, she couldn’t stop herself anymore.
"Huuu..." Ellia let out a long breath before muttering, "Maybe I’ve changed too much."
...
The next day.
Katarina led the team toward the wind temple, since she was the one who knew the area.
It didn’t take too long for them to reach the barrier. There was no building to restrict the gate, but there were a few containers that acted as a post for the barrier.
"Do you need me to open the barrier for you guys? Just for 20 points, you will be able to get in and out. You just need to show this to me." A soldier from the container showed a badge to them.
Katarina smiled at him. "Thank you for the offer, but we’re good."
"Huh?" The soldier raised his eyebrows, watching Katarina’s team approach the barrier.
The soldier was already standing, ready to pull them away if something went wrong.
"There are always teams like this. They’re confident that they can enter the ruins without any help. Do they not know they will have a hard time sensing where the gate is without—" Before he finished muttering, the soldier abruptly widened his eyes.
Auric stepped forward and extended his hand, using his own power to open the gate.
"Did they... bring an evolution master into a place like this?" The soldier gasped. They really didn’t need any help. "Still, such a waste. An evolution master can be replaced by a fighter. All they need is to use some points to open the gate. They could have gotten more points with six fighters rather than five."
As soon as they were inside, Auric looked up, observing the barrier. This barrier looked sturdy and filled with energy. His trick wouldn’t work in this place.
"Well, the wind temple, as the name suggests, is a place where the wind gathers. This place is filled with beasts that possess the wind element." Katarina glanced at Vera.
Vera nodded and explained her goal. "I would like to fight beasts and extract their materials. So, the mission is quite simple. If you don’t like this place, you can just get out."
Auric thought for a moment before asking, "Does this place have a landmark or something?"
"All ruins have a landmark. They’re usually the core of the ruins. There used to be a huge camp here. It’s for the people who want to go to the mountain to get some rest."
"Should we go there then?" Auric raised one finger. "I personally would like to go around this place to find artifacts. Rather than using materials that might be damaged because of our power, it’s better to use artifacts to help you evolve."
"Well, I don’t mind that, but using materials and asking for help from an evolution master is cheaper than using an artifact." Vera frowned.
"It’s fine, it’s fine." Auric waved his hand. "I’m not asking you to pay for the artifacts. Besides, If you get stronger, it’ll allow us to challenge even more beasts. The group will be safer, so it’s fine."
Vera looked at Auric for a few seconds, wondering if she could change his mind. In the end, she could only sigh.
Auric would be the one finding the artifacts, so she had no choice but to shut up and accept one of those artifacts.
"I... understand."
Auric nodded. "That’s the decision. Let’s go to the camp first before going around this place, shall we?"
Since Vera, who was the one planning to come here, agreed, the group followed suit.
While walking, Ellia whispered to Auric. "Well, you need to understand her. Her family might engage in business, but her family is considered a military family. It has produced many officers in the military.
"They might be a big family, but her family is extremely strict. From what I’ve heard, even though her family is that rich, she only has about four hundred thousand credits as her monthly expenses."
"Oh?" Auric raised his eyebrows.
"That’s big for ordinary people, but it’s not extremely small for a family as big as hers. Even Katarina should have twenty to thirty million as her monthly expenses, and she can probably request more.
"Vera’s expenses are far from enough to bring her up, but her family indeed gives her access to the facilities they have.
"That’s why Vera has always been strict with money. In fact, she often hunts beasts to earn money for her living expenses."
"No wonder." Auric finally understood why she had been quite frugal. "But won’t that cause her to stagnate? If she can just get the boost from her family, she would have become much stronger than now."
"Nope. As I said, she has access to all the facilities that her family has. If she needs a battle technique, she just needs to go to her family. If she wants to repair a weapon, she just needs to ask them. However, her family teaches her to buy the weapon herself. If she wants one, she needs to get it herself."
"Fair point." Auric contemplated. For a normal family, a few hundred thousand every month was like a dream.
Still, the capital city was much more expensive than any city in the countryside. At the same time, as the heiress from a big family, she needed more money to form a connection with other people of the same status.
So, a few hundred thousand was nothing. In fact, if Katarina’s family was as big as Vera’s family, they would have given Katarina a few hundred million monthly.
"Is money the reason she dislikes you?"
"It’s more complicated than that." Ellia shrugged. "Well, money can be one of the reasons."
"Don’t tell me, you’re flaunting your pocket money in her face?" Auric chuckled.
"What are you talking about? I have never received an allowance. I only received two gifts from my grandfather and a bit of his teaching. Then, I used them to get more money. In the end, I can earn my own allowance." Ellia looked away. "If I want, I can take out tens of billions per month."
"..." Auric was speechless. He suddenly remembered the time he was trying to be smart in front of Ellia.
Lindwurm even facepalmed while saying, "Oh no. We should have asked for more for that hotel inside the mall!"
He charged her only five hundred thousand credits. Meanwhile, Ellia could easily take out a few million for that ’hotel.’
Auric’s earnings were about two hundred million credits a month. It still couldn’t be compared to Ellia.
In fact, if Auric wanted to expand his business, he only needed to ask Ellia. She could probably grow his earnings to billions in a month or two.
Still, Auric didn’t intend to hand over his stores to anyone else. After all, he intended to grow them himself.
"I understand the situation, but using an artifact is not a waste." Auric nodded. Even after hearing all this, he thought that his decision wasn’t bad.
"That’s your decision. Besides, do you intend to submit all the artifacts?"
"No. I will probably only submit half or less, depending on how many points are required. I do intend to take first place, but the points don’t need to be that large. I don’t plan to show off the points after all."
"Then, you are going to split the artifacts?"
"Yeah."
"In that case, you should be careful when splitting the artifacts. You are the one finding them, and they definitely don’t know about your senses. So, it’s only right for you to take 50% of the artifacts. The rest should receive 10%."
"Is that all right? I think my portion is a bit too big."
"It’s too small actually. This team would get at most ten artifacts during this hunting event without you. That’s why you need to receive that much. Don’t worry too much. I’m going to handle it for you."
Auric shook his head helplessly. "Fine."
"Very well."
...
While the team continued with their exploration, Chief Prosecutor Arnie couldn’t help but rub his forehead, looking at the report.
"This is rather a mess. I’ve been using the information from the documents stored in that safe house, but..."
Arnie looked concerned.
"Sir!" Jennifer entered the room. "I’ve got another report."
"What is it?"
While placing down the report, she explained, "Apparently, more and more cases about the poison are emerging. Their target is not just a student who has just gotten into the university this time."
Arnie took a look at the report immediately. "So, they have prepared a poison for juvenile-form avatars..."
"Yes, but I’m currently suspecting the possibility of a poison that will work against adult-form avatars."
"Seriously? There is no such case yet, right?"
"There is nothing like that, sir. However, please take a look at this." Jennifer guided him to another page.
"The amount of the materials has increased. And all these materials..."
"Yes, sir. They’re materials from rank 3 beasts. They might either have another breakthrough or have been forced to release this poison early."
Arnie looked down, contemplating. "This director is extremely slick. There might be some congressmen as well as families supplying their money. Can a poison like this become medicine or something?"
"There’s no such report from the lab, sir." Jennifer shook her head. "However, as we suspect, they might be targeting the bi-annual hunting event, sir."
"As expected..." Arnie narrowed his eyes. "The hunting event allows not only students but also other people to participate as long as they’re under 22 years old. No, why would they show this kind of poison? If they want to, they could launch a surprise attack."
"They probably want to test this poison."
"They can always kidnap them and hide this fact until the actual attack." Arnie fell silent. "Is Auric participating in this hunting event?"
Jennifer tilted her head in confusion.
"Ah, shit." Arnie took out his phone and called Maya.
"Maya speaking."
"Maya, does Auric participate in the hunting event right now?"
"Yes? I have sent you a note about it. I know that place is going to be dangerous, but with the military and you, it should be quite safe. It’s also a good place to avoid the rats in the town."
"A note?" Arnie hurriedly checked his phone and saw a note from a week ago.
He had been buried with all the documents he had to check from the safe house that he didn’t even read this note. "For God’s sake."
"You didn’t read my notes?"
Arnie immediately stood up. "Those poisoning cases are a distraction. They’re aiming for your student. I need to go there right away!"
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