Scroll 60: This Elf Is Rich in Looks and Wealth

The mage's lips pressed tightly against his in a deep, burning kiss. Alaster felt the warmth of her body in his arms, wrapped in the thin cotton of a soft nightgown-like dress. Beneath the fabric, her skin felt warm, firm, and sculpted by dangerously pronounced curves. Deinderatrix placed her arms between them, squeezed tight in the embrace as she clung fiercely to the elf’s linen shirt. Her breathing was ragged, almost desperate. It was a passionate kiss, yes, but marked by a subtle clash—it lacked the experience that her swaying hips, suggestive stride, and brazen attitude usually implied.

A sharp knock, knock against the wooden door cut the moment dead in its tracks.

Both froze instantly. The mage's hands had managed to unbutton a couple of buttons, while one of the elf's hands remained firmly under her skirt and the other cupped a large, soft breast over the fabric. Alaster was the first to react, letting her go. Deinderatrix let out a sigh with her eyes still closed, a small murmur escaping her lips as the pressure on her chest vanished, leaving a sudden shiver that seemed to trace its way down her spine.

"That must be Remis," Alaster whispered softly.

The mage opened her eyes and gave him a smoldering look.

"Finish up quickly," she requested, her voice so soft it felt like a caress. "I don't have much time, handsome elf. My wagon to Sibar leaves in an hour, and this cult business is serious. I'll be in my room—hurry up."

Adjusting her white nightwear, she smoothed down the fabric as she walked with a deliberate pace toward the exit. It was barely six in the morning, the usual hour people in this world began their day. Before unlocking the door, she fixed her hair in front of the polished wood reflection until it looked flawless. She opened the door and locked eyes with Remis, offering her a sly little smile and a cheeky wink. The blonde warrior merely gave a small smile in response before stepping inside.

As she entered, Remis was met by the upright figure of the elf on the other side of the table. His attire was entirely dark—the dyed shirt, the long trench coat hugging his shoulders, and black hair framing a face of refined features. A pair of violet irises gleamed with a supernatural hue, though his cheeks still retained a faint blush.

«I have to admit, he really does look like a deity,» Remis thought upon seeing him. «But if I have to listen to the girls whisper one more time about whether he's hotter than some childhood friend or some famous noble, I'm going to rip my ears off.»

The warrior settled into the chair and fixed her gaze on the table, where a pile of silver rested beside two wooden chests.

"Al, this is way more than fifty coins," she said, eyeing the pieces with clear, sharp eyes.

She didn't look overwhelmed; rather, she seemed to be running numbers in her head while forming a subtle smile. Alaster noticed the contrast with Elise. The archer's reaction had been emotional, but Remis's analytical, somewhat greedy side felt more practical and entertaining to him.

The elf slid a stack of ten silver coins toward her.

"This is the pay I promised. And this... is a bonus."

He smiled to himself. He hadn't imagined that handing out money would be fun, but giving these kids a lesson in abundance had its own charm.

Remis knitted her brows, looking at the small stack and then at the remaining pile.

"Hold on... are you saying this right here is my share, but the rest...?" The girl opened her mouth in shock before snapping it shut. "No way! You're joking. You're too much of a joker, Alaster. You don't play around with something like this."

Her breathing turned hurried as her gaze darted back and forth between the metal and the elf's face.

"It's no joke," Alaster replied, putting on his most serious expression. "I already explained it to Elise. It's an extra to compensate for the fact that Berona, Syrus, and Tagard got good gear, while the two of you walked away with nothing. I decided to balance things out so no one felt left behind."

Remis looked like she was hyperventilating. She stretched out her hands and brushed the edges of the coins with her fingertips. The cold touch of the metal drew a soft gasp from her.

«What gorgeous silver... and it's all mine!» the blonde thought excitedly. However, she paused mid-gesture. «Wait... just like that? For nothing?»

A spark of suspicion crossed her mind. She glanced sideways at Alaster, whose profile was caught in the morning light streaming from the window. «I don't think he's trying anything weird with me; that mage is way more attractive... Though if he wanted something... well, I'm not really into men, but I might make an exception for an elf. Besides, Berona doesn't seem to mind either—she's always checking him out from the corner of her eye.»

Alaster observed the shifting expressions on the girl's face: she went from pure excitement to a thoughtful grimace, then scanned his body from top to bottom, running her tongue over her lips. The elf shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

«Alright, this just got weird,» he thought before speaking up.

"It's yours," he said with a slightly hesitant smile.

Remis ruffled the coins, caressing them before standing up without letting go of the pile.

"So... I just take it? You won't regret this later?"

"It's your money."

A broad smile bloomed across the young woman's face. Seeing her standing tall, Alaster noted that she was slender with a firm silhouette, though with rather modest curves. «Elite flat-board,» he thought with a touch of irony. «I can't wait to see her face when she sees the gold.»

Before he could speak, Remis cut in:

"Al... why are you giving me so much? I'm not ungrateful, but nobody gives away stuff like this for no reason."

Noticing the elf's surprise, she waved her hands in the air.

"Don't get me wrong! It's just... I find it curious."

Alaster seized the moment.

"I don't know what you mean," he said in an innocent tone as he reached out and flipped open the lid of the chest on the table. "I simply think it's fair."

Remis's heart skipped a beat at the golden gleam emanating from inside. Her eyes went wide, and though she tried to hide it, the sparkle of gold reflected clearly in her blue pupils. Behind that sharp gaze, her mind was already calculating: her own carriage, a quiet house in the eastern residential district of Sibar, or perhaps that top-tier armor she had seen in Aquilla's shop. To her, these weren't just coins; they were a real upgrade to her life.

When she closed her eyes for a second and looked back at the elf, the image of a powerful, attractive, and loaded mage finally tipped the scales. A heavy blush rushed up her cheeks. Alaster noticed her face turning red as a tomato, but chalked it up to the shock of seeing the money.

"Ahem..." the elf cleared his throat. "The silver is yours if you want it—that's one hundred coins. But..."

Remis, who was now wrapping her arms around herself shyly, stayed silent.

"You have a lot of gold, Al..."

"Just pocket money," he replied with a shrug. «God, I sound like such a flexer when this is almost everything I own,» he thought. He then continued, "Well, if you prefer, I can give you one gold coin instead of all that silver. Also..."

"The gold!" she interrupted, almost shouting.

Alaster was taken aback by her haste. «Wow, Elise picked the exact same thing.»

He reached into the chest, but the warrior stopped him.

"Wait... can I pick the coin?"

The elf nodded. Remis walked around the table until she was standing next to him, turned the chest toward herself, and leaned down to get a closer look. Alaster couldn't help but notice out of the corner of his eye her long legs and the floral scent she carried—similar to the perfume Jinneth used when she didn't smell like fresh bread. The short pants she wore subtly highlighted her figure, while her blouse exposed part of her back.

"May I?" she asked without looking up.

"Go ahead."

The girl dipped her hands into the chest, scooping up a handful of golden pieces and letting them fall back in with a satisfying clink.

"They say the first gold coin is the hardest one to get," she commented, inspecting the piece she had chosen. "And that after that, the rest comes easier."

She threw a final glance at the rest of the stash before turning toward Alaster. As her eyes met his mystical gaze and calm smile, her stomach flipped.

Alaster thought she had caught a cramp from her posture and stood up to offer her the seat.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah..." she replied with a crooked smile.

"Did you pull a muscle in your leg?" the elf asked, bending down to check.

"No!" the girl exclaimed, turning red all over again.

She stood up abruptly, and before Alaster could fully straighten up, the blonde's chest pressed against him in a tight hug.

"Thank you. This is my first gold coin."

"It's for your hard work—you earned it," he said from below, adjusting as best he could against the soft texture of her blouse.

Remis planted a quick kiss near the corner of his lips and pulled away immediately.

"When do you think you'll be back in Sibar?" she asked, avoiding eye contact.

"In about a week," he answered after straightening up. "It depends on what I need to sort out at the outpost, but it shouldn't take long."

"We should meet up," the blonde proposed, regaining some of her usual firmness. "I'm staying near the Adventurers' Square. You can ask for me there and we can hang out."

"Sure, we can gather the whole group."

Remis stared at him flatly.

"No," she answered bluntly, running a hand across the elf's chest. "Those crude guys won't appreciate the things I like. It's better if the two of us make plans on our own. There are interesting places in Sibar—not like this village."

"Alright. And what about you... what are you doing now?"

"I'm leaving with Deinderatrix. In fact, I think almost everyone is heading out now. I need to prepare for the trip and buy some supplies."

She turned around and walked out of the room with her usual firm stride.

Shortly after the blonde left, Syrus came into the room and took the chair across from the elf. Alaster didn't beat around the bush this time and left both chests open on the table.

The tank looked at the contents, raising an eyebrow.

"Mages definitely play in a whole different social class," he commented with a grin.

Alaster set aside ten silver coins and added another ten in two small stacks.

"This is your pay plus a little extra for the work."

Syrus didn't hesitate: he counted the pieces deftly and tucked them into a leather pouch alongside a couple of copper coins. His face wore a look of pure satisfaction.

"I'm taking my wife and my little girl somewhere nice as soon as I get back," he said.

"Right, you have a young daughter," the elf nodded.

"Cutest girl in Sibar," Syrus stated with pride. He then leaned his torso forward. "Hey, Al... since you have your girlfriend and I have my wife, we should host a cookout when you get back. My wife's cooking is top-notch."

"Sounds good to me. I don't know many people around here. We can have a few beers—though this time making sure we don't overdo it."

Syrus burst into a hearty laugh.

"What are you talking about? You got totally smashed last night too."

"I've drank plenty of beer before and it never affected me like that," the elf shot back with mild irritation.

"That's because those girls served us something much stronger than plain rum," the tank explained with a wink. "They call those mixes 'panty droppers.' They had a clear goal and almost pulled it off with you; they got you drunk to get their hands on that elven seed."

Alaster opened his eyes wide in surprise.

"You mean they planned it?"

"Not a doubt in my mind. Two attentive girls serving free drinks... I should've suspected it. Anyway, the cookout is a deal. Your girlfriend and my wife could get along well. Women in relationships have a hard time making friends because they tend to distance themselves from single girls to avoid competition or unnecessary drama. My wife, for instance, can't stand my lazy friends."

The tank took his leave a few minutes later, though not before writing down his home address in Sibar for him.

Next to enter was Tagard, accompanied by a timid Horin who was clinging tightly to his arm.

"Are you sure I'm not disturbing your companion?" the young redhead whispered as she crossed the threshold.

"Relax, it's fine, sweetie," the warrior replied, settling her into a chair in front of the table.

Alaster looked at the couple. «Alright, my friend, I'll give you a boost so you look good,» he thought. He separated twenty silver coins and slid them across the wood.

"Here's your pay for these days... plus the extra amount I owed you."

Horin stared at the pile of silver and then at Tagard with eyes wide in admiration—as if she were standing before a dependable warrior to whom a powerful elf mage owed money.

"I hope I can continue to count on the aid of such a skilled and brave warrior," Alaster added smoothly, though on the inside he was thinking about how reckless Tagard had been in the cave.

Tagard stepped out shortly after, sporting a proud smile while Horin talked animatedly about sharing the news with her parents.

Finally, Berona walked into the room without ceremony and sat down across from him. Alaster observed her in silence. He knew she held his secret regarding spatial magic, yet she hadn't uttered a single word about it.

«This is the tricky part,» the elf reflected, looking at the woman. «Should I try to buy her silence with money, or just let her fear of the Guild's high command keep things as they are?»