Chapter 27: I Have a Lot

“You’re acting like an idiot.”

Inas replied bluntly.

“I-!”

“I told you not to go outside, but you were thinking about going anyway.”

“Ah…”

Not only had he toyed with me, now he was calling me an idiot.

The irritation that had been about to flare up instantly subsided.

Because, just as he said, I had been thinking about training a bit and then going out myself to gather ingredients.

“Am I wrong?”

“Well, I mean… I can’t just sit still…”

“Ha…”

Unable to lie, I stammered out a weak excuse, and Inas let out a long sigh.

It sounded like he was calling me pathetic.

“You said you wouldn’t die even if you didn’t eat. But that’s not the case for me.”

“So you’d rather starve to death than die at Idel’s hands?”

“…Are those really the only options?”

The way he framed it like I was being ridiculous made me instinctively push back.

Of course I knew it was dangerous. I knew very well that if I got caught, I’d die.

But I didn’t want to be treated like some clueless kid by someone complaining about portion sizes.

It’s not like I was planning to rush out recklessly right away.

Though… judging by how I struggled even against a single yeti, it would probably still be hard later…

Did he send me to the yetis on purpose to make me realize that?

Did Inas really think that far ahead?

“Seongyeon…”

Just as the image I had of Inas began to crack slightly, he spoke again in a sighing tone.

“Why don’t you make me do it?”

I had braced myself for a lecture, so the unexpected question caught me off guard.

“What do you mean? You mean… why I don’t make you do things?”

“Yeah.”

“…I don’t make you do things?”

It was so random it sounded like nonsense.

“I make you bring ingredients from the cart every morning, and you make potions too. It’s just that we can’t do that now because trade’s been cut off. And there’s laundry, putting dishes together after meals, returning things to their proper places…”

Even just thinking about it, I made him do quite a lot.

And yet he always acted like everything was a hassle…

“That’s not what I mean.”

Inas frowned, clearly dissatisfied.

He kept letting out heavy sighs, which was unlike him.

But since I had no idea what he meant, I was just as frustrated.

“You can just tell me to go.”

“Go where?”

“To get food.”

“…You want me to send you?”

The guy who couldn’t even pick fruit hanging from a tree?

“I can go shopping…”

“You?”

“…”

“You’re going to shop?”

What kind of ridiculous thing was that?

“Why would I make you do something impossible? And you can’t leave this house either, it’s the same for you.”

“…I can go out.”

“No, you can’t. It’s just as dangerous for you. Honestly, I didn’t see it myself, so it’s hard to believe that merchant is dead, but it’s true they’re acting aggressively, right?”

“They can’t kill me.”

“They might be letting it slide now because of old ties, but if they decide you’re guilty of protecting a Hero, who knows?”

Perhaps my words had some merit, because Inas fell silent for a moment.

He frowned slightly, clearly displeased, but what couldn’t be done couldn’t be done.

“I can warp.”

Was it because I was being so firm?

This time, Inas started boasting about abilities he usually didn’t mention.

“Well, yeah. You send clones too.”

“So I can go and come back quickly.”

“No, I don’t think you will.”

Sure, if he could warp, leaving the house would be nothing.

But…

“I feel like you’d get scammed.”

Instead of shopping, he’d probably just stand there blankly and get tricked by some fraud.

Wouldn’t he get caught by s*ave traders or something? With that face, he’d definitely stand out.

But the biggest reason I couldn’t send him was…

“I don’t think you’d even shop properly.”

Inas couldn’t distinguish ingredients.

This wasn’t something to be confident about.

It was the same as me not being able to touch a scroll inscribed with magic formulas.

Sure, if he was really lucky, he might manage it safely.

But it would take at least half a day.

He’d definitely get exhausted before then, and I didn’t want to send him into danger like that.

“Are you saying this because it feels like I’m the only one trying? You don’t have to. More importantly, you don’t even have money, do you? You’d need money to shop.”

I tried my best to reassure him.

Still, I felt a little grateful that he seemed to be thinking of me.

“Anyway, let’s think about it gradually. It’s not like there’s absolutely no way.”

Honestly, leaving it to Inas once might not be a bad option.

If I was about to starve, I’d have to do something like that anyway.

But things weren’t that hopeless yet.

I had come up with a pretty decent plan.

Strictly speaking, it was an idea that came from Inas deciding to train me, so I was relying on him a bit.

The problem was that we had no money…

“I have money.”

“Huh?”

“I have a lot.”

“…A lot?”

“Yeah.”

“…”

Is he bluffing?

Since when did Inas bluff to me?

Though… I did get that feeling when he insisted he was stronger than Idel…

“Hmm…”

How should I respond to this?

Should I tell him not to lie? Would that just provoke him?

Inas being stubborn… it didn’t suit him at all, but right now it strangely felt possible.

Still, if you’re going to insist on something, at least make it believable.

Why would someone with a lot of money live like a beggar in Enns?

Honestly, just looking at Inas’s clothes, he looked exactly like one.

No matter how many times they were washed, they were worn down and shabby beyond saving.

And they were small for his build.

He probably grew into it after eating properly…

‘I should’ve ordered him some clothes…’

Putting it off because I didn’t expect trade to be cut off was my mistake.

I thought it wasn’t urgent…

“Come here.”

Maybe my lack of response was frustrating, because Inas suddenly stood up.

“Where? What about food?”

“Later.”

“You’re eating later?”

Inas postponing a meal.

For me, that was shocking enough that I didn’t know how to react.

Before I could even process it, he grabbed my wrist tightly and started striding somewhere.

“Where are you going all of a sudden?!”

His long legs moved in wide strides.

He walked, while I practically had to run to keep up, it was a ridiculous situation.

“Ugh- what is this place… huh? Why are there more rooms…?!”

A light jog like this didn’t even make me out of breath, so that was fine.

The problem was that Inas was moving from room to room like we were exploring a maze, and then into yet another room, until we reached one I had never seen before…

“Why is everything here such a mess?!”

Every single room was a disaster.

The horrifying truth hit me, there were still more places left to clean.

“Go in.”

Ignoring the chaotic state of the rooms, Inas finally reached the one he wanted and shoved me inside first.

“What even-”

After passing through so many messy rooms and having no idea what he was trying to do, I was about to let out a deep sigh when…

“Wha-?!”

The moment I saw inside, what came out of my mouth wasn’t a sigh, but a scream.

“What is this?! Are you insane- this…!”

Anyone would’ve reacted the same way.

Who wouldn’t scream at the sight of gold coins scattered everywhere right in front of them?

The hundred gold coins that had been placed as a bounty on me felt laughable in comparison.

Gold coins, my god, they filled the entire room!

And not just any room, the largest one in the house!

“See? There’s a lot.”

Inas straightened his shoulders proudly.

My jaw dropped open and refused to close.

I rubbed my eyes several times, thinking it might be an illusion, but nothing changed.

‘…An illusion spell?’

Since Inas often used illusion magic, it was a plausible guess, but…

“Why?”

“No, nothing.”

He wasn’t the type to put on airs using illusion magic.

Then that meant…

“…”

This was all real?

Why does Inas have this much money?

“Inas, don’t tell me…”

“…”

“Never mind.”

For a moment, I wondered if he had stolen it, but dismissed the thought.

There was no reason for him to do that.

Then…

“…Jackpot.”

This was seriously insane.

“You should’ve told me sooner!”

“…”

“Man, how much is all of this?”

The fact that he hadn’t told me until now was a minor complaint.

If we had money, everything was solved.

‘There’s no need to take risks anymore.’

The corners of my mouth started to lift.

It was the sign that we had escaped the threat of starving to death.