Chapter 54 – Not Enough
Damion gulped when he heard the total value and the take of city for their share to cover the entrance fee. With all the values stated, Damion started to try and figure out what his take would be.
First he had to subtract Justiciar Mathis' share, then the entrance fee, which came out to 26 gold and 40 silver and then he had to divide the remaining into three. One for him, Arica, and Ethan each. The problem Damion had was that he did not know how many of those Black Iron ingots would be going to Justiciar Mathis.
"I'll just take ten of the Black Iron ingots," Mathis said to Arica, which helped Damion out in his calculations.
That meant his take was 70 gold and it left the rest of them with 147 gold and 60 silver to split. When they split that between the three of them it meant that they each would be getting 49 gold and 20 silver.
Part of Damion wanted to scream out that he was rich, but Damion knew he would end up spending all that gold very quickly. Artifacts were not cheap. He could easily spend all his money on just armor alone, let alone all the things he needed to buy to complete his wilderness survival kit.
"Will you be taking payment now or do you prefer to keep the materials and sell them yourselves?" The attendant asked.
Arica looked to Justiciar Mathis and then spoke to the attendant.
"We'll take payment now. We would not make much more by selling it ourselves and the time it would take is not worth the effort," Arica explained.
"After the Justiciar's cut is the rest to be split evenly?" the attendant asked.
"Yes."
"Alright, each of you press your payment cards here," the attendant said holding out his tablet.
Damion tapped his card and became almost 50 gold richer. He was not sure what his father made a year, but he felt it was not as much as Damion just made in a day.
Once his payment was received, Justiciar Mathis bid everyone farewell. Damion watched him depart. A part of Damion was curious when he would run into the Justiciar again, but then Damion realized that if he did, it was most likely because he was in some sort of trouble.
"Well, that was a profitable run," Ethan said to Arica, who just gave a quick smile.
"I guess we did pretty well," Damion said. "But without Arica's spatial affinity we never would have been able to earn as much as we did."
"I suppose that is true," Ethan admitted. "But now that I have the money, I'm going to get me a set of daggers with magic attack enchantments. What are you going to get?"
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"Armor," Damion answered. "Are all F Rank Demonic Cores worth 1 gold?"
"It depends on the affinity of the Demonic Beast. 1 gold is the cheapest price for an F Rank core."
"And what core is worth the most?"
"That would depend on who you are selling it to. The skeletons have the Dark affinity, and while it is not a common affinity, because of this dungeon, the local prices for Dark affinity cores is at the lowest."
"So a Fire affinity or Water affinity core would have a greater value," Damion surmised.
"Here in Saung, yes. But also keep in mind, if a person needs a core of a certain affinity, said core will obviously be worth more to that person."
"What about the other parts of the skeletons? I thought all the parts of Demonic Beasts are worth a lot?"
"With so many skeletons brought out from this dungeon every week, the value of the parts is miniscule. And don't forget, the skeletons are all bones. Bones aren't worth much to begin with. Any weapon made from them won't be very strong. The most common use of the bones is to grind them down for use in alchemy."
"I understand," Damion was quickly realizing that the graveyard might have been the easiest dungeon in Saung, but it was probably also the least productive.
"It is time for us to part ways," Arica told them now that Damion had finished his questions. "I hope to meet you again in the future Damion."
"I'll look you up when I can afford a spatial artifact."
The group departed the center of the city, each going their own way. Ethan, to his father's company. Arica back to her master and research. For Damion it was home to his parents.
The next day, Damion went to Leland's Artifacts to put his order in for the nicest set of armor he could afford. Before, Leland had quoted him a price of 10 gold for a set of D Rank armor. Damion was sure he could still get that deal, but he was curious what a set C Rank armor would run him.
"Welcome back lad," Leland greeted when he saw Damion. "I heard you managed to finagle a dungeon run. Quite impressive for an F Rank."
"It was a friend that arranged it. Though, without the Justiciar that went with us we never would have cleared it."
"I would think not," Leland laughed. "Unless you are C Rank yourself, you don't stand a chance against a C Rank guardian. Remember that for the next time you get invited into a dungeon."
"I will," Damion promised remembering being punted across the dungeon by one of the skeleton champions.
"Well, what can I get for you today," Leland asked with a glint in his eye.
"You told me before a set of D Rank armor would be 10 gold."
"Aye. Back to make the purchase?"
"Yes, but I was curious what the cost of a C Rank set of armor would be."
"C Rank. Lad, do you even have the mana to charge C Rank armor? Bah, forget I asked. If you want to spend the money, who am I to say no. Let's see," Leland took out a small notebook and flipped through a few pages. "80 gold for a full set, chest, legs, boots and gauntlets."
"80," Damion croaked. He had expected the price to be high, but this price was much more than he was expecting.
"I take it you didn't earn quite that much from your dungeon clear?'
"No, I only have 49 gold. It will probably be a while before I get another chance to earn so much gold at once."
"Probably," Leland agreed.
"How long will it take for you to make the armor?"
"Give me three weeks. Normally, it wouldn't take me that long, but I have already received a few other orders that I need to work on first."
"I understand," Damion said. First come, first served. Damion would have to wait in line just like everyone else. "I guess I can do a few missions while I wait."
"You could, but judging by how well you have been doing, I suggest you ask Helga if you are ready to take the advancement test."
"Advancement test? You mean to become an E Rank knight?"
"That would be the one. You might not realize it, but from what I hear, you have managed to take down some fairly strong opponents. Ones that you should not have been able to take down as an F Rank."