Simple Shack

After the mercenaries left, the street returned to calm.

Walking for a while, Reilo looked left and right before arriving at the student residential area. Not just him, many other lavishly dressed noble freshmen around his age also came here.

After wandering nearby for a bit, Reilo stopped in front of a housing agency called "Grand Harbor."

"Oh, little brother, here to look at houses? Come on in, sit down!"

The moment Reilo paused at the door, a plump woman who looked about twenty-seven or twenty-eight came over with a beaming smile. Her bright red lips were like flames, and she was exceptionally warm.

Her curvy body pressed close to Reilo, the heavy scent of makeup filling his nose. Without a word, she hooked her arm through his and practically dragged him inside.

"We've got all kinds of properties near the academy here. As long as you have needs, I guarantee satisfaction! One look at you, little brother, and I can tell you're a sharp, promising student—bound to achieve great things! But studying is tough work, wears on the brain. Think about it: if your mind's exhausted and your body's suffering too, can you really study well? Right? So you've got to find a suitable place, don't shortchange yourself out there. Take a look at these listings..."

Reilo's gaze followed her words, landing on the housing prices. Staring at the astronomical figures marked there, he swallowed hard in shock.

Hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands of gold coins for a transaction!

Just a house—how could it sell for this much?

Reilo hesitated. "Um, I want to rent..."

Before he could finish, the enthusiastic woman cut him off.

"Oh, little brother! I feel so close to you already! Don't mind me nagging, but take my advice—renting's such a waste! Think about it: you'll be here for three years, paying rent every month. At the average rate of one gold coin per month, that's twelve gold coins a year, thirty-six for three years!"

Her expression shifted, and she continued, "With all that money going to rent, if you bought a property as an investment, it might even appreciate in three years! And if you plan to leave Saint Grand Fort after that, selling it could net you a profit. That difference between losing and gaining—little brother, you're a scholar, so I don't need to do the math for you, do I? Am I right?"

Her lipstick-laden mouth kept chattering nonstop. If Reilo had the money, he'd have been tempted to buy a house right there.

"I don't have money."

Reilo said helplessly, "I just want to rent a room."

The woman sighed, seeing that Reilo really didn't seem to have much to offer. "Alright, if you're renting, we've got options too..."

Her enthusiasm waned, and she stopped holding Reilo's arm. She began listing properties on her own, with monthly rents ranging from seventy or eighty silver coins to several gold coins.

This time, Reilo interrupted her.

"Uh, I want the cheapest room! The cheapest!"

"The cheapest?"

She pursed her lips, thought for a moment, then sighed. "Ah... little brother, seeing how tough it is for you, I'll be straight. The cheapest housing on campus is in the Southeast Old District dormitories—the oldest batch of buildings. Facilities aren't great, and it's far from the teaching buildings. Usually, rent is about fifty silver coins a month. Anything lower doesn't exist; we agents barely make anything, so we don't usually advertise it."

"Fifty silver coins! Is there really nothing cheaper?"

The woman rolled her eyes. "There is—cheaper places outside the school district. Or you could find work at a shop; they might give student workers a break with room and board."

"Well... fine!"

Reilo gave in, forced to accept the outrageous rent of fifty silver coins per month.

Paying a deposit, picking a room, settling terms, signing the contract.

It took the whole morning.

When Reilo signed "Reilo" on the contract, the woman rolled her eyes again, clearly pegging him as some down-and-out noble.

"Alright, from now on, pay your rent on the tenth of every month. One day late incurs a 0.3% penalty. Here's the room key—keep it safe. If any furniture is damaged, you'll need to pay for..."

She trailed off mid-sentence, realizing there was hardly any furniture in the room. Amused by her own words, she shook her head and left.

After she was gone, Reilo looked at the tiny room, barely ten square meters, with just enough space for a bed and a desk. It looked like no one had lived here in ages—the paint on the walls was peeling in many places, and some cockroaches were crawling around in the corner. He let out a disappointed sigh.

This kind of room cost him fifty silver coins in rent.

Back in Lake Onyx Town, that amount would have been enough to build another house like this.

As for the agent's mention of old public facilities and the long walk to the teaching buildings, Reilo didn't mind.

He tidied up the room's clutter, found a broom in the shared wash area outside, grabbed a ragged rag, and started cleaning. Time slipped by without him noticing.

Night fell.

"Whew, finally done!"

Looking at the little room, shabby but now clean and tidy, Reilo felt a hint of warmth, knowing he'd be living here for a long time to come.

The room was in the southeast corner of the academy's outer grounds. The cobblestone streets, worn uneven by years of erosion, surrounded a few old buildings full of these tiny single-room dorms, packed to the brim. As night fell, the noise of crying children, someone practicing the accordion, and couples arguing began to boil over.

The people living here seemed long used to it, a stark contrast to the quiet nights of Lake Onyx Town.

Reilo stepped onto the balcony, leaned over the railing, and gazed at the dazzling, bustling lights of Scholar Street in the distance.

"From now on, this will be the start of my new life!"

For a moment, Reilo's heart surged with emotion.

"New arrival?"

Reilo turned toward the voice. On the neighboring balcony, a thirty-something beauty in a loose gray nightgown sat lounging, a cigarette dangling from her lips. Time had left some marks on her face. One hand held a bottle of wine, and she seemed a bit tipsy, one pale, long leg exposed as she sat idly on the second-floor balcony, looking his way.

"Hello, I'm Reilo."

Reilo greeted her politely, but seeing her scant clothing, he quickly looked away toward other directions.

"Still a virgin? Afraid big sister will eat you alive?"

The woman tilted her head back, gulped down a mouthful of wine, then took a harsh drag of her cigarette. The smoke rings she exhaled drifted away with the wind. She said flatly, "You came in through a contribution badge, didn't you?"

"Ah! How did you know?"

Reilo asked in surprise.

The woman glanced at Reilo, then casually tossed the cigarette butt down onto the street below.

"Once every three years, I've seen off quite a few scholars here. I know every tenant who's stayed in this room."

"You are...?"

Reilo stared at her in astonishment.

The woman gave a self-mocking smile and said nonchalantly, "My first husband was just like you—he came in with that same badge. He said he wanted to become the greatest mage and give me eternal happiness. Later, he suffered mana backlash and burned to ashes right in front of me."

"Ah?"

Reilo was stunned.

But the woman, already drunk, sneered and continued, "My second husband was a renowned apothecary far and wide. Because he found a few Demon Star Grass plants in the Demon Eagle Forest, he was killed by a mercenary group from the Xilan Duchy. To this day, I haven't even seen his corpse. He left me alone to mind the potion shop!"

Bang!

The wine bottle was casually thrown down onto the street. Luckily, no one was passing by below. The woman closed the window and went back into the room, leaving Reilo alone, unable to snap out of his daze for a long time.