"Actually, we should have asked for more," Maris said to Fia while organizing their equipment.
"I think this is already pretty good. Several hundred gold coins—we've never had such good earnings before." Like every greenhorn fresh out of the gate, Fia liked to think she knew best. She felt that getting such a generous reward for her first high-level mission was already great. Besides, the others were having a hard time too; pressing them any further would be a bit... well, you know.
"We could also mine gold for three days. Just think how much we could dig up."
"That's why I say you don't understand anything. Mine gold? First, you need to know how to mine. Three days—do you know how? Even if you worked yourself to death, how much could you dig? And besides, it's a gold mine, but it's still a mine. In the end, it's just rock. You'd have to haul it back and refine the gold yourselves. How much you could get out of it is anyone's guess. You might work yourself half to death and only end up with a few gold coins." Maris adored Fia, but he had to make such common sense clear to her. Being harsh was for her own good.
How could Fia have known any of that? She stared at him in shock. "How could that old steward be like this? I even felt so sorry for him."
"My silly girl, you feel sorry for him, but who feels sorry for you? We're the ones risking our lives here. No matter how much he offered, I'd still think it wasn't enough. You saved him money—do you think he'll thank you for it? He'll only think you're an idiot." Maris was rather merciless now.
Fia's face flushed red at his