“Good grief.”
Yan smirked.
Gran was governed by three entities: the mayor, the council, and the adventurer’s guildmaster.
Recently, being pushed around by the mayor and the council had been utterly exhausting. Who would’ve thought both sides would come to him with requests like this?
‘I should be really grateful to Miss Doah.’
Yan casually tossed a letter onto the wooden tray.
The tray was already piled high with letters.
Fan letters addressed to Doah had already started pouring in.
Gran, among the cities in the Seven Kingdoms, had the lowest illiteracy rate, making this activity particularly vibrant.
In the streets, deerfolk bards strummed their lutes, singing of Doah’s accomplishments.
The tale of Doah defeating the bone dragon had already spread far and wide.
Coins rained like fountains upon bards who sang as if they had personally witnessed Doah’s battle.
Some bards, desperate to meet Doah and hear her story firsthand, attempted to climb over her manor walls, only to be chased away by Khunak.
Of course, jealousy toward Doah also began to sprout.
This was especially true among fellow adventurers.
“No way, how could a B-rank clear an A-rank dungeon? That’s absurd.”
“The dungeon core size must’ve been misreported. That happens sometimes.”
“The whole thing about her coming from the southern continent is probably a lie. She must’ve crawled out of some back alley.”
“She’s probably a fraud.”
“Even her eye color—what if it’s some kind of magic? We should get a mage’s guild to appraise her.”
“Or maybe someone helped her? Isn’t she close to S-rankers?”
Praise and slander swirled around her simultaneously.
Regardless, she was the talk of the town.
Naturally, the conversation didn’t stop there.
“Wait a minute, so she solo-cleared an A-rank dungeon?”
“That’s right. She did.”
“Then how much money did she earn?”
“Uh… let’s see…”
Groups of people gathered to calculate the fortune Doah must have made.
One newspaper seized the opportunity for an exclusive scoop.
They detailed the dungeon’s structure, listed the major items found, and published a solo report.
At the end, they included an estimated earnings breakdown.
Even the subject of all the buzz, Doah, was stunned when she received the statement.
“Two thousand gold coins?!”
Yan cleared his throat.
“It might be a bit undervalued, but when an A-rank dungeon is cleared, there’s usually a flood of supply. Once the items put up for auction are sold separately, the total will likely increase.”
Two thousand gold coins.
Since one gold coin was roughly worth 5 million won, it amounted to:
“One billion won?!”
“What?”
Yan asked in disbelief, and Doah shook her head.
One billion won.
One billion won rolled into her hands.
And apparently, that was the low estimate.
Auctioning the items would increase the total earnings.
‘Wow…’
Doah blinked.
She now understood why adventuring equipment was so expensive.
It made sense when dungeon items sold for such high prices.
And to afford such gear, one needed equally exceptional skills to earn that much.
‘So, typically, four people form a party. If one party clears an A-rank dungeon, that’s about 500 large gold coins per person.’
In reality, teams of four tackling an A-rank dungeon were rare. Most started with eight people or more, though Doah wasn’t aware of that detail.
‘Then, how much is that?’
2.5 billion won.
‘Then buying a 100-million-won tent as a consumable doesn’t sound so outrageous.’
Stunned, Doah stared blankly at the earnings breakdown.
She recalled that the cost of living here was about one-tenth of normal prices.
For ordinary people, it would feel like there was an extra zero attached to every number.
‘This is insane. Absolutely insane.’
Yan, watching Doah closely with concern, asked,
“Miss Doah, are you sure you’re alright? Wouldn’t it be better to rest a bit longer…?”
Doah shook her head.
Her limbs weren’t severed, nor were her internal organs melted.
The recovery pain had only been intense on the first day; by the second, it was manageable.
Meditation had improved her condition even further.
By the time she complied with Berry’s insistence on resting, she had spent a total of four days in bed.
That was enough.
“But, Miss Doah…”
Berry’s tearful gaze made her switch to light stretches and mild training instead of intense drills after leaving the bed.
Now, her body felt not just refreshed but slightly stiff from inactivity.
She thought Berry was the only one fussing, but Yan repeatedly asked if she was really okay as well.
Doah, puzzled, finally said,
“I’m fine. Really fine. Is it not normal to feel fine?”
Their persistent urging for her to rest made her curious.
At her question, Yan smiled wryly and nodded.
“Even for experienced A-rank adventurers, tackling an A-rank dungeon once a year is usually the limit. The process takes a long time, and recovering from the aftermath also requires significant time.”
“Really…”
Doah wondered what would have happened without her hut and Mrs. Danvers’ support.
‘No, I wouldn’t have cleared it at all.’
Even if she had the stamina of an iron man, going without sleep would’ve been impossible.
Though Sea King was there to help, she still would’ve had to sleep lightly while staying vigilant.
The ability to rest freely was such an incredible luxury.
‘With just that hut, couldn’t I take S-rankers to clear an S-rank dungeon?’
The thought crossed her mind.
‘And having a bone dragon as the final boss monster actually worked to my advantage.’
Even if it ranked lower than standard dragons, the fact that it was a dragon would have been daunting.
However, for Doah, this had been a point in her favor.
‘Thanks to the World Tree branch.’
Against ordinary monsters, the branch could lower their rank by two levels.
But it worked differently against undead.
When the corruption is purified, they are able to return to rest.
So, with the World Tree branch, clearing the dungeon was practically guaranteed for her.
But still!
Even so!
She had completed the dungeon with her body intact, and the solo success was undeniably hers.
After all, the World Tree branch was her item. Who could argue with that?
‘What can I say? My items are amazing.’
Ultimately, the money she earned was hers, achieved with her skills and abilities.
‘One billion won. Wow, insane. One billion!’
Doah grinned as she looked at the statement.
Her facial muscles kept relaxing, and laughter started to slip out.
“Two thousand gold coins? It feels like a dream. I never imagined I could make this much money.”
“For now, the gold coins have been deposited onto your card. If you’d like to withdraw them physically, please bring the card to the guild bank.”
“So the card works like that too?”
“Yes, in Gran, you don’t necessarily carry gold coins around; you can use your card for payments.”
“Well, gold coins are heavy, after all.”
“Haha, exactly.”
Yan placed a basket in front of Doah.
“What’s this?”
“These are fan letters for you, Miss Doah.”
“Fan letters?!”
“Yes, Miss Doah, you’re currently the most famous person in Gran. The mayor and council members have also sent numerous invitations asking to meet you.”
Doah asked again,
“Oh my… fan letters?”
“Yes.”
She cautiously picked one out and opened it.
‘Oh.’
It was filled to the brim with fervent, passionate words, almost embarrassingly so.
“D-Do others get letters like this too?”
“Yes, most named adventurers do. Since they’re usually traveling across the continent of Rencia, people often send them to the adventurer’s guild.”
“Uh… am I supposed to reply to these?”
“Only if you feel like it.”
“All of these are fan letters?”
“This is just a portion. More will definitely come in.”
Doah smirked.
“So, I’ve really become a named adventurer, huh?”
“You have.”
“Yan’s strategy worked.”
Yan shook his head.
“It’s your incredible success, Miss Doah. You’ve set a record at the adventurer’s guild that may never be broken.”
“Hehehe.”
Feeling bashful, Doah chuckled and glanced back at the statement.
“At least now I have enough money for my travels.”
“Yes, Miss Doah.”
Yan smiled and added,
“You might find yourself wanting to leave Gran soon.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Miss Doah, you’ve become truly famous.”
His smile carried an ominous undertone.
It wasn’t until a few days later that Doah understood the meaning behind Yan’s cryptic smile.
Fame.
She never imagined she’d become the subject of such attention.
Of course, she had anticipated gaining some renown.
She had set an unprecedented record as a B-rank adventurer clearing an A-rank dungeon solo, proving her exceptional skill in her field.
‘But this is too much!’
“Miss Doah, you don’t have a party yet, right? How about forming one with us?”
“What’s your life like as an Azure Nazac? We’d love to request an interview for our newspaper.”
“Do you have any updates from the southern continent? Don’t you think sharing news could help the Rencia continent’s development?”
“I heard the dungeon boss was a bone dragon! How did you manage to clear it?”
“Miss Doah!”
“Wait a moment! Say something!”
“Are you showing off right now?!”
‘Oh, come on!’
Doah spun around to glare at the crowd chasing her.
But her glare had no effect.
Instead, they used the moment to surround her completely.
“Wow, it’s really Azure Nazac!”
“Do you get purified if you touch her?”
She could hear their whispers far too clearly.
At this point, would it be okay to shout and risk being called rude?
Should she just yell at them?
But even if she did, would they back off?
As Doah seriously pondered these questions, the noise around her suddenly fell silent.
The crowd hesitated and stepped back.
In contrast, Doah’s face instantly brightened.
“Khunak!”
She turned to see Khunak standing there, openly holding the cursed sword in his arms.
“Miss Doah, I’ve come to escort you.”
Khunak smiled softly as he glanced around.
“I’m sorry, but could you all yield Miss Doah to me?”
No one dared to approach or speak to him as he held the cursed sword.
Doah quickly moved to Khunak’s side, clutching at him as if he were a lifeline.
“Thank you for understanding.”
Khunak’s voice was steady and gentle, though it carried a faintly sarcastic undertone.
Walking briskly beside him, Doah said,
“Thank you for saving me. Isn’t this insane? People don’t act like this around you or Robern!”
“There’s little information about you, Miss Doah. It’s making everyone anxious.”
He added,
“Yan mentioned you received invitations from both the mayor and the council.”
“Do I really have to go?”
Doah mumbled.
“That’s entirely up to you, Miss Doah.”
Doah asked,
“What was it like when you became S-rank, Khunak? Was it like this?”
“Something similar.”
“Ah.”
If Khunak, the owner of a cursed sword, experienced this, it must have been even worse for her.
“What about Robern?”
“He enjoys it.”
“Ah.”
That was easy to imagine.
Robern would likely relish such attention.
As they entered the adventurer’s guild, all eyes turned toward them.
‘Wow.’
“The great B-rank has arrived.”
Robern strode in confidently, speaking as if he’d been there all along.
His cloak, as always, remained inexplicably spotless. It had to be enchanted.
“I’m glad to see my judgment wasn’t wrong.”
“Oh, thanks for thinking well of me.”
Doah nodded.
“So, what do you plan to do now? You’ve gained plenty of fame. Is your next step taking down the cursed sword?”
His tone was blatantly provocative, but Khunak didn’t so much as raise an eyebrow.
He had long since stopped reacting to such remarks.
“For now, I plan to request information gathering from the guild.”
Khunak added to Doah’s words.
“It would be wise to inform Yan as well. A lot of information comes through adventurers.”
“That’s true. Thank you. I’m also thinking of visiting the Mage’s Ring.”
At that moment, both Khunak and Robern had grim expressions on their faces.
“The Mage’s Ring? Do you really have to go?”
“Well, considering your goal, you should, but… can’t it wait until the last moment?”
Doah, puzzled by their reactions, asked,
“Why? Is it far away?”
“It’s not that. It’s not far from Gran. The issue is that the Ring Leader is out of their mind.”
“I’m tired of that maniac’s antics,” Robern muttered, making Doah’s eyes widen.
“Wait, if even Your Majesty is fed up with them, what kind of person are they?”
“Couldn’t they be corrupted to the core?” Khunak suggested.
“What? Wouldn’t that be a huge problem? But they’re the Ring Leader?”
“They’ve gone mad without being corrupted. Perhaps if they were corrupted, they’d actually become sane.”
“That’s a harsh thing to say.”
“Isn’t Miss B-rank being unusually critical of me?”
“Maybe it’s because the expectations for Your Majesty are so high.”
At Doah’s teasing comment, Robern turned to Khunak and said,
“She has high expectations of me, it seems.”
“How delightful for you,”
Khunak replied smoothly before turning back to Doah.
“In that case, I’ll place the request with the Information Guild. Miss Doah, you should meet the Guildmaster.”
“Thank you!”
Doah felt relieved at the thought of avoiding the hassle of dealing with people on the streets again.
“I’ll do some investigating myself,” Robern added, gently patting the back of Doah’s head.
“?!”
Startled, Doah looked at him, and he smiled elegantly.
“Anyway, congratulations on becoming famous, Miss B-rank.”
Doah couldn’t help but smile back.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
With a wave, Robern disappeared, and Khunak also departed. Left alone, Doah quickly avoided the gazes of others and took the elevator up.
Even outside the Guildmaster’s office, the guards gave her polite nods.
Inside, Yan greeted her with a radiant smile.
