I stepped out of my shack, feeling the cool morning air hit my face.

My bag was heavy on my shoulder, filled with bundles of Scarleaf Herbs that my slimes had been gathering over the past few weeks.

Today was the day I had to make some progress before the dungeon opened tomorrow.

I kept my head down as I walked through the slums.

It was early, so not many people were out yet.

As I got closer to the city gates, I could already see a line forming.

The only way into Arn was by showing proof of access, which I didn’t have. The dungeon wasn’t open yet, so I couldn’t get in for free either. I’d have to pay for a day pass, like most other slum rats.

When I reached the front of the line, a guard was standing there, bored out of his mind as he collected the toll from everyone passing through.

“Next.” he said without looking up.

I handed over the 3 credits for the day pass. It stung, considering how little I had, but I needed to get into the city to sell the herbs and take care of the Steelheart request.

The guard gave me a quick glance, then stepped aside to let me in. “Day pass.” he mumbled, waving me through.

I stepped into the city, and the usual noise hit me right away—people shouting and merchants selling their goods.

I made my way to the Adventurer’s Registry and Affairs Hall. The building was as massive as always, towering over the area.

Even this early in the day, it was already busy, with adventurers moving in and out of the hall, preparing for their quests or gearing up for their next dungeon run.

I walked inside, my eyes scanning the reception area. It was busy, but I spotted an open receptionist, a woman with short, brown hair.

She was looking through some paperwork when I approached her.

“Excuse me.” I said, stepping up to the counter.

She glanced up, giving me a small smile. “What can I help you with today?”

“I want to accept the Scarleaf Herb request.” I said, nodding toward the bulletin board where the old request paper was still hanging.

Her eyes shifted toward the board, then back at me as she reached for a ledger. "Ah, the herb request. That one's always in demand."

She opened the ledger, flipping through the pages as she prepared to process the request. "So, how many bundles are we talking?"

“A bundle contains 10 stems, correct?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

She nodded, “Yes, that’s right. Feel free to give me as many as you have.”

I carefully opened my bag, pulling out the first bundle of herbs and placing it on the counter.

The receptionist remained professional, her expression unchanged as she scribbled something in her ledger.

Then came the second bundle—still no reaction, just the same polite smile.

By the time I dropped the third bundle, I noticed her brow arching slightly. A flicker of surprise crossed her face, but she said nothing.

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When I placed the fourth bundle on the counter, her smile widened into something more genuine.

Clearly, this wasn’t a normal occurrence for her.

“Oh my,” she said, sounding genuinely impressed. “Four bundles? Not many people manage to bring that much at once.”

I gave her a small grin, knowing I wasn’t finished. “Four bundles? No, no, I’m not done yet.”

I pulled out a fifth, a sixth, and a seventh bundle, stacking them neatly on the counter. Her eyes widened as I continued.

Eight, nine, ten... until I had laid down 20 bundles of Scarleaf herbs in front of her.

By then, her professional demeanor had completely slipped.

“Twenty bundles?” she said, barely masking her shock. “This... is impressive.”

I shrugged, trying to play it off. “The forest is plentiful if you know where to look.”

She quickly jotted down the final total in her ledger, her hands moving a little quicker now.

“Alright.” she said, clearly impressed.

“Twenty bundles. That comes to 278 credits total. Not many people bring in this kind of haul. You’re going to make some of the higher-ups very happy today.”

She glanced up, clearly impressed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone bring in this much Scarleaf at once. How on earth did you manage that?”

I hesitated for a moment before offering a half-truth. "I’ve… been gathering for a while, that’s all."

Her smile widened, the kind that told me she didn’t believe a word I’d said, but had no intention of pressing further. “Of course,” she replied, amusement evident in her tone.

She stood up and went to the back, returning shortly with a small leather pouch. “Here you go—278 credits, as promised.” she said, placing the pouch in front of me.

I took it, the weight of the coins reassuring.

This amount wasn’t unfamiliar to me—delving deeper into the dungeon could easily earn you far more than this.

But at my current stage and level, 278 credits was an almost unfathomable sum.

It was enough to cover two months' worth of debt payments, easily. But saving this money? That was never the plan.

I had no intention of lingering on the first floor forever. Every penny of this would go toward my preparations.

My goal this time was to climb much higher, and this would be the first step toward making that happen.

“Thank you.” I said, tucking the pouch safely into my bag.

"Can I assist you with anything else today, sir?" she asked, her tone polite but curious, as if wondering what else I had up my sleeve.

I nodded. "Actually, yes. I want to accept another request."

Her professional smile widened a bit, happy to assist further. "Of course! Which request would you like to accept?"

I paused for a moment, then said it. "Valerian's locked pouch request."

Her reaction was immediate. Shock flashed across her face.

She blinked, clearly caught off guard by my choice. "The Steelheart request?" she repeated, as if making sure she had heard me right.

I nodded, and she hesitated, her expression now conflicted. It seemed like she didn’t know how to respond.

After a moment, she leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice. "Are you sure about that? The temptation of a vault reward is... well, I understand the appeal. Many newcomers get drawn in by the thought of it, thinking they'll be the one to unlock the pouch and claim whatever treasure is inside. But it's been a century, and no one has ever managed to open it."

I raised an eyebrow. "I see. What are you getting at?"

She glanced around to make sure no one was listening, then leaned in even closer.

"The Steelheart family doesn’t take kindly to people wasting their time. For decades, adventurers have come in, trying to say random passwords, thinking they'll crack the code. And every single one of them has failed. The family has grown tired of it."

"What happens if you fail?" I asked, already sensing something more sinister in the air.

Her lips tightened, and she took a deep breath before answering. "The attempts are unlimited, but... each time someone fails to open the lock, they have to pay a penalty."

"What kind of penalty?" I asked, feeling a knot forming in my stomach.

"If you fail, you owe them 100 credits for each attempt" she said quietly. "And if you don’t have the money... they take a limb instead."

A smile tugged at my lips as I absorbed her words. "Of course." I muttered under my breath.

The Steelheart family wouldn’t be satisfied without blood being involved. Always demanding a price.

I couldn't help but chuckle at the irony. From all the grand tales of honor and glory surrounding that family, this was the nature i knew them by.

She frowned, looking concerned. "I’m serious. This isn’t a request you should take lightly. The vault reward may sound like a dream come true, but the cost of failure... well, as I said, it’s not something to gamble on."

I met her gaze, my smile fading as I leaned in just a little. "I’m not planning on gambling. I know exactly what I’m doing."

"..." She studied me for a moment, her eyes searching mine as if trying to figure out whether I was just another fool lured by the temptation of the Steelheart vault.

Then she sighed and nodded. "Very well. please give me a moment to process your acceptance of the request. But please... be careful."

I nodded, giving her a slight smile. "Don’t worry. I know what I’m getting into."