Asvin gave me a warm smile after properly introducing himself.
When he greeted me, his voice was calm and steady, a voice that had surely offered words of comfort to many patients before. His words carried an air of authenticity—a reflection of his dual role as a medical professional and a friend. The way he stood beside Byron and Jake indicated a sense of camaraderie and mutual respect, showcasing his integration within their circle.
Asvin took his place on the table on the right side of Jake to join us for dinner as I was thought. While waiting for the food to be served, I took the chance to converse with Asvin, feeling grateful for his treatment.
"Thank you for treating me," I thanked him properly with the chance.
"No problem, but I am not as good as your healing magic," Asvin replied.
"Pardon?" I asked, surprised.
"Jake told me. I hope we can talk about it later," Asvin said with a smile.
"Sure," I grinned.
"Well, maybe I should give you guys some time. Please enjoy your dinner," Asvin said, preparing to leave.
"Don't you want to join us?" Jake asked. I also thought he would join us.
"I'll pass. I already had dinner with my family before coming here. I'll give you both some space," Asvin replied, leaving us to enjoy our meal.
I was delighted by the exquisite meal, savoring flavors and textures I'd never experienced before. While enjoying our food, I could sense Jake watching Elijah and me closely.
"You have a pretty unique companion there. Is he your pet?" Jake asked.
"Do you mean Leo? He's not exactly a pet. I found him in the forest, and he started following us," I explained.
I went on to describe how I met Leo, the Sphynx leader who had joined us in the forest.
I was surprised that Jake told me to perform a contract with Leo and he won't need to go around and he can still roam if I let him go, but it is better to keep him safe. As I am no longer in danger, maybe I should consider keeping him safe.
Jake told me that I should pour my mana into Leo and ask him using my thoughts to thank for his service. A light shone upon him and he turned into a 'magicules' that later I absorbed.
From that moment, Leo is no longer with us as I have put a contract with him and he disappeared as he only can appear when I summoned him.
After that, I thanked Jake for teaching me that and we continued eating. From his perspective, he might figure out that I was lacking knowledge in magic. I bet he would think I am a weirdo for not knowing about that basic knowledge.
Suddenly, Jake asked, "Do these foods meet your expectations?" He is concerned about the taste. "Oh my, it tastes wonderful. The texture is tender and juicy," I replied, savoring the flavors.
For the first time since coming into this world, these were the most delicious meals I had ever tasted.
"I'm glad you like it," Jake said with a smile. "This is an exotic bird that is hard to breed."
"This must cost a fortune, doesn't it?" I asked, amazed.
Jake chuckled. "Not really. Just a couple of magic runes."
"Magic runes?" I echoed, intrigued. "I didn't realize they could be used for such purposes."
Jake nodded. "Yes, they're quite versatile. We use them for a variety of things, from enhancing crops to breeding rare animals. It makes life here a bit easier and more enjoyable."
I marveled at the possibilities. "That's incredible. I never knew magic could be used in such practical ways."
Jake leaned forward, his eyes twinkling. "There's a lot to learn about this world. I'm sure you'll discover many more fascinating things along your journey."
I nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and curiosity. "I look forward to it."
In this Kingdom, we use a material and magic rune currency. This rare ore is found in the deep dungeon that is impossible to get for normal people. All runes are owned by the federal government and cannot be dug carelessly. Plus, a deeper dungeon only could be survived by a strong magician, and they all are working under government after passing from the magic academy. The rune also needs to be turned into a coin with a special machine that puts a code system to prevent a money forge. The other Kingdom also use the same type of ore and have their own money creation.
No one knows for sure who first invented such money, but historians believe magic crystals were first used as money as early as 5,000 B.C. Around 700 B.C., the Lydians became the first Western culture to make coins. Other countries and civilizations soon began to mint their own coins with specific values.
I was struck by the reality that I'm so poor. Living as a poor person in my entire life on Earth makes me feel a little bit of culture shock when I meet someone as rich as Jake. He is one of the wealthiest people in this kingdom after the king. He is one of the four Royal Dukes that owned the land of Altyzurian.