The journey back to Eridon was easy. Ren, Lyra, and Buzz (who was summoned and dismissed when needed) left the dark fen behind. They were happy and excited.
When they arrived at the city gates, they looked very different. Lyra was still in her adventurer's gear, but Ren was wearing his new, expensive-looking Shadow-Weave Tunic. He did not look like an unlucky F-Rank anymore. He looked like a mysterious and rich hero.
Their first stop was the Adventurer's Guild. When they walked in, the normal noise of the guild hall became quiet. People saw Ren's new armor and whispered.
They walked to the counter. Tess, the receptionist, saw Ren's new clothes and sighed. "I'm not even going to ask," she said.
"No need," Ren said with a bright smile.
Just then, Borin, the arrogant adventurer from before, walked over. He saw Ren's new armor with angry, jealous eyes. "Where did a failure like you get armor like that?" he sneered. "Did you steal it?"
Ren did not get angry. He did not care about Borin anymore. He was on a different level. He looked at Borin like he was a boring piece of furniture.
"Some of us work hard for our money," Ren said, his voice calm and cold. "You should try it sometime." He then turned his back on the angry Borin and walked away with Lyra. Borin was left standing there, looking like a fool in front of the whole guild.
Next, they went to find a real estate office. They found one run by a man who looked down on them. "I have a small room you can rent," the man said to Ren.
"No," Ren said. "I want to buy a house. A big one, with a private courtyard for training. Show me your best one."
The man laughed. "Our best is the old Valerius Estate. The price is forty gold coins." He said the price to make them leave.
"We'll take it," Ren said.
The man's jaw dropped. "What?"
"We'll take it," Ren repeated. He held up his hand, and his simple ring glowed. He used his System Wallet to transfer the money.
A message appeared on the man's desk. [You have received 40 Gold Coins.]
The man's face changed from shock to a very friendly smile. "My lord! I am so sorry! The keys are right here! Can I get you some tea?"
An hour later, Ren and Lyra stood in the courtyard of their new home. It was big, private, and old, but it was theirs. They had a home.
"Well," Ren said, looking around the big training yard. "This is a good start. But first things first..."
He reached into his pouch and pulled out the Pristine Royal Stinger. Its sharp tip shined in the sun.
"Time for another upgrade."