Chương 92: 5 – THE HUNTER'S CLUB

It was a long while before German returned to them. When he did, he was fine-pressed in new clothes, just as lavish as the last: a white silk collar shirt with a dark vest and dress pants combo. He chatted a bit with the guards before they eventually opened the gate and beckoned T'balt and the others inside.

"You've all been approved for entry. Please follow me," German announced. T'balt leaped forward with a stark seriousness.

"My bag. What are they doing with it?" German's eyes widened as if he were surprised by an accusation.

"It's only procedure. They're just doing their jobs."

"How do I know they won't just steal everything that's inside?"

"Because that is not how we operate here. You'll see. Corlander, my boss, is a connoisseur of loot but a businessman above all else. Stealing is beneath him. If he wants something of you, then he will provide you with a suitable bargain… now, as I said, please follow me." The answer didn't leave any room for satisfaction. T'balt was still lootless. No powers beyond the Redeemer. His entire bag of tricks getting taken away from him made him feel worse than naked. He wanted it back as soon as possible.

There was some valuable loot in there. Some that he knew he didn't want others to know about, especially a bargaining businessman. They followed German up the circular driveway and into the lavish front door of the mansion. The inside was even more put together than the outside. The floor was built with detailed dark wood. There was posh black furniture with warm sun-colored light glowing beneath them, providing a warm and comfortable lighting of the room. Soothing orchestral music played over the intercom above.

Everyone immediately felt relaxed, like they had just entered a spa after a long day at work. Somehow, the most striking thing about the place was that there were people in it. Rich-looking people, with suits and costumes even more striking than German's. Some wore three-piece business suits. Some looked like modern cowboys and others like straight bounty hunters. They were mingling over glasses of wine and cheese plates provided by house staff in butler uniforms.

Two of them were chatting about some piece of animal skin art hung up over one of the windows as drapes. The animal wasn't one any of them could recognize. The skin and fur didn't look of this earth. All T'balt could wonder was, "How is this place running like this?" Cannon and Acelin had their jaws on the floor at all this fine interior decorating.

"This place is so nice. Are we staying?" asked Acelin.

"That doesn't seem like a bad idea, say T'balt?" Cannon smiled at him, hoping the answer would be yes.

"We'll see," he answered.

"But I suddenly feel underdressed in our stolen thrift shop clothes."

"If you ask me," Ellie crossed her arms.

"This place is deplorable. It's a clean example of the rich getting richer, while the people outside are suffering." German took a single step towards her, looking down a head taller.

"I wouldn't recommend that kind of speech around here. Our lives and work ethic in the old world have provided some comfort in the new. But I wouldn't assume you are the only ones who have suffered." He took a step away, turning to walk them around the rest of the place.

"Even still, most people here had no great riches in the old world. The only residents here are those who can afford it in the new."

"Afford? But what use is money now that everything is a wreck? It isn't like anyone can just go to the grocery store," T'balt asked. German fetched a little leather bag from his breast pocket. From inside the bag, he pulled a piece of loot with two of his fingers. By the symbol on it, it was a flame loot.

"Tell me what you see here," he said.

"Loot."

"It isn't a coincidence that most people call it that. Its circular shape and pattern resemble modern coins. While they don't represent a monetary value, they do represent a value in whatever their magical power is." The coin started to squirm in his fingers, its legs popping out, itching to leap into something's neck. German popped it back into his pouch.

"This is what sparked the idea to simply switch up our currencies. Currency is what keeps a society running. Workers do not work freely without achieving some value in return. While money can be rendered useless, power cannot. That's why the Hunter's Club has developed a system of trade using loot as its base currency." The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. They stopped walking when they came upon a poster printed on the wall.

On it was a chart, listing out loot by rarity. Each one was given a grading scale: D, C, B, A, and S. D's being the most common, elementals, weapon summons, etc., and S's being seen as near unobtainable. The S category was filled with loot none of them had ever heard of, like "The Wanderer," and something called "The Colossus."

"Each grade is given a point value," German continued.

"D's are worth 1. C's are worth 5, and so on, like the American dollar bill values. Except for S, rewards for those are of the highest value determined by Corlander himself." T'balt was hardly listening to the man's explanation at this point. He was drooling over the chart on the wall.

"So many loots. So many possibilities." He started feverishly jotting in his notebook, copying down everything he saw with his tongue halfway out of his mouth. Everyone raised an eyebrow but ultimately ignored it as one of his weird habits.

"So what does any of this mean for us?" Ellie asked, arms still crossed.

"Well, it's what you'll need to know if you're going to be staying with us for a while."

"Staying with you? We didn't come here to stay. We came to see if your boss was going to help us get to Graceland or not." German didn't flinch at her sudden directness.

"Corlander is a busy man. As I'm sure you can understand, keeping all this running requires a lot of… preparation. He has agreed to meet with you as soon as he can spare the time."

"And how long might that be?"

"A few days, perhaps. But ultimately, I won't know until he says."

"A few days? Is that all? We'd be better off going to find our way ourselves."

"Relax, Ellie," Cannon said, resting his hand on her shoulder.

"No need to be so uptight." German quietly glanced up at the man.

"As the brute said. I am not your enemy. Just a middleman. If you want to find your way to Graceland, through Corlander is the most assured way. Many have lost their lives trying to get there, and I'd hate to see you all suffer the same fate."

"And how are you so sure that Corlander can get there? You said yourself, no one who's ever tried to get there has ever returned." Ellie asked. German hesitated, showing a brief sign of discomfort at the question. He spoke slowly.

"Because Mitas Corlander's ability to get what he wants is… undeniable."

"Right. A man doesn't get this kind of lifestyle without an unmatched work ethic." Cannon was still marveling at all the furniture. Ellie rolled her eyes. T'balt finally closed his book.

"Wow. 5 whole tiers. I can't imagine how powerful S-grade would be. If only there were a way to get my hands on one of those," he wondered out loud.

"There is," German answered. From his back pocket, he handed each one of them a card. On it read, "Member of Mitas Corlander's Hunter's Club. This card grants free admission inside the gate, and stores all earned currency.

"You can find out whenever you wish. The easiest way to make money here is through bounties. Every S-grade loot currently has a bounty on it. You may pursue them if you wish. Though I will warn that they are S-grade for a reason."

"Uhh.. sure."

"With that being said, I'd recommend smaller bounties first to earn your keep, as it isn't cheap to stay here. 5 points cover a meal. 10 will get one room for one night." Cannon contorted his mouth in a frown.

"Isn't this a bit of an outrage? That's like 20 pieces of loot for a single night, including food for each of us." German glanced around at the waiters, food, and decor, letting everyone's eyes follow his. That was all it took for them to understand why things here were so expensive. Ellie shook her head.

"It sounds like a waste of time to me. We were surviving okay on our own without all the extra luxury." T'balt started writing in his notebook again, half-heartedly responding, "I don't know, El. Maybe this will be a nice change of pace for a while. An opportunity to live comfortably for once. Electricity, not having to eat canned food, and they might even have beds."

"Beds are not included in the rooms. They cost extra," German added. T'balt almost choked.

"But anyway. At the very least, they've clearly done a lot of research into different kinds of loot. I'm thinking I might be able to learn a thing or two." German took a gander at T'balt's notebook as he was writing. He had a strange way of trying to observe everything, even if he wasn't so secretive about it. When T'balt caught him staring, he pointed out something.

"It's not quite accurate that one is only limited to 3 pieces of loot, as you have written here. Yes, more than 3 unique pieces of loot will cause deterioration in the body, but it is possible to combine loots of the same make."

"But why would you put two of the same loot in the same person?"

"Because it gets upgraded. It gets more powerful the more it combines with itself."

"You're pulling my chain." T'balt sparked a smile so wide that it turned into laughter.

"I am not." The two continued walking and filling up T'balt's notebook. A maid came by with a plate of fresh cheese, crackers, and tuna dip, offering it to Ellie.

"No thanks."

"Don't mind if I do." Cannon grabbed a handful and inhaled it. Acelin did too when he was offered the same. Ellie blew into her cheeks.

"Am I the only one getting a bad feeling here?"

"Relax, El," Cannon said, with his mouth full.

"Remember, everything we're doing here is because we believe in T'balt. The Redeemer knows what's best." Acelin held a cracker with a small piece of cheese up to her face.

"Here. I know you haven't eaten today." Ellie sighed and ate the cracker.