The large sealed crate remained exactly as it was when it arrived from Berm, heavy metal latches still locked tight while reinforced straps held it securely in place on the truck bed.

Merchant May stood quietly in front of it for several seconds.

Thinking.

Observing.

Then she turned toward two of her workers.

"Check the seals."

The workers immediately moved forward.

Carefully.

Almost nervously.

Marcus noticed that.

Whatever was inside this crate, even May’s own people treated it carefully.

One of the workers inspected the wax markings near the locks while the other checked the metal bands wrapped around the edges.

A few moments later, both nodded.

"The seals are untouched, Lady May."

"Any signs of forced entry?"

"None."

May exhaled slowly after hearing that.

Subtle.

But noticeable.

Relief.

Real relief.

Marcus leaned lightly against the side of the truck while watching the exchange. Around him, the crew stayed quiet, though a few of them were clearly curious about the cargo by now.

Honestly, Marcus was too.

But curiosity and contracts were two different things.

And fifty million kinah was enough motivation not to ask questions.

May turned back toward Marcus.

"You truly never opened it."

Marcus shrugged.

"The contract specifically said not to."

"And you followed it without even asking what was inside?"

"That wasn’t part of the job."

May stared at him for another second before slowly nodding.

"...Professional."

The co-pilot quietly muttered from nearby:

"Professional enough to almost die over it."

Marcus ignored him.

Mostly.

May motioned toward several guards standing near the entrance of the building.

"Bring the payment."

The atmosphere around the room shifted immediately.

Even the workers straightened slightly after hearing that order.

Marcus noticed it.

So did the crew.

The pilot blinked.

"...Wait. Right now?"

May looked at him calmly.

"You fulfilled the contract."

Then she glanced toward the sealed crate again.

"And you delivered it intact."

Fair enough.

A few minutes later, heavy footsteps echoed deeper inside the merchant headquarters.

Then more.

Then even more.

Marcus turned slightly toward the hallway just as a line of workers and armed guards emerged carrying reinforced wooden chests between them.

Not one chest.

Several.

Each one reinforced with metal corners and thick locking bars.

And judging by the way the workers carried them—

Heavy.

Very heavy.

The first chest was placed on the floor with a loud THUD.

Then another.

Then another.

The room slowly filled with rows of reinforced containers while guards positioned themselves around the area.

Even the crew started staring now.

The co-pilot slowly blinked.

"...Holy shit."

One of the workers wiped sweat from his forehead after setting down another chest.

"These things weigh a damn ton..."

Marcus understood why immediately.

Gold.

A lot of gold.

May walked toward the nearest chest calmly before unlocking it personally with a small silver key.

The metal lock clicked open.

Then she lifted the lid.

Gold.

The entire chest was filled with neatly stacked gold coins reflecting the warm lantern light of the room.

The metallic shine immediately caught everyone’s attention.

Even Marcus paused slightly.

Not because of greed.

Because of scale.

That was only one chest.

And there were still multiple others lined up behind it.

The pilot stared openly.

"...That’s... all gold?"

"One of the chests, yes," May answered calmly.

The co-pilot looked like his brain was struggling to process the amount sitting in front of them.

Marcus stayed quieter.

But internally, even he understood how absurd this payment actually was.

Fifty million kinah.

That was not adventurer money anymore.

That was kingdom-level wealth.

May closed the chest again before turning toward Marcus.

"As agreed in the contract. Fifty million kinah."

One of the crew in the back nearly choked.

"Fifty million..."

Another whispered:

"We’re rich."

The pilot immediately looked at him.

"Brother, we were already flying Black Hawks and summoning trucks from thin air."

"...Fair point."

Still, the room felt different now.

The reality of the reward had finally settled in.

Every risk.

Every monster.

Every second inside that cursed forest.

It all suddenly felt real.

Because now the payment was sitting directly in front of them.

Heavy enough to require teams of workers just to move it.

May studied Marcus carefully.

Most people would have stared at the gold endlessly by now.

Marcus didn’t.

He looked at it.

Processed it.

Then looked back at her.

Professional.

Controlled.

That seemed to interest her more than the truck did.

"You don’t seem surprised," she noted.

Marcus gave a faint shrug.

"We completed the contract. Payment follows."

That answer earned another small smile from her.

"...Kelly was right about you."

Marcus raised an eyebrow slightly.

"She talks about me?"

"She mentioned you were unusual."

The co-pilot quietly muttered:

"That’s one way to put it."

May ignored him.

Then her expression became slightly more serious.

"You crossed impossible territory to deliver this cargo."

Her eyes shifted briefly toward the sealed crate again.

"Most veteran caravans refuse routes even remotely near the Forest of No Return."

Marcus remained calm.

"We had transportation advantages."

"That metal carriage?"

Marcus nodded once.

"That helped."

May looked unconvinced that the explanation was that simple.

Honestly—

She was right.

But Marcus wasn’t about to explain helicopters, A-10s, or monster swarms to a medieval merchant.

Some things were better left unsaid.

May turned slightly toward the guards.

"Prepare temporary storage transfer for the payment."

The guards immediately nodded.

One of them hesitated briefly before asking:

"My lady... are they transporting all of this themselves?"

May looked toward Marcus.

"That depends."

Marcus already knew the problem.

Weight.

Even the M939 had limits.

Especially if they planned to stay discreet.

Though at this point, discreet had already died the moment they drove through the city gates.

"We can transport it," Marcus said.

The co-pilot immediately looked at him.

"All of it?"

Marcus nodded slightly.

"We’ll manage."

The pilot snorted quietly.

"You say that like you aren’t planning something weird again."

Marcus ignored him.

Again.

May folded her arms lightly.

"...You’re leaving immediately?"

"Probably after resupply."

"That soon?"

Marcus looked toward the windows overlooking the city outside.

"We’ve already attracted enough attention."

That was an understatement.

The truck alone had probably become the biggest rumor in Crentis by now.

May actually laughed softly at that.

"You caused half the merchant district to stop working just by driving through the streets."

The co-pilot grinned slightly.

"Nice."

Marcus rubbed the side of his forehead briefly.

Not exactly ideal operational security.

Then again—

Operational security had stopped existing when they fought flying monsters over a living forest.

May stepped closer slightly.

"Regardless, the contract is complete."

She extended her hand toward him.

Marcus looked at it briefly before shaking it.

Her grip was firm.

Confident.

Not noble-like.

Merchant-like.

A person used to negotiations and power.

"You have my gratitude," she said.

Marcus nodded once.

"And we have our payment."

That earned another amused look from her.

Straightforward.

Simple.

Efficient.

Very adventurer-like.

Except Marcus clearly wasn’t a normal adventurer.

Everyone in this room understood that by now.

The truck.

The strange technology.

The impossible delivery route.

The discipline not to open the cargo.

And the fact that his group looked more like a private military convoy than mercenaries.

May noticed all of it.

But she didn’t push.

Professional people knew when not to ask questions.

Instead, she simply said:

"If Merchant Kelly contacts you again in the future..."

Her eyes shifted toward the sealed crate briefly.

"...I suggest listening."

Marcus caught the implication immediately.

There would be more work.

Important work.

Dangerous work.

Probably very profitable work too.

Marcus gave a faint nod.

"We’ll see."

May smiled slightly.

Careful answer.

Good answer.

Then she stepped aside and motioned toward the chests of gold.

"Now."

Her tone became calm again.

"Let’s settle how you intend to move fifty million kinah out of my building without causing another panic in the city."

"Oh, we will handle it, just give us that and we will be on our way."