The receptionist froze for a brief moment after Zich’s finger touched the listing.

Not because she doubted him.

But because the listing he selected was the most expensive option currently available on the entire floating panel.

[Mansion Estate — 110 Soul Stones monthly]

She glanced quickly at his face, then at the screen, then back at him again. After confirming he wasn’t joking, she gently cleared her throat before speaking.

"Of course, sir," she said, her voice slightly more careful now. "May I confirm the payment method? Please note that you don’t have to pay the full deposit right now."

"Yes, I want to pay half for now," Zich answered shortly. "Then I’ll pay the remaining amount in the next few days."

"How many months would you like to register in advance?"

Zich thought briefly. Paying month by month inside the privileged area was technically possible, but anyone living inside a mansion usually paid at least several months upfront. Doing otherwise made him look unstable, and unstable tenants attracted unnecessary scrutiny from the shelter management.

He had already attracted enough attention tonight.

"Two months," he replied.

The whispers behind him grew louder. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"Two months?"

"That’s two hundred and twenty Soul Stones..."

"Who is this guy?"

Zich ignored every single comment behind him and calmly pulled out his spatial bag. He reached inside, and a faint glow leaked out briefly before he placed a small cloth pouch onto the counter.

The receptionist opened it.

Inside, neatly arranged Soul Stones stared back at her, each one humming faintly with condensed mana. She counted them quickly with practiced fingers, and after confirming the exact number, which was one hundred and ten, she carefully transferred them into the shelter’s storage device built beneath the desk.

"Payment confirmed," she said, her tone now noticeably more respectful. "Welcome to the privileged district, sir. We’ll expect the remaining payment within the next couple of weeks."

She then slid a paper toward him.

[Mansion Estate Contract — Signed]

[Owner: Zich]

[Duration: 2 months]

[Access Key Issued]

A small silver token materialized above the panel before slowly drifting downward into Zich’s open palm.

The token was light, smooth, and engraved with faint runic patterns along its edges. A small symbol resembling a crest sat in the center, glowing softly under the reception lights.

"This token serves as your key, your identification, and your gate pass," the receptionist explained. "Please don’t lose it. Replacements require verification directly from the Shelter Lord."

Zich nodded once before slipping the token inside his coat pocket.

"How do I get there?"

"There’s a teleportation gate inside the privileged district reserved for residents," she answered while pointing toward a side corridor he hadn’t noticed earlier. "Please follow that hallway. The guards there will guide you the rest of the way."

"Understood."

Zich turned around without saying anything else.

The whispers had not stopped. If anything, they had grown louder. Several players had even gathered closer to the reception desk, pretending to look at the listings while clearly trying to overhear more.

He paid them no attention. His footsteps echoed quietly as he walked toward the indicated corridor.

Two guards stood at the end of the corridor.

Both wore polished armor with the shelter’s emblem stitched neatly across their chests, and unlike the half asleep workers in the reception area, these two stood perfectly upright with sharp, alert eyes.

The taller one stepped forward first.

"Token, please."

Zich pulled out the silver token and held it up briefly.

The guard scanned it with a small device hanging from his belt, and after a soft chime confirmed the verification, he immediately straightened and offered a respectful nod.

"Welcome, Lord Zich."

Zich blinked once.

’Lord.’

He hadn’t expected the title, but he didn’t bother correcting it either. Inside the privileged district, anyone who could afford a mansion was apparently treated as nobility by default, regardless of their actual background.

It wasn’t a bad system, honestly.

"This way, please," the second guard said while gesturing toward a glowing circular gate behind them.

Zich stepped onto the platform.

The gate hummed softly as faint blue light gathered around his feet, and a moment later, the entire reception corridor disappeared from his view.

When his vision cleared again, he was standing somewhere completely different.

A wide stone path stretched out in front of him, lined with tall lampposts that glowed with soft white mana. Trees grew neatly along both sides of the road, their leaves swaying gently under a wind that carried no rain at all.

The sky above the privileged district was clear.

Not a single drop of the cold rain that had been pouring outside earlier reached this place. Some kind of weather barrier was likely active overhead, and the difference between this area and the rest of the shelter was almost ridiculous.

A small carriage waited near the gate.

The driver, an older man with neatly combed gray hair, bowed politely the moment Zich stepped off the platform.

"Lord Zich, I’ll be escorting you to your residence."

Zich climbed inside without saying much.

The interior of the carriage was unnecessarily comfortable. Soft cushions lined every seat, a small mana lamp glowed warmly above the door, and the slight rocking motion as the carriage began moving felt almost relaxing after everything that had happened tonight.

He leaned back against the seat and exhaled slowly.

The carriage moved through the privileged district at a steady pace, and Zich quietly watched the scenery passing outside the window.

Mansions appeared one after another along the road, each one separated by tall iron fences and wide gardens. Some were styled like classical estates with marble pillars and carved statues, while others looked more modern, with sharp angles and large glass windows that reflected the lamplight beautifully.

Players occasionally walked along the sidewalks, but none of them looked anything like the ones inside the public shelter. These people wore fine clothes, expensive accessories, and carried weapons that gleamed even under the dim streetlights.

A few of them glanced toward his carriage briefly before looking away again, uninterested.

Zich preferred that reaction far more than the staring he had received earlier.

The carriage eventually slowed.

"We’ve arrived, Lord Zich."