Chapter 103: Making Money!

Xing Yue wove through the streets of the Imperial Capital.

The night wind carried a barrage of scents—the charred aroma of roast meat, the sharp sting of cheap alcohol, the smoky residue of some burning spice, and the peculiar… human musk of a crowd mingled together.

Lively.

Very lively.

It was the Imperial Capital, after all.

Even deep into the night, the streets remained crowded.

People of all attire and bearing passed her by—nobles in fine silks, adventurers with weapons on their backs, cloaked figures radiating mystery, and drunks stumbling and swaying.

Following the directions Emily had provided from the other side, Xing Yue arrived before a three-story building.

The building occupied the best spot on the street corner, its outer wall adorned with a massive signboard carved with the image of a giant goblet, wisps of smoke-like engravings floating above it.

Through the windows, she could see the interior blazing with light, the clamor of voices, the occasional clink of glasses, and rough laughter.

This was the place.

The Imperial Capital’s largest tavern—”Breath of the Drunken Dragon.”

According to Emily’s description, the owner had supposedly been an adventurer before retiring.

In his youth, he had personally slain a wyvern, hence the name.

The tavern had three floors.

The first was for common folk, the second held private booths for the wealthy, and the third was reserved for true big shots.

One of the Empire’s noisiest and most bustling locales.

Xing Yue felt a flicker of anticipation as she stepped toward the entrance—

And was stopped.

“Halt.”

A burly man nearly two meters tall stood at the door, bare-chested, his muscles rippling.

He looked down at Xing Yue, expressionless, and extended a hand.

Xing Yue: “……”

She blinked.

And blinked again.

“Entry fee. One silver coin.”

The burly man looked at her like she was an idiot.

“You charge money?”

“Of course you pay to enter a tavern.”

He paused, sizing her up.

“Little girl, first time in a place like this?”

Xing Yue’s mouth twitched.

One coin?

‘No, seriously—I haven’t even bought anything, and just to walk into a tavern I have to pay first?’

Fine, fine…

‘As expected of a nation’s capital.

You can’t even breathe inside a tavern without paying.’

Xing Yue took a deep breath.

“Sorry to bother you.

I’ll be going.”

Rather than be thrown out by the burly man, Xing Yue chose not to linger.

She turned and walked away.

She was merely a projection of consciousness.

She had arrived empty-handed, and naturally, she had not a single coin on her.

Forget one silver coin—she didn’t even have a copper.

‘If only she had snagged some money from Flanya’s room before coming out.

Ugh…’

But going back now was impossible.

The probability of being discovered was too high, and even if she did return, how would she explain it to Flanya?

‘That she, a Demon Lord, summoned to help a princess defy fate, couldn’t even get through a tavern’s front door?’

‘Blocked by a bouncer because she didn’t have a single silver coin to enter a tavern?’

‘How would that sound to anyone?’

‘How utterly humiliating!’

‘Unacceptable.’

‘Absolutely unacceptable.’

But… without money to enter the tavern, she couldn’t just stand outside waiting to “run into” Flanya tomorrow, could she?

“Oh, I don’t have money to go in, so I’m waiting for you to come get me.”

“Demon Lord, why are you standing outside?”

“Oh, I don’t have money to go in, so I’m waiting for you to come get me.”

Just imagining that conversation made Xing Yue’s scalp prickle.

‘What would Flanya think of her then?’

‘She’d definitely doubt her competence!’

‘Their encounter had to be at least somewhat dignified—inside the tavern, amid the crowd, the kind of “accidental meeting of eyes.”‘

So—

Tonight, she needed to get some money.

Walking through the Imperial Capital’s night, Xing Yue began to think.

Money.

How to get money?

As a law-abiding citizen, she couldn’t exactly resort to theft or robbery, could she?

Suddenly, Xing Yue stopped.

Her gaze fell on a poster at the street corner.

The poster depicted a man with bulging muscles, brandishing a weapon against a snarling beast.

Beside it, large characters proclaimed:

[Iron Eagle Arena · Night of Blood · Come and Fight!]

Below was another line in smaller text:

“Win and claim a massive prize!

Sign up now!”

Xing Yue blinked.

Arena…

Massive prize…

She remembered Flanya mentioning this—the Empire’s most popular form of entertainment was watching fights.

“Maybe I could give it a try?”

She was just one step away from the Fourth Order anyway, and needed real combat to break through.

If winning also came with money, it suited her quite well.

Back at the Demon King Castle, Xing Yue’s main body lifted her head, looking at the pink-haired girl across from her who was staring into space, chin in hand.

“Emily.”

“Hm?”

Emily snapped back to attention.

“What is it, Your Highness?”

“Do you know how the Empire’s arenas actually operate?”

“Arena, huh…”

Emily thought for a moment, then explained:

“Most are open all day.

Any reasonably large arena stays open at night too.

The matches inside run nonstop every day.”

Xing Yue nodded thoughtfully.

“Are there any restrictions on signing up as a participant?”

“Not really…”

Emily recalled:

“As long as you’re a person, you can just go sign up.

Win, and you get prize money.

How much depends on the scale of the event and how spectacular the fight is.”

“After all, most people pay to watch passionate, thrilling battles.

Sometimes if they’re entertained enough, they’ll tip.”

‘As long as you’re a person…’

‘Why did that phrasing sound so odd?’

‘As if guessing Xing Yue’s thoughts, Emily added:’

“Because the organizers match opponents based on the registrant’s strength, they won’t let too great a disparity occur.

Though you do have to sign a waiver.”

Xing Yue nodded thoughtfully.

She withdrew her thoughts and looked again at the poster before her.

This arena was located in the western part of the city, not far from here.

Decision made.

She’d go take a look.

The arena building was even more spectacular than the tavern.

A massive circular stone wall rose over ten meters high, torches blazing at its top, illuminating the entire grounds.

The line at the entrance wasn’t long—mostly young people, their eyes filled with longing and tension.

Xing Yue’s presence here was quite conspicuous.

After all, whether in appearance, bearing, or attire, she looked every bit the noble lady who ought to be in the stands, not down here signing up to compete.

Some approached and asked if she’d come to the wrong place, that the spectator entrance wasn’t here, but all received polite responses from Xing Yue.

She was indeed here to compete.

This left many incredulous.

But Xing Yue paid no mind to what they thought.

Right now, she just wanted money.

Of course, if she could break through in the process, all the better.

The wait at the registration desk wasn’t long.

Soon it was her turn.

A balding middle-aged man sat behind the window, flipping through a thick ledger.

Only when a fragrant breeze reached his nose did he glance up at Xing Yue, frown, and ask:

“Registering?”

“Yes.”

“Name?

Or rather, what alias will you use in the ring?”

“Phyllis.”

Xing Yue’s expression didn’t change as she directly reported her good-for-nothing mother’s name.

The middle-aged man showed no particular reaction to the name.

He picked up his pen and continued writing in the ledger while asking:

“Class?”

“Magician.”

“Strength level?”

“Third Order.”

The man’s pen paused.

He glanced at her.

‘A Third Order extraordinary magician?’

‘That was no weak strength.’

The man nodded:

“Third Order, huh…

Mm, there’s a match tonight that needs a fighter.

Your opponent will be three Fang Wolves, all Third Order.

Win, and the prize is twenty silver coins.”

He flipped through the ledger and continued:

“Lose, and your life is your own.

Dare to take it?”

“I’ll take it.”

Xing Yue answered without hesitation.

The man nodded, pulled a sheet of paper from a drawer, and pushed it toward Xing Yue.

“Alright, then sign it.”

Xing Yue glanced down.

Just as Emily had said—a waiver.

She picked up the pen, gave it a flourish, and signed the name “Phyllis” without the slightest psychological burden.

The man took back the waiver and pointed inward.

“Go in and wait.

The match starts in half an hour.”

Xing Yue nodded and turned toward the depths of the arena.

Behind her, the man’s gaze lingered on her for a few seconds.

Such a young girl, already a Third Order extraordinary magician, and she dared to take on three Fang Wolves…

“Phyllis, huh…”

Interesting.