Chapter 30. Every Day Like Today  

Nisha had also learned enough martial arts from Callon, alongside Ino, to protect herself.

Because of this, she realized that the movements between the two earlier were entirely genuine.

At a time like this, she might have smiled slyly and thought, ‘Callon, I didn’t think you were into this type,’ but Nisha couldn’t bring herself to think that way.

‘Yeah, right, as if.’

Having worked with Callon for a long time, Nisha prided herself on knowing him to some extent.

Callon, unlike most merchant guild masters, was a warm and generous person. But only within the boundaries he set.

A man with limited kindness—that was Callon.

He had never once made a decision based purely on emotions.

Even if he had laughed and spent time with someone the day before, if the next day required cutting ties for the sake of the guild, he would do so without hesitation.

‘Well, there is one exception…’

Nisha swallowed a sigh.

It was fortunate that this pitiful young lady from the remote corner of the world had earned Callon’s sympathy. Thanks to that, she would likely escape her difficult situation.

‘But still…’

What worried Nisha wasn’t Callon—it was Ael.

If this young lady were to develop feelings for Callon, she would undoubtedly face heartbreak someday.

After the brief commotion, the conversation returned to the topic of work and its conditions.

“At the Ash Merchant Guild, salaries are generally paid monthly. Some people receive daily or weekly wages, but they’re rare. Payments are usually deposited into bank accounts, though in certain situations, we can pay in cash directly. Miss Aelfrieda, would you prefer…?”

“I think… cash would be better. While it’s safer to keep money in a bank, I can’t open an account under my name yet.”

Her father was no longer in contact, and she had no husband, so the banks in Denertum wouldn’t let her open an account.

“Then what about the Imperial Bank?”

“Pardon?”

“The Imperial Bank is expanding into Denertum soon. Since it operates under Imperial rules, you’ll be able to open an account without a male guardian.”

As the Ash Merchant Guild in Denertum grew, the inconveniences faced by its female employees also increased, one of which was the banking issue.

Until now, the guild had opened multiple accounts under its name to distribute salaries, but this method had many problems.

Thus, the Ash Merchant Guild decided to bring the Imperial Bank into Denertum.

After all, the guild’s expansion plans would soon involve large sums of money, making the presence of the Imperial Bank essential.

“So I can open an account in my name? Without a guardian?”

“Of course.”

When Callon nodded, Ael’s face lit up.

“And regarding your salary, it’s best to decide now. Given your situation, we’ll pay you weekly in advance for the time being.”

Her face brightened even more at his words.

“And your weekly salary will be…”

Ael swallowed nervously.

To be honest, she wanted to work here no matter how much they paid.

If she could be a little greedy, she hoped for enough to provide Jenna and the elderly couple at home with wages and meals without difficulty. She also wished to repair Elise’s room by the end of summer.

Even if it was a little less, it would be fine. No other job would be as favorable to her or allow her to use her knowledge like this one.

‘If it’s 50 guilders a week, that would be amazing…’

Ael was startled by her own thoughts. She knew that most women working in markets or shops earned less than 30 guilders a week.

Even those who were well-paid received 30 guilders. Most earned less than 20.

And yet, here she was, daring to hope for 50 guilders as someone just starting out. It felt like an outrageous expectation.

“…Would 250 guilders be acceptable?”

“Excuse me?”

“250 guilders per week. Is that too little?”

Was he joking with her? But there was no trace of humor on Kyle’s face.

‘250 guilders… With that money…’

She could do so much. She could pay the overdue wages of the elderly couple, ensure Jenna wouldn’t have to struggle washing Elise’s clothes, and repair Elise’s room immediately.

“Is it really 250 guilders?”

“Yes. And while we generally don’t allow salary advances, exceptions can be made at the discretion of the management. If you’d like, we can pay you right away.”

Hearing this, Ael was so overwhelmed that she could only open and close her mouth, unable to speak.

“Um, wait, really… That much? But wouldn’t this require the branch manager’s approval…?”

Surely, such generous terms would need the branch manager’s authorization.

Yet Nisha, who had been silent until now, said nothing, and only Callon kept speaking.

“Hm? Me?”

Nisha, startled by Ael’s words, looked surprised.

“Oh, right. Technically, my approval is needed, but I leave most of these decisions to Kyle. When I’m busy, he acts as the full representative of the Denertum branch.”

Nisha seemed to be in her mid-forties, though her exact age was unclear.

But Kyle didn’t look much older than Ael, maybe just a few years. Even if he had a youthful appearance, he certainly didn’t seem to be in his mid-thirties.

‘To hold a position capable of acting as the branch manager’s representative in such a large merchant guild at such a young age…’

He must have worked incredibly hard to achieve such a position.

Ael’s gaze toward Callon now carried a hint of admiration.

Callon felt a strange tickling sensation in his chest at her gaze and didn’t know where to place his hands, almost as if he were embarrassed.

He awkwardly brushed his cheek with the back of his hand, where her gaze had lingered.

The contract was drawn up quickly. Ino, who had been pacing back and forth, exclaimed, “So it’s all settled, right?” and dashed off to prepare the contract.

When the contract, needing only her signature, was placed in front of her, Ael wondered if she was dreaming.

When she had come here, her body felt heavy, and her mind was clouded with worry.

She had been anxious the entire way.

What if they had already hired an Imperial language instructor? What if they mocked her for begging at this point? Was Jenna okay?

There had been no hope, only despair.

She dreaded tomorrow, expecting it to be even harder than today, and couldn’t even bear to imagine the distant future.

She had even entertained dark thoughts for a moment.

But now, just a few hours later, she was sitting in the finest room of the Ash Merchant Guild, hearing unbelievable proposals.

Her wounds had been treated by a doctor, her empty stomach was filled with high-quality food, and she was surrounded by people who treated her warmly and offered her favorable terms.

Ael looked at Kyle, who seemed to be waiting eagerly for her to sign.

The day she first met him, the day she couldn’t leave her room after being beaten by her parents, and now today…

Every day she met him felt like a gift.

‘If that’s the case…’

If she started working here and saw him every day.

Would every day be as happy as today?

With trembling hands, Ael picked up the pen. She pressed firmly as she signed the contract.

For the first time in her life, it was a signature without her family, bearing only her own name.

* * *

The next morning, Ael woke before the sun rose.

“……”

She sat blankly for a while before slowly turning her head.

On the bedside table was a pouch of money, emblazoned with the Ash Merchant Guild’s crest.

Ael reached out and picked it up. The clinking sound of coins inside was unmistakable.

“It wasn’t a dream…”

She knew exactly how much was left in the pouch. There would be 23 guilders remaining.

From the 250 guilders, she had paid the elderly couple and Jenna their wages and bought food for the week, leaving her with that amount.

‘Amazing.’

While she understood the importance of money, it was incredible how most of her struggles had been resolved so easily, almost like a lie.

The first thing she did was buy enough food for everyone to eat well. The pantry was now stocked with fresh vegetables, fruits, milk, butter, and various kinds of bread.

Jenna, seeing the fully stocked pantry, burst into tears. They had truly been on the brink of running out of food.

Next, Ael called the elderly couple and Jenna to confirm when her father had last paid their wages.

‘It was… two months ago…’

Seeing how hesitant and cautious they were in answering, Ael couldn’t bring herself to scold them for not telling her sooner.

She settled their overdue wages.

They were so overjoyed to receive their pay that Ael felt ashamed for not noticing sooner.

‘I still can’t believe I managed all of this with just one week’s salary.’

Kyle had promised her 250 guilders a week.

When she said it was too much, he explained that the ancient language experts at the Imperial headquarters, who were less skilled than her, received the same amount.

He also mentioned that after a month, her weekly pay would increase.

‘250 guilders is already incredible, and it’s going to go up?’

Thinking about receiving that much money again in just a week made her steps feel light as air.

While humming a little tune, Ael went downstairs and looked at Elise’s burned room.

It was still a mess. But even as she looked at it, her heart didn’t feel heavy.

‘They said people would come this morning.’

Yesterday, as she was leaving the Ash Merchant Guild, Kyle had called out to her.