A Refreshing Start

In a gentle embrace of sunlight filtering to a slender gap of the place's window towards the place's living room, a man emerges in his slumber. Peacefully sleeping with his head lying on the desk of the table, amidst the clutter of disheveled books around him. Black hair, slim body, and a young face feature is what describes the individual.

Not being able to put up with the unwelcomed heat caused by the sunlight, the man was forced to wake up irritated at the bright heat he had received directly on his face.

"Why the hell is the window opened?" He grumbles, only to recall what had happened last night. In the middle of the night, the atmosphere was quite hot, which is unlikely, so he needed to give a passageway for cool air to enter.

Knock knock. A sound resounded from his back, where the door to his place is placed and is opposite to the location of the window and where he is looking at the moment.

The sound continues. He thought about staying silent so that his ignorance would be ignored by whoever was the troublesome person on the other side of the door. But, in persistence, the person on the other side keeps shouting his name producing sounds louder than the knock.

Few moments later when he is unable to succumb to the disturbance, he remembers something from yesterday and hastily said "Come in, Dan. Door is unlocked. I forgot I had asked you last night."

The door opens and an elderly figure is seen. It was the landlady of the place he had been living. Looking personally made him nervous because of the moment earlier where he tried to ignore her.

"What the hell has this room turned into, William?" The first words that came from landlady Dan's mouth as she is eyeing the chaotic books. Continued saying "What is the use of your bookshelf here?" Questioning the utility of the neglected bookshelf.

"Ah, Landlady. Are you here to complain?" William spoke, raising his finger, offering a childish smile. The childish reply leads the Landlady speechless and can only sigh as a response.

"Anyway, did you not say last night to wake you up early today." Landlady retorted, crossing her arms and continued "Why can you not just wake up yourself?"

William remembers last night's scene where William begged Dan if she could wake him up early in the morning.

"Yeah, I remember. Though, I was already awake, thank you Miss Dan and sorry." William replied.

"It is okay. You said you have a job today so you need to go to work. Remember you have a rent to pay that is why I helped you out." Landlady Dan reminded William. It was clear what Dan's intentions were.

Last night, it happens that Dan reminded William about the upcoming rent payment. As William's reply, he said that a job is coming for him tomorrow so he needed to wake up and requested Dan to wake him up just in case he does not wake up early.

William nodded with affirmation to Dan's reminder, with his smile ever so proud. Dan, not worrying about the hint of nervousness William had, smiled and got out of the room to make way for William's preparation.

After Dan got out, William rested his back on the chair he had been sitting on. On his front is the table where he had his head lying earlier while he was asleep. He opened a small cabinet under the table and cried out as he looked at the inside of his pouch. 3 silver coins were only present.

'I have to pay 3 silver for the rent, so that leaves me nothing if I pay now.' William cries, contemplating his financial predicament.

'Also, lying to the Landlady that I have a exploration job today made her believe.' It was because he promised the landlady that after the exploration, he would pay her though it was a lie that there was exploration. Guilt washed over William over the fabricated excuse.

William's gaze shifts at the wall side to him where a hanging frame is seen –"William Shyrone, top graduate of Archeology Class'. It serves as a stark contrast to his academic prowess when he graduated from the Classified class, the last level of education where students choose their specialization and studies for 4 years. As for William, he chose Archeology.

"I can't believe that 16 years of education only left me jobless. I should have chosen more practical specialization. Only one exploration for over four months." William cries out with a sentiment of regret.

Without an ounce of second, he decided to do 'that' and prepared for a leave. A swift 30 minutes had passed, after eating the remnants in his refrigerator's contents, he left the rented place abode – tidied and ready for departure.

Walking in the cemented streets, William could observe the bustling crowd having a competition in the market and the houses lining up on the side of the streets.

After walking for around 20 minutes, in front of William was a certain two story building. The second floor was concealed from the outside. On the other hand, the first floor housed a gem shop.

William entered through the door normally, and went to secretly talk to the owner who was the first one to greet him upon entering.

"Manda, accompany this man to the second floor." After the secretive conversation, the shop owner demanded the lady, wearing in black clothes that looked like security.

With that, the lady gestures to William to follow her and leads him to the 2nd floor.

"This is as far as I can go with you. Behind that door, is what you desire, sir."

"Thank you…..Manda."

"No problem, sir. I will now take my leave." She remarked and left me alone in the scene.

Behind the door lies a key to William's financial salvation. He was excited as if he expected to gain many things here.

Upon entering the room, a joyous atmosphere was shown – a gambling area filled with laughter and people risking their money.

"This is the best place for me to raise my 3 silver coins." William said, carrying the pouch where he had put his 3 silver coins. Gambling area, for William, was the best place to raise money, but also the worst place since it may have ended him with an empty wallet.

People began to notice the presence of the individual who just got in and remained silent.

"Isn't he the one who had luck beyond comprehension?", "Wait, he sound familiar, he is the unbeatable gambler.", "Is it that he has skills to cheat or he is just a lucky person?" It was the gossip and whispers of the gamblers around him.

'I could hear you all.' He thought, wishing that they could just whisper without him hearing.

Navigating through the crowded place where he wanted to play, often rejected due to the fear-inducing rumors about him, he stumbled upon a person.

"So you are the talk of this place, huh?" A large man intercepts and talks to William. A bald man, with skin having a darker tone.

"I don't really know why they are gossiping like that. I hope it stops." William replies nervously because of the intimidating large man. Due to his posture and nervousness, the large man replied with a loud laugh.

"You are funny. Let us play. Call me Jak." Jak said, shaking his own coin pouch with his arm. William could hear the sounds of the coins that made his nervousness convert to excitement.

'How could I reject this offer?' He sang in his insides praising the god of fortune.

"Call me Will. Pleased to play with you, Jak." William said, smiling viciously.

Minutes of play later, the eyes of Jak extended to the outside due to shock. The pouch he had been proudly carrying and shaking earlier is at the hand of the man who is obsessing his gain at the moment.

William, who had been holding the pouch, did not care for Jak's reaction. Merely focused on his winning prize.

"Now I have coins equal to 10 silver coins at the moment. I guess this will help me survive this month and can also pay my rent." He excitedly said while the other person cried out penniless.

"How did you do that? Were you cheating on the 9 games we had played?" Jak complains suspecting foul play. There is less possibility that a person could win 9 consecutive rounds but for what Jak encountered, William played and won the 9 games confidently where it can be said that he might have cheated and planned it all out.

"I am sorry for your loss. Maybe I am blessed by the god of fortune that is. Even if I am cheating, there is no way for you to prove that, right?" William replies that taunted Jak though it was not his intention. It was only due to the excitement of William receiving a large amount.

"Now, I am pissed. Give me all your money or I'll just beat you up and take all that money, you slim bastard." Jak threatens William who couldn't bear to hear anymore and was in a trance to beat up William.

"Seemed like you underestimate me, big boy." William again said confidently and tauntly which led Jak to charge towards him.

The sneaky William merged with the gamblers which minimizes Jak's movements that may harm the other gamblers.

William had fun with Jak chasing him. The large man, Jak, has less speed of travel due to the narrow space created by the crowd. William had fun until the door went flying.

"Illegal gambling, I hereby declare you all to be sent in a cell." It was the city police, armed with silver revolvers, who declared this.

Amidst the ruckus, gamblers who had been laughing and having fun earlier ducked down with their hands above their heads. Jak, who had been relentlessly targeting William, was unable to chase any longer and had to give up.

'I'll chase you later in the cell' Jak thought, glaring at the spot where William was last seen. To Jak's dismay, William had vanished, leaving him bewildered. Despite Jak's attempts to report to the city police, his loud protests were silenced by the authorities.

"I guess I am done here," William said in front of the building he stayed in earlier. Walking towards home as if nothing had happened, he chuckled, grateful for his stroke of luck. After evading Jak's pursuit, William had been led to a secret emergency exit.

"Man, I truly am lucky." His steps exuded happiness because of the sounds of the coins on his pouch chiming merrily.

Earlier, he had no choice but to ignore the market due to his financial plight. Now, he happily spends his coins on groceries.

"Now, this is what I call life." Marching happily towards his rented home while carrying the bags with an amount of goods he had brought from the market.

Upon reaching his place he had rented, he counted the money left in his pouch: 7 silver coins and 4 copper coins. Since 1 silver coin is equivalent to 10 copper coins, 2 silver and 6 copper coins were used for his grocery which can let him live for 2 weeks.

'Paying 3 silver for the rent, so that leaves me 4 silver and 4 copper. So probably I need more if I want it to last next month. I am so tired of being broke.' He mused walking in the corridors towards his room and entered.

"So, it seems like you went out gambling again, William? You'll be caught by the city police if you continue that." Chided the first person he encountered upon entering, someone of the same age as William.

"Oh, Zandrei. What brings you here?" William inquired.

"I was passing by. You're really lucky, William. You avoided the city police, won at gambling, and didn't lose a single item in this house, even leaving it unlocked," Zandrei complained, a hint of a lecture in his tone.

"Are you here just to lecture me, Zandrei?" William retorted.

"Ah, sorry about that, colleague William. I thought it would be nice for us to join hands with the exploration job, but since you're grumpy at me, I guess there's no way for you to accept." Zandrei replied apologetically.

Hearing those words, William's eyes narrowed and a smile played on his lips.

"I am sorry, my brother Zandrei. Please allow this broke me to partake in this job." William praised Zandrei like a savior. Zandrei then reached out an envelope from his pocket and placed it on William's table.

"That is good to hear, William. Read the contents in this letter and if you are okay with it, just go to my place before 9 tomorrow."

"You will now leave this early?"

"Of course, I need to prepare since this is our second real job since graduation. Can't let it fail." Zandre exclaimed.

"Yeah, can't believe these two best friends that are so broke are excited for taking a single day of their job." The excitement was shown in both of their eyes. It is because usually having a job does not necessarily bring you happiness, but stress. Since these two can't relate to that and had only a second time to do a real job related to their specialization, they were excited.

"You'll truly understand the reason for my smile after reading the contents." Zandrei said, which led William to question. Zandrei ignores the puzzled look and continues."Then, I believe I can see you tomorrow, then, William?"

"S-Sure." William replies, still with a lingering question. He didn't bother further, trusting that the envelope held the answers.

With that said, Zandrei left the scene and William examined the letter Zandrei left. On the back were the requester, date of request, and the address of exploration. William was bewildered to find the request was from the president of New World City, Grisha Hammel, dated the 9th of January 1760.

"Can't believe the president requested this. How come he knew Zandrei, who is nobody?" he thought but chose to ignore the fact.

'Bottomless Tomb' served as the designated location of exploration and was under the New World's authority. The Bottomless Tob naturally appeared 2 decades ago. Countless explorers were unable to find something unique in the exploration. The prevailing belief among them was that it was a pit with nothing to offer.

"Why would the president request this exploration? For 20 years, they haven't found anything but a place full of sands and rocks, and the endless darkness… Never mind, at least the pay is high, even without a unique exploration." William exclaims looking at the 20 silver coins reward and 50 if something unique had been found, this was what Zandrei meant about the reason why he smiled.

'Thank you, Zandrei.' William thought, with Zandrei in his mind, seemingly smirking.