Gold, Glory and A Goddess hangover

If you told me a week ago that I’d be celebrating in a fantasy world tavern after nearly dying to a mutant mushroom and 100 rabid squirrels, I would’ve laughed.

Now?

Now I’m drunk on cheap ale with a half-divine NEET goddess and a talking dog in a leather harness.

Life is weird.

A Few hours earlier:

We stumbled out of the Greystone Forest with packs full of glowing mushrooms, squirrel fur, and minor emotional trauma. Lyssa’s hair was full of spores, Luffy was proudly dragging a branch twice his size, and I was still trying to wrap my head around what had happened during the fight.

The soul-link.

That surge of power. The way my sword reforged itself. The energy flooding my body like some ancient circuit had just clicked on.

“You okay, Ren?” Lyssa asked, noticing I was deep in thought.

“Yeah. Just thinking. If it wasn’t for whatever that soul- Link ability was we would’ve been in serious danger ”

“Don’t worry REN I would’ve saved us all I’m sure of it”

“This wasn’t one of your video games you NEET goddess, we would've been screwed!!”

Luffy barked in agreement, tail wagging.

⸻

We walked into town and finally reached the guild hall looking very defeated but with a lot of loot to hopefully get us some gold to start off our isekai adventure right!

The guildhall buzzed as we entered.

Dusty adventurers nursed bruises. A bard was playing something vaguely heroic. And behind the counter stood my favorite elf receptionist—long silver hair, emerald eyes, and a look that could freeze lava. She was stunning… and not easily impressed. But maybe my future isekai wife nonetheless!

She blinked when she saw us.

“You… actually made it back alive?”

Lyssa struck a pose. “Back and better than ever!”

I dropped the bulging sack of loot on the counter. “We brought glowing mushrooms, squirrel pelts, and possibly permanent trauma.”

The elf arched a delicate eyebrow. “That’s… quite the combo.”

As she inspected the goods, her brows began to lift—slowly. “These are… glow-caps? Where did you even find these?”

“In the middle of a death trap,” I muttered. “We didn’t know they were rare. Hopefully we can get a good price for them and maybe I can get a date with you”

Her eyes widened a fraction. “Nice try kid, now let’s see; 50 glowshrooms at 5 gold each, 25 Greystone squirrel furs at 25 copper each, and the massive mushroom core worth 30 gold that should be rounded up around 300 gold!

I just about passed out.

“Wait, what?” Lyssa blinked.

Luffy barked in excitement.

The elf chuckled—barely—and finally cracked a small smile. “Congratulations. You’re officially the wealthiest rookie party in Elderglen.”

Someone behind us groaned, “No way…”

Another adventurer clapped. A few glared daggers.

Lyssa beamed like a goddess who’d just won a lottery.

“Did we just become legends?” she whispered.

I smiled back. “No… not yet. But we’re on our way. I think at least we’re rich now. Can you believe it!!

Ale drinks for everyone in the guild and drinks to your hearts content I shouted!!

We celebrated that night like war heroes.

The Boar’s Tooth Tavern was rowdy, warm, and filled with the scent of roasted meat and ale. We took over a corner booth, ordered enough food to feed a battalion, and basked in our success.

Lyssa downed mugs like a pro, quickly challenging a dwarf to a chugging contest (which she won spectacularly). Her face turned red, her voice got louder, and she started singing divine hymns off-key.

Luffy had a literal mountain of grilled meat stacked in front of him, barking once per bite like he was rating it.

I… just soaked it in.

A fireplace crackled nearby. Adventurers traded stories. And for the first time since I’d reincarnated, I felt like maybe this wasn’t all a mistake.

We even got a standing ovation when a bard heard about our battle.

“You three,” said a burly warrior with scars across his jaw, “are crazy.”

Lyssa beamed. “We prefer the term legendary.”

I had to pick up lyssa that night and take her up to her room. The NEET goddess was so drunk she couldn’t even walk. But I was happy. For the first time things were turning around for the better.

With our new found wealth my first idea for the next day was to secure a home for us three in elderglen!

The next morning came and I kicked lyssa out of her bed. She was still hung over but I wasn’t going to let her sleep all day, so we visited the town realtor.

I say realtor, but she was actually a tiny elf woman with horn-rimmed glasses and a bored expression who introduced herself as “Mara the Mortgage Slayer.”

“You want a house?” she asked. “Got one near the woods. Abandoned. Some say it’s haunted.”

“Haunted by what?”

“Bad interior design. And possibly an actual ghost.”

“…We’ll take it. It seemed cheap enough and we couldn’t go on trying to spend all our money.

The home cost us 80 gold—cheap for its size, and conveniently close to town and quests. Two bedrooms, a small kitchen, a living area, a yard, and what Lyssa dubbed “the goddess bath.”

The house was a bit isolated. Near a mountain in elderglen also near the Forest as well.

We entered with cautious optimism.

Dust everywhere. Broken furniture. A spider the size of my fist waved at me from the ceiling.

“Okay,” I said, coughing. “Maybe we weren’t ready for homeownership.”

I handed lyssa a broom like a divine relic.

“I’m a goddess,” she said. “Not a maid.”

“Well today you’re a Devine maid now help me clean if you want any more Ale!

Then she started sweeping anyway.

We spent the afternoon cleaning, laughing, and making the place ours. We fixed old curtains. We cleaned the windows. We rearranged mismatched furniture.

Luffy found a sunny spot near the window and claimed it with the silent pride of a shih tzu emperor.

By evening, we had a home.

Not a castle. Not a temple. But it was our home nonetheless.

Before the night came I decided we should go back to the blacksmith who did us the favor of giving us weapons and pay him back and maybe get new armor and also brag a little.

With the rest of our gold, we returned to the forge.

The blacksmith raised an eyebrow when he saw us again.

“…You three are like cockroaches. Stubborn ones.”

“We prefer the term unstoppable,” Lyssa said.

I placed 5 gold coins on the counter.

“Payment. For the previous weapons and armor. Although they broke we will need new ones and make them good. We have the funds for the upgrades.

The blacksmith grunted, “ you know you both seem very cocky now “ then he disappeared into the back, and returned with three wrapped bundles.

For me: a new shortsword, gleaming with darkened steel and a sturdy leather grip. It felt like it belonged in my hand. And a leather belt and upper body armor matching Luffy's harness.

For Lyssa: a rune-carved steel-tipped staff. She squealed and swung it experimentally, knocking over a rack of horseshoes.

And for Luffy: a custom-fit leather harness with mana-threading.

“He looks like a familiar now,” the blacksmith muttered. Also that staff can actually be used for powerful enchantments and magic if you learn them! As for the short sword, that black steel is from a country in the far east and legend says the more you fight with it the faster experience you gain and the stronger the sword becomes, whatever that means, even I don’t know much about it. As for your rats leather harness…

“Hey he’s a dog!!””

“Yeah, yeah the mana threading is special, it helps him store mana to the point where he can use it as a power up in future battles. It’s also linked to yours in a way. Since he is your familiar I thought this would be perfect for you two idiots”

Luffy barked once and stood proud.

⸻

We headed back home proud with our new weapons and upgrades

That night, we sat outside our new house on mismatched chairs, watching the stars rise over Elderglen.

“So what now?” I asked.

Lyssa leaned back, arms behind her head. “More quests. More loot. More Ale. Maybe uncover the secrets of your soul-link. You know—just normal reincarnation stuff.”

Luffy let out a tiny burp and curled up in my lap.

I smiled.

We had gold. A home. Upgraded gear.

Things looked as they were beginning to turn around.