The high ground of Black Tortoise City rose like a quiet mountain of stone above the rest of the city. From below, the terraces and courtyards looked solemn yet serene, surrounded by trimmed hedges and neat paved paths that gleamed faintly under the morning light.

There were three tiers on this elevated slope. The topmost level was the City Lord's Mansion, a grand structure that overlooked the whole of Black Tortoise. The middle level held the administrative offices—once spread over two entire floors when the city was newly built, but later condensed into one after Luciel decided that not so much office space was needed.

The lowest tier, once empty and silent, had been transformed into a residential area—reserved for the city's senior officials and core members.

It was here, at the base of the high ground, that Mirean Moon led Liyi Yi.

"This will be your residence," Mirean said softly, stopping before a quiet courtyard shaded by two tall maple trees. The wooden gate was painted in soft gray, the air faintly scented by dew and soil.

Liyi Yi paused, looking at the courtyard and then at the expanse below the slope. From here, she could see the main city stretching far into the distance—its clean streets and rows of newly built houses bathed in light.

"This… is where I'll live?" she asked in quiet disbelief.

Mirean nodded with her usual elegance. "Yes. This place was personally assigned to you by Lord Luciel."

Liyi Yi blinked. "Lord Luciel… assigned it himself?"

"Yes." Mirean smiled faintly. "You'll be one of the core members of Black Tortoise's administration in the future. It's only natural you live on the high ground."

Liyi Yi lowered her gaze, unsure what to say. She hadn't expected such treatment.

Mirean continued in her soft, refined tone, "In truth, if Agne Moon and I had joined later—after the city was properly established—we'd have been placed here as well. But because we were here from the beginning, our quarters are a little higher up."

Liyi Yi nodded slowly. It all made sense. The first floor of the high ground was home to those whom Luciel trusted deeply—their influence second only to his.

She thought for a moment of Yanlu, who was currently living not far from here, and of Alina and Ariel, who shared a residence near the main palace. Everyone close to the City Lord had a place nearby, forming a quiet ring around the heart of Black Tortoise.

"I see," she murmured. "Lord Luciel has been… very kind."

Mirean smiled and handed her a small bundle—a pair of iron keys and a folded paper slip stamped with the seal of the city. "Your house keys," she said. "And this is a document for your contribution value—one hundred points, prepaid."

"Contribution value?" Liyi Yi asked, unfolding the paper. There was a printed form, neat and official, with the number 100 stamped in red ink.

"It's our city's internal currency," Mirean explained. "Residents use it to exchange for goods and services."

Liyi Yi traced the ink with her finger, curious. "So… this is like money?"

"Exactly," Mirean said with a small nod. "Lord Luciel has been experimenting with using Star Leaves to make paper money. This is one of his ideas put into practice."

"Oh," Liyi Yi said softly, understanding dawning in her eyes.

"This hundred contribution value," Mirean added, "is an advance payment of your salary. It will be deducted from your future wages gradually. All staff in the City Lord's Mansion are paid in contribution value, but we rarely have places to spend much of it here. Most of the time, we exchange it for essentials—tables, chairs, utensils, things like that."

She paused, glancing toward the yard. "Furniture, for instance. We purchase them through the exchange warehouse. It keeps us disciplined. Lord Luciel insists that no one, not even those who serve in the mansion, should take things without cost. We all contribute."

Liyi Yi smiled faintly. "That's fair," she said. "And it feels… right. To earn what we use."

Mirean nodded approvingly. "Good. Then let's get you settled properly. I'll take you to the exchange so you can pick out what you need."

"Trouble you," Liyi Yi said politely, bowing slightly.

"It's no trouble." Mirean's smile was graceful, her voice calm as she turned and began walking down the stone steps. Her posture was poised, her steps light. Liyi Yi followed behind, her heart a little tight with admiration. Mirean had a natural dignity, the kind of quiet nobility that made one want to straighten their back and speak softly in her presence.

They descended the slope. At the base of the high ground, a wide building stood with open doors and wooden signs above them reading Exchange Hall.

The hall was quiet at this hour. Most citizens were already at work in the workshops or on the farmlands. Only a few attendants were present, their footsteps echoing softly in the spacious hall.

The exchange had grown immensely since the city's founding. Once just a small storeroom, it was now as large as a warehouse, with rows of shelves stacked with supplies—wooden chairs, tables, utensils, cooking pots, even sacks of flour and preserved meat.

The air smelled faintly of wood, parchment, and metal polish.

"Master Moon," one of the attendants greeted respectfully as Mirean entered.

Mirean inclined her head in acknowledgment. "We're here to select furnishings for Lady Liyi Yi," she said, then turned to her companion. "Go ahead. Choose what you need. Each item's price is clearly marked in contribution value."

"All right," Liyi Yi said, curiosity flickering in her green eyes as she stepped inside.

She walked between the rows, studying the shelves with interest. There were sets of tables and chairs neatly wrapped in cloth, small wooden wardrobes, and simple bedding stacked in piles.

"I'll need a table and a few chairs at least," she murmured to herself. "Something simple is fine."

A staff member approached with a polite smile. "My lady, would you like to see our renovation plans? They show sample layouts for arranging your furniture."

"Renovation plans?" Liyi Yi blinked, a bit surprised.

"Yes. Here." The staff handed her several drawings.

She unfolded one—and immediately felt a faint sense of familiarity. The drawings depicted simple but elegant room layouts—clean lines, wooden furniture, soft colors.

"These look familiar…" she muttered.

"Of course," Mirean said with a small, knowing smile. "The commercial street uses similar designs. This version is simplified, made more practical for residences."

"No wonder," Liyi Yi said, finally recognizing the aesthetic. She turned the paper over, her eyes catching on a number written in neat handwriting at the corner. "Five hundred and fifty contribution value…?" Her brows rose. "That's far too much."

Mirean gave a soft laugh. "It's a full furnishing package—most residents can't afford that either."

The staff, understanding her concern, quickly pulled out another set of drawings. "We have simpler plans as well. This one's tailored for general households—it's modest but comfortable."

Liyi Yi glanced over it. The price in the corner read 72 contribution value.

"That's much more reasonable," she said with relief.

"Yes," the staff explained, "you can also choose individual pieces from this plan. Each table, chair, or bed has its own cost. The ones here are the least expensive options."

"Then I'll take one full set according to this plan," Liyi Yi decided. "That'll be plenty for now."

"Understood. We'll have it delivered to your courtyard right away." The staff bowed lightly. "Please hand me your contribution sheet."

Liyi Yi passed it over. She watched with curiosity as the clerk took out a small red stamp marked INVALID and pressed it neatly over the original "100." Beside it, he wrote "Furniture Purchase: 72" and then stamped a new number—"28"—below.

He recorded the transaction carefully in a large ledger.

"So that's how it works," Liyi Yi murmured, watching the process with interest. It was so organized—every transaction leaving a clear record.

Mirean smiled at her observation. "If you ever earn extra contribution value, you can visit the decoration workshop," she said. "They can customize furniture and design room layouts."

"There's a decoration workshop?" Liyi Yi's eyes brightened.

"Yes," Mirean replied. "It was established under the commercial street's management. Lord Luciel provided the original designs. The workers have been studying them and can now plan interiors for citizens. Many of them are learning quickly—they earn contribution value through their craftsmanship."

Liyi Yi nodded thoughtfully. "That's… remarkable. I never realized there were so many types of work here."

"In Black Tortoise," Mirean said gently, "everyone has a skill to rely on. Even those without strength can live well if they work diligently."

It was true. In other cities, work for commoners was limited to hard labor—hauling wood, repairing walls, or doing whatever earned a scrap of food. But here, every effort, no matter how small, had value.

Mirean gestured to another row of shelves. "The exchange also provides food. If you prefer cooking yourself, you can buy meat or grains here."

Liyi Yi followed her gaze, intrigued. "I'll need to cook for myself then," she said with a faint smile.

She walked to the food section, where rows of wooden signs hung above shelves filled with various goods. She picked one up and read aloud, "Fresh meat from the Octagonal Tusk Beast—three points per kg."

"That's right," a nearby attendant said. "If you'd like, I can bring out a portion from the ice store."

Liyi Yi nodded. "One kg will do."

The attendant disappeared into a small chamber and soon returned carrying a chilled slab of crimson meat. Frost still clung to its edges.

Liyi Yi blinked in mild amazement. "They even have a way to preserve it?"

Mirean chuckled softly. "Black Tortoise employs Ice Element Awakened. They help maintain the storage rooms."

"It's really… not simple here," Liyi Yi murmured in admiration.

After weighing and paying for the meat, she realized she still needed to buy pots and cooking utensils. Mirean reminded her gently, "Don't forget pots, ladles, and bowls."

Liyi Yi glanced down at her contribution slip again—the balance shrinking with each purchase. "It's going fast," she said ruefully.

Mirean smiled. "That's life, isn't it? Spend a little, earn a little. You'll replenish it soon once you start working."

"Right," Liyi Yi said, forcing a laugh. "And when does work start?"

"You can report to your position after dinner at the City Lord's Mansion," Mirean said casually, turning to leave. "Eat first, then we'll see about your duties."

Liyi Yi froze. "Eh?"

Mirean was already walking away, her long silver hair catching the light.

Liyi Yi's mouth opened slightly. "Dinner… at the City Lord's Mansion?"

She stood there, clutching her paper slip, and whispered under her breath, "That's… isn't that too shameless? To just go there to eat?"

But then her gaze dropped again to the paper—the remaining numbers painfully small. She sighed.

"Well," she muttered, trying to convince herself, "I could… report my work while I eat. That counts, doesn't it? Efficient use of time."

Her lips quirked in reluctant amusement.

With a little laugh, she folded the contribution sheet carefully and tucked it into her sleeve. "All right, Liyi Yi," she said quietly to herself. "For the sake of efficiency."

And with that, she walked toward the direction of the City Lord's Mansion—half-embarrassed, half-smiling, and completely human.

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