"Joining Linda's party? Of course, I can."
Aiko felt no real sense of belonging to the Snow Goose Adventurer Party. She thought this to herself, yet her face wore an expression of deep hesitation, deliberately making Linda feel guilty for his presumptuous invitation. Every member was bound by contract, and resigning without permission meant paying a hefty penalty. But for Aiko, this was no problem at all; her private treasury was overflowing with gold coins.
She could agree to Linda’s request and join his party, but she absolutely could not make it easy. A room that any boy could enter with a single gold coin, and one that required immense effort and a mountain of gold to access—the value placed on them would surely be different, wouldn't it?
Chapter 37