From Trash to Lord of Thunder: The Rise of the Cursed Extra-Chapter 70: The Watch

Charles couldn’t take his eyes off the smartwatch on the tent’s floor.

How did that get here?

Sure, the tent had other items scattered around—hourglasses, necklaces—but this was what grabbed his attention.

The digital screen and side buttons were identical to smartwatches from his world, completely out of place in this setting.

He racked his brain, trying to dredge up memories from his real-world life about the video game to learn more about this world’s exterior, but came up empty.

’Damn it,’ Charles thought.

Was there really a modern world out there beyond this clan?

And if so, how advanced was that civilization?

Those questions swirled in his head, and Kaira, noticing his fixation on the watch, stepped up to the vendor—a man in a yellow tunic with a stern expression.

"How much for that thing?" Kaira asked, pointing at the watch.

The vendor sized her up quickly.

"Fifty gold coins," he said firmly. "And it’s only available for Masters or higher."

Kaira nodded, unfazed.

"I’ll take it," she said, crossing her arms.

The vendor raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by her snap decision.

"How’re you paying?" he asked, pulling a parchment and quill from under the counter.

"I’ll sign for it," Kaira replied, her tone casual.

The vendor scribbled something on the parchment, noting the item and amount, then showed it to her.

"You agree to this?" he asked, pointing to the figure.

Kaira skimmed the paper and nodded.

"Yup, looks good," she said, grabbing the quill and signing with a quick flourish—scratch-scratch.

Moments later, the vendor handed her the watch, wrapped in a simple cloth.

"Thanks..."

Kaira took it awkwardly, holding it in one hand at an odd angle, like she wasn’t sure what to do with it.

Charles, watching from a step behind, couldn’t help but chuckle under his breath.

’What’s she doing?’ he thought, amused. ’Is this her first time holding a watch or what?’

Kaira turned to Charles, thrusting the watch toward him with a grin.

"Here. It’s for you," she said brightly.

Charles froze, his jaw dropping slightly.

She’d really bought it for him?

At first, he’d assumed Kaira wanted it for herself, intrigued by the device like he was, but this gesture caught him off guard.

"What?" he said, blinking. "For me? Why?"

Kaira laughed, clearly enjoying his reaction.

"Think of it as payment for the lessons you’re gonna give me," she said, winking.

Charles took the watch, still processing what just happened.

When was the last time a girl gave him a gift?

Was Kaira actually into him, or was this just how women in this world rolled?

Then he remembered she was only doing this for lessons...

He laughed, shaking his head.

"Hope those lessons aren’t for life," he teased. "Fifty gold coins is steep for a couple of sessions."

And he wasn’t entirely joking—after hearing about the pitiful wages Rian would’ve earned slaving away for years in this clan, Kaira’s income as a Master was leagues above his.

Kaira rolled her eyes, but her smile didn’t fade.

"Relax, I won’t milk you dry," she said. "But seriously, if we have another duel, promise me one thing."

Charles raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"What’s that?" he asked, turning the watch over in his hands.

Kaira leaned in, her expression serious.

"If we fight again, don’t hold back," she said, studying him. "Go all out. I want a real match."

Charles couldn’t believe Kaira was still hung up on their ring fight from the other day. Since he had zero desire to spar with her again, an idea popped into his head.

"This watch covers one thing," he said, pointing at her. "Either the lessons you want or a no-holds-barred fight. Not both. Supply and demand, Kaira. That’s my price."

Kaira pouted, crossing her arms.

"That’s not fair!" she protested, her tone exaggerated. "I shelled out fifty coins for this! It should cover both!"

Charles shrugged, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

"Take it or leave it, Kaira," he said. "Business is business."

Kaira sighed, giving in.

"Fine," she said, sounding resigned. "For now, I’ll take the lessons. But don’t think you’re off the hook for a fight forever."

Charles grinned, pleased.

"Wise choice," he said, though in his head he thought, ’Thank God! I don’t wanna tangle with this firecracker again.’

As they continued through the market, with Kaira keeping an eye out for anything else that might catch his interest, Charles inspected the watch more closely.

It had a touchscreen, side buttons, and a design straight out of his world, but when he pressed the power button—click—nothing happened.

He tried again, frowning.

’What’s wrong with this thing?’ he thought. ’Either it’s busted, or the battery’s dead... what a rip-off.’ free𝑤ebnovel.com

Then he remembered Kaira hadn’t paid with coins—she’d signed a paper.

Curious, he turned to her.

"Hey," he said, holding up the watch. "Why’d you sign a paper instead of paying with coins?"

Kaira shrugged, a bit puzzled by the question.

"It’s a perk you get starting at Mentor rank," she explained. "You can buy stuff on credit at the market, and they deduct it from your account later. Way easier than lugging around coins."

Charles blinked, impressed.

"Like a check?" he said without thinking.

Kaira frowned, confused.

"A what?" she asked, tilting her head. "What’s a check?"

Charles sighed, waving it off with a chuckle.

"Never mind," he said. "Just... stuff from another place. But hold up—what if the vendor overcharges you? No way to get scammed?"

Kaira shook her head, confident.

"That’s rare," she said. "Vendors know if they try to pull a fast one, they’re banned from the clan. Plus, when you deposit your money, you see exactly what’s been charged. If something’s off, you report it, and the clan handles it."

Charles went quiet, processing.

’So they’ve got a bank...’ he thought, surprised. ’This place is way more organized than I expected.’

"Where’s the bank?" he asked, keeping his tone casual. "You know, where they keep the money."

Kaira let out a long sigh, glancing at the horizon.

"It’s kinda far," she said, her tone suggesting she wasn’t thrilled about the idea. "It’s on the other side of the market, near the Guardians’ building. It’s a hike."

Charles grinned, shrugging.

"No big deal," he said. "I wanna see it. Let’s go."

Kaira stared at him, incredulous, then laughed.

"You’re way too curious, you know that?" she said, adjusting her tunic. "Alright, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. It’s a trek."