TPMITWON Chapter 14: Saving

Entering the room, Souta put on simple clothes he found—a dark blue long-sleeve shirt and matching shorts. He glanced at himself in the room's mirror, feeling as if he were someone new, not just accepting things as they were, but also ready to make a change.

Souta stepped out of his room. His steps were firm and purposeful. A new day awaited, and Souta was ready to face every challenge ahead.

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Souta walked casually toward the kitchen, though there was a hint of curiosity in his mind. The air inside still felt cool, even as the hot desert wind began to creep in through the small cracks in the walls. Souta stopped in front of the kitchen cabinet made of compacted clay, perfectly blending with the wall.

There were no carvings or decorations on the cabinet, just the rough texture typical of dried earth. Souta then reached out, pulling the handle of the cabinet door, which was also made of the same material. The hinges creaked as the door slowly opened.

Souta's eyes quickly scanned the contents of the cabinet. However, all he found was a stack of simple plates made of coarse clay, a few spoons, glasses, and other eating utensils. There was no food. No raw ingredients. In fact, there wasn't a single item that could be used for cooking, like a pan or a frying pan.

Souta sighed, closing the cabinet a bit harder than necessary. The "thud" sound echoed softly in the empty kitchen.

"I… have no food," Souta muttered, realizing this fact with a hint of frustration.

Souta stepped out of the kitchen, heading toward the living room, which also had very few furnishings. A small window in the room framed the typical view of Sunagakure—a winding sandy path, rows of earthen buildings, and a few people starting to go about their morning activities.

Souta leaned his hands on the edge of the window, feeling the rough surface of the wall. He then took a deep breath before finally mumbling with an annoyed expression, "Damn..."

Souta crossed his arms, contemplating his next move.

"Should I buy groceries? But even though there's a kitchen, I have no cooking utensils… How much money do I have left?" Souta thought, shifting his gaze from the window and turning back into his room.

Without wasting time, Souta walked toward his room. As he passed through the doorway, his steps went straight to the simple cabinet in the corner of the room. The cabinet, like the other furniture in this small apartment, was also made of compacted earth. There was no artistic touch, just a functional storage space.

Souta opened the cabinet door with a calm motion. Inside, there weren't many valuable items—just a few neatly folded clothes in the corner, and on the bottom shelf, some crumpled Ryo bills. The morning light coming through the small window illuminated the surface of the money, clearly showing the amount.

"Six thousand Ryo," Souta murmured quietly.

That amount was equivalent to a Genin's salary for completing one D-rank mission.

Souta stared at the money with a thoughtful expression.

"Every month the government will provide allowances, so I don't have to worry about running out of money anytime soon..." Souta thought.

However, even so, Souta still had to be careful in managing his expenses. It was impossible for him to rely solely on the monthly allowance without thinking it through.

"I need to start saving..." Souta thought.

Moreover, Souta also needed to find a way for his money to not just sit idle. Perhaps by starting a small business, or at least finding a method to ensure his money could grow without having to continuously rely on the government.