Due to underdeveloped agriculture—no, wait, let me correct that—because agriculture was underdeveloped, the world's population wasn't very large. Even though Rucadan, the capital of the Kasmo Empire, had nearly three million people, Rebecca didn't think much of it. In her past life, she'd seen cities with populations over ten million.

Still, a city housing three million people was undeniably huge. With few tall buildings to pack people in, houses sprawled everywhere, making it feel even larger. Rebecca had no transportation and was unfamiliar with the roads. She'd spotted the Prophet Tower from afar, but after wandering around for ages, she finally reached it.

Rebecca wasn't interested in the Prophet Tower. Ahead of it lay a large plaza. She crossed the bustling square, teeming with people, and found the Hobi Library right in front.

The Hobi Library looked old but wasn't run-down. Though worn, it was meticulously maintained. Named after the Kasmo Empire's dominant ethnic group, the Hobi, it was clearly a significant and important building.

Inside the Hobi Library, a vast hall greeted Rebecca. Along its edges were many doors, each with a sign above indicating the book categories inside. Two spiral staircases stood on either side, leading upstairs. At the center was a large reception desk with several staff members.

Rebecca walked past each door but couldn't find a sign for Demon Potion books. She approached the front desk.

"Excuse me... Demon Potion... books... where?"

"Huh? Demon Potion? The Alchemy Codex?" A girl at the desk, who'd been looking down at something, stood up immediately upon seeing a nun. After all, the Norna Faith was highly respected.

"Mm-hmm!" Rebecca nodded.

"Books on Demon Potion history are on the second floor. The actual Alchemy Codex is on the fifth. I don't even need to check the records to know they're there—nobody reads those anyway," the girl said with a smile.

"Thank you~" Rebecca thanked her and headed upstairs.

"You're welcome~"

Upstairs, another service desk sat by the entrance, staffed by a bespectacled girl. Yes, this world had glass, so glasses existed—Rebecca had no idea how they were invented. The girl stopped Rebecca as she walked straight in.

"Respected nun, please show your library pass! And... Mr. Goblin, you too, please present yours..."

"Pass?" Rebecca glanced at the girl, then at Golago, who looked equally confused.

"Huh? The Hobi Library pass!" The girl frowned slightly. Wasn't it common knowledge that you needed a pass to read or borrow books here?

"Don't have..." Rebecca replied bluntly.

"Then go downstairs to get one..." The girl sighed, recalling rumors about Norna Faith devotees who never left their churches, knowing nothing of the secular world—like idiots. Today, she seemed to have met one.

Rebecca didn't notice the girl's odd look. She trudged downstairs reluctantly. She could force her way in, but that wasn't a good idea.

Back at the first-floor desk...

"Pass..."

"Pass...?" The same girl from earlier looked surprised to see Rebecca again.

"Pass... for reading..." Rebecca felt frustrated with her broken Hobi.

The girl finally realized Rebecca's speech was off but stayed patient. "You need to apply for a library pass?"

"Mm-hmm!" Thankfully, people had always been smart enough to guess what Rebecca meant from her fragmented words.

"Here, fill out this form first. Then pay five silver coins. After that, renew monthly with three silver coins. With a pass, reading here is free; borrowing books costs extra," the girl explained patiently.

"Silver coins... money?" Rebecca suddenly grasped the problem: it wasn't that she lacked money—she'd completely forgotten the concept of money!

For sixteen years in this world, she'd never seen or used currency. After being detached from this essential part of society for so long, who could remember such a thing on the spot?

"Golago... you... have money?"

Golago shook his head vigorously like a rattle drum...

...

In the end, Rebecca and Golago left the Hobi Library bitterly—no money.

Rebecca had thought of everything except money... Staring at the library so close yet unreachable, the Dark World's princess and the Goblin King, who made humans tremble, both briefly considered a no-cost heist.

"What now? Re... Re... Rebecca...?" Golago still stumbled over her name.

"Dunno. Any way to get money? You've lived outside before..." True—Rebecca had never left the Dark World, while Golago had.

"Money? I used to steal it. Don't know any other way to earn it," Golago said bluntly.

"Then go steal some for me," Rebecca suggested.

Hmm... the scene was bizarre: a holy nun asking a goblin to rob for her.

"No problem, but I can't just rob right now. Unless you don't need me by your side anymore..."

Golago was right. Robbing now would get him wanted. Whether it implicated Rebecca was uncertain, but he'd definitely lose his position as her attendant.

Robbery was a skilled job too—scouting locations, planning, escape routes, covering tracks. Not some thug's sloppy mugging; that'd be beneath him...

"Sigh... I'll just get a job then," Rebecca said.

"No! How can someone as noble as you work!" Golago suddenly turned serious.

What did "someone as noble as you" mean? It made Rebecca sound like a lazy freeloader. She had no issue with working for pay—she'd supported her family through jobs in her past life.

"Then what?"

"I'll steal the money! We can visit the library in a few days!" Golago pleaded, terrified Rebecca might actually take a job. If the Dark Lord found out, Golago knew he'd be dead in days.

"Help! Help!" Suddenly, shouts rang out from the nearby plaza.