Ren
Ren counted the money twice because the second total was the one he wanted.
Forty-two Crowns.
He put the coins back in their rows and checked the book instead of counting a third time. Counting wouldn't tell him whether he had forgotten an expense.
The small table was meant for sorting returned linen. He had wiped it before spreading anything out. A folded shirt stood between his cup and the account pages, which seemed a reasonable precaution until he noticed he would now ruin the shirt as well if he spilled the tea.
He moved the cup to the floor.
Twenty-four Crowns at the earlier checkpoint. Since then, three settled post-board wage entries of ten had added thirty. The voluntary inventory work had brought another twelve, each payment marked separately from his ordinary duties.
Sixty-six before deductions.
