His Palladium Card required him to spend money in order to level up, and although there were plenty of flashy ways to burn through cash, most of them felt pointless to him. Buying things he didn't need or showing off wealth for no reason never sat well with him.
But tipping people like the old chauffeur — workers who spent long hours doing honest jobs — felt different. It wasn't charity, and it wasn't wasteful either. It was simply acknowledging effort.
For Max, that was the most logical way to use the system's rule. Spend money where it could actually make someone's day a little easier.
And if that same spending also pushed his Palladium Card toward its next level, then it was a win on both sides.
….
As the trio entered the building, Machina immediately moved toward the stairwell. She preferred the stairs and also wanted to reach the apartment quickly to turn the heater on, since the air outside had grown noticeably chilly.
