United Kingdoms

— Let's clarify what we discussed earlier: you take out a loan to pay the initial fee if you don't have the required amount. You complete quests to receive rewards for their completion and to pay the initial fee.

He doesn't seem like the head of a regional branch of the merchants' guild. I expected him to at least mention a typical reward for completing a quest; otherwise, you might agree and end up in their debt for ten years because the quests pay very little.
If he won't say anything else out of principle, then fine, I agree; what can you do?
And let him tell me how to legally obtain a pass to the upper city.