Money (1)
As human civilization advanced, countless cultures sprang up, but one element stood out above the rest: money. In the broadest sense, it could be called the economy; more narrowly, currency. Money claimed a massive stake in human civilization, sparking all sorts of incidents and mishaps.
No need to look far—just consider the Soviet Union. A superpower that split America and the world in two under the grand ideology of communism. Though it reached its limits and dissolved, it left an indelible mark on history. As the saying goes, human civilization runs on money. Its role is that enormous, transcending eras and worlds alike.
Why bring this up? Because a massive fortune was about to fall into my hands.
The weekdays flew by, and the weekend approached. I'd left the auction and fee payments entirely to Kara, but I planned to oversee it personally. Since it was an academy-run auction, there'd be no funny business. The moment the bidding ended, we'd deposit it straight into the bank.
"Alright, Sivar. Let me teach you about the concept of money. See this?"
Before the auction kicked off, Kara had come to my dorm to give me a lesson. She and the others had no idea I already knew about money—they probably figured I grasped only the basics.
"This is a silver coin. Think of it as the key currency, or common currency. Every country has its own money, and the exchange rates differ too."
Kara showed me a single silver coin as she explained. It bore the face of some man—likely the hero who'd slain the Demon God, from what I remembered. Right around that era, silver coins had started circulating, and eventually, the academy was founded. Originally used only there, they'd evolved into the standard currency over time.
"Exchange rates... you'd probably have no clue about that, huh? Anyway, you can buy candy or cake with these—the stuff you've seen us get. You get the idea, right?"
"Yeah. One candy for one silver coin."
"You remember that spot on."
Most games used a single type of currency, and Soul World was no exception—silver coins were the mainstay. Countries had their own coins, but silver held steady value everywhere. Still, exchange rates could make it inefficient in some places, and during certain events, its worth could tank. People carried it for its versatility, not because it was perfect. Think US dollar.
Either way, more silver coins were always better. You could even grow non-combat classes with them.
"The more silver you have, the better—but that draws more eyes. Like I said before, once the auction ends, word'll spread, and all sorts of weirdos will come crawling. If I'm around, I'll block them upfront, but if you're alone..."
Kara looked worried I might get scammed, her face tense. Her gaze shifted to my side. Since we were talking in my dorm, Lize was naturally there too.
Lize caught the implication in Kara's look and opened her mouth with her signature smile.
"Even I can't always be by Brother Sivar's side. You should mention this to the others as well."
"Hmm... Well, if Sivar ever gets scammed, could you help out a bit?"
"I'll make sure I can chop off the scammer's wrist."
If that was brutal, it was brutally so. Dangerous words from a saint, but merciful from a Kwonseong. Medieval-era scammers often faced harsh punishments—forgers got the death penalty without question.
With Lize as my solid backup, scammers wouldn't dare approach... probably.
"To add one more thing: even if someone name-drops me to say it's not a scam, suspect them anyway. Plenty try to rip you off one last time, figuring you'll never see them again."
"Ah, I've been through that. Dad showed up just before I fell for it—otherwise, I'd have been toast."
"How'd you punish them?"
"Pulled out their tongue and sent them packing."
"Merciful."
Look at this savage exchange. The fact that it flowed so naturally was the real absurdity. With their fame, all kinds of parasites must have swarmed them. They'd been through hell.
"Still, some turned out genuinely helpful, which makes it a real headache. I was shocked once when someone I told to scram built a massive merchant guild later on."
"The economy thrives when you combine insight and knowledge. You've got both, Kara, so you'll do great."
"It's not me—it's Sivar. He seems good at reading people, but his knowledge is kinda..."
Hey. I understand full sentences now. Couldn't even snap back since they meant well. Plus, unbeknownst to them, I had the knowledge too. I knew guilds and companies destined to skyrocket. Investing there would make bank. The issue? Doing it behind their backs or convincing them—especially Kara, who was sensitive about money and likely to clash.
'For now, just park it in the bank?'
This world had scientifically advanced nations, so banking and finance were developed too. Depositing for interest worked fine, but it was too slow. In Soul World, banks were for safekeeping, not growing wealth.
"After the auction, we'll deposit into Kara's account, right?"
"Planning to hit the bank first. If we can open Sivar's account, great; otherwise, mine."
Advanced finance didn't mean accounts for everyone—it was a pain. You needed solid ID or proof of identity. No exceptions, or fake accounts would fuel crime. People here weren't idiots.
"As an academy student, Sivar's account won't be hard to open. But you'll still need to manage it, Kara."
"I can't hold it forever. Priority is teaching him financial sense... though that'll be tough."
"Eye-level education should do it. With you and Ellie helping, he'll catch on."
"Ah... Ellie..."
Kara's face soured at the mention. Like she'd never considered it.
'Ellie isn't great with money either...'
She wasn't a big spender overall—just blew it all on herbs and potions. Right now, she made do with forest herbs due to lack of funds, but invest in her, and she'd burn through it. Still, her growth potential was insane, making her top investment priority. I'd pour money into her the second I got it.
"Auction time's approaching. Bank first?"
"Yeah. Sivar's account first. We can teach him finance gradually."
As auction time neared, Kara and I headed out. Destination: the bank. Tatar emphasized trade, so they were money-sensitive. Hector had introduced banking and finance. Guy caused chaos, but as a ruler, he was solid. Otherwise, the country would've tanked long ago.
Thanks to that, Kara knew her way around banks—better than knew; she invested smartly too.
'No stocks yet, though.'
Simple reason: not introduced that far. Knowing and using were different. Tatar was just starting, full of gaps. And despite her "barbarian" rep, Kara was cautious—no moves without intel.
"Let's see... ID ready, academy student status logged. No worries. Let's go."
"Yeah."
We reached the bank soon after, double-checking everything. The building looked familiar, just different materials. Oddly fitting yet not. One scientifically advanced nation benefited the world.
While I scoped the place, Kara consulted the clerk—for my account, naturally.
"What? Academy students can't deposit over 10,000 silver coins?"
"Yes. New regulation. Too many cases of student accounts used for crime."
Unexpected snag: academy students capped at 10,000 silver. Nobles had family guarantees; commoners didn't. Painfully strict process otherwise.
Kara wanted to argue but dropped it. Crime prevention was legit.
"Damn... My account then?"
"Well... aren't you from Tatar?"
"...So?"
Were they rejecting her for being Tatar? Kara's face hardened too.
The clerk glanced around, then whispered just for us.
"Tatar folk have unclear credit ratings, so low limits. Unavoidable—your history holds you back."
"Not issuing bonds here—just personal."
"Considering your status..."
"Ah."
She finally remembered she was Tatar's princess. Problems kept piling up.
Max for Kara's account: 500,000 silver. Made me realize how pricey Usk blade-tusks were. Account opening turned awkward. Even her account wouldn't cut it.
Only way: raise my limit. Complicated process.
"Auction starts today... Any other way? Canceling now with crowds gathering is iffy."
"As I said, bring solid proof of identity or witnesses."
"Hmm... Ah."
A good idea hit