Chapter 40 – A Lesson in Coin
Chapter 40
A Lesson in Coin
Date: Day 27 of Harvestmoon. 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.
Elise turned to Hyoren. Her expression shifting. Business was at hand.
"Let's go, Hyoren. Time to buy our supplies."
She scanned the caravan. Her eyes moving across the wagons. The merchants. The wares. Looking for someone who dealt with everyday supplies. Not specialty goods. Not luxury items. The basics necessities.
She found one.
A wagon where the wares showed food and everyday necessities. Bread—loaves wrapped in cloth. Preserved meat—dried and salted. Simple spices—small pouches of colored powder. There were even a few green potion bottles on the shelves. Their contents glowing faintly in the fading light.
“Okay Elise. But I will only observe as I still clueless about economy…”
Elise smiled.
“Right. You still don’t know about them. I will teach you after this. But for now. Just observe.”
They walked toward the merchant. Hyoren followed close behind.
They approached the merchant. A middle-aged man. Round face. Thinning hair. A smile that seemed practiced. Professional.
"Thank you for your patronage. May I help you, dear customer?"
His voice was polite. The tone of someone who had greeted a thousand travelers. Would greet a thousand more.
Hyoren scanned the wares while Elise considered her options. The shelves were lined with goods. Salt and pepper—the same Elise carried. Other spices he didn't recognize. Colors ranging from deep red to bright yellow to earthy brown. Ground powders. Whole seeds. Dried herbs. It seemed spice was traded as common goods in this world.
Unlike what he always read in fantasy medieval world—where pepper was worth its weight in gold. Where spice was a luxury only nobles could afford. Where merchants guarded their cinnamon like dragons hoarded treasure.
He was glad. As a modern person, the meals he was used to needed multiple spices. Flavor. Complexity. Depth. He just hoped there was an equivalent of soy sauce or miso sauce here too. And he will be satisfied.
More than a month stranded. Eating only unseasoned meat. He could survive because he was trained by his father. The old man had taught him well. How to endure. How to persist. How to find meaning in simple sustenance. So he wouldn't complain about the simplicity of the food. He couldn't help it. The wilderness offered no luxury.
But reaching civilization started to make him crave good food. Real food. Seasoned food. The memory of taste—distant but not forgotten.
Elise was already picking what they needed. Her hands moving efficiently. Selecting. Choosing.
"I need ten packs of field ration. The kind with jerky and hard tacks."
She spoke clearly. A customer who knew what she wanted. She then pointed at the green bottles on the shelf.
"And those minor healing potions. Four of them."
She looked around. Scanning the rest of the wares. Searching for something specific.
"Are there no arrows?"
The merchant was already packing the field ration. His hands moving with practiced ease. But he shook his head.
"I'm sorry, customer. I didn't pack any weapon supplies. And no one else in this caravan has them..."
He paused. Apologetic.
"Anything else you need?"
Elise's eyes wandered again. Searching. There was nothing else to buy. Nothing they needed.
"Okay then, that's enough."
She made a decision. Final.
"We only need supplies to last until we reach Akela in two days. So how much?"
The merchant began calculating. Math in his head.
"Field ration is 80 Kres each. Ten of them so 800 Kres. The healing potions are 1000 Kres each. So 4000 Kres."
He totaled it.
"Total is 4800 Kres, dear customer."
Hyoren was clueless about the price. He didn't know if it was expensive or cheap. Fair or highway robbery. So he watched Elise's expression instead. Reading her reaction. Gauging her response.
Elise's eyes narrowed. Her brow furrowed. The price was more than she expected. Significantly more.
"Expensive!"
Her voice was sharp. Indignant.
"Field ration—I understand the price, as we are on the road. Transportation costs. Risk. I understand."
She conceded that point. But not the other.
"But those potions! They're only minor healing potions! They should only cost 500 Kres in town. Here… I was expecting 600 Kres!"
The merchant looked apologetic. But troubled. His hands spread wide. A gesture of helplessness.
"I'm sorry, but potion prices in Akela have increased recently."
He explained. His voice carrying genuine regret.
"From my alchemist acquaintance—the Baron seems to be stockpiling potions. Preparing about something."
The implication hung in the air. Supply and demand. When someone bought in bulk, prices rose.
"Fine."
Elise's voice was resigned—frustrated—but accepting.
"As you're buying in bulk, I'll give a discount. Potions are 900 each. Totaling 4600."
The merchant offered. Trying to meet her halfway.
"But you only need to pay 4500. Deal?"
Elise thought about it for a while. Her jaw tight. Her eyes calculating. Still not satisfied. But it couldn't be helped. The market was the market. Prices were prices.
She nodded. Accepting the deal.
She picked her wallet pouch. And gave him a single bronze coin.
The merchant took it. Then began counting. His fingers sorting through copper coins. Small. Numerous. Clinking against each other. He gave their goods—wrapped in cloth. And a pouchful of copper coins. Change from the bronze.
Elise counted it. Verifying. Satisfied. She put the copper coins in her wallet.
They walked back to their camp. Carrying the wares. The wallet heavier with copper but lighter overall.
The barrier didn't hinder them. Hyoren had already registered his Aethell signature on it. They passed through. Invisible. Unnoticed. Safe.
Elise put the supplies they bought near their bags. Organizing. Sorting. Then she turned to face Hyoren.
"Let's make bedding and fire, Hyoren. And soon."
Her voice carried urgency. The night was approaching.
"We need to sleep early. Let me do the bedding. And please make a fire. We don't need to cook. But we need its warmth to fight this autumn chill."
Hyoren nodded. Understanding his role.
"Okay, Elise."
They worked fast. Efficiently. Two people who had done this before. Who knew the rhythm of survival.
Elise gathered grass and leaves. Creating a makeshift bed. Layering. Fluffing. Making the ground softer. More comfortable. A place to rest. To recover.
Hyoren gathered branches and dry leaves. Kindling for the fire. Fuel for the night. He arranged them carefully. Creating a structure. A foundation. Then lit the fire with Elise's fire starter magic tool. The spark caught. The flames lit.
Not long after, a single big makeshift bed and fire were done. They sat on the bed. Side by side. Warming their bodies in front of the fire.
***
Elise picked two field rations from their supplies. The packages were small. Compact. Designed for travel. For survival. She handed one to Hyoren.
"Thanks, Elise."
He took it. Examining the contents. A hard tacks bread—dense. Solid. Made to last. And jerky—dried meat. Preserved. Staple of field ration. The kind of food that kept armies marching. Adventurers moving. Survivors alive.
Elise had already unwrapped her package. She bit into the jerky. Chewing. Her jaw working steadily. Used to the texture. The toughness. She ate without complaint. Without comment. This was fuel. Not pleasure.
Hyoren watched her for a moment. Then bit into his own jerky.
He was surprised by the taste.
He had expected tough meat seasoned with salt only. Preserved through drying. Bland. Functional. The kind of food you ate because you had to. Not because you wanted to.
But it was actually smoked. Rich. Deep. The flavor of wood fire infused into the meat. And before smoking—some kind of spice had been used. He couldn't identify it. Something earthy. Something savory. A blend that complemented the meat rather than just masking its age.
Sure—it was tough. His jaw worked hard to break it down. But the taste was decent. Better than decent. Actually enjoyable.
He tried the hard tacks next. The bread was hard—yes. A solid block that required effort to bite. But the taste was not dry or bland either. Some fat had been worked into the dough. A touch of salt. Perhaps herbs. Not the flavorless brick he had expected.
"These are..."
He paused. Searching for the right word.
"...quite delicious. For field rations..."
Elise looked at him. Tilting her head. Her brow furrowed slightly. Confused by his surprise.
"Really?"
She took another bite. Chewing thoughtfully.
"I thought it was normal."
She swallowed. Her eyes still on him.
"What were you expecting, Hyoren..."
Hyoren smiled wryly. A small, self-deprecating expression.
"Well..."
He admitted his expectations.
"I was expecting bland and dry hard tacks. And salty and tough meat."
The kind of food that appeared in fantasy stories. In histories. Rations that soldiers complained about. That travelers endured. That kept you alive but made you wish you weren't.
Elise chuckled. A soft, amused sound.
"Fufufu."
She shook her head gently.
"You and your weird knowledge..."
She bit into her tacks. Crunching through the hard bread.
"Till when are you going to keep getting surprised, Hyoren?"
Her voice carried gentle teasing. Warm. Not mocking.
"I hope you won't keep getting surprised seeing every new thing when we enter Akela. People will find you weird."
Hyoren straightened his posture. A mock-serious expression on his face. Hand raised in pledge.
"I promise!"
He declared.
"I will only ask 'weird' questions to you, Elise. Hahaha."
Both of them laughed. The sound carried on the evening breeze.
***
Their laughter settled. Elise bit into her tacks. Then looked at Hyoren.
"You still don't know about the economy, right?"
She asked. Confirming what she already knew.
"How about I tell you about it now? Before you ask a weird question on one of Akela’s merchants… Fufu."
Hyoren smiled wryly. He then looked at Elise, expression shifting to be more serious. Swallowing his last piece of tacks and jerky. Washing it down with water from his skin.
"Please..."
He admitted his ignorance.
"I was really clueless. I don't even know the value of coins or the currency used."
Elise turned to her side. Facing him fully. Her legs crossed. Her posture relaxed but attentive.
"Okay."
She began. Her voice taking on a lecturing tone. Patient. Clear.
"Firstly. The currency used in this world is called Kres."
She spoke the name carefully. Enunciating.
"Every nation uses it."
A universal currency.
"The value..."
She paused. Thinking of how to explain.
"To give a perspective—in most towns, the daily laborer, such as a farmer or novice adventurer, earns about 10,000 Kres every day on average."
Hyoren nodded. Trying to understand the concept. Filing away the information. A baseline. 10,000 Kres was a day's wage for common work.
Seeing him already understand, Elise continued.
"For coinage, there are six distinct coins."
She held up her fingers. Counting them off. One by one.
"Iron, Copper, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum."
She lowered her hand. Then took her wallet. Opening the small leather pouch. Sorting through the contents.
She picked one coin. An iron coin. Small. Dull. The metal gray and unremarkable. She held it up to the firelight.
"This is an iron coin. 1 Kres is 1 iron coin."
The smallest unit.
She put it down. Then took another coin. The coin she had received from the merchant as change. A copper coin. Dull brown. Same size as iron. But different material.
"Now. This is a copper coin."
She held it up.
"Copper is 100 iron, or 100 Kres."
She paused. Letting the information settle. Then took another coin. A bit bigger than iron and copper. Similar shade to copper—but with more luster. More shine. The firelight reflected off its surface.
"This is a bronze coin."
She held it between her fingers. Displaying it.
"Bronze is 100 copper, or 10,000 Kres."
She handed the coin to Hyoren. Letting him examine it in detail.
"And so on."
Hyoren took it. Bringing it close to his eyes. Examining the craftsmanship. The weight. The detail.
Every coin was similar. They were stamped with symbols. On one part—a quill crossed with a sword. Intricate. On the other—a parchment ledger. Lines and columns. The tools of record-keeping.
"I don't carry silver or higher coins with me as they are too valuable. But you get the gist?"
Hyoren nodded. Understanding. The system was elegant. Simple. Each coin a hundred times the value of the previous.
"Elise. Is this symbol of Zalkier?"
He asked. Examining the quill and sword. The ledger.
"I was expecting some kind of King's portrait or Kingdom Symbol."
The coins of his old world had borne the faces of leaders. The seals of nations. The marks of sovereignty.
Elise nodded.
"Yes, Hyoren. That is the symbol of the God of Skill, War, and Trade. The quill and sword is considered the head. The ledger part is the tail."
She paused. Then shook her head. A soft laugh escaping her lips.
"But why did you think the coin would be stamped with a King's Portrait?"
Her voice carried gentle mockery. Warm. Teasing.
"This is universal currency... Silly Hyoren. Fufu."
She chuckled. The idea seemed absurd to her. A king's face on money that crossed borders. That flowed between nations. That belonged to no single realm.
Hyoren only smiled wryly. His assumptions had been wrong again. His knowledge from his old world—from fantasy stories—did not always apply here.
Elise chewed the last of her meat. Letting Hyoren understand the currency. Giving him time to process. To calculate. To internalize.
"I see… I saw this field ration cost 80 Kres. Or 80 iron coins."
He spoke slowly. Following the math.He looked at the coin in his hand. Then at Elise.
"So for the general populace, they mainly handle iron, copper, and bronze coins, huh…"
Hyoren gave back the coin to Elise. She put it in her pouch again. The coins disappeared into the leather.
Elise smiled. Pleased by his understanding.
"That's right."
She confirmed.
"Silver coins and above are rarely circulated. I haven't even seen a platinum coin in my whole life."
She drank from her water skin. The liquid cool against her throat. Refreshing. Before continuing.
"Especially now. After the breakthrough of magic tools one century ago. Higher coinage is rarely used anymore for trading and only hoarded in banks or vaults."
Hyoren perked up. His interest sharpened. He leaned forward slightly. Eager to understand.
"Banks? And higher coinage rarely used? What do you mean, Elise?"
Elise nodded. She had expected this. Had known he would be interested.
"Merchants' Guild revolutionized how the economy works on a major scale around 100 years ago."
She explained. Her voice carrying the weight of history. Of progress.
"They introduced bank accounts. And magic tools to keep track of the user's balance."
She paused. Letting the information settle.
"It can be combined with any identification card. Like an Adventurer's Guild card."
Elise took her own card. She poured Aethell into it. Activating the magic within to show her info.
She handed it to Hyoren.
He took it. Examining the surface. Same info he already saw before. About her names, ages, origins, and such. But below the information he already saw before, new lines had appeared on the bottom of the front side.
Balance: 3,349,000 Kres
Hyoren's jaw dropped. His eyes widened. The technology—the magic—it surprised him. So the guild card was not only an ID card and experience tracker. It was also a debit card. A bank account. A wallet without weight.
Elise continued her explanation.
"Using this card, or any other ID card for non-adventurers, we can buy from merchants without using any coins."
She gestured vaguely. Encompassing the economy. The system.
"Traveling merchants, street vendors, or merchants who sell daily necessities mostly still use coins. As the magic tools to record and scan user balance is not cheap to use and maintain."
She pointed at her own card. Emphasizing the use.
"But for transaction over million Kres, bigger merchants—like weapon shops, magic tools shops, or luxury goods merchants—they usually use transactions without coins. Adventurer’s Guild usually asks if the quest reward going to be given with coins or balance."
Elise smiled. Pleased with the convenience. The advancement.
"It's safer. And more convenient."
She patted her waist. Where her coin pouch sat.
"Bringing multiple heavy gold coins is a hassle."
Hyoren finally snapped from his stupor.
"Elise. That was just..."
He struggled for words.
"So... convenient. I almost lost my words."
He shook his head slowly. Marveling.
"There is a similar system in my old world, so it's not an unknown concept. But to include everything in this single card..."
He looked at the card in his hand. Then back at Elise.
"And it's so safe too, as this card is attuned. Locked. To each Aethell signature."
As he handed the card back to her—he had expected swords and sorcery not infrastructure and banking—the world of Kresneger continued to surprise him.
***
Hyoren was still reeling from the revelation about the economy.
Elise added more branches to the fire. Her movements unhurried. Deliberate. She placed each piece with care. Arranging them to ensure the flames would last. Through the night. Until dawn. The fire crackled. Sparks rose into the darkening sky. The warmth pushed back against the autumn chill.
The three moons above nestled on the sky. Three distinct colors against the star-strewn canvas. Azure—a blue orb. Crimson—a red sphere. Ebony—a darkness that seemed to swallow light. They hung in the sky.
Elise scanned the surrounding area. Her eyes moving across the waystop. Taking in the details.
The merchant caravan was already mostly silent. The wagons stood like sleeping beasts. Dark shapes against the night. The merchants were already asleep in their wagons. Resting for the journey ahead. The sounds of the day had faded.
She saw Cathy on top of one wagon. The young scout sat perched on the roof. Her short hair ruffling in the breeze. Her eyes scanning the surrounding too. It seemed she was the first guard tonight. The other members of Jigor's party seemed to sleep. Denis. Vani. Jigor himself.
Both of their eyes met. Across the distance. Two scouts. Two watchers. Two professionals acknowledging each other's presence. And both nodded.
Elise then touched Hyoren's shoulder. Her fingers light. Gentle. Breaking him from his reverie.
"Let's sleep, Hyoren."
Her voice was soft. The night demanded quiet.
"We need to wake up early tomorrow."
He finally realized he was deep in thought. Lost in the labyrinth of his own mind. He snapped up. Blinking. Returning to the present.
"Oh. Right."
He shook his head slightly. Embarrassed.
"Sorry, Elise. I was thinking about the economy... Haha..."
A nervous laugh. Self-conscious. Acknowledging his own distraction.
Elise smiled. She knew what it was like to learn.
"Don't worry."
She reassured him. Her voice gentle. Patient.
"It might take a long time to digest, indeed. But you will learn with time."
She paused. Offering support.
"Just rely on me for trading and exchange for a while."
Hyoren nodded. Grateful. Relieved. He didn't have to figure everything out alone. He had a guide. A partner. Someone who understood this world.
"Okay, let's sleep, Hyoren."
She patted the makeshift bed she had made earlier. The gathered grass and leaves. Compressed by their weight. Forming a crude but serviceable mattress.
Hyoren lay down on the bedding. The grass and leaves compressed beneath him. Not soft—not like a real bed. But better than bare ground.
Elise lay beside him. Finding a comfortable position.
Then she snuggled to him. Her body pressing against his side. Her warmth merging with his. Her head finding the hollow of his shoulder.
Hyoren was surprised a bit. His breath caught. His body tensed slightly.
Was she going to do this every night from now on?
The question formed in his mind. But he didn't say it aloud. He wasn't so crass. Wasn't so insensitive. She had been through so much. They had been through so much together. If this brought her comfort—if this helped her sleep—then he would not question it. As he also wanted this.
Elise looked up a bit over his shoulder. Her emerald eyes catching the firelight. Glowing softly in the darkness.
"Night, Hyoren."
She whispered. Her breath warm against his neck. Her voice carrying the weight of exhaustion.
She then put her head on his shoulder. One of her arms draped across his chest. Her hand resting near his heart. Feeling its beat. Her body relaxed against his. Melting into the comfort of proximity.
"Good night, Elise..."
Hyoren whispered back.
He smiled. A small expression. Private. For her. For the strange journey that had brought them here.
It was not long before she fell fast asleep. Her rhythmic breathing started to be heard.
He turned his face from Elise's face. Staring at her face too long made his face hot. Made his heart race. Made thoughts spiral in directions he wasn't ready to explore. He looked up at the sky. Trying to distract his mind. Focusing on the stars. The moons. The vastness above.
He forced himself to sleep too. Deliberately relaxing his muscles. Slowing his breathing. Emptying his mind of questions. The fire crackled beside them. The night wrapped around them. The world continued its turning.
And not long after, his breathing also matched Elise's.