Volume 9 - prologue

"Kua......"

I stretched out as much as I could.

It's a beautiful morning.

No, it's already noon.

It's okay for an adventurer to have a late morning.

"Mmm......"

Sophie was unconscious next to me, hugged me. Since then, on her days off, we've eaten at Lady Tabitha's and gone straight to rest, or I've taken her directly to this inn.

Serina had spotted her and had confirmed with Sophie many times, but of course, I hadn't threatened her.

I was a bit pushy, but she has become my woman of her own free will. I'm not going to let her complain about that.

Sophie is also quite fond of me, and if I ask her out, she'll follow me. She seems to have been trained in her knowledge of sensual novels. As expected the librarian.

Well, I had fun for about eight rounds yesterday, from front to back and using my skills, so it would be better to give her a rest today.

I'm a resilient hero, and she's a free townie, so our stamina is different.

I gently unclasped Sophie's arms, put on a simple cloth outfit, and walked out of the room.

When I went downstairs to the first floor of the inn, I saw that the guys from our Clan were playing a card game at a table. You guys really like that, don't you?

Well, it won't get that crazy in this inn, so I'll let them do what they want.

"Alright, two pair!"

"Ugh, I shouldn't have come down!　Damn, I've been tricked..."

The playing cards came from a treasure chest, and they were beautiful and durable. They look exactly the same as the ones sold in Japan.

"Haha, thanks. Zeed, you'd better learn to put on a poker face. I can tell by your face."

"Even if you say that, Ah!　Good morning, Alec-san!"

"Oouh!"

"Are you going somewhere today?"

"No, I haven't decided. Why?"

"No, if you're not busy, I was wondering if we could have lunch together."

"Hmm, no, let's not do that. Clyde, it's on me. Take them all somewhere."

I threw a silver coin to Clyde, the leader of the Black Cat Group 2, and gave it to him.

"Thanks. So, where do you want to go?"

"Isn't the tavern always good?"

"No, it's silver coin.　Why don't we go to a brothel anyway, get a woman?"

"Hmm?　Alec-san, do you mind?"

"Well, have it your way."

"" Oooh! ""

Well, it's good once in a while.

"Just make sure it's a decent place."

It would be troublesome if they got some strange disease, so I gave him another silver coin.

"" Thanks! ""

After watching the Clan of bastards leave, I take a table in the back dining room.

"Ada, get me some soup. Ada?"

There's no answer. She's not here.

"Tsk, this not the best place to stay.

The sheets are cleaned and changed every day, so that's good.

I had no choice but to go to a food stall or a restaurant, so I headed to the main street.

"Oh, Alec-san."

A friendly young man with brown hair approached me. It was Zeed, who couldn't put on a poker face.

"Hmm, Zeed. Didn't you go to the brothel with the others?"

"No, It's just ......, I'm in love with someone."

Shrugging his shoulders, Zeed is a innocent guy.

"I see. Well, I don't mind, but did you get the money?"

"Yeah, I got it."

"All right then."

"Hey, Alec-san."

"What's up?"

I don't like to be talked to by men. It's okay to be friendly, but in moderation.

"I'm thinking of giving that girl a gift. What present should I give her?"

"Dunno. Think for yourself."

"No, no, no, don't say that. I'd really like the popular Alec-san to tell me."

In my case, I guess the [Charm ☆ Lv3] skill that the glasses-wearing god gave me is working for me, though.

"You'll have to train with adventure and adjust your skills and equipment."

"Huh, no, I meant the gift."

"I told you, I don't know. You're persistent."

"How about a ring?"

I ain't asking. But I'm kind of curious, so I'm asking too.

"Cheap jewelry?"

"No, it's a jeweled one."

"Wait, you can't possibly have that kind of money."

If you have more than 10,000 gold saved up, you should have quit slavery long ago. I've also promised to make you a commoner.

I have the skill to tamper with the slave emblem. I tried to use it on Fianna to see if I could erase it, but it disappeared cleanly. I asked the king of Grandsword to confirm this, and he said that if I don't do it openly, I can free the slaves as I please.

"That said, I have a good deal for you."

"Hmm?　What kind?"

I ask with raised eyebrows.

"There's a money changer in the backstreets that will exchange your money for coins of the Cacoo Empire."

"The Cacoo Empire?　Not the Gilan Empire?"

I've never heard of that country.

"Yes, the Cacoo Empire. Here, this is the one with the white dog symbol on it."

When I saw the counterfeit coin that Zeed offered me, I winced.

"It's made of wood, isn't it?"

It's just a cheap-looking piece of wood with a dog's mark roughly scrawled on it.

"Yes, but it can be exchanged for money, and even for expensive prizes!"

He's being cheated.

He's definitely being cheated.

"Alec-san?"

I stroked my forehead and sighed.

"How much did you exchange?"

"Right now, it's about two thousand gold. But the Cacoo coins have gone up in price, and now they're worth about two hundred thousand gold!　Isn't that great?"

"Idiot. There's no such thing as a good deal. Who the hell would want a wooden coin like that, or an imperial child banknote that doesn't even exist?"

"No, they can be used properly."

"They're cherry-picked, aren't they?"

I'm sure that someone used these wooden coins to trade among themselves right in front of Zeed's eyes.

"Yeah?　But it's can be used quite well, you know. All over the place. In ordinary stores, you know."

"Where?"

"For example, at the meat skewer shop there. Alec-san, have you eaten lunch yet?"

"No. I just came to eat."

"Well then, I'll buy you a drink to thank you for all your hard work. Old man, two skewers, please."

"Aiyo, it's four gold."

"That's a bit expensive. Whatever. Then, can I use this money?"

Zeed handed over a wooden coin.

"Oh, this one, okay, here you go."

"See?"

"Hmm. Well, it's cheap."

"Geez, you're so skeptical. Okay, Alec-san, I'll give you a a piece for hundred gold, and you can spend them however you like. If you do, I'm sure you'll believe me.

"I don't want. I don't want it!"

He pushed toy coins at me.

"So, please tell me what should I give her. I mean, that's the current price of information."

"You know, that's not the way to do business, Zeed. If you pretend to buy her a drink without telling her what it is, and then demand a price that she doesn't know about, you'll get in trouble."

"I'm sorry, but I'll give you one more."

"I don't want it!"

I slam the dog print coin on the ground as hard as I can. The dog coin hit a stone and cracked easily.

"Oh, what a waste, it could have doubled in value by tomorrow."

"Not a chance. You don't understand how money works."

Money doesn't just come out of nowhere. Since ancient times, it has been traded in exchange for something.

If you deposit money in a bank, the interest will increase, but this is because depositors lend money to the bank, which then lends more money to companies, adding interest to the debt. It does not grow by itself.

If they try to increase the amount without collateral, their credibility will be tested.

If you know that he is a man who will always pay back the money he borrowed, you can trust him and lend him money.

However, if you don't have collateral when he can't pay you back, you will be in big trouble.

The collapse of Lehman Brothers was caused by the use of financial engineering to tweak the collateral. It was an alchemy to create something out of nothing.

And the price was demanded all at once. In a way that no one wanted.

In my opinion.

The total amount of wealth in the world is finite, and the amount of credit (collateral) cannot exceed that finite amount.

Even if it is electronic money, there must be a price.

The question is not, "How much value or money is there in it?" is not the issue.

The question is, "Who will pay for it?"

"What? This coin works fine."

If so, why is wood?

If the issuer is a wealthy man, he should be able to make a decent coin out of gold or silver.

Besides, a proper coin should be made in such a way that it cannot be easily counterfeited (copied).

"For now. Anyway, you need to quit pouring money into that coin. It's clan leader's orders."

"N-no way. But then, how do I buy the ring?"

"Earn it through adventure. No, let's see if we can buy some expensive accessories with those dog coins. Zeed, bring me everything you've got. I'll help you find the ring that will make her fall in love with you."

"Yes!"

Well, I'll use my skills to appraise it, but there's no such thing as a magical ring. Anyway, I have to get it to change it for something valuable.

That was probably a scam.