Chapter 45: First Tax Payment
Year 0003, Month XI-XII: The Imperium
---
Day 151: Tax Breakdown and Payment
The changing seasons brought with them the inevitable duty that all merchants across the realm dreaded yet could not escape—the annual tax payment to the kingdom. For the Maya Traveling Mercantile, this represented their first major financial obligation since establishing their trading enterprise. Through careful negotiations with the merchant's guild earlier in the year, they had secured the most favorable tax rate available: a modest 5% of their total earnings. While this percentage seemed reasonable compared to the standard rates imposed on larger commercial enterprises, the actual calculation and preparation process proved far more complex than August had initially anticipated.
Marcus and Andy had spent the better part of the past week meticulously calculating their finances, cross-referencing every transaction, and preparing their detailed ledgers for the comprehensive accounting review that would follow. The process required not only mathematical precision but also careful documentation of every trade route, every purchase, and every sale they had conducted throughout their extensive travels across the various kingdoms and territories.
The two more experienced merchants worked tirelessly, often late into the night by candlelight, ensuring that every copper coin was accounted for and that their records would withstand the scrutiny of the merchant's guild inspectors. Their reputation and future trading privileges depended on this financial transparency, making accuracy paramount to their continued success.
Once the exhaustive calculations were complete, Marcus and Andy gathered around the sturdy wooden table in their temporary quarters to present the comprehensive financial breakdown to August. The weight of responsibility was evident in their weathered faces as they prepared to explain the intricate details of their monetary obligations to the kingdom's tax collectors—the merchant's guild, who served as the official intermediaries between independent traders and the royal treasury.
---
Detailed Tax Breakdown
[BANKING SYSTEM BREAKDOWN – 5% TAX INCLUDED]
Total Currency Before Tax
Imperial Currency:
- 34 Imperial Orichalcum Coins
- 1,530 Imperial Gold Coins
- 603 Imperial Silver Coins
- 310 Imperial Copper Coins
Local Currency:
- 6,254 Local Gold Coins
- 557 Local Silver Coins
- 283 Local Copper Coins
Total Value (in Local Copper Coins – LCC)
| Currency | Amount | Value per unit (LCC) | Total Value (LCC) |
| Imperial Orichalcum (IOC) | 34 | 375,000,000,000 | 12,750,000,000,000 |
| Imperial Gold (IGC) | 1,530 | 375,000,000 | 573,750,000,000 |
| Imperial Silver (ISC) | 603 | 3,750,000 | 2,261,250,000 |
| Imperial Copper (ICC) | 310 | 75,000 | 23,250,000 |
| Local Gold (LGC) | 6,254 | 7,500 | 46,905,000 |
| Local Silver (LSC) | 557 | 150 | 83,550 |
| Local Copper (LCC) | 283 | 1 | 283 |
Total Pre-Tax Value: 13,349,308,238,833 LCC
5% Tax Deducted
Tax Amount:
5% × 13,349,308,238,833 = 667,465,411,941.65 LCC
Tax Breakdown (in Coins Equivalent)
Converting the 667,465,411,941.65 LCC tax into denominations, from highest to lowest:
Imperial Orichalcum (375B LCC)
- 667,465,411,941 ÷ 375,000,000,000 = 1 IOC
- Value = 375,000,000,000 LCC
- Remaining tax to deduct: 292,465,411,941
Imperial Gold (375M LCC)
- 292,465,411,941 ÷ 375,000,000 = 779 IGC
- Value = 292,125,000,000 LCC
- Remaining: 340,411,941
Imperial Silver (3.75M LCC)
- 340,411,941 ÷ 3,750,000 = 90 ISC
- Value = 337,500,000 LCC
- Remaining: 2,911,941
Imperial Copper (75,000 LCC)
- 2,911,941 ÷ 75,000 = 38 ICC
- Value = 2,850,000 LCC
- Remaining: 61,941
Local Gold (7,500 LCC)
- 61,941 ÷ 7,500 = 8 LGC
- Value = 60,000
- Remaining: 1,941
Local Silver (150 LCC)
- 1,941 ÷ 150 = 12 LSC
- Value = 1,800
- Remaining: 141
Local Copper:
- 141 LCC
Total Tax in Coins:
- 1 Imperial Orichalcum Coin
- 779 Imperial Gold Coins
- 90 Imperial Silver Coins
- 38 Imperial Copper Coins
- 8 Local Gold Coins
- 12 Local Silver Coins
- 141 Local Copper Coins
Final Holdings After 5% Tax
Imperial Currency (After Tax):
| Denomination | Original | Taxed | Remaining |
| Orichalcum (IOC) | 34 | 1 | 33
| Gold (IGC) | 1,530 | 779 | 751
| Silver (ISC) | 603 | 90 | 513
| Copper (ICC) | 310 | 38 | 272
Local Currency (After Tax):
| Denomination | Original | Taxed | Remaining |
| Gold (LGC) | 6,254 | 8 | 6,246 |
| Silver (LSC) | 557 | 12 | 545 |
| Copper (LCC) | 283 | 141 | 142 |
Final Net Worth (Post-Tax)
Final Holdings:
- 33 Imperial Orichalcum Coins
- 751 Imperial Gold Coins
- 513 Imperial Silver Coins
- 272 Imperial Copper Coins
- 6,246 Local Gold Coins
- 545 Local Silver Coins
- 142 Local Copper Coins
After August had carefully reviewed the comprehensive breakdown of their account ledger, examining each calculation with the keen eye of someone who understood the critical importance of financial accuracy, he granted his Head Accountant Marcus and Mercantile Manager Andy permission to proceed to the merchant's guild. There, they would formally submit their year's ledger for the mandatory inspection process, followed by the ceremonial payment of their taxes to the kingdom's representatives.
The two experienced merchants gathered their meticulously prepared documentation, securing the leather-bound ledgers in protective cases before setting out through the bustling streets toward the imposing guild hall that served as the center of commercial governance in the region.
Once both men had departed on their crucial mission, August found himself alone with his thoughts in the quiet sanctuary of their temporary quarters. The weight of the past year's experiences settled upon his shoulders as he began to reflect on the extraordinary journey that had brought them to this pivotal moment. It had been a year unlike any other—filled with unexpected challenges, remarkable discoveries, and profound transformations that had tested their resolve and shaped their character in ways none of them could have anticipated.
The memories flowed through his mind like pages in a well-worn book: the treacherous mountain passes they had navigated, the treacherous path outside the great forest of Lonelywood, the diverse cultures they had encountered, the valuable trade relationships they had forged, and the countless lessons learned through both triumph and adversity. Each experience had contributed to their growth, not merely as merchants, but as individuals capable of adapting to an ever-changing world.
As the afternoon sun cast long shadows across the room, August allowed himself a moment of quiet satisfaction. Despite the challenges and uncertainties that had marked their journey, they had not only survived but thrived, building a foundation for future success that would serve them well in the years to come.
With the year's end approaching and their tax obligations soon to be fulfilled, August found himself nurturing a cautious optimism for the future. He harbored deep hopes that the coming days would bring continued growth and improvement for himself and his companions. Most importantly, he dared to dream of the possibility that the new year might finally grant him the opportunity to return to his beloved homeland after more than half a year of absence—a longing that had grown stronger with each passing day, yet had been tempered by the knowledge that their work was far from complete.