With a new curiosity , he put the book about Arrays on the table careful not to let it touch the Velvet Archive lest it turned to dust. He then turned his attention back to the shelves, his eyes tracing the titles of the other volumes, searching for a new source of knowledge. He found it on a lower shelf, its leather cover worn smooth with age and use. The title, etched in faded gold leaf, read:'Commerce: Currencies and Markets of the Nations of Aeridor'.
It was perfect. He settled back into his plush armchair and began to turn the pages.
The text began with an introduction to the world's financial ecosystem, explaining that commerce, much like Flow itself, was a system with its own rules, channels, and inherent power dynamics. The book immediately delineated the two major currency systems that dominated the continent of Aeridor, and Elias felt a spark of recognition, a familiar pattern emerging. He realized that even in this fantastical world, fundamental economic structures mirrored those he had left behind.
First, there was the 'Crown Solar'. The book explained that this was the official currency of the nations of Aerthos and Kemet, its value and distribution governed by the powerful 'Trade Union'. Elias noted the description:
It was a fluid, decimal-based system, much like the American Dollar he vaguely remembered from his old life. He read with interest about its various denominations, a logical mix of paper and metal.
The highest denomination was the large, intricately printed 'Gold Crown' note, which was often reserved for high-value transactions. Below that came the smooth, polished 'Silver Crown ' coin that he held in his hand, a coin that felt substantial and significant. And finally, there was the simple, workhorse 'Copper Crown' coin, the most common currency for small, daily purchases.Ten Copper Crowns would equal one Silver and a hundred Silvers were one Gold.The book explained that while the Copper Solar was the smallest physical coin, its value could be subdivided, though the coins themselves were the smallest tangible denomination one would encounter. This currency, the book explained, was designed for ease of use and was the backbone of local markets and everyday life. It was a currency of the people.
Next, the book introduced the Veridian 'Standard Pound'. Elias's eyes widened slightly as he read the description: this was the pound-like currency, used by the secretive and influential 'Free Guild', whose headquarters lay in the nation of Veridian, and the frosty nation of Nordhelm. The text described it as a much more stable and valuable currency, often preferred for large-scale international trade and transactions. Its denominations were fewer and larger: the elaborate Veridian 'Standard' note, a large piece of paper printed with an Array that was difficult to counterfeit; the heavy, solid Veridian 'Mark' coin, with ten Marks making up one Standard; and the Veridian 'Shilling' coin, a smaller silver coin with twenty Shillings to a Mark.
Elias immediately saw the parallel to the historical British pound's pre-decimal system. He recognized that this currency's structure seemed more cumbersome for small purchases but was built for stability and high value.
He read on, and the book laid bare the economic reality of the world: a quiet, but fierce, financial battle was being waged between the Trade Union and the Free Guild. This was not a war of swords and strength, but of market influence and fiscal policy. Each organization used its respective currency not just as a simple medium of exchange, but as a strategic asset. They competed to make their currency the most valuable, the most desired, in order to gain political and economic leverage over the other. It was a war of numbers and market influence, a fascinating counterpoint to the physical battles he read about in th history texts. This silent conflict, Elias realized, defined much of the political landscape.
The conversion rate between the two rival currencies was clearly defined in a table. The book stated, in no uncertain terms, that 1 Standard Pound was worth 5 Crown Solars. The detail that followed made Elias frown.
A tax.
Any currency conversion, it stated, incurred a penalty of one Silver Crown or Ten Copper per transaction. It was a calculated fee, designed to discourage excessive cross-border trading and encourage loyalty to one's own currency. The Free Guild in retaliation also increased the prices of exports from their own nations of influence to ensure that the tax didn't really matter that much in the grand scheme of things. The people where forced to convert during international trade regardless of affiliation. There was however an agreement between the two factions that the more goods and services were being used,the lesser the price. This was the only compromise done as the people had embarked on several strikes and riots for a reduction in prices. A man could convert to a Solar today and a Pound tomorrow. This create a volatile state of equilibrium further deepening the financial and political divide between the two factions.
The text then made a brief mention of the island nation of Xylos, describing it as a secluded, self-sufficient land. Its own unique currency, the book stated, was of such purity and rarity that its theoretical value was the highest in the world. However, due to Xylos's staunch isolationist policies, its currency was virtually never seen on the mainland, making the Standard Pound the the de facto highest-valued currency in practical, everyday commerce since it was the most exchanged and used currency with a wider reach and usage.
This was all fascinating, but still abstract. The knowledge was contained within the pages, distant from his reality. He was in essence a rich kid who didn't really know the value of money. It became intensely real when Elias's eyes fell upon a specific section of the text titled, "The Value of a Crown Solar." The text detailed its purchasing power: a single Silver Solar was enough to provide a family with food and basic supplies for an entire week. Elias's mind, a calculator of immense speed, began its work. He mentally converted the value, using the hazy exchange rates and purchasing power he remembered from his old life. A week's worth of supplies… he thought of the American Dollar, the British pound, the Japanese Yen, and the Chinese Yuan. The numbers his brain produced were staggering.
A single Silver Crown like the simple, smooth coin he held in his hand, was worth a small fortune. Not just a day's wages, or a few meals, but a significant, life-altering amount of money.
He stared at the coin, its engraved crown sigil now seeming impossibly grand and heavy with meaning.
He continued reading the book which provided a simple explanation for the massive value disparity with his old world: precious metals were rarer, the cost of living and production were fundamentally different, and the entire economic structure was built upon a scarcity that his old world had long since overcome thereby reducing the value of goods and services in comparison. This was not a world of mass production and easy access.
He looked up from the book and stared at the ceiling. He'd never considered this side of the world he now inhabited. The House Dukker manor was immense, but he had never thought about it in terms of its financial weight. This coin, this tangible piece of that immense power, was a vital part of a world he had only ever read about.
'Now that I think about it,I've never actually been outside the house before.'
He fell silent for a moment then stood up, placing the book back on its shelf and returned to the nearby table and picked up the Velvet book, a layer of fine ash from the transfer of data between books. He carefully dusted the table clean and glanced at the tall grandfather clock in the corner. It was late. He needed to rest.
With the coin still in his pocket, a silent promise, he headed to his room. For a brief moment, he considered asking for permission to leave the manor.
'Nah, it's late. I'll ask… later.' he thought with a yawn as he exited the room.