The morning in Avalon began not with the metallic ring of pickaxes, but with a dense pressure of magicules emanating from the center of the plaza. Sirzechs Gremory, standing at the heart of his marble city, decided it was time to expand. A nation required critical mass, and through [Visionary], he projected his will into the void. The shadows of nearby trees lengthened, and with a collective sigh, one hundred new Hollows materialized. Unlike the first generation, these were raw—their masks were smooth, their movements spasmodic; they were fresh clay awaiting a form they did not yet comprehend.
Grayfia Lucifuge watched the new batch with skepticism. She knew that introducing so many individuals at once would overload the "order" she worked so hard to maintain. But Sirzechs' plan didn't stop at demography. Upon a marble table, he manifested small coins of a silvery metal, engraved with the seal of the House of Gremory. He called them "Avalon Credits." The logic was simple: the Baker would provide bread in exchange for coins, and the new Hollows would earn coins by assisting in construction. It was the foundation of value exchange—the next step toward civilization.
The implementation, however, was an absolute disaster. The new Hollows looked at the silver metal not as currency, but as something to be consumed or hoarded. Sirzechs watched, agape, as one subject tried to chew on a coin while another hid them in holes just for their shine. The Baker, now Master and Instructor, tried to trade his bread, but the new Hollows simply snatched the food and walked away, leaving the coins scattered on the ground like trash.
Before the economy could collapse, Grayfia intervened. Using her ability [Gabriel], she projected a "controlled necessity." She surrounded the bakery with a barrier of ice that would only open if a coin was placed upon a pedestal. It was a harsh lesson: the Hollows, feeling hunger, began to fight one another for the coins they had previously despised. What was meant to be a civilized system devolved into a general brawl of shadows in the central plaza.
Sirzechs watched the scene with his hand on his forehead. He realized he had skipped vital steps. With a pulse of his crimson aura, he paralyzed the chaos and used [Visionary] to project a basic economics lesson directly into the subjects' minds, explaining that the coin was their "time" transformed into metal. Grayfia, taking the cue, organized them into rows for a census, assigning tasks and delivering initial "purses" of coins under the promise that those who did not work would not pass through the ice barrier.
The sun of Jura had barely begun to illuminate the rooftops when the side effect emerged: Avalon's first crime. Two Hollows engaged in a tug-of-war over a single coin, while petty theft began to spread. Grayfia explained to Sirzechs that the desire for the Baker's goods had created the need for internal vigilance. Thus, the Gendarmerie of Avalon was born. Sirzechs summoned five veteran guards and, through [Visionary], manifested silver armbands that glowed with the light of "Justice." He explained that their role was not to punish for pleasure, but to ensure that one's effort was not stolen by another.
The afternoon was marked by a philosophical dispute in the office. Sirzechs wanted to educate the offenders, but Grayfia insisted that the "loss of privileges" was the only language they understood. If a Hollow stole, they would lose their right to bread and be assigned to forced labor. Sirzechs eventually conceded, realizing that paperwork regarding "civil rights" was too advanced for beings who were still discovering that money wasn't food.
As the new police force patrolled the streets, the Baker began using his profits to "hire" assistants, creating the city's first spontaneous jobs. However, Grayfia soon brought a new scroll: the necessity of taxes to maintain lighting and the sewage system. Sirzechs laughed, realizing that even in a fantasy world, he could not escape the tax system.
By sunset, calm reigned once more. The veteran Hollows acted as mentors to the newcomers, and the Baker displayed his box of silver coins—the first profit in history. Sirzechs sat on the palace steps, exhausted. Grayfia served him tea, commenting that despite the incidents, the social learning had been immense. "Necessity is the mother of civilization," she said. Sirzechs smiled, accepting his fate as an architect buried under paper. Avalon now had an economic and legal heart; though it beat irregularly, it was alive.
Author's Note:
Establishing a currency is a double-edged sword! Sirzechs is learning that even with infinite power, you can't force a society to be "perfect" overnight. Crime, taxes, and labor—Avalon is becoming very real.