Chapter 3: The Usurer and the System
The air in Coppersmith's Alley was thick with the rhythmic clang of hammers on metal, the hiss of quenching steel, and the acrid scent of coal smoke. It was a grimy, bustling district, a stark contrast to the High Quarter's polished grandeur. Kaelen navigated the narrow, winding lanes, his senses assaulted by the noise and smells, yet his focus remained sharp. This was the true underbelly of Aethelburg's economy, where raw materials met hard labor, and where money changed hands outside the gilded halls of the Merchant's Guild.
He spotted it eventually: a squat, unassuming building tucked between a noisy forge and a dim, overflowing cooperage. A weathered sign above its heavy oak door depicted a crudely drawn coin purse. Borin the Usurer. The name itself reeked of greed and desperation.
Kaelen pushed open the door, a small bell jingling overhead. The interior was even dimmer than the alley outside, lit by a single, sputtering oil lamp that cast long, dancing shadows. The air was heavy with the smell of old parchment, stale sweat, and something faintly metallic. The room was sparsely furnished: a scarred wooden counter, two high-backed chairs, and shelves lined with ledgers and strongboxes.
Behind the counter sat a man who perfectly fit the image of a usurer. Borin was a corpulent individual with greasy, thinning hair, a bulbous nose, and small, piggy eyes that darted nervously. His fingers, thick and stubby, were stained with ink. He looked up as Kaelen entered, his eyes widening slightly as he took in the young, yet strangely composed, figure.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" Borin's voice was a low rasp, like stones grinding together. "A fresh-faced lamb wandered into the wolf's den, eh? What can old Borin do for you, boy? Need a few coppers to feed your starving family? Or perhaps a loan to buy a pretty trinket for a girl who won't look your way?" He chuckled, a wet, unpleasant sound.
Kaelen didn't react to the insults. He was used to underestimation. It was often a useful tool. He moved closer to the counter, his gaze steady. "Neither, old man. I'm here to understand your business. Your lending practices. Your interest rates. And how they fit into Aethelburg's financial landscape."
Borin's piggy eyes narrowed, his initial amusement replaced by suspicion. "My business is my business, boy. Not for the prying ears of greenhorns. Are you from the Guild? Don't look like it. Or perhaps the Lord's tax collectors are trying to poke their noses where they don't belong?"
"I'm from nowhere in particular," Kaelen replied, his voice calm, unflustered. "And my interest is purely… academic. For now. I simply wish to understand how coin flows in this city, from the individual to the merchant, and what role you play in that circulation."
Borin leaned back in his chair, a wary smirk playing on his lips. "Academic, eh? A curious one, you are. Fine. I'll tell you this much: I lend coin. To those who need it, and to those who have something to offer as collateral. My rates? Fair, to me. High, to the fool who can't pay. What I do ensures that the coin keeps moving. Without coin moving, Aethelburg would rot." He gestured vaguely around the room. "And I have… arrangements. With certain merchants. For a fee, of course."
"Arrangements?" Kaelen pressed. "Do you act as a depository for their surplus? Or merely facilitate their transactions?"
Borin chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. "You use big words for a boy. I take coins for safekeeping, yes. For a small fee. And I move the coin. For a larger fee. And if someone can't pay their debts, well…" He tapped a thick, gnarled finger on a ledger. "Their collateral becomes mine. It's a simple business, boy. One that makes me richer and them… poorer, if they're not careful."
Kaelen listened intently, his mind already piecing together the fragments. This was a rudimentary banking system, albeit predatory and decentralized. Borin was a pawn, a necessary cog in the current, inefficient financial machine. But he was also a source of invaluable data.
"What about transferring coins between cities or realms?" Kaelen asked, testing the waters. "Is there a mechanism for that? Or does it all rely on physical transport?"
Borin scoffed. "Transfer? You mean like sending a bag of gold across the Dragon's Teeth Mountains? You hire a caravan, boy. And you pray it makes it. There ain't no magic that moves between cities faster than a swift horse or a sturdy ship. Too much risk, too much to lose."
Kaelen's amber eyes gleamed. This was it. This was his opening. A world without modern banking, without secure transfers, without centralized currency. He had the knowledge, the ambition, and a unique asset he was only beginning to comprehend.
He felt a subtle hum within him, a low thrumming that had been present since his awakening. It wasn't physical, more like a vibration in his very being. He closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on it. And then, a translucent blue interface flickered into existence before his mental eye. It was overlaid with symbols, numbers, and categories that initially seemed nonsensical, yet intrinsically familiar.
[BANKING SYSTEM (PRIMAL)]
Current Balance: 0 G, 0 S, 7 C Credit Limit (Untapped Potential): 1000 G (Tier 0.1) Transaction Log: [View] Investments: [None] Passive Income: [Inactive] ABILITIES:
[BASIC DEPOSIT]: Deposit physical currency into the System. (0.1% processing fee)
[BASIC WITHDRAWAL]: Withdraw physical currency from the System. (0.1% processing fee)
[CURRENCY CONVERSION]: Convert between Copper, Silver, and Gold. (Fixed rates, minor fee)
[SYSTEM LEDGER]: Track all transactions, deposits, and withdrawals.
[POTENTIAL APPRAISAL]: Analyze an individual's or entity's financial "potential" for growth or debt. (Limited usage)
[TIER UPGRADE]: Requires accumulating [X] amount of wealth or achieving [Y] influence in banking.
It was rudimentary, but it was there. A genuine, digital banking system in a fantasy world. His half-dragon blood thrummed with pure delight. This wasn't just a love for money; it was a love for controlling money, for transforming it into something more.
He reopened his eyes, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touching his lips. "Thank you, Borin," he said, his voice now crisp, sharper, devoid of any pretense of academic curiosity. "You've been… illuminating." He laid a single copper coin on the counter. "For your time."
Borin blinked, taken aback. Most people came to him for a coin, not to give it. He picked up the copper, examining it suspiciously. "Well, I'll be. A free copper. You're a strange one, Kaelen. Mark my words, boy, curiosity killed the cat."
"Perhaps," Kaelen said, turning to leave. "But satisfaction brought it back."
He walked out of the dim office and back into the clangor of Coppersmith's Alley, a fierce grin spreading across his face. Borin was a relic, a dinosaur in a world ripe for evolution. Kaelen had just found his personal ATM, his digital ledger, and his private vault.
He immediately began experimenting. He reached into his pouch, pulling out his remaining six coppers. Mentally, he commanded: "System, Deposit 6 Coppers."
A faint shimmer, invisible to anyone else, passed over the coins. The blue interface flickered:
[BASIC DEPOSIT] processing… 6 C deposited. Fee: 0.006 C (rounded up to 0.01 C). New Balance: 0 G, 0 S, 6.99 C
He felt a slight sting of annoyance at the fee, but it was negligible. This was incredible. He could carry virtually unlimited wealth without physical bulk or risk of theft. He could convert currency instantly at fixed rates, avoiding the haggling and uncertainty of physical exchange. This was power. Unprecedented power in this archaic world.
But the system also indicated "Tier Upgrade" conditions. He needed to accumulate wealth or gain influence. The "Credit Limit" suggested he could even access funds he didn't physically possess yet, a line of credit based on his untapped potential – likely tied to his half-dragon heritage and whatever innate power it contained. This was fascinating.
Kaelen walked with a new purpose, his mind racing. He had 6.99 coppers in his digital bank. Not enough to do anything significant. He needed more. He needed to generate income, and not just from hauling lumber.
He made his way back towards the main market square, his eyes scanning, assessing. He saw vendors struggling with arithmetic, merchants losing track of their inventory, adventurers trying to convert their hard-earned silver into supplies. Inefficiency. That was the enemy. And where there was inefficiency, there was profit.
He spotted a small group of adventurers, fresh from a hunt, trying to haggle with a butcher over the price of a monstrous boar tusk. Their expressions were frustrated; their math was clearly poor. Kaelen watched for a moment, observing the chaotic exchange.
Then, a thought struck him. Potential Appraisal.
He focused on the scruffy-looking leader of the adventurers. The blue interface shimmered, and a small, floating text box appeared near the adventurer's head, visible only to Kaelen:
[ADVENTURER GROUP: "IRONCLAD BROTHERS"] Current Assets: Est. 1 Gold, 12 Silver, 8 Copper (Physical) Potential for Gain (Next 30 days): High (If successful completion of 'Goblin Warband' quest) Risk of Debt: Moderate (If gear repairs exceed current earnings)
This was beyond incredible. He could see their financial state, their potential, and their risks. This wasn't just a banking system; it was a financial analysis tool. He could identify reliable clients, assess risky ventures, even pinpoint investment opportunities.
A new plan began to form, rapidly taking shape in his strategic mind. He wasn't going to be a simple merchant or a brute laborer. He was going to revolutionize finance in Aerthos. He would start by offering services no one else could. Secure storage. Instant transfers. Fair currency exchange.
Low-interest loans. He would undercut Borin, offer convenience, and build trust.
He approached the frustrated adventurers. Excuse me," Kaelen said, his voice polite but firm, cutting through their bickering. "I couldn't help but notice your… predicament."
The adventurers, burly men in worn leather armor, turned to him, their expressions wary. "What's it to you, boy?" the leader grunted, eyeing Kaelen's youthful appearance with suspicion.
"I offer a service," Kaelen said, meeting their gaze directly. "Secure storage for your coin, so you don't have to carry it all. Instant currency conversion at a fixed, fair rate, no haggling. And perhaps, if you wish, a fair appraisal of your potential earnings from that task." He held out a hand, his red and amber eyes, though mostly hidden by his hood, glinting with a confidence that defied his age. "My name is Kaelen. I am a… financial consultant."
The adventurers exchanged glances, clearly bewildered. A "financial consultant"? What in the blazes was that? But the promise of "secure storage" and "fair rates" certainly piqued their interest. Carrying large sums of coins was always a risk.
The leader, a man named Gorok, scratched his beard. "Secure storage, eh? How do we know you won't just run off with our coin, lad?"
Kaelen smiled. It was a genuine, disarming smile, the kind that had smoothed over countless corporate disagreements in his past life. "You don't. Not yet. But I propose a small trial. Give me five coppers. I will deposit them. And you can withdraw them immediately to confirm the process. If it works, and you see the benefit, perhaps we can discuss larger sums." He knew the fee for the system, so he'd actually lose a tiny fraction, but the investment in trust was worth it.
Gorok hesitated, then looked at his comrades. Five coppers were a pittance. Worth the risk for the potential benefit. "Alright, lad. You got guts, I'll give you that. Here." He pulled out five coppers and placed them in Kaelen's outstretched hand.
Kaelen nodded.
"System, Deposit 5 Coppers from Gorok." The coins vanished with an imperceptible shimmer.
[BASIC DEPOSIT] processing… 5 C deposited. Fee: 0.005 C. Current Balance (Gorok): 4.995 C Confirmation requested for 'Gorok'.
He turned to Gorok. "They are deposited. Now, tell me, how much would you like to withdraw?"
Gorok's eyes widened. "Already? How…?" He shook his head. "Just… the five coppers. All of 'em."
"System, Withdraw 5 Coppers for Gorok."
A moment later, five gleaming coppers appeared in Kaelen's palm. He handed them back to a stunned Gorok.
"By the Ancestors!" Gorok exclaimed, examining the coins, then looking at Kaelen with new eyes. "How did you do that, boy? That's… that's witchcraft!"
"Not witchcraft," Kaelen corrected smoothly. "Innovation. And a touch of natural talent. Think of it as a… very fast, very secure vault only I can access, and only you can authorize. No physical coin to lose, no bandits to worry about." He paused, then looked at the boar tusk. "Now, about that tusk. Based on the current market value for boar tusks of that size and quality, the butcher is offering you approximately 1 Silver and 5 Copper less than its true worth."
Gorok's jaw dropped. He glared at the butcher, who suddenly looked very uncomfortable. The adventurers now looked at Kaelen with a mixture of awe and respect. This 'financial consultant' was something else entirely.
This was it. This was the first brick in his empire. Kaelen smiled, a true, satisfied smile. He was no longer just Hiroki, the data entry drone. He was Kaelen, the nascent financial titan. And the Realm of Aerthos, despite being the "weakest," was about to get a crash course in modern banking.