A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

Money (2)

***

Thanks to the help of Rod and Rize, opening my account was not difficult.

I did feel a bit sorry for the bank manager, who had rushed over, but I had no other choice.

However, we couldn’t increase the limit on Kara’s account. It could potentially lead to political entanglements, making it awkward for both parties.

Everyone understood this, including Kara, so we moved on without any issues.

“It can’t be helped. Our people have caused a lot of trouble. Since the bank has only been introduced recently, it’s better to take it slow.”

“Do you want to use mine?”

If anything, she would keep it safe, ensuring no losses.

“Hey, that’s against the rules, right?”

“Yes. Unless you go through the proper procedures, you can’t use someone else’s account. The reason we issue two passbooks is so you can check transactions you might not know about.”

As expected, the laws related to finance are very strict. There’s nothing we can do about this.

Just as I was feeling disappointed, the bank employee glanced nervously at another area.

After all the accounts were set up, Rod and Rize were chatting in one corner. The bank employee’s gaze was fixed on them.

He then cleared his throat and started explaining slowly.

“If your family relationship is proven, you can use the account. Rize and Rod, being special cases, can use Sivar’s account.”

“Family…?”

Kara seemed puzzled by the word “family.” I wasn’t interested, though.

It seemed that Rize and Rod were recognized as my parents. Honestly, it wasn’t far from the truth, so I didn’t deny it.

“Is there anything you need?”

“You mentioned family, but…”

“It has to be documented family.”

“Got it.”

Without the documents, it’s a no-go. I was in a unique situation.

In the end, I decided to manage the account myself. Even if I asked Kara, she insisted it would breach the law.

I don’t know if she trusts that I won’t spend much or if she’s thorough with money matters.

Or maybe she just thought there was no point in managing it herself.

“Wouldn’t it be better if the Holy Warrior kept one of the accounts? Since you live together.”

“That sounds good.”

We decided to let Rize manage one of the accounts. I trust Rize as much as Kara.

An interesting fact came up here: Rize never had her own account.

She had lived as a wanderer her whole life and only settled down recently, so she surprisingly had a high expenditure. Rod was similar.

“So, Principal, where do you keep your salary? In cash?”

“It’s more like donations. I get a check for 1 million silver coins each month.”

“Why so much… Or is it cheap?”

A million silver coins to have a Swordmaster at the academy is incredibly cheap.

No one in the academy could guarantee victory against a Swordmaster.

He serves as the final bastion and deterrent, so 1 million silver coins a month is cheap.

“Holy Warrior… No, I feel dumb asking this. Anyway, we’ll be going now.”

“You said you put Usk byproducts up for auction? A considerable amount of money will come in.”

The mention of a large sum of money changed the bank employee’s demeanor.

However, due to the presence of Rod and Rize, he hesitated to speak.

Since I’ll have to visit the bank again later for deposits, we can talk then.

‘For now, Santiago is running smoothly.’

The start of finance is the city of Santiago, naturally revolving around Santiago.

It’s similar to the United States on Earth, not because it’s a superpower but due to its minting technology.

In the past, the edges of silver coins were filed or scraped to reduce their value.

However, the silver coins in this world are different. Like Earth’s coins, the edges are rough, preventing such methods.

Because of this, Santiago’s finance industry naturally advanced. The production of silver coins starts in Santiago.

“After the auction, we’ll return to the bank… Oh, right, Sivar.”

“?”

“Afterwards, I’ll give you some cash. Use it to buy whatever you want.”

On the way to the auction house, Kara made this suggestion while planning.

Since it’s my money, I nodded. I should buy some tasty food.

Kara, finding me cute, pinched my cheek slightly. But she didn’t forget to advise.

“But don’t spend too much. Even though prices here are low, you can run out of money quickly if you splurge.”

“Okay.”

“Good. And don’t give money to strangers. Also…”

She was very detailed in her advice. I listened carefully as we headed to the auction house.

‘What if I purposely get scammed later?’

Maybe I should try getting scammed on purpose sometime.

*****

The Usk auction took longer than expected. People from all over the world had come after hearing the rumors.

Even aside from the blade tusks, Usk’s hard exoskeleton was quite valuable.

Also, the internal organs were used in alchemy and potion making, so the auction took a while.

“280,000 for the blade tusk, 290,000, 300,000, 350,000. 350,000. Any more?”

The blade tusk fetched 350,000 silver coins, 50,000 more than Kara had anticipated.

After deducting the auction house fee, around 337,000 remained. A substantial sum landed in Sivar’s hands.

“Please provide your account number if you’ve set it up.”

“Do I need to provide a password too?”

“No, that’s not necessary.”

Almost 340,000 silver coins were deposited right after the account was set up. That’s roughly 3.4 billion won.

Kara, sensitive to money, was astounded by the amount, but Sivar seemed indifferent. He still didn’t grasp the value of money.

“Sivar, do you know how much this is?”

“Roughly?”

“It’s enough to buy a cake every day for a lifetime and still not run out.”

“Wow.”

Sivar exclaimed, realizing the value through this analogy. Kara found him adorable and laughed.

Just to be sure, we visited the bank again to check the amount. It was the same bank employee as before.

“Would you like to open a savings or fixed deposit account?”

“Explain in detail. He knows nothing.”

“Got it. Savings and fixed deposits work like this…”

The bank employee explained savings and fixed deposits in detail.

Interest rates, special benefits, etc. In short, saving money would grow your wealth.

Sivar listened quietly but remained expressionless. It was clear he wasn’t interested.

After hearing all the explanations, Sivar’s response was brief.

“Later.”

“That’s what he says.”

“Understood.”

The bank employee and Kara both thought the same. They assumed he needed time to process the complicated information.

But Sivar wasn’t thinking that. His interest had long shifted elsewhere.

Though he couldn’t say it yet, he planned to invest at the right time.

“Goodbye.”

We received a courteous farewell from the bank employee and left. Kara checked the time as soon as we stepped out.

The auction had taken longer than expected, and the timing was awkward, but Sivar would still have enough time for snacks.

“Sivar, feeling like a snack?”

“Yeah. Something sweet.”

“Here, take this. 10,000 silver coins should be enough. Buy something tasty.”

Kara handed Sivar 10,000 silver coins. Sivar blinked in surprise.

He seemed to understand the value of 10,000 silver coins, or maybe it was because Kara gave it to him.

Either way, Kara felt pleased. She patted Sivar’s back and encouraged him.

“You need to learn how to spend money. Go buy something tasty. It’s okay to spend it all.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

Kara’s assurance made Sivar smile slightly. He looked happy, thinking about what he would eat.

But Kara felt uneasy watching him. The academy attracted all sorts of people.

While rumors hadn’t spread yet, scammers could approach as time went on.

They might even approach today. She was letting him go alone to see if that happened.

“Go on.”

“Okay. Ignore anyone who seems suspicious!”

Sivar left to buy some tasty treats. Kara watched him walk away.

She didn’t return to the dorm. Instead, she followed him from a distance.

She wanted to check his spending and ensure no one suspicious approached him. She couldn’t help but worry.

‘I hope he just buys something tasty and returns.’

Kara followed Sivar, checking the surroundings for any suspicious individuals.

Thankfully, since the rumors hadn’t spread widely, no one approached Sivar.

Sivar, on the other hand, bought and ate candies and ice cream.

Contrary to Kara’s worries, he managed well on his own.

‘Was I worried for nothing?’

Thankfully, no one tried to exploit Sivar’s kind nature.

Kara wondered if she was too cynical about the world.

“Hey, Sivar? What are you doing alone?”

“…Hmm?”

Until Ellie suddenly appeared. Kara’s expression hardened as soon as she saw Sivar with Ellie.

She didn’t know why, but Ellie’s presence made her feel uneasy.

Ellie had only run into him while looking for herbs.

“Something tasty.”

“You were eating something tasty? Alone?”

“Yeah. Got money.”

“Money? Oh, you had an auction today, right? How much did you get?”

Ellie naturally clung to Sivar, which only worsened Kara’s mood.

Things got even worse with the following situation.

“Looks delicious. Where did you buy it?”

“Want me to buy it for you?”

“Really? Is that okay?”

“Yeah. I still have a lot of money.”

Sivar bought Ellie ice cream. Ellie smiled happily at Sivar’s kindness.

Meanwhile, Kara’s mood plummeted. She thought about intervening but hesitated.

‘…Why do I feel so pathetic?’

She felt so pathetic that she hesitated. Watching them from a distance felt even more pitiful.

It felt like making porridge only to give it to a dog. She had given Sivar money for his benefit, but Ellie was reaping the rewards.

‘He’s spending money like it’s not his.’

This wasn’t accurate. Ellie had refused many times when Sivar offered.

But Sivar kept insisting, even mentioning the candy he bought before.

Ellie eventually accepted, leading to this heartwarming scene.

‘Hah… I’ll stay close next time.’

Kara sighed internally and resolved to stay close next time. Still, she continued to follow them.

She wanted to turn away but couldn’t. Her usual decisive personality made this behavior unusual.

Regardless, Sivar continued to eat ice cream whenever he had the chance.

[Faith has increased!]

“?”

For some reason, it was a very sweet day in many ways.

End of Chapter