Chapter - 43

[HOST STATUS]

Name: Leo Dragomir

Level: 3

HP: 1000 -> 2000

MP: ?? / ??

Strength (STR): 24 -> 28

Agility (AGI): 36 -> 38 [ with +3 boost from Shadowweave tunic]

Stealth (STL): 30 -> 33 [with +5 boost from Shadowweave tunic]

Stamina (STA): 41 -> 45

Intelligence (INT): 51 -> 53

Charisma (CHA): 61 -> 62

"Charisma didn't jump that much," Leo noted, "My lady, I guess you will have to accommodate a few more to help me increase my charisma."

But at least he was getting stronger. If he were to fight that bulky bandit Varkas right now, he wouldn't need to rely on any cheap tricks. He could take him down with his bare hands. But alas, the dead are dead, useless anyway.

"By the way Aiva…" Leo muttered, his eyes gleaming with greed, "Tell me how rich I am?"

Just as he asked, the information opened in front of his eyes.

[Gold Coins: 2,625]

[Silver Coins: 5,050]

[Bronze Coins: 150]

"Two thousand six hundred plus gold coins," Leo was genuinely surprised, "Plus the five thousand odd silver coins. I must be damn rich?"

"Aiva, give me the exchange rates. I need to know what I am actually worth in this economy."

[The standard currency exchange in this world is as follows, Master:]

[1 Gold Coin = 100 Silver Coins]

[1 Silver Coin = 100 Bronze Coins]

"So, my 5,000 silver coins are worth another 50 gold coins," Leo calculated. "That puts me at roughly 2,675 Gold Coins. That sounds like a lot for a guy who just got here."

He looked down at Seraphine again. She was the wife of a Lord. A man who ruled a town, commanded an army, and lived in a fortress. Surely, his wealth was a drop in the bucket compared to the Dargan coffers.

"Aiva," Leo asked, his curiosity piqued. "Can you estimate Lord Caelum's wealth? Liquid assets only. Not the castle or the land. Just the cash he can put his hands on right now."

[Scanning recent economic data logs from the Keep's administration office... Accessing tax records stored in the Lord's study... calculating expenditures for the party and guard recruitment...]

A few seconds later, a window popped up.

[Estimated Liquid Treasury of House Dargan:]

[Gold: 15,763]

[Silver: 56,192]

[Bronze: 181,319]

Leo stared at the numbers. Then, he let out a sharp, incredulous laugh.

"That's it?" he whispered, careful not to wake Seraphine, "Fifteen thousand? That's his entire war chest?"

He looked at his own balance. He had made over two thousand gold in a single night of work.

"I have nearly twenty percent of a Lord's entire liquid wealth in my pocket," Leo realized, a wave of smug superiority washing over him. "He has been ruling for decades, taxing peasants, playing politics... and he's barely richer than me."

[Lords have significant overhead, Master,]

Aiva explained.

[They must pay for the upkeep of the fortress, the salaries of the City Patrol, Maintain the defences, Pay the household staff, maintain the roads, and pay an annual tribute tax to the King.]

[Their wealth is tied up in assets. You, as an independent agent with the System, have zero overhead and high-yield rewards. Your earning potential vastly outstrips a local Lord.]

"Whatever, doesn't change the fact that… that smug bastard is dirt poor," Leo grinned, his hand sliding down to rest possessively on Seraphine's hip, "With the speed with which I am going. Give me a few months, Aiva, and I won't just be cuckolding the Lord. I could probably buy his whole castle and kick that bastard and his bitch daughter on the road."

The thought was delicious. Total dominance. Not just taking his wife, but taking his world. At the mention of taking the whole world, Leo remembered about his bloodline

"Is there anything more valuable than Gold?" Leo asked. "If I am going to be hoarding wealth like a dragon, I need to know what the real top-tier treasures are. I doubt the King pays for wars in sacks of gold coins."

[Correct, Master. While Gold is the standard for commerce among mortals and nobility, there are higher forms of value.]

A holographic image appeared in his mind. And Leo saw a bunch of shimmering red rubies, blue sapphires, and clear, flawless diamonds.

[Like on earth where you are from, gemstones are used for high value trade in this world as well. Their value fluctuates based on size, cut, and rarity, but they are generally accepted as condensed wealth. A single high quality ruby about the size of the fist can be worth anything between ten to thousands of Gold Coins.]

"Shiny rocks. Standard stuff," Leo nodded to himself, "That's no surprise actually."

"There is more master!"

The image changed. Now, it showed a stone that seemed to pulse with an inner, ethereal blue light. It looked like a piece of the sky trapped in a crystal.

[Spirit Stones,]

Aiva announced.

[Spirit Stones are crystallized mana, mined from rare Spirit Veins deep beneath the earth. They are the lifeblood of the true power in this world.]

"Mana..." Leo leaned forward, his interest spiking. "What do they do?"

[They have two primary functions. First, they can be used to power magical formations, barriers, and artifacts.]

[Second, and most importantly, they can be used by Mages and Divine Blessing holders to rapidly replenish their Mana Points (MP) or to aid in cultivation and breakthrough.]

"So they are like steroids," Leo summarized.

[Precisely. Because they are consumable and essential for maintaining military and magical power, their value is immense.]

"Give me the numbers, Aiva."

[The Kingdom has a standardized size for a Spirit Stone roughly the size of a human thumb. Officially, the Royal Exchange Rate is fixed:]

[1 Spirit Stone = 1,000 Gold Coins.]

Leo's eyes widened. "A thousand gold for one rock? So I am basically worth what? Like two and a half stones."

[That is the *official* rate, Master.]

[Though the Spirit Stones are strictly controlled. In the black market, or during times of war when mana is scarce, a single stone can fetch upwards of 1,500 to 2,000 Gold Coins.]

[They are the currency of the the High Nobility, the Archmages, and the Royalty. Gold is for peasants and minor Lords. Spirit Stones are for those who rule the world.]

Leo looked at his gold balance again. Suddenly, it didn't look so impressive. It looked like pocket change.

"So, Lord Caelum has fifteen Spirit Stones' worth of cash," Leo mused. "That's pathetic. If I want to unlock this Draconic Bloodline, if I want to hoard real treasure... I need to get my hands on those stones."

He stroked Seraphine's back again, feeling the smooth skin under his fingertips. She was a treasure, yes. A conquest. But she was just the start.

"Gold is trash," Leo decided, his eyes gleaming with a newfound ambition. "I want the Stones. I want the power."

He leaned back, his mind expanding beyond the room, beyond the keep. He needed to understand the board he was playing on. He knew about the money now. He needed to know about the people. The hierarchy.

"Aiva," he said mentally. "You mentioned High Nobility. I have seen the Bastard Lord and that coward Baron... I need to know where I stand. I need to know exactly how small of a fish I am right now."

[Would you like a full breakdown of the Feudal System and Military Hierarchy of the Kingdom of Aethelgard?]

"Yes," Leo said, his voice hard. "Tell me everything. Tell me who I have to crush to get to the top."

** ** ** ** **

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