Chapter 21: The Dragon’s Currency
Translated by Vine | Proofread by Lust
For the latest updates, visit: ProNovels.com
Join our Discord for release updates: https://discord.gg/Eh2ayfR4FB
Bahamuth understood the importance of currency. Throughout history, countless civilizations had thrived or fallen based on their management of money. Knowing this, Bahamuth aimed to resolve the issue raised by Lee Hyun-ah, who seemed to be an expert on the matter.
“So, what about the currency that was used before?” Bahamuth asked.
“The banks and government that backed it have collapsed. The currency is worthless now. Low-value coins, however, are still made of valuable materials and can be melted down for other uses,” Hyun-ah replied.
Bahamuth nodded. The South Korean won, like most currencies, had become obsolete in this post-apocalyptic world.
“And other nations’ currencies?”
“Other than the US dollar, all others are worthless.”
‘What about using dollars?’ Bahamuth briefly considered. But the availability of US dollars was also limited, and they had no means to issue more.
“Alright, then. It’s clear we need a new currency, one that people can trust.”
“Exactly,” Hyun-ah confirmed.
A new currency, one that could hold value and be backed by trust—Bahamuth was confident he could handle this.
“Then, I will personally guarantee the value of the new currency.”
“Excuse me?” Hyun-ah blinked, caught off guard.
Bahamuth continued confidently, “I’ll create the new currency myself. And I’ll be the one to back its value.”
If the mighty dragon himself was the guarantor of the currency, who would dare question it? After all, in this ruined city, Bahamuth’s power was undeniable. Most of the survivors had witnessed his strength firsthand, and many of the influential camp leaders had spoken to him directly. If Bahamuth vouched for the currency, it would unquestionably be accepted.
However, one issue remained.
“But how will you create the currency? There aren’t any machines here to produce it,” Hyun-ah pointed out.
“That won’t be a problem. I’ll use magic,” Bahamuth replied smoothly.
“Oh, of course.”
Magic—it explained everything. Hyun-ah accepted the explanation, nodding in agreement.
“And what form will this currency take?”
“I’ll mint coins. Metals hold intrinsic value and are harder to counterfeit than paper money.”
“That sounds like the best option,” Hyun-ah agreed.
Indeed, paper currency could be easily counterfeited. If the rival survivor camps decided to forge it, the economy would collapse. Coins were a safer alternative.
“First, I need you to collect as many South Korean coins as possible,” Bahamuth instructed. “I’ll melt them down and use them to mint the new currency.”
“I’ll have it done right away,” Hyun-ah nodded.
Returning to the Valhuth sect’s headquarters, Hyun-ah sought out Choi Yuna.
“Bahamuth has requested that we collect all coins in the city,” Hyun-ah informed her.
“What for?” Yuna asked.
“To create new currency,” Hyun-ah explained.
“Alright. I’ll assign people to the task immediately.”
With Yuna’s help, the sect members gathered all the coins they could find—10-won, 100-won, and 500-won coins. These were promptly delivered to Bahamuth’s temple. With everything in place, Hyun-ah waited for the prototype of the new currency.
After several days, Bahamuth presented her with the first batch of newly minted coins.
“Is this the new currency of the Valhuth sect?” Hyun-ah asked as she inspected them.
“Yes. What do you think?” Bahamuth asked, watching her reaction.
“They’re well-made,” she admitted, turning the coins in her hand. The craftsmanship was flawless.
‘These will be hard to counterfeit,’ she thought, examining the intricate designs. The weight of each coin was perfectly consistent, as though they had been minted in a factory.
But as she marveled at the coins, Bahamuth dropped another bombshell.
“I’ve also placed anti-counterfeiting magic on them,” he said casually.
“Wait, what?” Hyun-ah blinked in surprise.
Each coin had been enchanted with Bahamuth’s magic, making counterfeiting practically impossible. The idea of replicating Bahamuth’s magic was laughable.
“If anyone tries to create a counterfeit, the magic on these coins will be impossible to replicate. Even if someone melts down the coins to forge new ones, they won’t be able to duplicate the magic,” Bahamuth explained.
“That’s… amazing,” Hyun-ah murmured, stunned. “So, every coin holds your magic?”
“Yes. And if, for some reason, the coins lose their value, they can be melted down and reforged into weapons,” Bahamuth added nonchalantly.
“Wait—what?”
The coins could be turned into weapons? Hyun-ah had expected the new currency to hold value, but this… this was beyond her imagination.
“Yes. The coins are made of metal that can be easily enchanted. Melt them down, reforge them, and inscribe runes. They can then become powerful enchanted items,” Bahamuth said as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
Weapons—these coins could be turned into weapons.
“What’s their name?” Hyun-ah asked, her voice still filled with awe.
“We’ll call them ‘won,’ like before. No need to confuse people by changing the name,” Bahamuth replied.
“Right… That makes sense.”
Hyun-ah nodded, absorbing everything.
“So, we’ll have 10-won, 100-won, and 1,000-won coins?”
“Yes. The 10-won coins are pure copper. The 100-won coins are made of a copper-nickel alloy, and the 1,000-won coins are pure nickel,” Bahamuth explained.
“That should work.”
The foundation for the new economy was laid. These coins could serve the population well, especially given their intrinsic and magical value. Hyun-ah gathered the coins and prepared to distribute them within the sect.
“How will prices be set?” she asked.
“I’ll leave that to you. It’s up to the people of Gyeongju to determine the value of the coins in their transactions.”
Bahamuth had no interest in managing the day-to-day minutiae of an economy. He would provide the currency, but the people would have to figure out how to use it.
‘It’s a double-edged sword,’ Hyun-ah thought. The coins were powerful, and if mismanaged, they could destabilize the economy. She would have to be cautious.
“I understand,” she said, bowing slightly.
“Good luck,” Bahamuth replied.
Hyun-ah returned to the sect with the new coins. The first person she encountered was Jung Dong-gun, who was overseeing the city’s security and military operations.
“So, these coins… can be turned into weapons?” Dong-gun asked, his brow furrowed as he examined the currency.
“Yes, Bahamuth said they could be reforged into weapons,” Hyun-ah confirmed.
Dong-gun studied the coins intently, feeling the magic imbued within them. “There’s strong magic here. It’s clear these can’t be counterfeited.”
“Bahamuth personally enchanted each coin,” Hyun-ah added.
“He’s very thorough,” Dong-gun remarked with a wry smile. The anti-counterfeiting measures were impressive, but the idea that these coins could be used in warfare intrigued him.
“And Bahamuth said they could be melted down and reforged?”
“Yes. He mentioned that the metal could be used to create enchanted weapons or armor.”
“Interesting… Can I test that?” Dong-gun asked.
“Go ahead. These are just prototypes,” Hyun-ah said.
With Hyun-ah’s permission, Dong-gun took the coins to the city’s only remaining metal workshop.
Enjoying the translation? Stay updated with the latest chapters at ProNovels.com.
At the metal workshop, Dong-gun handed the coins to the smith and asked them to be melted down and forged into ammunition casings. The smith worked diligently, and soon, Dong-gun had the casings ready for testing.
As the casings cooled, he held them up to inspect them. “These are solid. Let’s see how they perform in the field.”
Dong-gun took the casings to the firing range and loaded them into a rifle. He aimed at a target in the distance and pulled the trigger.
The result was beyond his expectations.
The bullets fired with incredible precision and speed. Whatever magic had been imbued into the metal, it clearly enhanced the performance of the ammunition.
“This is more than just currency,” Dong-gun muttered, staring at the casings. “This is a game-changer.”
For the latest updates, visit ProNovels.com. Join our Discord for release updates: https://discord.gg/Eh2ayfR4FB.
