Chapter 9: Currency

"Which is why I would appreciate it if Disciple Raimund would give me a moment alone with Initiate Mercedes to finalize her account information," Fitzroy explained shortly after returning to his office. The banker stood facing the seated Mystic with his paws crossed behind his back in a relaxed demeanor. "Client confidentiality isn't something that I can brush aside, even for a member of the Arcanum Mystic Academy."

Raimund sighed with a glimmer of disappointment as he rose from his chair and smiled at the still-seated albino. "I'll be outside waiting whenever you're done here." The Mystic patted her shoulder before adding, "Just make sure you get the bank voucher for registration."

Mercedes nodded and watched from the corner of her eyes as the Disciple left the small office, closing the door behind him with a soft click. The mouse beside her combed his whiskers before pressing his paw to the door. A ripple of arcane magic spread across the wooden surface to engulf the door, frame, and adjoining wall.

"There," Fitzroy declared as he turned to the Sparrow with that deceptively adorable smile. "Just an extra level of privacy to put you at ease."

"Was there—something wrong with my blood analysis?" Mercedes asked as she leaned back in her chair and eyed the banker. "You mentioned an error."

"Ah, yes, well, the Arcane Essence Analyzer is never wrong," Fitzroy replied in an apologetic tone. "That said, the information it provided is considered classified, which was why I needed the Director's approval before discussing the matter with you."

"My blood is—classified?"

"Yes, I realize how absurd that must sound, but you are—a unique case, even for someone like me." The banker drew in a small breath and sighed before returning to his pillowed chair behind the desk. "How much do you know about your—origins?"

"Very little," she admitted. "I grew up in a Mundane world where magic was considered little more than imagination drawn from fairy tales' stories—at least until the Necromancers and their undead invaded us."

"That will make this more complicated to explain—or perhaps easier," Fitzroy pondered aloud. "What do you know of the Mystic Bank?"

"Well." The Sparrow leaned forward as she reflected on what Raimund had told her earlier. "I believe the Mystic bank belongs to a neutral Primordial who controls the currency in this world—er realm?"

"Not just this realm," the mouse corrected, tapping the tiny white claws at the end of his brown fingertips against the polished desk’s surface. "Valara controls the currency in all 13 Realms. Because of this, and the process of registering an account with our bank, we keep a record of not only every registered Mystic’s wealth, but also their race, class, and even the unique or illegal relics which they store with us."

The Sparrow's pink eyes widened as she digested this information.

"It is because of our detailed and confidential client information system that we can keep track of each realm's growth in power and influence, as well as the decline of any specific Temple or even race. However, in your case—" The albino's grip on her armrest tightened as she inched forward, "—the Arcane Essence Analyzer has no other recorded bloodline by which to identify you."

Mercedes closed her eyes and sighed, deflated. "What does that mean?"

"There are two possible answers," Fitzroy continued. The mouse's smile was absent as his small black eyes bore into the albino with apparent fascination. "Either you are an entirely new species we have yet to record—or a Superior Being made you."

The Sparrow blinked, her mouth and tongue running dry as she unclenched her jaw, slumped against the back of the wooden bench, and echoed a single response, "Made?"

"One moment," Fitzroy replied as he laid out the parchment the analyzer had printed out, which held the image of either a deformed, demonic flower or some tentacle-like monster. "This marker here holds a great deal of similarity to the Vrặjitoare, a race most of the realm refers to as Blood Mages."

The albino rose to her feet and narrowed her gaze at the twisted petal he indicated.

"All of the Vrặjitoare are female mystics. It is common knowledge that their reproduction method involves a blood magic ritual they hold most sacred. However, occasionally, the Vrặjitoare will mix their blood with that of another race, resulting in what we call the Blood-borne species. Half-Vrặjitoare and half-other."

"So, you're saying I'm a half-breed of some sort?"

The mouse responded with a pitiful sigh and shook his head. "If it were that simple, secrecy would not be needed. Bloodborne Mystics aren’t very common outside the Blood Realm, but they are a well-known and established race within the realms. They are tolerated as much as the Vrặjitoare, Vampires, and Dhampires of the Blood Realms. However, much like Dhampires, Bloodborne are often treated with far less respect due to their mixed status.”

The banker’s pink butterfly wings appeared to drop for a moment as he added, “The same can be said for the half-breed of any race. In your particular case—"

Mercedes watched in confusion as the banker pointed to two other points on the printed image.

"—you have strong markers which belong to both the Children of the Night and the Infernal Lords of Hell. This makes you a hybrid—something which is considered taboo in the realms, but that is before we get to this—"

The Sparrow tilted her head as the mouse tapped the center of the demonic flower, where a dark void-like mouth of fangs surrounded what would have been the pistil.

"—this is something I've never seen before. Something in your genetic makeup stronger than the other three races you've been mixed with. We have no record of this part of you, which leads me to suspect you were made rather than born. If I am correct, this genetic signature likely belongs to the magic essence of the Superior Being responsible for your creation.”

The albino shivered as she studied the demonic flower that defined her existence.

'So, I'm a fucked-up hybrid? I guess I always knew the answer wouldn't make me happy.'

Mercedes sighed, then grabbed the parchment, which she crumpled inside a fist as she met the mouse's dark eyes. "Did you make another copy of this?"

"No!" Fitzroy squeaked, his butterfly ears twitching with what might have been indignation. "I would not make one without your permission, Initiate."

'I have no choice but to take him at his word. It's not like I could kill him with one of the Academy Disciples waiting just outside. And something tells me I shouldn’t make an enemy of Valara either.'

The Sparrow stared at the crumpled wad of paper crushed beneath her palm and then shoved it into her pocket. "What would you suggest if I wanted to learn more about my origins?"

The mouse's dark eyes sparkled as he flashed a smile. "I should think that would be obvious. While access to the Blood Realms is highly restricted at the moment, if any organization is likely to contain information on the Vrặjitoare and their rituals, it would be the Arcanum Mystic Academy's library!"

'So now I have even more reason to enter the Academy.'

"Then what else is left to obtain a Bank Voucher?" she pressed quickly.

"Ah, yes! We should probably move onto that since your time is limited," Fitzroy replied as he hopped down from his chair and opened one of the file drawers behind him. "I'll give you a bit of a crash course on the realm’s crystal currency, enough to help you understand the basics, and then set you up with your account access ring."

The banker returned to his seat with a small pamphlet, which he handed to the less-than-thrilled albino. "Don't worry, I'm going to give you a visual demonstration. This brochure covers the bank's other services, such as crystal loans, currency exchange, account loans, mystical auctions, and investments. You can look it over later when you have time."

"Alright," Mercedes murmured, folding the pamphlet and shoving it in her other pocket.

"We'll start with these," Fitzroy declared, summoning four crystals of various lengths and shades of purple onto the desk before him.

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'I really want to know how they perform that little trick,' she mused while leaning closer to inspect the crystals.

"Here on the left, we have the smallest crystal. If you look closely, you can see the purple arcane coloring is faded to a greyish pink hue." The mouse picked up the slender crystal and offered it to the albino for inspection. "This is what we call an Inferior Arcane Crystal, which, while not the most popular form of currency, is still quite useful for low-level alchemy, essence absorption, and crafting."

The Sparrow nodded, her pink eyes narrowing as she felt a familiar weak tingle of energy against her palm and fingers as she inspected the crystal.

"The next one, as you can see, is slightly larger, thicker, and—if you hold it under the light like so—contains flecks of green inside the crystal," Fitzroy continued, holding the purple crystal towards the hanging lantern above them for her to inspect. "This is a Common Arcane Crystal and the most popular form of currency you will use inside the realms until you become a Disciple."

"What do you mean?" Mercedes asked, baffled that there would be any constraints on the use of currency. "Is it restricted?"

"No, not at all. It's more of a supply and demand restriction. While some crystals are crafted through alchemy from magic essence found in raw materials, most are looted from creatures and monsters inside each realm’s dungeon and throughout the realms. The most basic starter dungeons located near Arcanum Haven are controlled by the Academy and drop either inferior or common crystals. They are referred to as Tutorial or Normal Dungeons. If you want to advance to a Tier III Elite Dungeon, you must become a Disciple first."

"I see."

"And Elite Dungeons are where you will start seeing these." The banker held up a third crystal, shorter than the previous two but also thicker in size. Even without holding it up to the light, the albino could see sparkling blue light swirling beneath the purple crystal's surface. "Rare Arcane Crystals."

"I see," Mercedes echoed as she tapped the crystal and shivered in surprise beneath the buzz of magic that flowed through her finger at the brief contact. "What comes after the Elite Dungeon?"

Fitzroy pulled the crystal back with a faint chuckle. "You will learn all you need to know of dungeons and the monsters they breed at the Academy. Now, let's go over the currency value of these crystals."

The Sparrow sighed and watched as he summoned four more inferior crystals and lined them up neatly.

"Starting on the lower end, it takes 5 Inferior Crystals to equal 1 Common Crystal and 10 Common Crystals to equal 1 Rare Crystal. Assuming you managed to get your hands on a Superior Crystal, it would be worth 20 Rare Crystals when cashed in at the bank or used to purchase an item at the city's marketplace or even from the Mystic Emporium.”

"What's the Mystic Emporium?"

"Another lesson for the Academy," Fitzroy said with a faint chuckle. "Stay focused, Initiate. Now, these crystals before you can all be found in the Arcane Realm, hence their name and coloring. But if you were to visit another realm, say the Elemental Realm, their version of a Common Elemental Crystal would look like this."

The Sparrow blinked as she took in the new crystal the banker presented her with that flashed from one vibrant color to the next.

"Some call them rainbow crystals due to their coloring. They only drop in the Elemental Realm Dungeons or from elemental spirits of that realm."

"So, you're saying that each of the 13 Realms drops crystals of different colors and rarity which are used for currency?"

"Exactly, though the type of crystal is determined by the Primordials, who control the realms under their domain rather than the realm itself. For example, the Shadow Realm and the Underworld Realm both use death crystals because Thanaterus, the Primordial Entity of Death, the Undead, and Darkness, governs them."

Mercedes eyed the next crystal he showed her that seemed to emit a chilling dark aura.

"Basically, the currency in each realm holds the same value as the Arcane Realm as far as inferior to common to rare, etc.," Fitzroy continued after dismissing all but the arcane crystals. "However, when it comes to currency exchange between the realms, some crystals hold more value than others."

"Wait, why is that?"

"Because of politics and the ongoing disputes between the Abyssal Dominion and Celestial Covenant," the mouse explained, shaking his head as if frustrated by the topic. "If two realms' Primordials hold a peaceful alliance with each other, they will exchange crystals at a 100% rate, while those with only neutral ties exchange at an 85% rate, and a hostile realm would take a loss with a 65% exchange rate."

"Ouch." The Sparrow grimaced. "Why would hostile realms even bother making an exchange?"

"In most cases, they don't. Each realm is self-sufficient to an extent. However, if the Mystic wishes to buy a unique item from the Mystic Emporium—"

"I still don't know what that is," Mercedes interjected with an impatient frown.

"Right, I suppose a brief explanation would help," Fitzroy mused as he combed through his whiskers. "The Mystic Emporium is a store operated by the Primordials that offers useful and rare items with unique properties specific to that Primordial's powers. Now, let's say you are standing in the Arcane Realm and need to buy either common items or a rare artifact from the Mystic Emporium, then you would need arcane crystals to do so. However, if you were to visit another realm, say the Elemental Realm, your arcane crystals could not be used in that realm's Emporium store."

The albino's brows furrowed for a moment as she considered this. "But, couldn't you just return to whatever realm you have the most currency with and purchase from the store there?"

"For common items such as health potions, yes, that would be the most economically sound decision. However, when it comes to the unique artifacts I mentioned earlier, many of them can only be obtained from a specific Titan or Primordial, meaning they must be purchased inside the realm that Superior Being is tied to," Fitzroy explained. "Of course, there is a workaround to obtaining some realm-locked items through the Black Market of the Shadow Realm, but the prices there tended to be inflated due to the less-than-ethical means by which Shadow Vultures obtain those relics."

'Shadow Vultures?' The name alone evoked an image that was both chilling and ominous.

A knock at the door paused their lesson. "Come in!" Fitzroy called out before adding for her benefit, "They must be done enchanting your account ring."

The Sparrow turned as the ginger Disciple opened the door and stepped aside to let what appeared to be some sort of gerbil species, with more hair than his business suit could contain, enter the room, carrying a tiny golden chest, which the critter placed on the desk beside Mercedes.

"Just about finished?" Raimund asked from the doorway, consulting his pocket watch as he did so.

"A few more minutes, Disciple," Fitzroy replied, motioning for the Mystic to wait outside. The gerbil left and closed the door behind them. "The brochure I gave you will help explain the rest in detail regarding how currency works and what services the bank can offer you. Now, you will use this item whenever you're ready to make your first deposit or withdrawal."

The Sparrow's brows rose as the mouse opened the box to reveal an exquisite ring crafted from the finest yellow gold adorned with intricate, glowing runes that seemed to shift and shimmer as if alive. At the center of the ring rested a lustrous emerald gemstone that reminded Mercedes of Raimund's eyes before she noticed the faint inner light that swirled restlessly inside the jewel.

"You haven't learned the Mystic Appraisal skill yet, have you?" Fitzroy asked, pulling the Sparrow's attention away from the mesmerizing piece of jewelry. The albino shook her head. "Well, when you do learn it, use it on this ring. It has two primary functions. First, the band serves as an identification token. The runes you see are attuned to your blood and magic signature. While wearing this ring, you can safely access your account from anywhere within the city limits of any metropolis with a Mystic Bank. However, other services, such as loans or investments, will require an in-person visit."

"I see. And the second function?"

The mouse's beaming smile returned as he nudged the open chest towards her and motioned for Mercedes to try on the ring. "That would be the gem's magical inventory space. A complementary function added as a service to our most prestigious customers. This ring's storage includes eight inventory slots to store your most valuable items safely. In the event of a terrible incident or even death, those items will be protected from theft as long as you are resurrected or until your soul enters the underworld."

'Good to know,' the Sparrow mused as she slid the band onto her left finger where Mrs. Bennet had always worn her favorite diamond ring. The jewelry felt loose initially, then tightened around her finger until it was snug enough not to fall off. "So, every single one of your customers has a ring like this?"

"To some degree, yes," Fitzroy replied with just a hint of hesitancy. "This ring is a gift from the Branch Director herself. Normally, our customers start with a smaller band that only offers the first function for identification and security reasons. We have various customer membership plans for those who earn enough profit to make investing in their endeavors worthwhile to the Mystic Bank. The ring you're wearing right now is reserved for our VIP customers. Someone like Master Nicodemus or even Grandmaster Iskander, for example."

'What?'

"But then—why me?" Mercedes whispered in bewilderment. “I just got here.”

"The Director deems you a worthy investment." The mouse shrugged as if saying this should be enough of an explanation. "Perhaps she recognizes the potential of your unique bloodline, as new and rare as it is."

"You mean my taboo bloodline?" the albino retorted with a note of bitterness.

"I mean no offense, Initiate. I simply wanted to offer more clarity as you appeared surprised."

"Yes, well.” The Sparrow’s gaze returned to the ring as she contemplated exchanging it for a simpler, less eye-catching design. "It is pretty—useful, I suppose."

"I'm sure you will find it most helpful as you begin your journey into the Mystic Realms," Fitzroy responded, his fuzzy cheeks rounding adorably as he beamed at her. "As a token of our appreciation for the trust of such an esteemed customer, we have provided an initial loan, interest-free, of 50 Common Arcane Crystals at the Director's insistence."

He promptly summoned five small bags of purple cloth, which clinked together with an almost musical sound as they were presented to the stunned albino.

'Ahaa… I'm not sure how much these are worth compared to my original world. Perhaps I should start by finding out how much a night at the inn costs?'

Mercedes glanced from the bags of crystals to her ring and then back to the banker. "Umm, how do I deposit them?"

The mouse smiled as he beckoned her closer and tapped her ring with a claw. The purple bags of glowing crystals vanished, and the Sparrow felt the faintest disruption of energy ripple across her skin beneath the ring.

"It's quite simple once you learn how to manipulate magic energy. Not to worry," Fitzroy said as he pulled another file from a drawer and filled in a familiar-looking voucher. "They'll cover all the important basics in your introductory lessons up in the Academy. There you go. One Bank Voucher as requested."

Mercedes barely flinched when the enchanting green quest screen centered itself in her vision as she accepted the slip of paper.

[Quest Update! Arcane Mystic Academy Registration]

Requirements:

Obtain a signed Bank Voucher 1/1

Obtain a signed Lodging Voucher 1/1

Obtain a Nexus Registration Bracelet 0/1