Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 40 - 39: The Value of Oliou
When the morning dew had been dried by the sunlight, Lyle knocked on the great doors of Borey Manor, where an impatient-looking gatekeeper with a limp still maintained basic courtesy. After confirming Lyle’s intentions, he asked him to wait outside the gate.
Because of Ralph’s sick leave, he had lost the opportunity to attend, so with his free time, Lyle decided to make some preparations.
His savings were running low.
In his pocket were only three Oliou given to him by Mister Dragon, which he planned to exchange for some Yule. Therefore, he thought of Kevin Borey, the only noble friend he knew publicly. Oliou, as a symbol of Roman glory, were esteemed collectibles and decorations loved by the nobility and were considered synonymous with their own nobility. Lyle believed Kevin would give him a fair price, and even if he had no need for them, he would not mind introducing Lyle to a good buyer.
It was not long before the gates of Borey Manor officially opened, large enough for two horses to pass through side by side, like those of a small citadel.
The familiar figure of Kevin was seated atop a large brown horse, sporting a dark green leather coat and golden shoulder-length, curled hair tied back in a short ponytail.
Upon seeing Lyle at his feet, Kevin smiled at him and dismounted with a graceful flip, showing none of the inability to ride he had mentioned three months earlier.
Behind him, a man wearing chainmail rode on horseback with arrows and a hunting bow in the saddlebags. He sat on his horse, his posture lofty due to the angle of his viewpoint.
That was a knight from the Borey family, his behavior showing no disrespect. Among the nobility, there was the practice of riding without dismounting mid-journey, as they believed that any stop outside their destination signified a setback and a change in their plans. Thus, if nobles encountered blockages during their travels, they would either detour or push through it if they believed it possible.
Kevin was an exception. This behavior of dismounting right after setting out attracted criticism, but he did not care, for there were generally no people around him of higher status. His reason was also genuine, stating that looking down at people hurt his neck.
"Haha, scourge of criminals, did you deduce that I was going hunting and come to join me?" It seemed Kevin already knew about Lyle’s role as a sheriff.
Hunting was popular in the medieval period; feudal lords were very enthusiastic about this sport, as it was a good opportunity to maintain their fighting spirit and display their martial prowess. The game meat and rare furs harvested from hunting were also coveted, and gradually, hunting became a social activity for the upper class. As a noble, you might not understand politics; you might disregard minor details; but as long as you could wield a good bow, you would still be adored. The best season for hunting was in late autumn, though there were occasionally hunts in summer too, of course with far fewer game because of the dense vegetation and the less plump prey.
The Church also took great delight in the activity, but their quarry were convicted heretics or dissidents, and more recently, the hunting of witches had started to gain popularity. Perhaps even a decade ago, dragon hunting might have been in vogue.
"It would be great if you could accompany me. I’m going to participate in a dozen hunting activities this autumn, and practicing now will keep me from becoming a laughingstock later. With you there, Lyle, at least I won’t be the worst one," Kevin chuckled, his blond hair reflecting the charm of the sunlight.
"A mere commoner, I can’t compare with Master Kevin. Hunting is out of the question for me; I can’t even ride a horse. I’m here for another matter, Kevin. Do you know about Oliou?"
"Of course," Kevin stroked his chin—he had started growing a beard now, it looked like Baron Borey had prepared plenty of matchmaking events for his wild son—"That thing, Oliou, my father probably has a box of them. But I can’t take them out; he cherishes them too much. I can only take a few peeks, and can’t touch them. I’m sorry, Lyle; I probably can’t satisfy your curiosity."
"No, that’s not it. I mean, I’ve got some Oliou that I want to sell. You know, I’m short on money, but using Oliou is too ostentatious."
"No way!" Kevin’s voice rose a few decibels. "Where did you get Oliou from?"
"Umm... a friend gave them to me."
Kevin patted Lyle on the shoulder. "I knew I didn’t make a mistake about you, Lyle. You’ve made something of yourself. You’ve risen so fast that I’m no longer the thickest thigh you cling to. A little disappointed inside. The Oliou? Let me have a look, and a feel—at least for once. Hurry up, I’ve never touched one."
"What’s so good about touching one? It’s just gold," Lyle casually commented, handing over an Oliou to him.
"Tsk, you talk as if you’ve handled gold before. The closest thing you’ve felt to gold is probably my golden hair," Kevin said as he took the gold coin, "It’s real, just like the Oliou I’ve seen. It really is an ancient Roman gold coin." His fingers rubbed over it, as if to etch the sensation into his palm.
"Lyle, how many do you want to exchange?"
"Two. I don’t have many either." After all, it was a scholarship given by Mr. Dragon, and it wouldn’t look good to spend it all; I’ll keep one as a souvenir.
"Tell me, Lyle, have you really cozied up to some noble or what?"
"Why would you think that just because I have Oliou means I’ve cozied up to a noble?"
"Maybe you don’t know much about Oliou yet, so let me tell you a bit more."
"As ancient Roman gold coins, Oliou had a large circulation at the time. But as the currency of the empire, they were no longer minted after the empire fell. In other words, their number is finite. With nobles hoarding and collecting them, the amount in circulation has diminished. Now, commoners hardly ever come into contact with them. This is why my old man treasures them. Oliou is the coin of nobility. Therefore, whoever gave you the Oliou must be a high-ranking noble, and their title won’t be lower than my father’s. At the baron level, having five hundred Oliou would mark a distinguished lineage."
"Isn’t there any other way to get Oliou?"
"Sure, Oliou is a noble’s coin, and a dead noble is still noble. They also consider Oliou as burial objects, which is another reason why it’s getting scarcer. Some people, even in death, are unwilling to let go. I don’t think you have the guts to dig up noble graves."
"Right, a fallen noble might have some, but how badly off would they have to be to trade Oliou with you? Can anything you possess amount to one percent of an Oliou? Or are you saying you’ve come across a desperate fallen noble, and curiously, your medical skills can help him? Wouldn’t he be a fool? He’d be better off going to the church for a blessing rather than suffering under your knife."
"..."
So, Mr. Dragon too, is a major noble; only the rich or the noble could afford such extravagance.
"Alright, let’s say I’ve found myself a goldmine. So, what about it? Will you make the exchange for two Oliou?"
"Exchange! But Lyle, I have a suggestion for you. How about you give me these two coins now, and I’ll pay you later. You’d definitely get a worse deal exchanging with me than with my old man. My resources are limited. I will find a way to make him bleed. Since you’ve fulfilled my dream of touching Oliou, I can’t let you lose out on this."
"Are you really going to swindle your own father like that?"
"What are you talking about? When I inherit the title, all of that will be mine. I’m just using a portion of it beforehand, as an investment in you, because you, Lyle, have great potential."
"Thanks, Kevin."
"Heh, actually, I have my own ulterior motives. The old man at home keeps nagging in my ear, saying I’m ignorant and berating me for going to some damned medical college and hanging out with disreputable peers. I’m going to take the Oliou back and blind him with it, show him how good my judgement is!"
"Well, then I’ll leave it to you, Kevin."
"Sure." Kevin took the other gold coin, securing it carefully, "In a few days, no more than three, I’ll come to your place and bring the money."
"Okay."
