Overlord (book 1)

coins from it. One of the coins had a woman’s profile while the other had the profile of a man.

The first coin was introduced after the [Valkyrie’s Downfall] Event, it was a revision of the

currency used by the players until then, while the latter coin was the old currency that was used

before.

Although both coins had the same value, both of them had different meanings for Ainz.

The older coin had accompanied Ainz from the moment he first started playing YGGDRASIL

until the founding of Ainz Ooal Gown. It was during the peak of his guild’s activity when the

game introduced the new coins, but since they had already completed all their equipment, the

new coins were simply put into their Item Chests.

Becoming a skeleton mage, using magic to defeat monsters on the map, receiving gold coins

which floated in the air. Going into a labyrinth on his own and defeating ferocious monsters on

his own, obtaining a mountain of gold coins through great difficulty. After his guild members

went through the labyrinth, sold all of their gained data crystals, earning these gold coins

symbolizing their glorious history───

But Ainz threw away those nostalgic memories.

Keeping the old coin, he took out the new coin.

Once he placed the gold coin on the table, the Village Chief and his wife both opened their eyes

in surprise.

“Thi-, this is!”

“This is the currency of a far away land. Can it be used here?”

“It should be possible… Please wait a moment.”

Ainz heaved a sigh of relief after hearing that it could be used, in the meantime the Village Chief

left his seat, went into another room and brought something back you would only see in a

history book.

That would be an antique balancing scale.

Next was the wife’s job, she took the gold coin along with a round object, seemingly comparing

their size. After she saw enough, she placed the coin on one side of the scale and placed a

scale weight on the other.

This looked like a process called 'weighing currency'.

Ainz dug through his memories, thinking over the meaning of the wife’s actions. If the first step

would be comparing the size of this country’s currency to the other, then the next should be

confirming the gold content of the coin.

It looked like the gold coin was heavier, since the weight on the other side of the scale began to

rise. The wife puts another weight on the scale in order to balance both sides.

“Looks like it’s about the weight of two gold coins…. Please, may I ask if it is possible to scratch the surface…”

“Wi-, wife, you are being too rude! Please forgive us, my wife has said some insolent words…”

She seemed to think that the coin was gold plated. However Ainz wasn’t real y unhappy, or

angry.

“Go ahead… but if it’s really made of pure gold, you better compensate me with its full value,

okay?”

"N-, no need, I am really sorry."

The vil age chief’s wife apologized and returned the coin.

“Don’t mind it, I want to know something else. What are your thoughts about this coin? It looks

like a carved sculpture, right?"

"Yes, it looks very nice. Which country is this currency from?"

"Now this ─── this country doesn’t exist anymore."

"Oh, really......"

"…… Although it has the same weight as two common gold coins, coupled with the artwork one

should expect a rather high value, am I right? "

"That might be...... but I’m no merchant and don't know how to properly judge an artworks

worth......"

"Hahaha, you are right. So if I were to go shopping, this coin would be the equivalent of two

common gold coins right?"

"Well, of course."

"Actual y, I have several such coins. What kind of goods can you sell me? Of course, I’l only

buy as much as you’re wil ing to provide and it doesn’t matter to me if I have to pay the normal

prices. You can even freely check out the coins. Please—— "

"Ainz Ooal Gown-sama!"

Ainz was startled by the vil age chief’s sudden shout, whose expression had become even more

serious than before.

"...... Calling me Ainz is enough."

"So it is Ainz-sama?" The village chief was very skeptical at beginning, but after nodding several times he continued:

"I am well aware of what Ainz-sama is trying to say."

Becoming rather confused, Ainz wondered if a big question mark would pop up above his head.

This must be a misunderstanding, but since he had no idea what the village chief was planning

to say Ainz had no idea on how to react.

"I am well aware that Ainz-sama does not want to sell himself short, since it is understandable that you expect a fitting reward for your hard work. To hire a person as powerful as Ainz-sama,

we would need a lot of money, but you would like to receive something else in addition to the

three thousand copper coins, am I right? "

Being unable to follow village chief’s train of thought, Ainz’s mind was in a mess and he couldn’t

help being grateful he decided to wear this mask. Ainz took out the gold coins in order to

estimate how much he would be able to buy with it since he wanted to roughly evaluate the

market prices in this world. How did things turn out like this?