Chapter 61 A New Currency Emerged
In the bustling market, Henry, under Mila's protection, with Ellie by his side holding a notebook, ready to jot down his words, and Willow carrying a bag.
The four of them looked like a boss with his entourage. Of course, there were plenty of lackeys, like Brandon, trailing behind.
As they entered the gate, they saw four male orcs standing at the market entrance, each wielding a 6.56 feet wooden stick and dressed in clothes with a hint of leather armor.
These orcs were the market's security, all of them looking fierce, well, just a bit ugly, to be honest, hard to look at.
But it didn't matter; Henry wanted that exact feeling; he wanted it to be so ugly that it would scare people, even better if it made them cry.
"Welcome to the market!" the four orcs shouted in unison.
In reality, the four orcs were nervous. Three days ago, they had never imagined they would be doing such a high-profile job.
For them, being security was a high-profile job; didn't they see everyone around them looking at them with awe?
Henry said, "Good, if there's any trouble, just catch them." Henry patted the orc's shoulder, affirming, "Those who like to steal, catch them and lock them up in the darkroom."
The four male orcs replied together, "Yes, my Lord!" The orcs shivered; they had tried the dark room and swore they would never go in again.
"Work well. Don't embarrass Henry, or I'll let Mila deal with you," Ellie said, raising her eyebrows and pretending to be fierce, but her puffed-up face was just too cute.
Ellie cherished her current life and the opportunity to change the perception of orcs by humans, so she hoped there would be no mistakes.
The four males replied together, "Got it!" The four orcs saw Mila's look and immediately straightened up, afraid they would be dealt with in bed for several days.
The group entered the market and saw several stalls at the entrance, filled with many small items.
Ellie asked, "What are those?" Ellie looked at the stalls, where there was a round thing with a stick in it.
Henry replied, "That's a lollipop, sugar, and flour, with some dried fruit bits added."
Willow also took out a notebook and explained, "This is a chef from the official department, made according to Henry's request; very delicious."
Yes, a lollipop from another world, with very little sugar, just enough to make it slightly sweet; after all, sugar was still scarce in this era. And the sugarcane he brought could only be planted next year. Lollipops with pure sugar content could only be mass-produced next year.
Henry didn't know how the large supermarket was organized, so he had to rely on his intuition and past shopping experiences to navigate them.
He didn't understand why the supermarket, the big market, had jewelry and cosmetics cabinets in prominent places at the entrance. He didn't need to know that the people lived for food. He just put up a cabinet selling candy and snacks and believed it would be very popular.
Ellie said, "Candy? I want!" Ellie's eyes immediately lit up, looking at Henry with anticipation.
"Let's buy it." Henry chuckled and took out a handful of steel coins from his sleeve, handing them to Ellie. "Use this to buy it," Henry added.
Ellie asked, "What is this? It's not a copper coin. Can I buy a lollipop with it?"
Ellie held a steel coin in her hand, a little confused. She carefully pinched one and found that it was very delicate, with exquisite carvings on it: a large '1' in the middle and a smaller 'dime' on the right.
Mila asked, "A dime? When did this currency appear?" Mila leaned over, looking at the steel coin strangely. "Why have I never seen it before?" Mila added.
"Of course, you'll know when you go buy something." Henry chuckled and gently pushed Ellie, "Let's go and give it a try!"
Ellie was pushed forward and led the way, arriving at the counter where a female orc was already waiting. She was a bear clan orc—tall and robust were her characteristics.
She said, "Welcome, may I help you?"
She resisted the urge to greet Ellie and Mila; she had been trained for two days and couldn't be rude in front of Henry.
"It's Sullivan; you're actually selling candy, so envious." Ellie pouted, envying someone who could look at candy all day.
Sullivan knew Ellie's hobby, especially her fondness for candy, but she was just starting work, and she had yet to receive her salary. She was eating and living in the official department. Otherwise, she would have to dig into her pocket to buy a bunch of candy for Ellie.
"I want a lollipop," Ellie said expectantly.
Sullivan said, "A lollipop, a dime, which is a steel coin." Sullivan pulled out a lollipop from the counter and handed it to Ellie.
Ellie asked, "A dime?" Ellie looked at the steel coin in her palm, and she began to understand. She took out a steel coin from her palm and asked, "How many steel coins can one copper coin be exchanged for? In other words, how many dimes?"
"One copper coin can be exchanged for ten steel coins." Sullivan quickly said, all of which had been trained in advance, and they had simulated it here a day ago.
"I understand. One copper coin is needed to buy a lollipop, and the common people can't bear it. If it is exchanged for a steel coin, which is one-tenth of a copper coin, then the common people can afford it." Ellie's little head turned, and she understood Henry's intention.
"If a copper coin is set as the starting price, this big market will not be able to open. The common people can not afford the goods in this market, and it is not far from bankruptcy," Henry said gently.
In this era, the common people were frugal. When a pound of wheat equaled two copper coins, and you told them that a lollipop cost one copper coin, who would buy it? The common people wouldn't buy it because it's not necessary.
In fact, it was too expensive. Just like in the early 1990s, on the other side of the earth, a dollar can buy a lot of things; a dime and two dimes can buy a few candies to eat.
So, the steel coin appeared like this: Henry was trying, just as a large market as a pilot. If successful, the steel coin will naturally spread out.
Then, he could issue his own currency step by step and then replace the copper coin, silver coin, gold coin, etc., to achieve the hegemony of the currency market.
Of course, this was a long plan; the premise was that Henry's strength was strong enough.
