27 Chapter 027 - Alina Doesn't Have Much Time

Concerning the reasons for the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the scholars of later generations all had their own opinions and analysis.

But at the current point in time, no one believed that this enormous red country would collapse in the space of a single night.

Just as the world's worst spy and former member of the KGB had said, "Whoever does not miss the Soviet Union has no heart; whoever wants it back has no brain."

(Second to this man, the world's second-worst spy, is Great Britain's, James Bond. These two are exposed so often on the world stage that it's unthinkable.)

In Alina's view, if there was a restriction that kept the world running on a single route, then that most serious of geopolitical catastrophes that took place in the year 1991 was undoubtedly one of the most 'inevitable' incidents in human history.

If she could take part in the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Alina would not choose to oppose the tide of the era, and would not attempt to stop the Soviet Union from collapsing.

Essentially, she was like the vast majority of transmigrators, people without conscience who only had thoughts about how to grab a fistful of beard hair in the middle of this great tide.

But before entering the Magic World...or to be more precise, before coming to Gringotts, Alina had not placed much attention on the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

After all, this place was just too far, and Alina was just too young.

Whether it was exchanging everyday household items for expensive military goods or joining in with the other financial conglomerates to tear apart the Soviet Union's economy like ravenous crocodiles, this was not a domain that a ten-year-old girl from the Scottish highlands could take part in.

But...the opportunity had inadvertently been delivered to her feet.

"What if...I wanted to take a loan from Gringotts and use it to obtain a specific Muggle currency?"

Alina took in a deep breath, trying her best to calm herself as she asked the goblin in front of her.

Are you taking a loan from Gringotts to obtain Muggle currency?

The goblin behind the counter turned his eyes, a crafty smile on his lips. Yet another human witch had shown up who thought too highly of their intelligence.

As the only wizarding bank of the Magic World, the goblins had seen all sorts of people who had thought themselves superior. The foolish witches and wizards had no idea that the goblins still wielded significant influence in the currencies of the Non-Magic World.

"Of course. But the fee our Gringotts takes is not something an ordinary person can handle. Alright, little girl, I've done my duty and satisfied your curiosity. Now hurry up and finish your exchange!"

The goblin scratched the sharp beard under his chin as he impatiently said. Given that Dumbledore was present, he felt that he had been more than patient.

Pa!

Alina immediately took a banknote from the little pouch on her waist and slapped it on the counter.

"I don't have any Galleons. This is fifty British pounds, which should have the same value as ten-some Galleons. Is this money worth a few questions?"

"Oh~~My dear Miss Kaslana, this is enough for you to ask an entire afternoon of questions. Andy Serkis is happy to answer them."

Serkis's eyes lit up as he reached out with two slender fingers, seized the banknotes, and slowly put them away. Sitting up straight, he smiled and put on an attentive expression.

"Serkis, that's too much! You're just answering a few simple questions from a girl who hasn't even started school yet, and you're happy with taking a fee from them! This is no way to start up a long-term relationship with a customer."

From behind Alina, Gally Wix sharply spoke in an unhappy tone; at the same time, subtly withdrawing the empty right hand that had reached out toward the counter. His position in the back had meant that he had been half a second slower than Serkis.

"Wix, shut your mouth! If you continue to disturb my conversation with the customer, I have the authority to call the guards and get you thrown out! ...Mm, Miss Kaslana, please, continue."

Andy Serkis dangerously narrowed his eyes, his long and sharp fingers tapping against the counter as he darkly threatened. He then turned with a beaming smile to Alina.

Alina smiled and softly asked her question.

"Then, my question is, if I take a loan, can I break the annual limit of fifty thousand pounds that can be exchanged to Galleons? Or to convert it to any other currency."

"This is..." Serkis's face turned ugly as he hesitated, the index finger and thumb of his right hand rubbing together.

Truly...a practical and cute goblin.

Pa! Another fifty-pound note hit the table.

Alina shrugged her shoulders. Compared to complicated humans, the materialistic goblins were more her style.

"Of course there's no problem! Although the rules mandate this, you only need to pay a small commission, and I can help you exchange for extra. After all, Gringotts is not open to just human witches and wizards. Even a Doxy would simply need to give a handprint of approval, and I would help them complete the exchange."

Serkis was getting friendlier and friendlier, and he was looking at Alina almost the same as he looked at Galleons. He had never before encountered such a generous and stupid little girl.

"Oh? Is that so..."

The silver-haired girl slowly looked around at the resplendent central lobby of Gringotts. The goblin's firm answer had stimulated every cell in the body. This sort of bank without international restrictions at a time like this, if used appropriately, would lead to a terrifying explosion of wealth.

One had to realize that even though the Soviet Union had begun to show many cracks over the last few years, it was one of the two poles of the Non-Magic World. Thus, the Soviet ruble was still a rather strong currency.

If Alina remembered correctly, until the sudden turn of events in the middle of August, the US dollar and the ruble maintained an exchange rate of 1 US dollar to 1.8~2.0 rubles.

But when the flag of the Soviet Union was brought down for the last time this Christmas, by the end of 1991, the exchange rate between the US dollar and the ruble would suddenly become 1 US dollar to 170 rubles.

Right after that, the Russian government would begin its suffocating shock therapy. Starting from January 2nd, 1992, the government lifted the price controls for 90% of consumer goods and 80% of capital goods. At the same time, the cap on salaries was lifted, with government workers having their salaries increased by 90% and retirees obtaining an additional subsidy of 900 rubles per month. The allowance for families and the relief payments to the unemployed also rose with the rising tide.

By April, the prices of consumer goods in Russia were 65 times higher than they had been in December of 1991, which meant that, in terms of buying power, the ruble had been devalued by 65 times. And after that... 

In short, casting aside the political and national contests for power and looking at it purely from a financial perspective, speculation, and buying stocks were all pathetic methods. The simplest way of making money was to get a loan for as many rubles as possible and then exchange the rubles for a non-Soviet currency, such as the US dollar or Galleons.

And then? And then she didn't need to do anything. She could lay back in Hogwarts and sip on black tea while the ruble completely collapsed, and then she could exchange her US dollars or Galleons back to rubles and clear her debts, thus making a thousand times over in profit.

Alina contemplatively stroke her fair-skinned left hand. Just as Dumbledore had said, as long as she did not deliberately trigger it, the Unbreakable Vow would not leave any trace.

If one wanted to ensure that a school continued on forever, weren't the two most important factors people and money? For people, as long as human society existed, there would always be more students. As for money, she had seemingly found a method of settling the matter for her lifetime.

She simply needed to handle this properly, and she would be left with only two vows. She certainly didn't want to spend the rest of her long life burdened with the mission of ensuring the continuation of a massive school.

The only problem was...

Alina glanced behind her at the old wizard who was curiously listening—this could only be done when Dumbledore wasn't present.

"In short, let's quickly get this loose change exchanged into Galleons. Time is money, my friend. We have many other important things still left to do after this."

Alina took a stack of pound notes from her pouch and placed them on the counter. She emphasized the words 'We' and 'after this' while shooting a glance at Serkis, indicating that he should look at Dumbledore behind her.

As for what conclusions he might draw, they all basically bode well for her.

Her most urgent task was to quickly buy her things at Diagon Alley and then send Dumbledore off.

It was currently 9 am, July 31st, 1991.

Alina didn't have much time.