Money

It was nice, to say the least, spending time with my sisters. It is not something I would want to do on a regular basis. But for a bit of time here and there, I would not be adverse to having them spend some time here, without the presence of our parents. I finally, at last, got to start learning more about them.

It might sound that I do not want to spend time with my parents, but that is the furthest thing from the truth. I do care for them, and wish them the best. However, at times, their children need the absence of them so that they are able to grow and be their own person.

Even though I had a some desire to speak more of my sisters, I had things I need to do. Going back into town, there is still the order from Girts that I need to take. Along with that, I do have some money in which I should finally be able purchase the cart that I need to haul my wares.

The desire to increase my stock of wares, so that I could start selling them in mass, is part of my desire. However, I need to start accruing some wealth. I have been progressing with rudimentary tools of my own creation, and they should be upgraded at some point.

While shovels and hoes made of wood are of some use, they have a higher chance of failure than those made of metal. With all the dirt that I have been digging up and processing, I have gone through a fair few shovel heads, leading to a lose in productivity. Along with that, wood does not cut through dirt that well.

For the time being, I can survive with these rudimentary tools, but I need to change them out as soon as I can. Hopefully with the order that Girts wants this time, I should be able to afford at least a few new tools. That is, if I make sure that I make what is requested, and not what I assume is wanted.

So as to verify Girts order, I made some unbaked pieces, that I allowed to dry out all the way. This way, since I have some handle over dealing with these pieces, I should be able to handle most special requests that he has. This should allay some of my concerns over making something wrong.

* * *

My father was fairly accurate in the cost of a new cart. For the simple rickshaw style cart that I wanted, the cost was thirty and a half bronze coins. Okay, I am sort of lying.

While the coins are based around increases of tens or hundreds, there is no usage of fractions or decimals for the coinage. When I said thirty and a half bronze, what I truly meant to say, was that I spent thirty bronze and five iron coins. To me, it is the same amount of money. To others, it is considered as a novel concept to think in that sort of way.

If I was to demonstrate with the largest coin that the average person has access to, the silver coin, it is worth one hundred bronze coins. One silver coin is considered a huge some of money for peasants, of which I am still considered one. Excluding tradesmen, most people will never have that type of coin on hand.

So, if I was to buy something that was half a silver coin, I would mentally due the conversion in my head, that it cost fifty bronze coins, and that would be done. As most people do not think in that sort of way, they would be lost. It is not that they are stupid when it comes to math, or any such thing. It is that it is just a foreign concept, that has never really been introduced to them.

I am sure that some people involved in trade think that way. But, the few people that I have interacted with, when it is concerning money, have not shown that they think in that direction. Is the way I learned, previously, an aberration?

Currency aside, the deal with Girts was made. He wants to send his son, who I did not know that he had a son, and his wife a gift from his land. I am still not sure if he is in control of the town, a county, or a province. So, for the time being, instead of just calling it his land, I am going to start calling it his county.

Back to the order, he wants a set of dishes made for his son's fifth wedding anniversary. As his son does control some power, he has to entertain guests at times. So, I am requested to make twelve of each piece.

In total, I have an order of 48 pieces. Plates, bowls, cups, and mugs, are what I am tasked to make and deliver. Since the pieces that I will be producing will be used on a fairly regular basis, and thus are prone to loss, I did not need to set the price as high as I did with the storage pots, that I sold previously.

Five iron for each simple cup, seven iron for the mugs and bowls, and the plates I set at six iron. For me, this total of thirty bronze coins was a timely boon. With the money I made from the previous order, and the money coming in from this one, I would be able to purchase my new cart, with some money left over, for the hopeful purchase of some new tools.

Finally, I am starting to progress in the financial department. Yet, as soon as get the money, I am forced to spend it. I know it is an investment in my endeavors, but still, to see my profits lost as soon as I get it is troubling.

The idea of living a comfortable life, just plying my trade still seems to be a thing for the future. Not only do I have to increase my purchases for better productivity, I also have other things I should order for reliability. In the future, I will need to buy a pottery wheel that is actually stable. The one that I made, while usable, has some deficiencies.

There are so many things that I need to be able to progress.