Desire in Shadows

Copy Cat

<At Night> 

Both John Smith and Geats were talking on the train ride. 

Geats: Turns Out , Yukime had a customer that paid top dollar for her service.

John Smith: I see, then you can relay the message. 

He holds up a single gold coin. 

John Smith: This single gold coin multiplies into several times what is was. 

He opened his hand to reveal 2 more coins , upon closing his hand. He opens it again to reveal the coins are gone. 

John Smith: But what we find there is a fleeting illusion we call " Credit." 

Geats: Are you, perchance, talking about this paper money? 

Geats holds up a Mitsugoshi dollar in his hand. 

John Smith: These scraps of paper, considered by the masses to be no different than currency, are to be more precisely not currency at all. 

Geats: But in reality, they are no more than claim checks for coins that have been left in the care of the bank. 

John Smith: Exactly, for example.

He holds one gold coin in his hand.

John Smith: Let's say, for example, you have put ten thousand Zeni in the Bank. 

He closes his hand and opened the other. 

John Smith: In exchange, you are given a banknote for ten thousand Zeni, which you can use to purchase goods and services. 

Geats: But this is where the twist occurs.

He holds one hand up.

Geats: While one has ten thousand Zeni in the bank. 

Holds his other hand up. 

Geats: And you have Ten thousand Zeni in a Banknote. At some point, your Zeni is doubled to twenty thousand Zeni. 

He nods to Geats.

John Smith: If the ten thousand Zeni in the bank remains dormant in its vault, there is no problem. Because even if the money had, in fact, doubled, as long as the original ten thousand Zeni circulates through the market, there is no contradiction. 

Geats: But the bank hands the Ten thousand out as collateral , to lend out even more money. The prosperous economy of the capital stemmed from the business development of Mitsugoshi itself. Seeing a good opportunity, the merchants wished to borrow some capital, and the bank met the demand by supplying paper money. 

John Smith: No one wants to walk around with heavy coins in their pockets. The use of paper money spread like wildfire, further obscuring the currency's true value. The Ten thousand Zeni in the vault multiplied to several times what it was, circulated through the capital. 

Geats: While Mitsugoshi gained the exponential profits by reaping the rewards of the interest. 

John Smith: The True value of Credit creation. 

< Daytime> 

Adam was in his bed , he was thinking about the events the last few hunts he was in. 

<Flashback> 

Cross: Dammit! Another Dead end... 

<Another Flashback> 

Cross: Anyone broke into Mitsugoshi!? Talk! 

The raider: I - I don't know anyone who broke in! I - I swear it!