Nars

The nar is shown to be the Other World's main monetary unit. The coins are shown to be embedded with a shield, with two leaves at the shield's side and a crown above it. It might very well be the symbol of the Empire in which Michio Kaga lives, but it’s not yet known.

Overview[]

nars are currently known to exist in four coin denominations, with no paper denominations shown so far within the other world. The four denominations are as follows:

Copper coin: worth 1 nar
Silver coin: worth 100 nars
Gold coin: worth 10,000 nars
White gold coin: worth 1,000,000 nars

(The white gold coin has also been referred to as a platinum coin in the web novel.)

With the nar made from the precious metals copper, silver, gold and white gold, it makes the value of a coin reflect the specific metals worth in the Other World. It enables payment to be by count rather than weight, which greatly facilitates commerce. With no paper denomination nars present in the Other World, it can be assumed that no institutional backing is present, to ensure and prevent the faking of paper denomination nars from taking place.

Distribution[]

Nars being the only monetary unit shown so far, with the lords of the land setting a benchmark in terms of taxes leaves the wealthy individuals in a position of extreme wealth, without taxes or lords being able to do much about their ever growing wealth, of course it also means that they’re way more likely to have numerous servants and much higher expenses as a result of it, which stems growth slightly, but not in any meaningful way.

For the average freeman, taxes can be hard to pay, but it depends more on their own choices as one can always try to refrain from living in an expensive area, or have many kids. Both of the two prior mentioned causes would of course result in a much higher collective household tax cut on the adults income. It seems rather common for the average freeman to sell a kid or two in case their income goes down or if bad fortune hits their household. which was the case for both Roxanne and Sherry whose families were unable to pay their taxes for such reasons.

Poor individuals were in a much worse state, as being unable to pay taxes often leads them to becoming thieves. As a result of becoming thieves they often end up as slaves or bandits which is a result of them losing their freeman status and running away from their masters.

Because of this social structure, the slave industry gets a somewhat consistent supply of new and fresh slaves to sell. It’s often that slaves are sold off to labyrinth adventurers, because of the high mortality rate of those who bite on more that they can chew on, many slaves die as a result leading to the constant need for new and cheap slaves. If one is born to slave parents, like e. g. Vesta did, then one automatically became a slave themselves as a result of their own parents status. One can of course run away but as shown by Kaga’s experiences with bandits it’s safe to say that a life as a bandit isn’t very pleasant.

The initial market price of a slave seems to fluctuate greatly. as haggling is a common thing among merchants. The sex, race and specific characteristics of said slave can also have a direct impact on the final price. A good example is Alan’s merchant shop where the female slaves are sold at a much higher price than the males. Reasons for this is that manly labor seems to be much more common, so there’s more of said slaves. At the same time it’s very common for slaves like Roxanne and Sherry to be sold based on their beauty.

For first year slaves 70% of the taxes they had to pay has been removed and for the people being slaves for longer will have 90% of their taxes cut off. Though since they’re not freemen they won’t have to pay the taxes themselves, but rather their owner has the responsibility to pay for them, this can either be a master or the slave merchant selling them.

Prices[]

This isn’t a complete list, but a small sample of prices to give an impression on how food, housing, utilities and taxes look in this world compared to ours, which Kaga originates from.

Cost Of Food[]

Carme grilled: 10 nars
Vegetables (1 serving): 6 nars
Egg (1 serving): 5 nars
Fresh loaf of bread: 8 nars
A 20 cm clam: 320 nars
Rabbit's meat: 160 nars
Kobold salt: 4 nars
Small jar of soy sauce: 300 nars
Large jar of soy sauce: 500 nars
Brown rice cracker candy: 10 nars
Meat (1 serving): 15 nars
Rock Sole / Pseudo-Trout (one fish): 10 nars
Bucket of 8 mackerel (including bucket): 28 nars
2 shrimp: 1 nar

Cost Of Housing (Yearly)[]

Renting a hotel room: 100,000 nars
Renting a house: 50,000 nars
Renting a room: 10,000 - 30,000 nars

Cost Of Utilities[]

Buying hot water: 20 nars
Renting a lantern: 10 nars
Buying a small candle: 10 nars
Buying a laundry tub: 50 nars

Cost of Weapons[]

Cost of Equipment[]

Fishing rod (including basket and colander): 5,500 nars (includes 30% discount)
Sacrificial Misanga: 10,000 - 20,000 nars (at auction) Probably 10,000 nars or less if sold at an Armor Shop

Taxes In The Empire (Yearly)[]

Free citizens (an adult / a freeman): 100,000 nars
Citizens in an adult's house (minors / live-ins): 30,000 nars
Pr. 1st year owned slaves: 30,000 nars
Pr. 2nd year and older owned slaves: 10,000 nars

Other Currencies[]

Although the nar is shown as the universal monetary unit, in all of the places in which Michio Kaga and his companions visit. It isn't yet known if this one monetary unit is the only form of currency that exists within the other world.

Trivia[]

Having someone read for you typically costs 10 nars for six minutes.
Explorers charge a silver coin for each floor they go (floor 2 = 200 nars, floor 3 = 300 nars, floor 4 = 400 nars, and so on).
A custom-sized laundry tub 50cm deep and as tall as Michio costs 2000 nars.
A set of new clothes for two people costs 1500 nars.
Buying a cloak costs 4000 nars.
The thief Michio via Picker sold to Alan the Slave Merchant was sold for 30,000 nars.
Tirihi's husband, LV 25 Villager's sword, the Flaming Rapier, was sold to a Weapons Merchant for 18,000 nars.
The Bandit Bandana can apparantly be sold to bandits and other criminals for 10,000 or even up to 20,000 nars.
It costs 100 nars per person to enter the Quratar labyrinth.
It costs 300 nars to change the will of a slave.
It costs 4,000 nars to purchase a maid outfit from Alan's Slave Trading Company.
Michio purchased a Mermaid Crystal for 2500 nars at the auction house.
Michio purchased a Caterpillar Crystal for 4000 nars at the auction house.
Getting the Merchant Guild's Temple to appraise any item you purchased at auction is 10 nars per item.
It costs 200 nars per person to hire somebody to teleport you via [Field Walk] anywhere. It gets more expensive for more specific requests or for far destinations.
It costs 500 nars per person to [Field Walk] from Zabir to Palmasque.
To enter the Capital Library, you must pay an entrance fee of one silver coin (100 nars) on top of a gold coin (10,000 nars) as a deposit as an insurance measure against book damage or theft. If nothing happens to the books, then you can have your gold coin returned to you.
To hire a middleman/broker to purchase something in your stead, it costs 500 nars per request.
To enter Palmasque, the entrance fee is one silver coin (100 nars) per person.
Palmasque mirrors, after having gold, jewels, and other accessories added onto their frames, can inflate the price greatly. Michio found such mirrors selling at the Imperial Capital for 18,000 - 20,000 nars per mirror. (He fainted.)
The price of a single undecorated mirror, regardless of size, is 35 silver coins each (or 3,500 nars), so long as you buy it directly at Palmasque from the local workshops — and only if you secure a noble's or royal's commission.
The price of 11 such mirrors were negotiated down by Sherry to 350 silver coins (or 38,500 nars / 3 2/3s gold coins), declaring to have saved up to 3 gold coins, so long as she paid up front. So it could've possibly gone up to 6 or 7 gold coins (or 60,000-70,000 nars).
A small processed amber gemstone can cost anywhere from 1,000 to 7,000 nars, depending on their purity. Large amber stones are much more expensive. Amber necklaces can be sold in the 10,000s range. The ones shown to Michio by the Amber Merchant in Bode was 50,000 and 55,000 nars, respectively. The Amber Brooch shown to him was 20,000 nars. And one Amber Necklace that Roxanne was admiring was 30,000 nars.
Unprocessed and rough natural amber gemstones cost 800 nars per piece.
The amber necklace Michio bought Roxanne was 50,000 nars.
The amber necklace Michio bought Sherry was 45,000 nars.
Unprocessed amber gemstones can be sold to Palmasque workshops for 40 silver coins (or 4,000 nars) per piece.
Sacrificial Misanga accessories can be sold between 30,000 - 40,000 nars.
A case made from Talem wood for an Amber Necklace costs 200 nars.
Sherry and Roxanne sold a 55,000-nar Amber Necklace for 25 gold coins (or 250,000 nars) to the workshop owner's wife in Palmasque.
The first of three slave candidates Michio interviewed at the Imperial City Slave Shop (including Miria) was so-so as an Explorer slave and didn't have any particular strengths or potential, so despite being pretty and moderately eager, she was only worth 200,000 nars, according to the Slave Merchant.
The second slave candidate, due to her beauty, was worth 500,000 nars. Though her prowess and abilties aren't known, and it was obvious that she had no interest in becoming a Party member nor diving into Labyrinths. It's possible that she was more meant as a concubine-slave.
It costs 1,000 nars to custom-order an apron out of regular fabric, while a custom-made apron out of silk would cost 1,500 nars.
The amber necklace Michio bought Miria was 45,000 nars, after the 30% discount, not including the amber ores that Michio also bought.
A vibrant red amber necklace was offered to Michio by the Amber Merchant at 70,000 nars.
Another amber necklace, called the Big Ball of Deep Crimson, an amber that appears once in 50 years, was offered at 65,000 nars.
One necklace was sold by Sherry to the mirror merchant's wife's friend for 25 gold coins, or 250,000 nars.
Another necklace was sold to a former representative of the City Council for 38 gold coins, or 380,000 nars.
The Holy/Sacred Spear was sold for 150,000 nars at an auction Michio went to. However, the price was rigged to punish the Baradam family for messing with the brokers. The Holy Spear should be twice or even thrice the price.
Michio was able to exchange his newly made Soul Sucking Staff (a staff that has [MP Absorption] skill in it) for the Holy Spear.