Then I'll Exchange Fifty Kilograms for Now

"Miss Chu~" The Goblin immediately changed his tune, his face breaking into a genial smile. "How much gold would you like to exchange for Galleons?"

His eyes remained fixed on Chu Yao, as if he hoped to see the gleam of gold on her.

After all, to a Goblin, pounds were Muggle wastepaper, but gold was the real thing. It could be melted down and minted into Galleons, making the exchange a guaranteed profit.

Chu Yao did not answer immediately. Instead, she asked, "How much gold can one Galleon be exchanged for?"

She needed to get a feel for the going rate first.

A shrewd gleam flashed in the Goblin's eyes. He held up two scrawny fingers and said with absolute certainty, "Two grams."

Standing nearby, the corner of Snape's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.

Though he was no economic expert, he had a general understanding of Muggle finance and knew perfectly well what a "bargain" this exchange rate was for the Goblin.

Greedy exploitation...

But what does that have to do with me?

Hearing this, Chu Yao nodded and pretended to think it over for a moment.

In fact, she was calculating rapidly in her head: 1 Galleon = 2 grams, 1,000 grams = 1 kilogram, 50 kilograms = 50,000 grams, 50,000 grams ÷ 2 grams per Galleon = 25,000 Galleons!

Hmm, that should be enough pocket money.

Then, under the Goblin's expectant gaze, she waved her little hand. Several dull clunks sounded as several heavy, gleaming, standard-sized gold bars abruptly appeared on the smooth wooden counter. Their dazzling golden shine nearly blinded the Goblin.

"Then I'll exchange fifty kilograms for now."

Chu Yao spoke casually, as if she were talking about fifty kilograms of potatoes rather than fifty kilograms of gold.

Goblin: "!!!"

He sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes widening into saucers. He stared fixedly at the gold bars, his breathing growing rapid.

The professional, fake smile on his face instantly turned into heartfelt, almost fawning deference, and his voice rose an octave. "H-honored Miss Chu! At the exchange rate, fifty kilograms of gold can be exchanged for twenty-five thousand Galleons!"

He rubbed his hands together, his tone exceptionally eager. "Would you like to open a vault account here at Gringotts and deposit the Galleons, or...?"

A big client! Absolutely a big client! I have to get her to open an account! She might have even more gold in the future!

The curve of Chu Yao's smile remained perfect, without the slightest change. She gently uttered two words. "Take them."

"Of course, of course! I'll handle the deposit for you right away... W-what?!" The fawning smile froze on the Goblin's face. In disbelief, he dug at one of his pointed ears, thinking he had misheard. "You... you said you wanted to take them all? All twenty-five thousand Galleons?!"

Merlin's beard!

Does she know how much twenty-five thousand Galleons in cash weigh?

How much space they take up?

How is a little girl like her going to carry them?!

Chu Yao nodded firmly, her tone carrying a kind of innocent certainty. "That's right. Back in the East, we keep our money a little differently from how you do here!"

The Goblin watched her gesture, then looked at the tempting gold bars. The corner of his mouth began to twitch violently.

He was roaring and bleeding inside, but faced with such an "extravagant" client, he finally managed to force out a smile uglier than a crying face. "O-of course," he said stiffly. "I'll... fetch your Galleons right away."

Author's note: The gold exchange was based on a Baidu search. In 1991, the international gold price was about US$350 per ounce. Calculated at the exchange rate at the time, the price of gold in pounds was approximately 350 × 3.1 = £1,085 per ounce. Based on the book's exchange rate of five pounds to one Galleon, one Galleon would be worth about 0.13 grams of gold. That was too hard to calculate, and it also made Galleons seem rather cheap. So, following the book's setting that Goblins are extremely greedy, I've used two grams here.

Author's note: Thank you, my lovely readers, for the favorites, likes, check-ins, comments, flowers, coins, and memberships. Love you all, heart hands ♥