So the novels are better than the anime series? (I don't know if you've seen the anime series, but it had "RPG economics": if I buy gold in Goldtown, and then I travel over the mountains to sell it in Wheat Town; and then I buy Wheat in Wheat Town, and hike through the forest to sell it in Salsbury; and then buy salt is Salsbury, etc, I win! Plus it also had this kind of salaryman approach to mercantilism where you have to keep plugging away, put in your time, rise through the ranks of seniority, and then you will make money. Which, actually, if there is a lot of guild regulation, might indeed be the case...)