90 – Items (1)
The next day.
So, after Kim Hyun-woo started making magnifying glasses using skeletons in earnest, precisely a day later, he could only be amazed.
And no wonder, because the number of magnifying glasses made by skeletons in 24 hours was about 10,000.
Of course, whether it was because skeletons were rotated for 24 hours or because a significant portion of the maeseok behind the skeletons was missing, Kim Hyun-woo didn’t bother with such details at the point where he could make more than 10,000 magnifying glasses.
From the start, the cost of materials for the lowest-grade magnifying glass was cheap, so even when combined with the cost of the magic stones used by Skeleton, there was still a significant profit to be made.
In addition, if Skeleton could produce magnifying glasses like this, Kim Hyun-woo wouldn’t have to make magnifying glasses for low-level explorers anymore.
“Buying Skeleton was the right decision after all.”
Kim Hyun-woo marveled at Skeleton’s newfound ability to perform tasks, but around three days later, he was taken aback by the news he heard from Elena.
“…All 10,000 magnifying glasses are sold out?”
“Yes, my lord. While I was reporting, I saw the guards moving to report.”
“Oh, really? They could have just come up here with you.”
“The guards have work to do.”
Since there were only two guards and they didn’t have much to do, was there really a need for that? That’s what Kim Hyun-woo thought, but he nodded as if it didn’t matter.
“All 10,000 magnifying glasses sold out…”
Honestly, Kim Hyun-woo couldn’t even imagine that 10,000 magnifying glasses would sell out.
At the moment, the number of mercenaries in the Lartania Territory was estimated to have already exceeded 10,000 in the ancient past, but that didn’t mean that 10,000 magnifying glasses would sell.
After all, not all mercenaries in the Lartania Territory bought magnifying glasses.
In addition, while the amount of 1 gold coin itself may not seem like a lot of money from Kim Hyun-woo’s perspective as the lord of the territory, it was quite a large sum of money for the mercenaries.
“Of course, thanks to the fact that we’re making and selling 4,000 of them every day and they sell out in no time, I did consider adding the ceiling system, just in case, but I didn’t expect it to be this much.”
As Kim Hyun-woo nodded with that thought, Elena asked curiously.
“But, my lord.”
“Yes?”
“Well, for the ceiling magnifying glass, can’t we purchase it separately? Do we have to buy 80 magnifying glasses to obtain it?”
In response to Elena’s question, Kim Hyun-woo nodded.
“Well, technically, I could sell it if I wanted to, but the plan is to keep the Ceiling Loupe like this for the time being.”
The original name of the magnifying glass now being sold as the Ceiling Loupe in the market was ‘Novice Explorer’s Loupe.’
Unlike the Novice Loupe, this magnifying glass didn’t drop various miscellaneous items but rather provided a definite drop of weapons or armor.
Of course, given its name as ‘novice,’ the probability itself wasn’t high, but compared to the Novice Loupe, the difference in probability was significant.
Naturally, this Ceiling Loupe was created by Kim Hyun-woo a few days ago when he entrusted the production of Novice Loupes to the skeletons and simultaneously purchased the recipe using the red stones he obtained by triggering the Labyrinth Break.
“If you sell the Ceiling Loupe at a higher price, won’t mercenaries hesitate to buy it?”
To Elena’s question, Kim Hyun-woo nodded.
“Indeed, that’s a possibility.”
“Then why…?”
“Well, I thought it would be much better in the long run.”
The reason Kim Hyun-woo originally bought the Novice Loupe’s recipe to create it was to make the Ceiling System.
‘It’s not like in the game where Ceiling items automatically appear every 80 or 160 chances, but this isn’t a game, it’s reality.’
With that thought, Kim Hyun-woo opened up to Elena.
“As Elena said, selling the Ceiling Loupe right away would bring in more profits. However, what about the Novice Loupe then?”
“Surely the demand will decrease?… Still, if we offer differentiation with gold or something, there might be a steady consumer base, don’t you think?”
“That’s true. But the problem here is that the consumer base gets divided. People who buy Novice and Novice Loupes will be split.”
Kim Hyun-woo continued speaking.
“But if we keep selling the Novice Loupe continuously and give a Novice Loupe every time someone purchases 80 loupes? The consumer base won’t be split unnecessarily. Plus, we might see a promotion effect.”
“…A promotion effect?”
“Yeah. Elena understands too, but until now, there hasn’t been a definite chance of getting a good item with the magnifying glass, right?”
“Yes.”
“Of course, except for the few mercenaries who managed to get good items, the majority of mercenaries either end up with mediocre ones or don’t get any good items at all. They feel a sense of unfairness and frustration.”
“Others got something, but I didn’t. The disappointment of not getting anything, the frustration of spending so much money and not getting anything good. Of course, those who have already tasted success may not understand, but those who haven’t will naturally hesitate to buy the next magnifying glass.”
“…Is it like throwing away money if we step on the same trap as last time?”
Kim Hyun-woo nodded in response to Elena’s question.
“But what if every time we use 80 gold coins here, they give us a reward called ‘Ceiling Magnifying Glass’?”
“…I guess we would be getting something much better than the previous magnifying glass for free, so wouldn’t we be happy about it?”
“Or rather, it would give us a reason to consume.”
“A reason to consume?”
“Mercenaries, no, people in general want to find a reason to consume. Even if it’s just gambling, they want to believe that their consumption is the right kind of consumption and they want to give it rationality.”
“Of course, there is no merit worth 80 gold coins in the inferior magnifying glass itself. On average, even if it’s not very good, you can get an item worth more than 20 gold coins, but it’s not worth 80 gold coins. But is there anywhere else that sells inferior magnifying glasses besides us?”
“There isn’t…”
“Then that’s enough. After all, the value of an item is determined by the person who sells it when they have a monopoly. And even if the value of 80 gold coins is considered worthless, if it ends up being sold for 80 gold coins in the market-“
“…You mean 80 gold coins?”
“Yes, that’s right. In other words, mercenaries end up mistakenly believing that they made a rational consumption here, even if they fail with 80 magnifying glasses, because in the end, they still have the Ceiling Magnifying Glass. Of course, there is no guarantee that the magnifying glass will be successful anywhere.”
Kim Hyun-woo made a bitter expression.
“Yeah…there is no guarantee of success.”
Suddenly, Kim Hyun-woo remembered the 1.5 million won gacha that he had tried five times ten years ago and his expression became awkward, and soon he averted his gaze.
Mercenaries who buy magnifying glasses that come out of the skeleton in real time, get their number checked by the attendants, and then disappear.
Every time he saw that, Kim Hyun-woo had a strange feeling as if his past self from ten years ago was overlapping with the present.
‘Is this what the producers feel?’
Kim Hyunwoo, who was watching money being duplicated in real-time, wore a complicated expression for a moment.
“Oh, by the way, do you have time this evening?”
“Yes? Time?”
Elena asked with a slightly brightened expression.
“Yeah, I cooked last time, but messed it up. So, I wanted to learn cooking from Nani today and make some food together. How about it?”
Kim Hyunwoo explained the situation to her.
“Oh.”
Elena, who let out a slight, strange sigh, soon smiled and nodded.
“Yes, then, I’ll see you in the evening.”
####
Around that afternoon.
As Lartania, practically a labyrinth city with numerous mercenaries, was doing better business than expected, Adriah stayed for a few more days for the next schedule.
… More precisely.
[Should I just go out?]
“Yes?”
[Wouldn’t it be better to just go out?]
“Master… didn’t they say you shouldn’t go out?”
[Although I shouldn’t…]
Thanks to the red dragon expressing deep melancholy, Adriah was eager to leave.
Since realizing that the blacksmith had returned ten years ago, the condition of the Scarlet Salamander had deteriorated significantly.
Consequently, Adriah, who hastily left Larthania, found herself unable to do much more than halt in her tracks due to that condition.
The reason was…
“Is it true that the blacksmith has really returned?”
“That insolent brat who kept pestering the master with useless questions to arouse his interest dared to…!”
It was because Merilda and Lynn had approached Adriah.
“That brat, how insolent… Already wagging his tail before the master?? I heard rumors that he even held the master’s hand not long ago???”
“Gasp.”
“T-this insolent brat…!”
Adriah, who had involuntarily been separated from her guardian and heard her guardian’s words, thought fleetingly.
‘…Those words haven’t spread, and it’s probably just the lord’s thoughts.’
However, Adriah’s thoughts, filled with what she wanted to believe, had no effect on the former heroes of Larthania, who had already begun to rage.
And…
“…It seems we shouldn’t be doing this among ourselves.”
“Y-yes, I agree.”
“Until we push that blacksmith aside, there’s nothing we can do.”
It didn’t take long for the former heroes of Larthania to form an alliance.
However, Adriah, who was watching the former heroes of Larthania forming an alliance, felt uneasy there.
It was understandable, as Adriah, who had always dealt with people from nobles to ordinary farmers as a merchant, had a strong feeling just by seeing Merilda and Lynn subtly exchanging glances.
‘This is definitely a betrayal…!’
However, even though she realized it, the reason she didn’t say anything was because the guardian currently possessing his body seemed to have plans to hit him in the back of the head, as if it were an easy task.
“…Can this alliance last even a day?”
From Noble mtl dot com
From the moment the alliance was formed, Adriana felt dizzy looking at the unfamiliar type of alliance where they were already contemplating backstabbing each other.