Earth Dungeon 87.1

 Test

Chapter 87.1. Luxury Goods

Shizuku-san is disappointed that she can't put a ring on her ring finger. Even though she summoned all the machines, she clung to me, making it awkward.

I think she's attached to me, but it hurts. She pinched my cheek with her slender fingers.

Shizuku-san pulled my cheek, giving me a cold look. Don't read my mind, seriously. My bad.

"I don't recommend thoughts that hurt a maiden's heart."

The punky beauty is sitting on my lap, leaning on me. She's quite the spoiled one.

I gently pat her head and then shift my gaze to the equivalent exchange store. I still plan to expand the lineup.

"What do you think is the best thing about being able to lower an item's performance value?"

"That you can understand the details of that item? We used to rely on verification until now, but things are different now. However, be cautious, as there may be masked data."

As expected of my partner. She quickly grasps my thoughts.

"That's right. This one."

[Royal Honey 1 kg: C Core 1, the finest honey that can relieve a bit of tiredness]

That's it. It has quite an interesting performance. It's stated that relieving tiredness is the key point. So, this one.

[Premium Sugar 1 kg: C Core 1, the finest sugar that can give you a little energy boost]

"What do you think of this?"

"Just as its name suggests. What's annoying is that it doesn't say it will make you as healthy as the Blessed Goblet."

"That's right. Let's try it."

When I press the button, sugar, and honey come in a familiar magic glass bottle. I can faintly feel the mana. Gently, I dip my index finger into the pure white sugar.

Shizuku licks my index finger touching the pure white sugar. She's a girl who does embarrassing things as if they were normal.

She nods as if to say, "Hmm.", and then chews seriously to savor it. Her expression becomes serious, and she opens her mouth.

"I can definitely feel a bit of vitality. Plus, this silky feeling like silk and the excitement I felt when I first tasted sugar, gave me that. It's really delicious. The sweetness is comforting."

With a radiant smile, Shizuku expresses how delicious it is. She seems to enjoy it a lot. I continue to try the Royal Honey, and it makes me feel a bit less tired.

"That's enough. Let's take this out."

[Premium Coarse Salt 1 kg: D5, good taste]

[White Sugar 1 kg: D5]

[Coarse Salt 1 kg: E5]

Looking at this lineup, Shizuku nods as if she's realized something and looks at me from below.

"I see. You plan to sell them as luxury goods within the inner town, right?"

Shizuku smiles proudly. As expected, she's quick on the uptake.

"That's right. It won't stand out as a staple food. On the contrary, it's a luxury item we don't want to lose. At the same time, we can discreetly deal with salt. I think every one is getting tired of the bland soup by now, right?"

With a sly grin, I ask. You see, we used to use salt from the outer town, so it was expensive. Notice how I said 'used to'? I'll also add sugar to the lineup.

"Salt is a vital strategic resource for nations throughout history. However, if you slip it in as a luxury item, people won't notice. Even if they do, they'll probably ignore it. That's the idea, right?"

Shizuku looks impressed.

Salt used to be a state monopoly in the past. We're liberating it. Amazing, right?

"You got it. With Royal Honey, not Royal Jelly, and high-quality coarse salt, they'll become popular."

I smirk and cross my arms. Of course, I'll add the profit and maintenance costs, so the price will be three times the usual. I'll make a profit, and everyone can enjoy using salt abundantly. I'll set the price of Royal Honey and the finest sugar at nine times their cost.

I deliberately made sugar and salt expensive. The influx from the inner town must be cheaper. However, I thought it would be a good idea to differentiate and consider the interests and current sales of sugar and salt.

That's why I'm adding them to the lineup. To turn it into a chain store, C Cores are not enough, so it's just Royal Honey for now. I plan to clear 2 or 3 more dungeons soon and add sugar.

"The authenticity test depends on whether it's in a magic glass bottle. When you take something out of a magic glass bottle, it melts away as if it's dissolving. It's just right, isn't it?"

Hail to the magic world. Magic glass bottles are an unexpected but lucky find. Verifying authenticity was the most troublesome part. However, if you don't know that they disappear, it will turn into a situation like the table in front of me. I'll have to clean it up later. Damn it, if they disappear in a few minutes, they should at least mention it in the manual.

"But how much do you plan to sell C Cores for?"

"Of course, I have a price in mind. The purchase price for one is 30,000 yen. So, the selling price for Royal Honey is 270,000 yen. It will probably go up even more in the inner town, I bet."

"That... I don't think anyone will buy it at that price."

Shizuku-san's eyes widen at the high price, but she's too naive. I also think it's an aggressive pricing. Most likely, in the inner city, it will soar to around 400,000 yen. That would be 40,000 yen for 100 grams.

"Shizuku, you're underestimating the rich. I predict they'll buy it. They could try to clear the dungeon themselves, but when they think about the potential losses, they won't do it. I might monopolize it too much and trigger antitrust laws."

While chuckling with a hint of mischief, I reminisce. Caviar, worth thousands of yen per bite, was casually consumed by the wealthy. What's being sold is not dangerous medicine, but honey. And salt that will elevate the taste of the entire dish.