Chapter 63 - Episode 6: Because They Are Anxious...
Greetings! I am Violia Nico Fortesia!
I have now left the Kingdom of Orchesta, headed to the neighboring Kingdom of Windry, released a large number of monsters there to set a town on fire, and returned to the ship.
All the stock of weapons and medicine is in the Spatial Bags and loaded onto the ship. For a while, we shall be active in Windry using the ship as our base.
The next morning, we went out for reconnaissance. I wonder what happened to the town where we released the monsters yesterday.
"...It is burning!"
"It's burning, alright."
"Why is it burning? Was there even anything to make it catch fire?"
Well, I expect the fleeing populace accidentally knocked over a candlestick, or they tried to burn away the insects and ended up burning the town, or something like that, but regardless, it is burning. The town is burning.
"I can see soldiers too."
"Were they dispatched from the capital? No, that would be too fast. In that case, are they the town's self-defense force?"
Soldiers clad in matching armor are fighting against the large number of insect monsters, and the occasional Chimera, Wyvern, or Ghost mixed in.
They seem to be able to defeat the insects normally, but in a war of attrition, the side with more numbers wins. Even at this point, I can see soldiers who have been worn down being killed by the insects one by one.
"At this rate, this town will fall."
"If anything, it's impressive they've held out for a night."
It seemed to be a fairly large town, and it was a town that had its own soldiers, so I can understand how they have managed to hold out until now. In fact, it would have been a problem if they had perished immediately. This is convenient.
"It is wonderful that they are fighting so flashily for us. I intended the insects to be for padding the numbers... but they are putting up an unexpected fight."
"Wasn't it that there aren't many monsters on this continent? Maybe that's why?"
I see. Well, that is also nothing but convenient right now.
"Then, since we are at it, why don't we scatter monsters in one more town? If it goes well, the entire country will become alert all at once."
If they become sufficiently wary of 'suddenly appearing swarms of monsters,' the demand for weapons and medicine will naturally rise. Then, the stock we are holding will be cleared out all at once! (T/N: 'Squeezing' or 'clearing out' stock refers to selling it all.)
"Understood. We'll head further out near the capital."
...And so, we gallop our horses toward the next town.
After that, we scattered a large number of monsters near one more town.
The day after next, we did one more. That time, we went all out and even released a dragon.
...Yes. In just over three days, three towns were attacked by swarms of monsters.
The anxiety of the populace rose all at once, and the capital also seemed to be in an uproar over the sudden crisis.
If that is the case, then naturally... a situation convenient for us will arrive.
One week since landing.
We had already secured a sales channel.
"Wound medicine and bandages? Yes, we are running low, but we still have stock. We are parting with them for two gold coins per large crate."
On the main street of Windry's capital, we have set up a stall. Of course, we have obtained permission.
Right now, the royal family of Windry seems desperate to obtain even a little bit of medicine and weapons. That is only natural. A swarm of monsters might attack any day. Supplies are needed in the towns that were attacked, and preparations are also needed in all other places that might be attacked from now on.
"We'll buy them. By the way, do you have any other medicine? If you have any kind of antidote..."
"Antidotes are running low right now... as expected, many people are seeking them. However, we can part with a few. Also, how about some Holy Water? We are making this as cheap as possible, so please take some for Ghost countermeasures?"
...And so, our shop is a great success.
Merchants who intend to buy from us and resell are coming to buy, and above all, many messengers from the royal family are buying medicine and weapons.
...In particular, silver weapons and Holy Water are selling well. Apparently, because Ghosts do not appear much in this country, they have no countermeasures for them at all. Therefore, silver weapons and Holy Water sell well.
By the way, the Holy Water is just a substitute made by mixing a tiny bit of my blood into salt water that a silver knife has been soaked in. In short, it can be called water purified with salt and silver with magic power added.
But such a thing is effective to some extent against Ghosts... Thanks to that, the cost is almost zero, yet it sells like hotcakes, which makes me very happy!
After doing the stall for a day, the medicine was mostly sold.
"How was it on your end?"
"It sold well. Chesta's hawking is good."
"Oh, you can praise me more! It doesn't feel bad to be praised by Doran."
Oh. The drug addict is useful once in a while.
"It might be better to have Giovan and Keeb go back to restock once. The inventory might vanish in four days."
"Is it selling that much? ...Ah, if the royal army buys it, it certainly will be cleared out all at once."
Medicine is one thing, but weapons also have many purchases from the royal family. Those fellows buy in bulk to equip the army, so they really sell all at once.
"Maybe because the private armies of the nobles in this country are also buying weapons, they're selling very well. ...In addition to that, even ordinary residents are buying weapons they can't even use, just because they're anxious."
"Oh?"
Private armies of nobles are, well, understandable. In any country, nobles usually hire their own soldiers to protect themselves. Naturally, weapons are needed there.
However... it was a bit unexpected that the populace was buying weapons.
"I guess they think it's better to have them than not. Silver knives are selling well. It's interesting, isn't it?"
"Knives? Certainly, knives are light and easy to handle, but is it not actually difficult for an untrained amateur to fight with just a single knife?"
"That's right. A slender sword would be more suitable for an amateur."
It is impossible for someone who has hardly ever fought a monster to use a knife to fight. After all, the blade of a knife is short, you know? That means you have to get close to the monster for the attack to hit.
The correct way to use a knife is to dive into the opponent's bosom and go for a one-hit kill, stabbing them deeply. A knife is useless in a fighting style where you swing it around to slash.
"...But the populace of this country is so anxious that they buy weapons they cannot even use."
Yes. In the end, what can be said is indeed, 'the populace is anxious.'
Because they are anxious, they buy medicine and weapons. Even though they probably cannot use them, they buy them 'because they are anxious.'
...Which means, there is a chance for victory, and a business opportunity, right here.
"If there is something that can remove anxiety, that will sell, will it not?"
I try asking Doran-san and Chesta-san.
"Is there not something that can remove anxiety? For example, since Holy Water is selling even now, could we not resolve the anxiety with, say, charms for divine protection?"
"God, huh. I don't know about the religion of this country, but do the people here believe in a god?"
Holy Water is selling, but... certainly, I am not very familiar with the religious situation of the Kingdom of Windry.
"The reason Holy Water is selling is probably because it's effective against Ghosts. Isn't practicality valued more than faith?"
Hmmm... that is probably true.
In that case, something to repel Ghosts and monsters... Oh, those are weapons...
"I think armor would also sell, what do you think?"
"Indeed. Certainly, if we are going to fan their anxiety to make them buy, armor seems better than weapons."
We have also bought a fair amount of armor for the record, but we could restock a bit more.
"What else... would poison sell?"
"If you're going to sell poison to fight monsters, it'd be better to sell it as Holy Water."
True.
In that case... a new product... a gap to exploit in the populace's anxiety...
"Hey, isn't it just alcohol after all?"
...
"Oh, or maybe drugs?"
...It is something a drunken drug addict would say.
But he has a point, does he not...?