Chishiya stood up.
Megumin and Rim were still asleep.
He quietly closed the door and stepped outside.
At that moment...
The Ant Queen appeared in front of him.
"Master, reporting on the construction progress."
Chishiya gave a nod.
The Ant Queen continued.
"Surface and fifth floor construction is 60% complete."
"Estimated full completion in three days."
Chishiya blinked.
"So fast?"
He'd originally estimated that something this massive would take a month or two at least.
But finishing in less than half a month?
This 50% construction speed bonus was really doing work.
Chishiya rubbed his chin.
He needed to speed up his money-making plan too.
He opened the labyrinth details screen.
---
[Labyrinth Level: 1]
[Upgrade Requirement: 500,000 Reputation Points]
[Benefits: Crimson Demon Clan Bond (Increases mana concentration by 10%), Labyrinth Ant Colony (Increases construction and resource gathering speed by 50%)]
[Monsters: New Additions – Undead, Treasure Box Monsters]
[Minerals: Omitted]
[Herbs: Omitted]
[Ecosystem: New – Dungeon Biome]
[Technology: Potion Crafting, Healing Tech]
---
Five hundred thousand points...
Way too early to think about leveling up.
For now, he still needed to figure out mass production for the Magic Air Conditioners.
---
Axel – Underground Labyrinth Enterprise Prop Shop
Chishiya pushed open the door.
Wiz was hunched over her workbench, tinkering.
She didn't notice him at all.
Chishiya just stood quietly by the door.
Honestly, Wiz was a good person.
Just... extremely terrible with money.
"Huh? When did you get here, Chishiya-san?"
Wiz finally looked up, startled to see him already inside.
Chishiya replied, "Just a minute ago."
Wiz stood and poured him a cup of tea.
"You've been working so hard lately, Chishiya-san."
"Coming to the shop every day to help like this…"
"If you weren't here, I don't know what I would've done…"
Chishiya accepted the teacup, gently swirling the stirring stick inside.
Of course I'm coming. If I don't supervise you, I'll end up broke.
"I did say I'd help, didn't I?"
"Besides, you haven't slept for days, have you?"
"Don't you need a break?"
Wiz shook her head.
"It's fine, Chishiya-san."
"The whole thing with the magic crystals was my responsibility."
"And I'm a lich. I won't die even if I don't rest."
"Well, metaphorically speaking... unless I totally fall apart, then maybe..."
"But! I'm doing my best!"
You won't die even without rest?
Working 24 hours nonstop?
Is this what they call... the Chosen Employee?!
Ahem.
Chishiya stopped mentally spiraling.
He said, "Wiz, take tomorrow off."
Wiz: "Eh? We're not selling Magic Air Conditioners anymore?"
Chishiya replied flatly, "We are."
"But even labor slaves need sleep."
"Anyway, I actually came to talk about two things."
Chishiya sat down in a nearby chair.
"First."
"Do you have a channel that can mass-produce Magic Air Conditioners?"
"About a thousand units."
Wiz paused to think.
"A thousand... Hmm... It's possible, but delivery might take a month."
Chishiya narrowed his eyes and took a slow sip of tea.
A month...
That's too long. Too many variables.
He reached into his coat and pulled out several potion bottles.
"How about helping me evaluate these potions?"
Wiz accepted the bottles, inspecting them closely.
"These are all beginner-grade recovery potions."
"Going price is about 30,000 Eris."
"Eh? Wait a minute…"
Suddenly, she picked up another bottle from the table.
Squinting.
"What's this, Chishiya-san?"
Chishiya explained casually, "That one's a debuff potion."
"Applies paralysis and weakness simultaneously."
"This one's hallucination and paralysis."
"This one's poison plus paralysis..."
"And this one—"
...
One by one, Chishiya laid out the results of last night's experiments.
Wiz dipped a finger in one of the bottles and tasted it.
A moment later, she shivered from head to toe.
"Wha—?"
"Chishiya-san!"
She stared at him, stunned.
"This potion actually worked on me?!"
Chishiya: "…"
"Wiz... You haven't unlocked any vulnerabilities yet... Did your stats break?"
Wiz shook her head rapidly.
"No! Chishiya-san!"
"It seriously worked on me!!!"
Wait...
Chishiya's brain suddenly kicked into gear.
It worked... on Wiz?
Wiz?!
Wiz clutched the bottle, eyes wide.
"Chishiya-san, I'm a lich!"
"Negative effect potions aren't supposed to affect me at all—!!!"
Chishiya: "!!!"
Oh, right!!!
Wiz was an undead king!
She was basically one of the top-tier combat powers in this world!
And these potions could debuff her?!
Then monsters around Axel were going to be melted like slime in summer!!!
Wiz looked up, eyes gleaming.
"Chishiya-san, where'd you get the ingredients for these potions?"
"They must've been crazy expensive!"
Chishiya shook his head.
He knew exactly where they came from.
The herbs were just standard medicinal weeds from inside the labyrinth.
As for why they worked so well?
Probably the effect of the labyrinth's potion tech.
But it didn't matter...
This was a business opportunity!
A massive, gleaming business opportunity!
He could already smell the money!!!
---
Adventurer's Guild – Axel
Several adventurers stood in front of the request board.
"Lately, monster sightings have really dropped off."
"Yeah, no more commissions either."
"I'm broke enough to start eating weeds."
The board only had difficult quests left.
Complaints were echoing across the guild.
"I was saving up to buy that Magic Air Conditioner everyone's talking about."
"Same here!"
"I just wanted to support the cute, broke shopkeeper."
"Wait... isn't it on sale again today?"
"…"
Silence fell.
The next moment.
The whole guild sprinted out the front door.
---
Back at the prop shop.
Still packed as always.
Magic Air Conditioners were still selling out in seconds.
"Everyone!"
Chishiya stood at the entrance, raising his hand to silence the crowd.
"I know you're all here for the new product."
"But our stock is limited."
"So the shop's introducing something new."
"A pre-sale campaign!"
As he clapped his hands, Wiz stepped out.
Dressed in a maid outfit.
White hair accessory, long hair tied back with a few strands by her ears, lace skirt brushing her thighs.
After a few days of practice, she looked more natural in it.
Still, certain parts were very... well emphasized.
Let's just say, it was illegal in five prefectures.
Wiz held up a specially made magic certificate.
She spoke softly.
"Customers interested in the product."
"After payment, you'll receive our shop's exclusive card."
"Write your information on it."
"Once stock arrives, we'll deliver it straight to your door."
For a moment, everyone just stared blankly at Wiz.
"Pre-sale?"
This was the first time they'd ever heard the word.
"Pay money without getting the item? Just a card? Are you kidding me?"
"What if they run off with the money?"
"Yeah! No product, no deal!"
Chishiya just smiled.
"Now now. No need to panic."
He knew this would happen.
This was another world, after all. They had no concept of advanced economic systems.
But pre-orders?
A method of making money that could change history.
Even without stock... he could still drain their wallets.
(To be continued.)