Different Sales Strategies

Angell and Thornmoon finally reached an agreement:

The rental game tables would be priced at the Workshop's rate, with a floor of 100 cents per session. Thornmoon would receive a 20-cent commission, and he would determine the rental method and pricing. If he negotiated a higher sales amount with the venue owners (for example, 150 cents per session), the surplus (50 cents/session) would belong to Thornmoon. However, Angell would dictate how many game tables were provided each month and how many had to be stocked. Furthermore, Thornmoon would be responsible for the maintenance, repairs, and replacement of the "Magic Crystal Boxes," while the Workshop would handle the relevant personnel training.

This contract was unexpectedly generous, making Thornmoon wonder if Angell had some ulterior motive.

But Thornmoon could not refuse.

The terms were simply too favorable.

Ultimately, with a sense of trepidation, Thornmoon signed the magical agency contract with Angell.

After Thornmoon left, the Argumentative Cat finally couldn't help but speak up:

"I remember in your original plan, didn't you limit the rental locations to those that could guarantee at least 300 uses per day, meow?"

Only then could they ensure (in the eyes of outsiders) that every game table would break even.

"That was a compromise for when we were short-handed," Angell replied. "Now that we have Little Blood, I think we can be bolder. With the assistance of the 'Street Volunteer Committee,' I believe it's more cost-effective to trade the losses of a few game tables for widespread distribution. Once every street corner has a Magic Gear game table, it will be equivalent to us occupying the platform, making it difficult for anyone else to muscle in."

But the biggest problem with this plan was the existence of a strong agent.

"Hmph, you trust that Blood Elf quite a bit, meow?" Mithril asked, sounding strange.

"It's not trust; it's aligned interests." Angell rubbed his eyes, which were framed by heavy dark circles. "That kid's shadow is much cleaner than I imagined, which means he's likely telling the truth. It can't be easy for such a naive leader to support an organization, so giving him a clean way to earn money is enough to make him sell his life to me..."

Wait a second. When he was studying the uses of the Blood Pact as a child, hadn't he tricked Little Blood into signing half of a Blood Pact?

...Well, never mind that. Back then, he didn't know any better and treated it like the simple mechanics in a game. In reality, that was something that shouldn't even be used on enemies, let alone allies.

Angell thought for a moment and decided to act as if that had never happened.

He said nonchalantly, "Besides, we still decide the shipment numbers. If the losses are too high, we can just call a stop to it."

"Who is 'we' with you?!"

Mithril heard what it wanted to hear, turned its little head away, and presented its rear to Angell.

Angell froze, only then realizing that Mithril was still angry.

"No way, you aren't really that petty, are you?" Angell said, shocked. "That was so many years ago! Hasn't your fur grown back completely? Besides, I haven't even dwelled on the fact that you didn't actually remember who I was at all!"

"You think that's something to be proud of, don't you?!" Mithril was thoroughly enraged.

It extended its sharp claws toward Angell.

Angell leaned back.

He decided to compromise with his feline master.

"I'm sorry," Angell said, bowing his head to Mithril. "I was young and ignorant back then (a lie), and I did things I shouldn't have. Please forgive me! I'll buy you some Dried Fish later."

"Who likes Dried Fish! Do you think you're Enlise, meow?"

"Then how about Demon World Catnip? I have special channels in the Mage Tower and can get some!" Angell pleaded. "I'm sorry, Mithril, I really need you!"

"I see you were quite eloquent with that Blood Elf; you can handle it alone, meow." Mithril said this, but its tone had clearly softened.

Angell couldn't detect such subtle changes in tone; he was genuinely anxious.

Angell rested his head on the table, facing the Argumentative Cat's rear: "Little Blood is an acquaintance, but the others aren't! If I have to talk to too many strangers over a period of time, I'll die!"

In fact, just thinking about it made him want to drag a small blanket over himself and hide!

Seeing this, Mithril made its counteroffer: "Hmph, meow, just catnip isn't enough! I also want Dried Fish, the kind that's purely natural from the Magma River on the Fourth Layer of the Demon World!" A mature cat, of course, wants both!

"Fine!"

"And you have to build me a cat climbing frame, a super-sized one, bigger than the one those little brats in the dormitory use!"

"Didn't you say last time that you didn't want... fine, I'll go order a super-sized one right now!"

"Also—"

Mithril dragged out the sound, staring at Angell.

Actually, it felt that was about enough, but Angell had agreed so readily that Mithril felt somewhat unsatisfied, as if Angell hadn't truly reflected on his actions.

You have to realize, it had lost a whole chunk of fur back then!

It hadn't dared to see anyone for several years!

Mithril looked Angell up and down and finally had an idea: "Also, when we see the guests in a little while, you must do exactly as I say!"

"...Okay?" Angell replied uncertainly.

Angell shivered, suddenly feeling that something was wrong.

In fact, now that Thornmoon had been selected as the agent, a large portion of the merchants could be handed over to him to handle.

But there were some particularly important guests that Angell could not avoid.

For example, Leisiphia Roy.

This Young Lady's pride had the capital to back it up. As long as her family remained stable, she would always be a presence above the clouds, with no need to look down at anyone, and everyone was required to give her special treatment.

Just like now, after the first floor of the Alchemy Workshop had been completely renovated, the window-side area remained vacant, allowing the Young Lady to place the carpet, table, chairs, tea set, and even the china cabinet she brought herself, effectively separating her from the commoners.

Angell had no intention of correcting the Young Lady's mindset.

After all, she was merely a guest.

Moreover, if such a Young Lady were to interact with ordinary people, it would only lead to her unhappiness, and theirs as well.

Therefore, when such a Young Lady said she "wanted" something, even though Angell had already decided on a rental-only strategy and had no intention of selling any game tables, he had no choice but to throw open the gates and welcome her with open arms.

An hour after Thornmoon had departed, the Young Lady arrived at the second-floor reception room of the Alchemy Workshop right on schedule.

A black cat was sitting on the carpet at the entrance, waiting to greet her.

Leisiphia recognized this cat as the leader of all the Receptionist Cats; she had seen it hiding in the dark corners of the shop several times, only to watch passing cats bow respectfully toward it.

However, the black cat was not as cold and distant as usual; instead, it spoke in an exaggerated tone, "Welcome, noble Miss Roy. Your arrival is an honor for both me and my master."

As it spoke, it lowered its head, and a black-robed mage stepped out from the reception room.

Oh my, how handsome!

Leisiphia felt her eyes light up.

The mage before her had his raven-cyan bangs neatly combed back, revealing a delicate and handsome face. Although his gaze was somewhat intimidating and there were unhealthy dark circles under his eyes, the beauty of his features made his gloomy temperament appear mysterious instead. Not to mention his tall, upright posture, slender waist, and long, straight legs—set off by a physique that acted like a clothes hanger, even the overly somber black robe looked dashing. The alchemist's pendant decorated with the Star and Moon Pattern outside the robe only deepened his aura.

Upon seeing the appearance of this black-robed figure, even the servants who had initially opposed Leisiphia getting close to him showed expressions of admiration, before lowering their gazes, no longer daring to look too long.

Leisiphia spoke in a dignified tone:

"Good day, new master of the workshop. I am pleased to see the Magic Gear has resumed operation. As a daughter of the Roy House, I represent my family in offering congratulations on the workshop's rebirth."

The Young Lady lifted her skirt and bowed in a formal gesture, and the servants behind her presented the opening gifts.

In truth, whether or not to give a gift had been a last-minute decision.

Although, in theory, an Intermediate Mage was worthy of a king's salute, in the Magic Era, this courtesy was strictly distinguished by the mage's status, lineage, upbringing, field of research, and achievements.

Leisiphia had been raised with such an education.

Especially as the future Crown Princess Consort, aesthetics, appreciation, and the ability to read people were essential items in her repertoire.

Since Leisiphia had greeted Angell with the status of a noble, what followed would be a "decent transaction between high-class people."

Of course, this was exactly what Angell wanted.

Since he had to make an exception to sell the game table—which was not for sale—to this noble Young Lady, how could he not offer her a special package?

Angell signaled for another Receptionist Cat to take the gift and nodded slightly at the Young Lady.

"Apologies, my master is not accustomed to speaking, so I shall convey his intentions from here on," Mithril said. It leaped nimbly onto Angell's slightly extended arm and raised its heterochromatic eyes to look at Leisiphia: "Please forgive us."

"It is quite alright," Leisiphia smiled.

She did not find it strange at all.

After all, there were all sorts of eccentrics among mages; the royal court's Grand Mage wore his sleeping robe all day long. A black robe's quirks were nothing major.

Especially since she was being hosted by such a cute black cat, that made it even less of an issue.

Leisiphia did not know that Angell was currently stiff as a board.

My forehead feels so empty!

The bangs that usually covered it had been combed up, leaving it feeling bare and chilly, making it impossible for him to settle his mind.

My vision is too clear!

Usually, his bangs acted as a defensive line, allowing him to avoid direct eye contact, but that wasn't possible now. The gaze from across the room was terrifying!

The collar, the waist, and the legs are all bound so uncomfortably!

Why would anyone be willing to wear such anti-human clothing?! Aren't robes better? Loose, comfortable, you can just slip any body type into them. If you're in a good mood, you don't even have to wear anything underneath, and since the black robe covers it, it doesn't count as indecent exposure. But this outfit? It has ties, belts, leather boots, and there are even straps on my thighs and arms! What kind of hellish SM fetish is this?! I feel like I'm being clamped by a mousetrap! Isn't it uncomfortable to wear this stuff all day long?!

And those jingling decorations on the outside!

Which pervert came up with this?! They're shiny like they're trying to attract crows, and they clatter with the slightest movement, even getting tangled together. Because of this, I have to maintain an "elegant" posture at all times. Is this a torture device? This is definitely a torture device! Do alchemists really hang this stuff on themselves every day?

Angell was full of regret now.

To say he was extremely regretful would be an understatement.

Had he known Mithril would make him wear such stupid clothes, he would have preferred to talk to Leisiphia face-to-face...

Just as he was thinking this, Angell's gaze met Leisiphia's. Facing the curious eyes of the young girl, who was actually only a year older than Enlise, Angell exerted great effort to keep from looking away.

Cannot look away, absolutely must not look away.

These "decent people" are all like grizzly bears; if you show weakness, you're finished!

But it's so terrifying!

This is why I hate strangers the most!

The little person in Angell's heart was wailing, wishing he could curl up in his room with a small pillow. Only the tiny gaps between his mountains of books were where he felt most at peace.

Fortunately, nothing showed on his face. On the contrary, his dark pupils appeared even deeper due to his foul mood.

Leisiphia looked as if she had seen something restricted, blushing and turning her gaze away first.

At this moment, Mithril asked:

"Miss Roy, I hear you are interested in our Magic Item?"

Leisiphia's attention was immediately diverted.

After all, no matter how handsome a Black Mage might be, she couldn't exactly take one home to keep as a pet, but the Game Table was something she had been longing for for over a month—it was something she was determined to buy.

However, Leisiphia had been raised to never express her preferences too eagerly.

"I heard you aren't planning to sell those products?" Leisiphia asked.

"Test units are, of course, not for sale," Mithril said, sounding quite honest. "But those test units were unexpectedly popular, so my benevolent master decided to lease them to interested Players so they could play, which also serves as promotion for our Workshop."

"Test units... does that mean there is a 'Standard Edition'?" Leisiphia asked.

"Yes, Miss."

Mithril flicked its tail, and Angell raised his arm. A stack of documents fluttered up from the desk like butterflies, landing before Leisiphia.

Before Leisiphia even opened them, illusions of the four seasons appeared above the pages.

"Clever Miss, you must have noticed that although the Workshop's Game Table is divided into four themes—Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Spring—it is actually a complete product. We only split it up to test its performance. It is, in fact, a complete game, even containing a full story; what you see is merely a part of it," Mithril said. "But cramming such vast content into cheap equipment was extremely difficult. Coupled with some ill-intentioned onlookers, we were forced to split it up and test each part separately."

"So, only by buying the official version can one play the complete game?"

Leisiphia asked, curiously poking the phantom of a small bird on the document with her finger. Her enthusiastic expression was identical to Enlise's.

In the face of games, there was no distinction between nobles and commoners.

Angell had no intention of using game content to differentiate between Players either.

"No, no, Miss Roy, you misunderstand. The official version will also be released by the Workshop in the near future. Of course, there are requirements for eligibility—this is the Workshop's next activity plan, and unfortunately, I cannot disclose it to you," the Black Cat said.

But for the wealthy, it was only natural that spending money could grant certain custom services.

After all, Angell needed money to develop new games!

Mithril used its paw to flip through the documents in front of Leisiphia: "But as you know, as a Magic Item, even if the functions are the same, the materials used in production affect the final result."

"First, what you see is the Standard Edition Game Table. Its materials are roughly the same as the test units you saw in the Workshop, made of ordinary Mana-conductive metal. The Magic Crystal Box has limited capacity, which means guests must frequently purchase our Workshop's special Magic Crystal Boxes to replace them. It's not too expensive, about ten silver a month. The Rune Core inside is made of standard material with limited storage—meow, that's a new definition, you'll understand when you play later—and the Rune Core is permanently fixed to the Game Table, so it cannot be replaced even if there are new games in the future."

Leisiphia moved that page aside without even looking at it.

She was only willing to listen to Mithril's chatter because it was such a cute Cat.

"Next, I would highly recommend the Deluxe Edition Game Table. You must have noticed that its appearance is different from the Standard Edition; it is a standalone form. One table can only be played by one person, but it can be linked for operation with others!"

Leisiphia paused because of the Game Table on the second document.

This Game Table was somewhat similar in style to the "Judgment Seat" she had seen next to the Arena in the Workshop today, but it was individual and exquisitely crafted, from the fine curves of the table to the uniqueness of its design.

Moreover, unlike the bulky Game Table from before, the compact "Judgment Seat" wouldn't take up much space in a room. Even if placed in her own bedroom, it could cleverly blend in with the interior decor.

—Though, playing in the bedroom would surely invite lectures from the butler and nanny, wouldn't it?

Leisiphia thought with distress.

Mithril noticed Leisiphia's interest and added: "The Deluxe Edition Game Table is not only special in appearance, but its material is precious Magic Crystal Ore. The energy conductivity is one-to-one, and the Magic Crystal Box has high energy storage, requiring replacement only once every six months. Our Workshop will also provide professional after-sales service; while replacing the Magic Crystal Box, we will also maintain the Game Table. Furthermore, its Rune Core is custom-made, capable of storing an unlimited number of units."

"Hmm—" Leisiphia was noncommittal.

She didn't actually care about after-sales service; she'd just replace it once she got bored of it anyway!

This one already had her quite interested.

However, before Leisiphia could speak, Mithril pulled out the third page of documents.

This was the main event!

The first two were merely a setup for Leisiphia, intended to make her aware of their existence and facilitate future "sales."

"This final model is a special Custom Edition," Mithril said. "We provide several types of shells here, which guests can choose from at will, and we can perform modifications based on that—"

"I want this one!" Leisiphia decided.

Mithril froze.

It still had a long list of feature introductions and discount conditions to go through!

This was the item Angell had specifically designated to be sold to Leisiphia. Because the requirements were so outrageous, Mithril had felt it was nearly impossible to achieve, so it had spent many days meticulously preparing, thinking of countless clever explanations just for today's uphill battle.

But... it was already a success?

Mithril looked blank, struggling to accept the reality.

It took several seconds before it managed to say, "But, this price is very high, and it is limited edition. Some materials even require you, the guest, to actively source them before we can craft it for you, and the production time is not short..."

"Materials? That is to be expected," Leisiphia said, looking at the phantom of the Game Table on the third page as if she couldn't put it down.

This was the Game Table that suited her, Leisiphia!

As the Young Lady of the Roy House, how could she use the same things as everyone else?

She had already decided how she would modify it!

As for alchemy materials and the like, it was basically common business sense for guests to provide their own materials for special Magic Items.

Mithril, however, was highly skeptical of the Young Lady's breezy attitude: "Those are some very expensive alchemical materials!"

"What exactly is included?" The question this time came from the maid standing behind Leisiphia.

She wore a pair of glasses and appeared both stern and highly learned.

"...It's on the fifth page."

Leisiphia pulled out the fifth page of materials and handed it to the maid.

The maid looked it over and nodded at Leisiphia.

"In that case, I have decided on this Game Table," Leisiphia said happily. "By the way, how long is this 'not short' production time you mentioned? If it can be built within five months, I am willing to provide double the materials."

"You are truly generous..." Mithril twitched as he spoke.

But there were still important things left unsaid!

You bought it so decisively, what am I, this cat, supposed to do?

Mithril flicked his tail, wanting to force a transition, but Angell did not follow Mithril's prompted actions this time. Instead, he spoke up suddenly:

"Five months... were you born under the blessing of the Holy Spirit Fairy?"

The deep male voice echoed through the reception room, and Leisiphia and her maids looked toward Angell as if they had been struck by the sound.

Leisiphia blinked, taking a moment to understand what Angell was asking.

Her face flushed slightly again: "Ye-yes... my birthday is in five months, and I wanted to receive the Game Table by then."

"Of course," Angell nodded. "As my first guest, you shall also receive a special gift... I will include it with the item you requested as a blessing from Cecilia to the Roy House."

"Really?!" Leisiphia asked excitedly.

Leisiphia would not normally be excited over a gift.

As the future Crown Princess Consort and the Young Lady of the Roy House, she received countless gifts every birthday.

But Angell was certainly different.

He was the master of the Magic Gear, the mysterious Black Mage! The gift he gave would surely be unique.

Especially...

A blessing from Cecilia to the Roy House!

Was that not the legend from the war that defined the Abyss, where Grand Mage Cecilia bestowed a magical blessing upon the Hero ancestor of the Roy House? That Roy ancestor had defeated the Demon King, married the Princess, and become one of the most important pillars of the Central Kingdom!

For Leisiphia, who was to marry the Prince, there could be no better omen than this!

It was only when the bespectacled maid behind Leisiphia coughed twice that Leisiphia finally calmed down.

She smiled reservedly: "I look forward to it very much."