The Issuance of the Development Order

"Black Pearls can already be mass-produced? You mean they're like the Sapphire Family's pearl oysters, capable of continuously producing white pearls?"

Levis asked in surprise.

Rolia, seated beside him, played with several Black Pearls smaller than ping-pong balls that Liszt had brought out. "Levis, the Black Pearl protective pendant you gave me back then was made from this kind of Black Pearl, wasn't it? And that enormous Black Pearl—was it the same variety too?"

Levis nodded. "That's right, Rolia."

A faint smile rested on Liszt's face. "The wedding gift I gave you—the Black Pearl capable of forcefully dispersing wind-elemental magic within a radius of two to three hundred meters—the gift Levis gave you back then, and these Black Pearls are all the same variety. They come from the sea monster Black Giant Clam."

Levis could not help complaining, "But when you sold me those Black Pearls, you said they couldn't be mass-produced and were rare items!"

"They were indeed rare items at the time. But after my continued exploration of the ocean, I finally discovered a stretch of sea inhabited by Black Giant Clams. Thus, Black Pearls became a specialty of my territory."

"You're not planning to sell Black Pearls to me at the original price again, are you?"

"Brother, those two Black Pearls were expensive back then because rarity makes things precious, but you cannot deny that their inherent value was already extremely high. And even if Black Giant Clams have become a specialty of the territory, their output is still very limited. They remain scarce goods."

"What price are you planning to ask?"

"I actually wasn't planning to sell them to you. Of course, if you wish to buy them, then so long as the price is right, I can offer an appropriate discount." Liszt casually solicited some