“You don’t need any crackers, do you?”
“We can’t waste them!”
“I-If you say so...”
Feeling pressured now, the Demon Lord carried out the cardboard boxes filled with crackers. As they were their emergency rations, there was a considerable amount.
“Tron, let’s take this to the center of the village!”
“Mm. Let’s.”
Carrying the cardboard boxes, they disappeared towards the center of the village. Tron was carrying a stack of about a dozen boxes with ease. This reinforced the Demon Lord’s suspicions that Tron wasn’t entirely human.
“Then... Let’s get to it.”
“Yes, Mister Secretary.”
“Craft Super Rare Item... Medical Supplies.”
The Demon Lord produced a box with a red cross on it from the pitch-black void. All he had to do was craft this with the Base.
“Evolve Base... Field Hospital.”
The box was sucked into the Base. Emanating bright light, the Base’s exterior morphed as they watched. A sparkly white building appeared in the middle of many large tents in camouflage. Inside the building were examination rooms, operating rooms, and space for private rooms. There were cots set up in the tents that surrounded the building. It truly did seem like a field hospital, but this had to be more than enough equipment.
“Mister Secretary. We should check inside to make sure everything is in order.”
“I agree.”
As the Demon Lord said this, Yu wrapped her arm around his, and he started sweating bullets. Was she trying to dissect him? While she couldn’t have done that if she’d tried, thanks to Assault Queller, the ability didn’t protect the Demon Lord from psychological terror.
When they stepped into the hospital, the Demon Lord was greeted with a familiar assortment of modern-day amenities. There was concrete structure, flooring, various medical equipment, a subtly life-saving air conditioner, the smell of disinfectant, and cabinets upon cabinets of medicine.
(There aren’t any power lines out here, but that doesn’t seem to matter...)
On one hand, this was only natural since the hospital was an item from the game. On the other hand, the Demon Lord just wanted to know how this was possible. He was prepared to produce a Generator if need be, but it didn’t seem like that was necessary. In the game, by the way, the Generator was not used to produce electricity, but only to revive dead vending machines in order to steal bottles of Juice from them. Since a bottle of Juice healed 20 HP, a Generator, which could net the player dozens of them, was an exciting find in the arena.
“Any problems, Yu?”
“None, sir. We can start taking patients today. But what should our prices be set at?”
This wasn’t an easy question to answer for the Demon Lord. In Holylight, the size of the economy and value of their currency varied drastically from region to region. In Aku’s village, people lived off of bronze coins and medallions. She had never seen even a silver coin, after all. In rural villages, bartering seemed to be common, which made it difficult to assess the worth of currency there.
“This will be tentative, but let’s adhere to what we’re used to. If that seems off with this world, we’ll adjust the price accordingly.”
“I see... In a world with completely different values and cultures as this one, I don’t think we have any option but trial and error.”
As he agreed with Yu, the Demon Lord reflected on his experiences in this world, trying to figure out a ballpark figure. A bronze coin seemed to be worth about 1USD, and a bronze medallion was 10. A silver coin seemed to be worth about 100 dollars, and the gold coin about 1000. As for the gold medallion, he couldn’t form a good guess at the moment. The value of a Holy Coin of Ramd, which was even more precious than a gold medallion, seemed to be fluid, changing with time and their supply in the market. In fact, there were many that collected the Holy Coins of Ramd. Some might aggressively buy them up, while others might liquidate their large collection. Someone unfamiliar with the market could burn themselves if they tried to make a quick buck. In short, they were like stocks.
“Treat the poor for little. We won’t make much trying to charge them, anyway. On the other hand, overcharge nobles as much as you can.”
“...Understood, sir.”
Yu really could heal any injury or illness. The Demon Lord felt no sympathy no matter how much he ripped off the rich. Yu could even cure diseases deemed incurable in modern-day Japan. Even if the price was set at the equivalent of a million dollars, there would be plenty of people willing to pay it. In any world, there were always the boundlessly rich growling over their bottomless hoard.
“Garner the support of the poor and rob the rich of their wealth... You have chosen a path directly opposite of the one you went in building the Empire, Mister Secretary.”
“How tedious it is to walk the same path twice. That is the definition of regression.”
The Demon Lord countered with some nonsense again. Of course, his thoughts didn’t run this deep. He only thought it best to take the money from those who actually had it. Besides, Yu was a scientist in pursuit of the potential for infinite evolution hidden within the human body. He had used the word regression precisely because it was one of the words she hated the most. His tactic seemed effective, as Yu wore a charmed smile and seemed to wholeheartedly agree.
“Yes. You and I, Mister Secretary... are always bonded so tightly by the belief we share.”
“H-Hm...”
He couldn’t help but feel a little spark at Yu’s smile.
(How is she this cute...? I don’t remember her character being like this.)
Yu Kirino, as designed by the Demon Lord, was a mad scientist who dissected people to her heart’s content, cackling along the way. She felt pleasure from watching her subjects in pain.
(Does it have to do with being in a different world...? Well, we’ve got plenty of time. I’ll keep an eye on her for a while.)
Leaving the hospital, the Demon Lord began preparations to build his hot springs resort.
Hot Springs Resort
(Hot springs right next to the hospital... Pretty ingenious, if I do say so myself.)
A recuperation center, he could call it.
After building a new Base and taking out all of the crackers, he used Waters of Ogaki, a Super Rare item, to complete the Hot Springs Resort. A giant, dignified three-story structure. The ground floor held the baths, a communal hall, and a dining room, while the second and third floors housed the rooms for guests to stay in. Since it also had outdoor baths attached, the entire resort was surrounded by a thick brush of bamboo trees. It was a sight reminiscent of the traditional beauties of Japan.
(Bamboo... It almost feels nostalgic.)
This epitome of a traditional Japanese inn was a calming sight for the Demon Lord, but he wondered how it would come across to the inhabitants of this world. Things of beauty and culture held something in common across the globe, but across worlds could very well be a different story. He struggled to imagine the reception.
“Th-There’s something amazing all of the sudden... Hoppity.”
“I’m so confused, hippity.”
The Bunnies started making a commotion upon seeing the resort. Seeing Kyon and Momo, the Demon Lord concealed his slimy grin. These two bunnies had attractive faces and curvy bodies. Perfect for customer service. The most impressive facility in the world was no use if its employees looked jaded.
(Now I could really use his help...)
The Demon Lord had no real knowledge of customer service or the service industry. He made up his mind to summon his jack-of-all-trades advisor and have him do all of the employee training instead. They didn’t have enough time not to delegate responsibilities... At least, that was his excuse.
“You two. Once you’re done with the day’s work, gather all of the villagers here.”
“What, for... Hoppity?”
“In order to show guests around and answer their questions, it’s
critical that you all experience it for yourselves. Bath time.”
“Bath...? If we were human nobles, maybe we could afford that luxury, hippity.”
The two Bunnies remained confused by the concept. In this world, the best they could hope for was to wipe down with a wet towel once in a while. Washing up head to toe in the rain was always a commoner’s highlight of the season. If taking a cold bath was the most luxurious activity imaginable to them, taking a hot bath would blow their minds. Even in Japan, during the olden days, baths were warmed by a wood fire, kept going by somebody blowing at it. Considering the effort it took to warm a bath, most didn’t dare dream of taking a bath every day in their poor and laborious conditions. Collecting firewood took a lot of effort, and Fire Spell Stones were expensive.
(I could reserve the resort for the nobles, and make a public bath for the commoners.)
While the Public Bath was a strict downgrade from the Hot Springs Resort, it could be crafted with a Kanda River, an Advanced item, rather than a Super Rare item. Since it healed far less HP than the Hot Springs Resort, players seldom created it in the game.
(Alright. I’ll open the public bath at a cheap rate for the commoners. If I only charge like three bronze coins to get in, I bet they’ll flock.)
The Demon Lord decided to make an entirely new Base, not for profit, but so everyone could enjoy a nice bath. In contrast to the resort, the Public Bath only contained a changing room, large communal bath, and a water bath. He expected this to be a hit with the commoners.
“By the way, I’m going to tear down all of your houses soon, and build new ones.”
“What!? But you can’t... Hoppity!”
“Mr. Suit... You’re our savior, but that’s not fair, hippity.”
“Who’re you calling Mr. Suit!? You make me sound like I’m some Wall Street jackass!”
The Demon Lord couldn’t help but break character in response to Momo’s quip. It looked like Momo had no filter, which might be well received by customers with a niche for that sort of thing. Considering that there will be a bunch of nobles coming to the village, it would be important to set up a nice view around the facility sometime down the road. Eventually, he planned to move the farms, too, and reshape the entire village.
(Since I’m eventually going to set up a casino, as well.)
Two of the evolved Bases were the Casino and the Underground Casino. In the game, players could enjoy games of poker and other card games, games of dice, and sit at slot and Pachinko machines. Decent entertainment for the filthy rich, and a great side income for the Demon Lord. Throughout history, in any form of gambling, the house always won. The Demon Lord’s future Casino would, of course, be no exception.
“Heh heh heh... Hah ha ha ha ha! It just keeps getting better, doesn’t it!?”
“Mr. Suit is scary... Hoppity.”
“Mr. Suit’s broken, hippity.”
And so, three modern-day facilities, the Field Hospital, Hot Springs Resort, and Public Bath were set to open in the village of Rabbi. A giant leap for them, indeed.
——Later that night.
“Please, everyone, take a can each!”
“Working hard. Handing them out... Chomp chomp.”
Aku and Tron had cracked open the cardboard boxes and started handing out cans of crackers. One of them was evidently helping herself as she did so. The Bunnies had been watching curiously at first, but as soon as they had tried one of the crackers, their rabbit ears wagged. It was actually hard to tell at first glance whether they were happy or angry.
(Are they serious? Feeding our future employees some dry crackers?)
Fearing the backlash, the Demon Lord skulked away and lit a cigarette at the entrance to the village. These crackers, to him, were an emergency ration. Not something he would ever be proud to give his employees. Not only was this concern ungrounded, but completely misplaced. The best food the working class in this country could hope for was hard black loaves. Many of them often ate the nearly-inedible variety of black loaves, which were hard as rocks. On the side, they had soup with a little bit of beans or some vegetable chunks, and that was on a good day. In wealthier farming villages, they could dine on chicken eggs or meat once in a while, but that wasn’t an option at the village of Rabbi, as they hardly interacted with other villages.
“So sweet and soft... Hoppity!”
“This is a dessert... Hippity.”
As it was an emergency ration, this kind of cracker was very nutritious. There was even some rock candy in the cans to help replenish glucose and encourage saliva production. In this world, where only the richest of the rich could experience sweetness, these crackers were a delicacy.
Hearing the commotion of the Bunnies from the entrance of the village, the Demon Lord shrunk his head into his shoulders. Even his cigarette hand was shaking a little.
(I knew they’d be pissed! I’ve got to come up with a plan to feed them, too... My plan’s down the drain if I have a worker’s strike on my hands!)
While the Demon Lord was tormented by completely misplaced fears, the Bunnies at the center of the village were about to take their bath.
Yu, teach the Bunnies some bathing etiquette and give them a tour of the facility. I’ve got to take care of something!
Y-Yes sir... I’ll be awaiting your return.
With a hurried Communication to Yu, the Demon Lord packed in a hurry. Slapping his own cheeks, he amped himself up.
“It all starts with money! I’ve got to make some money. An initial investment. While I’m at it, I’ve gotta go figure out the food issue, too. And get some uniforms for the employees.”
As the time-tested paradox goes, you need to spend money to make money. As it turned out, this seemed to be an inter-dimensional truth.
Quick Travel: The Town of Yahooo.
In his hand, the Demon Lord held a Music Box, a Novice item he had instinctively created. Back in the game, it was a garbage item players could throw around. Its Attack? A respectable 1. And, of course, it could only be thrown once per item. An utterly useless weapon.
The Demon Lord’s remaining SP — 1084.
The Dancing Scam Artist and the Gold Medallions
——Gonald McBonald’s shop in the city of Yahooo.
“This... What sort of magical item is this!?”
McBonald’s eyes were spread wide in astonishment as soon as the Demon Lord ceremoniously set the music box on the table and wound it up. By some power he couldn’t comprehend, the box was playing a tune that tugged at his heartstrings. Somehow, the melody summoned to the mind a nostalgic landscape... all the while enveloping McBonald with serenity, even nearly bringing him to tears.
“Please, hold your applause. There are two more keys for this box.”
Inserting a different colored key, the Demon Lord rhythmically wound the box up. This time, an upbeat tune rang through the room, drawing a smile across McBonald’s face.
“Is this another piece from across the sea!?”
“Indeed. In my country, we would play these during winter nights... and enjoy a glass of wine. A trend among those with distinguished taste.”
“This is an amazing piece... No instruments. No musicians. I can’t believe we can enjoy music like this so easily.”
“At balls or parties, of course, you must still want live musicians. But to entertain only yourself, or a small group of people? This is much less intimidating and far more efficient. Not to mention, you can take this anywhere. A bit tactless to walk around town with a band in tow, don’t you think?”
McBonald agreed, as if the Demon Lord had taken the words out of his mouth. Some nobles did ceremoniously carry bands in tow, and even traveled with them to vacations. As if that boosted their status as a noble... This was a ridiculous sight, even to McBonald.
“So, for this piece... how much do you ask, sir?”
“I would prefer you to assess its value, Mister McBonald.”
McBonald widened his eyes and swallowed some spit. The thing
he was being asked to price was so unlike anything he had seen before. If his assessment was off the mark, the Demon Lord may cut him off as a business partner. McBonald shuddered at the thought. Everything this man brought in was full of wonders. This was a customer he wasn’t willing to part with.
“I’m sure it is a very valuable piece in your country too, Mister Kunai...”
“The value of an art piece completely varies by who sees it or holds it, don’t you think?”
McBonald tried to sneak a hint out of him, but the Demon Lord dodged the question. Not in the way that said he didn’t want to be quoted, but in a way that said he was testing the shopkeeper. That’s how the Demon Lord came across to McBonald, anyway. After mulling it over for a while, McBonald braced himself, and squeezed the words out:
“To be honest, I have no idea how much this piece would sell for if put on auction...”
“Hm. Do you think it will go for a considerable price?”
“Of course! There would be plenty of buyers who would pay for such a magical piece!”
“I see... Then, how would you set the starting price for this piece at an auction?”
Here we go, McBonald thought. Give the wrong answer now, the Demon Lord was sure to take the piece elsewhere. Art dealers were a dime a dozen, after all. A mistake now could very well cost him all of the possible future deals with this man. McBonald made up his mind and gave a significant price. He would actually make this the starting price, he thought.
“I would start no lower than fifteen gold medallions. Anyone who can’t pay that much for a piece like this doesn’t deserve a seat at the auction house.”
Hearing this, the Demon Lord closed his eyes. Piercing silence continued. McBonald couldn’t tell how long the silence lasted before the Demon Lord finally spoke with reverence.
“...You do have a discerning eye. I like to think I do, too, since I’ve found you.”
The Demon Lord said as he stood, and thrust his hand out. As they shook hands, McBonald was nearly brought to tears. He had earned the trust of the strange traveler from across the sea. Considering that he had some sort of close relationship with a Holy Maiden, after all, McBonald was convinced that the man in front of him was a noble from a distant nation. Not to mention that he possessed a mountain of rare items.
Demon Lord, Retry! Volume 2 Page 5
