The God of Business

Alona, having finished the meeting, briskly exited the royal palace.

Her long green hair swayed with her every movement. Though her face remained composed, there was an underlying tension in her expression.

“Guildmaster.”

At the entrance of the palace, where the wagons waited, a guild official was waiting for her. Several documents were in his hands.

“What’s the situation?”

Alona asked as she climbed into the wagon. The guild official quickly followed her in.

“For now, we have sent a request for cooperation to the Adventurer’s Guilds in each city. We have dispatched messengers to three cities in the eastern region, with Iushil as the center.”

“Well done.”

“As for the dungeon’s grade, we have provisionally set it as ‘Gold Grade,’ but…”

The official trailed off, looking troubled.

“Is there a problem?”

“To be frank, we could not determine the exact situation inside the dungeon.”

The official unfolded the documents in his hand. Written there was the roughly estimated grade of the dungeon.

“So, the issue is that we cannot provide any information to the adventurers…”

“tsk”.

Alona clicked her tongue. Still, the determination to succeed no matter what flashed across her face.

“Mobilize as many scouting units as possible. Somehow, we have to find out about the inside of the dungeon and inform the adventurers.”

At Alona’s words, the official beside her nodded anxiously.

“No matter what, we have to make this a success.”

It had been two months since she became the Guildmaster of the Belhaim Adventurer’s Guild.

There were still many within the guild who doubted her.

Because she was too young, because she lacked experience.

Some of the veteran officials even openly voiced their complaints.

That was why this was her opportunity.

A chance to secure her position as Guildmaster.

But there was simply too little information.

If only there was a way to know about the inside of the dungeon without entering.

She knew. There was no such method.

In reality, if someone had the ability to uncover “dungeon information,” that person could rake in money hand over fist.

* * *

Many people have thought this at some point.

If I could go back in time, I’d just buy stocks or coins and hold onto them.

Everyone knows. Returning to the past is impossible, and so is buying past stocks or coins.

But for me now, such a thing has become reality.

Clink.

As I set down the armful of potion bottles I’d bought, the sound of glass touching glass rang out.

“U-ugh…”

Likewise, miriam, who had been carrying a box filled with potion bottles behind me.

She set down the box and let out a groan.

“We’re still far from the wagon. Hang in there, miriam.”

“Uuugh… It’s so heavy!”

“Heavy or not, it has to be carried.”

Pressed into labor, miriam looked at me with a tearful face.

Even with that look, my resolve didn’t waver. Perhaps realizing that, miriam pointed at the potion bottles and asked,

“But, what are these for?”

Miriam plucked a bottle and shook it. Inside, a thick, cement-colored gray liquid sloshed about.

“It’s a Petrification Cure Potion.”

“A… Petrification Cure?”

“That’s right.”

I reached out to Miriam, and she handed me the potion she was holding.

Petrification Cure Potion

Grade: Common

【Petrification Cure】 2

The effect of this potion is simple.

It helps relieve the ‘Petrification’ status ailment. That’s it.

“… Why do you have so many Petrification Cure potions?”

Miriam tilted her head, looking at the crate filled with potions.

It would look odd to anyone.

‘Petrification’ was not a typical status ailment.

Unlike common ones like ‘Poison’ or ‘Burn,’ there weren’t many monsters who inflicted it, and therefore Petrification Cure Potions were among the slowest sellers.

“Is there a reason? At this quantity, it seems like you bought out all the Petrification Cure potions in Iushil.”

“I probably did.”

“Wow…”

Miriam mumbled blankly, as if at a loss.

“Even for a niche potion, that must have cost quite a bit.”

Did it cost a bit? That’s an understatement.

I poured in all the money I had.

It was to the extent that, in about five days, I might not even have enough for lodging at the Bearded Cat inn.

“Is there really a reason for buying these?”

“Miriam.”

“Yes?”

Still looking puzzled, miriam listened as I said,

“This is a coin.”

“A… coin?”

“A Petrification Coin.”

She looked even more confused, failing to grasp what I meant.

“This petrification potion is going to make me a huge amount of money.”

“… How?”

How?

“By holding out.”

“H-holding out?”

Ah.

People here probably don’t know what ‘holding’ means.

“When the time comes.”

“Oh…”

Miriam fell into thought, then brushed her hair back and spoke hesitantly.

“You mean, there’ll come a time when these potions become expensive?”

I looked at her.

She’s smart. Honestly, what she just said is exactly the basis of ‘holding.’

Stick with it long enough?

They’ll get more valuable, eventually.

The Petrification Coin is only going to go up from here.

“But do you know exactly when that time will be?”

“That, uh…”

I was about to say that I knew,

But the words caught in my throat.

It’s certain that Petrification Cure Potions will spike in price.

The Lagmor Mountain dungeon near Belhaim is deeply connected with ‘petrification.’

But, when does the volcano erupt again?

As far as I recall, the volcano has to erupt for the dungeon inside to be revealed.

“… You don’t actually know when, do you?”

Miriam hit the nail on the head again.

“If you’re buying just thinking it’ll definitely go up… isn’t that a risky bet?”

“Miriam.”

Her words pierced my heart, but it didn’t matter.

“I am invincible, and Petrification Cure Potions are divine.”

“… What?”

“From now on, any attack on the petrification potion is an attack on me. Miriam.”

“What do you even…”

Petrification Potion Coin will surely win.

“What will you do if you never get a chance to sell them?”

Miriam asked.

What if Petrification Cure Potions never make it big?

That’s simple.

I’ll just die. That’s that.

* * *

The fact that there was a dungeon on Mount Lagmor had not yet been announced to the public.

The idea that a dungeon could appear together with a volcanic eruption was enough to stoke fear among the citizens.

However, some adventurers already knew a dungeon had formed at “Mount Lagmor.”

One of them was the ‘Platinum Grade’ adventurer party, “Golden Wind.”

“A Platinum party, I see, so you’ve got personal connections.”

The branch manager of the Iushil Adventurer’s Guild, Blaz, looked at the man sitting before him.

Gleaming golden hair swept back, the man approached his chair with the confidence of someone stepping onto a stage.

Sharp eyes.

A self-assured smile curved his lips, his body clad in golden armor. This was Leonhart.

Leonhart was the outstanding adventurer who led the “Golden Wind,” a Platinum Grade adventurer party.

“To have reached ‘Platinum Grade’ in such a short time… No wonder the Adventurer’s Guild fawns over you.”

“There’s no need to praise me so much, Mr. Blaz. It’s not that I’m great… the other adventurers have merely been lacking.”

His tone was full of arrogance. But Blaz could not mock him.

‘Platinum Grade’ was the highest rank an adventurer party could achieve. In reality, there were only a handful who’d ever reached this.

Leonhart was the leader of a party that had made it to ‘Platinum Grade’ in the shortest time.

If arrogance came from him, it amounted to confidence.

“So then, why have you come to see me?”

“Hm.”

Leonhart snorted at Blaz’s question and flicked his hair with a hand.

“As you may know, Mr. Blaz, a dungeon was discovered at Mount Lagmor.”

“I know. They say it’s at least Gold Grade in danger.”

Blaz’s expression darkened.

“In fact, there’s even a chance it may become an abyssal dungeon.”

“That’s just the right level of challenge for us.”

The right level of challenge.

At that, Blaz slowly raised his head and looked at Leonhart.

“So, does that mean you’re accepting the request?”

“Of course. Who else but a ‘Platinum party’ like us could take such a big job?”

A Platinum party.

Blaz gave a sigh of relief at hearing that Golden Wind would take the request.

They were the highest grade party. That didn’t guarantee they’d conquer every dungeon, but it was enough to boost the morale of all others.

“Reassuring. Even the Royal Palace will welcome your participation.”

“Hahahaha!”

“So, leonhart. Where are your companions?”

“Hahahah!”

At Blaz’s question, leonhart just kept laughing without answering.

Blaz tilted his head at that, but decided not to mind.

***

**New Names, locations, skills, and Techniques**

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