“…Hey, isn’t this a bit expensive?”
“Yeah, totally.”
At a shop in a certain beastman town, two beastmen muttered as they browsed the merchandise.
Were they troublesome customers trying to haggle by complaining?
The shopkeeper furrowed his brow and glanced toward the voices, only to find that they belonged to regular customers who frequently patronized his shop.
“Hey, don’t say weird things like that. I haven’t raised the prices, you know.”
“Yeah, we get that, but…”
“The stuff at Tokito’s shop is cheaper.”
Tokito… If memory serves, she’s a reincarnated individual, a rabbit beastman who dislikes fighting.
Since I also chose the path of commerce over combat, I remember her better than others. Though I thought she’d died long ago after not returning from a dungeon.
“Cut me some slack. If I lower the prices any further, I won’t make a profit.”
“Well… for today, let’s just buy this.”
“The other place was sold out, after all. Prices aside, the quality’s the same, so let’s just get what we need here.”
Though the regulars seemed to begrudgingly accept the situation, something didn’t sit right.
If Tokito’s shop was sold out, that meant it was thriving.
And if even the regulars were reluctantly buying from me, it’s likely most other customers are heading to Tokito’s shop.
“…Maybe I should check it out.”
It was worth coming to see for myself.
Before any sense of rivalry or jealousy, the first thought that came to mind was: I’m glad I came.
The prices were far too low. So low that I couldn’t fathom how they could possibly turn a profit.
Sure, the high-quality items still carried a decent price tag, but even then, they were cheaper than elsewhere.
The biggest issue was the cheap consumables, especially the healing potions and antidotes. They were priced so low it seemed as though they were being sold below cost.
“…Man, it’s a miracle my regulars still shopped at my store knowing about this place.”
The price difference was so stark it made their continued patronage of my shop seem almost irrational.
“This… isn’t someone I can compete with.”
But lowering my own prices to match? Impossible.
I don’t want to stock items that put me in the red with every sale, especially if it serves no greater purpose in the long run.
Even calling us competitors doesn’t feel right.
If that’s the case, the smart beastman thing to do is to withdraw quietly.
“Luckily, our inventories don’t completely overlap. I’ll just shift my focus to other products…”
From that day on, my shop carried only a token amount of healing potions and antidotes.
Other merchants who had heard rumors about Tokito’s shop adopted similar strategies.
As a result, Tokito’s shop became the only place within the beastmen’s usual shopping range where healing potions and antidotes were sold.
“Why am I so busy every single day?!”
“It feels like even people who don’t go to dungeons are coming here now!”
…This has become something incredible.
I came to check things out, but with how hectic it looks, I decided not to get in the way.
“Rey! I’m totally over capacity here!”
“Please… Please hire more help. And if we don’t expand the store, there won’t be enough space for all the customers…”
She begged me, clearly at her wit’s end.
I felt a pang of guilt—had I created a black workplace environment here?
After all, Lady Fiona has been working to build a demon army that prioritizes its subordinates’ well-being, and here I am undermining that ideal.
“For now… I’ll go recruit some beastmen to help.”
“Please dooo!”
It’s probably fine that I said I’d go “recruit” beastmen, right?
Maybe she didn’t care, or maybe she was too exhausted to think it through.
Well, either way, it’s no different from rounding up staff for an inn like Rigma’s.
“Still, healing potions were the best sellers when it came to beastman customers.”
I don’t plan to compete with that shop, but that doesn’t mean I can instantly think of a substitute product.
Fortunately, I’m still near the dungeon, so I might as well take a look inside.
Even though I chose the path of commerce, I’m still a beastman. Observing other challengers shouldn’t be too dangerous.
“Right now, the beastmen’s focus is on this dungeon. If that’s the case, I should sell things they’ll need here.”
He stepped inside. Just nearby, there were shops and even inns—what was going on here?
No wonder those who frequent the dungeon rarely return.
…Was it just my imagination? Yesterday, when I checked the shop, this area didn’t feel nearly this developed.
“Hey, you finally came to the dungeon, huh? What about your shop?”
“Ah, I was curious and decided to take a look around.”
“Cheap, wasn’t it? Tokito’s shop, I mean.”
“Too cheap… No wonder my customers are going there instead.”
Luckily, I ran into some of my regulars, so I decided to ask about this place while I was at it.
“What kind of dungeon is this? To cut to the chase, what’s necessary for clearing it?”
“Mainly, the poison’s tough to deal with. Plus, injuries from traps or monsters, so you’ll need items to treat those.”
“So basically, healing potions and antidotes, huh…”
Well, of course. That’s why the shop here sells them cheaply, and it’s why I gave up trying to compete.
I didn’t expect to get any particularly useful information so easily anyway.
After thanking the regulars, I decided to investigate the dungeon myself.
“Wait…?”
And so, I foolishly ended up getting trapped in the dungeon.
“Nice to meet you! I’m Tokito Serika, a beastman!”
“I’m Okui Eriko, also a beastman.”
…When I woke up, I found myself in the company of beastmen who had succeeded in doing something as reckless as running a shop in the dungeon.
This place… It’s their shop. No, wait. The interior looks similar, but it’s clearly bigger than when I visited last time.
Could it be that there are others who have set up shops in the dungeon?
“By the way, you’ve been captured by the Demon Lord’s army.”
“Huh?”
“So, from now on, you’ll be working with us in the dungeon. If you work hard, it seems you’ll eventually be released.”
I couldn’t wrap my head around it.
It’s true that I was caught by one of the dungeon’s traps.
And apparently, it wasn’t just me—these two were in the same boat…?
Right. Running a shop in the dungeon is such a wild idea that no one would choose to do it voluntarily.
These two weren’t working here willingly—they were being forced by the Demon Lord.
…But for what purpose? I had no idea.
“And what happens if I refuse?”
“You’ll die.”
“…Alright. Just tell me what I need to do.”
“As long as you work diligently, no harm will come to you, and eventually, you’ll be free. Let’s do our best!”
I had no idea what the Demon Lord was thinking.
But if the alternative was death, I’d have to comply for now.
…To think I’d end up working for the demonkind.
It was deeply unpleasant and frustrating, but there was no other choice.
…Wait a minute. I’d decided to stop competing with this shop over healing potions and antidotes.
Other merchants had done the same after visiting here.
In other words, when beastmen need healing potions or antidotes, they have no choice but to buy from this Demon Lord-run shop.
Consumable items are monopolized by the Demon Lord.
Well, it was us who gave up on competing, so it’s not like it was forced upon us, but the result is the same.
So, will people buy from other species at higher prices? No, who would willingly do that when there’s a shop nearby selling them so cheaply?
I realized how serious the situation was, but of course, there was no way to inform the outside world.
“You’ve realized, haven’t you? If you try to say anything unnecessary, I’ll burn you alive.”
“!!?”
A blazing ball of heat suddenly appeared next to me, enough to evaporate even my cold sweat.
What… the hell is this thing?
“Oh? What brings you here, Pilkaya?”
“Just a little warning. You know, you really should educate newcomers not to get any strange ideas.”
“Uh… I explained that we should do our best earlier, though.”
“Did you mention that I’m watching?”
“Ah… I’m sorry.”
“Let’s make sure to be more careful next time~.”
With that, the ball of flames disappeared.
If what it said was true, it’s still watching us even now…
And who are these people? How can they casually talk to something so clearly dangerous?
I knew it—reincarnators aren’t to be trusted.
The only path left for me now is to work for the Demon Lord.
Betraying my fellow beastmen will surely lead to a fitting, miserable end someday.
“That guy is surprisingly efficient.”
“Judging from his conversations with the beastmen, it seems he used to be a merchant.”
“Is that so? Lucky for us, we found such a useful recruit.”
“Even though we’ve expanded the shop, it looks like it’ll run smoothly with him here.”
Large Shop Construction: Mana Cost 25
Since I used 25 mana for this, I really hope the shop members will continue to give it their best.
