The [Leisurely Young Lady’s Summer Dress] has the widest price fluctuation range.
Hearing that, I tried comparing it to other item info, but I still couldn’t quite figure out the reason.
Considering what I’ve heard from Momo-san so far, though, I think it’s an item that seems pretty hard to use effectively. The skill also seems quite limited in terms of who it would suit.
Hmm, I see. Thinking about it that way, it makes sense why this is priced between the haori and the boots.
But he himself says he’s not all that confident in this appraisal result.
“The problem is the skill.”
“Hmm, it’s fan-exclusive, so yeah. Only a limited number of people would want it.”
“Yeah. And honestly, the power feels kinda vague too. You won’t know until you try it, but [Sleep], [Confusion], and [Charm] are all status effects that stack uselessly. Charm is actually better off not stacking with others. Actually, it’s unclear whether this skill inflicts all three effects on mobs within range, or just randomly applies one of the three.”
“True.”
“Which means… You see what I’m getting at, right? Boutique-san?”
Asked like that, my shoulders jerked up in surprise.
D-don’t throw questions at me so suddenly. You’ll expose me pretending to know what I’m talking about.
“The details aren’t clear, which means this skill is unexplored.”
“Unexplored?”
“Right. It’s not listed among skills that can be taught by sages, and it hasn’t been confirmed in any official or player-made collection equipment.”
“Huh? So Miracle production can add hyper-rare skills that are totally unique like that!? That’s amazing! I never knew that!”
I said excitedly.
“I didn’t know either.”
A cold voice replied.
Momo-kun, you’re something, aren’t you? You look down on people despite being smart?
“…Well, to be precise, I only learned about it for the first time last time. But whatever. That’s why this item is an unknown quantity. Frankly speaking, the [Inspiration] boost and [Mind Damage Immunity] aren’t very practical. The skill content is limited to certain users, and with no precedents, spending a fortune on it is practically a gamble. However, if you buy it, you’ll undoubtedly be the first to own it—and currently, the only one. That’s an explosive advantage it holds. Therefore, the potential range is unknown. You could even say the possibilities are infinite. “
” Haa…”
After speaking of something grand, Momo-san fell silent. His mind was probably racing with calculations too complex and bizarre for me to fathom.
But even a brain as empty as mine has its merits. Since it only performs simple tasks, it’s quick to reach conclusions in situations like this.
“I don’t really get the fluctuation thing but the minimum line for Momo-kun is 5.5 million, right? If that’s the case, then that’s fine with me.”
I told him that.
That’s what he was getting at, right?
The minimum is 5.5 million, but some people… would be willing to pay even more, no matter what. That maximum price is unknown.
But for me, if it sells for 5.5 million, that alone would be a huge win.
I’m still skeptical about Momo-san’s appraisal. I really wonder if it can sell for such a high price.
And if I asked for more, even if it did sell, it would probably leave a bad impression with the shop.
Momo-san has been working so hard on this, and I feel bad, but since I’m not interested, he can put away that high-grade calculator.
When I explained it like that, Momo-san seemed to understand right away, saying, “I see.”
“In that case, I have one final proposal.”
“A proposal?”
“How about selling that item to me? For 10 million.”
………Huh?
“If I can get permission, I’ll resell it. For 30 million.”
………Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat!?
“I want to test it. The power of the items Boutique-san creates. And I want to know for myself. Their true worth.”
The boy on the other end of the speaker seemed to be spouting some catchphrase, but I was having none of it.
Ten million. And thirty million.
The sheer magnitude of those numbers blinded me, causing my mind to go completely blank.
“Um… I already tagged the item with the brand, so reselling it might not be possible…”
After somehow calming myself down, the words I finally managed to squeeze out were that off-the-mark opinion. But that too was brushed off with a simple “No problem. We’ll trade directly, not through the shop system,” and my brain was blank again.
Seriously, what was that? Anyway, it was a huge shock in many ways.
First, being hit with that outrageous number out of nowhere.
Then, he offered to buy it for 10 million. Even if it didn’t quite sink in yet, this was definitely a pleasant surprise.
But there was also a negative surprise.
The word ‘reselling’ doesn’t exactly have a positive connotation.
And he’s claiming he’ll sell it for triple the price. This kid intends to rip me off for 20 million using my own items.
And then there’s the shock encompassing all of that—the shock of “What kind of stupidity is this?”—which caused a complex nuclear explosion within me. All that remains is scorched earth.
But strangely, once that initial shock gradually subsides, I find myself beginning to understand what Momo-san is trying to say.
It might be a kind of trust. There is a trust that behind those ridiculous words lies a solid foundation of vast knowledge and calculation.
I must admit, this kid is no ordinary person—he’s already radiating such charisma in such a short time.
Momo-kun isn’t joking; he’s dead serious.
That leaves me with a simple question to ponder. Should I take this deal or not?
I weigh the pros and cons.
The biggest pro is undoubtedly the potential income of 10 million. The cons… well, upon careful thought, there weren’t many.
The biggest sticking points are “reselling” and the blatant unfairness between my profit and Momo-kun’s.
But if I think of this as an experiment, I realize the reselling part doesn’t bother me much.
When it comes to regular transactions or multiple items, it’s a different story. But the deal with him is just one item: the [Leisurely Young Lady’s Summer Dress. I’d say the damage to me is practically nonexistent.
If anything, wouldn’t the damage be on Momo-kun’s side? I even think that, but that’s none of my concern.
Besides, despite having the potential of this outfit hinted at like that, I wouldn’t have the courage to put it in the shop for 10 million. Thirty million is even more out of the question. If that’s the case, then I really can’t complain about this unfairness.
Since I was trying to do business beyond my capabilities, that difference wasn’t down to my skill or the quality of my work anymore—it was down to Momo-kun’s skill.
If he really could have sold this dress to someone for 30 million, that would undoubtedly have been his achievement. Twenty million would be fair compensation for his ability and the work he put in.
“Alright. I’ll sell it to Momo-kun.”
So I took the plunge.
On the other end of the line, Momo seemed to chuckle softly.
“By the way, I have to make sure I ask this one last thing. Boutique-san, after hearing everything I’ve said, how much are you actually planning to sell these three items for? For example, the Full Bloom Dress—the one I priced highest at 8.5 million. How much will you put it on the shop floor for?”
Uh… I’d say… maybe 7 million, if I really pushed it…?
No, no, that’s not it! Don’t sigh! I absolutely, positively don’t doubt your appraisal skills, Momo-kun!?
This is purely about the customer’s perception.
Consider this: up until now, I’ve always sold skill-attached items uniformly for 2.5 million.
If the price suddenly jumps to over three times that, I don’t think it’ll leave a good impression at all. They’ll think I’m getting greedy.
For now, I’ll set my expectations lower. If things work out, I can gradually raise them again later.
Then Momo interrupted me with a reproachful tone.
“Boutique-san.”
“Yes?”
“Did you think I didn’t factor into my calculations the image I value in your business approach and dealings?”
“Eh…”
“If any customers are turned away by the pricing I’ve proposed, then they were customers we should have gotten rid of anyway.”
Keep that in mind.
He said that and hung up.