The Reverse RMT Scheme

"Don't play dumb! To destroy the Demon Realm's wartime economic system, you swept up all the copper coins in circulation!"

Well, I did sweep them up. But that was because...

"I sold goods, so of course I got paid in return."

No way. Surely someone who lacks even that basic common sense isn't the Minister of Finance of the Demon Realm, right?

"I said I spent them, I didn't say I spent them outside."

But thinking about it, this wasn't a simple matter.

After all, how did I use those copper coins?

"I bought points, didn't I?"

I had exchanged copper coins for points at a rate of 1 coin to 1 pt.

Since I had no intention of ever exchanging points back into currency, it was safe to assume that all the copper coins I had used so far had essentially been deleted from existence.

"Ah, so the total money supply of the Demon Realm must have shrunk."

I knew the basic principle that inflation and deflation occur depending on the money supply because I'd learned it. But who on earth thinks about applying that to real life?

"Of course I didn't know."

But looking back now, it was actually a pretty big problem.

Since 1 pt was equal to 1 copper coin, and the value of 1 pt was roughly equivalent to a thousand won in my past life...

"I've been burning 50,000 copper coins a day recently, which means I was doing the crazy shit of converting 50 million won in cash into points every single day..."

Calculating it like that brought the sense of reality crashing back.

In fact, ever since the Gallery leveled up recently, it had been 100,000 points.

In other words, I was burning 100 million won every day.

"This is literally reverse RMT."

No wonder the Minister of Finance was making such a fuss, screaming that the impoverished and fragile wartime economic system of the Demon Realm was being shaken to its core.

"It makes perfect sense now."

While I was organizing my thoughts, the Minister of Finance poured out a barrage of angry messages.

"They're piled up in a heap like this, so he won't be able to calculate the exact amount."

I intentionally took the photo at an awkward angle, cutting off the edges.

This was completely sincere.

To me, running the gallery and leveling it up was far more important than making money through the shop.

"Traffic dropping? Daily active users decreasing? I absolutely cannot allow that."

From what I had confirmed so far, every time a new function was unlocked, it benefited me, and the amount of points I could earn from managing the gallery went up. Why on earth would I want to destroy the Demon Realm?

Sure, those guys who looked down on me for being a half-demon were annoying, but even they would be chanting "All hail the Head Mod!" once I put items up in the shop. Why would I ruin that? I was already way more successful than them anyway.

It was only a few days ago that I was bickering with the Regent. I didn't want to get tangled up with the high-ranking officials of the Demon Realm anymore.

"I just want to browse the gallery in my cozy room."

I didn't care about the war between humans and demons, or the future of the Demon Realm. All I wanted was to look at the high-quality concept posts and comments uploaded every day. Specifically, I wanted those happy days where I could sneak a peek at NSFW art of succubi becoming succu-sluts, save the images, and immediately delete them.

So, as long as I could clear up the misunderstanding, I was willing to cooperate in any way.

"This is the exact same playbook as voice phishing."

Your account has been implicated in a crime. To verify, please transfer a certain amount of money to the account number I am about to read. Otherwise, you may stand in court as an accomplice...

"I need to exchange them for points, and you want to take them all? No way in hell."

Low-quality currency.

Originally, a copper coin should contain at least 90% copper. Even if the proportion of silver or gold coins varied slightly by country or era, they had to contain an amount corresponding to their value.

"That's how they maintain their value."

But as is always the case with human endeavors, mistakes happen, whether intentional or not.

Due to a lack of national finances, "circumstances of the high and mighty," or survival-type corruption within the minting institutions, the metal content would often decrease.

In other words, the current currency of the Demon Realm was...

Since the Minister of Finance himself had shared such groundbreaking information, he had essentially handed me his weakness.

"Hmm, then it's worth listening to."

In other words, he would take my coins with 50-60% copper content, dispose of them, and exchange them for new coins with over 90% copper.

But...

"Even if they're low-quality coins, they still convert to 1 pt just fine. Will new coins give me more points?"

To check, I received a proper copper coin from the Minister of Finance. Since I hadn't done today's exchange yet, I converted it into points.

"Huh?"

The value of the coin recognized by the gallery system was exactly the same.

In other words, whether I used low-quality coins or new coins with higher copper content, the points exchanged remained the same.

"Then I'm losing out."

"Sigh, how do I explain this?"

He had opened up sensitive information first as a sign of trust. So, it would be best for me to be honest and say that I convert currency into points.

But...

"I don't want to leak information about the gallery system."

If word got out, it could become a massive headache.

As I was agonizing over this...

"What are you doing?"

Liv suddenly popped up.

"Whoa, you startled me."

Liv, clutching Reddie in one hand and Blackie in the other, rested her chin right on my shoulder.

-Whoosh...

-Clatter, clatter!

The two items were so exhausted from playing that they had completely lost their energy.

Just how much stamina does she have?

Well, I guess that's how she survived being horribly overworked at the Allied Forces Headquarters.

Since she seemed curious, I briefly explained the situation to her.

Then...

"Hmm. So you have something that's troublesome to reveal to the other party, but it'll be even more troublesome if you don't?"

"Yeah. Got any good ideas to help?"

"Then just don't tell them."

"...But that's still troublesome?"

"You said it's troublesome even if you do tell them, right?"

What a truly genius idea.

"In that case, it's better not to tell them. And then you distract them with something else."

"...Who did you learn that from?"

"Huh... I wonder? Somehow, it feels like a familiar memory..."

"Wait, stop! Don't try to remember, or you'll turn back into a babbling toddler again."

I quickly freed Reddie and Blackie, who were trembling in Liv's hands, and put what I had just learned into practice.

"Want to grab a snack?"

"Yes! Give me five ham and cheese toasts, please. And orange juice too!"

"Here."

Instead of Reddie and Blackie, Liv grabbed the toast and cool orange juice and dashed over to the dining table.

-Whoosh! Whoosh!

"Yeah, I'll take that as a thank you. Go hide and rest well."

-Whoosh!

A way to completely divert their attention to something else, huh?

The Minister of Finance's main concern is clearing out the low-quality currency.

Collecting and discarding low-purity coins and minting high-purity proper coins would take a lot of cost and effort.

But what if I promised not to dump low-quality coins back into the market, and helped him with that process instead?

"Then wouldn't that be a win-win?"

So, I browsed the Point Shop.

"There it is. Well, of course they have it. They have everything."

I found a suitable item.

"If he's a smart guy, he'll understand immediately, right?"

I really hoped so.

Gozbo, the Minister of Finance, scratched his bald head.

"What do you mean you sent..."

A mysterious message popped up on the gallery.

-Fzzzzzt!

Soon, a small bar materialized on his desk.

"This is... copper?"

A smoothly polished, 2kg copper ingot. And it was of extremely high purity.

Along with it, another message appeared.

"Yes."

"H-Head Mod?"

"I understand."

Gozbo picked up the copper ingot, pondered for a moment, and then spoke.

"Are you perhaps an alchemist?"

"My word, then how can you produce copper of such high purity, and so beautifully refined?"

"Do I like it? Hahaha! Of course! I've been pushing for reforms to suppress the recent inflation, but there is a severe shortage of copper throughout the Demon Realm."

"We have to constantly collect low-quality coins, melt them down, filter them, and remint them. Having high-purity copper ingots like this is incredibly helpful for us."

"!!!"

Gozbo was a seasoned Golden Goblin who had worked in the Ministry of Finance since the reign of the previous Demon King. Yet, even he couldn't maintain his composure at the Head Mod's shocking declaration.

"Ha, haha, hahahaha! Don't joke with me."

-Thud, thud, thud, thud.

Out of thin air, copper ingots began to rain down. One, two, three... twenty-three, twenty-four...

Anyway, they kept pouring down. Realizing this was absolutely not a bluff or an exaggeration, Gozbo hurriedly shouted.

"S-Stop! I get it, I get it!"

And only then did reason return to the Minister of Finance's face.

"You wouldn't just give this to me for free. What is it you want?"

"Why would you...?"

With the Head Mod's abilities, she could easily mint high-purity coins herself and supply them to the Demon Realm. Yet, instead of doing that, she was handing over copper ingots to Gozbo and taking the low-quality coins. It was only natural to have doubts.

In other words, the Head Mod declared that she would dispose of all the low-quality coins herself so that word of them wouldn't leak out.

And she's giving all the credit to our Ministry of Finance?

Despite contributing massively to the reorganization of the Demon Realm's fragile wartime economic system, she expressed her intention to forfeit all the credit that would come with it.

"A-Are you really okay with that?"

"My word!"

Gozbo was deeply shocked by the Head Mod, who claimed that the peace and stability of the Demon Realm was the ultimate benefit to her.

Gozbo carefully pulled out a contract.

-Whoosh!

Just like last time, once I signed the contract, blue flames flared up and consumed the paper.

In the contract, I promised not to release the old coins back into the market, and the Ministry of Finance promised to send the old coins to me as soon as they collected them.

"Phew~"

Things had been resolved quite well.

The fixed nick 'Minister of Finance' was satisfied (he looked a bit dazed, but since he sent the contract anyway, it must have gone well, right?), and I also kept the secret of the gallery system and the Point Shop.

Now, all that was left...

"Is the spacious warehouse ready?"

The Minister of Finance strode out of the Ministry of Finance building and entered the large warehouse right next to it.

"Confirmed. I'll send it right in."

Earlier, I had only purchased a small amount (100kg) and sent them one by one like putting coins into an arcade machine, but this time I decided to send them all at once.

The transmission through the 'Gallery's Eye' appeared in real-time.

-RUUUUUMBLE!!!

A 1-ton copper ingot dropped satisfyingly into the warehouse.

The Minister of Finance and the ministry employees watching nearby had their jaws drop in shock, nearly falling ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠backward.

"Are you satisfied?"

"I guess it's not enough. Just a moment."

I meant to send just one more set, but...

"Ah, my bad."

I double-clicked.

-RUUUUUUUMBLE!!!

"Are you okay?"

The Minister of Finance, who had been standing dazed for a moment, suddenly ripped off his black uniform, his cap, and even his name tag—all symbols of his office—and slammed them onto the floor.

And then...

"...Pardon?"

For a while, a chaotic struggle ensued between the Minister of Finance, who was throwing a tantrum with a bright, joyful smile, and his subordinates, who were desperately trying to prevent their boss from resigning.

And then...

As a certain Mabung-i employee cautiously uploaded a post to the gallery, this entire juicy piece of gossip was laid bare for the whole world to see.