If It Makes Money, I'll Sell Lewd Pics Too (1)
Apart from brainstorming various business items, the weekend day had passed. And then Sunday morning at 7 a.m. Unlike yesterday, as soon as morning came, all three of them gathered in the dining hall.
"What's up with everyone? You all look like you didn't sleep properly."
"We can't be late."
"Combat starts at 9, you think we can afford to be late?"
"Ugh, the budget..."
Unia, Rydmila, and Evangeline were all deep in thought, each clutching their personal wish lists. It seemed all three—heroines and girls to boot—were dead serious about shopping.
Men aren't much different.
Men don't understand women's shopping. Whether it's window shopping or whatever, they can't comprehend "I'll just browse." I'm the same. In my old life, the stuff I sold was bread, which, unlike clothes or cosmetics, sold out as fast as it came out.
Of course, after circling the aisles once or twice and seeing things gradually added to trays, I'd think, Is that what window shopping is? But from another angle, it's totally understandable.
"Ugh, what should I buy...?"
"Just pick what you need. The problem is time—the Golden Caravan will leave as soon as it's up."
"I wish we had plenty of money, time, and stock... but no such luck."
"We're chartering a whole caravan just for four people like it's a general store. It's gonna be tricky."
If you frame it as a quest, guys start racking their brains before it even begins.
Purchase dormitory essentials from the Golden Caravan within the time limit!
Time Limit: 3 hours.
Available Gold: ??? gold.
Notes:
1) The Golden Caravan will stay at the Old School Building for 3 hours.
2) No one knows when the next Golden Caravan will come or what it'll have.
3) Golden Caravan items are pricier than regular market goods.
4) Sold out means sold out—no restocks.
That's the info on the Golden Caravan we'll hit at 9. All we can do is pray.
Because the Golden Caravan doesn't just come to the Old School Building—it swings by the main academy dorms first.
"All we can do is pray the academy dorm students didn't buy much...!"
In other words, today's Golden Caravan has already been looted once by the roughly 1,500 academy dorm students (grad students included).
And from the perspective of Silverstar, the operators...
"Yeah. Even if Old School kids are special admits, Silverstar won't haul another full caravan from outside the terminal just for us."
They've already raked in massive profits from 1,500 students—no way they'd bring a whole semester's worth of stock for four Old Schoolers. Like how franchise stores dot big cities over 500k pop but barely show up in towns under 10k, except maybe Lotteria.
The silver lining?
"At least they'll have the bandages, right?"
"I didn't put 'em on the list!!"
They'll stock the essentials we submitted. Grab those first, then leisurely browse the rest within time—no rush.
The others have their needs, but I need baking supplies too.
"Oh yeah, Esta mentioned something."
"What? Is Esta coming to shop too?"
"Nah. Someone selling stuff on the Golden Caravan... an academy undergrad?"
"Huh, really?"
One thing. Player knowledge the academy freshmen don't have.
"A student selling directly? Unexpected."
She's coming.
* * *
Silverstar. Incarnation of capitalism, tentacles in every profitable nook. Their influence is so huge they can shove a Golden Caravan even into the Old School Building.
And sell stuff to Old School students at 20% markup over terminal prices.
Many players got burned. They thought Silverstar's Old School prices were market rate, only to learn later that regular shops sell way cheaper as the story progresses.
2nd-run players skip it from the start. Main story gives better gear cheaper, and consumables in bulk even cheaper—why bother?
For 1st-run newbies, Silverstar's Golden Caravan teaches the world's bitter taste.
For 2nd-runners, it's a trap reminding efficient gold spending based on clear experience.
Even strategy-informed 1st/2nd-runners twist in agony buying pricey stuff anyway.
Because of membership. Silverstar tracks purchase history for points, offering more goodies as you near VVIP. Not dirt-cheap for regulars, but discounts happen.
Silverstar avoids unprofitable spots but pounces on money scents.
Thus:
1) Fewer Old Schoolers than dormies.
2) Despite high prices, profits hit threshold.
3) As main story advances, Old Schoolers seem "profitable."
The Golden Caravan truly turns golden; at VVIP, teleport-rent the whole off-campus Silverstar department store.
And above all.
Silverstar has a heroine too.
Once players learn a main heroine lurks in what seemed a money-grub group, they reassess positively. She's still capitalist post-heroine, but our capitalist beats others.
If it's money, even if enemies bid higher, she'll pick protagonist side for more value.
I've already met her once.
Yurha Silverstar. Heroine No.07.
Unlike others ending humanity via [Peri's Apocalypse], [Grad School Apocalypse], [Castration Apocalypse], Yurha's angel form is different.
[Golden Apocalypse]
[Great Depression Apocalypse]
[Zimbabwe Apocalypse]
[Wealth Gap Apocalypse]
[Monopoly Mega-Corp Apocalypse]
[Rich-Get-Richer Apocalypse: Poor abandon kids, breeding becomes elite privilege]
To sum one heroine's apocalyptic variety: [Petit-Bourgeois Capitalism Apocalypse].
Capitalism's endgame as ally? Bliss.
Thus, Silverstar obsesses over money. Golden Caravan is fastest way to bond with them—and Yurha Silverstar.
So I'd gritted for two months—no, the whole semester—paying premium, waiting for Yurha herself, not staff.
"Hello, Old School folks?"
A jingling golden-haired "girl student" in a suit appeared.
"I'm Yurha Silverstar, in charge of this Old School Golden Caravan supply."
Yurha Silverstar, right from the start.
And.
"You."
Rydmila instantly glared at Yurha.
"What nerve showing your face?"
One fact. Heroines won't bond until protagonist joins them (with Unia) for a 1-night-2-day trip—specifically, sharing a night.
"Scamming me like that, and daring to show up again."
"Hehe. Didn't expect [Gale] to bare teeth so soon. Sorry? That was legit trade, not scam."
"If I'd known it was an ancient relic, I wouldn't have sold for that!"
"We hired pricey experts to appraise its value first. Hehe."
Yurha Silverstar. Worst relations with most heroines—capitalism's demon.
Good she's not an angel.
* * *
"Hm."
Yurha Silverstar scanned the Old School crew.
She had to come herself due to the [Angel Incident].
"...Oh my."
Yurha eyed one male student.
"He resembles..."
Somehow, her heart fluttered.
"This is..."
Thump.
"Moneybags☆ Found."
Thump thump.
"......Rich guy. Oh, why's this?"
Yurha couldn't fathom her suddenly racing heart.
"Huh, why am I...?"