"Have a safe trip!"
Ak Simin bid farewell to the departing custor with a cheerful voice.
'What's this, business seems to be doing better than I thought?'
Contrary to his worries, the inside of the tavern was bustling with custors.
If this flow continued, it might not be just a pipe dream for the Vermilion Bird Class to beat the Azure Dragon Class.
Looking at the atmosphere of the tavern, Ak Simin was beginning to feel that hope again.
However.
"...?"
The problem began to reveal itself after noon.
'This... it feels like the number of custors is decreasing, doesn't it?'
Wondering if he was mistaken, Ak Simin rubbed his eyes and looked inside again.
One, two, three, four...
Ak Simin pointed to the seats where custors were and counted them one by one in his head.
"...!"
It was by no ans a mistake.
Until the morning, the seats were almost full, but now there were more empty spots, and the tavern had beco so quiet that only a few of the previously ceaselessly busy staff were moving.
'Wh-what is it?'
As the number of custors suddenly dropped, Ak Simin couldn't hide his bewildernt.
It would be a different story if business had been bad from the start. From the perspective of having experienced a brief period of being swamped with custors, it was a confusing situation.
"N-Namgung Il!"
"...?"
"The number of custors has suddenly dropped. What on earth is going on?"
Ak Simin imdiately went to Namgung Il and asked.
It seed that Namgung Il knew more about business than he did.
Namgung Il answered Ak Simin's question with a calm expression.
"It seems the grand opening buzz is over."
"Grand opening buzz?"
"Yes, when a store first opens, custors tend to flock to it. That's called the grand opening buzz."
"..."
So what he was saying was... the reason the Vermilion Bird Tavern was briefly swamped with custors was thanks to that grand opening buzz?
In other words, the thought that business was going well was just his own delusion.
"No... I don't know what that grand opening buzz is in detail, but does it usually end this quickly?"
"It depends on the situation."
"W-will it be okay, though? Even if it's quiet for a while, won't the custors co back?"
"Senior Ak, have you perhaps forgotten?"
Forgotten?
As Ak Simin looked at him with a bewildered expression, Namgung Il continued to speak.
"We have a competitor, don't we?"
"...!"
"The fact that it has beco so quiet so quickly... probably ans that all the custors have flocked to that side."
Namgung Il could tell that without even having to go to the Azure Dragon Class.
No matter how much the buzz was from the grand opening, it was abnormal for custors to leave this quickly.
Usually, word of mouth would spread and more custors would co...
The fact that the current situation was flowing in the opposite direction ant that the competitor's word of mouth was stronger.
"Hey, I hear that place called the Azure Dragon Tavern is really amazing."
"A tavern? They sell alcohol there too?"
"That's what I'm saying. Rumor has it that it's so luxurious that it can't even be compared to a place like this."
Just then, the sound of two n talking nearby was heard.
"I heard you can drink on the second-floor pavilion there."
"A-a second-floor pavilion?"
"Wouldn't it feel really good to drink while looking at the open view from there?"
"Then isn't it expensive?"
"No, I heard the prices are also very cheap."
Hearing the price of the alcohol that followed, Namgung Il's eyes widened slightly.
"They say a bottle of high-grade cheongju is two Flying Dragon Coins there!"
"T-two?"
"It seems they have many other kinds of alcohol besides cheongju. But I heard they're selling everything at an unbelievably cheap price."
Hearing that, a hollow laugh escaped Namgung Il's mouth without him realizing it.
High-grade cheongju for just two Flying Dragon Coins?
That ant they were selling it for twenty copper coins... From a business perspective, that was a price that really made no sense.
'These guys have no business ethics.'
He didn't know how much they had sourced the alcohol for, but they could never make a profit by selling high-grade cheongju for twenty copper coins.
Even on their side, the cheapest they had gotten it for was thirty copper coins.
And they were now selling it for four Flying Dragon Coins to make a profit of ten copper coins.
"..."
There was only one reason why that unbelievable price was possible at the Azure Dragon Tavern.
Because the concept of a margin did not exist for them in the first place.
No matter how much they sold the alcohol for, it would be calculated as the Azure Dragon Tavern's net profit.
'The Vermilion Bird Class has money to pay back to the academy. But... the Azure Dragon Class has no such thing.'
The money to be paid back. That was the money Ak Simin had brought from his family and used for the tavern preparations.
Originally, the money left after excluding that would be called net profit, but for the Azure Dragon Class, sales directly translated to net profit.
Because the money the Azure Dragon Class had used during the preparation period was money that did not need to be paid back.
It was very easy to understand if you thought of it as them selling things after having prepared all the goods and equipnt for free in the first place.
"..."
When the academy ranked them, they calculated it based on that net profit.
In other words, it was an extrely advantageous condition for the Azure Dragon Class.
On the other hand, the Vermilion Bird Class was fighting a truly disadvantageous battle in every aspect.
'This is... it feels like we're fighting against various prestigious families, not the Azure Dragon Class.'
The families that were backing the Azure Dragon Class.
It was really not an exaggeration to think that they were competing against them.
"N-Namgung Il! What do we do now?"
"..."
"All the custors are moving to the Azure Dragon Class's side!"
"Calm down, Senior Ak. Didn't we already know it would be like this?"
That's why they had prepared more on their side.
In order not to lose to the Azure Dragon Class, which was borrowing the power of their families.
Namgung Il thought that now was the ti for them to show their teeth as well.
"Senior Ak, let's prepare that."
"Th-that?"
"Yes, it's a bit earlier than expected, but if we let the Azure Dragon Class run wild like this, the flow will completely go to their side."
"...But can we really do anything with that?"
Ak Simin asked with a sowhat doubtful tone.
Of course, he had no choice but to agree in the eting, but he was still in a reluctant position regarding that counterasure.
"Then are you just going to stand still like this?"
"..."
"Whether it turns into porridge or rice. Now is the ti to open the lid."
"...Alright, let's do it."
As if he had made up his mind at Namgung Il's words, Ak Simin turned his head with a grim face.
"Ma Dong-pal! Jin Gwon-nam!"
"...?"
"It's ti for you to step up!"
The secret weapon prepared by the Vermilion Bird Tavern.
Ak Simin called out the nas of those two.
***
Ak Simin was moving his gaze here and there with an anxious look.
Even though only a short ti had passed, there were many more empty seats than before.
If this continued, even the custors who were there would all leave.
As the word of mouth about the Azure Dragon Tavern continued to spread, even the custors who had been enjoying their drinks were getting up and leaving the tavern.
'Ma Dong-pal, Jin Gwon-nam... are those two not ready yet?'
They had to start before all the custors left.
Ak Simin waited for those two with an anxious heart.
Thump— Thump—.
Just then, Ma Dong-pal's figure was seen walking this way.
"...?"
As the sound of footsteps, which felt like an earthquake, was heard, the people's gazes naturally moved in that direction.
At that mont, their mouths dropped open at the shocking sight.
The sight of Ma Dong-pal, who had taken off his top and was carrying a huge wooden staff, was truly astonishing.
'What on earth is that?'
With his top off, Ma Dong-pal's muscular and burly physique was even more prominent.
On top of that, to be carrying such a huge wooden staff by himself.
He didn't even look like he was struggling, so the people were just watching him, at a loss for words.
Jiggle—.
Just then, the people's gazes belatedly turned to the person behind Ma Dong-pal.
"...!"
As soon as they saw Jin Gwon-nam walking behind Ma Dong-pal, the people's eyes widened even more than when they had first discovered Ma Dong-pal.
Especially the n. Since most of the people drinking here were n, almost everyone was now staring at Jin Gwon-nam as if they were possessed.
"Th-that...!"
"Ooh!"
"Buddha! As expected, my thoughts were right!"
Amidst the custors' exclamations, Gwangcheon shouted as if he were wailing.
The reason why Gwangcheon and the n were so enthusiastic now.
It was because of the outfit Jin Gwon-nam was wearing.
"This... no matter how I think about it, it feels too tight."
Jin Gwon-nam muttered as if she were uncomfortable, looking down at the clothes she was wearing.
Because the clothes themselves clung to her body, not only were all the curves of her body revealed, but one of her legs was clearly visible because the skirt was slit.
It seed her underwear wouldn't be revealed because she was wearing safety shorts... but it didn't seem like she could move freely in these clothes.
'...Uncomfortable.'
Where on earth did Gwangcheon get these clothes?
Although Jin Gwon-nam was frowning slightly as if she were uncomfortable, the reaction of the people watching was truly explosive.
'Good!'
Ak Simin cheered inwardly as he observed the people's reactions.
With this, it seed they had succeeded in stopping people in their tracks for now.
Even the people who were about to leave the tavern had co back inside and were staring blankly at Ma Dong-pal and Jin Gwon-nam.
'To think I would end up adopting the opinion I had torn up back then.'
Ak Simin was now using the opinions that Ma Dong-pal and Gwangcheon had put forward at the first eting.
At that ti, he had just thought it was nonsense and had forgotten about it in the back of his mind, but Namgung Il had brought it up later.
"Are you out of your mind? Are you really going to do that?"
"Yes, we'll be able to gather people with that for now."
"..."
"One of the most important factors in business is soliciting custors. If we can make people co here on their own, sales will naturally go up."
Namgung Il's strategy was this.
To base it on the alcohol business, but to use Ma Dong-pal and Jin Gwon-nam to naturally gather people.
He had been a little unsure at that ti, but looking at the people's reactions now, it seed Namgung Il's thoughts were right.
"We will now begin the feat of strength performance!"
"...?"
"It's a rare spectacle that can only be seen at our Vermilion Bird Tavern. Custors can enjoy the performance along with their drinks!"
Ak Simin shouted at the people.
Until then, the people were tilting their heads as if they were unsure, but soon, Ma Dong-pal, who had stopped in his place, slamd the wooden staff he was holding against his forehead.
Thump—!
At that mont, the people could not hide their astonishnt.
To break that huge wooden staff in two with just his forehead.
With that one scene, the people could clearly see what the rare spectacle Ak Simin had just ntioned was.
"This is just the beginning."
"...!"
"Those who want to see my monstrous strength in earnest, please take a seat."
Ma Dong-pal said with a hearty laugh to the dumbfounded people.
(End of Chapter)
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