476 Tea Situation
"Oh, don't worry. The tea you're drinking right now is an old stock. That one pot only cost one copper coin. The price usually fluctuated a bit, but that was about the average."
Around 500 yen per cup is about normal for a coffee shop's beverage I guess.
I perked my ears to the manager's story while slowly sipping my tea.
"But it's a tragedy when the price soars like this. It'll greatly affect the customers looking for this tea. It's a luxury goods to most people. Especially now that it's jumped so high, adventurers and mercenaries who need this grass most are the biggest victims here."
"Eh? Why would those types need this?"
"Ah, you see. Keeping awake when you're watching the camp at night is a matter of life or death to them. After all, they can't have the one standing guard fall asleep do they?"
"Ah, I see. Right of course. An item that can keep them awake is a necessity indeed. I can imagine high demands for this stuff."
I get it now. This Waking Grass tea is powerful enough for that use case. Speaking from experience.
Some guests entered the store in a hurry and asked the manager.
"You got Waking Grass for sale here!? I want to buy some. Five bundles. You got that many?"
Considering their leather armor and swords, they must be mercenaries. Both of them.
"Yes, I do have some. Five bundles, is it. Please wait a bit. Here you go, that will be one silver coin."
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
"Cheap!? We almost gave up buying cause every store was asking way high. Thank ye."
"We been having it rough cause of this tea's sudden price jump lately. We ain't profiting in the least. Heck, dunno if we can even afford it anymore. Our night watches keep falling asleep without this stuff. That was close."
"Dear customers, please do keep this to yourself. I might run out of stock if rumors spread. I can't keep the store open if people in the same situation as you rush in. Please think of this as a special service."
"I got ya. We ain't that shameless. We won't talk to our companions where we got this."
I ended up listening in to their conversation. The manager is selling the tea far cheaper than the current market price.
(He's carefully balancing around the market and the mercenaries' circumstances.)
It's only a matter of time until more people are flooding here to buy the tea. It's inevitable even if these mercenaries don't talk about it.
(I shouldn't buy this tea here... Can't be helped.)
"Manager-san. Where can I find the production site of this tea. I'd like to pay a visit."
I decided to poke my nose into this matter, for my own sake.
"Hm? Well, they certainly do not forbid visitations, I don't mind telling you but what's the matter? That place is a danger zone with a monster abound even now. Yet the staff there can't exactly leave the remaining Waking Grass unattended so they're still around. The securities are stricter due to all those factors however, so they might drive you away at the gate, do you still want to go?"
"Even so, I'm interested in this tea. Could you tell me?"
The manager suddenly started writing a letter. When I asked why he'd go this far for me, he replied, 'I can feel your passion.'
It's a letter of introduction to his acquaintance in charge of the production site.
"Bring this with you. She will definitely welcome you once it's clear I wrote it."
"Thank you so much. And also, thank you for the treat."
I left one silver coin on the table as I took the letter.
"Ah hey? That was my treat. I can't accept this! And isn't this a silver coin? ...Are you sure? Also, weren't you here to purchase tea?"
"I've changed my mind. There are people who need that tea more than me. But I'd feel bad if I just go home, so I hope you can let me off with that. Right, just think of it as a token of appreciation for teaching me the correct brewing method for this delicious tea. Oh, and for the letter of introduction as well."
"Well I'll be. Here I was simply delighted to find someone who fell in love with this tea. Fumu, I shall receive this if you insist."
There's a reason why I could easily handed out a silver coin.
I still don't really get this world's sense of value. As a result I see one silver coin no different than a 100 yen coin.
The shine, size and feel are completely disparate yet the dull glitter of silver coins keeps reminding me of 100 yen coins.
Thus, I keep easily taking these coins out of my wallet.
Also, I'm aware how much silver is worth, but it's just not enough to act as a stopper.
(Thanks to becoming weirdly rich out of nowhere, I can't bring myself to course correct that mindset...)
Thus I left the store while having an odd crisis in my mind.
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