Chick 231
by Cristae231
[Total sales have been updated.]
[Achievement: [A Child Tycoon Who Made a Billion at Age Five> unlocked!]
[Due to the effect of (Unknown Title), 1% of the sale amount is accumulated as Filial Points in the piggy bank every time an item is sold.]
On Groo’s mouth dropped open in shock.
Failing to grasp it all at once, Groo carefully reread the status window.
“Did I get this achievement because I made so much money with the drones this time?”
With narrowed eyes, Groo stroked his chin.
A portion of the sales amount returns as Filial Points?
If so—
More sales = More Filial Points
And Filial Points can be used for leveling up!
Large sales = Large amount of Filial Points = Consecutive level-ups!
If things went according to this plan…
‘Groo, Supreme!’
As the conclusion formed, bright, twinkling stars flashed in Groo’s large eyes.
Become a supreme seller and level up with Filial Points!
It was far better than trudging through dungeons.
Adults were reluctant to take Groo into dungeons, and as before, sweeping through a dungeon alone could turn him into a wanted criminal.
“Bailach, if Groo levels up a lot and becomes supreme, can I take the 99th floor back from Dad?”
“In theory, yes.”
Bailach replied with a look that said, “Do you really think you can?”—as though it were laughable.
At that, Mephisto immediately delivered a sniveling lackey kick to Bailach.
Watching the two bicker, Groo let out a loud snort.
“Groo can do it too.”
As long as I level up…
Wait a minute.
Dodging the ceaseless kicks from Mephisto, Groo asked the fleeing Bailach,
“How much do I have to level up?”
This was an extremely important matter for Groo.
“Ugh! For starters, you need to be able to open the Cradle. That’s the first step to becoming the ruler of the snowscape.”
“Beeep—!”
“You unruly brat!”
Pop pop pop—
‘Wow, Mephi’s really good at kicking…’
Momentarily distracted by Mephisto’s dazzling hit-and-run kicks, Groo asked,
“But what’s the cradle?”
“It’s the Cradle. The primordial space. It’s the place where Shea creates bloodlines and familiars. You there! Can you dodge this, too?”
“Beep beep—!”
Swish— fwoosh—
‘They’re really having fun…’
Watching the two through half-closed eyes, Groo nodded and took out a snow rabbit.
‘On Jeju Island, the snow rabbit opened the cradle for me.’
The tiny snow rabbit, who had been sleeping in the bag this whole time, let out a yawn.
With fresh sprouts atop its head, the snow rabbit washed its face like a cat, then hopped over to Groo and rubbed its cheek.
“Snow rabbit… Ha!”
Calling to the snow rabbit, Groo gasped and covered his mouth.
Groo’s first bloodline familiar—and yet it didn’t even have a name yet!
“Snow rabbit, Groo will give you a name.”
At these words, the snow rabbit’s eyes welled up with emotion as it kept rubbing its cheek.
“Kyuu kyuu! Kyu!”
The snow rabbit bounced excitedly, wagging its thumb-sized tail like a puppy.
If only I’d known you’d be so happy, I would’ve given you one earlier…!
“Sorry, sorry.”
As Groo stroked the snow rabbit, he gave it some thought.
“What kind of name would you like?”
The snow rabbit blinked at Mephisto and Bailach, crying out shyly.
“Kyu…”
It seemed to mean it wanted a name like its big brothers.
Mephisto and Bailach… both strong-sounding names.
As expected, was the snow rabbit Groo’s child as well? Their tastes were similar.
Alright. I’ll give you a name that’s so grand, it sounds absolutely supreme.
Groo recalled the name of the final boss from Miracle Magical Girl.
“Lukcipher! How’s that?”
In that moment, as if struck by lightning, the snow rabbit trembled all over.
“Don’t like it?”
The snow rabbit shook its head furiously, tears welling in its eyes.
“You’re crying?!”
Tears and snot trickled from the snow rabbit’s eyes and nose.
And at that very instant,
A chill swept in, and pure white snowfields unfurled beneath their feet.
[You have entered the ‘Cradle of Bloodlines.’]
Bailach and Mephisto, who had been locked in fierce combat, stopped moving.
A snowfield had appeared in the middle of the dungeon.
“The Cradle?”
“Beep?”
“Incredible…!”
Groo widened his eyes in awe.
It didn’t work back in Jeju, but this time, it succeeded!
“It worked, Fer!”
Delighted, Groo started jumping up and down, and so did Lukcipher.
“Fer, can you open the cradle in place of Groo? Because you’re a familiar I created?”
“Kyu kyu.”
Lukcipher nodded, as if that were the correct answer.
“Ah ha!”
Groo clapped his hands and suddenly asked,
“Is it because I can’t open it yet, so Fer helps me?”
“Kyu.”
With an innocent gaze, Lukcipher shook his head up and down once more.
Ah! So that’s how it was. Groo’s face turned a tad gloomy.
But not knowing anything about the cradle, Groo had no idea what to do!
Groo sniffled, but soon a happy grin spread across his face.
Oh well! As long as someone can do it, that’s all that matters!
In that time, it seemed Groo’s rapid leveling had also affected his familiar, Lukcipher.
When Groo hugged Lukcipher and kissed its cheek, Mephisto’s gaze turned sharp.
Meanwhile, Bailach could only watch, jaw slack with surprise.
“Like this…”
The snowfield Lukcipher opened was only about a 10 cm radius around where Groo stood.
“It’s so small and paltry…”
“…!”
Groo flinched.
Embarrassment swept over him, turning Groo’s face bright red.
“I-I just need to make a bigger cradle, right?”
“Enough. It won’t get much bigger anyway.”
“If I level up…”
“What’s your level now? 600?”
“4—”
“Surely not 400?”
“Forty…”
A heavy silence fell.
Only the clunks and clatters of the Filial Factory could be heard, until— poof! With a pathetic hiss, the snowfield vanished.
Apparently, even that much had been too much; Lukcipher flopped onto its back, belly exposed.
“Fer!”
Groo scooped up Lukcipher in his arms, while Bailach looked on with a complex expression.
“…”
Sensing the gaze, Groo darted his eyes around nervously.
“…But now I can level up a lot…”
Bailach grabbed the still-kicking Mephisto with one hand and set him atop Groo’s head.
“Beep!”
“You’d better use this.”
“Mephi?”
“Receive the ‘Lord’ title from Mephisto and use the skill. According to him, you’ve done it before.”
“Oh, right…”
Come to think of it, back in the RP dungeon, Groo had become a lord and made the hanghang machine his familiar.
At the time, Mephisto said the title was passed.
“But you’ll need enough mana to sustain it.”
“How much?”
“Until On Joorim is completely consumed. As much as you possibly can.”
“Okay…!”
Groo nodded.
Now it was time to move for a level-up.
To save Dad, Groo would become the supreme seller!
Clenching his fists, Groo looked around at the factories.
Groo had two items that could earn a fortune.
Railgun Drone and the Criteito Reactor.
Both had made Groo a wealthy child, but…
‘They require way too many Filial Points…’
The higher the item’s grade, the more exponential the Filial Point cost became.
Effective for making money, certainly, but not for accumulating large amounts of Filial Points.
Moreover, while creating the Filial Factory, Grandpa had hinted that for non-consumable items, it’s not quantity that matters, but preserving rarity.
“To be considered luxury, it needs to have that image—an item that’s not easy to obtain, even with money. That way, you can make a lot from selling only a few.”
Recalling his grandfather’s words, Groo stroked his chin.
Items that cost many Filial Points needed to be turned into luxury goods. That way, he could make a few and profit much.
For that reason, Groo had been developing a new product—one that used little Filial Points, but for which demand was high.
Namely, syrup.
Easy to make, and hardly required any Filial Points.
‘More than anything, adults can also use it easily.’
Reviews of previous items showed that adults found it troublesome to use children’s toys.
So, for various reasons, selling syrup was clearly more efficient.
‘Plus, if I improve the syrup, the options can climb even higher!’
Making cotton candy at home wasn’t just for fun.
Up until now, syrup had only been synthesized with water, but Groo had been experimenting with other forms.
The result: success!
But there was another problem—sales routes.
To become the supreme seller, sending out small amounts through agencies wouldn’t cut it.
A large-scale distribution channel was crucial.
A rusty tricycle made its way toward the Orchestra guildmaster’s office.
Clank clank, clatter clatter—
Joorim, who had been reading the endless Mom Café comments, turned toward the sound of the tricycle.
“…?”
‘Groo hasn’t ridden a tricycle since getting caught that time and sulking,’ she thought—barely finishing the thought when she spotted the dopey-faced bear.
From the bear costume with drooping eyebrows came an all-too-familiar mechanical voice.
— O Guildmaster of Orchestra.
Joorim rubbed her face dry.
“…”
Was she dreaming?
No matter how many times she blinked, it was not a dream. Her own daughter, in a bear costume, riding a tricycle, had entered the guildmaster’s office.
— O Guildmaster of Orchestra. Are you asleep again?
“No, um, what… what is it. Ahem!”
The situation was so absurd it made her words stumble.
— O Guildmaster, I, Jjapsso, have come to Orchestra to sell cotton candy!
Clank, clank—clatter, clatter—
The tricycle crept closer to Joorim.
Stopping at a respectful distance, the bear took out a pouch from the sling bag on its front.
It was an unfinished bear-face pouch with a zippered mouth.
— Open this and you’ll find cotton candy inside.
With a zip, bright red cotton candy spilled out like organs from a belly.