Charming Lie Inside The Invention

Charming Lie Inside The Invention (潤いは偽りの発明の中に) is a game event in Mass for the Dead that was released on November 1, 2022 to November 15, 2022.

Background
"In order to disguise the origins of the Sorcerer Kingdom and obtain a new means of earning foreign currency," the members of Nazarick created new inventions "Made in Sorcerer Kingdom" based on magic items for daily use ordered from the Baharuth Empire. Suggesting new products. As expected the results--

Incident
The duo, Shizuni and Regi, are seen hustling about with serious expressions on their faces, looking at every vendor stand at the Central Market of Arwintar. Malmvist who is passing by is surprised by this behavior. Even though he knows that if he approaches them now and may come off as spying on them, he decides to risk it as he wants to know why the women are examining daily magic items.

Regi seeing her teammate from New Six Arms explains that she and Shizuni are browsing to see if there is a difference in price between the items such as fans and refrigerators. According to Shizuni all products look to be the same quality with slight variations along with different prices so they are trying to compare. Malmvist thinks that the two want to purchase some items for their team's hideout for convenience, though Regi states that is not the reason for their search. She and Shizuni have an idea to buy the items and resell them, since they are cheap and in high quality within the Baharuth Empire. In E-Rantel, magic items for daily use were rare so they believe that they can sell them there at a profit. This comes to as a surprise to Malmivst that they want to do this approach, as given the time and effort involved in transporting the goods to E-Rantel will make the endeavor cost more than gain. Not to mention buying it would cost them more. In fact he recommended that it would be better for them to steal the goods. The women though point out that they plan to cut costs by using Iguva's Ghost Ship to transport the items. Malmvist soon becomes receptive to the idea, seeing it now as lucrative as with the undead's ship, transporting the magic items would enable them to be relatively safe in the Katze Plains.

Before they plan to commit, Shizuni first wants to take samples of the magic items for trial testing. Since they are on a budget they want to be very selective. The fencer of Six Arms agrees and decides to join in the scheme since worker jobs are low priority. The women then ask Malmvist which items he would recommend since he has an eye for such things on quality. For starters Malmvist advises that they go to the other street of the market since that location usually has better quality goods compared to the high-priced Central Market. Regi and Shizuni excited by the assistance soon run towards the direct shop, leaving Malmvist to hurry to catch up to them.

Later in Momonga's office, the Overlord is looking satisfactorily at the various magic items acquired by Lupusregina and CZ from their shopping in the imperial capital. Their aid is praised by Momonga as they did the task well despite it being so sudden. The two Pleiades as abashed by the thanks, musing it was due to their human accomplice's aid. After thanking them Momonga and the present Floor Guardian s turn to the items before them.

Demiurge and Albedo confident of their master's knowledge of human psychology and "Horenso" beg him to direct them on their new mission. Momonga then addresses the members in the room the plan to create magic items that are unique to the Sorcerer Kingdom and distribute them as trade goods in order to shroud the origins of their nation as well as acquire foreign currency. If they succeed then it will allow their active agents operating outside as citizens of the Sorcerer Kingdom to be under a safer umbrella with credibility. Thus begins the planning of the "Daily Necessities Magic Item Improvement Plan".

The first thing on the preliminary stage by Momonga is to produce prototype and wants his subordinate to come up with new ideas. Demiurge understanding his master's goal advises that they should be aware that manufacturing magic items in the current world is slightly different from theirs and asks how they should handle it. Momonga though has an answer to that which he turns to the protagonist to explain that part. The protagonist reports that they have collaborators who are experienced in the manufacture of magic items, Fluder Paradyne, the imperial court magician of the Baharuth Empire and Tsuibayaya, a dwarf obsessed with the Boastful Sage and a skilled craftsman. Momonga asks the homunculus on who he will choose for this plan? He does and answers that it cannot be Fluder since the wizard is already engrossed in his Chaos Beast research at the E-Rantel Magic Research Institute and his quest for the "abyss of magic". Thus having Fluder work on developing magic items for daily use would be seen as a waste of his skills by the old man. The dwarf Tsuibayaya on the other hand has a penchant for this type of work and can be incentivized through a loan of the Treasury's swimsuit.

Albedo raises the question on how they will create unique brand of items from the Sorcerer Kingdom? Momonga believes that they should start the phase by soliciting out opinions of the current magic items that were brought to Nazarick. The items will be placed around Nazarick to allow others to try and use them to see and test their functions. Before they are turn over to the whole of Nazarick, Momonga wishes to try the products brought by the Pleiades out first. His offer is rejected by Albedo as she is unwilling to have Momonga risk his life for possibly defective products and states that the rest of Nazarick will test them out first to confirm their safety. The action is a bit over the top to Momonga as he doesn't want the to act like poison testers and wonder maybe he should assign POP summons to the task instead.

Still moving on he allows Albedo's procedure before ordering her to install the items around the dungeon for the trial testing. He iterates that the aim is to develop proposals that can improve the current daily household magic items. However he adds that the plan should not take precedence over their current work in Chaos Beast extermination. That in mind he dismisses everyone to begin the plan. For Lupusregina and CZ, since they have returned home and must be tired from their undercover roles, gives them permission to rest. The two leaving his office, marvel at their achievement in pleasing Momonga and as they head to the Pleiades room wonder who is currently there.

Sometime after the end of the meeting, Momonga is seen in his private bath proceeding with his part of the "Daily Necessities Magic Item Improvement Plan". With him are some magic items that have already been tested to be safe. One is the Faucet of Spring Water which Momonga uses in his bath and sees that it produces water. The Overlord recognizes the item's usefulness as it can be installed anywhere and perhaps is even more convenient than using tap water. In terms of how to improve the product, Momonga thinks that a temperature control function could be added, even though he lacks the knowledge to do so. But is convinced that the item can be modified to have outlets for hot or cold water and maybe be attached with a hose and converted into a showerhead for use. Though he rethinks the last item, as in the current world, most people do not have the luxury of soaking in a bathtub.

Even so the idea sounds like it could have originated from the Boastful Sage so he decides to the save the idea as one with potential. Momonga wonders about the other items, the fan and refrigerator. Originally they were bought because they were deemed curiosities, Momonga still is interested on what the others are making of them. Alas he would not know the value of such items, since he can no longer feel cool air on his body or even eat for that matter. Nevertheless he is hopeful that the others will have some good ideas on how to improve the two household items. The undead then calls for Miyoshi to attend him and begin cleaning his skeletal body, enjoying the cleanse blissfully.

On the 9th Floor, in one of the two rooms of the Pleiades, Lupusregina and CZ perform a standard "Ho-Ren-So" greeting to Yuri Alpha who allows them entry. Yuri is eager to see them as she heard how they contributed to the upcoming plan to develop new trade items for the Sorcerer Kingdom to acquire more outside currency and reinforce the credibility of the nation. Her interest is especially on the items brought back by her two sisters as she wants to help in improving them. After the two field agents inform Yuri that the items are being tested by Momonga and have been distributed around Nazarick, Lupusregina asks Yuri if anything has changed in Nazarick since they were away. On that Yuri informs her sisters that the Casino Resort Nazarick which was piloted some time ago, is now open to the general maids as well as an expansion of spa facilities on the 9th Floor at Momonga's prompting. Upon learning that the baths are free to use, Lupusregina feel delighted to spend her time off there. CZ is offered to accompany her there, by Yuri asks CZ to first help her clean the room, while she drafts a casino guidebook to educate the general maids in the rules of the casino and how to properly use it.

Elsewhere at the Bar on the 9th Floor, which has been restored since the Incident, with Sous-chef manning it, serving his lone patron, Shalltear when Demiurge enters the facility, lugging a large bulky item. He reveals to his collages that it is a Refrigerator and one of the daily household items brought back for testing. Sous-chef looks at it and is amused as there is a similar function in his bar. Demiurge briefly explains to the myconid of its purpose in increasing the credibility of the Sorcerer Kingdom, though relents to Shalltear query on what kind of strategy that they will adopt this time. Demiurge explains that the aim is to make improved items of the current daily household items humans use. Using the feedback gathered from trying out the various sample items, the Sorcerer Kingdom will develop a brand of products that will entice humans in their superior quality and features. In order to get effective feedback, the 7th Floor Guardian came to the bar as the refrigerator is similar to an item that the Sous-chef works with.

Sous-chef seeing the refrigerator states that he can tell it is a box that uses cool air to prevent food from spoiling. While the magic [Preserve] may be more reliable, this item appears to be more easier to use as one doesn't need to cast magic. On the downside, the thing is took big and takes up too much space. In his bar the item is already taking up more space than necessary. Not only that the temperature is not very strong. Demiurge takes note that the item's improvement suggestions are size reduction and improvement of the cooling power. Another suggestion is from Shalltear who feels that maybe they can make an item that heats food rather than just cool it. The demon recalls that there is already such an item in production that has a heating function. the Warm Bottle, and if they add such a function to the refrigerator it will probably be difficult to manufacture. Shaltear is disappointed in herself in that she did not know this detail, but Demiurge tells her that her opinion that she gave was not wrong, in fact she was following the tenets of "Ho-Ren-So" as instructed by Momonga to state her mind and allowed her to be corrected by Demiurge. Anyway Demiurge is still unsure about the improvements that will be added as they will be done by a dwarf collaborator so it's hard to say if the suggestions they have will be feasible. Returning to the attention of the refrigerator, Shalltear comments that the item could change the features by incorporating the door to open from the right of left side which Demiurge believes is possible if they add more hinges.

When it is Sous-chef's turn to add some feedback, the cook is conflicted as he feels shameful in comparing this item with those in the facilities of Nazarick, and finding ways to improve it, as it seems disrespectful to his creator. This underlines a problem that many denizens of Nazarick might have to face, in that it will be hard to invent new inventions because they don't feel the need or demand to. Demiurge realizes that this could be an issue which he plans to bring up to with everyone in Nazarick. The cook is ashamed he can't be more helpful on how to improve and make a new product using the refrigerator as a base. But he is curious to see what happens to the taste of his drinks when they are chilled by it and hopes to use it as a foundation. Demiurge is thankful for any assistance and assures Sous-chef that none of their actions with the magic items will offend their creators. Shalltear agrees as if there creators were present they wouldn't be insulted but maybe surprised using her experience with her creator Peroroncino tsundere attitude. Appreciative towards Shalltear's support on his view, Demiurge then asks why Shalltear is at the bar, worried she is drinking again due to depression of being mind-controlled. His worry is unnecessary as Shalltear states that she came to the bar after hearing it was restored and decided to rest at the establishment after she defeated some Chaos Beast s. Taking a page out of her book, Demiurge decides to join her for a drink and orders a cocktail. Sosu-chef happy to have another customer offers the Nazarick to the Floor Guardian.

At Spa Resort Nazarick, Lupusregina is there to soak, but is bored as she is alone with CZ busy at the room. Her lonely soak is interrupted when Albedo appears in the bath. Lupusregina formally greets the Overseer Guardian, but the demon asks her to drop the honorifics as they are in a relaxing location where ranks do not matter. Lupusregina notices that Albedo brought a fan, one of the daily household items that were brought to Nazarick, with her. Albedo explains that she brought it to the baths thinking it would be nice to use the item to cool their bodies after a hot soak so that they can be refreshed and climb and dip into the other nine baths of the spa.

Aftermath
TBA