Chocolate Is Colored With Gems

Chocolate Is Colored With Gems (チョコは珠玉に彩られ) is a game event that occurred in Mass for the Dead. It was released on February 1, 2023 to February 15, 2023.

Background
A chocolate confection distributed in E-Rantel as a special product of the Sorcerer Kingdom. In response to the slight decrease in the income of this trade item, which should be consumed stably, the Guardians banded together to come up with an improvement plan. Contribute to foreign currency acquisition with "Ho-Ren-So"!

Incident
Presently E-Rantel is undergoing a remarkable revival due to the intervention of the Sorcerer Kingdom. At the Adventurer's Guild, a bustle of clients and adventurers is occurring. A receptionist at the desk greets the returning Swords of Darkness from their successful request, giving them their reward and souvenirs. Peter Mauk exclaims that the souvenirs are a new bonus, a card with a portrait of an adventurer from the new collectible twenty-card set "Great Adventurers".

The rest of Peter's examine the card, Dyne Woodwonder commenting that it's a shift from the previous line of stuff animals and figurines. Lukrut Volve finds the change good as the new souvenirs are more compact and easier to carry. Above on the second floor of the guild, Pluton Ainzach, the protagonist and Surako are watching. The guildmaster is relieved that the reactions to the new souvenirs are well received. There was worry that the previous stock of plush toys would have overwhelmed the guild's warehouse, but now thanks to this new idea by the protagonist their inventories of souvenirs will be stable as paper cards are smaller and easier to produce. The cards also serve as a great way to leave an impression of the achievements of former adventurers to the public. In the future, the collection of relics that the protagonist provided, will be showcased in newer cards as well as the past exploits of adventurers so that their deeds will be remembered. Surako anticipating this has already prepared a framework for cards based on the adventurers of Kralgra. The proposal is given to the guildmaster by the protagonist which Ainzach accepts as it will help boost the image of the Adventurer's Guild.

Later outside at night, the protagonist and Surako, discuss the acceptance of the new card products and how quick the cards became so valued. Overall their aim was successful, in that they created a new measure as a diversion to inquire about the decrease in chocolate sweet sales at the guild. Since the Sorcerer Kingdom relies on the sales, the decrease in desire for their trade goods is concerning. As they cannot solve this problem by themselves, the homunculus decides that he and Surako need to return to the Great Tomb of Nazarick.

The next morning, the protagonist and Slimeko deliver the current state of affairs of E-Rantel to Momonga, and the Floor Guardians in the Round Table Room. When the protagonist's report ends, he expresses his apologies for leaving the situation in E-Rantel as is, but felt that the greater whole should be informed as Nazarick's is tabling introducing daily magic items as a means of earning foreign currency.

Albedo listening to the homunculus, states that the plan for the magic items is still in the prototype stage, with minimal goods sold through the Adventurer's Guild and currently production is being outsourced to the city. The protagonist adds that the Dark Warrior goods are selling strong and contributing to the Sorcerer Kingdom's profits, but feels that they should increase their confectionary sales. Though the issue with that is the limit of ingredients which the protagonist asks for Momonga's wisdom. Aura comments that also the fading interest in chocolate has to be considered and maybe they should consider creating a new menu.

Even though a new menu item may revitalize the chocolate interest, Shalltear Bloodfallen reminds everyone that the current menu item was development through a lot of trial and error. The protagonist knows this, aware of Shalltear and the others for their contributions, and gives his own reminder that the chocolate item was established as a luxury trade item in E-Rantel, after which the content of chocolate in the item was reduced and the price was lowered turning it into dagashi. Cocytus believes that its should be easy to make some improvements with the current product, although Aura suggests that they might need some new ingredients.

Mare wonders if it is possible to control the tastes of humans. Demiurge feels that they need only to answer the demand and asks the protagonist to share any insight on this. Sadly the protagonist wasn't able to obtain any new information. From what he heard from Ainzach, before they started making the candy, some customers said that they wanted to taste the richness of natural chocolate. However since then no one made any specific requests, majority simply accepted the "more affordable" version. This causes Albedo to curse at humans' stupidity to not fully appreciate chocolate as it is a rarity, even in Nazarick as they have a finite supply. Mare then raises the question on the supply that Momonga provided.

Momonga answers that the current inventory of chocolate is managed by Pandora's Actor, who reports that at the current pace of consumption, they should still have an ample supply that will last several years. The amount astonishes the protagonist but is relieved to know that there is no worry of any deficient. Demiurge seeing the relief of his colleague reminds him that such material still needs to be put to good use. In regards to returning to Nazarick for his report on the status of the chocolate sales, Momonga praises the homunculus for the thoroughness. The undead advises that they need to grasp the human customer's needs correctly in order to increase the sales. to which the protagonist recommends that they target the "enthusiasts" or those who frequently buy and eat chocolates sweets on a daily basis. Hearing about these "enthusiasts" Momonga suggests that they need to solicit their frank opinions on what preferences they like about chocolate which Demiurge feels is akin to hanging bait out. It is doubtful by Momonga that these people will answer truthfully verbally and such comments from them must be taken with a grain of salt, but their feedback could still prove useful. Momonga then sends the protagonist to gather information and also to employ Ho-Ren-So.

Some time after Momonga and the protagonist left the Round Table Room, the remaining Floor Guardians are led by Albedo in another discussion. They of the same opinion on deciphering Momonga's unsaid actions, such as to why he did not mention "Valentine" in regards to chocolate since the item is synonymous with the Valentine's Day holiday. Demiurge recalls that last time when the word "Valentine" was invoked, the aim then was to increase the number of clients by having the Adventurer's Guild monopolize the chocolate sweets. Using chocolate as a trade good of the Sorcerer Kingdom the plan was to invite people to join the guild as well as revitalize the economy and gain profits. The plan then evolved by converting the chocolate product into something affordable. As the original chocolates were at a luxury level it can be assumed that they will have to revise their plan to get out of the low profit and high sales situation. Shalltear assumes that is why Momonga did not mention "Valentine" as it's now a little different to the original plan.

While the admire their master's foresight and reasoning, the group still struggle to devise how to solve the current problem so they can live up to Momonga's expectations. In the mean time they agree that there should only be a select number of people to advise as too many will be too confusing. Shalltear even concedes to allow Albedo to handle this task, as she feels that it's not related to the Trial of Love. The vampire then excuses herself to attend the Chaos Beast subjugation in the Throne Room, leaving the rest of her colleagues to muddle through the chocolate improvement issue.

Meanwhile at the Treasury, Momonga is visiting Pandora's Actor to reconfirm the amount of chocolate in stock. From the Area Guardian, Momonga learns that the stock of chocolate is greater than he believed. Pandora's Actor takes credit for lengthening the supply ever since production was put in place to use nuts as a core for the confectionary candies. By his calculations, at the current rate of consumption, he estimates that he had lengthened the supply of chocolate for about twenty-four months than what Momonga assumed. Pandora's Actor is impressed by his master's foresight in stockpiling chocolates to be later used a strategic materials. Momonga in truth confesses that the items were not collected by him per say, but the stockpile was contributed by each of his guildmates who had leftovers. To Pandora's Actor, that makes them all more precious to use and treat with deference, even though Momonga thinks them as just surplus but still has a pleasant memory of how he saved the chocolates as sentimental relics, hoping that his guildmates would come back.

This brings to Momonga's mind about how he never attended many Valentine's Day events, and causes him to realize he forgot to mention it to the the Floor Guardians in reference to the previous "Valentine Plan". Momonga doesn't think too much about it as he and Valentine's Day are mostly strangers to one another. Pandora's Actor catches on to his master's thoughts after Momonga blurts out the event partially, but its enough for Pandora's Actor to divine its meaning and guesses that the undead is trying to avoid saying the name of the holiday. Pandora's Actor guesses that the reason why Momonga did not say Valentine's Day is to avoid repeating himself at meetings, to allow his subordinates to get creative and take initiative. This is proven correct as Momonga claims that he did not mention the topic as to allow the other NPCs to think for themselves and hopes that Albedo and Demiurge will come to the same conclusion. The undead hopes his brief slip up will lead to the NPCs of developing ingenuity and creativity during this little project.

Aftermath
TBA