For a while after that, hectic days continued.

First and foremost, there was the business.

The property I had rented earlier was supposed to have its grand opening after the parade, but because of the chaos caused by the broken mirror, it still hadn't opened.

As a result, the only shop we were running was still Erishe's street stall as usual, but since we had almost no inventory, it was practically in a state of being open in name only.

Fortunately, since it was just a stall, running out of inventory wasn't a catastrophic issue. Nonetheless, a shop without products is a problem, so my first priority was a quick restock.

"So, is this what you've been selling instead of cloth?"

For the first time in a while, I returned to the stall and spoke with Etowa, the cat beastwoman from the Caanan race.

While I had been away, Etowa and Elepipi had been running the shop.

"Yes, Boss. Dargos-san made these and brought them over. He called them 'folding knives'. He mentioned it was your idea."

"Well, that's true, but... this is impressive."

I picked up one of the knives to inspect it.

A folding knife—just as the name suggested.

The steel was likely the plate material I'd brought in before the mirror broke. Oyakata had been studying the knives I'd sold him long ago. Consequently, the manufacturing method for these was "stock removal," just like modern knives.

The blade was cut from a steel plate, shaped, and then tempered. Since tempering isn't just about blindly heating and cooling metal, it was the perfect stage for the Master's veteran skills.

I pulled the blade from the grip.

It was a single-edged blade about 5 centimeters long, shaped into a versatile utility profile. The handle was wood, with only the bolster being metal. It used a rotating collar to lock the blade in place. I'd shown him an Opinel knife as a sample before, so he must have used that as a reference.

"This is great. As expected."

I was genuinely impressed.

As a portable tool, this would be easy to sell to the people of Erishe, and in a world where folding knives don't exist, the originality was perfect.

The steel wasn't stainless, so it would rust and require maintenance, but that kept it from being too suspiciously advanced. It was just a "cleverly designed" item.

I liked that the folding mechanism was manual, without springs or complex gimmicks. It was rustic but perfectly functional.

"What's the price?"

"Since he can't mass-produce them yet, they're a bit expensive. We listed them at 300 El. Even so, we currently have a waiting list for reservations."

Etowa answered without hesitation.

300 El—three silver coins. In Japanese Yen, that's about 40,000 to 50,000 yen ($300–$400).

Considering it's a product using new technology, it felt almost cheap, but for a tool an average person buys for daily use, this was probably the limit. Forty thousand yen for a single knife is plenty expensive, but Etowa's pricing sense was impeccable; if there was a waiting list, I couldn't complain.

"And how are you explaining the maker?"

"I've kept it as a trade secret, of course. Dargos-san asked what the brand name should be, so I took the liberty of telling him to use 'Artemis.'"

I checked the blade. There were characters engraved in the local language; I couldn't read them, but I assumed they spelled out "Artemis."

"Good. Keep it up. Oh, and thanks to you too, Elepipi. You were watching the shop while I was gone, right? Was your work at the theater okay?"

Elepipi, who had been listening quietly next to Etowa, blinked rapidly at the sudden shift in focus.

"...It's my job. It was fine."

She turned her face away with a huff.

"Is that so? Well, I'm back now, so you only need to come when you can."

"...Young Master, why would you say that?"

This time, Elepipi narrowed her eyes and started inching closer, glaring at me.

W-What now?

"I mean, why... You're a part-timer, and you've got to work hard to become an actress, right?"

"...T-That's true, but... isn't there... something else you should say...?"

Elepipi looked up at me with pleading eyes.

I mean, she does have her troupe, and wasn't becoming an actress her dream? Though she's in the Knights too, and I suppose she needs to earn money.

"Boss, you are completely hopeless when it comes to a woman's feelings!"

While I was flustered, Etowa declared bluntly.

Well, I have zero experience!

"Elepipi-san, with the Boss, it's more effective to be direct."

"...Really? I see..."

How does Etowa know that...?! It makes me look like a total blockhead!

At Etowa's words, Elepipi clenched her fists, gathering her resolve. An aura radiated from her as if she were about to throw a haymaker.

"...Hey, Young Master. I worked hard, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you were a huge help."

"...Then, praise me. Tell me I did a good job. Stroke my head. Hug me. And tell me that I am necessary."

"Elepipi-san, wow. That was a hell of a straight pitch," Etowa whispered.

Elepipi kept looking up at me, closing the distance until she was right in my face.

We were outside. At a stall. If we were at the mansion, maybe, but I can't do that in public!

...That said, it was true that she had worked hard.

When the mirror broke, Diana was confined to the mansion and Marina was constantly training. In that chaos, Etowa and Elepipi were the only ones looking after the shop.

I reached out my hand.

"...Hmph. Just that?"

She grumbled about getting a head pat, but the corners of her mouth were twitching into a smile.

"Everyone's watching... Anyway, I'm grateful, Elepipi. I might not have been able to keep the shop going without you. Will you keep coming whenever you can?"

"...Not 'whenever I can.' ...Say 'Come.'"

"W-What?"

"...Staaaare."

"Seriously?"

"...Staaaaaaaaare."

"Don't look at me with those eyes... Fine. Ahem... Come to the shop from now on, Elepipi. Understood?"

"...Yes."

Elepipi's cheeks flushed bright red. I had no idea why that worked, but is she going to be okay...?

"Anyway, you two saved me. I'm planning on giving you both a special bonus, so look forward to it."

"Oh! In that case, instead of money, I want that 'scientific calculator' you mentioned before, Boss! And a new math book!"

Etowa raised her hand enthusiastically.

A scientific calculator? I checked before and they were surprisingly cheap, so I could probably buy one. I don't know how to use it, but Etowa would figure it out herself.

"...I want love more than money, woof."

Elepipi said languidly.

How serious is she?

"You need the money, Elepipi. Did you pay back what you borrowed from your sister?"

"...Ugh. That's cruel, attacking my weak point so precisely."

"Well, I'll give you as much as I can, so go put your sister's mind at ease."

"...Okay... Thanks."

Elepipi gave a slight, archaic smile.

Well, the stall was sorted out. But I was still paying rent for a physical storefront that was sitting empty. If I didn't get it ready and open soon, it would be a huge loss.

First, I'd head over to Master Dalgos to discuss our inventory. He did say the Japanese-style swords were nearing completion.

* * *

"Long time no see, Oyakata."

"O-Ohhhh!? Danna! You're looking well!"

"Thanks to you."

I dropped by Dargos Smithy, located about twenty minutes from the mansion.

Oyakata looked healthy too—more energetic than when we met in Lucraella. Perhaps the endless smithing work had rejuvenated his spirit.

"I saw the knives. Excellent work. As expected."

"Right?! I wasn't sure about such fiddly work, but once I got into it, it was fascinating. I've got the next prototype ready, so take a look."

He showed me a slightly larger folding knife with an animal bone handle. Knife-making truly is a noble pursuit. It even has the power to captivate a dwarf. It made me want to make one again for the first time in a while.

"This is great too. Is it spring-loaded?"

The folding mechanism had a slipjoint leaf spring installed. It made a satisfying click when the blade closed.

"Yeah. I modeled the mechanism after the one I borrowed from you. But this one takes a bit of work. Making two a day is about the limit. Once the apprentices improve, we'll get more production out of them."

Two a day is plenty. That's roughly a gold coin a day in revenue.

Wait, is one gold coin a day low for a master craftsman? A gold coin is worth 100k to 150k yen... for a small smithy's profit, I guess it's reasonable.

"So, what happened with that project?"

"Oh, that! I made a few. Take a look."

Oyakata brought out the items.

The dull gleam of steel. The mysterious, waving pattern of the hamon.

Japanese sword prototypes.

There were three: two katana-length blades and one short dagger.

"T-These are prototypes...?"

No matter how I looked at them, they were the real deal! Genuine swords!

Even if I had given him books, to think he could produce this just from that... Dwarves are incredible!

"A prototype is a prototype. I failed many times, of course. These three are just the best of the bunch... Well, with the books you brought, I had the general vibe down, so it wasn't that troublesome. Compared to those knives, this is closer to my original field of work."

I suppose that's true.

To me, a katana is a fantasy, but in this fantasy world, a katana is "real" and a folding knife is the fantasy.

"It's magnificent work. These will definitely sell."

"I hope so. It's technology unlike anything I've ever thought of. The idea of making the blade itself look beautiful never even occurred to me. The sharpness is top-notch too. The only problem is it takes several times longer to make than a regular sword, but I'll get used to it."

Oyakata seemed to like them too. Honestly, I'd want to sell these in Japan—though I'd probably get arrested.

"Next are the mountings."

"Yeah, I've already ordered the metalwork from Bill. Looking at the books, you can have fun with the mountings too, right? I'll try making some for now, so come back in a while."

"I'm looking forward to it."

A Japanese sword had been completed in another world.

Well, maybe not fully completed yet, but from here on, they'll surely advance until legendary blades are being pumped out.

Finally, I was a katana owner... I wonder if there's any way to register these in Japan.

* * *

With that, preparations for the new store could finally begin.

The new shop was finally moving toward a re-opening.

I had stock, and the katanas looked like they'd sell. I could sell folding knives too.

The inventory was sufficient. Everything should work out.

"...No, it won't."

Right... My online auction activities had been exposed.

Through the message boards, people had figured out I was selling other-world items on online auctions.

While that's how I met Mugen-san, it was also true that the time for making a living off online auctions was coming to an end.

"What a dilemma... My only other source of cash is the gold buy-back centers."

Or I could sell at local flea markets. But as you know, expensive items don't sell at flea markets. It's mostly just window shoppers.

"Maybe I could make a new auction account..."

But the pattern of my products was known. Sooner or later, they'd realize it was the same person.

Should I sell folding knives or katana fittings? But those usually get lowballed if they're brand new. They wouldn't be profitable enough for the effort involved in making them over there. If I could sell the katanas, I'd make a killing, but that was practically impossible.

"Hmm...?"

As I was groaning in my room, my phone rang.

The display read: Mugen-san.

"Hello?"

『Yo, it's me. How's the situation on the other side?』

Mugen-san sounded casual.

Since we both know the "other world," I felt like we were becoming quite friendly. Maybe it's his age, but he has a calm personality that's easy to talk to.

"Thanks to you, I'm coming and going without any problems. Thank you so much... Oh, right, I haven't given you a thank-you gift yet. It was Spirit Stones, right?"

『Ah, don't worry about that. Spirit Stones aren't exactly easy to come by, are they? Whenever is fine. More importantly, you have that platinum you uploaded to the board before, right?』

Platinum...?

Ohh, the stones I got in Lucraella? Platinum ore, or "platinum sand" or whatever it was called.

I'd left them alone since I had no way to sell them... Does Mugen-san want them?

"If those are okay with you, you can have them."

『Oh, really?』

"I have no use for them here. They aren't exactly pretty stones as they are."

『No, I don't want them as a gift. Since you're just sitting on them, I thought I'd buy them off you. Just give me a bit of a discount from the market rate.』

Wait, he's buying them?

"But if I do that..."

『Do you know why platinum is expensive? Because it's rare on Earth. If you have plenty of it, just selling it to me is a huge profit on my end.』

"If that's the case, it's an offer I couldn't be happier with."

『Then I'll head over to your place soon, and we can do it then.』

"Understood."

And so it was decided.

* * *

A few days later, Mugen-san arrived in a yellow Lamborghini Countach LP400.

Today he was alone, without his wife.

"What an outrageous level of flashiness..."

We had arranged to meet in the middle of town, so it instantly drew everyone's attention.

I wondered if he might actually be a bit of an idiot.

"Yo, kept you waiting? Let's drive around a bit and talk."

"S-Sure. But... how do I open this?"

"You don't know gullwing doors?! No way... Is this what they call a generation gap?!"

"Well, there is a pretty big age difference between us..."

He showed me how to lift it, and it swung upward.

What incredible flashiness.

Yeah, he might really be an idiot... Almost every passerby was staring.

I climbed into the supercar, whose interior felt cheaper than I had imagined. With a loud, vulgar roar from the exhaust, the car started moving.

We were getting so much attention that it was honestly embarrassing.

"Amazing car... Wait, how many cars do you have?"

"Right now... how many was it? About thirty. I have about the same number of bikes. You like vehicles?"

"Uh, well... I guess."

"Vehicles are great. Coming back to this world, the most exciting thing was seeing how vehicles evolved."

"Over there, it's mostly horses, after all."

"Horses are fine in their own way. But I like new things."

I don't think a Land Cruiser 60 or a Countach are "new," but to Mugen-san, who's been over there for 150 years, they must seem quite modern. Or maybe he just happened to come in an old car and has newer ones too.

"In the summer, I'll be playing around on my cruiser. Want to come along?"

"A cruiser? Like those ones movie stars have...?"

"Yeah, exactly."

"If I'm not in the way, I'd love to join you!"

Doesn't owning a cruiser personally cost a ridiculous amount of money...? He's even richer than I imagined.

"Living in Yamanashi, it's inconvenient to go anywhere. I bought a jet the other day, but it's a long way to go just to fly it. It's not even certified in Japan yet. How about it? You should come with me."

"A jet...?"

"Honda put out a new one, for personal use."

"Y-You bought that!?"

"I did. Though I keep it at my villa in America."

Damn.

He's not just a millionaire; he's on a whole different level! What's going on?

"Um... Mugen-san, what do you do for a living? Uh, your job?"

I found myself asking out of pure confusion. I have no idea how his family registry or anything works.

"Hmm... how should I explain it? I don't really have a 'job' right now. I help my grandkids with their work, manage assets, that kind of thing."

"Grandkids?"

"Ah, that was a long time ago. I adopted many children and built a family. Now, between great-great-grandchildren and beyond, there are quite a few of them. They're all running successful businesses."

It seems he hadn't spent the last 150 years living with just his wife.

Well, of course. There were major wars, and it was an era when family registries were much looser than they are now. I don't know exactly what it was like 150 years ago, but there's a chance he could have registered properly. Or, he could have just "died" on paper at some point.

"Anyway, the price for the platinum is basically pocket change to me, so don't worry about it."

"I wasn't really worried, but... okay. I'll try not to. Actually, I was worried about my cash income since the online auction thing blew up, so this really helps."

"Hah-hah! Well, don't worry about money. If it's Spirit Stones, I'll buy them for a hundred million a piece."

"A-Are you serious...?"

Mugen-san laughed, but he didn't seem to be joking.

* * *

So, that day, we went for a drive, he treated me to lunch at a restaurant, and he bought the platinum for 5 million yen (it was a total "rough estimate" calculation). I went home after that.

Seeing a stack of cash like I'd never seen before made my head spin.

With 5 million yen, I'd be set for at least two years.

And besides...

"Was he serious...?"

The offer to buy Spirit Stones for a hundred million.

...No, he must be.

Spirit Stones are stones of miracles. And there are elves who can use them.

"Wow... seriously...?"

I rolled around on my futon in agony.

I might finally never have to worry about money again.