Preparations for the new shop were complete, and the day of the grand opening had finally arrived.

I had procured the commemorative flowers myself and arranged them as decorations. In the display window, I featured a dress made from our signature fabric. It was a modest, fixed window—hardly what you'd call a proper "show window"—but its visibility from the street was a massive advantage.

The dress had been designed by Shamash-san and tailored by a local seamstress. Shamash-san's designs were quite avant-garde for this world. Since we were primarily a fabric shop anyway, having a sample that turned heads was exactly what we needed.

By going through the Guild, I could outsource this kind of work to individual artisans as much as I wanted. In a world where even cottage industries hadn't truly begun, the unit of labor was entirely individual—at most, a master and an apprentice. The Guild acted as the entity that organized them all. Since I was a Guild member now, I might eventually have work funneled my way as well.

Because the shop's architecture was also handled by Shamash-san, it must have looked incredibly exotic to the citizens of Erishe. But that was all part of the calculation. To the locals, every single fabric we stocked was essentially a "new material."

'A strange shop selling strange cloth.'

I was fine with that being the initial perception. Priority number one was to stand out and gain recognition.

* * *

"Alright, we're finally opening. Is everyone ready?"

"""Yes!"""

Everyone had a great smile on their face. We'd already run through the simulations. I didn't expect a huge number of actual buyers today, so I figured it wouldn't be as overwhelming as it could be.

Including myself, we had about seven staff members.

Since it was the grand opening, we prepared small gifts for visitors—two types: a commemorative item for those who stopped by, and a separate gift for customers who made a purchase.

The visitor gift was a limited run of 500 Madras-check handkerchiefs. These were sewn by a local seamstress—well, an individual who worked alone. Even for 500 pieces, the labor cost was only four silver coins.

Labor was cheap.

Checked fabric had the potential to become one of our main products, and even if we handed them out as free handkerchiefs, it should serve as decent advertising:

"—Oh, what a lovely handkerchief!"

"—Where did you get it?"

"—I've never seen this pattern before."

"—Actually, I got it at that new shop over there."

...Something like that.

Well, whether it worked that smoothly was another matter.

I had agonized over the purchase gift. If someone bought something, they were a customer, and customers must be cherished. Of course, those who bought on the first day might just have been novelty-seekers, but that was to be expected. I wanted something exquisite that people would want to show off.

So I decided the gift for buyers would be sunglasses.

I'd bought various styles at a 100-yen shop back home. They had nothing to do with fabric, but people who bought high-end cloth were generally wealthy. They likely ordered custom designs from their own trusted tailors, meaning they were fashion-conscious.

Sunglasses didn't exist in this world yet, so they would look quite bizarre, but that was fine. They were free, after all. Let's take the risk.

Most people here were phenotypically Caucasoid (though with cat-people and dwarves, it was more like a melting pot). Given the UV issues that came with that, I figured sunglasses might actually be a hit. In fact, I'd given samples to Hetty-san and Ion, and they'd been using them daily. In Ion's case, it might have been partly for the disguise value, though.

As for the opening time, I'd posted flyers all over town. I even got permission to post them at the temple, so the word-of-mouth seemed to have worked; there was already a crowd gathered in front of the shop. Most were likely there for the handkerchiefs, but that was fine by me.

"Alright, let's open up."

It was exactly 10 a.m.

By this world's standards, that was quite a late opening time.

"Since everyone's here, let's line up on both sides of the entrance and greet customers with a welcome."

Department-store style.

It doesn't really mean much, but customers should feel good about it.

And with that, the store opened.

We threw the doors open and hung the "Open" sign.

I thought the waiting crowd would surge in at once, but they were surprisingly hesitant. Perhaps the promise of a free handkerchief was too generous, making them suspicious.

But then Diana stepped out from the back. She gave a gentle smile and said, "Please, do come in and have a look."

The reaction was dramatic.

The trusted Elf seal of approval.

In this world—especially in the Empire—elves were seen as something close to divine representatives. Few people knew the difference between High Elves and regular elves, but an elf was an elf.

Reassured, people began to filter into the shop one after another.

The commemorative gifts were handed out at the back of the store—strictly one per person. While customers looked at the goods, we had to prioritize passing out the handkerchiefs first, or the situation would have descended into chaos. We gave them the gift first, then invited them to browse if they were interested.

"Please form a line! Please take a look at our merchandise as well!"

People here didn't really have the concept of waiting in line, so it got messy. Since the shop was small, we had to implement entry restrictions, which eventually calmed things down.

However, the crowd outside drew in even more onlookers, and it turned into quite a spectacle. I dispatched Rebecca-san and Elepipi to manage the crowd outside. Since there were no cars or bikes here, blocking the street just meant minor trouble for the occasional carriage. It was nice that accidents were unlikely.

Even after receiving their handkerchiefs, people lingered to look at the goods out of curiosity. Most didn't have the discerning eye (or the budget) to appreciate the rare fabrics, so they'd usually gasp at the price tags before moving on to the Katana corner.

The katanas were a true novelty, drawing many onlookers. Most people would just look at the price, let out a "Wow," and walk away. Well, we were a fabric shop and most of our customers were women, so katanas—the "Man's Romance"—might not have been the best match. I might have steered too hard toward the "Noble Old Man" demographic.

Later on, some people claiming to be messengers for nobles showed up, drawn by the crowd, and a few merchants I'd met at the stall came by to check things out.

We sold a decent amount of fabric, too. Our prices were roughly the same as what was considered "top-tier" in Erishe. You might think "otherworld quality" was something to look down on, but it was actually impressive.

Almost everything in this world was handmade. The highest-grade cloth here was woven from rare materials by master craftsmen who put in an incredible amount of time. If you tried to buy that level of quality in Japan, it would cost over 10,000 yen per meter. Our prices were in that same ballpark. You can see why only the wealthy could afford it.

* * *

And then, closing time.

We'd been handling customers nonstop until the very end. I was exhausted—not physically, but mentally.

I really wanted to move to a membership system soon and start screening customers.

"Etowa, how were the sales?"

I asked Etowa, who looked uncharacteristically tired herself. She's young and usually full of energy, but a day like today was a mental drain.

"9,400 El. Having a high unit price really makes a difference!"

"W-Whoa... I felt like we weren't selling much, but that's incredible."

That's nine gold coins and four silver coins. In Japanese yen, it easily clears 1 million yen ($7,000+). It was like the sales from a jewelry fair back at the "black company" I used to work for.

"Selling one of the daggers was the biggest factor. That alone was 4,000 El."

"What about the fabrics?"

"Many people bought the checkered patterns to match their handkerchiefs. The price was relatively accessible."

"Accessible? Even at 500 per unit, it shouldn't be that easy to buy..."

500 El per meter means about 75,000 yen ($500+). You can't make much with just one meter, so you have to buy a lot. Still, whatever the reason, I was glad they sold.

"And the membership cards?"

"I handed them out perfectly!"

We gave every customer who made a purchase a membership card that also functions as a loyalty card. It was for when we eventually transition to a members-only system.

A total of 467 people visited today. Among them, about 20 actually bought something.

We still have handkerchiefs left, so we'll hand out the rest tomorrow. For now, I just hope the customers who came today and tomorrow will bring in even more people.

* * *

The commotion of the grand opening had died down, and the shop was finally starting to settle into a rhythm.

"Excuse me. Is Hetty-neesan around?"

"Oh? Um, she's not here today... but if you have a message, I can take it for you."

A woman stood there with a huge axe strapped to her back. She had a childlike face and tightly curled hair, and wore a well-used breastplate.

Perhaps she was a warrior acquaintance of Hetty-san's.

"Hm...? Are you Jirou-sama, by any chance?"

"I'm not really someone worthy of the 'sama' honorific, but yes, that's me."

"Oh! So you're him!"

She suddenly grabbed both my hands.

"My apologies for the late introduction, I am—"

"—Hm? What's wrong, Jirou? A customer?"

Rebecca-san had returned from a grocery run.

From her perspective, it probably looked like I was being accosted by someone carrying a giant axe. Well, in reality, that was exactly what was happening.

The axe-wielding woman turned around, stared intently at Rebecca-san's face, and let out a shout.

"Hm? Ah! Beckyn! Is that you?!"

"Ehhhh!? Noririn! No way... y-you haven't changed at all..."

"Beckyn, you've gotten so mellow, huh!"

It seemed the two were old acquaintances. But "Noririn"? I was curious whether that was a nickname or her real name. The two immediately started reminiscing about the "good old days".

"You two know each other?"

"Oh! Sorry, it's just been so long since I saw Beckyn. We'd both thought the other might even be dead, so this reunion is especially moving. Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Minori Reishia, former right-wing captain of the Unison Mercenary Corps. Please feel free to call me Noririn."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Jirou Ayase, the owner of this Artemis fabric shop."

"You run the Knights, too, right?"

"Ah, yes, that's right. By the way, what was the Unison Mercenary Group?"

It was a name I hadn't heard before.

"Ah, did you not know, Jirou? Unison was the mercenary group Hetty used to lead. Noririn here made a name for herself as the 'Right Captain of Hell'. But wait, Noririn, what brings you here? Did you come to see Hetty?"

"Miya-miya has been helping out Hetty-neesan lately, right? I got a letter from her, so I just flew over here."

"Miah did? She's got that side to her, even if she doesn't look it... She's quite diligent with her letter-writing..."

"Miya-miya" referred to the ninja-like woman who had served as Hetty-san's strategist. Her real name was Miah. I'd only been greeted by her once with very few words, and I hadn't seen her since.

She apparently acted as Hetty-san's hands and feet, and given that Miah-san had been tailing Dida the whole time, she really might be a ninja.

"After Princess Lucreion went missing, the group dissolved and everyone scattered. But we kept writing letters saying we should gather again sometime. Some settled down by getting married, but there are hardly any of us like that. We're just society's rejects, after all."

Noririn shrugged her shoulders, looking weary.

With that giant axe on her back and her wild vibe, it was hard to imagine her settling down into a marriage. Well, I'd probably get yelled at if I said that out loud.

"So, what did Miah's letter say?"

"Hm? Wait a sec."

At Rebecca-san's prompt, Noririn pulled a letter from her pack and read it aloud.

"Ahem—"

Dear Noririn, I hope you are well.

Right now, I am working together with Miss Hetty on a certain job.

Once it's finished, we're thinking of joining a certain knight unit together.

I'm not a knight, so I don't know if I qualify, but the owner, Jirou-sama, seems like a pretty good man, so I'm sure it'll be fine.

It seems being a woman matters more than being a knight. I might even be expected to contribute as a woman—but I'm ready for anything.

We're all scattered now, but this knight unit looks like it's going to grow.

Believe it or not, there's even an elf there. And this is the surprising part—Becky is there too! Moreover, she's the captain!

It's an all-female knight unit, so I thought maybe we could all work together happily again.

I know this letter is sudden, but please give it some thought.

- From Miah Yamiramira.

"Ohh..."

Rebecca-san put her head in her hands. That meant this Noririn had come to join our Knights.

Miah-san... or rather, Miya-miya. She gave such a sharp, serious impression, but this was the kind of person she actually was...

"And that's the situation... Jirou-sama! Please, let me join your Knight Order! My vocations are 'Warrior' and 'Axeman'! I'm not a knight or anything, but I have plenty of combat experience, so I'll definitely be useful!"

"Warrior" and "Axeman." I suppose there really was no path left for them but to be mercenaries. I started to worry about the life of anyone with a combat-focused vocation in this world. With the Hitotsuzuki and monster spots, I guess there's always some work, but still...

"Rebecca-san, what should we do?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah... Um, well, Jirou."

"Yes?"

"I think Miah... that girl, she probably sent the same letter to everyone she could think of... The Unison Mercenary Group had about 100 people in total... We might end up with 20 of them showing up. They're all good girls, and they're skilled, so I'm happy they'd want to join, but..."

"Then isn't that fine? Though, I'm not sure if I can pay them a proper salary. Actually, once the headcount gets to a certain point, I'll have to switch to a commission-based system depending on our earnings."

If skilled female warriors want to join, it's an opportunity I can't pass up. Calling us a "Knight Order" is already half a farce anyway—even Etowa is a member. Of course, I don't want anyone causing trouble, but if they were Hetty-san's comrades, they should be fine. I'm the type to value substance over a name.

"Yeah, I think minimum pay is fine for them. These girls... well, I was the same way... they just don't know any other way to live. They aren't looking to get rich quick or start a business with their earnings. They're really just looking for a place to live... or perhaps a place to die."

"Whoa, that's harsh, Beckyn. But, yeah, that's about right. Ever since Neesan disappeared, neither I nor the others have had any real work. Where Neesan is, that's where we belong. We had decided we would die together, but then Nee-san disappeared, so... sniff..."

Caught up in the emotion, Noririn started tearing up.

"Come on, don't cry. You've been a crybaby since the old days... Anyway, let's go get a drink tonight to celebrate the reunion. We'll invite Hetty and Miah, too."

"Wah! You bet! Drinks, drinks!"

"Jirou, are you coming?"

"No, I'm sure you'll have old stories to share, so I'll sit this one out."

"Is that so? Then it's been a while since we had a girls-only night."

* * *

From that day on, women from Hetty-san's mercenary group began to gather one after another.

From that day on, women from Hetty-san's former mercenary band gradually began to gather. They were all unique, but experienced—a collection of formidable warriors you'd never normally see gathered in one place.

Maybe it was time to stop calling it a "Knight Order" and just call it a "Knights' Guild."