I had dinner at a food stall and then took Sierra to the Adventurers’ Guild.
Tomorrow, I’ll be working at the market selling goods starting in the morning.
We promised to meet at the guild and parted ways.
Sierra, now looking neat and tidy, went unnoticed by anyone, likely thanks to the magic tool ring I lent her, which had the effect of “recognition interference.”
“With this, I should be fine.”
The guild’s lodging had a four-person room just for women, and apparently, those who cause trouble lose their guild membership, so it should be safe.
“Well, when I get back, I need to prepare the goods I’ll sell tomorrow.”
“Huh?”
Kotez, who was sitting on my shoulder, asked if I wasn’t going to sell food. He must have been quite disappointed by the taste of the street food I had, which he had been looking forward to.
“You want me to run a food stall? Well, if I use Japanese seasonings, I’m confident I could make it a popular stall in no time, but it’s a hassle.”
“Unyaa…”
“You think I should have Sierra help out? Hmm, well, if that’s the case, maybe?”
My [Item Box] was full of monster meat I had obtained from the Great Forest and dungeons.
Having become quite picky with my food, I now mostly eat high-grade monster meat from the dungeon, leaving the boar and deer meat untouched.
I quietly checked my storage list, and there were nearly three-digit quantities of each.
“Even if I were to run a food stall, I’d still need to prepare, so I’ll focus on selling general goods for a while.”
“Mmm…”
Kotez seemed displeased, but selling household goods was easy and convenient.
I was a bit like a shady reseller, buying cheap items from a hundred-yen shop and selling them at nearly a hundred times the price, but technically, this wasn’t considered a crime in this world, so it was fine.
“Well, since we’re in the city, I might as well try expanding the range of things I sell.”
“Eh?”
“I told you, I’m not selling food.”
When I returned to the inn I had booked, I was greeted with a warm smile.
“We’ll bring hot water to your room shortly.”
“Ah, thanks.”
There wasn’t a bath, but they offered hot water as a service.
I gratefully received the water in a basin and washed my face, since it felt refreshing, even though purification magic would have cleaned it better.
They told me to leave the basin outside the hallway for collection, so I did just that.
“Well, now I just need to prepare for tomorrow and get some sleep…”
I looked around the room again and sighed.
It was apparently considered a high-end inn in the city, but to someone used to the cleanliness and comfort of modern Japan, the room was quite rough.
There was no trash, but the dust bothered me.
The room was about ten tatami mats in size, with a bed and side table at the back, and a dresser in front. A small desk and chair were also placed inside.
The floor was hardwood, with no carpet.
There was only a mat woven from vines placed at the entrance, probably to wipe off dirt from shoes, as they had a shoes-on culture.
I decided to use cleansing magic on the room to remove the grime, since I hated the idea of it being dirty.
“Okay, that’s better. Now for the bed…”
Though I had been mentally prepared after hearing about it from my cousins, seeing the actual bed made me sigh again.
The wooden frame looked sturdy, but it was far from comfortable. Instead of a mattress, it was stuffed with straw, and several layers of fur had been placed on top.
To make it look nicer, a patchwork bed cover had been spread over the fur.
“If this is considered a high-end inn, I can’t even imagine what the beds are like at the inn Sierra mentioned for new adventurers…”
I didn’t want to imagine it.
In fact, I didn’t want to think about it at all.
I tentatively touched the bed cover and confirmed that there was no softness or bounce to it, making it seem far from conducive to a good night’s sleep.
“Nope, this is impossible. And I’m scared of bugs, so let’s just clean this up.”
Reluctantly, I stored the inn’s bed in my [Item Box] and set up my own comfortable Japanese bed instead.
Once I set up my beloved double-sized bed, Kotez immediately jumped on it and curled up into a ball. How cute.
Fighting the urge to bury my face in his soft fur as he slept in an ammonite shape, I decided to focus on preparing for tomorrow.
The inn’s breakfast consisted of bread, vegetable soup, smoked meat steak, and a fried egg.
I was glad I had it brought to my room instead of eating in the dining area.
The bread was a bit tough and dry, with a strong wheat aroma.
I tried a small piece of the smoked meat steak, and it was fairly salty, but not bad.
The vegetable soup was as usual, lightly salted, so I added some consomme powder to improve the flavor.
“Kotez, do you want some?”
“Nnya.”
He turned his face away.
It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. The breakfast was on the bland side. Rather than waste it, I decided to give it to Sierra.
I cut the bread in half, spread butter on it, and then added lettuce from my [Item Box], layering the smoked meat steak and fried egg on top.
“Maybe mayonnaise would be better than teriyaki sauce?”
After spreading a little mayonnaise and stacking the halves together, I wrapped the makeshift sandwich in cooking paper I bought from the hundred-yen shop, making it easy to eat with one hand.
“Food!”
“Alright, alright, I’ll prepare our breakfast too.”
Even though he rejected the inn’s food, Kotez begged for something tasty, so I decided to make him a proper breakfast.
After a stretch of eating bread lately, I was craving rice today.
I served myself some rice I had cooked in a clay pot, and topped it with an orc meat dish I had prepared earlier.
The orc meat was cut into blocks and made into a steak-like dish with a sweet and savory glaze, which I was particularly proud of.
After cracking an egg yolk on top and sprinkling green onions, chili powder, and sesame seeds, I drizzled some mayonnaise in a grid pattern, and the dish was complete.
“Nyahhh!”
“Here you go.”
Kotez eagerly devoured it, clearly enjoying it. I was happy to see him like it.
Dipping the tip of my chopsticks into the egg yolk and mixing it with the meat, the taste was fantastic.
After enjoying some tea, it was about the right time to head out for the promised meeting.
I took a leisurely walk to the Adventurers’ Guild, feeling like I was going for a post-meal stroll, and met up with Sierra.
“Good morning, Tohma -san! Kotez-kun!”
“Good morning, Sierra.”
“Meow.”
The market begins when the bell tower in the center of the city rings twice. The first bell rings at 6 AM, the second bell rings around 9 AM, the third bell rings at noon, and the fourth bell rings at 6 PM. The townspeople live their daily lives according to the sound of these four bells.
Clocks are rare and expensive magical tools, and it seems only the city mayor owns one.
The Adventurers’ Guild starts work at 6 AM, with the first bell, and I was impressed by their diligence.
The market stalls begin at 9 AM, so that’s a relief.
Eager Sierra led the way and guided me to the market.
“The space assigned by the Commercial Guild is over there.”
The area was divided by braided vines, each section assigned a number. Since we arrived a little early, no one else was there yet.
“Newcomers don’t get the best spots, do they?”
“That’s probably true. Well, it’s our first day. Let’s take it easy.”
Though we were placed at the far corner of the market, it felt more relaxed.
“Well then, let’s get the shop ready.”
“Yes! I’ll help!”
Sierra was enthusiastic, but since it would be in the way, I handed her a sandwich made from the inn’s breakfast.
“First, Sierra, have something to eat! I’ll prepare things here while you’re eating.”
“Ugh… okay. Please let me help tomorrow?”
Sierra sat down on the wooden bench I gave her, pouting a little in dissatisfaction. She unwrapped the sandwich and took a bite.
“…It’s delicious! It has meat and eggs, it’s so luxurious…”
Sierra chewed in delight, and Kotez, sitting next to her, looked at her with a somewhat exasperated glance.
He looked at her like she was a poor child.
“Hmm? This is… the taste is new… what is this sauce! It’s so good!”
It seems children really like mayonnaise.
I quietly handed her a water-filled pouch so she wouldn’t choke, and left her to her amazement. I got to work preparing the stall. I took out the table, decorated it with a cloth, and began arranging the items.
The knife series, which had been popular among the beastmen, was placed in a prominent spot. Folding razors, nail clippers, sewing scissors, and pruning shears for gathering. I also put out three glass jars I bought from a 100-yen store just to try them.
“And then, let’s put this out too, just to see how it goes.”
At the inn and restaurants, they used wooden plates, but while walking around the town yesterday, I spotted some ceramic cups in a store selling high-end items.
There was a goblet-shaped ceramic piece, and a tea cup-like ceramic. The goblet had a color similar to Bizen ware, and it was a bit rough in shape.
The tea cup was beige with painted designs, and a set was priced at two gold coins.
“Since such beautiful items might attract attention, let’s try this simple little bowl instead.”
I placed a small greenish ceramic bowl. It cost only 100 yen, but it looked like it could fetch a higher price.
“Well, I don’t expect it to sell, but let’s put a price tag of one gold coin on it.”
The razors and scissors were priced the same as in the village: one silver coin each. This way, Sierra would find it easier to calculate.
Sierra, having finished her meal, hesitantly approached. She must have been embarrassed by how excited she had been earlier.
I taught her the prices and a little about customer service, then we sat together on the bench.
Before I knew it, the surrounding area had become lively.
Some people had laid cloth directly on the ground, while others had wooden boxes lined up, displaying their products. There were all sorts of goods, though many were general merchandise.
Wooden plates and cups, woven baskets, and handmade accessories.
It all had an exotic charm to it, and I found it quite impressive.
“Hmm, the second bell just rang.”
It was the start of the market.
