“As expected, it’s unfortunate, but we couldn’t hold Baron Rigeem accountable…”

“I see…”

As I thought, just like Deputy Guild Master Patrice had mentioned earlier, it seems it wasn’t possible to hold the baron responsible for sending an envoy directly to us without going through the Adventurers’ Guild.

“Well, if they claim they have no recollection of sending such an envoy, there’s not much else that can be pursued.”

“Hmm… Even though the envoy himself testified that he was officially sent by the baron?”

“It seems the envoy, realizing no help would come from the baron, retracted his statement and claimed that he acted alone to tarnish the reputation of the outdoor shop.”

“What? Is that even allowed?”

“I suppose he figured the baron might have him eliminated otherwise. He was caught drawing a weapon, so he’ll be handed over to the guards and spend some time in a cell, but we’re not going to take his life.”

“I see…”

“Though I don’t think someone like the baron has that much power.”

“Exactly. As Lange says, the baron doesn’t have the authority or means to attack a prison guarded by soldiers.”

… On the other hand, a high-ranking noble or royalty could likely cover up incidents and even employ people capable of such actions. This world, despite its relative safety, remains dangerous in its own way.

“At the very least, news of this incident will spread throughout the town, which should deter others from targeting your shop directly without going through the Adventurers’ Guild. Speaking of which, we’ve already received a few offers from people interested in negotiating with your shop. What do you think?”

“They’ve already reached out? I see… I’ll review them, then.”

In the past, there were customers and merchants who approached the shop directly for deals, but I’d turned them all down. Most offers were about bulk purchasing items sold at the outdoor shop, probably to resell them at a higher price elsewhere.

This time as well, the offers mainly involved bulk purchases. Some were very appealing, such as buying the items at prices higher than what the shop currently sells them for. However, just as I told the baron’s envoy, this isn’t about money. I’ll have to decline them.

That said, items like compasses and water purifiers are undoubtedly helpful for adventurers. Since we’ve started collaborating with the Adventurers’ Guild, it might be worthwhile to consider supplying these items to guilds in other towns.

“Now then, Tetsuya-san, here is a simplified version of the map you provided. It only includes major towns, mountains, and rivers, omitting smaller villages. If there are no issues, we’d like to start mass-producing and selling these simplified maps.”

“Oh, it’s already finished?”

Patrice spread two maps across the desk. One was the detailed map I provided using the outdoor shop’s ability, and the other was the simplified version commissioned by Rizac and Patrice from a trusted individual.

In addition to the content differences, the quality of the simplified map—its paper and ink—was far inferior compared to the high-quality materials from my original world. If we had sold the original map outright, it would have drawn far too much attention.

“Hmm… From what I can see, it seems fine. What do you think, Lilia? Lange?”

“I don’t see any issues. Only towns with some recognition are marked.”

“Yeah, it looks good. I’ve used it before, and paired with a compass, it’s incredibly convenient. I think with both the map and a compass, you’d rarely get lost, even on unfamiliar roads.”

With mountains and rivers marked as landmarks, getting lost would indeed be unlikely. Still, people from my original world might struggle without a GPS or search functionality on their smartphones. Personally, I’d feel uneasy relying solely on maps and compasses.

“Thanks, both of you. Patrice-san, Rizac-san, it seems fine to proceed.”

“Thank you! We’ll start mass-producing these simplified maps, then.”

“Everything is already set for large-scale production. They should be ready for sale by next week!”

It seems they’ve already prepared for mass production. In just a week, they found trusted individuals to reproduce the maps and arranged the facilities needed to produce them in bulk. It’s impressive how much effort the Adventurers’ Guild is putting into the map project. For adventurers, a map is an essential tool in most situations.

“We expect the maps to be available at the guild starting next week. Tetsuya-san, a portion of the proceeds will be sent to you monthly. Since most guild staff are unaware of your involvement with the maps and compendiums, please contact me or the Guild Master directly if you need anything.”

“Understood.”

My involvement in providing the detailed map and compendium is kept secret, even from guild staff. The original map and compendium used as references will also be destroyed later.

At first, I considered selling the reproduced maps and compendiums through the outdoor shop, but doing so could attract troublesome nobles like the one we dealt with this time. It’s safer to leave all sales to the Adventurers’ Guild.

Besides, the profits from the outdoor shop alone are already substantial. If providing just the initial maps and compendiums allows me to earn some passive income, that’s more than enough. Long live passive income!