“Thanks for today, everyone! Thanks to you, I was able to research products to sell at the shop.”

“We should be thanking you; it was a valuable learning experience for us.”

“Absolutely. And we got some really handy tools from you too!”

I had already sold Lilia and the others a few items, like carabiners, fire starters, and compasses. Since they’d been so helpful, I sold them at the cost price from my outdoor store. Once the shop opens, I won’t be able to give special discounts just to them in front of other customers.

“If you get another request like this, don’t hesitate to reach out.”

“Oh, no way am I going back into that forest!”

I only hired escorts this time because I wanted to test out compasses and other camping gear. After seeing how dangerous it was, I’ve confirmed once and for all that I’m not cut out for adventuring. I won’t be going back to that forest.

“Lilia, thank you so much. Thanks to you, I made it back to town without a scratch!”

“No, thank you for the generous discount on things you intend to sell. In return, I’ll be sure to tell everyone I know about your store opening tomorrow.”

“That’d be amazing. We’re planning to open around noon, so spread the word if you can.”

With Lilia, a B-rank adventurer, promoting my shop, that publicity alone is worth far more than today’s discounts.

“The things you plan to sell are so useful. That compass, in particular, was fantastic. I’d love for every adventurer to have one.”

“Thanks, Lilia. That really boosts my confidence. I owe a lot to the people in this town, so I’ll price my products to keep them affordable.”

“That’s great to hear. I’ve had my share of help from the people in this town, too, so I’ll support you however I can. Feel free to consult me if you ever run into any trouble.”

“I’ll definitely take you up on that!”

Meeting Lilia may have been the most valuable outcome of this job. She’s genuinely concerned about newbie adventurers and seems like a truly good person. I’ll remember to rely on her if I ever need help.

After reporting the completion of the job to the adventurer’s guild, I parted ways with everyone and returned to my inn. With everyone’s input in mind, I spent the evening carefully planning what to sell and at what price.

The next day, I went to the merchant guild to complete the rental process for a stall. The fee was five silver coins per day. I had considered starting out with a cheaper open-air stand, but seeing how Lilia and Roya reacted to my products, I decided to go with a stall rental instead.

With a stall, I could discreetly restock items from my backpack if they sold out. Of course, if I had too much inventory to fit in my backpack, that might raise some eyebrows, so I’ll keep it reasonable.

“Oh wow, this is impressive!”

After finishing the paperwork, I went to check out the street where my stall would be. It reminded me of the summer festival stalls back home, with dozens of stands lined up along the street. I’d passed through here when I first arrived in town, but seeing it now, knowing I’ll have my own shop, it all looked different.

The stalls here are divided between food vendors and those selling other goods. My spot was between two clothing vendors, both already set up and doing business.

My target customers are newbie adventurers. They often head out on quests early in the morning and return to town between noon and evening, so I plan to aim for those times.

“Alright, that should do it. Time to open!”

After greeting the neighboring vendors, I arranged my products: compasses, carabiners, fire starters, foldable spoons and forks, and mugs.

I priced each item based on the outdoor store costs and market research. Carabiners cost five copper coins each to stock, so I priced them at one silver coin. Compasses cost one silver to stock, so I set them at two silver.

These prices are around the cost of two or three meals, making them affordable for newbies. A compass could be life-saving in that forest by helping prevent getting lost. I could probably charge more, but I was also helped by newcomers like Roya, so I want to give back to them.

“Alright, let’s do this!”

The street was filling up with adventurers. I was a bit nervous, but I knew I couldn’t afford to show it.

“Come on over and have a look! Today’s the grand opening of the ‘Outdoor Shop’—a store for adventurers!”