Last week, we had an unexpected visit from Berna and Ferry, two A-rank adventurers, at the outdoor shop. In the end, it turned out to be a good opportunity to build some rapport with the Adventurers' Guild in the royal capital.

At the welcome party for Angel, the younger sister of our new employee Dolph, everyone enjoyed the wyvern meat gifted by those two. Angel, the star of the event, seemed to have a great time, which was the most important thing.

Speaking of wyvern meat—what an incredible luxury ingredient! It tasted amazing. I envy the royal capital for having access to such premium ingredients. Running the shop makes it hard to take long breaks, but I’d love to visit the royal capital at least once.

"Thank you for visiting our store early this morning!"

Even today, a large crowd of customers lined up outside the shop from the early morning hours.

"Before opening the store, I’d like to introduce the new product we’ll be selling starting today."

Today, I decided to launch the new product without prior notice. Since the item is priced a bit higher, I anticipated that not everyone might be interested in purchasing it.

Honestly, I’m not sure how well it will sell until we try, but it probably won’t be as popular as the stick ramen or nutritional food bars. That said, the profit margin is decent, so even a single sale will bring in a good amount.

"The product we’re introducing today is this! Have you ever had your fire-starting tools, moisture-sensitive materials, or even your much-anticipated lunch get soaked in unexpected rain while hiking or adventuring? Worry no more! This is a waterproof backpack that keeps your belongings safe and dry!"

"Ooooh!"

"This backpack is made from a special material that repels water, so you can rest easy even in heavy rain! It will keep your important items safe from moisture. This convenient item is priced at just 1 gold coin and 5 silver coins!"

The waterproof backpack costs me 7 silver coins to purchase via the outdoor shop’s ability. Since it’s made from materials similar to vinyl, I plan to buy back damaged or unwanted ones for 3 silver coins. Factoring in the buy-back costs, the total profit per sale comes to 5 silver coins.

"Wow, that’s amazing! Does it also protect against monster blood soaking through?"

"Yes. Liquids won’t pass through. You can simply wipe the surface clean afterward, and there’s no need to worry about blood smells seeping into your belongings."

I’d already confirmed that the waterproof backpacks available through the outdoor shop were of good quality and properly treated for waterproofing.

Backpacks like these generally fall into two categories: water-repellent and waterproof. Water-repellent ones are treated to repel water but don’t offer high resistance, and their effectiveness diminishes over time. On the other hand, waterproof ones provide better protection, with a higher-end version called "completely waterproof," which even has waterproof zippers. Unfortunately, the outdoor shop’s current abilities don’t extend to such high-end products.

For long treks or mountain climbing, it’s better to invest in a well-waterproofed backpack, even if it’s a bit more expensive.

"Are there different colors or sizes available?"

"I’m sorry, but we only have this one color and size. However, you can adjust the straps here for a better fit."

"Oh, that’s convenient!"

Although the outdoor shop offers various colors and sizes, the store’s limited space makes it impossible to stock too many variations. I chose a medium-sized backpack in a neutral brown color to suit general needs.

Since the outdoor shop’s abilities increased to level 4 and expanded the product range significantly, I plan to introduce even more new items. However, unless we move to a larger store, offering variations like different colors or sizes will remain challenging.

"And I apologize for the delayed introduction, but this beautiful woman here has joined our staff as of last week. Please welcome Angel!"

"I’m Angel. Thank you for having me, everyone. I look forward to working with you."

"Ooooh!"

The male adventurers cheered even louder for Angel’s smile than they did for the waterproof backpack. Well, as a guy, I can’t say I don’t understand their reaction.

"Damn, why does someone like that already have a boyfriend?!"

"Because she’s that stunning, obviously. And she’s super kind, too!"

"No way! Nobody told me!"

Apparently, news that Angel has a boyfriend has already spread quite a bit. Gossip travels fast in this world. Sorry, guys, but I’ll need to deliver the finishing blow.

"Just so you know, Angel has a boyfriend, so please refrain from asking her out for meals or anything like that."

"Uwaaah!"

Many male adventurers dropped to their knees and cried out in despair. I imagine even some rookie adventurers who secretly admired her were among them.

In most stores, the staff wouldn’t reveal something like this for fear of hurting sales, but since our shop doesn’t lack customers, I have no problem being straightforward.

...Even though it’s not wrong, I do feel a bit guilty.

"Also, her brother works here as well, so if anyone tries anything inappropriate, they’ll be promptly thrown out. Please take note."

"Oh, her brother is that handsome guy working here, right?"

"A pair of gorgeous siblings, huh?"

"Lilia is beautiful, and Fia is adorable. This shop isn’t just about the products—it has amazing staff too!"

...Excuse me, ladies from that adventurer party, don’t forget that the shop owner is standing right here too!