"First of all, thank you for cooperating in the dungeon conquest the other day. Thanks to this magic tool you provided, we were able to quickly clear the high-difficulty dungeon that appeared near the royal capital. I am truly grateful."

Ruhail played with the compass on the desk with her fingers as she expressed her gratitude.

As I lowered my gaze to the desk, I unintentionally caught sight of Ruhail’s enormous chest, something I didn't need to see, and hurriedly shifted my eyes back up.

"I heard that it was Berna and Ferry who actually defeated the dungeon boss and cleared the dungeon, so the credit doesn’t belong to me. That being said, I’m glad that our store’s product was able to be of some help in the conquest."

"It’s true that the actual clearing of the dungeon was done by Berna, Ferry, and the other adventurers, but thanks to the tool you provided, the conquest proceeded much faster than expected, significantly reducing time, casualties, and costs. I also heard that these two were more motivated than usual for some reason."

… Now that I think about it, they did mention that the food and snacks I gave them made them incredibly motivated.

"I should be the one thanking you for the additional reward beyond the price of the product. And not just for me, but also for covering the travel expenses for my employees and me to come all this way."

"Oh, it's nothing compared to the contribution you made this time. The dungeon that appeared was too close to the royal capital… Yet, despite that, the materials from the monsters inside weren’t particularly valuable, and the dungeon’s floors were vast, making it a huge hassle just to thin out the monsters. It was something we wanted to deal with as soon as possible, so you really saved us."

I see, so the dungeon that appeared near the royal capital was truly a troublesome one.

"Also, rumors of your shop had already reached the royal capital even before we requested your cooperation. They say that in Al-Flare, the town of beginnings, there is a store selling incredibly useful tools for adventurers at very affordable prices, unlike anything seen elsewhere."

"That is truly an honor. I was saved by adventurers in that town, so I started the shop as a way to repay that debt, even if only a little."

"In that case, we should also be grateful to the adventurers who saved you. And since you’re even willing to supply such products to the royal capital, we will, of course, give you the appropriate welcome. Still, this compass is quite the mysterious magic tool. I can’t help but wonder how it manages to always point in a fixed direction within a dungeon."

Ruhail said this as she shook the compass and held it up in the air, examining it curiously.

… Every time she did that, her large chest bounced slightly, making it difficult for me to ignore. A man’s gaze is naturally drawn to such things, as if pulled by an invisible force.

"Well, if you'd like, I could teach you how to make a compass?"

"… Wha!? Tetsuya, are you serious?"

"Yes. Of course, I wouldn’t do it for free, and our shop has a unique way of making them, so I can’t guarantee that others will be able to replicate it."

From what little I remember from my original world, I believe old compasses used magnets formed naturally when certain minerals were struck by lightning or exposed to geomagnetic forces for long periods. However, I don’t remember exactly which minerals those were. I slightly regret not paying more attention in my science classes.

By the way, I had already discussed the idea of sharing the compass-making method with everyone beforehand. … It’s definitely not because I was swayed by Ruhail’s large chest, so don’t get the wrong idea!

"Since this dungeon conquest proved that compasses can be used even inside dungeons, the demand for them will only increase in the future. If only one store sells them, various problems are bound to arise. That’s why I thought it would be better to pass the knowledge on to the Adventurers’ Guild beforehand."

If it became widely known that compasses worked inside dungeons, more and more people would start meddling in our business, and the Al-Flare Adventurers’ Guild might not be able to handle the situation alone. Instead, I figured it would be better to entrust the knowledge to a more powerful organization, like the royal capital’s Adventurers’ Guild.

My outdoor shop had grown significantly since its opening, and we were now supplying goods to the royal capital and other towns.

Back when I first opened the shop, the compass was a highly popular product that drew in many customers. But now, with my shop’s capabilities having improved, we had plenty of other appealing products as well. There was no longer a need for us to monopolize compass sales.

I don’t know whether or not this world has naturally occurring magnetic minerals, but since magic exists here, it might be possible to artificially create magnets using lightning magic.

Depending on how the royal capital’s Adventurers’ Guild Master, Ruhail, handles the compass, I’ll decide whether or not to bring up the even more dangerous topics of maps and encyclopedias.